When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, keeping it small and specific is the way to keep the promises you’ve made. If stepping up your beauty game is on your list of things to accomplish in the new year, there are many simple yet significant steps you can take to ensure you’re putting your best face forward.

Remove your makeup before bedtime
This advice has been told to us time and time again. Not only is pre-bedtime makeup removal a great way to prompt yourself to cleanse and moisturize, but it’s also a good way to ensure that you aren’t clogging your pores with makeup or leaving bacteria on your pillowcase night after night.

Use sunscreen daily
The most important item on this list, a daily dose of SPF is a must to protect your skin against UVA and UVB rays, which can damage and age your skin as well as increase your risk for skin cancer. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen or, if you prefer to go the chemical-free route, a sunblock that contains zinc oxide. Even on overcast days, apply sunscreen to your face, neck, décolletage and hands every day—and reapply as directed on the product’s label.

Clean out your makeup bag and skin-care stash
Makeup, creams and cleansers all come with expiry dates, and the new year is the perfect time to get rid of any beauty products that are past their prime. The molecules in these products break down over time and, once expired, can cause a reaction that leads to redness, bumps or swelling, or can mean less potency. Take inventory of what’s in your makeup bag and discard any products that have expired or that you can’t remember buying.

If you can’t find an obvious expiry date, look for a symbol that resembles an open cream container. It should have a number on it which indicates the amount of months after opening the product it will last. For example 12M means that, after opening, the product will last for a year.

Jan. 1 is also a good time to reevaluate what items you use and what you don’t. Do you own 10 red lipsticks but wear only one or two shades? Pare down your makeup collection to products you actually need, which will save space in your cosmetics bag and make for easier organization.

Wash your makeup brushes
Unwashed makeup brushes can transfer bacteria onto your face and contribute to inflamed skin and breakouts. Bacteria can build up on your makeup brushes more quickly than you realize, so clean your brushes every one to two weeks. Using a brush cleanser or a shampoo, thoroughly clean the brushes and then allow them to air-dry completely.

Put an end to bad beauty habits
Does your stress manifest in chewed-up cuticles? Do you pick at bumps or breakouts on your face? Maybe you pull at your hair? At the risk of sounding like your mom, stop. Be more aware of your nervous habits, especially ones that leave your fingers bloody or your face scarred. It may take a while to kick the habit entirely, but your skin will thank you.

Read more:
The #1 reason your cream doesn't belong in your bathroom
Combat dull skin and tired eyes with these skin-care tips
Natural beauty brands for your hair