Another friend recommended renskincare.com for general skincare but I couldn’t find a sun cream product. I want to add too that I haven’t personally tried any if these products or companies, they are recommendations from others 🙂
I’ve just realised (yes a bit slow…) that I only have six days left of my challenge. I want to get some skin products to try before I finish! However, if I don’t in happy to get them after and report back here with what I find.
I’m not going to continue to blog each day once my make up free month is over. But I do want to continue to talk about both my art alongside issues such as skin/health/chemicals etc. My art journey has taken such an exciting turn in the last year that I’d like to start talking about it more here. Perhaps I can manage a blog post every few days??? Don’t hold me to that though!
I’ve also decided that I’m going to produce another piece of makeup art with my left over old makeup. Rather than just throw it in the landfill I will use up my makeup in a piece of art that I will describe and photograph it here. I will then do my best to recycle the left over bottles/packages!
Right, best get planning!
If you haven’t yet seen my Street Art video – Skin- please take a peek!
If you would like to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support please do so via my Just giving page or via text as described below. xxxxxx http%
I’m reading a book at the moment about women, business, goal setting, success etc. Some of it I have to take with a pinch of salt. Having had my very british upbringing it’s enthusiasm makes me giggle/raise my eyebrows at times. But some of the tips are good old common sense that are easy things to forget/good habits to break/make. However one line just jumped out at me!
“Looking and feeling great can have a direct impact on your earning potential. Women who are well groomed earn more, it’s a fact.” P167 “Get Rich, Lucky Bitch” Denise Duffield-Thomas
So…. (Some?) people really believe this. She does go on to say thag it’s about confidence. And this I definitely see as true. But ‘well groomed’? And what does this mean?
I know my husband has commented that he rarely sees unshaven, stubbly faces in the men at higher levels where he works. That being well groomed is certainly part of looking/being or being seen to ‘look’ professional. So for women, what does this include? Hair and Clothing as with men… And makeup? I’m aware it often includes piercings and tattoos too. And weight?
I guess this really depends on what your work is, the culture of your workplace or profession. Can your confidence outweigh your appearance? I’d love to read more about this. Any links would be greatly appreciated!
On a personal note today we had some lovely sunshine and wind here on the coast. My freckles are coming out and my face feels a little overcooked! Which leads me to another product issue. Sun Cream! Who uses it? Who doesn’t? I have friends who do and don’t. Being a freckle-some redhead I’ve always been told to wear it. And when I haven’t I’ve occasionally burnt. Not something pleasant, it’s very painful and potentially according to some research increases my chance of skin cancer.
Application of sun cream however, depending what product you use, means using chemicals, and some other debates I’ve heard include the potential harm to your skin from using this too! Argh!! Bloody product debates. It’s easy to be sceptical about research, when often it’s done or funded by the product companies or their alternatives. But I know I DO burn, and I don’t want to, and I like being outside in the summer and having some sunshine. I guess I could wear long sleeves and hats as I often suggest my children do. But I love my dresses/shorts …. Even if it does often mean blinding people with the reflection of my bright white legs 😉
So… No answer, more questions and a slightly pink face today. Maybe I can see if those who produce gentle or homemade makeup also do some sun protection products or advice. Or some kind soul who reads this may respond…… Please?
Night night x
If you haven’t yet seen my Street Art video – Skin- please take a peek!
If you would like to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support please do so via my Just giving page or via text as described below. xxxxxx http://www.justgiving.com/Susan-Merrick
A little post today as I’m on my holidays and for some reason because I have children, that means I get to have less sleep than normal!
Today I saw a post by Vogue about going barefaced! Yey! It mentions some natural alternatives for skin care too, to care for your skin so you can feel confident going makeup free. I’m clearly very on trend then 😉 and it’s good to see a high profile fashion mag acknowledging that it’s not all about makeup.
I’ve also come across a lovely little etsy site that appears to use completely homemade and natural products. I’m going to try and order some to use as soon as my month is up. Not because I’m desperate to put makeup on, but because these products sound so fab I really want to try them! Once I’ve checked out the site and ingredients I will order some and let you know what they are like.
I’m now going to end my day of seaside air and running around with the munchkins with a glass of wine and an early night…. With a quick photo first from my makeupfree day 23. Oh and if you have a spare £1 please text the number below with the code MMFM 50 to 70070 to raise a bit of cash for the wonderful organisation Macmillan, (which I’ve just realised I had typed incorrectly on almost all of my other posts!! Grrr).
Night night
If you haven’t yet seen my Street Art video – Skin- please take a peek!
If you would like to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support please do so via my Just giving page or via text as described below. xxxxxx http://www.justgiving.com/Susan-Merrick
For me sexuality has often played a large part in my makeup wearing. Largely due to my reliance on makeup to feel attractive, and feeling attractive playing a large part in my own sexuality. Is this common for women in general? Women in the west? Is it just as much an issue for straight/gay/bi/trans women? Does class, income, race affect it? Or is it actually as individual as I think it might be? Depending on upbringing, culture, confidence, lifestyle, …… I could go on!
Going without makeup has forced me to look at myself, my face and body in a different way. This month I have had times when I have felt less attractive, but I’ve also had times when I’ve felt much more confident in myself. Attractiveness (or how attractive I feel) and sexuality are two very different things, I am aware of this, however for me personally they have always been intrinsically linked.
As I have grown older I have found both more and less confidence in my appearance, but more confidence in my sexuality. And more confidence as a woman.
Through having children I felt a strength and empowerment over my body that I had never felt before. An ownership that I wished I had known when I was younger. Those who know me know I can talk for days about birth, I won’t here except to say one thing about it. I experienced both a Caesarean birth and then a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean). These two experiences have played a very large part in how I see my body and how I feel about myself. Both negatively and positively.
More recently through my art I am finding an expression of my female strength and sensuality. Being able to explore these elements through art is very liberating.
In terms of makeup it could be argued that it takes away our power and natural sensuality. Feeling so reliant on it as I have, does this somehow dampen my body ownership? I’m sure there are many arguments towards cosmetic companies and advertising to perpetuate this reliance too. Marketing which encourage us to look younger, fresher, smoother, painted, pouted and lashful! And then profit from our reliance on their products to do this!
But as we have already discussed, makeup is not new. It’s use has not appeared alongside mass media production. Men and women alike have used it for centuries for health, ritual, practical as well as enhancing reasons.
And personally I don’t think it does ‘take my power’. My reliance on it has been a pain definitely. But it’s at times given me a sense of power through the confidence it’s given me.
I’ve always worn makeup for both myself and my perceived appearance to others. What may make me feel fabulous after this month is to wear it only for me in future. Id love to hear other views on this. Whether others feel a similar reliance on makeup, have done previously and gotten over it? or is it just me?
If you haven’t yet seen my Street Art video – Skin- please take a peek!
If you would like to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support please do so via my Just giving page or via text as described below. xxxxxx http://www.justgiving.com/Susan-Merrick
The curator comes from an art history background and uses, reviews, collects, exhibits and talks about makeup and cosmetics, alongside art, beauty, feminism and much more. The aim of the website is to be a virtual museum, discussion place about makeup and to explore cosmetics as art objects.
As I have discussed earlier this month makeup seems to have been around for centuries, and cosmetics therefore can potentially play a huge role in social history, female history and art/fashion history. The site is really worth a look and her idea if eventually having the museum as a physical space really interests me.
The other site that I’ve found and want to explore more as I come to the end of my makeup free month, is
http://www.starkhechara.com
Star discusses the links between what we eat and our skin, as well as having a plethora of information on natural or organic products.
As I head towards my final week I am thoroughly used to not putting on makeup in the morning now. My skin feels wonderful, it looks better, and I feel generally more confident without it. And there is a little bit more ‘I don’t care’ attitude too! I can’t hide when I’m tired without makeup, but to be honest in not sure how good a job my makeup did of that before!
I am excited however to throw away my old makeup (which is all old, probably past it’s best and definitely full of chemicals). I want to replace it with just a few good natural or gentle products if I can find them. Then for nights out I can still enjoy painting my face, creating characters or looks but feel better about what I put on my skin.
Someone already recommended a product by Benefit called benetint. It’s not chemical free but it is a simple product that can be used sparingly on lips and cheeks and potentially with nothing else.
I have to admit, scrolling through the benefit makeup list just then actually made me crave applying some makeup! How mad is that? So… I definitely miss the art side of makeup wearing. Let the hunt for some good makeup begin… And only for when I fancy!! Xxx
If you haven’t yet seen my Street Art video – Skin- please take a peek!
If you would like to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support please do so via my Just giving page or via text as described below. xxxxxx http://www.justgiving.com/Susan-Merrick
