Happy New Year, Beautiful! Beauty Tips, Products & Treatments With Beauty Blogger Belinda Clarke by Renee

It would be great to stay in “New Year” party mode forever, but eventually we have to hit the reset button and get a start on all the resolutions we enthusiastically made. Belinda Clarke, 30Seconds contributor and beauty blogger, shared her tips to help us get off on the right foot with all things health, wellness and beauty! 

Belinda works full time at Northwestern University in the Medill School of Journalism as the Director of Alumni Engagement. She previously worked as the beauty editor for Pregnancy and Women’s Health and Fitness magazines, and was also a contributor to iParenting Media (where she worked with Elisa and Donna!). Belinda is the creator of hobby beauty blog MyFaveBeauty, where she writes about all her top beauty picks.

Q: What are some of the beauty trends we’ll be seeing this year?

• Clean beauty (natural ingredients) is showing a meteoric rise with no signs of slowing down. People want to know what they are putting on their skin and there is zero tolerance these days for chemicals and additives. 

• Natural-looking makeup is timeless. A subtle look works for everyone and it’s easy to get a healthy, natural look while still having fun with makeup. Examples are nude polish and lipstick, subtle highlighter for cheeks and eyes and a sheer foundation.

• It’s all about finding your perfect match. We’re talking foundation, here. Sephora offers a cool widget to find your perfect shade and formula. Or head to the department store and you can play with various brands and shades.

• Natural-looking brows can make all the difference. Foolproof brow fillers come in all shades and all price points and they have become a regimen staple.

You can find inexpensive and really easy brow fillers at Walgreens, or it's fun to go to Sephora and play with different options. #30seconds

— myfavebeauty (@myfavebeauty) January 24, 2019

Q: What’s up with the surge in facial oils, and do they work on acne prone skin?

• Facial oils and oil-based cleansers are everywhere, and they CAN work on virtually every skin type, provided you find the right one for you. Look for facial oils that are plant-based, mineral or petroleum based. Years ago, I interviewed a woman named Kari Gran who was one of the first natural skin-care developers to harness the power of natural plant oils.

• Here are oils to look for in natural skin-care lines that really work to help improve skin texture, tone and appearance: lavender, avocado, sunflower, argan, tea tree, chamomile, rose and jojoba. KariGran has an essential balm that’s perfect.

• Will an oil-based cleanser leave my face feeling greasy? Today's, natural oil-based cleansers are designed to remove makeup but rinse clean leaving your skin soft and moisturized with no greasy feel.

Those mineral powders are really great - and work as sunscreen too! #30seconds

— myfavebeauty (@myfavebeauty) January 24, 2019

Argan oil is really good, and @josie_maran is famous for her natural argan oil products. #30Seconds

— myfavebeauty (@myfavebeauty) January 24, 2019

Q: I’m on a budget and I can’t afford pricey department store products but I want to be good to my skin and hair. Where should I look?

High-quality skin care can be totally affordable and you can find it at the drugstore or  Target. Look for the keywords all-natural, paraben-free, sulfate-free, phthalate-free. Brandless offers five basic, no-frills natural skin-care products (daytime moisturizer, night cream, facial scrub, facial toner and a cleanser) for $3 each. They also have beauty tools, body care and hair care for just $3 each.

You can find quality hair care at the drugstore if you make sure to look for sulfate-free products, because they won’t strip color or moisture. Cleansing conditioners are also great, especially in the winter when your hair gets dry and brittle. Here are a few cult-classic drugstore beauty products:  Aquaphor, Dickinson’s Witch Hazel, Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes, Jergen’s Original Lotion in the cherry almond scent and good old-fashioned Oil of Olay, the pink formula.

They have a citrus body scrub that's amazing. I really like @arbonne! #30Seconds

— myfavebeauty (@myfavebeauty) January 24, 2019

Q: What’s up with those beauty sampling programs? Are they worth the money? Which is the best? Can I pick what I want?

I covet all things beauty, so I love to try samples, and it’s a great way to test some of the pricier, trendier products before you commit to a full size. There are many to choose from that cost between $10 and $15 a month, the top ones being Birchbox, Glossybox.com, Allure Beauty Box and Sephora Play! Also, many of the subscription boxes let you pay for a year in advance and that lowers the per-month cost. And, there is a chance to fill out a profile, so you get products that are more customized.

Finally, if you are a regular beauty buyer and like samples with your orders, both Sephora and Nordstrom let you pick free samples at checkout.

A4 target has a great box #30Seconds

— Katrina F (@KatrinaFol34) January 24, 2019

Q: What are your favorite must-have products of all time?

• Toner: Caudalie Beauty Elixir
• Eye Cream: Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream
• Mascara: Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real!
• Lip Balm: Terry Baume de Rose
• Foundation: Clinique Beyond Perfecting
• Night Cream: Goop by Juice Beauty Replenishing Night Cream
• Blush: Wander Beauty On-The-Glow Blush and Illuminator in Berry Whisper

Any treatments out there to help reduce my rosease when I don't feel like putting on makeup to cover it up lol #30Seconds

— Katrina F (@KatrinaFol34) January 24, 2019

Q: What is the latest in medspa treatments for aging skin that don’t require me to hide for a week?

I have a good friend who I consult with on many of my med spa stories and I totally trust her and the clients she represents. When it comes to laser treatments, it’s crucial not to cut corners. Find a trusted, board-certified dermatologist.

For truly minimal downtime and lasting results you can really see, go with a BBL treatment, which is one of the top IPL (intense pulse light) technologies. BBL stands for BroadBand Light, and it uses bursts of light to heat the upper layers of skin, stimulating cells to regenerate for clearer, smoother, more vibrant and younger-looking skin. The BBL is perfect for treating blood vessels, rosacea, freckles and age spots, lack of firmness, unwanted hair, acne and aging skin. With zero downtime, the most you’ll see is smattering of peppery spots that disappear in a few days.

There is another relatively new treatment that really goes deep but still allows you to go to work the next day. It’s called HALO and it’s the world’s first and only hybrid fractional laser that targets both the upper and deeper layers of the skin. HALO works to treat enlarged pores, uneven tone and even wrinkles and acne scars. Plus, it works to stimulate collagen production. There is no downtime, just the look of a mild sunburn for a week, and you can wear makeup right away, no problem.

I’m actually so curious about HALO that I’m going to mark my 50th year with a treatment for myself. It’s happening this Friday so stay tuned, 30Seconds tribe, I’ll be documenting my experience during and afterwards!

Here’s my no makeup selfie (with my son) from last week! #30seconds #NoMakeup #nomakeupchallenge #nomakeupselfie pic.twitter.com/wlVLr6OgdT

— Elisa All Schmitz (@elisatalk) January 24, 2019

Be sure to follow @myfavebeauty and read Belinda's 30Seconds tips!