2020
Face-keeping
categories: unquiet things
I know while in isolation lots of friends have stuck to their routines and rituals involving a full face of makeup everyday. Which I think is pretty amazing— I salute all of your beautiful faces and your dedication to them! For me, it’s been just the opposite. I’ve never worn a lot of makeup (and that may have to do with how frustrating I find it, and how it never actually looks all that good on me, anyway) but I’ve found that during this time of pandemic I give even less of a crap about what the organization of skin and flaps and holes on the front of my head looks like. I’ve honestly thrown most of my cosmetics away, and I’m finding that most of my daily rituals don’t really even involve looking in a mirror anymore. My face was never going to be my fortune and it’s really freeing to just accept that and spend those extra energies on the things I actually enjoy and which feel important to me.
We all value and prioritize different things and that’s beautiful. I’m not making any judgments here! Just checking in to tell you that my beauty routine (aside from morning and evening skincare) now consists solely of sunscreen and a spoolie swipe through my non-existent eyebrows and that is it and it is glorious.
I’m curious—have you pared down or amped up your own face-keeping in these strange, sad, constantly-screaming-inside-your-heart times?
Drax says
That's truly a beautiful picture of you.
Harlow Skalwold says
I have never used much make-up. Sometimes I futz with my eyebrows. On occasion I use a tinted moisturizer with sunscreen and a touch of powder. I do even less now. I think it's silly to wear makeup now when you have to wear a mask to go out anyway.
You'd be surprised at how little you ACTUALLY have to do to maintain healthy skin. I see all these routines women go through, and I'm just like, why? I use make-up wipes, foaming face wash with a wash cloth to exfoliate, a serum, and moisturizer if my skin feels dry, and that is it.
I suppose if you are plastering your face with makeup all the time that you may have to do more, but all that makeup is generally causing the skin problems in the first place...
Cristin says
I used to be the queen of The Cat Eye, but I didn't know how to do anything else and barely slapped on BB cream with it. I'd be jealous of all my goth soul sisters with their smokey eye and their contouring and their black lipstick (seriously, how does it not chip off onto your teeth within 3 minutes??)-- I feel you on thinking that most makeup just didn't "work" or suit my face!!
However, the lock-down has given me a new appreciation of a bare face. I've been trying to make or invest in a few products to keep my skin healthy instead; I make my own face scrub, lotion, and makeup remover with coconut oil and such and just bought one of those mud/clay masks always advertised to me on the Book of Faces and Instagram. At night I put on a few drops of CBD oil and that's that. I still feel a little shocked when I see myself in daylight, but I'm taking it as a spiritual process, really. Who knows where I'll end up on the other side, but I think it's a journey worth taking.