Lotions, potions,
bottles, jars, sprays,
tubes, pots, packets.
Most women, and some men, collect dozens of these containers.
'Beauty' is packaged to lure us in and, in this modern age, has
become an enormous business worldwide.
But how is the beauty business faring now?
Many of us no longer use a lot of makeup products, do we?
Personally my daily makeup regimen has almost ceased to exist, even
on days when I have to leave the house because I'll be wearing a mask.
Makeup items are drying up, going stale, are out of date, and many are
being chucked into the trash can. . . . .did you hear that clatter as I threw
out another aging pan of eyeshadow and a nasty mascara wand?
I do still take care of my skin though with facial basics.
I've always enjoyed Origins products and still use a few such as these.
The Original Skin rose clay mask for my pores, the cooling gel No Puffery
under eye roller early morning, and Super Spot Remover for the occasional
pimple which rears its ugly head. . . . . after wearing those nasty masks
for hours at a time!
My makeup mirror is not getting much use I must admit, and looking
in the large bathroom mirror I now see a very different person than was
there this time last year!
The main change is of course my hair.
The straight red bob with a fringe is history.
Growing in the silver is almost complete and my style is now a
pixie - natural, wavy, short baseline with longer top and side bang.
No blow drying, straightening, or a ton of hair products required.
Just a shampoo, conditioner, a little mousse and I'm ready to go.
I actually am enjoying short hair again.
Where I will go I don't know, but I will be ready I assure you!
My other favorite products are made by Neutrogena, a company I've always
found to be the best when it comes to affordable drugstore personal care items,
especially skincare. My morning cleanse usually does consist of a bit more
than that splash of water mentioned before!
After cleansing I love this product, Hydro Boost Hydrating Serum. It goes
on so smoothly and makes me feel ready to tackle the day even when
bare faced!
Refreshing at any time, a light spritz of Verveine by L'Occitane of Provence.
The sheet mask Travel is my favorite from Korean company Peach Slices,
pleasant to use on tired skin whether traveling or having to stay at home.
Red lipstick or any color opaque lipstick, not a good idea under masks.
Clear lip treatment products are better. . . . . .these Elizabeth Arden 8-hour
work well adding a little color and softening when lips are fighting
winter dryness. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . however my new favorite from Japan, is
Tatcha's The Kissu Lip Mask in its sweet pink glass pot with a tiny
golden spatula to apply it ~ like non-sticky silken honey on your lips.
Lip treatment like no other, and believe me I have tried them all.
Are you wearing less makeup now?
Do you have any skincare tips to share, or favorite products to tell us about?
Are you anxiously awaiting those 'putting on your makeup' days which
hopefully will return later this year?
Here's to another Monday morning and another safe, healthy week for all.
P.S. Bob and I did receive our first Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine shots
yesterday with no uncomfortable reactions so far thankfully.
Of course things will remain the same in regard to following the
known safety procedures, including masks, as we realize we're
not out of the woods yet by any stretch of the imagination.
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I'm glad you have received your vaccination. they are getting on with it here, thankfully.
ReplyDeleteMake up is a long ago dream! I rely on good old Boots No 7, serum, day and night cream, and that's it for the moment!
No makeup here, just refreshing showers, clean hair, and that is about it. We share the same fragrance love, I usually purchase myself a new bottle of L'Occitane Verbena when passing through the airport, but now I am having to pay the full price, but I love its lemony freshness. Looking forward to seeing your new look, hair wise, in the future.
ReplyDeleteDelighted that you and Bob have both had your vaccines, we were given the Pfizer one too - just a quick prick and no reaction either.
I am happy that my skin get nothing than fresh air and treatments since C-19 stepped unexpected in our life. Love also Japanese products which are in my oppinion the best and I take more attention
ReplyDeleteto cleaning and put good products on. But....once a week a put make up on to see my "before" face and it is joyful also staying at home with it.
As I still go out to school every day (for this week, at least!), I haven't changed my makeup routine. Skin care is so important and you look great, Mary. I so admired your style when we met for dinner a couple of years ago. I hope that you will share a photo of you with your new hairstyle. I stopped colouring mine a couple of years ago and thought I would have more grey, but it still reads dark with grey streaks. So glad you had your vaccines.
ReplyDeleteLove this post, Mary! You're spot on with the No Makeup look. I think of it as a nice break for my skin as I can apply moisturizer and lip balm all day as needed (I have super dry skin, even in the summer). I had to laugh at myself a few weeks ago. I bought yet another lipstick. Really? Who will see it? I wonder if sales have gone down. Right now I'm battling hives my face and neck, stress related I'm sure. A bit of steroid cream and a prescription pill for itching. It seems to come and go lately. As much as I like to try new things, I have to stick with the tied and true Cere Ve.
ReplyDeleteI got caught up with your last posts. That cute little mouse isn't going to be so cute anymore!! Where you see one, there are a hundred more somewhere. A mouse can squeeze through an opening the size of a pencil eraser. Best to use some of the granules you can find at Home Depot or your choice. Once they dine on this it will transfer to it's litter as well. A mouse can reproduce at 21 days! And you think rabbits multiply! I had a small cabinet on my patio with my bird seed. I keep seeing mice darting out from the mulch around my house. One day I opened up the cabinet and about 20 of the little rodents went scurrying. The bag of seed was shredded in many spots. I no longer feed the birds anywhere near the house for fear the mice will come in. If you do find the spot they are coming through in your shed, you can use fine steel wool to stuff in the o0ening--they won't and can't ear through that. 🐭🐭🐭
I was just going to say when I read that your father had ice skated with dear Agatha--maybe it was he who she ran off with for eleven days! I did read the reviews and thought about getting the book. My mother was a huge fan of her writings. Let me know if you like it.
Jane 😘
So happy you both received your vaccinations. We won't be able to receive them for another month, but I am watching and hoping for sooner.
ReplyDeleteRarely any make-up now.
I've never been a big makeup person anyway...just moisturizer with sunscreen, eye cream (I like the Acure brands), BB cream, a little blush, mascara and lipstick. Now I still use the moisturizer and eye cream every day, but the only makeup I wear is a Burt's Bees tinted lip balm. I have been keeping up with my hair though - get it cut every 5-6 weeks and colored every three months, as usual.
ReplyDeleteGood news Mary, to know you had your vaccinations. I loved this post, and you have some interesting items I would like to try. I like Origins too, but could not find them on a recent search. It has been weird with the masks - as we have been on/off with mask use, I have made the mistake a few times of full makeup - then mask! I like to make up my eyes, even if nothing else. The Kissu Lip Mask sounds great, and I will try and find it. Supply lines both into and within Australia have become very disturbed by the pandemic, and shopping has become 'interesting'. Last week there were no apples! My hair is also quite short now, as well as gray. I hardly know myself anymore :) xxx
ReplyDeleteSo pleased to know you've had your first jabs and no negative side effects!
ReplyDeleteI have never been one to wear much make-up, lacking both the expertise and the will to "bother". Ever since my eye operation in 2018, I have been using even less, apart from a dab of red lipstick when I felt the occasion made it appropriate.
Nowadays, working only from home and covering my face with a mask every time I go to the supermarket (not required for walking out on the fields), I use nothing on my face but Nivea's rosebud day care after my morning shower, and Nivea soft body cream. Oh, and a foot cream for dry skin - I walk a lot, as you know, and keeping my feet in good shape is part of the parcel :-)
Dear Mary,
ReplyDeleteI have always liked Neutrogena products. Thanks for the tip. I will try their boost and serum. My routine is the same as before Covid. It only takes a few minutes.
My friend, an avid skier, told me about a recommendation a California skin doctor made while they were taking a lift up the mountain. He insisted that all she needed was a dollop of Crisco every day to keep her beautiful skin. She is in her seventies.
Dear Mary, glad that you had the vaccine!
ReplyDeleteAs to make-up:
Every morning I do the same ritual: a lot of "daubing", as the Flying Dutchman calls it, around my eyes, a bit also over cheeks and lips -- I LOVE to concentrate (especially with the eye-liner), and I feel it is like a an "armour".
I have no problem to be seen without make-up, it is just that I think above a mask well painted eyes do look lovely - and under the mask - well: the pink lipstick, sort of my 'trade mark', leaves a few deep pink smudges :-)
On the many days when I am alone I paint as much as on the days I meet others - I do it for me, too, and utterly enjoy the process :-)
PS: I use some products of Shiseido (since over 30 years) , but also affordable & good Nivea.
ReplyDeleteIn contrast to "painting" decorative make-up (=variety and adventure and daring) I have a simple but consequent routine for skin (and inner beauty - nourishing and meditation and so on :-).
Your jabs are under way? Excellent news! I have to be a naysayer here and declare that I've not stopped with hair and makeup, or Proper Outfits at all. Hair is rather long despite the occasional cut in the bathroom, but it gets wrangled into a pseudo 30s do or something a bit more Edwardian most days. Very boring skincare for me, revolving around sorbolene mostly, and the bit of face is something I've only embraced since my late 40s and have become wedded to the temporary daily restoration of eyebrows and more uniform skin tone, haha. Lippy falls by the wayside if a mask is needed but using them was a quick lesson in why women in veiled cultures go big on the eye and brow makeup!
ReplyDeleteHi dear, I never really used make up aside from lipstick and mascara. I do wear moisturizer a lot, hand cream, and body lotion. xx
ReplyDelete