Are you ready to talk about aging and the “S” word? Yep, that’s right, it’s time to talk about SKINCARE! I don’t know about you, but during this Covid-19 crisis, I’ve had more time to concentrate on establishing daily routines that I’ve been meaning to get to and let’s face it, skincare becomes so important as we age.
Most of my life, while working and raising kids, I was lucky if I grabbed the Dove soap and washed my face before jumping into bed. Even now, there’s many nights I am barely motivated enough to grab a makeup remover cloth. That’s better than nothing, but if I’m following my routine, I can do my skin a favor with four simple steps. Cleanse, tone, exfoliate, and moisturize in about 5 to 8 minutes. Who doesn’t have time for that?
Many years ago I saw a lady on Oprah that I’ve been following for years. Her name is Paula Begoun and she wrote the book, “Don’t go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me” among many others. At a young age, she worked at a high-end department store makeup counter and learned all about the marketing ploys of the big cosmetics companies. She resolved to study the ingredients and determine if the ingredients could do what they promised or if there were cheaper alternatives that would do the same. She started to write reviews on thousands of skincare and makeup products. Eventually, she established a website, www.Beautypedia.com with reviews and skincare advice, and in 1995, she started her own line of products at www.PaulasChoice.com. Her beauty advice educated me on the simplicity of an effective routine. I learned that my “moisturizing” bar soap was actually drying out my skin. It turns out that ANY bar soap is drying because of the ingredients used to make it solid.
I’ve used many of her products over the years and being a desert dweller, I especially appreciate her moisturizing sunscreens. This one is my favorite.
It is mineral-based and is tinted (mineral sunscreens are notoriously white). It’s designed for normal to oily and combination skin, but it works great for my slightly dry skin in hot and humid conditions. I use it like a BB cream and follow up with an SPF mineral powder for additional sunscreen protection. She has a myriad of other great products with the latest anti-aging ingredients like hyaluronic acid and even CBD oil!
Whether or not you use her products, it’s fun to check the reviews of your favorite mascara or maybe that beauty cream you’re considering splurging on at www.Beautypedia.com. I will warn you that she does not like fragrance in skin care! She considers it aggravating to the skin, so anything with a heavy fragrance will get a bad rating! She is also critical of retinol creams packaged in jars because the product is exposed to air and loses its effectiveness.
On the other website at www.PaulasChoice.com, there is a whole section on expert skincare advice. Check out How to Put together a skin care routine. Essential and advanced routines are provided with step by step instructions whether you use Paula’s Choice products or your own. There’s also great skin advice for all ages including acne, discolorations, wrinkles, and men’s skincare.
I think we can all agree that with all the stress and anxiety this pandemic has caused, we can all use a little of that other “S” word, “SELFCARE.” Remember, Grandmas, we do not strive to be ageless and we accept our wrinkles as badges of honor, but we don’t really want to hurry the process along by neglecting to take care of ourselves, right?
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