Are You Washing Your Face TOO Much?

There’s nothing like a good skincare routine to kick off and end your days. By the time you hit your thirties, chances are you’ve got a multi-step process that takes upward of 15 minutes. It’s tedious, but it’s worth it--you’ve got a smooth, milky glow.

But what if you struggle with acne breakouts from time to time? You’ve tried dozens of different remedies, both home-based and dermatologist-prescribed, and have still had no luck. Well, did you know that sometimes your sterling skincare routine could be working against you? That’s right; it is such as washing your face too much.

Maybe you’re convinced you don’t belong to this group. Sure, you wash your face frequently, but only as a measure of practicing good hygiene and certainly no more than twice a day. As balanced and diligent as you are in your washing routine, you still suffer from breakouts. Unfortunately, sometimes acne breakouts have nothing to do with our method, but with our genetics. Some people are predisposed to having oilier, dirtier, more bacteria-laden skin. If that’s the case, there’s not much we can do besides encourage you to consult a dermatologist who can help people with acne-prone skin.

You would think it’s impossible to get too much of a good thing, but washing your face too much does have some negative consequences. Even though you remove dirt and oil when you face your face, many facial cleansers often remove too much. Your skin does need some amount of these things to produce the necessary protective barrier. While it’s true that you should wash your face at least once a day (no matter what your skin type is), washing more than twice a day could strip your face of protective oils and bacteria. You can tell you’ve been washing your face too much if it feels tight and dry. Other signs of overwashing are dry, red patches that are sensitive to the touch. Most of the time, the devil is in the product you’re using; it’s simply too harsh for your skin. Switch to a gentler cleanser for several weeks and see if it improves.

But let’s say you haven’t been using any abrasive scrubs or cleansers. Instead, you only use acne medicine when you’re having a breakout. You can still get acne this way as you are not building an excellent daily habit of washing your face, but trying to fix the symptoms of the problem. Establish a good daily routine of washing your face before bed and maintaining a healthy, balanced diet.

Some medicines, like benzoyl peroxide, you can use to spot treat acne. You can purchase benzoyl peroxide cream at my drugstores, and their concentration can range from 2%-10%. However, the stronger the concentration doesn’t necessarily mean the better. Products with high levels of the stuff have been to dry the skin more, but not necessarily be more effective. Many products with lower concentrations balance the benzoyl peroxide with other soothing chemicals that are calming and nourishing of the skin.

However, not all chemical additives produce this effect. Many of them, like fragrances, colors, and dyes, irritate the skin quite a bit. There’s a shocking amount of tinted creams hidden in acne treatments, and many people have reported that it’s made their skin worse overall. Fragrances can dry the skin out more than usual, so they are also wrong for dry, acne-prone skin. If your skin is especially sensitive, you might want to start checking the ingredients on your facial cleanser. Look specifically for all-natural cleansers that have phrases like ‘fragrance-free’ or ‘dye-free’ on the label.

You found a great new cleanser that’s gentle on your skin, you’ve been using it for a couple of weeks, and you’re not getting the fantastic results you envisioned. If that’s the case, we’d like to ask you a question: How long do you leave your cleanser on? We hope it’s at least a couple of minutes! No, the cleanser is not a caustic chemical that’s going to melt your face if you don’t wash it off right away. Some cleansers, especially those that include acne-fighting chemicals like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, need to sit on the skin and soak in a bit to work correctly. Skin experts suggest massaging the cleanser into your skin for a duration of the Alphabet song.

Caring for sensitive, acne-prone skin can be a downer, but don’t let acne care and face cleaning make you sad. For more tips on how to handle chronic breakouts, head over to Averr Aglow to see what they have to say.

Relaxed Hair Journey Update: 3 Months

Whoever said relaxed hair can’t grow lied! Relaxed hair can be healthy and fabulous; it’s all up to you. I remember growing up thinking that my hair wasn’t good enough. I fell into this awful complex about my hair that I hate to relive but I’m better now because of it. I damaged my hair a lot. Glue was my worst enemy.

Guess what? I’m doing better at keeping up with my hair. I was going to say great but that would be a lie. So I recently relaxed at 8 weeks post because I had an upcoming photo shoot. I believe that my hair can go 10-12 weeks; so my goal is to continue the stretching process. I’m also going to attempt to get my hair done at least once a month. The upkeep can be really hard on me. {Edit: that was the plan but CORONAVIRUS}

Thinking about going back to the creamy crack? Here’s what I’ve learned in the last two months. Your hair and health go hand in hand. I’ve added a multivitamin into my regimen and I notice that if I get slack so will my hair. I’m becoming more intentional about wrapping my hair at night and on those super lazy nights I still wear a bonnet even if I don’t wrap it. You have to make it a lifestyle. I’m not there yet but one day! My goal is to reach shoulder length in the very near future. I’m doing my best to keep heat out of it as much as possible. My goal is to use heat 1-2 times a month max. If you’re still having issues with hair growth, it’s worth taking a look at medications you’re taking or other underlying health conditions that could possibly be hindering your growth.

Making Your Style Truly Personal

Photo by: Denise Benson Photography

By definition, style is personal. Even if you emulate others and pick up tips here and there, no-one is going to have exactly the same dress sense or outfit as you. However, when we talk about making your style personal, we mean finding the clothes that celebrate you as you are. 

Know your body

There’s no such thing as a personal sense of style that doesn’t take into account who you are as a person. Getting to know the strengths of your body type, be your apple, pear, hourglass, or otherwise, and dressing to your strengths, such as finding good plus size outfits, is a must. So, too, is finding a palette to go with your skin, hair, eyes, lips and more. Your sense of style should help your brand of beauty shine through, bright and proud.

Pull some inspiration together

Personal doesn’t have to mean entirely original all of the time. Worry too much about looking original and you’re going to have a hard time finding outfits that make sense. So, how do you manage a personal look while still taking inspiration from others? It’s all about mixing and matching and building a sense of aesthetic. One of the easiest ways to do that right now is by pinning outfits and images you love on Pinterest. You can browse images on the site or simply pin whatever images you come across on the internet, helping you build a library of style inspiration you can look at whenever it’s time to go shopping.

Put your own twist on it

However, if you want to go original, there’s absolutely nothing stopping you. Customizing and creating your own looks has become more and more accessible thanks to a range of online services that will make clothes to your specifications. You can go the classic route of monograms and using your own name, but with custom t shirt printing, you can use any phrases, mottos, or designs that you want, as well. Have an icon you’d love to have on a shirt? Or a personal affirmation or motto you want to flash around? Why not go for it?

Give it your signature

You want to mix and match and get free with your style. Wearing the same thing over and over can be tiring, there’s no denying that. However, that’s not to say that you can use a little cross-reference between outfits. Find a signature accessory that can work with a range of outfits and scenes, from formal to casual to professional. It can help give every outfit (or at least a lot of them) a little extra “you” factor. Just make sure you choose an accessory (or accessories) versatile enough to work in that role.

Finding your personal style can help you feel so much more confident in what you wear, how it suits you, and how others see you. It’s a great way to leave a little mark of personality through nothing but the visuals and allows you to express yourself in the way that suits you best.

11 Style Hacks For Glasses Wearers

Wearing glasses can be a great way to increase your style points - but not only that, it’s a necessity for some. If you wear glasses, for whatever reason, then take a look at the following 11 style hacks that can help you to rock them like never before. 

1. Use Eyeshadow Primer To Stop Your Glasses From Slipping

Nobody likes their glasses slipping down their nose, ruining their look. To combat this, use an eyeshadow primer on your nose so that the little pads have something to stick to. Like magic, they won’t slip down anymore! You can also carry a powder with you just to top up your nose during the day, as the rubber pads can leave slight marks sometimes. 

2. Stop Fogging

Another annoying part of wearing glasses: fogging! Don’t worry - there’s a hack for this too. All you need to do is rub soap on the lenses, then use a cloth to wipe off. You’ll be amazed that your glasses no longer fog up and you can wear them whenever you need to, in just about any environment. 

3. Narrow Down Your Choices By Trying On Glasses Online

If you haven’t yet chosen your glasses but you’re looking for a way to select the best pair, you will find the greatest selection online. Most people prefer to go and buy their glasses in person as they can try them on, and you can’t do that online - right? Wrong! New technology means you can browse glasses online, upload a straight forward, clear picture of your face, and then try them on. This will give you an even better idea of which glasses suit you so you can pick the best pair and get the best deal. This year, silhouette eyeglasses are very popular, but you should narrow it down further by going for a style you feel you’ll want to wear for a long time. Cat eye glasses are cool, but will you still want to wear them in a few months? 

4. Don’t Wear As Much Makeup 

If you love makeup, you need to find the right balance with glasses. Start by looking to see where your glasses sit when you’re wearing them properly. You can save time and money this way by avoiding applying as much makeup in this area. It’s also worth noting that eyeliner tends to look a lot better than eyeshadow, so see if you can get some nice colored liners and practice your cat eyes and any other cool editorial shapes that you might want to wear. 

You can still wear shadow, of course, but you should avoid applying it past the top line of your glasses. 

5. Brighten Up Your Undereyes

Glasses can throw shade under your eyes, and this could make you look tired even if you’re not. If you are, well, it’s really going to make it look worse. To combat this, you just need a concealer that is a shade lighter than your foundation. Simply apply, almost in a triangle shape, and blend out. This will suitably brighten your under eyes and stop your glasses from ‘throwing shade’. You might also want to use a primer under your eyes. If you do already have bags and some creases, an under eye primer can be the perfect base to concealer and help your makeup to look clear and perfect. 

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Your eyes will be the center of attention for all of the right reasons! 

6. Add Drama To Your Look With Thicker Frames

If you’re looking for a way to add interest to your look and want to create some va-va-voom, then go for thicker frames. Thicker frames always add drama, especially if there is some color in them. They will be a lot more noticeable than other types of glasses, so make sure you’re brave enough to wear them before you buy them. 

7. Practice Perfectly Defining Your Brows

One thing you really want to get right when wearing glasses, is perfectly defining your eyebrows. You don’t need a perfect ‘Instagram’ brow, where everything is dark, faded at the front, and sculpted with concealer to within an inch of its life - unless you want to, of course. You can simply brush through your brows, use a pencil to fill in the gaps gently, and then use a brow mascara to brush your hairs upward and give that messy, catwalk type of look to your brows. 

As people will be drawn more to your eye area, your brows will be way more noticeable. Make sure you have your technique down! 

8. Wear A Bold Lip

If you don’t want to waste your time doing a full eye makeup look when it’s pretty much going to be obscured by your glasses, you can try wearing a bold lip instead. Bright red is great, but don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. Bright orange could be a very modern take on this dramatic makeup look, or even a shade of purple. It can be scary wearing bold lipstick for the first time, especially since it’s so easy to make it look messy. Here are some tips to help you:

• Always line your lips with a super sharp pencil. The pencil must be sharp to create crisp lines and stop your lipstick from bleeding. Don’t be too heavy handed! 

• The way you draw around your lips matters. If you draw from the top down, you tend to get a more rounded look. If you draw from the corners up, it’ll look straighter. You need to find a way to do this that suits you. 

• The liner should be the same shade or a shade or two darker than your lipstick. If you really want to go for a 90’s look with a completely different colored liner then you can, but it’s a bit outdated. 

• There are liners of various consistencies, so find one of a softer consistency if you’re just getting started.

• Use a lip brush to apply the first layer of your bold lipstick, rather than applying it straight from the tube. It’ll be way smoother. 

• You can then blot and add another coat of lipstick with your lip brush. 

• If you have gone outside of the lines, you can use a brush with a little concealer to neaten it up. Make sure it looks good both mouth relaxed and smiling. 

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9. Curl Your Lashes

Curling your lashes will make sure they don’t brush your frames and ensure your eyes look big and open! Of course, remember to apply a light mascara afterwards, and ensure this is dry before wearing your glasses. 

10. Choose Your Outfit Accordingly

Wearing bold frames? Let them do the talking by wearing a neutral outfit. If your glasses are quite retro, then make sure your own style matches that - cat eye specs call for a really sassy, 60s or 70s outfit. Search thrift stores to help find something awesome! 

11. Apply Your Makeup The Easy Way

You’ve got lots of tips but how do you apply makeup if you can’t see all that well. Using a magnifying mirror will be a huge help, but you could also keep an old pair of glasses and make it so you can easily pop the lenses out to do your makeup, wearing one lense at a time (this works best with plastic frames). Remember, it’s best to go in with a light hand as you can always add more later on when you view the finished result wearing your glasses.

Thanks for reading!