Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Less is more

I may be lazy, but even I have minimum beauty standards. Even on the days when I'm running uber-late, I wouldn't dream of leaving the house without washing, applying toner, and moisturizing my face – as well as putting on lipstick. Same thing at night — must remove makeup, tone, moisturize. No compromise.

I guess I totally buy into that philosophy that "your best accessory is great skin" — or else my mom just scared me to death about getting wrinkles starting when I was in middle school. All I know is as far back as I can remember, I have always taken care of my skin. I can count on one hand the number of times I've slept w/all my makeup — and those times I've been drunk, let me assure you. So, must wash face, must wear lipstick.

However, my hair looks like crap if I wash it more than every other day. Thank God my hair is low maintenance, people – it goes up in a hairclip, every day, no matter what. I only use hairspray on the hair at the very center of my forehead, to keep the cowlick from popping loose mid-day.

I think back to the beauty routine I had in high school, even college, and it brings me to a dead stop. WHAT was I THINKING?? I remember getting up Two. Hours. Before. School. in order to curl my hair with a curling iron, just so, and plaster it w/hairspray. Then there was the full-face-of-makeup thing. Ugh. Even in college, when I wore sweats to class, I still had on eyeshadow. It's really hard to imagine now. These days, when I wear makeup, people stop and stare at me in the hallway, mumbling that I look vaguely familiar… it's embarrassing, actually. And at my holiday party? Where I not only wore something other than jeans, but I wore my CONTACTS, did my hair (in a slightly fancier up-do than usual) and wore full makeup — well, let's just say it caused our IT guy to stare at me and say, full of wonder, "Wow. You look REALLLLLLY GOOD without your glasses…". Um, yeah. I also look REALLY GOOD 50 pounds lighter, 10 years younger, and with curlier hair, but such is life.

This has led me to question other people's minimum beauty requirements. For instance, it astounds me that my mom STILL gets up at the ass-crack of dawn and takes the time to curl her hair w/a curling iron and do the whole makeup thing, AND, wear pantyhose and fancy clothes to work. Panty. Hose. Mind blowing. Even my sister, who has 3 kids, always has on makeup. And she's skinnier than me. Really, it's not fair.

I'm curious about other people's beauty minimum. Please, do share if you are so inclined…

3 comments:

babs said...

My beauty minimum sounds like a lot more than yours, but it's really not:
1. Must wash and blowdry hair EVERY DAY or it looks like ass. The reason? It's too damn fine.
2. Must wear lipstick, eyeliner and maybe a touch of blush.
3. Must use powder and/or a beauty blotter as much as possible.

Crazy MomCat said...

My standards have way relaxed. Really it depends on one thing: am I leaving my house that day? Most days I do. But, I also start most days off going to the gym, so I do nothing but pull my hair into a ponytail for that.

When I'm home and really getting ready, it is: wash hair about every other day because it gets so dry now(damn diabetes), must wear eyeliner and mascara at a minimum (you can't see my eyelashes otherwise)...I am not as fanatical about lipstick, but I like something on my lips...chapstick sometimes will do.

I like using powder, even if I don't mess with foundation.

Oh, I always wash my face at night and have to brush my teeth at least twice a day.

OK, that a novel, but there you go.

Tamara said...

My beauty minimum (remember I have an 8 month old): Shower (on weekends, this is optional), brush teeth, check shoulders for spit-up. Find spit-up, change shirt, thereby making myself late. Apply lipstick and powder in car en route to wherever I am going. Mascara should be a minimum requirement. Alas it is not and I just don't look as good as I used to...

This is my first blog comment! I guess I am outing myself as a blogger. Go easy on me. I am a newbie in this world and you girls are awesome!