My semi-beauty not-so-secrets.

Let me preface this post by saying, that although I have a love affair with fashion, I am no beauty.  I wear little to no make-up most days, I am not into hair {hence its shortness}, heck, I don't even wash my face every night.  Gross, I know.  Ironically, I've never had an issue with acne.  That's a sore subject with my sister.  So, if you should ever meet her, don't ask her how she felt about the fact that I had a scuz face in high school and her's was clean as a whistle, yet she had a battle with the zits, and I did not.  She wouldn't like that.  Looking back, I can understand why.  I wouldn't say I'm a girly girl.  I do like dresses and such, but I'm not into primping and prodding.  I am what I am, body parts have settled where they've settled.  I have the face & body that the Good Lord blessed me with.  All 6 feet of it.

However, there are certain things that I cannot live without in terms of my beauty regimen, if that's what you call Dove soap and a good scrub.  Just little things I do everyday.  My skin is pretty nice for being almost 33, I've never had hair issues, my teeth are big like a horse, but nice & white, etc.  So, I will pass on simple things I do to keep me looking and feeling my best.

1. Keep a tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush in the shower.  Go ahead and kill two birds with one stone.  This is a little something that my parents did, and now my sister and I do.  My husband finds it nauseating to brush with warm water, and refuses.  Personally, I find it exhilarating to step out of the shower COMPLETELY clean.

2.  Baking soda as a toothpaste.  Every so often I kick it old school and dip my toothbrush in a box of baking soda {NOT the same one I use to bake}, and scrub my pearly whites.  My teeth never felt so good.  It's the best at home teeth cleaning ever.

3. Apricot scrub.  I have used this for years.  I use to exfoliate mainly my face, but will use it on any rough patches.  It also has salicylic acid in it to diminish blemishes and blackheads.  I don't use it everyday.  Maybe once a week, but it's awesome. I feel like it makes my skin glow.

4.  Moisturizer.  After a shower or face washing slop it on.  I have combination skin, but this is still really important.  I have done it forever, and have to say my 32-year-old face thanks me more and more everyday.  Particularly, because I use one with SPF.  Which leads me to...

5.  DON'T TAN!  You may think you look fantastic, now, with your very obviously fake orange glow, but when you're in you 40s/50s and your skin is all wrinkly and saggy, you will not.  Contrary to what you think, it doesn't make you look thinner or prettier {really, it's all in your head}. Your face is still your face, just a shade of tangerine, and you still weigh the same. What is wrong with pale, ivory skin?  I find it refreshing and radiant.  I was guilty of tanning bed visits in my late teens early 20s, but never had an obsession.  My skin has thanked me.

6. Use a razor made for men.  No one on Earth can convince me that a Gillette for men is the same as a Venus for women, or any manly razor is the same as any Daisy.  I'm telling you ladies, if you're not using a razor for men on those legs, you're missing out.  You will never have a closer, smoother shave.  You're legs will be glossy, they're so hairless.

7. Use good perfume.  I've decided if you like fragrance, don't skimp.  Cheap stuff is full of alcohol, and that evaporates quickly.  Splurge on a sent you love.  If you can do it, get the eau de parfume or the eau de parfum {yes, that one letter makes a difference}, NOT the eau de toilette.  It is waaaaaaay more concentrated leaving the scent on your body, not evaporating into the atmosphere, and you need to use way less of it.  IF I use perfume, I like clean, light, fresh scents that are subtle and not overpowering; Donna Karen Cashmere Mist, many of the Philosophy scents {I love Pure Grace}, Fresh Citron de Vigne {all of which can be found at Sephora or Nordstrom}.

8. Spritz some perfume on you hair before you dry it.  I swear by this.  I only do it when we go on a date, or out somewhere.  Something about the heat sets the scent in, but makes it subtle, too.  Every time you turn your head you get a wiff.  It's lovely.

9. Great Lash mascara.  Out of all make-up, I love mascara and lipstick/lipgloss the best.  If you can slap those two things on, you can look polished.  I have used a bagillion different kinds of mascara.  Expensive stuff, cheap stuff, you name it.  Nothing compares to Great Lash.  Classic ole Great Lash.

10.  Water, exercise, sleep!  The tri-fecta. Possibly my favorite tip.  I didn't realize the importance of water and exercise until the last year or so.  It does something to your insides that inevitably reflects on your outside.  I have always enjoyed my sleep.  Ask anyone who knows me.

11.  When in absolute peril Photoshop.  I jest, but if you look worn down, and feel like you need it, it's a  photo lifesaver.  Fix a blemish, brighten your smile, diminish under eye circles, liquefy if you have to! Sadly, Photoshop only works on PHOTOS. Remember the golden rule of Photoshop, subtle, subtle, subtle.  It still needs to look like you.  Let's be honest, we've all needed a little Adobe help.  However, I cannot stress the importance of subtlety.  Remember a photo is not the genuine you, in real life you will still have that zit, those dingy teeth, those eye bags, and that fat.  A sad reality, but true. People will start to wonder why you don't look as fantastic in real life.  Use it sparingly!  Personally, I don't do beauty PS, unless I have a hair or something across my face or big under eye circles.  I'm afraid I KNOW I'll become too reliant.  

The End.