Glow by Lady E

I got this POND’S Healthy Hydration Watermelon Glass Skin Alive Toner from Watsons in Vigan. And then I didn’t use it. 😅 I’d been having several heavy skin flares since Vigan, so introducing something new into my routine wasn’t exactly high on my list of good ideas. Vigan was actually where one of those episodes started after I did some pretty aggressive treatment, although, strangely enough, the Vigan sun also helped my skin clear up quickly. But I digress. My skin finally calmed down enough for me to start trying things again. And then I started reacting to the toner I was currently using. More on that in another post. So I finally reached for this watermelon toner. I don’t apply toner with cotton pads anymore. I transfer mine into a little spray bottle and mist it all over my face, being very careful around my eyes because they’re ridiculously sensitive. I honestly wasn’t expecting much. But I’ve been using this for several weeks now and my face has been surprisingly ha...

  Look at that pink. It looks like it should arrive before I do. But it doesn’t. A few light swipes give me just a soft flush of pink. If I want more, I can build it. And perhaps that’s what I like most about it. It lets me decide how playful I want to be that day. The first surprise was the color. The second? It smells like candy. EJ, my Dior ambassador, recommended Rosy Glow when I asked him to choose something for my Fun & Flirty issue. He told me this shade wasn’t only flattering on fair complexions. It works beautifully on morena skin, too. He was right. On me, it’s playful without looking juvenile. Pretty without becoming precious. And subtle enough that I don’t feel as though the blush entered the room five minutes before the rest of my face. Unless I want it to. Then I just keep building. 💗 Bright pink in the pan.  Soft on my cheeks.  Buildable when I want more. And it smells like candy. Which may explain why I have privately renamed it my Ki...

  I used to choose things because they’re pretty or affordable, but I end up hurt.  Like two brands of slippers that shall not be named.  Now I choose things that are kind to my body. Soft, supportive, gentle.  Especially after my foot ached for better.  I think I’m learning to apply that standard to more things. Pretty is lovely. Fun is lovely. And I will probably always be drawn to something that sparkles. But I don’t think beauty should require me to tolerate discomfort just to keep it around. That applies to something as small as a pair of slippers. Or a hairbrush. This new brush is still glittery. Still pretty. Still something that makes me smile when I see it sitting with my things. But it also feels good. The bristles glide through my hair without scratching my scalp or catching strands between broken tips. It does what a hairbrush is supposed to do without asking me to endure something first. And maybe that’s one of the quieter forms of self-respect. Not...

  Remember this?  This is one of the lipsticks that I’m fond of.  But over the past few months, I’ve been accumulating a few more lipsticks.  And have had zero success in finding the mythical perfect cream blush.  My face has become textured and dry from the after effects of the many medicines they pumped into me for years that I have a hard time wearing blush.  It seems that cream blushes are the best for this season of my skin.  But I haven’t found any good ones.  So one day, I was using this lipstick shade and thought, well, why not? So I swiped some of it onto my hand.  Got my cloud puff, swiped to get some product and gently tap, tap, tapped on my cheeks.  It was perfect!  I know it looks too pink on my hand, but I have a secret.  I applied this under foundation.  My skin is already red from rashes.  But the extra pink this gives balances it out.  And under foundation?  It’s the perfect natural flush....

  For many, many years, I’ve avoided dual-ended brushes.  I don’t like it when the other end gets dirty and squished in the container.  And for many, many years, I’ve used individual disposable spoolies to groom my brows.  But since I’ve been busier, I started buying more brushes. More brushes means less time spent washing them frequently.  More brushes meant more eyebrow brushes.  However, the brushes at KKV only had these dual tip ones.  (I’ve stopped buying expensive brushes. Tell you why in a future issue.) So, I had no choice. I tried a couple.  And I was smitten.  Forget about crushes.  I’m committed.  I haven’t realized how much time I could save by using just this brush!  I know it sounds exaggerated.  But for someone who continuously refines her systems to shave 5 seconds here and there, this is a big deal for me.  Instead of drawing my eyebrows, putting the brush down, reaching for the spoolie, grooming my b...