Great Beauty Advice! And Free Mascara!
2010
I recently said —to my fancy job, my pencil skirts, my paycheck—to pursue a career as beauty/wellness writer (I will never part with my thongs, however. Just say no to VPLs! That’s visible panty lines, people). Quitting my job was the single most frightening leap I’ve ever taken. I am much more comfortable with a routine, with corporate politics and piles of paperwork, than actually pursuing a life-long dream. But ! And you know what? Fear feels good.
As for the beauty stuff, there’s something about pretty packaging, all those colors and scents, and the latest miracle cream that gets me going. Which is why it might surprise you to learn that I’m actually a fairly low-maintenance girl. I don’t wear a lot of make-up. I don’t color my hair or get my nails done very often. I get my kicks from giving my friends facials in the bathroom, and helping readers feel fabulous by offering product recommendations, make-up tips and tricks, and skincare dos and don’ts. Here are a few of my beauty rules to live by:
Don’t leave the house with out sunscreen. Ever. I don’t care if it’s below zero and cloudy. UVA rays will find you, and when they do, your skin with age. Wrinkles. Sagging. Sunspots. Aim for at least an SPF 30 (15 is so 2009), and don’t forget your neck!
Trends come and go, that doesn’t mean you have to try them. Black lipstick, white nail polish, shaggy layers. These will never look good on me. If it doesn’t make you feel more beautiful, just say no.
Put down the Sea Breeze. And Noxzema. You no longer have 15-year-old skin. It can’t take all that alcohol, which only strips your face and makes it overcompensate by producing MORE oil. However . . .
You don’t need a fancy cleanser. Though they smell super nice and foam up like whipped cream, an expensive cleanser is still only on your face for, like, 30 seconds. Save the $20 for a cocktail or three and stick with simple cleansers such as Cetaphil.
Good makeup usually costs more. These are the breaks, kids. Money buys highly pigmented colors, longer-lasting formulas, and more natural shades. Which means that you actually buy fewer products in the long run, thereby saving you money.
One major exception is mascara. I’ve tried every drugstore brand and there are definitely a few $5 tubes that put department store versions to shame. In fact, lately I’ve been pushing * like it’s my job. Which, I guess, it kind of is.
*This week, one Yes and Yes reader will win a tube of Maybelline Lash Stiletto—just leave a comment with your most pressing beauty question. I’ll do my best to answer it, and draw one lucky name. Best of luck!
