Instant Beauty
9 years ago by
I’m a busy person. Not the busiest person in the world (okay, I admit it… I spend a lot of my free time on Instagram like the rest of the world), but I am busy.
Too busy to keep a real beauty regime going for any longer than a couple of weeks. I always start off so inspired and then I lose focus, and then it just feels like too much of my day is taken up with scrubbing or priming. I end up with a shower and a quick application of mascara. And a few days later everything blows up in my face — all at once, everything urgently needs to be shaved or plucked, and I have five pimples on my face. This is usually when it’s the middle of the day and I’ve left my makeup case (and dignity haha) at home. Argh.
Oh, and my nails? Fuhgettaboutit.
This has happened to me so. many. times. that I’ve tried every beauty shortcut out there. I multitask. A face mask, hair mask and nail polish can all happen simultaneously, right? And I’m also watching Netflix, so this is my “down time”. It’s efficient but, even I have to admit, there are times when a professional needs to step in. An eyebrow needs a proper reshape every now and then, or cuticles need to be attended to. And laser…. well, that’s not something I’m going to try at home (no matter how much I want to finally start watching Breaking Bad).
But all of these appointments take up time, you can lose a whole weekend of beauty treatments alone. And that means no dates or coffee with friends, or listening to Serial (I know, I know… #firstworldproblems). On one hand, I want to go to the salon and get it done… but I won’t have time to even see anyone if I do, so what’s the point?
Recently, I was talking to G about needing a skin treatment and she told me about this super quick face peel called BeautyRx. So I went (new year, new adventures!), and it was actually only five minutes — and easy for me to get to, so worth it). But, aside from slightly softer skin, what I took away from the experience was an inkling that others out there are looking for the same thing — quick, easy beauty treatments. I mean, how often do people go for a 3-hour body wrap? (Is it just me who thinks this is a once in a lifetime experience?) I keep hearing more about fast alternatives, like the 20-minute blow wave. It feels almost like there’s a beauty revolution happening right now, and its catalyst is the pressure of time.
We’re so far beyond the era when women had few obligations (how many people do you know who use overnight curlers?) — we’re a world of women who work, maybe have kids, who have little free time. But we still want to be able to go to the salon, and I love that the beauty industry is taking note and adapting to our needs (or limits). It’s cool, right?
Do you find it hard to fit it all in, too? And do you think the beauty world is doing enough to accommodate the needs of women today? I know there’s still a long way to go (of course!) but, to me at least, it feels like we might be one step closer. Even if it’s just a blow wave and a face peel for now.
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I have to say that i try and work more on my inner body ..i believe that the inside reflects outside..so for a real improvement of the skin i use different juice+++ and it feels to me that it’s a great way to combine with exterior treatments….in order to get the best results…
xoxo
Yael Guetta
http://www.ftwwl.com
I start the year with the resolution to get focus on my beauty routine. I really find hard to fit on it!
http://heelsandpeplum.com/
I’ve always loved staying at home and doing masks and stuff — my boyfriend thinks it’s weird
international giveaway on my blog
http://hashtagliz.com
I always made a list with my new year’s decisions, but it’s always a mess…
XOX, Gap.
http://www.gaptoothedgirl.com
I guess it depends on the individual…some people love spending time on beauty as they regard this as *me* time…. I float somewhere in the middle….I’ve started using an overnight hair mask and it saves me 1 hour each week!! ;)
http://vodkaandarose.blogspot.co.uk
Yeah, indeed a very hashtag first world problems post, and a bit dissapointing to me.
I like Yael’s approach better, I think it’s more healthy, physically and mentally.
As for now, I’m still a college student, so going to the beauty salons is saved only for special occasions. On everyday basis I take care of everything at home (well, apart from cutting my hair) and sometimes I do find it difficult to fit it into my routine. Usually the solution is to actually schedule this at-home SPA into my calendar. I just plan about two hours per week just for myself and then do everything at once: a relaxing, long bath, hair mask, face scrub, steaming and mask and then I do my nails. All that is left and has to be done regularly is shaving/waxing, which I find is most time-consuming. That’s why I seriously consider a laser treatment. But everything else is not a big deal :)
http://stylestandpoint.com
I know what you mean, I always find it hard to make sure my nails are done-too much time- and I’m a makeup artist! Sometimes when you have down time it’s fun to do beauty treatments, but otherwise we need efficient beauty routines! I really like this new app SkinBetter because it saves you a trip to the Dermatologist, which is also time consuming although sometimes necessary! ( hey you can always do a face mask while writing a blog post…)
check it out: http://www.blushandbeyond.com/skincare/new-skin-care-app-new/
Moi je crois surtout qu’on n’a pas besoin de tout ça, que les cheveux pas brushés sont bien aussi, que la peau, au naturel, n’a pas BESOIN de gommage. une absence de gommage n’est pas censée faire pousser des boutons. Du tout.
Je crois qu’il faut faire des choix pour, justement, ne pas courir. et voir ses amis, oui.
Et enfin pour ma part, je crois que la meilleure astuce beauté c’est justement de prendre un peu son temps, de s’éviter du stress et de manger sainement. Pas d’arriver chez l’esthéticienne en courant.
Il m’arrive de temps en temps de sauter mon rdv chez l’esthéticienne parce que justement je préfère être heureuse et mal épilée plutôt qu’une-fille-chiante-qui n’a-jamais-le-temps-de-rien mais qui est parfaite.
I’m with you! Happiness over beauty, every time!
Hello Neada,
Bon alors moi j’ai simplifier les choses car 3 enfants/un mari/un jobsuper prenant/et un blog c’était juste pas possible.
Donc tout d’abord direction laser pour poils indésirables afin qu’on en PARLE PLUS!!! Puis je concentre mes soins le samedi et dimanche matin. Soin du visage a l’argile, redéfinition des sourcils, retouche maillot – ben oui j’habite Miami!!! #tropdurelalife, exfoliation dans ma douche et voila! Je cours mais j’essaie de tenir la distance et c’est pas toujours évident mais j’essaie au moins d’avoir toujours le visage impec….
http://www.blushandbeyond.com/maquillqge/un-maquillage-discret-et-joli-pour-reveiller-votre-look-dhiver/
Bisou bisous et vive le soin integral qui répond en tous nos besoins en 20minutes chrono! Mais que font les labos???
Alix
Wow, Alix! It really sounds like you’re trying to have it all! So amazing to have those goals every day when you have kids plus everything else..
Bises!
N
Your website is the highlight of my morning ritual.
Our highlight is definitely posting for you and the rest of our readers :)
Mariette j’adore ton com !
Je pense que le sommeil les siestes sont tops pour rester fraîche et boire de l’eau du thé !
Et savoir dire non aux sorties lorsque on en le sent pas !!
et s’accorder des rituels !!!
bien s’étiré le matin dans son lit comme un chat et souffler le soir en se couchant s’est pas mal du tout…
écouter de la bonne musique que l’on aime fait du bien et nous rend belles !!
Yes!! Music always makes me feel more alive, in the morning especially! Love that idea…
x
J’ai beaucoup de mal à trouver le temps de me bichonner. Du coup j’utilise des produits que je considère comme vraiment efficace (sérum sous la crème, huile visage pour l’hydratation,…) et je concentre les actions beauté sous la douche ! Donc vive le gommage clinique et le masque post douche en 3 minutes.
J’ai récemment fait un soin du visage, ça ne m’était pas arrivé depuis 5 ans… et franchement la différence est implacable. Ridules gommées, teint plus clair, peau de bébé… je compte sur 2015 pour me forcer à le faire plus souvent!
Baci, Ali
http://www.alidifirenze.fr
I have such a busy life (including spending tons of time on Instagram) that only beauty treatments that are quick and easy work for me. I found a great face mask by Philosophy that you keep on for a minute, can be done in the shower and gives your skin a great refreshing glow. Ten minutes minimum for me on anything beauty. Sometimes leads is more.
Accidental Icon
http://www.accidentalicon.com
That’s pretty incredible, if you only need to leave it on for one minute! I’ve been experimenting with different face masks recently, and that sounds like one I definitely need to try!
I think that creating a healthy lifestyle that supports beauty is key (sleep, water, exercise, whole foods, etc.). However, I always always take the time to use sunscreen and moisturize; since I prioritize my skin, I don’t skimp on skincare (but keep it basic and use preventative care as opposed to a myriad of topical fixes). To make sure I can fit it all in, I’ve made the decision to leave my nails bare (so no manicures are needed), let my hair do it’s own thing (no curlers or flat irons), and use minimum makeup. It’s a little bit of a trade off, but I simply couldn’t focus on everything. Plus, I like being a little undone–too put together just isn’t my style!
I agree — I always invest more time in my skincare routine than my makeup routine!
x
I read an article a year or two years back that talked about the extra demands female executives have vs their male counter-part and this was one of the issues raised. It was mentioned how to have the required image women needed to spend all this extra time that men did not need to, so in the end men had more free time or just more time to dedicate to other work stuff than women who needed to prim themselves to look the part. All men need to look the part is a nice suit and to shave. And yes some men do take care of themselves but even then the time demand on them doesn’t compare to what we need to allocate. I’m in the neada boat, anything that cuts down on this is a welcome addition, because the grand majority of these appointments are not for pampering they are very functional. The pampering beauty appointments, which part of the luxury is taking that extra time to relax and escape, tend to be far apart in our lives. And maybe for some of us, pampering is not found at a beauty spa so it’s good to have our time freed up to do those things while also keeping out beauty standard up!
BTW Neada, I really enjoy your posts, you are a great addition to this team!!
Thanks so much, Jessica! That’s truly lovely of you.
Sounds like an interesting article. Let me know if you find it again, or if you remember where you read it — would love to read myself!
x
Thanks for starting the week with a bit more diversity in the women, it’s very much appreciated!
I can never fit it all in!
http://www.FashionSnag.com
It’s all about routine, self esteem and vanity (in a good way). Forget the creams, try exercise and drink plenty of water.
Janine Claire
http://www.noworriesparis.com
I think all women struggle with all the things expected of them (physically) as well as their responsibilities (work, family, friends, home). Keeping things simple is the key. It all starts with keeping healthy- making sure I have good food choices during the week and drinking tons of water. I’m a 44 year old executive and my primping time is limited, so, I focus on what I can do from home- especially during the winter when I dry out. I often use Sunday nights as my beauty regime night. Face masks, foot treatments, coconut oil as a weekly hair treatment- rub it in and on goes an old scarf and shower cap and off to sleep. Not very glam, but next day, normal wash in the morning and shiny hair! I also have at least 2 completed (head to toe) outfits at the ready for the morning. Even if the weather or mood shifts, I know I am presentable. You don’t sweat the small stuff if you prepare.
Pendant des années, (surtout de célibat il faut bien le dire), j’ai essayé d’être cette fille, genre parfaite, celle qui va au boulot en talons (et les gardent :-) !), qui sort avec ses copines, et qui a les ongles des pieds et mains genre par-faits, super bien manucurés tout ça tout ça
Et puis finalement, je me dis que quand je me réveille dans les bras de mon homme, qu’on s’aime dès le matin, ben j’ai vachement meilleure mine (même si j’ai des points noirs !!!)
Je me résume à 1 gommage par semaine (qui parfois saute parce que par exemple dimanche dernier je suis allée à la marche pour Charlie)
Le bonheur, y’a que ça de vrai pour être belle !!!!!!
I have a to-do list so long that taking care of my body can’t fit in, maybe I should add a five minutes break to try this skin treatment x
http://www.wild-cherrytree.com
Les femmes qui dormaient avec des bigoudis n’avaient pas plus le temps de s’occuper d’elles que nous, simplement elles abordaient la beauté comme le reste, avec sérieux et discipline. Et puis être femme au foyer n’était pas non plus une sinécure …
voilà, complètement d’accord.
I try to focus on beauty from the inside out by maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise. Then I invest in good skin care products and try to stay away from wearing foundation and a lot of makeup. You don’t need makeup when you take good care of your skin. :)
http://www.mintnotion.com
I try and do a little bit a day for my face and skin. I cleanse/tone/moisturize my face daily- but then I exfoliate once a week, I do a face mask once a week, and I take a bath once a month for the rest of my skin!
Doing a little for yourself everyday is better in the long run, I definitely recommend doing it this way :)
Impossible de tout caser dans la même journée!!! C’est dingue un emploi du temps de femme, et j’avoue que j’ai aussi tendance à négliger le côté cocooning/chouchoutage de soi, ce n’est pas ma priorité malheureusement et ça me manque. BUT HARD WORKS PAYS OFF et un jour peut-être nous plaidons-nous d’avoir trop de temps pour nous occuper de nous justement :)
http://www.cheyma.com
I don’t really enjoy the beauty regimes… There’s so much a woman has to do!
But to be honest, I really want to look groomed and feel healthy ’cause I want to.
So I try to keep up, but sometimes I’m lazy… I don’t believe in quick fixes, though. I think their effect doesn’t last long.
So I try to do what I’m used to doing : occasional mask, sometimes peeling, sometimes nails. Well, there’s always more to do. But I can’t spend all my spare time to it!
Non c’est mission impossible pour moi aussi !! Et c’est super frustrant en fait :( j’ai tout le temps envie de tester de nouveaux produits, faire un masque, un gommage, visionner les tutos des youtubeuses… et finalement juste prendre un peu de temps pour me chouchouter, parce que c’est agréable quand même de se poser un peu pour prendre soin de soi finalement. Et puis on parle pas de tout le reste, parce qu’il n’y pas seulement le côté beauté : on peut parler de la cuisine, des DIY qu’on voudrait tester, des séries à regarder (d’ailleurs je prends un retard de fou sur les séries que je suis en ce moment, et du coup je n’ose même pas attaquer la dernière saison de girls… ). Enfin bref, comme tu dis, #tropdurelavie.
J’admire ces New-Yorkaises qui vivent avec autant de contraintes. Une de mes premières résolutions de l’année c’est : “lâcher prise”. Peut-être que cela te parlera Neada.
I think there was a slightly similar post a while back, where Garance expressed her woes about being PERFECT in New York and struggling to find time for the myriad of beauty treatments women are expected to maintain. A lot of women commented that they tend to focus on one or two main areas, and sacrifice treatment in other spots. I agree! Not many women can consistently keep up nails and hair and facials and waxes. I tend to focus on my skin and hair, and for the most part shave and do nails at home. I think I’d be more prone to visiting a salon if there were faster alternatives for these time consuming treatments!
Instagram has taken over my life, too! I’m instagraming with one hand while attempting to do a multitude of other things (including cooking) with my free hand. Needless to say, the results are not always pretty but who cares when I have a free hand to “like”? I’m trying my best to keep up with my beauty routine but it’s a never ending story- once you’ve done your mani, pedi, face pack, fake tan, scrub etc which I do in the course of the week, it’s already time to start it all over again (hello Sunday afternoon).
Ana
http://www.champagnegirlsabouttown.co.uk
I know what you mean because I love the idea of nail polish and the few manicures I have gotten were really pleasant, but the whole process is so time consuming and expensive. I keep mine trim and unpolished.
Overall, I think simple routines work best and I try to go for quality. Laughter and an active life style seem to do more for me than any goo or treatment I buy.
I think women Nowadays cannot be able to spare that much of time for beauty care unless you are super wealthy or just dun care about your outlook.
We all are finding the shortcut to beauty. Meanwhile, we still want to go to salon. So agree on this.
Thanks for sharing.
http://www.swingsnowman.wordpress.com
I normally only do the basic routine on my face and body… Nails? When I needed a pick me up… Hair mask? Forget about it (although my hairdresser kept pressuring me into it because I have dry hair)…. I actually hope I could pick up my game a little…. but. But.
I’m still the type who wants to go to the spa/salon and take my time, I actually feel like I’m not getting my money’s worth when I have a treatment for less than an hour.
Je suis d’accord. Au début je suis à fond, mais une semaine plus tard et je déjà perds ma motivation et je ne tiens plus mes résolutions. Je crois que ce q’on fait on devrait le faire naturellement et ne se contraindre pas à le faire. En ce qui concerne la beauté, je m’efforce d’être constante dan les choses que je fais pour que je ne me sens pas coupable de ne pas tiens mes résolutions.
Merci pour cet article!
Je me reconnais tellement là ! J’ai tendance à me laisser submerger, et ensuite, il me faut tout reprendre ! En tout cas, j’adore encore une fois l’illustration, tellement parfaite pour l’article !
http://www.pardonmyobsession.com/
I spend my time on exercise and diet over beauty routines, as I find that increased circulation gets rid of all manner of skin ailments — I’d go on a run any day over sitting in a bath. More importantly, exercise also makes me sharper and helps my mood, so there’s no waste. I’ve noticed that, for me, peels (and any real exfoliation) causes more harm than good. What does help is good products suited to my skin type — granted, it took me years of trying things out to find the right ones (argan oil has gotten rid of both oily skin and rosacea) — and this is enough, no time-consuming scrubs or masks required! Forget the nails, nobody except other girls who do their nails notices, and the stuff is toxic.
ça me parle beaucoup cette histoire d’optimisation du temps.
Je trouve que c’est très difficile de prendre soin de soin quand on court partout tout le temps. Voici quelques petites astuces qui ne prenne pas beaucoup de temps et que je fais régulièrement:
– Je mets de la crème sur mes mains quand je prends le bus et avant d’aller me coucher (donc au moins 3 fois/jour et comme je masse un peu: pas de problème de cuticules)
– Mon masque pour les cheveux, c’est de l’huile de coco que je laisse poser la nuit: donc avant de dormir, j’en mets plein, je met un foulard en soie et dodo: je lendemain, je fais un shampoing qui ne prend pas plus de temps que d’habitude, et mes cheveux sont soignés en profondeur.
-J’essaie de faire des siestes, surtout quand on est vendredi soir, que la semaine a été longue, mais que je veux quand même sortir le soir. Peu importe s’il est 18h, je dors une heure, et ça repart !
– Mes masques pour le visage, je les pose soit le matin pendant les 10min où je bulle devant mon thé/café, soit le soir (comme là tout de suite) pendant que je suis devant l’ordi.
-J’ai remarqué que quand je suis fatiguée, je suis déshydratée: donc je bois plus d’eau, je pshiit BEAUCOUP d’eau de rose sur mon visage et mon cou, et je lave mes yeux avec un sérum physiologique.
-Le week end: je garde le marc de café et je fais un gommage au moment de la douche en le mélangeant au gel douche. Si je sens que j’aurais la flemme de mettre de la crème ensuite, j’ajoute de l’huile de coco ou de figue de barbarie, ou de ce que j’ai sous la main pour l’hydratation.
TADAAAA!
J’adore!!! <3
I do not mind taking the time to go through my beauty routine however life usually doesn’t want me to spend a lot of time accomplishing it. My kids school won’t wait for me to finish my face. Oh well.
I have cut things back to where I feel I am giving my skin the best I can without taking forever. I really don’t want to subtract because it’s working and my skin is happy. I love my new Carita mask, I can put it on at night, it’s clear so no one knows, sleep in it and wash it off in the morning, that helps a ton. But the scrubbing and conditioning I just can’t fit in as often as I like.
Lucky for me I can get to the salon while both kids are in school for a cut on a regular basis but facials and extras are now special occasions.
Aaaaahhhh on se retrouve tout le temps avec plein de choses à faire héhé, et moi aussi je passe mon temps libre sur Instagram ;-)
I work, I have a child, I do sports, I like to read a book, I like to cook, there are groceries to be done, etc. I am super lucky, because my hair stylist is available in the evenings (an evening out every 5 weeks – yay!). I see my beautician on regular basis, because, well, because it all goes to hell when I don’t. I settle for peelings and masks – an hour every 2-3 weeks. And – that’s all folks. I shave and wax whatever needs to be shaved or waxed at home, because I simply do not have another hour or more to have it done by a professional every 2-3 weeks. I have my nails done (fingernails and toenails) maybe once in a month (or not even that often), because it’s 2 hours out of my life! I do have massages and other therapeutical treatments when I overdo with my training. Last time I had a body wrap or a body peeling at the salon? Hm…. 10 years ago? It’s just so difficult to fit everything in, that I am prioritising. Ok, so maybe my nails are not perfect when I do them myself (far from perfect, actually), maybe I should have a haircut every 3 or 4 weeks, maybe I should find time for that laser in order not to shave / wax ever again. But the thing is, that a day has 24 hours and a week has 7 days. And I just think that there is too much pressure being put on us, women, to be perfect in everything – to have a perfect look, to have perfect clothes, to be perfect professionals, perfect lovers, perfect wives / partners, perfect mothers. But that’s another story :) Great post, Neada. I really enjoyed reading it!
I am really bad at keeping up with these things, mainly because of the lack of time and distance (to my beauty salon). Living in Tokyo, I am poised with options but I communication can be a problem… Most recently I have started using regular honey as a cleanser for my face, and it’s been pretty good. Just apply it a spoonful of honey and leave it for 2-3 mins befoe gently scrubbing you face. Rinse it with water. My skin gets so smooth. You should try!
Sometimes I don’t even have time to do my makeup in the morning! I’m always in a rush and when I have a little free time I just want to be quiet and watch a good movie. I don’t even feel like getting up to put some face mask! I’ts crazy.
BUT, I usually take a whole afternoon to pamper myself. I love taking care of myself, even tough I smoke (argh!) but it takes a lot of work ladies!
So inspiring! These ladies look fabulous. P.S. Loving Hanna’s workout gear. Super cute.