The fashion industry is full of dirty little secrets…certainly not every model who claims to be “naturally thin” is telling the truth, for example. Last year’s Vogue India controversy exhibited plainly that sometimes fashion and reality aren’t intended to intersect. It’s all about the illusion.
I don’t believe in doing ugly things to achieve something beautiful, like vomiting daily to try and lose fat, or smoking cigarettes because it “looks glamorous”. It’s the rule of preventative maintenance: if you take shortcuts now, you WILL pay, with your face and a**, later.
In the meantime, you still have living to do (just not tanning or smoking), so here is a list of my top beauty products (Below) that will help shield/repair your skin/hair from life’s necessary evils. Often, I’ve found that more expensive does not equal better.
Smith’s Rosebud Salve is $6 (Above Left) and moisturizes lips/chapped skin, smoothes flyaways, works as an eye cream in a pinch and as makeup can be applied anywhere for a natural gloss. I use this $11.99 Neutrogena Sensitive Skin SPF60+ sunscreen (Above Center) because it contains physical sunscreens; some chemical ones (like Oxybenzone) can oxidize on your face after a few hours in the sun, defeating the whole purpose. I drink a ton of tea, both regular and decaf, but I also keep a super-concentrated bottle of this Yogi Tea Super-Antioxidant green in my fridge to use as a toner. It’s less than $5 per box.
I wondered for ages whether Creme de la Mer (Above Left) was worth its cult status, and $130/oz price tag. I’ve been using it for a month now, and for me, it is. I’m 24, so I’m not exactly heavy on the “fine lines” yet, but the few I did have are gone, replaced by a glowing texture. C. Booth Derma skin care (Above Center) is a Rite-Aid brand full of potent, affordable options, though I couldn’t find a link to buy individual products. I’m partial to the $20ish Peptide night cream, which I use during the day under sunscreen. Proactiv (Above Right) Renewing Cleanser is a scrub with the perfect texture, and the glycolic-inclusive Revitalizing Toner is great for the forehead, nose and chin (around $20 each, I believe). I have to say I’m not a fan of their moisturizers, but I’m not acne-prone or even too oily so that’s probably why.
Kiss My Face Olive & Aloe body moisturizer (Above Left) is around $12 for 16oz, which will last you forever and feels soothing and expensive (and natural). I use Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream (Above Center) since I can’t afford La Mer everywhere…it’s great for neck and decollete (it wasn’t so great on my face but many sing its praises, around $30 for 1.7oz). And L’Oreal EverPure sulfate-free shampoo changed the way I lather. It’s pleasantly foamy, but doesn’t leave my naturally curly hair feeling stripped. Not bad for under $7.
The moral of the story? Mix cheap and smart with an indulgence or two, and make yourself your best weapon. After all, why bother splurging on to-die-for shoes if you’re going to look haggard anyway?
images: Guthy Renker, Delicious Brands, kaboodle, La Mer, makeupandbeautyblog, makeupbag.net, Kiss My Face, Yogi Tea
