Hello Everyone!
Hope you all had a wonderful Wednesday! I had a fine day, nothing very exciting though. I took the bus to the National Gallery and spent about 2 1/2 hours there, which was enjoyable. Afterwards I did a bit of work, went grocery shopping, and went back to my flat. I cooked dinner for my boyfriend, flat mate, and I. We had salmon with pesto and warm bread with olive oil. My boyfriend had linguine, but my flatmate and I split tortellini stuffed with ricotta and spinach, which was absolutely marvelous. We all had some chocolate cake (there's lots left over from my birthday!) and chatted for a bit.
Since today was uneventful, I am going to dedicate this post to my guide to beautification. This is a gender-neutral guide on the basics of being the best you!
Sleep
We all know that sleep is important, but that there aren't enough hours in the day. I often find myself unable to fall asleep because I am so stressed, so I use home remedies like wine or NyQuil. Getting enough sleep is important for maintaining energy levels, having vibrant skin, and feeling refreshed.
Skin and Face
There are a million myths about how to protect your skin, but it is very simple. Don't tan. You should not be the color of a Dorito, and you should not be tanner in December than in August. You aren't fooling anyone, and will have skin with a texture similar to your leather jacket by your mid 30s if you do. In all seriousness, be loving to your skin. I wash my face once or twice a day with Clinique's liquid facial soap, which is gentle but effective. I pat (never rub) my face dry and apply Clinique Dramatically Different moisturizer. It's a bit pricy, but it's great for dry skin and the winter time, and you only need to use a pea sized amount.
My mother often scolded me as a child to not "make that face" so I would
not get wrinkles. As I have grown into a young lady, I have prevented
myself from wrinkly my forehead and "making faces" by mastering the art
of throwing shade. If someone does something appalling, I simply speak
my mind, give them the side eye, and go about being fabulous and
dignified. No wrinkles needed. Michelle Obama does it with grace and poise, but with just enough sass. Take note.
If needed, use a light powder foundation to even out your skin. This is great for the mornings you wake up with dark circles under your eyes because you ran out of wine and/or NyQuil. I use MAC Studio Fix and apply with a large, loose brush. Some days I top it off with Sephora's Rose Petal Blush with an Angle Brush .
Eyes
It is imperative to protect your eyes. I use Refresh eye drops to prevent getting dry eyes on windy days. I also make sure to wear polarized sunglasses whenever I am out in the sun, especially around water or while driving. I also love sunglasses because they are the perfect accessory to throw shade in- try Chanel sunglasses for a more Anna Wintour shade!
If I do nothing else to get ready, I always put on black mascara. I have become particularly fond of Loreal's Butterfly Effect Mascara in Blackest Black. The brush is wonderful and shaped in such a way that I don't poke my eye out, but actually get to my eyelashes and make them long and noticeable.
Lips
It's windy in London, so I am never without my EOS lip balm in sweet mint. It keeps my lips soft and smooth, and it makes me feel like Miley Cyrus at the beginning of her "We Can't Stop" music video. I dig in my purse for a few minutes, trip on the side walk while digging, find it, and make weird faces as I put it on and walk down the street.
Hair
I refuse to wash my hair with shampoo and water everyday. To begin, I don't have the time. Shampooing, Conditioning, Treating, Drying, and Fixing my hair takes at least an hour before it begins its transformation from lion's mane to manageable. Instead, I wash my hair as needed, usually 1-3 times a week depending on the season, climate, etc. On the other days, I use dry shampoo. I spray a generous amount at the roots and work down to the tips. This has saved me enough time each day that I can now write this blog.
Dying your hair can be a great way to change your look, but it is also risky business. Box hair dye is cheap for a reason: it looks cheap. Invest in having a professional dye your hair with quality dye instead of trying to DIY. That will only result in you paying more for a corrective coloring treatment, which will also cause more damage to your hair. I like to go a little darker with my hair color in the winter to correct the natural highlights my hair acquires in the summer. Just remember that dying your hair is taxing on it, and dying it too many times can result in hair loss, which is simply not a good look.
Eating Habits
I don't believe in diets or counting calories. Eat quality food- you are what you eat, and no one wants to be genetically modified soybean oil. If you can, eat fresh, organic foods free of preservatives. My favorite part of being in the UK is the quality of the food and how much fresher the produce is. Incorporate a variety of foods in your diet that you enjoy and don't deprive yourself. Have a piece of cake on your birthday and have a glass of wine with dinner. All things in moderation, even the kale- especially the kale.
I hope this has helped you realize that even the best beauty products work best when used with a bit of sass and common sense! Whatever you use, make it work.
xo
BJordan
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