Move over beauty filters- there’s a new trend in town!
Raise your hand if you’ve ever thrown a filter on one of your photo’s. Same girl, same. Just you, me and 250 million others…
According to The Washington Post, ‘Snapchat’s parent company said more than 250 million people on average use filters, which it calls Lenses, every day, making for 6 billion filtered snaps.’ (Source) And that’s just Snapchat! Most camera apps have photo retouching capabilities, not to mention the hundreds of beauty apps on the market. But this article isn’t about Lenses, or filters, or retouching, because that would be hypocritical and nobody likes a hypocrite. Filters are fun and that’s that. Moving on…
But… but.. what if we weren’t moving on just yet.
What if for just a tiny little moment we talked about this further. People use filters for dozens of different reasons. Some people like to enhance their eyes, some people like to brighten their teeth, some people like to look like a dog with floppy ears.. (settle down Rover, I wasn’t judging! ), and some people like to blur their imperfections a bit to let their natural features shine.
And then there’s makeup!?
The beauty industry generates over $100 billion in revenue worldwide.You’ve got concealers to conceal stuff, foundations to build a home upon, lip sticks, lip glosses, lip liners, lip plumpers, matte lips, shiny lips, one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish! It’s all a lot really. And what do we use this for? To ENHANCE our beauty. Whatever you’re reasoning is, it’s your personal decision and I’m all for people doing what makes them comfortable. Yet, here’s a concept… what would happen if we felt more comfortable in our own skin and skipped the ‘blue beauty’ Lense and the Maybelline for once?
That’s exactly what Pamela Anderson did. Once best known for ‘baring it all’, is now covering up and opting for a bare-FACED look instead, and she’s not alone in this ‘Natural Beauty Revolution‘. Jamie Lee Curtis, Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore and Anne Hathaway are just a few of the stunning celebs to join the bandwagon. Recently, the former “Baywatch” star revealed that her biggest beauty secret these days is: “Don’t do anything (Source) .” Imagine all the time you’d save getting ready in the morning!
Okay, so now that you’re on board (kinda? maybe? not really yet..? Keep reading then, we’ll get ya there!), let’s explore what options we have to make this process not so scary and intimidating.
Taking care of yourself from the inside-out is important for feeling and looking your best.
Check out the article: 10 Superfoods To Keep You Looking Young
***Here comes the disclaimer. I am not directly sponsored by any of the companies I mention in this article, nor am I being paid directly to promote specific products. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission on qualified sales at no additional cost to you, HOWEVER, all of the products in this article are here because I use them regularly, love them, and stand behind them. My goal is to help you achieve your goals through products I have personally had great results with.***
How To ‘Pull A Pam’ & Embrace Your Natural Beauty
From The Ground Up
In order to let your natural shininess, well, shine, you need to feel confident with what you’re working with! This means doing all we can do, within our own personal capabilities to bring out the best in ourselves and maximize our potential. This includes eating healthy, getting regular exercise, quitting bad habits and drinking lots and lots of water, because healthy skin is beautiful skin and these are all important factors in achieving such. If makeup is called foundation, then the prep work we’re doing is the excavating process. In order to pour the foundation to build a home, you need to excavate the land and prepare the lot first. You can start digging (metaphorically) here.
Tweak’n the Weak
Okay, it’s a crap heading, let’s just get that out in the open. But there is reasoning behind it! I’m a firm believer that beauty really is an internal virtue and it’s somebody’s character that makes them glow, but ask any woman you know and she will tell you that there is something that she finds to be her “weak” physical trait. This is a very personal thing for people, and quite often it’s not something that others would even consider to be an issue. For me, I have troubled skin: Perioral Dermatitis, Rosacea and cystic acne plague me and keep me from feeling my best. For years I wouldn’t leave the house without some sort of foundation or concealer, until one day when I discovered some items that helped with that (I’ll list them below)! The really great thing about tweaking a “weak” spot, is that it is almost always tweak able!
Showcase Your Show Stopper
As we’ve discovered, I struggle with skin issues, but what I don’t struggle with is my smile! In fact, it’s the thing I get the most compliments about. I don’t have a perfect set of teeth (I call it my character tooth :P), but I use two simple items that keep them glowing and it never goes unnoticed. Where most of us have a “weak” spot, we also have a show stopper! If you’re feeling hesitant about rocking the natural beauty look, take some time to prep your favourite features so that they steal the show.
Here are some amazing products that are highly rated and recommended!
Smile!
This is my number one choice, and with over 85,000 positive reviews on Amazon, I’m not alone in this!
Usage: Follow the package instructions to gain your desired shade and then you can typically get away with maintaining by using these once a month.
Colgate Optic White Toothpaste
I cannot recommend this one enough!! Usage: Twice a day. Get that glow!!!
Bye Bye Blemishes!
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion & Drying Patches
I call this my miracle product! Get rid of surface blemishes overnight with this 2pc kit.
Usage: LOTION: Dip swab to the bottom of bottle(DO NOT Shake) and dab on the blemish. PATCH: Apply adhesive on blemish after you cleanse and dry skin.
If you can get your hands on Mario Badescu’s Buffering Lotion (Sephora & Shoppers DrugMart), it works WONDERS on cystic acne.
New York Biology Dead Sea Mud Mask for Face and Body
This daily acne treatment has been designed to be highly effective yet gentle. Dead Sea mud contains 21 minerals and is one of the most mineral-rich mud on earth. It includes key skin-nourishing minerals such as sodium, magnesium, calcium, bromide, potassium, iron, sulfur, silicon dioxide and much more. Dead Sea Mud is known to have many soothing and calming properties that can help improve the skin appearance and relieve irritated skin at the same time. For this reason it is one of the most sought-after skin care addition. Usage: Cleanse skin thoroughly before applying the mask. Apply a thin layer to face avoiding eyes and lips. Leave mask on for 10 minutes until it dries. Use warm water to gently remove and pat dry with a clean cloth.
Perioral Dermatitis Control
Tough Actin Tinactin Athletic Feet Cream
Usage: Apply a thin layer to affected areas after washing your face in the morning. In the evenings, simply moisturize face with Coconut Oil.
I am NOT a dermatologist and this was not recommended by my dermatologist. However, the solution I WAS prescribed by my dermatologist did, quite frankly, absolutely nothing. For a year straight I watched my Perioral Dermatitis get worse, until I turned to the internet and found this suggestion and have had wonderful results with it. In fact, aside from the odd little bout of PD in the winter (usually because I haven’t been using the cream), it’s been a non-issue for THREE WHOLE YEARS! Winning!
**WARNING: Do NOT turn to using a hydrocortisone cream! While it may clear your face for a day or two, your issue will come back tenfold on day 3. Hydrocortisone is also not recommended for prolonged usage. Please, please, Do NOT use this.**
Glowing Skin
KOSE Softy Mo Deep Treatment Oil
I’ve been using this as my face wash for about 6 months now and I totally swear by it! Usage: Apply an appropriate amount onto palm and apply to your face, massage, and rinse with a tap or luke-warm water thoroughly.
About this item
- Deep cleansing facial wash
- Removes makeup
- Good for all skin types
- cleanses and deep cleans pores
- Leaves skin refreshed, purified, and clean
COSRX Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Cream
Long-lasting Hydration, Rich Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin 3.52 oz / 100g, Korean Skin Care, Animal Testing Free, Parabens Free.
This stuff is INSANELY good. A little goes a long way and it’s super affordable for what it is. Also, if you can get ahold of COSRX Advanced Snail 92: All in One Cream (Available on Amazon Canada), Do it!! Its formulated with 92% snail secretion and its ground breaking for wrinkle minimizing!
CeraVe 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 :
Face Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide & Titanium Dioxide for Sensitive Skin | With Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, and Ceramides . 100% Mineral-based sunscreen, also known as a physical sunscreen, reflects UVA/UVB rays to help protect the skin. We all know sun is bad for the skin, so it’s super important to wear SPF 50 or higher every. single. day.
Usage: Physical sunscreens can often leave a white cast when applied in thick layers. For best results, apply evenly to the entire face and neck in thin layers and thoroughly massage into skin. Suitable for use under foundation.
Fine Lines & Wrinkles
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane
About this item
- Retinol: Promotes Fine Line Treatment
- Squalane: Hydrates Skin
- Rosemary: Soothing Ingredient
- Lightweight Serum Formula: Absorbs Quickly
- For All Skin Types: Gentle On Skin
Usage: 2-3 drops at night, as Retinol is sun sensitive. Make sure to use SPF when using Retinol.
SimplyVital Face Moisturizer Collagen Cream
This viral TikTok cream packs a punch, but does it gently! With the maximum concentration of retinol in the formula, our moisturizer provides gentle, but effective retinol treatment, working on rejuvenating and rebuilding your skin from the deepest layers to the surface. You will also feel your skin getting softer and more hydrated because of hyaluronic acid, working with retinol to keep your skin moisturized on all levels. Usage: Smooth over face and neck every morning and evening. Apply to clean skin in circular motions for best results.
Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Serum Drops.
Some people prefer a “sun-kissed” glow to feel more confident. You can achieve this sans sun damage! Usage: Shake before use. Add a drop or more to any serum, oil, or cream for a gorgeous glow and a potent dose of protective antioxidants, omega fatty acids, and peptides. For best dispensing, store upside down
About this item
- WHAT IT IS: Like sunshine in a bottle, this antioxidant-rich, peptide-infused serum delivers a bronzy wash of color while boosting skin’s elasticity and supporting healthy barrier function.
- WHAT IT DOES: D-Bronzi is loaded with antioxidant-rich compounds to nourish skin while supporting its natural defenses against environmental stressors. A peptide blend promotes elasticity while helping to reduce the look of fine lines.
Beautiful Hair
If you have blonde hair and struggle with brassiness, THIS IS A MUST!!! I’ve tried numerous products over the years, but when I stumbled upon Fanola, I never looked back- not even once. This intensively concentrated purple shampoo immediately removes any undesired yellow tones in bleached, highlighted, blonde, silver, and grey hair with violet pigments for shiny, silky light coloured hair.
Olaplex Hair Perfector No 3 Repairing Treatment
If you’ve ever bleached your hair, then there’s a 99% chance you have heard of this stuff, and if you haven’t, Welcome 1%!! With over 120,000 thousand Amazon reviews, it’s not hard to see that this stuff really works. If you have the urge (and the funds) to buy the entire line of Olaplex products, you will not be disappointed, but if you’re unsure and want to dip your toe in, then 100000% start with Olaplex No3. Usage: Use once a week or two to three times a week for damaged hair. Use before shampoo and conditioner.
This is great if you like to play around with different colours! But the beauty is, its still great if you don’t! When I used to rock dark hair, I would use this shampoo to freshen my hair between salon visits and even to extend time between visits. Often I would be asked if I’d just had my hair done when I was still a week away from a refresher. This colour depositing shampoo leaves VERY vibrant colours on blonde hair, and has certain colours that are specifically made for brunettes, such as the Purple Mauve colour. I also used it for months when I wanted to try deep red hair for a bit, and I LOVED IT!
Perfect Those Peepers
Premium Lash Serum for Eyelash Growth
If you have beautiful lashes and want to keep them looking top-notch: This serum is for you. If you DON’T have the thickest of lashes and are hoping for some: This serum is ALSO for you. This nourishing eyelash growth serum promotes new eyelash growth and fortifies existing hairs for bold, dramatic looking eyes in as little as 2 weeks. This advanced formula eye lash growing serum provides a magical boost to thin, sparse and brittle lashes. Usage: Apply the same way as your favourite eyeliner. Moving from the inner corner of your eye to the outer corner, simply brush-on a thin layer at the root lines to nourish follicles, promote new hair growth and strengthen existing hairs.
CeraVe Eye Repair Cream : Dark Circles & Puffiness
This is my saviour, and I swear by it! After a long night, when I need a refresher, it works wonders, but it’s also helped my long-term eye appearance. It helps reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness in the under eye area. Brightening cream with a non-greasy finish that leaves under eyes looking hydrated, smooth, brightened, and more awake. Bonus, it’s super affordable!
RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Anti-Aging Night Cream
DEEP WRINKLE NIGHT CREAM: This anti-aging hydrating cream with glycerin works through the night when skin is believed to be most receptive. Wake up to revitalized skin for a smoother, more radiant appearance! Clinically proven to make skin look 10 years younger.
I don’t know about 10 years younger, but I’d say maybe a solid 8. Haha. That’s a win if you ask me.
Still not convinced?
I get it, change is hard and it can be scary to think about walking out the front door naked, well, at least from the neck up. I really hope you do consider giving it a try, if anything, just once and awhile to give your skin a break from makeup, but more so to give yourself the confidence in knowing that you don’t need to cover up to be beautifully, you.
And if you need to take baby steps, that’s perfectly okay, too. You can try swapping out some of your everyday makeup products for more natural looking ones.
Swap out your:
Concealer/foundation for : CeraVe Tinted Face Cream with SPF50
Mascara for: wet n wild Mega Clear Brow & Lash Mascara
Lipstick for: NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Butter Gloss
Give it a try beautiful! Pull a Pam!
