{"id":116025,"date":"2019-02-27T09:00:05","date_gmt":"2019-02-27T14:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/digiblocks.ca\/29secrets\/?p=116025"},"modified":"2019-02-26T10:36:56","modified_gmt":"2019-02-26T15:36:56","slug":"live-your-year-beautifully","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digiblocks.ca\/29secrets\/beauty\/live-your-year-beautifully\/","title":{"rendered":"Live Your Year, Beautifully\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s February and you\u2019re felling meh. Fair play. It\u2019s too cold to want to go outside and after binge-eating for the past two months and a dead-on-the-treadmill resolution, it\u2019s safe to say no one want to stay inside and Netflix and chill. No problem. We\u2019ve got your fix. Consider this your month-by-month beauty cheat sheet that you can start right now.<\/p>\n

February: Prevent stress <\/strong>
\nThis is such a no brainer…you need to book a massage. Not only will you get to lie down for a solid 60, the human touch soothes, relieving muscle tension, pain and tightness. It can also improve your circulation, which means your skin will look and feel healthier enabling your skin to better fight off the gross bacteria and infection we\u2019re all breathing in right now. Plus, it\u2019ll help keep you from becoming a number, as in the one in four Canadians Statistics Canada says describe their daily routine as stressful.<\/p>\n

March: Spring clean!<\/strong>
\nTake a line from Marie Kondo\u2019s page of life and eliminate the old (a.k.a: layer of dead skills you didn\u2019t know you have on your face) by giving it a spring-cleaning. Professional chemical peels are a great option as they remove dead skin cells and stimulate new ones. If you want to go the DIY route, deep cleaning, exfoliating facial products containing chemicals like Olay ProX Exfoliating Renewal Cleanser ($18, available at Walmart) and NeoStrata Dual Acid Brightening Peel ($80, available at Shoppers Drug Mart), retinol, alpha-hydroxy acids (e.g., glycolic) or beta-hydroxy acids (e.g., salicylic) works best if you use them once a week. (Bonus: Freshly exfoliated skin absorbs serums and moisturizers more easily.)<\/em><\/p>\n

April: Shape up<\/strong>
\nCovet J.Lo\u2019s abs (P.Diddy did a double take and posted about it!) or Jessica Alba\u2019s tush? Tap into the celebrity-favoured Body Contouring treatment. \u201cSpring is a great time for this procedure because it takes about eight to 12 weeks to see the results,\u201d affirms Dr. Cory S. Goldberg MD, MASc, FRCSC, FACS, MBA, a plastic and craniofacial surgeon at his eponymous clinic in Toronto. \u201cThis will leave you with enough time to look your best when summer arrives.\u201d\u00a0Applied with a non-invasive laser, the non-surgical body LipoSonix treatment alternately cools or heats fat, causing it to die and resorb and can be applied to your tummy, love-handles, thighs and upper back.<\/p>\n

May: Polish your look<\/strong>
\nOpen-toe sandal season is here and with a bevy of nail polish shades to choose from, like the water-based, natural, odour-free, vegan line from Canada\u2019s Suncoat nail polish ($12 each, available at suncoatproducts.com<\/a>), you can primp your way to a pretty pedicure in five easy steps:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Remove residue and old polish with nail-polish remover.<\/li>\n
  2. Soak your feet in warm soapy water then soften your cuticles with cuticle oil and gently push the cuticles back with the base of a nail file.<\/li>\n
  3. Add a base coat to protect your nails and give your favourite colour something to adhere to.<\/li>\n
  4. Paint on a thin layer of your chosen hue and follow up with a second coating.<\/li>\n
  5. Layer on a topcoat to seal the deal and prevent chipping.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    June: Faux glow<\/strong>
    \nNo need to revisit the \u201980s and bake your skin under the sun\u2019s harsh UVA (think: aging) and UVB (think: burning) rays. Self-tanning suntan products will do the trick leaving your skin with a bronzed-looking glow. Simply, shower, shave and exfoliate, then pat your skin dry before moisturizing with your favourite body lotion. Apply a thin layer of self-tanner onto your skin and voil\u00e0, you\u2019ll look like you\u2019ve spent the week in the Caribbean. (Tip:\u00a0Wait 10 to 15 minutes until your self-tanner has completely absorbed into your skin before getting dressed to avoid transference onto your clothes.)<\/em> <\/p>\n

    TRY:\u00a0Vita Liberata pHenomenal 2-3 week Tan Mousse, $65 at Sephora.<\/p>\n

    July: Exfoliate<\/strong>
    \nLove the sunshine; loathe the sweating. Slough off grime, dirt, sweat and dead skin cells with a gritty-feeling facial product on a weekly basis. It\u2019s a good thing, especially during summer\u2019s hot and humid months. Why?<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. It leaves your skin with a smoother appearance and feel.<\/li>\n
    2. It eliminates your dermis of dry flakes, sweat, grime and dead skin cells.<\/li>\n
    3. It helps improve the skin\u2019s natural cell renewal rate.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      TRY:\u00a0Fresh Sugar Face Polish Exfoliator, from $30, available at Sephora.<\/p>\n

      August: White On<\/strong>
      \nGetting back to reality post summer vacation is the perfect time to book your annual teeth whitening appointment. Consider it your preventative dental hygiene and an instant makeover all in one. Here\u2019s what you need to know:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Get your teeth cleaned beforehand to eliminate surface stains and\/or tartar buildup. This will help achieve \u201cthe whitening results you want in a faster, more predictable way,\u201d explains Dr. David Gardner, a cosmetic makeover dentist at the Gardner Dental Centre in Toronto.<\/li>\n
      2. While whitening will not change the colour of plastic bonding, fillings, crowns or veneers, you can have these redone in the new, brighter colour.<\/li>\n
      3. Whitening \u201csensitivity is due to dehydration of the tooth by the whitening agents and can be easily managed,\u201d says Dr. Gardner. All you need to do is ask how.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        September: Brighten Up<\/strong>
        \nYou came, you saw, you sunned, you played hard and now you need to repent. Your face needs a little TLC after being exposed to your summertime behaviour. Erase sun spots, fine lines and even, acne with skincare products containing Retinol. Health Canada approved and typically containing a maximum of 1.0% of the anti-aging ingredient, retinol-based products are the gold standard for glowing, covetous skin, removing the layers of dead skin cells on your face, increasing cellular rejuvenation and stimulating collagen production\u2014all while softening fine lines and wrinkles and reducing the size of your pores. (Tip: Don\u2019t forget to add an SPF to your daytime routine as retinol products can make your skin more susceptible to burning.)<\/em><\/p>\n

        TRY: Drunk ElephantA-Passioni Retinol Cream, $92, available at Sephora.\u00a0
        \nTRY: Olay CC Cream Total Effects Tone Correcting Moisturizer with SPF15, $32, available at drugstores.<\/p>\n

        October: Swap your shades<\/strong>
        \nWith your summer vacation fading into a distant memory it\u2019s time to swap your coral and bronze lipstick, eyeshadow and blush hues for autumn\u2019s neutral, berry and rosy shades.<\/p>\n