Skincare

Skincare and beauty is such a continually evolving discussion I have with myself. Luckily, it’s a very first-world issue that truly makes no difference to my life other than my own vanity. I have no issues with controlled vanity so, my discussion will continue on! I like to file it into my self-allotted “fluff” category. A little fluff is good for all of us, in my opinion.

At any rate, the discussion focuses on a few things. First, what is beautiful? Do I “age gracefully and naturally” or, play the game in the 571 billion dollar beauty industry? If you know me, you know I’m definitely playing.

My husband would prefer I did nothing. No hair dye, definitely he doesn’t like me wearing makeup and I’m pretty sure he would prefer me to not care at all about clothes. Unfortunately for us, we severely disagree on all of the above.

Some girls go all out, some girls can. Daily hair, full makeup, lashes, the works. I’m not sure if it’s because I didn’t grow up around that, that I later equated getting “made up” to work or because I’m a thin, pale, freckled Irish girl but, I can’t do it. I did get fake lashes once because I always admired them on other girls I saw who had them but, by the time I’d driven home from the salon that day, I had already ripped them off. It wasn’t a good look for me.

Even when I get dressed up for a fun night out, I still have to be careful not to go too crazy. I’ve sort of consistently played my game of “eye” or “lip” when it comes to makeup and I think it’s my happy spot (and even then my husband thinks I have too much on, a compliment certainly). I love a light splash of black mascara on top of a curled lash or a good-lined medium pink lip with gloss. If I have both on I feel like a clown unless I’m in a shoot or show, in which case I love being a new character. In real life, sweet and simple makeup is what I like best. I admire the girls who can wear a whole face (and the talent is beyond!) on a daily basis but I just look like a goofball.

Now as I have gotten older, my skin tones have gotten more uneven, circles under my eyes more prominent and dare I say wrinkles getting deeper? This is where I am the beauty industry’s favorite kind of sucker, skincare. I have no idea if the products actually are doing anything to reverse time on my face but I will put on everything they try to sell me from here to kingdom come with my fingers crossed, in hopes that it does. It’s not that I am scared to age, I just want to look as good as possible while it happens. My theory here is that, if these products are available to help us age more “respectably”, why not?!

My skincare and beauty routine:

A good exfoliator in the shower, whenever you have a few extra minutes to spare! I love Rodan and Fields

Morning face wash with hot water for a good quick wake-up!

Vitamin C serum (I love the SkinCeuticals)

Serum (Skinmedica TNS is my go-to)

Neocutis Moisturizer

3 drops of facial oil (I like Kora from Amazon)

If I have time for “makeup” I’ll add a small amount of Nars creamy concealer in chantilly to my hand and apply it with a makeup sponge. I don’t like to use it everywhere, typically just around my chin, nose and under my eyes. My skin is very “pink” so I like to even it out, without looking like I have done anything (a recurring issue in my life).

Next, an eyelash curl, and I love a tiny dash of a good pink or rose blush which I apply on the roundest parts of my cheeks. This, followed by a rosy pink lip gloss which I will reapply throughout the day. I just found a great one by Burt’s Bees that I have been using a lot lately and am obsessed with. I used to use contour under my cheekbones, chin, and around my temples but as I have gotten older, I’ve noticed my face has thinned in those areas, and not wanting to enhance that, I have stopped.

Maybe it’s because I love to focus on the clothes being my statement rather than my face but, that’s where my skincare and beauty routine comes to an end! Whether or not the creams do anything at all or if anyone other than me notices my slightly stained lip, I love these simple pleasures of focusing on something so mindless as beauty.