Oy vey! SOOOO many products on the market. Skincare that deals with real skin issues…in about 5 minutes after applying it! Wow! That’s even faster than having surgery!

All kinds of interesting product additives which sound kinda weird but can make you look younger lickety-split…even though you seriously wonder what that weird ingredient actually is.

Lots of new makeup items…foundations, glowy products so you can “glow,” blushes, lipsticks, uhhhhh…I’m exhausted thinking about this and I haven’t even mentioned most of the new products out there.

If you’re drowning in this sea of “what on Earth do I use already” you’re not alone. I’ve been using and studying skincare and makeup for just about as long as I’ve been studying music. And yet…the one piece of advice I always fall back on is something a Merle Norman Skincare/Makeup Studio employee told me some…I dunno…45 years ago? I dearly loved Merle Norman. One day I was sitting in the studio and we were doing some makeup thing and talking about products etc. She said, “it doesn’t really matter which products you use. Just use something to help your skin.” She’s right!

My Mom always used Ponds Cold Cream to cleanse and moisturize. Never soap. She had great skin. After a while my sister got her going on Mary Kay products. Also a great choice. Mary Kay Ash looked glamorous until the end!

And that’s my point as well. I have written before about using what works for you. I always look for ingredients such as Hyaluronic acid (something our own bodies produce), Vitamin C, Niacinamide (a form of vitamin B3), Aloe vera, Shea butter…to name a few. The less artificial components in your skincare and makeup the better. And…I also always promote cleansing and moisturizing rituals both in the morning and in the evening. The evening is really when you want to deep cleanse. “Beauty is born at night” they always say. Try to make that come true for yourself.

Plus it takes only 5-10 minutes to accomplish this. Do you honestly think I want to spend 25 minutes in the morning and evening doing a skincare routine? And I’m a skincare addict! Nope! Cleanse…eye cream…facial serum…moisturizer…done! 6 minutes. Haha! In case you think this is too fast (and snarky) of me, remember you’re after long-term success. Regular skincare does provide this!!!! Get it into your daily routine like brushing your teeth. You’ll be amazed at how little time you spend doing this and how good you get at it! And you’ll also be amazed at how you look on your 65th birthday when everyone is aghast…”you’re 65? Gosh…you look 15 years younger!” And that, my friends, is the point! You age gracefully and classy. And it makes you feel confident and more in control. It’s not surgery and you won’t look 25 at 65 but you’ll look great for 65! You will!!!!

My advice has always been to look at the product line you are interested in. Look at reviews from actual users. Also look at ingredients. If you are sold on what you are reading then try a product. You may have to do this 2-3 times etc. before you settle on a product or full product line that works for you. Be sure to look for products that deal with sensitive skin if that’s what you need. Be picky! The key point is that your skin feels good…moisturized. You can do this. You can navigate this sea of products and find yourself a great routine.

Switching to makeup…I’ve always said as a Makeup Artist mind you, you don’t have to do makeup if you don’t want to. And if you want to, you don’t have to do a makeup routine to rival a showbiz celebrity on stage. Again, like the skincare advice, try a few products from a makeup line that you are interested in. See if it works for you. Look at the list of ingredients. You might even try looking up online the more organic lines of makeup and what their ratings are especially from top-notch cosmetologists and dermatologists. You might have to do this 2-3 times like the skincare project.

There is such a thing as natural makeup. You use what you want where you want it. One of my cousins said years ago, “…as long as you feel finished.” And she’s right. I usually do only eye makeup/eyebrows and lipstick for daily stuff…after my morning skincare routine. If I have to teach (musician here) or do something else more formal, well it’s the whole foundation, eye makeup, blush, lipstick routine. But realistically. Not for the stage and not heavy-handed. And the more organic/natural products you use the more your skin retains its moisture during the day. Your makeup doesn’t dry out. If you’re doing your skincare routine correctly with good products and your makeup the same, then your skin will look good all day. Seriously!

All the big famous skincare/makeup lines are using more natural ingredients in their products. Consumers demand it especially the younger ones who are entering into this world of skincare/makeup now. We older ladies used many products years ago with some ingredients that not only are not natural but not very good for us either. Good thing most cosmetic companies are seeing their way into going more organic. This includes Korean and Japanese products which are very much organic and great to use. So, lots to explore out there.

And please don’t feel defeated or unwilling to try because of the volume of skincare/makeup products out there. We’re all overwhelmed! That’s a given. Take baby steps. It’s an adventure. And you’ll gradually educate yourself so that as you investigate more products, you’ll know exactly what to look for because it works for you. Then you’ll be unstoppable…and opinionated…like me. Ha!

Enjoy! It’s a trip!

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