New Year, New Me

I am a Capricorn and most of the time the old goat has me relentlessly by the horns. I work hard and don’t give in to too many indulgences. So this New Year I’m going to focus on a new me and cultivate some of the facets of my personality that don’t always get nurtured. And, of course, there are some beauty products that will help me get into the spirit of things.

New Year, Glamorous Me

Unless my guard is down and our resident makeup artist Kristen is wielding a flat iron and an eyelash curler, the glamorous me doesn’t get much air time. We all need a little glamour, especially during party season. A lipstick red handbag will do the trick (think Celine). So will a smattering of gold and how about rubbing it directly into your skin with Prana AU 24K Gold Serum ($96). Of course, my inner Capricorn is relieved to know that gold may increase blood flow and oxygen, plus it has anti-inflammatory activities and could boost collagen III. Prana Fluff & 24K Gold Body Whip ($40), an unctuous body lotion, also has gold in it (although, unlike the flake-filled serum, you can’t see it) and a heady tropical scent. Glamour girls bat their lashes, so lash growers are effective. AQ is bringing out one soon (which I have been testing), but in the meantime, the AQ Eye Serum ($99 in the shop) works a treat on eyelashes when just used as a regular eye cream. And a good eyelash growth product is growth-factor-packed ReLuma Lash ($95).

New Year, Sunny Me

I grew up in a country where it looks as if it is raining even when it isn’t. So one of things that I love about New York is that there are many more sunny days than gray ones and winter, especially, mitigates the cold with shimmering blue skies. Still there are times when the clouds gather and they can be metaphoric as well as real. So I am resolving to think of the sun and be thankful for the sun everyday. Some bottled sunshine helps – for instance, reaching for RMS Beauty Oil ($74), which is so bright and yellow, it makes me smile. Smells evoke long days of vacation sun, such as Snowberry Remineralizing Toner ($54 in the shop), which is a cleanser/toner and has a scent of tropical fruit.

New Year, Indulgent Me

I bet I’m not the only one that doesn’t treat myself enough. So New Year’s Day found me scanning my bathroom cabinet for some little indulgences. Chocolate, of course, is a no-brainer and face masks always make me feel as though I’m indulging in a little me time. So Josh Rosebrook Cacao Antioxidant Mask ($60) is a double whammy. This mask has only good things in it and the most powerful chocolatey smell that you will want to dip your finger in the pot and immediately lick it. Even if you don’t go that far, you do get to indulge a secret fantasy of smearing yourself in chocolate. An instant indulgence is a spritz of Sevani Rose Hyaluronic Tonique ($39 in the shop). This transporting toner with its rosewater scent always takes me to a better place. Another thing I have fondness for is eye masks as for some reason they make me think of spas. With Chella Anti-Fatigue Eye Mask ($45) you get to lie back with a glass of Chardonnay and after 15 minutes the under-eye area is depuffed, the complexion clearer, the skin firmer. It is an effect that looks more dramatic about an hour later and, in my experience, can last a whole day. A post-holiday pick-me-up if ever there was one. Or, curl up with Your Best Face Private Reserve in Comfort Blend ($75 in the shop) for a extended scent of holiday provided vanilla and nutmeg. The simple but powerful formula includes powerful antioxidants that your skin will thank you for.

New Year, Handy Me

OK, so this is where practical Capricorn comes back. Every year, I promise myself that I will give extra focus to a neglected body part: 2012 was the year of hair and neck – with good progress made on both fronts. This will be the year when I track down the best hand creams that I can. This is a work in progress, but I’m starting out with some good finds, such as Stemulation Rescue Repair Hand & Body Cream ($96 in the shop), white label use of Retrospect Feet, Knees and Elbows ($38), and Lather AHA Hand Crème ($18). Right now, I’m using Aphelia Luscious Hand Cream.

I’d love to hear your plans for a new you.