Thankfully, the giant box of Roses has finally been chomped and the last drizzle of Baileys has been drained. The tree is bare and abandoned, the baubles and lights are back in the attic, your clothes feel like they have shrunk a size, your sparkly nails are chipped and the bags under your eyes need to disappear as quickly as they came.

So, many of us are in the same boat, feeling like we would really benefit from a January detox – and a spring-clean of our well-used beauty products wouldn’t go amiss either. If this all sounds a little too familiar, read on for my guide to revitalise both you and your beauty box for the new year.

Follow this steps to get

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your makeup detox started

1 Start every morning with a cup of hot water and a slice of lemon. Allow the lemon to steep for 10 minutes in the water before drinking it. This is a great body cleanser and detoxes your liver, kidney and colon, literally flushing out your system. It is especially good if you have sensitive or blemished skin.

2 Drinking at least a litre of fresh, still water every day will rehydrate and clear your skin as well as helping with dark circles under your eyes and puffiness around them. I cannot stress enough how great you will feel and look if you drink water regularly – your eyes will shine brightly.

3 A brilliant herbal remedy for detoxing your liver after Christmas indulgence is milk thistle. One little capsule a day for a month will detoxify and maintain your liver’s health. These can be purchased in any good chemist or health food shop for under a tenner.

4 With your body getting back on track, it’s time to have a look at your makeup and beauty products before the year runs away with you. Go into your bathroom cabinet and cupboards and chuck out all the nearly-finished, itty-bitty bits of old soap, shampoos, old toothbrushes, lumpy nail varnishes, flannels etc. Start afresh, keeping only what you really use.

5 Then, place a big, old towel on your bed and empty out all your makeup bags, drawers and boxes. Now, decide which items you really will use: what’s to keep and what’s way out of date and to be binned, bearing in mind makeup has a maximum shelf life of a year.

6 Have a pencil sharpener and a packet of wet wipes to hand. Go through each item you are going to keep and give it a good clean with the wet wipe. Sharpen any eyeliners, lip or brow pencils well and put on a lid. I use old biro lids so that the pencil points are protected.

7 Boots has a great range of clear plastic makeup bags in different sizes (approx €15). I put all my foundations in one, powders in the next, lippys in the next etc. It’s a great way to store your makeup and you can clearly see what’s what. Then just keep one small makeup bag with your daily essentials in your handbag.

8 Next, how many makeup brushes do you really need? Only keep the brushes you regularly use. Clean your makeup brushes in hot water with a small squirt of washing-up liquid. Rinse them really thoroughly and lay them out on a small towel, shaking them dry. Using a wet wipe, sweep along the bristles of each brush and make sure they are all going in the right direction. Leave brushes to dry overnight. If you have makeup sponges or puffs, pop them in the washing machine on a 40° wash with light-coloured clothes. Afterwards, lay them out on a towel until they are dry. Sponges should be thrown out after six months of use.

9 If you have been wearing any kind of false nails, lash extensions, fake tan or hair extensions, it’s a good time of year to give yourself a rest from all of that. Scrub off the fake tan and moisturise your skin daily. Remove false nails and allow your nail beds to breathe and recoup. File your nails so they are all the same length – daily hand cream works wonders on strengthening the nails. Let the roots of your hair regain strength and treat yourself to a hair treatment at your hairdressers. Have lash extensions removed by your beautician and let your natural eyelashes heal and regrow. It’s a great feeling to go au naturel for a little while.

Dolly’s Fab

beauty treats

1 Elizabeth Arden Superstart Skin Renewal Booster is simply amazing. Use before your moisturiser and your skin will soon feel repaired and renewed. It is an investment at €59 for 30ml, but it’s so worth it.

2 Prime Time Foundation Primer by Bare Minerals has been developed to combat flaky dryness, rough patches and fine lines. This primer has a slight tint and glides on to the skin easily. It really helps keep your makeup in place. Apply under your foundation. Available from www.debenhams.ie for RRP €26.

3 Treat yourself to the most vibrant, luxury lippy, like Elizabeth Arden Red Door RRP €26. Not only does it come in the most divine gold case, it’s remarkably moisturising on even the driest of lips and it is also long-lasting. A little must-have January gift, which will most definitely brighten up your smile.

4 Epsom salts will work wonders on exhausted, achy bodies. Run a hot bath, chuck in a big handful of the salts and sit back and relax to let the salt heal your tired bones.