Old-School Beauty Tricks
Published On: 12-07-2011 03:19pm
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Category: Miscellanea
I feel obligated to provide a disclaimer before posting this: I worked in skincare and cosmetics for years while putting myself through school. Being naturally curious, it didn't take long for me to want to actually learn facts about beauty and skincare...once I did, I got out of that work as soon as I could. Blatant lies about the efficacy of the products (fact: once you have a wrinkle, NOTHING will get rid of it other than plastic surgery; in fact, many skincare products only give the appearance of removing wrinkles because they irritate and inflame your skin so that it puffs up into the wrinkle, reducing its appearance), using young preteens and teenagers to advertise anti-aging products...Gah. It was my soul or a paycheck.
But during those hours of discovery, I also learned that things like cold cream, witch hazel, and mint are not friendly to or beneficial for your skin, no matter what you've heard or who raves about the products. Too often in our desire to use "natural" products, we use things that either don't help or, worse, harm our skin. But there are quite a few natural things that are good for our skin, and the fabulous author of the amazing books, Lauren Rennells, posts a few on her own blog here.
I can even tell you how and why a few of these work. The yogurt-based masks help because milk has natural acids in it that will help remove flaking skin, and of course, milk and yogurt are moisturizing to some extent (we've all heard stories about Cleopatra bathing in asses' milk). It also feels quite soothing to the skin. Honey is a humectant, which means it draws moisture to itself; it will also soften your skin a bit. Another benefit of honey? It's antibacterial, so it be mildly helpful for those with acne issues. (Benzoyl peroxide will help with acne, too, and salicylic acid works wonders on blackheads. Hie thee to the drugstore.) Tomato, of course, is acidic as well...To be honest, I'd be nervous about using that on my skin, though it might work. The apples, too, are acidic.
The only mask I take issue with his the sugar water mask. I think sugar granules are just too harsh for our faces, and I'm not sure how dissolving them into water will help exfoliate anyhow. If you wish to manually exfoliate with a safe product, I suggest mixing plain old baking soda with water and gently applying it to your face in a circular motion, then washing it off. Works like a charm and it is probably the least expensive beauty product out there; I've done this for years and years based on the recommendation of a skincare expert and my dermatologist.
Another favourite trick of mine for those of you with oily skin is to use (remember, mint is an irritant and contributes to the breaking down of cells, which means premature aging) milk of magnesia over the oily zones. Let it sit on your face and dry, then carefully wash it off with a washcloth. Go ahead and laugh, but it works: the magnesium in the product draws out oil. If your skin is terribly oily, you can actually wear MOM beneath your makeup. Do this daily for, say, a week, and then regularly thereafter; it'll really help.
Yup. Out of the blue skincare advice from a classic car photographer. But...it's retro PLUS helpful, and I do love helping people out!
