BEAUTY Archives - Page 2 of 2

April 30, 2020

Dirty Details: Plastic Surgery and What You Need to Know

Let’s just cut to the chase, shall we?

I LOVE plastic surgery.

Big fan. BIG BIG FAN.

I wanna scream it from the rooftops.

Maybe I will if I indulge in a glass of champagne later.

Anyways. I said it. We are all clear.

If anyone is offended by this, please leave.

We’re getting dirty in the details. No holds barred. For those who are still with me, read on.

Short and sweet and to the point, I think plastic surgery is a god damn gift to the world and the fact that we are able to have the freedom to choose EXACTLY how we want to look is, too.

I think everyone who is an adult and a contributing member to society should be able to have the right to DECIDE how they want to express themselves, physically.

The right to DECIDE to match how they feel on the inside with the proper gear on the outside. Ya know?

Like, we only live once. Life is short. Why the fuck would you go through your entire life self-conscious and hyper-fixated on a physical “flaw” that you see in yourself when you can just nip and tuck it and be on your merry way?

Let me make something very clear. Plastic surgery is not trivial. It’s not shameful. It’s not shallow.

It’s freedom of choice to live your life how you want to live, being and feeling your absolute best.

For some people, they were just born looking how they want to look and don’t want to change a damn thing. Wonderful!

For some people, physical characteristics truly don’t matter so much. That’s just fine.

The way I view LIFE as a generality is “Live yours exactly how you want to as long as you’re not hurting anyone.”

…And then for others, like myself, physical traits DO matter. Looking a certain way IS important. It is what it is.

I just don’t feel like I’m my best self when I, for example, am not wearing my hair extensions. Or haven’t worn makeup in 3 days. Or am wearing baggy sweatpants. When I feel my best, looks included, I AM my best. In life. In relationships. In business. In my day to day. This is a reality for me.

It’s an extremely personal choice and is not a one-size-fits-all ordeal.

It should also be well thought-over, properly researched and planned for, and all in all, not be taken lightly. It’s a big fucking deal and one you can’t really take back (unless you get implants).

I’ve had a lot of work done, and I will have a lot more work done in my lifetime.

For me, going under the knife (for the first time) was to make my nose smaller. I had always found it too big for my face and also broke it jumping on a trampoline in middle school, so it was all crooked and a mess.

I was super self-conscious about it and just didn’t feel pretty. It bothered me so much that I had elective surgery, and now here we are.

I waited until I was out of college, working and living away on my own which made it way easier to go through with it being far away from those who protested my decision (like some family members).

It was a huge decision. It was also a huge purchase.

But as soon as I booked the surgery, it felt like a massive weight had been lifted off my shoulders. In that moment I knew I had made the right choice. Same went for after I came out of surgery. Even through all the bandages I could tell the new shape and size was exactly what I had been wanting.

BEST DECISION EVER BTW. My brother recently found a photo of me with my old nose and set it as his Apple Watch background to be a dingus because it’s just SO bad. Like, I love myself and all but it was just not fitting for my face whatsoever.

One day I’ll unearth it for you so you can see. Eventually. 😉

The second time, it was for new tits. I was a small B cup and have always stored my weight in my thighs so I felt like I looked unbalanced. So I got me a pair of saline implants. And then BOOM! The new titties gave me a more voluptuous, feminine look that I wanted to have.

I’m now on pair #2 because pair #1 started doing some funky migrating – fake tits are always a gamble!

BUT THAT ASIDE…and ALL IN ALL….

I am beyond thrilled I went through with my decision to have work done.

If you’re considering having a nip/tuck, you should BE REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING TIME!

But there’s also things you should know before you dive in. In fact, there is NO diving in when it comes to having work done. It’s all about those baby steps, one pinky toe at a time, into the kiddie pool.

1. DON’T BE CHEAP.

There are lots of other areas of your life you can get away with by being cheap. Like me wearing this adorable ribbed crop polo shirt from Forever 21. You would never guess. You do not, however, EVER want to be cheap when it comes to your body.

It’s like, a pretty important and fragile and one of a kind entity that can never be replaced.

You deserve the best.

Make sure your surgeon is licensed by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, has an absolute FUCK TON of STELLAR REVIEWS, and an absolute FUCK TON of STELLAR BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS.

Stalk the hell out of them on social media.

If they don’t have social media, run. It’s not acceptable for someone in the line of COSMETIC WORK in 2020 to not have an Instagram!

MAJOR bonus points if you have a friend who’s been to this particular person and has nothing but raving reviews to share. And if you’re in the middle of nowhere, your best bet is to go to your nearest major city for a consult.

CHOOSING SOMEONE IN CHARGE OF HACKING INTO YOUR COMATOSE BODY AND CHANGING HOW IT LOOKS IS NOT SOMETHING TO BARGAIN HUNT FOR.

EVER EVER EVER.

That’s just the beginning, when you’re narrowing it down to who you’re going to commit to. Just like dating.

So that means you gotta hold out for the best of the best.

And for me personally, I wouldn’t do anything overseas. I’d much rather have easy access to my loved ones and comforts of my own home after going through a major operation.

2. IT’S AN INVESTMENT.

Yes, it’s thousands of dollars. It’s expensive. But if this is something you really, truly to your SOUL want, you have every right to spend it.

You’re investing in your confidence, satisfaction and happiness. For LIFE.

Speaking of these, also know that if you’ve got shit to sort out on the inside, it REALLY doesn’t matter how you look on the outside. Seriously.

As in, changing your appearance will NOT magically make you feel like your absolute best self if you’re not simultaneously working on BEING the best version of yourself.

Beauty truly does start from within. The internal and the external go hand in hand.

3. IT’S A WEIRD TIME.

Especially if it’s your first time. You feel like a different person. I guess in some ways, you are a different person.

Like, when I got my nose done I literally woke up and had a different nose. My face looked different.

I loved it but it took time for me (and my loved ones) to get used to because it was, well, right on my face and the center of focus. You also feel super vulnerable. Only other people who have been through this will know the feeling, so there’s a sense of “alone-ness” that comes with it.

I took tremendous comfort in chatting with other women in online communities who had had the procedure done as well (I’m sure nowadays there are Facebook groups for this stuff. You just gotta do your research). I found, however, that after my first procedure that feeling was no longer present. It just FEELS weird once you’re out of surgery. Know that this is normal AF & it will pass!

4. RECOVERY SUCKS ASS.

You’ll be swollen for a WHILE while your body heals. You’ll be bloated from the meds, weird diet and lack of movement.

You’ll often be cranky, sloth-like and feel like hot garbage.

Depending on the work you have done, you’ll have to sleep on your back like a mummy for a month. It may feel like someone is permanently sitting on your chest.

You may not be able to breathe out of your nose for 3 weeks.

You’ll be a couch potato for a couple days, realistically a couple weeks.

You’ll be fragile AF for a couple months afterwards and will have to ease your way SLOWLY back into the gym. On the bright side, you hopefully have a really dope significant other, bestie or roomie to wait on you hand and foot and feed you fresh smoothies with a straw.

When I got my nose done I was out of work for 2 weeks and came back with two black eyes that were there for a month. My tits, after I got them done the second time, were HUGE cantaloupes for a full year (I miss them TBH) before they settled in and got fluffier.

It takes a long time for your body to be fully back to its normal state.

5. DATE YOUR SURGEONS

When it comes to your surgeons, you gotta date a handful of them and marinate REAL good on it before making a commitment. Go to your consult armed with questions out the ying yang and REALISTIC expectations.

The key when it comes to cosmetic work is to making it look halfway believable. Like, “Did she? *Scratches head* Are those boobs real? Are those her natural cheekbones?”

You should still look like yourself. Just an enhanced version of yourself.

Pilfer through your surgeon’s before and after photos. If you wanna really get down and dirty, ask if they have any former patients willing to give their own personal testimonials to you. Go on Realself.com to start your surgeon search, make a list and check it thrice! Take your time to get a feel for each one and whether you’re comfortable with having them in charge over slicing you.

6. BE STRATEGIC WITH TIMING.

If you work full time and have paid vacation leave, your surgery is probably gonna be the time you’ll want to use that leave. If you’re in college, you’re gonna want to wait until the summertime. It’s SO much more pleasant to recover from surgeries when it’s warm and sunny outside. And more friends are usually around for me to badger about picking up my take out soup and smoothie combo. I ALWAYS get my work done in the summer.

Pro tip: the second-best time for cosmetic work is during the holiday season. You leave work for a couple weeks, hibernate, stuff your face, and come back with a new ass. That you bought. Nobody will ever know. Unless you want them to. MAGIC!

If you work for yourself and there’s stuff you sure as shit can’t do when you’re recovering from surgery, start your game plan yesterday as to how you’re going to delegate the work.

I’m on the more neurotic end when it comes to planning for important shit like this so I also pre-order my groceries (healthy REAL foods = faster and easier recovery, FYI) and have my house cleaned spotless before going under the knife.

I also leave explicit written instructions for my aftercare with whatever friend is helping me with recovery because I’m always whacked out from the anesthesia and just wanna curl up on the couch in a blanket fort.

Just map out what needs to be done and let other humans who are involved know in order for your life to be easy as can be during all of this commotion. The LAST thing you wanna do during your recovery is have to be responsible for more than sleeping, binging Netflix and bathing yourself.

“Life in plastic, it’s fantastic!” – who remembers this Aqua throwback?! – the bane of my childhood existence – anyways now this song is stuck in my head. lmao.

But for real. Plastic surgery is the tits if done with the right intentions and for nobody else but yourself.

If you have Q’s about going under the knife, hmu (I only play a doctor on TV but I am here to help)!

xo al

April 16, 2020

Holy Grail Self Care Staples (V1)

These products are all making me really happy right now so I just had to share.

It’s truly the little things in life, ya know?

And for me, treating myself to a steaming hot shower after a day of getting lots of dope shit done with a fabulous face scrub and delicious body wash is h e a v e n.

Here they are:

LaCoste Eau de Lacoste Perfume (Pour Elle):

Every time I spray myself with this (which is several times a day) I feel like I’ve stepped foot into an enchanted cotton candy forest. What’s really funny is that right after I wrote this I was all, “what exact scents make up this delicious bottle of goodness?” and according to LaCoste it’s a combination of french macaroon and earthy patchouli. lol.

So basically it’s the perfect combination of light and sweet and woods-y without smelling like incense. I’m REALLY not a fan of overly strong perfumes. I like my fragrances to smell incredible, but in a subtle way that’s not all in your face leaving you and everyone else with a headache.

Plus, the bottle just has a nostalgic 2000s preppy vibe that strikes me right in the feels chords. I take this magic potion everywhere with me.

2. Bath and Body Works shower gel in “Warm Vanilla Sugar”:

SPEAKING OF NOSTALGIA. Ladies who were in middle/high school in the early 2000s…you get it. Maybe it was my small town upbringing (which meant there was literally one little mall within a 100 mile radius) and BBW was THE place to get your body care stuff, but as far as I’m concerned, this scent is iconic.

It smells like the inside of a cupcake shop and just, like, SUPER cozy. It’s sweet, but not overpowering.

As in, you can douse yourself in this when you’re taking your morning shower. As I do.

3. Crystal Mineral Roll-On Deodorant:

As I’ve mentioned many a time, I do my best to incorporate more “good for you” beauty products into my life. As in, more cruelty free, more vegan ingredients, less “WTF” weird chemicals that literally seep right into my skin.

Until this little nugget, I had THE hardest time finding a good, natural deodorant. I’m all for being chemical-free, but I am not, however, all for being sweaty.

I had found that with a lot of these “natural” products that I smelled lovely but I constantly had wet spots under my arms.

I know, ew.

So for a while I went back to my normal Secret drugstore deodorant, but my guilty conscience ate me alive every day as I put it on, knowing fully well I was letting chemicals sink riiiiight into my skin multiple times a day.

Being woke is such a buzzkill sometimes.

So after some major sleuthing on the interwebs, I finally discovered this stuff and it was love at first sight. It’s unscented, so basically your underarms smell like nothing.

It dries quickly, and I AM NO LONGER SWEATING. I’m a fan.

4. Ardell Wispies Lashes:

Before lockdown happened, I had eyelash extensions for a full two years and barely took any breaks in between. What can I say? I’m extra AF. I LOVE me some big, glamorous (but natural-ish) looking eyelashes.

They make your eyes look bigger, they pull together any look (seriously…when I had my lash extensions I would barely wear any makeup) and they just make me feel prettier.

I’ve been giving my lashes a break and letting them grow, but when I film, I still like to have a little something extra. Have you ever heard the phrase, “The camera adds 10 lbs?”

Not only is that true, but on camera, 40 lbs of makeup looks like a normal face of makeup. Plus, I like to keep it glam.

What I love about these lashes in particular is that they don’t look completely false (like, I’ve seen some triple stacked 3D crazy shit which for me just weighs my eyes down), they have a curvy band (some lash strips have a straight band — WHY!? the curve makes it foolproof when it comes to gluing them on and having them STAY on)…

…and they’re affordable. Plus, I get 5ish uses per pair as long as I clean and care for them properly.

5. Fresh Cosmetics Sugar Face Polish Exfoliator:

It’s really hard for me to not go OFF on a tangent as to how obsessed I am with this company as a whole. Yay for self control, and for another post!

But, real quick. I am. OBSESSED.

Every product this company has put out that I’ve used (6ish) I could not get enough of. Every application is a luxurious experience for my skin and smells good enough to eat.

This one included.

While it IS a bit of a splurge ($62 for 4.4oz) I PROMISE it’s well worth it. Not only does it exfoliate all your dead skin cells off your face to reveal your brand new baby skin underneath, but it leaves a layer of moisture on even after you wash it off.

It also smells juuust like lemon cake. That light, airy kind that melts in your mouth. This little jar of yumminess is forever a staple in my beauty cabinet.

6. Korres Almond Blossom Moisturizing Cream.

I really cannot get enough of a great face cream. Which, for me, is NOT the easiest task to find. My situation is like Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Too thick, too thin, too old-lady smelling…the list goes on.

Needless to say, I am VERY particular about what I put on my face and this stuff makes the cut. It’s got a light, refreshing scent with a HINT of floral. Like, a smidge.

Like all the other products I’ve listed here, it IS more feminine scented than not (FYI to any guys reading this).

It’s not cakey and not too thin, either, like some other cheap-o moisturizers I’ve used in the past. It sinks right into my skin and keeps it hydrated AF for hours.

I like to alternate using this stuff with my squalane oil wearing it underneath my SPF moisturizer a few times a week as well as at night before bed. Also, it’s DISCONTINUED. Upsetting.

I found this one at TJ Maxx! I do know that there are some sellers on eBay with this precious gem (I linked one in this post)- if you’re searching for this stuff, just be careful in making sure you’re buying from reputable sellers. You do NOT wanna end up snagging yourself a weird knockoff!

7. Microneedling Derma Roller.

I’ve been a fan of at home microneedling for quite some time now. If you’re not familiar with what it does, it basically breaks your skin down at a surface level with “microinjuries” from the needles (FYI this does NOT hurt at all. Like a .4 on a scale of 1-10).

This in turn signals your body to produce collagen and elastin, and rebuild itself plumper and smoother, giving you a more youthful, glow-y appearance. This is a disposable, which means it should only be used up to 10 times, and of course you need to sanitize it with rubbing alcohol before AND after each use.

I use this twice a week after washing my face at night. I apply serum (I like to use either my squalane or retinol oil) and GENTLY roll it up-to-down section by section all over my face (avoid the sensitive eye area) and then apply more oil to let it really seep in.

I ALWAYS wake up with glowing skin.

Have you tried any of these? Let me know your experience <3

xo, al

LOVE LIST

April 14, 2020

Dirty Details: Holy Grail Skincare Products

Since I was a teenager in upstate NY spending my weekends poring through beauty magazines, fervently ripping out pages to refer to later… “How to shrink your pores forever!” “How to never get a pimple again!” “How to wake up with glowing skin, EVERY DAY!”…

I’ve been obsessed with skincare. All aspects of it.

To me, life is all about feeling your best, and therefore being your best. Every part of your life is related to the next. When you look incredible, you feel incredible, and therefore you are able to be your most kickass, incredible self every single day.

Along with wellness, beauty and aesthetics are super important to me. They’re just parts of life that I LOVE. In my world, taking care of myself in ways that make me feel my best is an act of self love.

I can think of few things that make me feel as good as giving myself the luxurious gift of taking time out of every single day to indulge in the ritual of a fabulous skincare routine.

I’ll pass on boozy brunch, but a spa day? I’ll take it any damn time, please and thank you.

And, I will also add, that skincare is not gender-specific. I recently did a live stream on Instagram sharing skincare tips and got a handful of responses that “Guys don’t need skincare tips.”

I SERIOUSLY beg to differ.

Personal opinion here, but I am absofuckinglutely going to be attracted to a guy who clearly takes care of his skin. Like, when I look at a guy and he’s got 27 layers of oily slick-ness on his face, clogged pores and ashy undereyes, I’m not gonna be attracted to him.

Some may call this shallow, but the fact is, human beings are visual creatures. I mean, there’s a reason why Instagram is so wildly popular.

Your appearance is the first thing that people notice about you before they get to know you.

Personal appearance is also a direct reflection of self. So it’s like, if I’m JUST meeting a guy for the very first time and he hasn’t spoken one word to me yet, I’m going to base my initial assessment of him off of what I see, physically, right in front of me.

Everyone does this.

I’m not saying guys have to go through a 48-step beauty and skincare process (unless that’s your jam, and you KNOW I am here for it!).

I’m saying that, as a female, I appreciate a man who puts a little bit of effort into taking care of himself. OK, more than a little bit. Let’s be real. It’s attractive to me.

Plus, like I said. When you feel your best, it translates to every area of your life. It helps you project a true sense of confidence and self-assurance to the world.

It elevates the energy you put out.

And people pick up on that energy, even on a subconscious level. Vibes don’t lie!

And look. There are some people who truly don’t give a singular FUCK about any of this stuff. And if that’s a part of who you genuinely are, that’s OK too.

As long as you’re being true to yourself and you’re comfortable and confident in your own skin, that’s what matters (just, for the love of God at least please take a shower and brush your teeth).

BUT I will also say that I’ve met very, very few people in life in which even the tiniest little tweak, like, getting a fresh haircut or good teeth whitening session, doesn’t put a little extra pep in their step.

Now, on to the dirty details. Here are all the skincare products I’m currently using and obsessed with, and a breakdown of how to use them.

The Ordinary Peeling Solution.

About a year ago there wasn’t a beauty website in sight that I could visit without seeing this one particular face peel (Drunk Elephant Babyfacial) and its raving reviews for baby-smooth, glowing skin literally everywhere.

Like, it was haunting my dreams everywhere.

At first I was hesitant because $80 is usually a LOT for me to spend on one product. I’m ALL for luxury, but only if it’s well worth the investment. After a couple weeks obsessing over whether or not I would give it a shot, I finally took the plunge and placed my order for this so-called miracle product.

Lo and behold, the reviews were ON. POINT. My skin had never felt THIS soft and smooth. And it was G L O W I N G at a level I didn’t know could exist. I became beyond obsessed with this product and used it up to the very last drop.

Now, being the curious soul I am, I decided to do some further investigating into this peel before I ordered another one.

Because again, $80.

And also, I’m very well-versed in the outrageously high markups on retail products, as well as the power of marketing and branding. So I’m well aware that this product likely cost 1/25 of what I paid for it to manufacture.

So naturally I did my research on the ingredients that made this peel so fabulous and discovered the key ingredients: AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) and BHA (beta hydroxy acid) which, in English, are gentle exfoliants that basically dissolve a layer off of your skin, getting rid of dead skin cells to unveil the baby smooth, even layer of brand new skin underneath.

My next step was to do a good ol’ Google search on similar products that use the same combination of these ingredients. And discovered The Ordinary Peeling Solution.

For $7.20.

So naturally I had to give this a whirl. And let me tell you, it does NOT disappoint.

In fact, it gave me the SAME EXACT RESULTS as the $80 Babyfacial product.

Of course, I’m obsessed. And it’s SUPER duper easy to use. All you do is take a few tiny drops and rub a light layer over your face (avoid the eye area) as well as your neck (I go all the way down to my chest), let it sit for 10 minutes (it IS a peel so don’t leave it on any longer) then wash off, unveiling your SOFT AF BABY SKIN.

It does burn a teeny tiny bit, but on a scale of 1-10, it’s a 1.5. It’s nothing.

I like to use it once a week during one of my pre-bedtime skincare rituals. I wouldn’t use it any more often than this because you’ll just end up irritating your skin and drying it the f out.

2. Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Line Smoothing Exfoliator.

This is a super gentle face exfoliator that I use daily (except on days when I use the peel) to even out my skin, moisturize and protect against fine lines and wrinkles.

Just take a couple pea-sized dollops onto your fingers and gently rub them in circular motions from the center of your face outwards (again, avoid the delicate eye area), and then rinse!

3. Dermalogica Active Clay Cleanser.

This was another one of those “it got stellar reviews across all boards so I GOTTA try it for myself” situations and it does NOT disappoint.

It’s a prebiotic cleanser which means it helps protect the skin’s microbiome (a community of living microorganisms on your skin that protects its barrier).

It removes excess oil, and the clay helps remove impurities from day to day environmental factors like pollution. And as an added bonus, it doubles as a fabulous clay face mask!

I use this AFTER the exfoliating cleanser just like a regular face wash. As a mask, just leave it on for 15 minutes before washing off. Hello, soft and smooth skin!

4. Eva Naturals Vitamin C Plus Skin Clearing Serum.

I am a HUGE fan of all-in-one products and cannot get enough of this stuff. It’s like a tiny miracle potion when, used consistently, can help your skin reap some SERIOUS rewards.

The combination of Vitamin C (MEGA anti-aging component packed with antioxidants), Salicylic Acid (a gentle exfoliant), Hyaluronic Acid (hydrating AF), Niacinamide (reduces redness and inflammation), Retinol (deep cleans pores and increases cell turnover rates) and MSM (strengthens keratin and reduces inflammation) altogether pack a MEAN punch.

Plus, it’s packed with organic ingredients and essential oils.

This stuff is a teeeeeny bit sticky, but not on a level that makes me uncomfortable. I pat this on gently after I wash my face at night and wake up glowing 🙂

5. The Ordinary Caffeine Solution.

You know how sometimes you just DON’T get a good night’s sleep? Like for me, the other night when I decided to browse on my phone for future homes on the Zillow app RIGHT before bedtime and all that blue light exposure from my phone left me wired until the wee hours.

I got about 6 hours of tossing and turning “sleep” that night and needless to say, was NOT looking my best. I’m the type where I NEED 8 hours or my functioning levels are not optimal the following day.

And aside from feeling like a total sloth, my eyes were puffy AF. Cute! Fortunately, I had this handy little bottle with me.

I put a little dollop on my finger for each eye, gently massaged it in and an hour later, the puffiness was lessened by a whole lot.

My only qualm with this lil guy is that wearing makeup over it gives it an odd, pill-y consistency when combined with concealer. BUT if makeup is not in your cards for the day, it’s a nice add-on to your emergency skincare arsenal for less than $7.

6. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane.

If I had to pick ONE product that I’m extra jazzed about right this very moment, this is it. Not only is it cruelty-free and vegan, but HELLO HYDRATION.

Squalane is a hydrocarbon already found naturally in your skin. This stuff AMPS up your skin’s hydration levels. When I put it on, my skin is GLOWING. Like, just radiant AF.

And the hydration lasts ALL DAY LONG.

I use a couple drops of this stuff right after I wash my face in the morning. Sometimes if I’m feeling extra adventurous, I’ll use it before bed, too.

7. RoC Multi Correxion 5-in-1 Eye Cream.

Like I mentioned earlier, I’m a huge fan of combination products. I like convenient and I like easy. This little guy is both.

It helps get rid of dark circles, diminishes puffy undereyes, is SUPER hydrating, helps smooth out fine lines and wrinkles and makes you RADIANT AF.

All you have to do is put a couple dollops onto your fingers and gently pat all over your undereye area (DON’T RUB AS THIS TUGS AT YOUR DELICATE SKIN). I may or may not really love slathering this all over my face sometimes because of this. Don’t tell the beauty police!

But seriously, it’s that good. Your eyes are the first part of your face that show aging, so taking care of this sensitive area is crucial if you want to preserve your youthful appearance.

8. LaRoche Posay Double Repair Face Moisturizer with SPF.

When it comes to skincare, SPF is QUEEN. You can partake in a rigorous skincare routine every single day, but if you’re not protecting your skin from the sun’s dangerous UV rays, none of it will matter.

I am SUPER particular about using SPF every single day. Even when I’m not going outside, but I’m sitting next to a window. Even when it’s cloudy out. Even when I’m barely going outside but I’m still driving somewhere.

I use SPF EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I’ll give you guys the details on body SPF stuff a different time, but just know that SPF should be a part of your daily routine as much as brushing your teeth. It’s THAT important.

UV rays not only cause premature aging, but they cause irreversible damage. At a CELLULAR level.

So basically, unprotected exposure to the sun is not a gamble you wanna make.

I’ll pass on wrinkles, age spots and skin cancer, thank you very much.

ANYWAYS.

I’m an SPF snob. I’ve tried a lot of different face moisturizers and this is by far my favorite. I put this on after my squalane, and apply it to not only my face but my ears, neck and chest. I’ll rub a little extra into my hands, too (but I still use body SPF on top of that).

I love this particular product because, unlike a boat load of others I’ve tried, it lays on with just the right amount of thickness. It’s not TOO heavy and it’s not watery, it’s affordable (around $20) and the brand has a classy French vibe to it that I heavily fuck with.

If you’re not going to use ANY other skincare product aside from face wash, at LEAST use an SPF. You’ll thank me in ten years when you look like you haven’t aged a bit.

Got a hot skincare rec, tip or question? Drop ’em below!

Stay fabulous, dahlings.