Why I'm Investing in my Skin

I recently dropped a fair amount of dough on some fancy skincare products. Why? Spoiler alert: I got vain.

Ever since my early twenties, I've felt the need to take care of my skin, particularly my face. I wanted to age like Cate Blanchett or Nigella; and would do anything not to end up with old, tired, lined skin. Living in Australia, there was also sun damage to think of. I met women who'd spent their life in the sun, and it showed. Soon, ending up looking like a dried up piece of beef jerky was my worst nightmare.

Being somewhat financially challenged, I made do with a skincare regime that consisted of moisturising and putting on sunscreen in the morning and cleansing plus night cream in the evening. I found cheap products that did an average job and silently congratulated myself on being proactive in the FIGHT AGAINST AGING that we all seem to be waging.

I'd always been incredibly skeptical of cosmetic ads selling magical creams. I scoffed a little inside when I saw women spending $100 or more on a little pot of "creme" because I thought they'd been sold an idea, not a product that actually did anything. Well, was I wrong. Turns out that like shoes, when you spend a little more, you actually do get a better product.

Recently, two lucky things collided in my life - an improved income, and a friend becoming a consultant for a posh party plan skincare and makeup line, Arbonne (not sponsored!). I went to a party, she gave me a tester kit and after two weeks my skin was glowing, blemish free and feeling about ten years younger from the "regime".


SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY, I told her (well, I actually said I'd have a party of my own to earn some hostess rewards and bring down the cost). I told my hubby I was spending more than usual on something for myself, he was fine with it! Actually happy about it. After so many years of making do with supermarket products, it felt very adult to spend a little more.

So now I wait for my investment to pay off. A few compliments wouldn't go astray...

So, I want to know - are you a skeptic or a believer? Do you spend lots on your skin or think that the average priced stuff does the same job?

E for Effort

On Friday night, as I sat in the passenger seat of my car, husband driving beside me, I turned to him and asked "Do you think I should make more of an effort?".

It was one of those random thoughts, the ones that strike you in the middle of doing something and are usually a good sign your brain is trying to tell you something.

He glanced at me, and without missing a beat, said "No". Bless him, he always says I look good, even when the Hair Frizz Level is at 10.

I looked down at myself, considering that I had chosen to go to the pizza shop wearing my pajamas with no bra. "I do think that I do, sometimes".

How did I come to this? The me of 10 years ago would have been HORRIFIED at even the thought of leaving the house in sleepwear, let alone without some brestical support. But now, I don't think twice about wearing my dressing gown in the McDonald's Drive-Thru (emergency McFlurry runs only) or my PJs to the 7-11. I do draw the line at getting out though. I make hubby go in.

I have never been one of those high maintenance women. I remarked this to my partner who immediately started singing Toby Keith's "High Maintenance Woman (Don't Want No Maintenance Man)". It's true though. I just find the upkeep of being a woman, though nice to do sometimes (eg. for my wedding day) to be too exhausting to contemplate in everyday life.

I see other women going for their monthly hairdressing appointments, nail salon visits, having manis and pedis, waxing, blow-outs, skin treatments, facials and the like and not only do I wonder at the amount of money it all costs, I just can't see myself as wanting to devote that much time to my body.

I'm struck by the sudden self-sabotaging thought that this, perhaps, is why I sometimes step out of the house looking like a sack of potatoes tied in the middle.

"You're married, you've let yourself go..." jokes hubby, with sly side-eye to see if he's pushed the right button of indignation. I refuse to rise to the bait.

"Perhaps I have. But then again, I was never really that much of a Glamazon to start with, my love."

Do you spend Jersey Shore-like amounts of time doing these beauty maintenance things? Does it make you happy or annoyed?

Keep It Simple, Sarah

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I feel like another rant about our overwhelming modern world. Last time it was about supermarkets, this time it's about beauty products.

This has been sparked by two things.

1) I went to Coles today. I had to buy things that you can't get in Aldi (curry powder and my favourite toothpaste). As usual, I spent a good ten minutes in the bathroom products aisle staring like a goon at body scrubs/moisturisers/milks/gels and wondering how in God's name people choose one. This always makes me cranky.

2) I have had a thought lately - seems to me as I'm 31, perhaps I need to be doing a bit more for my skin, specifically my face and eyes. I have begun to feel like I should perhaps be changing my current beauty ROUTINE and upping the ante to a REGIME. (This is, of course, my stupid ego crumbling before the relentless onslaught of woman-focused advertising and other media telling me that there is nothing worse than AGING.)

And then this happened - Aldi let me down. I turned to them for a face or eye cream that might save me from the horrors of getting older and the tyranny of choice! I thought "Hey, Aldi has one product for everything. No variety. No decisions. This will be easy."

WRONG.

Aldi has a beauty range called Lacura. I've been using their facial cleanser and hand cream for a few weeks now with success. I'm happy with them. But a simple thing like moisturiser? There's more than one option.

They've got:

• "Multi Intensive Serum" (in two varieties)
• "Intensive Serum"
• "Rejuvinating Night Cream"
• "Protective Day Cream"
• "Cream for Mature Skin "
• "Night Cream for Mature Skin"
• "Face Cream"
• "Q10 Day Cream"
• "Q10 Day Cream"
• "Q10 SPF15 Anti Wrinkle Face Cream"
• AND
• "Anti Aging Face Cream SPF 15" (in two varieties)

What the hell, Aldi?

At least there is only one eye product, and it is helpfully called "Eye Cream" - although there is three varieties of this stuff as well.

I don't know about you folk, but I DO NOT WANT to spend 15 minutes of my life reading the fine print on each of these packages trying to figure out which one would be best on my skin.

I KNOW that I am not the only one that feels lost about these things. I've probably mentioned before how I feel like a complete idiot about all things beauty, hair and makeup but I also resent the fact that sometimes I feel that knowing these things is actually important. BECAUSE IT'S NOT. And I hate that magazines, tv and the even my beloved internet make me think this way.

The world will not end if I use the wrong type of hair gel/spray/wax/fudge/mousse. Planes will not fall from the sky because I do not know how to apply eyeshadow. Cities will not crumble because I fail to cleanse, tone and moisturise every morning and night.

However, I do acknowledge that looking good is very good for one's personal morale and gives a good self-esteem boost. How to find a balance?

At the end of the day, I hate beauty products but know I need some of them. I definitely need moisturiser with sunscreen to protect my fair skin from the harsh Queensland sun. I definitely need some kind of shit for my hair because the frizziness is driving me insane. And I definitely do not want to end up looking like a dried up piece of leather when I'm 60 because I didn't care for my skin.

Oh, and I'm going to design a product range that has one or two words on the front label, and all the fine print on the back. There will be MOISTURISER, HAND LOTION, BODY WASH, EYE CREAM and LIP BALM. None of this rubbish where I have to read seven lines of text before discovering what the product I've picked up actually is.

And the bestest idea of all - shampoo and conditioner that say nothing but SHAMPOO and CONDITIONER on them. In huge letters. Because I can never tell which one is which without my glasses on in the shower.

Do you use a day/night cream/serum/intensive repair treatment? How in the heck did you end up choosing from the massive variety out there?

Lipstick

I just snapped this photo of myself while waiting for the train. You ever get that paranoid feeling when you're taking a "selfie" in a public place that everyone is secretly laughing at you?

Anyway, the point is, today I wore lipstick to work for the first time in... well... probably over a year. Why did I stop? Can't remember. Probably something to do with the fact half would come off on my morning cup of tea. Why did I decide to wear it again today? I DON'T KNOW. I just felt like it.

I was then very self-conscious about it. Like everybody was looking at my lairy lips. Halfway through the day a workmate came up to me and said "Your lipstick!" in an alarming manner. My heart jumped and my fingers went to my mouth. What about it? Was there some on my teeth? Had I managed to somehow smear it everywhere like a sad 90s version of Courtney Love?
"I love the colour! What is it?"
Relief. Followed by embarrassment because I really didn't know. Further inspection proved useless: it had been in my handbag so long the label on the end had rubbed off. I was forced to admit I believed it might be a Nutrimerics one.

But someone liked my lipstick! They didn't think I looked like a little kid playing in her mum's makeup box! That, folks, I'd what's known as a Warm Fuzzy. Speaking as a girl who never gets beauty product compliments, it felt pretty darn good.

When's the last time you got a compliment? Did it make your day?

Beauty School Drop-out

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I have only ever had a passing acquaintance with make-up, and all things beauty. Oh yes, I used to read the beauty articles in my copy of Dolly or Girlfriend, and later New Idea or Woman's Day (I never bought fashion glossies, too intimidating). My mother only wears minimal make-up, and when she does it looks a little... strange. Pretty sure her mother never taught her how to put it on either.

I'm aware that I probably should be more interested in things like lipliner, eyelash curlers and primer, but recently I realised I don't actually have to be. One day I was reading some boring article comparing different mascaras and it hit me – I don't have to read this. I'm not interested in it AT ALL. Turn the page and move on, dear.

And so since that day, I completely skip the beauty section of any magazine I'm reading. I'm sure there are some beauty editors out there that would faint to hear me say that, but I just can't bring myself to care about different ways to apply your eyeshadow, or what this season's trendy lipstick shade is.

This lackadaisical attitude does have its problems however. Interested, or not, I do feel the need to actually wear make-up to work. Having had no-one ever show me how to put it on properly, I have over the past years developed a slapstick morning routine involving sunscreen moisturiser, foundation and a lick of mascara. I've bought multiple different foundations over the years and am never quite sure if I've got the right shade or if I'm applying it correctly.

I've decided though, that I need to learn. At least, learn the basics of a “going-out” look. Why? Because I think it would make me feel a bit better about myself. Dressing up always boosts my confidence, but I'm always thinking that my make-up isn't half as good as anyone else's. How do you get that liquid eyeliner on without painting your entire lid with it?

So, now I'm wondering where to begin. Should I go to a department store and ask one of those startlingly thin, perfectly made-up young whippets to give me a beauty makeover? I'm convinced they'll just tart me up like a two dollar hooker and try to sell me as much product as possible. Eep!

On the other hand, Carly from Extremely Hyper recently went to Napoleon Perdis and gave a positive review, so I'm also thinking of doing that.

Help me out here, folks?