18 Beauty Experts Share the Bad Beauty Habit They Promise to Break in 2018

We all have them: bad beauty habits. From biting our nails to pulling apart straggly split ends, it’s time to finally put an end to these vices. We caught up with 18 beauty pros — including founders, CEOs, and experts — to learn about the bad beauty habits they promise to break in 2018. (Photo via Getty)

Huda Kattan, Founder and CEO, Huda Beauty: “I promise to remove my false lashes with micellar water in 2018. I really want to be gentle on my natural lashes this year. At the end of a long day, I tend to take my false lashes off super quickly, without much TLC. I really want to get into the habit of soaking a cotton pad in micellar water, placing them over my eyes for 10 seconds to loosen the glue, and then gently removing the lashes.”

Maggie Ford Danielson, Global Beauty Authority, Benefit Cosmetics: “The bad beauty habit I promise to break in 2018 is to stop picking my face because it leads to more breakouts and discoloration. Bad Maggie!”

Dr. Lamees Hamdan, Founder and CEO, Shiffa: “The bad beauty habit I promise to break in 2018 is brushing my teeth too hard and grinding and clenching my teeth. I recently discovered I have mild gum recession and I want to stop its progress and even reverse it, if possible. I've switched to a soft electric toothbrush that stops when I start pressing too hard while brushing my teeth and I've made my own natural homemade toothpaste to help with the remineralization. Teeth are an integral part of your beauty routine; just by lightening your teeth, your smile is more dazzling and it can help make you look younger. However, when we think beauty, we usually just concentrate on skin, but your teeth and smile also play a significant role.”

Amy Regan, CEO, Skinfix: “I will stop using hot water in 2018. Warm water is the key. If water is too hot, you can potentially irritate skin and loosen the natural lipids. Ultimately, you’re washing your skin’s natural protection down the drain every time you shower, wash your hands, or even [wash] your face. In addition, hot water increases the irritancy of harsh soaps and fragranced washes, which can then irritate and dry out your skin further.”

Julie Fredrickson, Founder, Stowaway Cosmetics: “The bad beauty habit I promise to break in 2018 is hoarding skincare and cosmetics I know I won't finish before they expire. Even though I should know better, I've found myself hanging onto lipsticks that I haven't had a chance to wear more than a few times because I got suckered into a trend (hello super matte), mega palettes with shades I rarely use, or skincare products I thought I could work into my routine (no, I do not need a 10-step K-Beauty routine even though I really want one) but proved to be too daunting. I have two IKEA organizers worth of products as well as a Lazy Susan organizer, which is just too much even for a woman who works on product development for a living.”

Alicia Yoon, Founder and Curator, Peach & Lily: “The bad beauty habit I promise to break in 2018 is not finding enough time in the day for self-care in a more holistic sense. I find enough time for my skincare routine, but I don't always make the time to spend even just 30 minutes a day to truly decompress, whether that's through a workout, a nice walk in the park, or meditation. This is so important because doing so really allows me to connect to myself better, connect to others better, have more clarity of mind when working, and be more present. Most importantly, it reduces stress and cortisol levels that can ultimately lead to long-term health issues that also manifest through unhealthier skin. I'm starting 2018 with a week off to do exactly this so that I can reset and then continue to find time each day to truly rest.”

June Jacobs, Founder and CEO, June Jacobs Spa Collection: “The bad beauty habit I promise to break in 2018 is infrequently wearing sunscreen. Ultraviolet rays that are the cause of skin damage are active all year round. Rain or shine, hot or cold, I promise to protect my skin with sunscreen each and every day in 2018.”

Tera Valdez-Peterson, Founder, NuFACE: “The beauty habit I promise to break or just start in 2018 is exfoliating my body! I have great body lotions but never exfoliate my body. As with the face, if you don’t exfoliate then those expensive products just sit on top of the dead, dull skin. YUCK! I plan on using two different exfoliators: a physical and chemical. A physical exfoliator will get rid of dead skin, revealing fresh, glowing skin. A chemical exfoliant will help keep my skin glowing. I can feel the softness now…”

Dineh Mohajer, Co-Founder and Creative Director, Smith & Cult: “The bad habit I promise to break in 2018 is [not] sticking to my regular manicure routine. In the past, I’ve fallen prey to the gel craze, and as a result, my nails suffered a slow death. Now after major rehab on my nails, I've brought them back to life. But if I miss my regular maintenance manicure to keep my nails up and running, I run the risk of becoming the cobbler with no shoes.”

Sylwia Wiesenberg, Founder, DOPE Naturally: “In 2018, remember to always wear SPF to protect your skin. Spending countless hours in the sun, whether it's sunbathing, working out, or playing sports without SPF, can make sun spots more visible.”

April Gargiulo, Founder, Vintner’s Daughter: “The bad beauty habit I promise to break in 2018 is not getting enough sleep or water, because they are foundations of health, wellness, and gorgeous skin.”

Angela Rodriguez Prilliman , Founder and CEO, Lacquerbar: “The bad beauty habit I promise to break in 2018 is to stop picking at my gel nail polish! I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "I'm giving my nails a break because the gel tears up my nails." It's not the gel that tears up your nails — removing it improperly does, which includes picking or peeling it off! And I'm a longtime, notorious offender. You would think I'd learn after leaving my nails so painfully thin and peeling. So I'm gonna start practicing what I preach: Leave the gel polish removal to the professionals."

Christine Chang, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Glow Recipe: "My bad beauty habit I promise to break in 2018 is to stop dipping my fingers into jars! I know that this can be unhygienic, but I find myself doing it, especially when I'm in a hurry. I love that a lot of K-beauty creams and masks are packaged with a spatula, and I'm planning on spending a few extra seconds to use the spatula and keep my products pristine for longer!"

Jamie Greenberg, Celebrity Makeup Artist: “The bad beauty habit I promise to break in 2018 is not washing my brushes often enough. I wash my work brushes every day, so washing my personal brushes is the last thing I want to do. It’s so important because dirty brushes equal clogged pores, congested skin, and bacteria! Clean brushes actually mean cleaner skin!”

Sarah Gibson Tuttle, Founder and CEO, Olive & June: “The bad beauty habit I promise to break in 2018 is not refreshing my mani with a shiny top coat every other day because it makes my mani look so much better and last so much longer.”

Laura Geller, Founder, Laura Geller Beauty: “Sometimes, life gets so busy that you forget to take care of your makeup brushes! I plan to be more on top of washing my makeup brushes at least every two weeks or replacing them when needed. This is especially important when brushes become dull and potentially irritating to the skin.”

Brandy Hoffman, Co-Founder, Volition Beauty: “The bad beauty habit I promise to break in 2018 is using old makeup and skincare products, because they really do have a shelf life. If you go to my vanity, you'll find tons of products and most are well over a year old. I know I shouldn't be using that two-year-old mascara or expired mask. Products lose efficacy over time and, in some cases, are seriously unsafe to use. I'm purging all old products and replacing them with new. It's a fresh beauty start and I avoid hoarder status.”

Sarah Lee, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Glow Recipe: "My bad beauty habit that I’m determined to break in 2018 is to stop falling asleep with my sheet mask on! I sheet mask pretty much every day before I go to bed, which has changed my skincare game. As most masks are formulated with humectants that draw moisture from the skin, it’s important to use an occlusive moisturizer after peeling them off to prevent moisture loss and for lasting hydration inside out. I need to work on always moisturizing after masking. I’m planning on setting my alarm to remove the mask in 10 minutes and not fall asleep!"