Let me just start this post off by saying I feel slightly stupid writing about what I use on my face, despite a few comments and emails asking me exactly that.� And the funny thing is that I love to read beauty regimen posts on other blogs.� In fact, Tristan’s beauty posts are always my favorites, as are Anna’s.� My hesitation could lie in the fact that both of these bloggers are prettier, thinner, and more knowledgeable than I am on the subject.� But, in truth, my hesitation lies in the fact that you are about to get the same advice your 78 year old grandmother could give you the next time she has you over for casserole and jello salad.
I am fickle.� I show absolutely no brand loyalty, and have no qualms trying something new–which I do regularly.� However, there are three products that I have used religiously, in between bouts of experimentation, for the last 20 years.� Time and time again, these are the products I weigh against anything new I bring home.� They are old fashioned, unglamorous, far from hip, and dirt cheap to boot.� In fact, you can buy all three at the supermarket.
Ponds Cold Cream. Yes, the same stuff your grandmother and strippers in Vegas slather on to remove heavy makeup. I love it. I love the grandma smell (many don’t), I love the way it removes all my makeup (except mascara–I don’t use it around my eyes), and I love how smooth my dry skin feels afterward.� To use it, I just rub it all over my face for a minute or so.� Then, I wet one of the boys’ old washcloths in warm water and wipe it all off.� I have been using it religiously the last couple of months (and off an on for 20 years), and I have seen an appreciable difference in my complexion.� My skin is clearer and my pores look slightly smaller.� I attribute this to technique.� When I use soap or rinseable products, I find that some gets left behind in the rinsing process (and the sink and the front of your shirt get annoyingly wet), leaving me prone to hairline bumps.
After I wash my face with grandma cream, I follow it up with prairie toner.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you about my old lady tendencies.� I have used Dickinson’s Original Witch Hazel, which has been around since the 1800s, since I was 15 years old.� To put it in perspective, this product had been around a good twenty-thirty years by the time Laura Ingalls Wilder was born.� James Madison was president and California was, truly, the Wild West.� But, hey, 200 hundred years on the market–you don’t need me to tell you it works. (I can never find the witch hazel formulated for the face and use the one above, which is more for first aid.� Totally gentle, and my sensitive skin has never had a problem.)
I then follow it up with lotion and eye cream.� Again, I use a brand that has been around for 50 years: Oil of Olay.� I’m not joking, and I’m not cheap!� Trust me, I have no problem dropping serious cash on beauty products–and when I was working I did just that.� But, at the end of the day, I found that most expensive products aren’t any better than what you can find for much less elsewhere.� Right now, I am working my way through Oil of Olay’s new Professional line, and I have been very pleased with the reduction of fine lines and crepe paper skin under my eyes.
So that’s it.� My Grandma Chic Beauty Regime for all the world to mock.� Or see.� But most likely mock.� Not that I can blame you for chuckling–two out of three products are so old the companies offer product renderings instead of images.� Drawings!� Colored pencil sketches, no doubt so their loyal customers, not yet accustomed to color photography, don’t get the vapors at the sight of that sexy toner bottle in the flesh.
I love witch hazel! Lovelovelove and use it all the time. And for some reason my cat Nacho is obsessed with it. After I’ve put it on my face he will use actual cat muscle to get up there and lick my cheeks for an hour if I let him. So I consider that a toner AND an exfoliation!
Hah! That’s funny. :) Tristan just told me today a great tip–add rose essential oil to your witch hazel. Not only does it make it smell yummy (if you like the smell of old lady rose like I do) but it’s really good for your skin. I’m sure she’ll tell us why in the comments. She’s doing a post on witch hazel soon, too. That girl knows beauty and skin care!
Grandma Chic! Sweet!
I use Pond’s and Oil of Olay too, Dove soap in the shower. Wanna know why?
Because it smells like the summers I used to stay at my grandma’s. Love.
I am also an Oil of Olay gal… It works and I don’t have to think about finding anything better. I’m grateful that bit of my brain can think about shoe choices : )
I can’t get past the smell of Pond’s, but I love the thick slathery texture of it.
We all know it’s really just your natural beauty coming out!
Only the original smells like old lady, but the others don’t exactly smell modern, either. Maybe middle aged cougar, if anything.
Becky, you flatter me–and so does the soft afternoon light that hides all the blemishes and wrinkles.
you have gorgeous skin! glad to see what you use
Oh, you are a woman after my own heart. This is EXACTLY the same routine I have. I use Avon’s Advanced Solutions AM/PM for eyes as my eye cream (which I have to tell you, it is fabulous!). That is my one big splurge. I am excited about trying something other than Pond’s though. I love it, but the smell isn’t my favorite. Thanks for the heads up. Target has really gotten some great new beauty products these days.
I will have to check out this Avon eye cream. You know, the best mascara I have ever used was from Avon. I can’t remember the name, but I know they no longer make it.
Strippers? Really? Learn something new every day.
Good beauty post. Like that you use classics.
What Olay products have you tried and liked? I am going through them too but I have haven’t ponied up for the more expensive version (the red packaging) just the serum and a face cream that I gave to the Fancy because I didn’t think it was ‘strong’ enough. I am sooo curious now!
Oh yes, if you don’t use the cold cream near your eyes than how do you take your mascara off?
Tristan–I’m using the Intense Wrinkle Protocol from Oil of Olay. I am very happy with it! Of course I still have the deep wrinkles when I smile, but the fine lines around my eyes are nearly gone, and I see a definite improvement in the crepe paper skin in the inner corners of my eyes.
To remove mascara, I use Lancome’s Bifacil eye makeup remover. Ive tried almost every eye makeup remover on the market, including the much revered Almay Oil pads, but so far this works the best for me–and doesn’t burn my eyes or give me blurry vision!
I want to know why my links in the comments are reverting back to my own blog. Very annoying! The code I am inserting is for the actual website. Hrmpf.
Well, this is where it SHOULD be linking:
Oil of Olay: http://olayprofessional.com/proX-Intensive-Wrinkle.html
Lancome: http://www.lancome-usa.com/skincare/eye-makeup-remover/bi-facil.htm
Okay, I think I fixed it. Stupid magic toasters.
what if you have naturally oily skin, would these products work? Also, I use a 99 cent bottle of Johnson and Johnson’s Baby Oil to remove my mascara :)
I’ve always heard that it’s ok for people with oily skin to use cold cream. But I would think toner is a must. What the doctor told me (and I think we’ve all heard this before) is that the more you strip, the more you encourage your body to produce more oils. It’s the same idea behind washing your hair every other day or so instead of every day.
I use Johnson and Johnson baby oil after every shower! That’s the best moisturizer there is. Love that stuff. :) But I’ve tried jojoba oil to remove mascara with no success. :(
I have always loved witch hazel too. So wonderful.
Oil of Olay moisterizer here too baby! Easy to find & inexpensive!