What better way to start 2012 than by doing something rather scary I’ve never done before? Susanne and Lillian got a video camera for Christmas, so I thought I’d use the opportunity and play around a bit. I hope you like it, and don’t be afraid to pepper me with questions if you feel the urge. Happy 2012, darlings!

Here’s the thing. I want to blog more often, but most posts of mine take quite some time to create, and it can be hard to find the time and energy. Still, I have literally hundreds of clever little tips that sometimes drown in a big post, so I decided to give them a place to shine. Plus, I get to play around in PhotoShop, which is always fun! It’s a win-win situation, don’t you think?

Skincare, hair products, makeup… how many different kinds have you tried during your lifetime? If you are anything like me, the number is frighteningly large. The promise of the HG (aka “holy grail”) in moisturizer, volume spray or lengthening mascara makes most of us spend a huge amount of time and money looking for it. It will all be worth it in the end, right? When we’re perfect and shiny and polished and effortless? Well, to be frank, I got a bit tired of the whole thing. I decided to find a strategy that means I won’t have to sit poor and frustrated in my apartment, wondering what’s wrong with me since none of the “miracle products” seem to do any miracles for me. This is my battle strategy.

Know thyself. Before you go out looking for that HG, you need to know what your starting point is. Is your hair fine and sort of limp, or coarse and wild? Does your skin need moisture or fat (yes, there is a difference)? Is your skin sensitive? Does your mascara tend to smudge because of the shape of your eyes, or because you rub them a lot? Do you have half an hour to spend on your hair in the mornings, or only three? Knowledge is power, dear readers, and once you know what you’ve got, you’ll know much better how to deal. This is the reason why your friend might love that foundation, whereas the same product does not work for you at all (this seems to be particularly true when it comes to skincare products).

Be realistic. Yes, I know, the word “realistic” is a total buzzkill, but it’s wise to keep in mind. I don’t mean solely in the there’s-only-so-much-a-product-can-do-way, I also mean that pretty much every image you see in magazines, online and in commercials has been edited in some way. Reality is rare. The focus on PhotoShop seems to have calmed down a bit, and most of us now know that hardly any of those motifs are real. Not all of us remember that fact, though, when we stand in front of the mirror cursing those blemishes, or that cellulite, or those split ends. Promise me you’ll try to remember from now on, darlings?

Do research. I don’t think I have bought any beauty product without reading about it on Makeup Alley since I discovered that site. A big section consists of reviews written by people like you and me – you have to be logged in to read the reviews, but it takes two minutes to registrer, and they never send you any mail unless you want them to. Many of the reviewers include information about their skin/hair type, so you can find reviews from people with a similar starting point to yours. If google is more your thing, you can simply google the name of the product and “review”. You can usually tell pretty quickly whether the opinions are generally positive or negative.

Join forces.
It’s time for a true story, because they’re always fun. I had been using the Dermalogica Microfoliant for a long time, and thought it was swell. In the end, I ran out of product, but was too skint to buy a new bottle at the moment, and also had a feeling there might be better products out there. My sweet friend Cindy filled up one of those mini travelling jars with her own exfoliator (MD Formulations Face and Body scrub), which allowed me to try it out for nothing at all – and now a bottle of this is on its way to me, as I liked it so much. Just make sure to return the favour somehow, as nobody likes a freeloader. Also, if you’ve bought a product that you don’t like, why not offering to pass it over to a friend instead of throwing it in the trash? What was wrong for you, might be just what she needs.

Use the products right.
Yes, I know how bloggers and magazines are always writing about how they use their lipgloss to smoothe down flyaway hair, or their cuticle cream for dry elbows and such. Still, the reality is that most products were designed to be used a certain way. I’m not saying you can’t experiment, just that if the product seems not to work, you might want to check how you’re using it before you throw it away. Pretty much every volumizing hair product, for instance, needs heat to work properly, as this activates the ingredients that makes your hair swell (literally and figuratively). If you’ve been applying volumizing mousse to wet hair, and then leaving it to air dry, the product never got a chance to show you all it can do.

Keep your eye on the prize.
No, I’m not talking about money now, but about what’s going on inside your head. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: there’s only so much a product can do. You might not be able to achieve that perfect, glossy hair, or those plump lips or smooth, thanned thighs, but you know what? That does not make you a failure. You can still be gorgeous, and wonderful, and clever and creative and kind and strong and funny, which is so much more important than looking like Scarlett Johansson. And you all know how much I adore her, so I hope that drove home my point.