I'm a wife, stay-at-home mom, crafter, and blogger living in rural New England. As seen in Martha Stewart Living, Food Network Magazine, and more! | Tutorials, DIY, crafts, parenting tips, recipes, money saving tips, product reviews, local product features, New England living, intentional living, and more! |
When our daughter started middle school it was like a switch flipped and she was instantly interested in wearing makeup. It’s a totally normal part of growing up and I remember first getting into makeup in middle school as well - nevertheless, it’s still so bittersweet watching them grow up so quick. I told her she could wear makeup as long as I helped pick it out because if it’s something she wants to wear all day and everyday it’s important to wear safe products. | This post is not sponsored and contains my personal opinion as well as affiliate links |
Disclaimer: This post contains my personal opinion based on what I’ve learned - please do your own research on the matter and choose what make up is right for your daughter.
In the past I’ve let our kids wear cheap drugstore-brand makeup for things like dance recitals and plays, after all it’s just for a short time a few times a year and the bold colors are important to show up on stage - I wasn’t really concerned about chemical exposure or anything. But now that my daughter wants to wear make up daily I think it’s important to pick products that are considered safer and don’t have chemicals or additives that could affect long-term health.
After reading around, I found EWG’s Skin Deep website, where you can look up products and see what they rate. EWG Verified or a low number implies that it’s safer, while a higher number means that it contains ingredients that are considered less-safe. It’s my understanding that these ratings are to be taken with a grain of salt, but it’s a great starting point when consciously trying to choose safer products.
The basics.
What we Chose for Makeup
For us, we wanted to choose natural-looking makeup that was very well ranked through EWG. After consulting the list and comparing prices we chose:
Well People Expressionist Pro Mascara in Brown - this was ranked very well on EWG and priced so much more affordably than most other brands. We chose the brown color over the black for a more natural look.
Well People Supernatural Stick Multi-Use Blush in Peach - again, this was ranked very well on EWG and priced so much more affordably than most other brands. We chose Peach because it complimented our daughter's skin tone the best. This product can also be used as a lip color as well so it does double-duty!
Blending Brush for blending cream blush - this brush was not certified or anything but I have this brush myself and love it! It feels great, helps blend cream blush perfectly, and you can't beat the price point!
I think this is the perfect starting point for natural looking, safer makeup for a tween or teen. I know we will build on this over time and eventually add concealer, eye shadow, etc but this is a great introduction to makeup and skincare. After all, makeup looks best on well taken care of skin and it’s important to remind your daughter to remove her makeup every night and go to bed with a clean face. Enjoy this milestone of growing up!
Side note: If your tween or teen wants to wear makeup, consider having them pay for it themselves instead of you buying it for them. They are growing up and having them pay for it is a great lesson in responsibility and being mindful on how much things cost. Since my daughter had to purchase these products herself she’s been very good about not wasting them or losing them.
Recently I realized “Crap. I’m almost in my mid-30’s… and it’s all downhill from here. Time to start proactively taking care of my skin!” Up until this point I was just washing my face and maybe using some moisturizer some days and that was it. Thankfully I don’t really have any wrinkles or fine lines to speak of - yet - but I know they’ll be coming on soon. After some trial and error and consulting some friends that are really into skincare products, I settled on a simple routine that I’m enjoying so far and feel as though I’m getting the best bang for my buck. The best part? Most of these are inexpensive drug store finds, with just a few high-end heavy hitters. | This post contains affiliate links |
Simple Mid-30's Skincare Routine - Everything I’m using as the moment, including occasional treatments.
Disclaimer: I am not a “beauty blogger” or skincare expert, just sharing what I’m using and loving so far. It’s a good idea to consult your dermatologist or a skincare expert for more specific recommendations for your skin type and lifestyle. Also make sure to consult your doctor if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, as certain skincare ingredients should not be used during those times.
AM Routine
Simple Mid-30's Skincare Routine - AM
Step One:Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleanser Every morning I start with using this Neturogena Naturals Cleanser, I really love this one because it's very gentle on my sensitive skin and smells amazing.
Step Two: CeraVe Vitamin C Serum (not pictured.. I started using this after I first published this post) After I cleanse and before I moisturize I put a little bit of this Vitamin C Serum on my skin. I feel as though it's made a big difference in evening out my skin tone and brightening. I also really love the way it feels!
Step Three: Clinique Moisture Surge Moisturizer I have been using this moisturizer for years and LOVE it. It's so light and a little goes a really long way. While it is a little on the expensive side, one jar lasts me forever so I definitely get a lot bang for my buck with this one.
What I'm Missing:SUNSCREEN This is a huge hole in my daily regimen and I know that... I have been trying to find a light, mineral based sunscreen for daily wear and haven't found the right one just yet. Once I find one I like I will update this post - and if you have any you love, please let me know!
PM Routine
Simple Mid-30's Skincare Routine - PM Routine
Step One: Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water This cleanser is perfect for end-of-day cleansing and removing makeup. I use the Blue verison since I sometimes wear waterproof mascara and it works like a charm to take it all off (the Pink version is reccomended for regular cleansing and non-water proof makeup removal). I just put a little bit on a cotton round and wipe it all away, no rinsing needed.
Step Two: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum This serum has come highly reccomended to me by so many people as an important part of their daily skincare routine. It has hyaluronic acid which is supposed to help moisturize your skin and reduce fine lines. While I can't attest to wrinkle reduction (I don't have any yet), it does make my skin feel amazingly smooth afterwards and I'm hoping it will keep fine lines at bay in the future. This serum can be expensive but I find a little goes a long way and I haven't made much of a dent in the bottle at all yet.
These are things I do occasionally, maybe once every 2-4 weeks or whenever I feel like it. I never use both masks in the same weekend though - I spread them out.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrogel Mask This is a great, refreshing, hydrating mask. Love using this when my skin might be feeling a little dull or dry.
Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask This mask is amazing for deep cleaning pores! It comes as a powder and you mix a little in a bowl with some warm water to make the mask - you can also mix it with a little bit of Apple Cider Vinegar to give the mask a little more power. Since you mix it yourself you can stretch one jar for a long time.
Vanicream Lite Lotion I got this as a sample and love it for spot treating any extra dry spots that occasionally pop up, especially after doing a mask. It's fragrence-free too which is a nice break when my skin might be feeling sensitive.
Important Buying Tip: When purchasing “higher end” brands (such as Clinique or Estée Lauder), always make sure you’re purchasing directly from the company or from an established department store chain (such as Nordstrom, Macy’s, etc) to make sure you’re getting real, legitimate products. While you may be able to find high-end brands listed for sale on other online retailers (yes, even the big ones), these products are often knock-offs sold by third party sellers and who knows what could be in them.
Does anyone else need makeup help out there or am I the only clueless one? These days with a toddler I'm lucky if I get any make-up on my face at all but in the past I've always just stuck to the tried-and-true concealer, powder, a little shadow, mascara = done. I've always wanted to up my makeup game though; learn about contouring, layering, and creating fun looks for date nights and parties, which is why I was so excited to learn that a college friend had started a YouTube channel dedicated to all of these things!
Corey Anne was my dorm-mate in college and back then I would have never imagined that the soccer-playing tomboy next door would have her own makeup tutorial series someday! Corey has been interested in makeup for a long time but decided to take the leap into tutorials and vlogging fairly recently. She's really enjoyed learning and sharing from others on YouTube and thought it was time to put herself out there too.
Corey's videos cover everything from basic how-tos to costume makeup to product and Birch Box reviews. They're entertaining to watch and the step-by-step makes the looks achievable for everyone. I've shared her Holiday Makeup Look below; I love how it's glamorous with just a hint of flashy - but not over the top. It'd totally be suitable to wear to a work party, an outing with friends, or even to a family event if everyone's just a little dressed up.
Now, if you'll excuse me I need to go practice my eyeliner technique.
