Let me start out my blog today with a reinteration of thriftnerd's mission statement. We don't speak for those who spend without a thought. We speak for those who are on a tight budget, who have their priorities straight and would rather pay their bills on time and provide for their families than take a spa day or a exotic vacation......yet, in doing so, have no money for the things they themselves would love.
There is no reason these deserving folks can't have nice things, too. We just have to work harder to find the lesser priced alternatives. It's always worth it.
Besides, it's more important to have an adequately stocked emergency fund and provide for your children's education. If you're spending money like water and don't have either of those? Boy howdy.
This week, I'm writing a series of blogs on saving money in your personal care areas. Skincare, haircare, nailcare. These are the areas we let slide (I'm guilty too) when things are tight. The older we get, the more important it is to at least spend the minimum on personal upkeep. Besides, we mamas need to look put together when we go to school events. It's never a good sign when your kids are avoiding you in public.
At almost 50, I'm dealing with drier skin that needs hydration, even more so now in the winter. When you're my age, and your skin is dry, you look......OLDER. Sorry, there's really no nice way to say it.
Let's start with your insides. Preached about until our eyes glaze over, but totally necessary: DRINK LOTS OF WATER. Sure, pop tastes better, and often alcohol does, too, but what you put in the inside is reflected on the outside. Healthy, glowing skin is often the result of proper hydration. Coffee, pop, and tea are all dehydrating. I'm not saying cut out the fun stuff entirely, but just cut back. I have one cup of coffee in the morning, and rarely have caffeine any other time of the day. I used to drink a lot of Pepsi Next, but I don't keep it at home anymore, as I will be tempted to drink it instead of water. Don't like the taste of water? Put a few spritzes of lemon juice in it. I didn't think it would make a big difference, but it really does! I find I drink more that way!
Eat healthier food. Eat more greens. More fruits and veggies will result in a healthier complexion. It's far easier to eat a bag of chips, I know. Your skin will suffer if you make that choice over healthier options more often than not. Again, don't become a food monk. Chips, cookies and other yummy snacks can be enjoyed on a limited basis. Moderation, yo.
So, we're eating and drinking better. What about actual skincare?
Ladies, please don't sleep with your makeup on. I know for a fact it's far easier to fall into bed at the end of a very long day, without cleansing your face, but your skin will look far better if you take that extra time to remove the vestiges of your day. Baby wipes are fabulous for taking off makeup. They have made a real difference in how my face looks as opposed to leaving the gunk on overnight. Your skin needs to BREATHE, and it can't do so all clogged up with foundation.
There was a time when I could get away with plain old Ivory soap to cleanse my face. Now, I have to invest a little more. The Olay Regenerist line is a good, budget priced skincare line for those of us who don't have the $$$ to trot off to the Clinique counter. Shown above, my Olay Regenerist Exfoliating cleanser rocks for $6.99. The dollar store brush is my answer to a $150 Clairsonic cleansing system. I really, REALLY wanted one of those for a long time, and did an immense amount of research into them, but I'm a crusader for looking as good as I can on a budget, and so I picked a manual brush instead. I wet my face, rub my cleanser all over, and then do 20 seconds each with the brush on my forehead, nose, cheeks, chin and neck area. I do this 3 times a week, because more often will ravage your face. It is very important to exfoliate, as old skin cells will age you. Plus, I work in a lawnmower shop, amid the toxic smells of engine oil, carb cleaner, etc. That all needs to come off my face! Even if you're a stay at home mama, you need to exfoliate, too.
After cleansing, my older skin needs a good moisturizer. I don't dry my face, letting the skin drink in the moisture from my shower. At night, I apply Aquaphor Healing Ointment, especially under my eyes (carefully), and on my lips. In fact, I apply Aquaphor to my lips often during the day. It is a heavy cream that is better suited to drier skin. If you have an oily complexion, it will just clog your pores. Before makeup, I apply Gold Bond Ultimate Intensive Healing Cream. I put that on about 15 minutes before I start my makeup, to give it a chance to soak into my skin. It's lighter than the Aquaphor, but again, not for oily complexions.
To round out my 'age and budget appropriate' skincare advice, I recommend using Bare Minerals foundation. Now, it's not the most budget friendly makeup, BUT.....using the wrong foundation can really wreck your skin. If you use dollar store foundation and end up having to go to a dermatologist, it's not budget friendly! Taking better care of my skin, and budgeting a little more for skin friendly foundation, is a better course of action. Besides, Bare Minerals is light and really makes my older skin look luminescent. Avon makes a similar line.
Speaking of Avon, they are the only 'special order' makeup I will recommend on my blog. I have nothing against Mary Kay, Shaklee, Jafra, or Melaluca, but because I speak for those who are watching every penny, often these companies are too expensive for those on a tight budget. I respect their products, but they don't need my endorsement.
Along with proper diet, cleansing, moisturizing and makeup, older faces need to be especially vigilent when it comes to brow care and facial hair removal. My daughter, the aspiring cosmetologist, plucks my brows and my chin hair (yes, I have chin hair now!)for me. If you aren't blessed with such talented offspring, invest in a good magnifying mirror and do it yourself! They aren't that expensive. I recommend one with a light, as we with aging eyes need all the help we can get! You really can't neglect your brows. Nothing ruins a good makeup application more than stray hairs!
So, there you have it. The thrftnerd face over 40. These are just basic guidelines, but if you want to do a little more in depth research on budget friendly facial products and techniques, check out Youtube for a plethora of videos on just about anything beauty related. Plus, the fine ladies at Livingonadime.com have wonderful recipes for making your own facials and scrubs. I highly recommend them!
Don't let beautiful skin be the sole property of the well to do. With just a little effort, we budget minded beauties can enjoy healthy skin, too!
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