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Thu Jan 04, 2007 2:56 pm |
The Cosmetics Restriction Diet
By NATASHA SINGER
Published: January 4, 2007
DR. FRAN E. COOK-BOLDEN, a dermatologist in Manhattan, is an advocate of skin-care minimalism. When a patient recently arrived for an appointment toting 20 different products she was using regularly — including an eye cream, a vitamin C cream, a wrinkle serum, a pigmentation cream, a mask, a peel, a scrub and “some sort of special oxygen detoxifying cream” — Dr. Cook-Bolden said she confiscated all but three.
Dr. Cook-Bolden is part of a back-to-basics movement among dermatologists. At a time when beauty companies are introducing an increasing number of products marketed for specific body parts —including necks, creases around the mouth and eyelids — or for apocryphal maladies like visible pores or cellulite, these doctors are putting their patients on cosmetics restriction diets.
They are prescribing simplified skin-care routines requiring at most three steps: soap; sunscreen every day, no matter the weather or the season; and, if necessary, a product tailored to specific skin needs, whether a cream for pimples or pigmented spots, or a vitamin-enriched moisturizer for aging skin. Each product, they say, can be bought at drugstores for $30 or less.
Among those doctors who have become experts at uncluttering their patients’ vanity tables and medicine cabinets is Dr. Sarah Boyce Sawyer, an assistant professor of dermatology at the School of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
“My New Year’s beauty resolution for patients is: cut down on skin-care products and cut your skin-care budget,” Dr. Sawyer said. “Cut down on those $100 potions.”
For some doctors, simplifying skin-care routines is a way to make patients follow a regimen or a means to soothe irritated skin. But some dermatologists are also suggesting patients use fewer, less expensive products because they believe there is little scientific research to justify buying an armload of pricey cosmetics, Dr. Sawyer said.
“We have good medical evidence on prescription products,” she said. “But the science is fuzzy with a lot of cosmetics.”
Unlike drugs, cosmetics are not required to prove their efficacy.
Prescription medications like Accutane for acne and over-the-counter drugs such as sunscreen ingredients must undergo rigorous clinical testing before they gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration. But cosmetics are not subject to the agency’s scrutiny before they go on sale. The F.D.A. defines cosmetics as topical products that do not alter the structure or function of the skin.
Dr. William P. Coleman III, the vice president of the American Academy of Dermatology, said consumers should view moisturizers and wrinkle creams as no more than superficial treatments.
“You have to think of cosmetics as decorative and hygienic, not as things that are going to change your skin,” said Dr. Coleman, who is a clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. “A $200 cream may have better perfume or packaging, but as far as it moisturizing your skin better than a $10 cream, it probably won’t.”
According to F.D.A. regulations, beauty manufacturers are responsible for the safety of their cosmetics and for their own marketing claims. Although many beauty companies perform studies on their products, they are not required to conduct clinical trials on the level of medical research or to make their proprietary research available to the public.
Dr. Mary Ellen Brademas, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center, said the paucity of rigorous published science on cosmetics makes it difficult to determine how well creams work, whether they cost $10, $100 or $1,000.
“People are spending $450 on a jar of cream just because it is made out of something exotic like salmon eggs or cocoons,” Dr. Brademas said. “But the cheapest products work just as well as the more expensive ones.”
A study of wrinkle creams published last month by Consumer Reports concluded that there was no correlation between price and effectiveness. The study, which tested nine brands of wrinkle creams over 12 weeks, also concluded that none of the products reduced the depth of wrinkles by more than 10 percent, an amount “barely visible to the naked eye.”
The Consumer Reports study found, for example, that a three-step regimen of Olay Regenerist products costing $57 was slightly more effective at reducing the appearance of wrinkles than a $135 tube of StriVectin-SD or a $335 combination of two La Prairie Cellular lotions.
“I am seduced by fancy packaging as much as the next person,” Dr. Brademas said. “But I have a theory that all these skin-care things come out of the same vat in New Jersey.”
John Bailey, the executive vice president for science of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, an industry trade group in Washington, said that skin care varies widely in price because of amounts spent on research and development of ingredients and product formulas, and the cost of manufacturing and packaging.
But, he said, it is difficult to measure performance differences among products.
“Cosmetics don’t have the same quantitative analysis as drugs, so you don’t have a set gauge you can use to determine perceived and actual benefits,” said Dr. Bailey, who has a Ph.D. in chemistry. “Ultimately, consumers will have to try products out and find what works best for them.”
THE back-to-basics skin-care regimen is based on practicality rather than marketing claims. It does not rely on exotic ingredients grown on far-flung islands hand-picked by natives only under a full moon.
Dr. Diane C. Madfes, a clinical instructor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, said that basic skin care requires washing one’s face to remove dirt, sweat and bacteria, and using sunscreen to impede sun damage. People who worry about wrinkles, pimples, dry spots or pores may want to add one or two treatment products, she said.
Dr. Cook-Bolden, who has been a paid consultant for several mass-market cosmetics brands, suggested a mild liquid cleanser for the face. Instead of using toners, which may strip skin, or gritty exfoliation beads and microdermabrasion systems, which may irritate skin, she recommended using a washcloth to slough off dead skin cells.
“If you have dry, sensitive skin, you just pat the washcloth on your face gently in a circular motion,” she said. “If you don’t have irritated skin, you can put more speed and pressure on the washcloth.”
Dermatologists disagree whether a moisturizer is then needed. Dr. Brademas said it is superfluous.
“Moisturizer is optional unless you are in the Arctic,” said Dr. Brademas, who favors Vaseline petroleum jelly for dry hands, feet, knees and elbows. “I’m not sure moisturizers do very much except for creating a smooth surface so that makeup can go on without drag.”
Dr. Cook-Bolden took a more agnostic position.
“If you need a moisturizer, moisturize,” she said. “If you want less moisture, use a lotion. If you want more, use a cream. And if you have acne-prone skin, use a gel or a spray.”
Although the dermatologists interviewed for this article disagreed about moisturizer, they agreed on one point: the importance of sun protection, including hats, avoidance of midday sun and the use of an effective sunscreen. They recommended that consumers look for formulas that include ingredients — like zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or Mexoryl SX — that impede damage from the sun’s longer wavelength UVA rays, a protective effect that is not indicated by a product’s SPF rating.
Beyond soap and sunscreen, Dr. Madfes said that one or two additional products might be added to personalize a skin-care routine.
“People who see wrinkles around their eyes are going to reach for an eye cream,” Dr. Madfes said. “Someone who looks in the mirror and sees large pores may want to use a cleanser with salicylic acid, which can reduce clogged pores.”
She is also a proponent of night creams that combine retinol, a form of vitamin A that may help speed up the turnover of skin cells, and antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E or lycopene that may help thwart environmental damage to the skin. People with skin conditions like severe acne or people interested in topical anti-wrinkle drugs should consult their doctors about prescription medications, she said.
On an expedition last week to a CVS Pharmacy at Columbus Circle with a reporter, Dr. Madfes examined the product labels on skin-care items from a variety of mass-market brands and recommended a few basic products, including Cetaphil cleanser and La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX sunscreen.
“Higher end, more expensive products may look better in the box and feel better on your face, but they don’t necessarily work better than less expensive products as long as you look for ingredients that are known for efficacy,” Dr. Madfes said.
But she did see one benefit to splurging.
“The thing is, when someone buys a $200 cream, they are going to use that cream,” Dr. Madfes said. “So, in the end, their skin may benefit.” |
_________________ http://newnaturalbeauty.tumblr.com/ 37, light-toned olive skin, broken caps, normal skin. My staples: Osea cleansing milk, Algae Oil, Advanced Protection Cream, Eyes & Lips, Tata Harper, Julie Hewett makeup, Amazing Cosmetics Powder, & By Terry Light Expert, Burnout, and daily inversion therapy and green smoothies! |
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Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:14 pm |
Quote: |
“The thing is, when someone buys a $200 cream, they are going to use that cream,” Dr. Madfes said. “So, in the end, their skin may benefit.” |
Isn't that the truth!! |
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Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:24 pm |
I am ALL for simplification. I seem to go through cycles where I buy buy buy, get frustrated because I suddenly use like 10 products and try to pare it down, only to go buy buy buy again.
But, while I know you shouldn't use a million different products, if I went down to a cleanser, sunscreen and say, a blemish cream...my face would STILL be an oil slick in need of some moisture.
Le sigh. |
_________________ 32, Fair Skin, combo/break-out prone. Simple routine of REN No. 1 Purity Cleansing Balm and Argan oil as a moisturizer; Clarisonic when needed. That's it! |
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Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:35 pm |
I read this article online and only partially agree.
Drug store buys may be fine for "most" people but many people have sensitive skin and can really benefit from products that have been formulated to be "clean." Having had bad reactions to some drugstore buys, it is worth it to me to buy something that has a short list of ingredients, all of which I know I can safely use, than to buy something from the drugstore with a longer list of ingredients, many of which I don't recognize and am not sure will cause my skin to react in a negative way
It IS true, however, that effective products don't have to cost an arm and a leg. The products made by Candessence and Carekate and the DIY products used by so many people on the board are very economical and as effective (if not MORE effective) than many of the more expensive brands. For example, I MUCH prefer the Candessence Vitamin C+E+ferulic serum to the comparable Skinceuticals product which is more than twice as expensive.
Also, it's true that there are not always published studies of efficacy for skin products. This doesn't mean that the products don't work. It just reflects the fact that the FDA does not require cosmetic companies to perform and publish efficacy studies. There are a lot of actives that DO work for people.
I think that skincare is actually very specific to individuals. What makes my skin look its best differs from what is best for other people. I don't think its reasonable to expect that any skincare product work for EVERYONE. Even FDA-approved drugs don't work for EVERYONE--some people respond better than others, and the same holds true for skincare products.
Also, I have bought expensive things that did not WORK for my skin and then tossed them...so I even have to agree with that last quote. If it is irritating my skin, I am not going to use it no matter how much it cost. (esp. when, lemming that I am, i am constantly wanting to try new things )
What do other people think?
priscilla |
_________________ 35, combination skin, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation at the slightest blemish + stubborn blackheads on nose. Ignoramus about skincare--hence the litany of skincare woes. Here to learn, and grateful for help. |
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Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:43 pm |
I don't know about you guys, but although I live in Paris, I don't really get out much, and I love having an arsenal of goodies to come home to and try out. Every day I look at my skin and ask myself, what do I need to do today? I think the single most important aspect of skincare is paying attention to what your body needs, holistically, on a day to day basis! Sometimes I need raw broccoli or kale and radishes, sometimes I need a steak au poivre and a hot fudge sundae! sometimes I need an aspirin mask, other times Valmont!
Of course, gentle cleansing, vit c, sunscreen, and targeted retinol are all everyday for me. But there's nothing I love more than taking a bath with a bath oil and putting on a mask, or slathering on an aromatherapeutic cream on my face, using essential oils, concocting DIY recipes, etc.
I think the article really neglects, in my mind, the very positive element of self-intimacy that these products afford us. There are two aspects involved when we use an expensive product: one is social-- we can use it to believe in its 'miracle' and hope we will look like some such celebrity one day; the other is individual-- we can implement it into a regimen of self-care, which is what I do.
I believe that self-care begins and ends with me! I use wonderful moisturizer and dry-brush massage, and I wear beautiful lingerie and stockings and garter belts every day underneath my clothes, only for me. It makes me feel feminine and empowered to know I'm the only one who knows how I take care of myself.
I remember reading somewhere that Bertolt Brecht was really into watching women wash their faces, because it was such a beautiful ritual. I think we always have to keep in mind that the way we take care of ourselves should be inspiring (to us and to others), fun, and in general an intimate, daily renewal of our relationship to ourselves.
--avalange |
_________________ http://newnaturalbeauty.tumblr.com/ 37, light-toned olive skin, broken caps, normal skin. My staples: Osea cleansing milk, Algae Oil, Advanced Protection Cream, Eyes & Lips, Tata Harper, Julie Hewett makeup, Amazing Cosmetics Powder, & By Terry Light Expert, Burnout, and daily inversion therapy and green smoothies! |
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Thu Jan 04, 2007 4:06 pm |
Honestly, I think there are things that people spend a ton of money on that actually do damage to your body...people should be more worried about overindulgence in alcohol and smoking than whether or not they should splurge on a Valmont cream or mask.
Minimalism is great in many regards (such as the above, alcohol, and quitting smoking) and I can see where derms are coming from and agree that a costlier product does not an efficient product make. However, if I feel that my routine of a dab Decleor Ylang Ylang, spot treating zits with BBS acne serum, a smother of CareKate's pearl cream followed by a smear of Sofina Nuance Up, and a dusting of CareKate's Silk dust is working for me...no way will I give up just for the sake of simplicity. I used to be simple and my face hated me for it.
My morning routine was a cleanser and a good douse of pimple spot treatment....and that was it.
I'm finally understanding my skin and how it works. While I feel I need to get rid of products off my counter, I don't plan of getting rid of products I know are working for me. |
_________________ 32, Fair Skin, combo/break-out prone. Simple routine of REN No. 1 Purity Cleansing Balm and Argan oil as a moisturizer; Clarisonic when needed. That's it! |
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Thu Jan 04, 2007 4:13 pm |
very interesting article. was just wondering myself how much is too much. I do not have a problem with my skin, small pores no major wrinkles and always mistaken for being 30 when i am 50. The past year I have been using so many different creams and serums im beginning to wonder if they cause more problems then they are supposed to correct. I have just started getting tiny lines in the nasio fold area and have purchased so many new products for my entire face to combat these lines. My big concern is my eyes. I have no crows feet or did not have any lines under the eye area at all and now after a few months of applying day and night creams and gels to the eye area im noticing so many lines and some of them are not too fine. Im wondering if any one else had this happen to them. I did have puffiness under my eyes before and that has now gone. I do notice though on the nights that I dont apply my eye creams and sometimes no creams or serums at all, my face looks much better in the morning. I am currently using cellcosmet eye cream in the day time and stimucoll from psf at night. Am i doing something wrong. Any suggestions would be appreciated. |
_________________ little passionfruit |
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Thu Jan 04, 2007 5:07 pm |
avalange wrote: |
I don't know about you guys, but although I live in Paris, I don't really get out much, and I love having an arsenal of goodies to come home to and try out. Every day I look at my skin and ask myself, what do I need to do today? I think the single most important aspect of skincare is paying attention to what your body needs, holistically, on a day to day basis! Sometimes I need raw broccoli or kale and radishes, sometimes I need a steak au poivre and a hot fudge sundae! sometimes I need an aspirin mask, other times Valmont!
Of course, gentle cleansing, vit c, sunscreen, and targeted retinol are all everyday for me. But there's nothing I love more than taking a bath with a bath oil and putting on a mask, or slathering on an aromatherapeutic cream on my face, using essential oils, concocting DIY recipes, etc.
I think the article really neglects, in my mind, the very positive element of self-intimacy that these products afford us. There are two aspects involved when we use an expensive product: one is social-- we can use it to believe in its 'miracle' and hope we will look like some such celebrity one day; the other is individual-- we can implement it into a regimen of self-care, which is what I do.
I believe that self-care begins and ends with me! I use wonderful moisturizer and dry-brush massage, and I wear beautiful lingerie and stockings and garter belts every day underneath my clothes, only for me. It makes me feel feminine and empowered to know I'm the only one who knows how I take care of myself.
I remember reading somewhere that Bertolt Brecht was really into watching women wash their faces, because it was such a beautiful ritual. I think we always have to keep in mind that the way we take care of ourselves should be inspiring (to us and to others), fun, and in general an intimate, daily renewal of our relationship to ourselves.
--avalange |
Pure poetry! I couldn't have said it better!
Pudoodles |
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Thu Jan 04, 2007 6:20 pm |
I try to keep what I use down to a dull roar but I love to try things out. When I'm not experimenting I keep things as simple as possible. Just because I have lots of pots on the shelf doesn't mean they are all used at once. I think that as we are all different that for some a $5 cream may work but for someone it will be for whatever reason it's the $100 dollar cream that they like. |
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Thu Jan 04, 2007 6:39 pm |
Here's my 2 cents: First of all, I'm all for minimalism, and I'm all for saving money, but my goodness!! If I could get away with just washing and moisturizing and getting flawless skin, wouldn't I do it and funnel all the time and money I devote to skincare to pedicures, lingerie, and massages?? I have so many products in my routine because they all have a function and they work. And as for the whole "drugstore creams are as good as anything else" argument, I have to disagree. I've had derms that have recommended drugstore products to me and my skin reacted terribly, so they are certainly not the panacea that a lot of doctors make them out to be. And yes, a lot of department store creams are useless and overpriced, but there are other options--- I'm not about to throw in the towel, slather my face with some cheap, mineral oil-based cream, and turn my fate over to the skin gods! Heck no! |
_________________ 27, sensitive/reactive/acne prone skin, dark brown hair, blue eyes, possibly the palest woman alive... |
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Thu Jan 04, 2007 11:00 pm |
i would love to jump on the minimalism boat if i could find the right products that actually work for me! but sadly almost none dont! multiple drs always recommend drugstore brand stuff to me and NONE of them ever work. up until 2006 i was only shopping drugstore for cosmetics and i had worse skin then than i do now shopping from eds and sephora on higher end cosmetics |
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Fri Jan 05, 2007 3:09 am |
I think it is all very well for them to make these types of statements but they only tested a very few products.
I know that the products that I use work because I can see the effects on my skin so I think their assumptions are a bunch of rubbish. Valmont, Remergent, Cellcosmet here I come. |
_________________ Skin: Over 60, ex combination now sensitive, Cellcosmet |
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Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:47 am |
I have spend HUNDREDS on various drugstore products that I ended up either tossing out or giving away because I ended up with clogged pores, acne, etc.
I can say the same about the HUNDREDS I have spent on various high-end products.
For me, it's important to stop and think clearly about what I want the product to do for me, ie: exfoliation, collagen production, firming, etc? Then check the ingredient list to be sure that the product has the means to accomplish my "goal" -- lots of times the lesser expensive drugstore items have very diluted ingredients/actives, and the commonly used fillers cause me acne.
I've also seen a LOT of the more expensive brands to have these issues...so it's important to shop smart.
Unfortunately, it took me almost 40 years to learn this. I love skincare and can be sucked in by the best of advertising/packaging .
Nowadays I try to be smart about my purchases and I'm finding that I'm buying less. If I'm happy with the results, I don't feel ripped off.
Marla |
_________________ Age 41; Oily; Acne prone; Resilient; Currently loving Tazorac, Kate Somerville ExfoliKate and Deep Tissue Repair; Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream |
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Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:15 am |
I agree that good skin care products don't have to be expensive, but sometimes drugstore products are just not good enough for everyone. |
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Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:23 am |
Although I have my slowed down my purchasing over the last few months, as I discover and stick with products that are working for me, I have to say that none of them are drugstore buys. I have tried many cheaper drugstore products over the years, and almost all of them either clogged my pores, or did nothing!
Now, that's not say that all of the expensive ones are great either. Strivectin for example did nothing for me, and some high-end products clogged my pores as well.
What I did find though, is that the products which show measurable results that I (and others) can actually see, are all from the more expensive lines like ISC and Valmont. I will continue to purchase these products because they work, and the drugstore lines didn't. At least not on me! |
_________________ 51 years old/brunette/normal- oily medium skin. |
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Fri Jan 05, 2007 1:50 pm |
I have always been blessed with good skin, but even so I have found that my skin does do better with simple routine.
So in the past week I have returned to using DHC Cleansing Oil to wash, followed up with HA and a cream called Carley's which is mostly water/jojoba/shea butter, topped off with a thin layer of vaseline. It must be working, because in the past week my skin has received a ton of compliments.
The point? Simple or complex, cheap or expensive, use whatever works for you that you can afford. I cant afford a $200 cream, but thankfully I have found more inexpensive options that work! |
_________________ 31yo, student, fair and dry skin. |
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Fri Jan 05, 2007 3:08 pm |
I totally agree with this article! Finally....my thoughts into words. My skin looked its best when I washed with bar soap and never touched a moisturzer. Today my bathroom looks like a cvs beauty isle (with some high end products). Dont get me wrong...I love my Thursday beauty nights where I exfoliate and mask and drink hot tea and veg out with my cats but I think that is less for my skin and more for my sanity. In the new year I have vowed to "unclutter" my life and I think I'll start with my bathroom! |
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Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:27 pm |
While I do think that many people use way too many products I disagree with the statement that cheap drugstore brands are the same as other lines. Yes this may be true for some but this is a huge generalization and an unreliable one. I agree that many pricey lines are so because of fancy packaging and expensive marketing strategies, but there are ethical companies out there that actually spend the money on ingredients and socially and environmentally conscious business practices and opt for more simple, yet attractive and effective packaging. Would I spend $200 on a skin cream? Never. There are a lot of products out there that are much less expensive and also more effective. Would I totally skimp out and buy myself a $5 cream instead? Probably not unless I was gifted it and fell in love or knew it was absolutely excellent and I had researched all the ingredients beforehand and came to that conclusion myself. I believe that consumers should become more educated and research the ingredients in products. Learn all you can learn and don't believe the critics noteworthy or not, as they will always contradict one another. Instead, find out what works best for you and go with your gut. Aren't there enough people in the world telling us what to do already. When it comes to my body and health, I think I'd like to have the final say on that. Afterall who knows you better than you? |
_________________ Global Butterfly & Certified Aromatherapist/Holisitc Therapist with a passion for travel and natural health. |
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Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:18 pm |
avalange wrote: |
I don't know about you guys, but although I live in Paris, I don't really get out much, and I love having an arsenal of goodies to come home to and try out. Every day I look at my skin and ask myself, what do I need to do today? I think the single most important aspect of skincare is paying attention to what your body needs, holistically, on a day to day basis! Sometimes I need raw broccoli or kale and radishes, sometimes I need a steak au poivre and a hot fudge sundae! sometimes I need an aspirin mask, other times Valmont!
Of course, gentle cleansing, vit c, sunscreen, and targeted retinol are all everyday for me. But there's nothing I love more than taking a bath with a bath oil and putting on a mask, or slathering on an aromatherapeutic cream on my face, using essential oils, concocting DIY recipes, etc.
I think the article really neglects, in my mind, the very positive element of self-intimacy that these products afford us. There are two aspects involved when we use an expensive product: one is social-- we can use it to believe in its 'miracle' and hope we will look like some such celebrity one day; the other is individual-- we can implement it into a regimen of self-care, which is what I do.
I believe that self-care begins and ends with me! I use wonderful moisturizer and dry-brush massage, and I wear beautiful lingerie and stockings and garter belts every day underneath my clothes, only for me. It makes me feel feminine and empowered to know I'm the only one who knows how I take care of myself.
I remember reading somewhere that Bertolt Brecht was really into watching women wash their faces, because it was such a beautiful ritual. I think we always have to keep in mind that the way we take care of ourselves should be inspiring (to us and to others), fun, and in general an intimate, daily renewal of our relationship to ourselves.
--avalange |
Oh! How much I love the French lifestyle!
I totally agree with you. For myself I do believe that I stick with the basics but I end up spending my money on products that do work for me.
There is some truth about people who just buy & buy more of skincare products without taking the time to allow the 1st product that they bought to work. I was told to give a new product at least 3 months to see if it will work for you.
As for spending more money then I should, that is my personal treat. I do plan to buy a full size of Cellcosmet mask or one of those Ultra Cell intensive treatments. Why not? I will use it, and it is my special treat. It does not mean that I would purchase it frequently. |
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