However much we all love the fun, over-indulgent madness of a great Christmas holiday, there is something comforting about getting back to normality.

It’s good to be able to draw breath and have a little more time for you. If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s how important it is to prioritise health and self care.

It’s all about setting realistic goals for yourself, so here are five top tips to look and feel well in 2022; inside and out.

Get your beauty sleep: Try to allow yourself approximately eight hours of sleep each night. It’s good to get to bed before midnight. If you like a hot drink before bed, then decaf tea/coffee or a herbal tea will help you wind down. Another self-care ritual is to stay off your phone for a good hour before bedtime. Take that time instead to get into your night zone; remove your make-up, shower, read your book. I’m finding it really hard to sleep well as I’m right in the thick of the menopause and I get so hot during the night that I keep waking up. What I am taking that does help is the herbal remedy A. Vogel dormeasan sleep valerian-hops oral drops, from stockists including inishpharmacy.com at €10.50 for 50ml.

Helping hands: Washing your hands frequently with warm water and soap is one of the simplest ways to help fight off germs and protect you against illnesses such as flu, COVID-19 and food poisoning. Always have a hand sanitiser in the car, your handbag and in the bathroom. Our hands can become very dry in the cold weather and especially working outside in the elements. I find The Body Shop’s extra thick and creamy hemp hand cream works a treat at protecting my hands and gives great relief to dry skin, available from stockists including www.chtralee.com at €18.50 for 100ml. Always keep a hand cream next to the bed and apply a good amount last thing at night to really help your hands heal. If your hands are particularly dry, then pop on a pair of cotton gloves to allow the cream to work its magic while you sleep.

Treat your skin: There are loads of great skin care treats on special in January and Boots have a fantastic combo of cleanser, toner and moisturiser in their No 7 Ultimate Skin Care Collection with a nourishing mask, lip care and a day cream all thrown in for €50. It’s excellent value and a great kickstart to taking better care of your skin.

Give it some lip: If you’re a lipstick lover like me, but can’t wear it because your mask keeps smudging it, then why not try Benefit’s utterly brilliant posie tint poppy-pink tinted lip and cheek stain? It gives a pretty pink glow to your lips and blends beautifully onto your cheeks to give you a wee bit of colour, and won’t smudge or budge if you’re wearing a mask, from stockists including www.millies.ie at €15.60.

Hydrate: Drinking two litres of still water a day is my favourite and best tip to good health. I cannot stress how sipping away at your water during the day will make you feel less bloated, and your skin and complexion will look so much brighter and feel smoother. After only a few days, your urine will run clearer, which is a great indication that your body is hydrated. If you have a strong-coloured/smelling urine, or a white fluff on your tongue and dry eyes, then you are dehydrated and need to drink more water ASAP.

If you have any questions you would like to ask me about makeup and beauty, then please do drop me a line and I would be delighted to help.

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