9 beauty resolutions to steal from the likes of Jolin Cai, Charmaine Sheh and Dee Hsu for 2019

2019 is almost upon us and it’s time for one thing: setting New Year’s resolutions.

While resolutions get a bad rap for being for being unsustainable, the start of the New Year is nevertheless still a good time to re-evaluate your habits and goals when it comes to your health, career, relationship and even your beauty routine.

Besides, beauty-related New Year’s resolution tends to be low-commitment, which means they are actually things you can keep up with.

To inspire your own beauty resolutions for the year ahead, we rounded up nine beauty goals inspired by celebs like Jolin Cai, Charmaine Sheh and Dee Hsu.

Some like using sunscreen (even indoors) will benefit your health along with keeping your skin looking radiant and clear, while others like finding your signature scent will transform you into a #girlboss every morning.  

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The dancing diva never underestimates the power of a good massage to help her get rid of facial puffiness. In an Instagram post, Jolin shared that she always makes sure to massage pressure points on her face before performing.

To give yourself a mini facial massage, lubricate your face with face oil like argan or jojoba oil before massaging your entire face lightly with your fingers. If you are concerned about using oil on your skin, use your favourite moisturiser. Doing so can help to push down excessive fluid in the face to lymph nodes in the neck so you get a slimmer and sharper visage.

Bonus: this mini massage also amps up blood circulation for a flirty flush in the cheeks, making blusher entirely optional on makeup free days. Who doesn’t want that?

Photo: Instagram/Jolin Tsai

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If you use eye creams, you might want to add an eye serum to your routine.

While eye creams and serums both work to hydrate and care for the delicate (and unfortunately problem-prone) under-eye area, serums can help to deliver the results you want faster than your go-to cream.

Like serums you apply on your face, eye serums have formulas that penetrate the skin deeper than eye creams and deliver potent ingredients below layers of the skin.

Also, eye serums absorb more easily compared to eye creams so they work great underneath makeup during the daytime. “Story of Yanxi Palace” star Charmaine Sheh shared that she noticed a difference in her dark eye circles after incorporating an eye serum into her skincare routine.

Photo: Instagram/Charmaine Sheh

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A hydrating sheet mask can do wonders for your skin. Used a few times a week, the right mask can help prevent flakes and dry spots, alleviate redness and lock in moisture so your skin looks and feels smooth and radiant.

When your skin is hydrated, your base makeup goes on more evenly and smoothly. Malaysian singer Fish Leong revealed on social media that sheet masks play an important role in her skincare routine. In that same post, she also shared that she preps her skin for makeup by using a sheet mask.

Pick a sheet mask rich on ingredients like hydrolyzed collagen and elastin, vitamin E, avocado, oatmeal, and botanicals and essential oils like calendula and argan oil to hydrate the skin and balance your skin’s natural oils.

Photo: Instagram/Fish Leong

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It’s easy to get stuck in the habit of wearing the same look. Make a promise to yourself that this year will be the year of trying new makeup trends, whether it’s a red lip or blue eyeliner.

Korean popstar Victoria Song wrote in an Instagram post that she “like(s) to wear red matte lipstick whenever (she) want(s)” because it “shows (her) attitude.” Wise words, Victoria.

Photo: Instagram/Victoria Song
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The notion of a signature scent is always alluring. It’s almost like creating a sort of olfactory fingerprint that associates you with your fragrance. Hong Kong star once joked that someone asked how her perspiration can smell so good, to which she replied that she douses herself in perfume.

Jokes aside, that is what a signature perfume does (or should do), it matches your personality to a tee and should smell like you. The short answer for how to find your elusive, signature fragrance is really to choose a scent that is both versatile and timeless.

It should also reflect your personality, style and taste. It’s a deeply personal choice and could be an aroma that triggers a certain memory that draws you to a particular scent. It’s important to smell a wide range of scents – don’t be afraid to try out lots of fragrances and take time to make your decision.

Photo: Instagram/Joey Yung

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We are all familiar with the importance of slathering on sunscreen before heading out, but did you know that it is equally – if not more – paramount to apply SPF even when you are indoors. Indoor UV exposure can occur from ultraviolet that penetrates through glass, which is UVA.

UVA is emitted at the same level – all day long – whereas UVB, which is blocked by glass peaks mid-day. Singapore-based actress Jesseca Liu shared that sun protection is very important to her especially when she is in a sunny country like Malaysia.

She wrote in an Instagram post that she always packs her sunscreen with her whether she is indoors or outdoors. Follow Jesseca’s lead and opt for a broad-spectrum or full-spectrum sunscreen that can shield your skin from both UVA and UVB.

Photo: Instagram/Jesseca Liu
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Oil and skin isn’t always the best combination. When you have bangs, the natural oils from your hair can actually irritate your skin and cause breakouts.

That is why you should try to get your hair out of your face whenever you have the chance to give your forehead a break. Instead of using bobby pins,

Taiwanese sweetheart Cyndi Wang prefers using a roller to pull her bangs back so her bangs have a slight curl and lay against the forehead.

Photo: Instagram/Cyndi Wang

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One of the oldest tricks in the (beauty) book is placing cold spoon under the eyes to constrict the blood vessels so your eyes look less puffy in the morning.

Just like a cold spoon, a cooling stick like this tool used by Taiwanese singer Vivian Hsu helps to reduce puffiness, especially around the eyes and cheeks. The cold also helps to constrict pores to allow for better makeup application.

Photo: Instagram/Vivian Hsu

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This is a big one and is admittedly easier said than done. Let’s face it, most of us are looking at our reflection and the mirror and only narrowing in on our flaws. This is neither good for our mental health nor wellbeing.

You will find yourself happier when you aren’t ripping yourself apart in the mirror all day. Try to embrace and love the skin you are in. We encourage you to embrace your natural features – whether that is your brows, lashes, lips and any other part of you.

Taiwanese host Dee Hsu recently took to the gram to remind her followers not to be too hard on themselves and love the skin they are in.   (Have you seen Chloe Grace Mortez’s makeup-free campaign to encourage skin confidence? Check it out here)

She wrote: “I used to look in mirror and only see my flaws, my puffy eyes, eye bags and parts of my body that were not slim enough. I went for countless botox injections and hyaluronic acid fillers and ended up looking like a zombie. When I asked my daughters about my flaws, they told me they can’t see any and love me just as much…When you like someone, you don’t just fall for their looks but there has to be an emotional and spiritual connection. So cut yourselves some slack and love yourself.”

Photo: Instagram/Dee Hsu

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