I had one of those evenings last night where I was so grateful for social media. I’ve always appreciated the tool for keeping up with friends and building my business when I was a full-time blogger. But since then I deleted my Facebook account. Never joined TikTok. Still trying to figure out Clubhouse. But I love Instagram.
First, a fun exchange of memes with the wittiest of my friends, Suzie. And an update on my new apartment with Katy (she also shared the best NYT article that seriously hit home). I appreciated hearing influencer/blogger insights from a new friend, Lindsay from NYC. A fun catch-up with my real-job-finance-world-soul-mate, Pamela. And a new favorite follow, former-hockey player and fellow golf player, Emma.
They all together inspired me to write. As this is indeed a beauty blog, I wanted to share an epiphany. I am definitely on the other side of life since I first started this blog. Ah, I was just barely 30 years old, almost eleven years ago. My skin is different now – duh. As this 41-year-old face tells me every autumn when I try to get back into my Tretinoin regime. I get so dry and red. I think it makes me look haggard when I try to use the product. Despite my being strict in easing into the routine, using a good moisturizer, etc. I just can’t break through to a glowy result. And one skin care professional I see recently likened it with hitting an ant with a sledgehammer. At least for me. If you can power through, more power to you! I just realized it wasn’t for me.
So I switched. My issues (besides fragile, sensitive skin – btw those are the words on my literal SkinGuru here in Tulsa), are occasional hormonal cystic acne, redness, and if I am not super careful, rosacea. After relinquishing myself to a Tretinoin-free life, I have found my skin is healthy, plumper, not-as-angry, and even actually the desired “glowy”.
As a side note, I also gave up on eye cream after my beautiful mother told me recently she never used one. I was tired of spending an arm and leg on them without much results. I think she was right – I have not noticed a single difference and haven’t used an eye product in three months. I also acknowledge that I don’t have super difficult bagginess and dark circles.
So I am sharing my current lineup below. There are a handful of cleansers. I rotate. And I love cleansers. LOL. Pamela is the one that taught me acne cleansers can be for us adults too and I am still hooked on her recommendation, PanOxyl. But I threw in a couple other favorites as well. My Instagram link is here so if you have any thoughts, please share!
By the way – if you are one of my loyal readers (which I bet you are), you are getting this post via email. You have to click through to see what I am using. Go to my actual site here.
