A new year is a great time to shift bad beauty habits and incorporate new products and rituals into your skincare routine.

By refreshing and updating your routine for the year ahead, you can kick-start your skin and blow away the remnants of the indulgent period. 

There are certain areas in skincare regimes that get neglected or ignored, but if you start your improvements early and stick to them, your skin will thank you in the long run.

By following my five simple steps, the benefits will reveal themselves throughout the year!

Introduce an eye cream– the eye area tends to be overlooked during ones morning and night time procedure. By integrating an eye cream, gel or balm it will reduce the appearance of dark circles, fine lines and puffiness. Main ingredients to look out for when choosing an eye product are vitamin C, caffeine and retinol.

Exfoliate twice a week– exfoliation is key to fabulous and glowing skin. I recommend exfoliating twice a week after cleansing. To start out I would use exfoliator aimed at sensitive skin, you can then upgrade to a more intense one if suited and needed. Useful ingredients used in exfoliators tend to be papaya enzymes, glycolic acid and salicylic acid.

Treat yourself to a weekly face mask– face masks are fantastic skin saviours; used once a week or when needed, they will make a massive difference to your complexion. I advise choosing a face mask that is suited to your skin type, for example, if you have dry or sensitive skin a calming, milky mask would be used. Whereas if you have oily and spot prone skin, a clay based mask would be best suited.

Invest in a serum– serums are a must have product in anybody’s routine. They target certain concerns such as redness, wrinkles and pigmentation. Serums penetrate deeper than moisturisers, ensuring fast results and a noticeable difference in your complexion. Apply your serum every morning and night before your moisturiser to really kick the cobwebs away. Serums packed full with vitamins and antioxidants will massively benefit your skin.

Drink up– by drinking at least eight glasses of water a day you will keep your skin hydrated and plump and keep breakouts at bay! It’s a hard routine to get into; however, if you take a glass to bed, have a glass first thing in the morning and carry a refillable bottle around with you, you will be well on your way to the recommended amount.

My top picks for the year ahead are:

Lulu’s Time Bomb Smart Balm Eye Cream (£22.75)

Pevonia’s Enzymo-Sphérides Cream (£30.00)

ESPA Lift & Firm Mask (£45.00)

Balance Me Anti-Ageing Face Serum (£36.00)

Orico Face Firming Elixir (£29.00)