MY BEAUTY PHILOSOPHY: WHAT TO SPLURGE OR SAVE?
It’s fascinating listening to my girlfriends talk about their beauty philosophies-what they’re willing to shell out on and what they’ll skim on. I’ve come to realize that there’s no definite right or wrong way, our priorities shift over the years.
Approaching the big 40, I’ve begun to realize that my body likes taking a holiday every now and then (or that’s what I like to tell myself!). It got me into rethinking my beauty/skincare routine. So for the benefit of all, here’s a look at my current beauty breakdown!
Hair Care
Hair density and color loss can be the Achilles heel that reveals our age despite our efforts to maintain youthful skin. Our scalp is essentially an extension of our skin. Occasional trips to the salon for scalp or protein-based anti-aging treatments can help boost scalp health, rebuild hair follicles to create a volumizing effect to counter thinning. It also treats dullness by adding shine to lackluster hair.
A good haircut and color can also go a long way. In my 20s, I frequented semi-salons, which was really more of a school that allows aspiring/graduating hairstylist to practice, and ended up with a badly chopped fringe and orangey blonde/brown highlights. Not only was a huge sum of money spent on styling products to salvage the mess, it was damaging to my hair.
Shelling a few extra bucks for a good dry-cut and a professional colourist that uses natural hair dyes can really elevate your overall image and maintain your hair health!
Supplements
Skin care products give us hope that with enough diligence, our fine lines will disappear, our dark eye circles will miraculously lighten and our skin condition will improve overnight. But I’ve come to realize the truth of the adage- we are what we eat. While beauty is skin deep, aging happens deep down in our cells. As we lose our youthful ability to regenerate and heal, we must focus on repairing from within. Supplements come as a true investment in the overall health of our skin and hair.
There are many oral supplements available in the market, but anti-aging has always been my priority. Supplements like Imedeen Time Perfection are great ways to go and provide you with the necessary nutrients for your skin.
Eye Cream
We’re constantly reminded through sappy love songs that eyes are windows to the soul, so I’ve always taken the effort to show love for them. The skin around our eyes are the thinnest making them prone to dryness and are quick to show age and fatigue. A good eye cream will have active ingredients (ascorbic acid and glycosaminoglycans) to tackle dark spots and fine lines, on top the usual moisturizing and anti-aging properties. Those with cooling effects get plus points from me!
Facials, Make up remover, Moisturizer
Quite a number of skincare products in the market can be easily replaced with natural options, especially so for those that stay on our skin for a very short time (masks, scrubs, cleansers, etc). Commonly used kitchen ingredients with multi-purposes are virgin coconut oil, honey, sugar, and lemon.
Face/lip scrub: Brown sugar + Coconut oil/Sweet almond oil
Body polishes in the market can be priced over $60 and contain over 30 ingredients. A high price for something essentially on our body for only 2-3 minutes before it’s washed off. For the very same purpose of exfoliating and moisturizing, the above 2 ingredient combination works wonders.
Moisturizer/Makeup Remover: Virgin Coconut oil
Coconut oil is my holy grail for its many purposes. It works like a cleansing balm in removing makeup, even the waterproof ones! It also doubles up as a natural oil moisturizer. A small dollop goes a long way after shower.
Face Mask: Egg white + Honey + Lemon juice
There are tons of DIY masks on the internet ready for you to pick and choose. With the ingredients found readily in my fridge, this tightening and brightening mask works wonders for aging skin. Put all the ingredients in a deep bowl and whisk till foamy. Apply it on cleansed face and leave on for 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and gently pat dry.
Makeup
With the attention/money I spend on skincare, makeup serves as an enhancement instead of a cover up. Clear and glowing complexion requires just the few essentials to get you through the day looking like a million dollars!
Skip foundation/primer/pore filler, etc. Less is more. A good concealer and some light powder are sufficient to set your face for the day! Throw on some tinted moisturizer at night if heavier coverage is needed. Let your skin shine through
Double up your lipstick as a blusher. You’ve already got that natural flush, so simply enhance it by dabbing some lipstick on your cheeks and blend it out!
Sunscreen
Daily sun protection goes a long way in preventing premature aging of the skin-sunspots and wrinkles. UV rays are responsible for damaging the fibers that give skin its fullness and firmness, as well as causing uneven pigmentation — not to mention possibly cancer.
Tanned skin may look gorgeous in our early 20s, but the effects of too much sun will start showing up soon enough. High-end options contain antioxidants to boost protection from sun damage, but there is no need to splurge excessively. Most makeup/skincare products come with SPF, so a basic drugstore alternative work just fine for me. Get one that has a comfortable lightweight texture and contain ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium oxide that are essential in providing effective sun protection. Don’t forget to apply it on your neck!
My beauty philosophy essentially boils down to maintaining, repairing and enhancing luminous skin and healthy hair. Having this really helps streamline my beauty routine and figure out what’s necessary and what’s excessive. Skincare always comes first and the best way to achieve it is through balanced diet (supplements), healthy lifestyle and diligence!
