Just because we’re well into January doesn’t mean we have to stop making resolutions to better ourselves. We’re constantly looking for new ways to reinvent everything from our image to career. But as long as we live there will always be room for more improvement. Think of the year 2011 as the year of improvement! Here are some smart makeup and beauty resolutions you can use.

1-Take excellent care of your skin. All the makeup in the world won’t cover up bad skin. Start your morning with a face wash, moisturizer, and treatment in necessary. Remember that most makeup will just clog your skin and make acne worse or it will just seep between fine lines and exaggerate them. Skincare is always first!

2- Break barriers and have fun. One of the most fun things about makeup is experimentation. Go ahead and take an afternoon off and play with your makeup! You will be surprised what you can create. Try glittery eyeliner, bronzing blush, bright pink lip pencil, or even false eyelashes.

3- Switch to minerals. Mineral makeup is natural and its better for your skin. There are dozens of amazing mineral makeup brands out there, but I personally love what bareMinerals foundations does for my skin as it smooths out my skin and makes it looked as if it was airbrushed to perfection. The thing here is to find a mineral foundation that works for you!

4- Don’t get stuck in a rut. You finally found what works for you and thats great–just don’t get stuck in a beauty rut. Mix and match different colors, wear liquid eyeliner, or bright red lipstick.

5- Look to the stars for inspiration. Who is your favorite pop star or Hollywood starlet? Imitate her beauty routines, makeup looks, and hairstyles. Don’t know where to start? Check out InStyle.com for inspiration.

6- Switch fragrances. Sometimes a new fragrance makes all the difference. Try Kate Spade Twirl, a festive fragrance of Orange Blossom, Star Jasmine, Tiare Flower, Sweet Magnolia, Musk, and French Macaron.

7- Pamper your feet and hands. Perfectly manicure hands and feel will leave you feeling polished all the time, even on days you don’t feel so glam. Try to go for a neutral-based color that isn’t so hard to keep up.

Just a roundup of this month’s best reads around the web!

Its never too late to think about beauty resolutions. Find out what the beauty editors of Cosmopolitan have vowed to change this year.

Allure names the hottest hairstyles of the year.

OMG’s latest roundup of bad examples of celebrity style

The StyleList gives readers smart pampering tips and a a few recipes for a little  winter R & R.

Elle’s list of 10 hot trends you’re gonna wear this spring

I have really oily skin that is flaky, and I mean really flaky. If I rub my forehead, it will look like it snowed and it’s a good layer or two. 24 hours after, I have a whole new 2 layers to flake off. This is not normal, what can I do to treat it?

–Sarah

You’ve probably already heard the 3 common types of skin: oily, dry, or combination. Given your description of symptoms, it may be easy to jump in and say you have the combination type but I think its more complex than that. It sounds like you might have seborrieic dermatitis. While I am no dermatologist and cannot give you an accurate diagnosis, I will give you the symptoms and other important information about this skin condition.

Seborrhoeic dermatitis is a skin condition that is caused by a variety of health issues including the overproduction of yeast. Its most commonly occurs on the scalp which results in dandruff, but it can occur on other parts of the body including the face.

Your best treatment options include using a anti-dandruff shampoo to cleanse the affected areas and then adding aloe vera moisturizer to calm the skin. Of course, if none of this works or it appears to worsen over time, its best to consult your dermatologist.

Recommended products: Head & Shoulders Shampoos and Conditioners, available at most drug stores and mass merchants.  JASON Naturals Aloe Vera Gel, available at JASON Natural online store.

Need fashion or beauty advice? Send all your style problems to Shop In Chic at shopinchic 83 at yahoo.com! I look forward to all your questions!

Shop In Chic originally started back in February 2008 on Blogspot. Since then, the blog’s official location has changed, but the content hasn’t. You can read old posts and checkout the original Shop In Chic here. I’m bringing some of my personal favorite posts from the original blog in this special series. The first installment of posts are from my Economically Stylish Series in which I share with my readers the secrets of being super stylish on a budget. This post is the first post published in the series. Originally published on January 2 2009, this post may have modifications

Living in a tough economy is hard enough, looking good should not be so hard. Economically Stylish is a special series just in time for 2009. This series will feature posts that give you advice and tips on how to save money while looking (and feeling) terrific!

In a perfect world, we could buy a brand spanking new wardrobe every season(including a few handbags and some great pairs of shoes). In a perfect world you could buy some stylish designer dresses every time you go to the mall. In a perfect world, you could walk into any store and buy whatever your heart desired. In a perfect world everyone would own designer clothes if that was something that we wanted.

But we don’t live in a perfect world. In fact, most of us have to stay within a budget, even fashionistas like us. We are career women, mothers, high school and college students. We have bills to pay, and our time is often limited. But we all want to look our best. We don’t need new designer clothes every season if we can’t afford it, and most of us can’t. And with the economy the way it is, are wallets are even tighter. Why not do a closet makeover? Love what you got, drop what you don’t love, and only buy what you need.

Here’s how:

1-Do A Closet Inventory

I am sure you look in your closet daily, but do you really look ? What do you wear frequently? What have you abandoned but still have? Is there anything that doesn’t fit or is stained, and therefore you cannot wear it anymore? Make a few lists and go through everything in your closet. Don’t forget to include accessories like shoes and bags. Once your done organizing, figure out what to throw out and what to donate(to friends or a charity perhaps). Heck, you could even organize a Clothes Swap Party with your friends(more about that later!).

2-Assess Your Keep Pile And Organize What You’ve Got

After you are done piling your Giveaways and Throw-Aways in their appropriate boxes or bags, its time for the fun to begin. First of, you need to figure out your lifestyle. Do you have a job outside the home? Are you a student or a stay-at-home mother. This way you can determine what you wear the most frequently and what you wear on occasion. Then choose key pieces that will go with many other items and therefore stretch your inventory. I’ll bet at least a few of those pieces can be used for both work and weekend, and maybe even evenings.

Take a few of your favorite pieces and see how many outfit combos you can create. Don’t be afraid to change bags, shoes, jewelry and even other accessories like belts and scarves. Sometimes all you really need is a change a pair of shoes or add a scarf to take your outfit from day to night! Don’t be afraid to use your imagination!

Remember to keep your most loved fashions in the front of the closet if you can. Buy extra hangers if you have to. Use your hangers for dresses, blouse, and pants. It would a help to purchase at least one storage shelf(if you don’t have one built in your closet) to store tees and jeans. Also stock up on storage boxes for seasonal Items like coats and swimwear, and you can keep them under your bed or wherever you have room. Buy clear shoe boxes so you can see your shoes as your store them.

Keep you handbags on the storage self if you can. If not, then you should buy extra storage shelves or clear boxes to store them in. Your goal here is just to find a place for everything.

You can find some terrific as well as affordable storage options at Walmart, Ikea, Target, and Utility Design.

Whitmor Padded Satin Hangers in Earthtones(comes in a set of 10) $11.88 at Walmart

Lingo Clothes Box With Lid $7.99 for 2 at Ikea

Household Essentials Natural Soft Canvas 10 Pocket Shoe Organizer $19.99 at Target

Dahlia Printed Glass Jewelry Box $44.99 at Target

3-Find and Buy Missing Elements

Okay, this one is easy to get carried away with. Look through all your items and key pieces, and make a list of it. Then make a week’s worth of outfits(that would be Sunday through Saturday). Is there anything missing? Maybe an extra tee or pair of jeans? Or maybe something classic that could really stretch your wardrobe such as a trench coat?

Make a list of what you need but don’t have, or a few more key pieces that are similar to the items you love. While making these lists, remember to note common brands/labels you love, and the size tag on each article of clothing. More often than not, each label’s sizing can be different. Example: you may wear a size 6 jeans from Old Navy, but you’ll wear a 5 with Express. Checking your size not only streamlines shopping, it can save you from future store returns. Save these lists and start shopping for what you need.

4-Play With Your Accessories

You may have a limited wardrobe, but you should have an abundance with accessories. They’re more affordable and versatile than clothes. Stock up on shawls, scarves, hats, and jewelry including brooches. Simply take a dress you normally wear to work, add a shawl and a brooch and you’re ready to go out to dinner. Take a break from a belt and wrap a long scarf around your waist and tie it. Your clothes are basics to start out with, but your accessories are your extenders, make the most of them!

L to R: 16″ Straight easiXtend Clip-in Extensions (8 pc) by easihair, 16″ easiXtend Elite Remy Human Hair Clip-in Extensions(8 pc) by easihair. Both products are available at Hair Extensions.com

I was wondering why they have so many types of hair extensions? What are each type used for? Thanks!

-Sarah

The reason that hair extensions are so popular right now is the incredible styling versatility they give you. For instance, your current hairstyle could be the classic bob, but you want medium length wavy hair one day and long straight hair with bangs the next day. So what does a girl do? She gets hair extensions.

Once you’ve decided to try hair extensions, you need to find out which hair extension type is right for you! There are lots of different styles and types but they all really fall into 2 categories: synthetic hair extensions and real human hair extensions. The latter is most expensive but the former can also be on the pricey side too. Most women prefer human hair extensions to synthetic hair extensions because they work and look better with your own locks. However that doesn’t mean that you should skip over all synthetic hair extensions. Lets take a better look at some of the most common methods and debate the pros and cons of each.

Professional Hair Extensions: If you want the most natural looking hair extensions then you might want to go to a professional hair stylist who specializes in this. That said, you’ve got to be careful when you select a stylist because you want someone who will give you quality looking hair extensions. The most common methods include bonding, weaves, and adhesive-based fusion. Do your research and go with a consultation beforehand. Ask about what they offer, the methods they use, and how much its going to cost you. Don’t forget to ask about the upkeep and care.

Clip-On and Other DIY Methods: The cheapest and often most easiest method of hair extensions are clip-ons. You can buy small wefts or large wefts, both of which you simply clip on in the back of your hair. Clip-ons are available in synthetic, human hair, or select blends of both. These are a better option for those who don’t want to commit to a style for a few months.

There is no right way or wrong way, the only thing that really matters is finding the hair extensions that are right for you. Here are some extra resources I think you might find useful.

Modern Enhancement Hair Extension Studios Fiber Extensions ProHair Sally Beauty Supply

Images from HairExtensions.com

Need fashion or beauty advice? Send all your style problems to Shop In Chic at shopinchic 83 at yahoo.com!

I look forward to all your questions!