Whether it’s the minimalism that’s been a runway mainstay for so many seasons or the organization fervor spawned by Marie Kondo’s bestseller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, it seems that simplification is being sought after like never before. Never ones to leave a trend (if you can call it that) unexplored, we’ll be taking these principles to heart as we head into a new year—and are setting ourselves up for success by starting with what we know best. Read on for the Belle Salon & Spa guide to keeping your world of beauty sweetly simple.
Source: Aveda
De-clutter your bathroom. Take a hard look at everything in your medicine cabinet, shower, and drawers, and toss anything you’re no longer using or loving. Be brutal. Test your nail polishes to see which ones have become more of an unusable gunk. Discard the headache-inducing candle you once received as a gift. Admit that you will never use those tiny bottles of body wash you swiped from a hotel three years ago. Your bathroom should be a sanctuary, and it’s anything but when you’re extracting the last bit of lotion from a two-year-old bottle because you can’t find the one you really love.
Be selective when it comes to your skincare. We’ve all fallen prey to those products that promise to absolve our concerns—be they hyperpigmentation, acne, wrinkles, or some combination of the above. In reality, our skin tends to behave best when treated to a smaller number of higher-performing products. Easy rule of thumb? Focus on renewing at night and protecting during the day (psst—Aveda is launching Daily Light Guard Defense Fluid Broad Spectrum SPF 30 next month).
Streamline your makeup bag. Chances are, you have more than a few things in there that aren’t doing much aside from gathering beige and bronze dust. Toss anything past its expiration date or that you don’t use. And when it comes to those items you only reach for before big nights out, store them somewhere accessible but out of the way.
Unsubscribe from any sample-size subscriptions if they’re no longer bringing you joy. If for every item you love, you receive six or seven you don’t, you might be better off putting the monthly payment towards a high-quality splurge you’ll treasure every day (and that won’t eat up valuable real estate in your bathroom drawers).
Switch to a low-maintenance haircut. For some people (we know, because we see it firsthand) the daily challenge of styling a high-maintenance haircut can sap all the joy a chic chop is supposed to bring. Sound familiar? During your next pre-cut consultation, tell your stylist you’re looking for something that only requires the right styling products—and not hitting a precise angle with your blow dryer every single time. Your hair should be freeing, not frustrating.
Embrace double-duty products. They can be a lifesaver when it comes to de-cluttering your shower. Swap your body wash and moisturizer for Beautifying or Stress-Fix Crème Cleansing Oil, which moisturizes as it cleans. In lieu of the classic shampoo + conditioner duo, try Aveda Be Curly Co-Wash. This cleansing conditioner is a bit of a misnomer—we think it works fine for any hair type, especially if yours is colored, damaged, or prone to breakage. And last but not least, keeping a bottle of your favorite Composition Oil on hand will be one of the best things you ever do for yourself. It’s a post-shower moisturizer, cuticle softener, pre-cleanser, scalp conditioner, bath oil, and makeup remover all in one. (Think of all those products you can now relegate to the linen closet.)
