Beauty Confessions

[Tisa]

Hoardingmakeup: I'm blessed to have been able to make a career out of my passion, and because of this, I receive regular deliveries of newly released makeup and skincare by brands and PR agencies. Most of the time, I'm unaware if I'll be sent anything or what I'll be sent, and there's always a note from the brand sending it that usually states something like, 'We'd love it if you could give us some coverage, but no pressure'. If I'm sent things I've been wanting to try, then I try them and always give an honest review on my social media platform. The problem is that I still go beauty shopping. I still go to Sephora and buy makeup that, realistically, I don't need. I have a drawer full of lipsticks. A drawer full of foundations and concealers. A drawer full of skincare...maybe two. So without trying to resolve this issue, that's my little confession about hoarding.

Not giving skincare a chance: As much as we know that you should give your chosen skin care products a chance by using them for at least 3 months to see a difference, I'm sure I'm not the only one who doesn't always follow this rule. If I use a product for the first time and I'm not liking the overnight results, then I don't usually continue using it. That's the truth. However, this is only the case if I had a feeling it wouldn't be suitable for me anyway. Yes, I follow my gut feeling when it comes to skincare too, not just life decisions. This is also based on my research of the product and ingredients. If I know that there are specific ingredients that require time to show results, then I give it a chance; however, I tend to kind of just know if it's worth my time.

I use face wipes to remove my makeup: I know there has been a whole discussion on this topic about how bad it is to use face wipes, etc. Let me be clear: I remove my makeup with a wipe, and then I wash my face with a cleanser, followed by exfoliating, before starting with my skincare. So I use the wipe to just remove the obvious makeup, such as mascara, foundation, and brows, then continue with removing the leftovers with a face wash. I don't see this as being bad for my skin because I'm not relying on a face wipe to cleanse my face. I'm pretty OCD about removing makeup and looking after my skin. I'm also very gentle with the face wipe, ensuring it's taking the obvious parts off with light pressure. There you go; I said it. I use face wipes.

I am ruthless when it comes to makeup! If I haven't used it in the past 6-12 months, it gets binned! My guilty pleasure is hoarding on face masks! My go to at the moment is the Benefit's POREfessional. But I also tried out the Nip+Fab one over Christmas. I love all things scientific so it's a range I'm keen to explore.

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But when I arrived in America to attend high school for a year, I found that girls all used a lot of makeup and had perfect hair and white teeth. Yet, some of them were wearing pajama pants or sport pants or ugly sneakers with a pair of jeans. You cannot even begin to understand how confused and shocked I was! In France, I believe we prefer to be well dressed and care less about having perfect white teeth or straight hair. I returned to France full of American beauty knowledge and a complete makeup box I had received for Christmas, and bought hair straightening product right away. Paradox? However, I soon dropped the idea of getting my teeth whitened because I love drinking tea too much.

So the beauty routine of a French person is quicker than that of an American. (Again, these are broad assumptions that do not apply to everybody.) I lived it. I guess the reason would be: less makeup, less hair time. Right now, in France, products you buy in pharmaceutical and para-pharmaceutical stores are the go-to for your face and body. They are healthier, more gentle and better fitted to your skin. However, for makeup, luxury brands remain a must. Every woman has her favorite products and I think French women are very keen on lipstick (not lip gloss!) and mascara. Only one rule predominates (and I guess it is the same in whichever country you live): always remove your makeup before you go to bed to allow your skin to breathe.

I have not yet found my perfect face-cleaning ritual, so I tend to try different products. I used to think I should have two different routines; one in the morning and one in the evening, but my dermatologist told me if my morning routine cleans and fits my skin, then there is no need for something different in the evening. So right now I put some micelle water on cotton and wash my face with it, then rinse with some mineral water in a spray bottle (the water in Paris is horrible for your skin). Then I put on my day cream. I do not use foundation, except as a concealer.

For my makeup (if I go to work or meet some friends), I put some mineral powder (bronzing powder during the summer), then a mineral eye-shadow, a line of kohl on the upper lid, mascara and blush. Before leaving my house I apply some Chapstick, but lately I have been really into the Chubby sticks by Clinique. For dinners I generally keep my day makeup and only add some red lipstick (Rouge pur couture n1, Yves Saint-Laurent). If I have a party, I will work more on my foundation and on the eye-shadow (smoky eyes etc.) and wear my red lipstick. Wow. Now that that is written, I feel like I do wear a lot of makeup! I feel the need to add that I generally do not wear makeup during the weekend or if I wear my glasses.

I think our consumer society made beauty and perfection into concepts way too predominant in our everyday lives (think Photoshop!). Makeup or cosmetic surgeries are not the miracle solution if you do not feel good in your head.

Scarves la Franoise: The lingua Franca for stylish women, by Barbara Redmond who shares her experience trying on scarves and tying them at the home of her French friend in Lyon. Arriving at the famous silk manufacture in Lyon, Andr Claude Canova, Barbara and her friend gently tapped on the window even though the shop was closed. The shop girl let them and they all enjoyed hours of playfully draping, twisting and knotting scarves and shawls. An experience spurred by the ubiquitous nature of women and scarves: our common language.

How to find a (suitable) place in Paris, and other miscellaneous information, by French woman from Brittany, Bndicte Mah, who is in her mastre-spcialis final trimester doing an internship in Paris. Bndicte shares with students how to find a place in Paris. (French)

The crying came afterwards, once I was safely outside of the Sheraton, away from taffeta and tulle, the judges and their whispered comments and stares. The crying surprised me; a wetness on my face that smeared my mascara, loosening the fake eyelashes makeup artists had painstakingly applied.

Her living room was lined with mirrors. Underneath the mirrors was an L-shaped makeup counter, with a rainbow assortment of cosmetics littering the countertop: blushes stacked, eyeliners toppled, makeup brushes bursting from their stands, like the backstage of a fashion show. A beaded curtain hung in the middle of the room, serving no purpose other than a rattling background noise. Rina and her family also lived in the apartment, which doubled as a beauty school. Her makeup students filtered in as more contestants arrived. Coffee was brewed, breakfast pastries passed around. On the wall hung two wooden signs, the kind you find at Marshalls or Home Goods: Blending is my cardio and Wake and Bake.

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