Edition 32: Fashion Friday (now with beauty tips!)

You know why I love y’all? Because you make me feel less alone.

And even though I’ve never seen another woman at my neighborhood pool wearing a large hat in an attempt to both protect her face and hide her mustache, I now know that there are others out there with my same issues.

I just wish you lived closer so we could start some kind of support group. We could all sit around with our cream bleach on our upper lip and talk about how beauty was so much easier when we were fourteen and only had to worry about what flavor of Bonne Bell to use.

Or if our mamas noticed how much blue eyeshadow we had on as we headed to the mall on Friday night.

I have a million fashion questions to answer in my inbox and, frankly, it is stressing me out. However, I feel that the skincare issue is an important one, so that’s what I’m addressing today.

Plus, to be perfectly honest, I haven’t really seen any great clothes online lately. It’s kind of all the same stuff over and over again. Time to break out the fall fashions just in time for July.

Anyway, my mustache-eliminating regimen is a two-fold process.

1. I have had great success with Loreal’s Revitalift Micro-dermabrasion products. I use it about 2-3 times a week and after a few weeks, my skin looks noticeably better. This product alone helps significantly in reducing the appearance of the brown spots.

However, I am a believer in maximizing your efforts.

Otherwise known as being obsessive-compulsive.

Especially where age spots are concerned.

2. The other product that saved my life and my dignity during the horrible summer of horrendous mustache face was a bleaching cream with 2% hydroquinone. I can’t seem to find the brand that I used, but the key is to look for a product with 2% hydroquinone and use it faithfully twice a day.

It requires time and patience. Neither of which are really my gift.

Also, some people have a reaction to hydroquinone so use it sparingly at first to make sure that your skin can tolerate it and, for the love of everything, don’t use it on the days you do the micro-dermabrasion. It’s more than one face can handle. I don’t want any hate email about how hydroquinone ruined your life, so I’m handing out a warning right here and now.

Remember, I’m not a dermatologist. I just play one on the blog.

The biggest key to project mustache/age spot elimination success is to keep the sun completely off your face. Stock up on heavy-duty sunscreen and wear a big hat.

Speaking of hats, here are a few cute ones that I’ve found to assist me in both style and sun prevention efforts. I wear this hot pink one on an almost daily basis and on the plus side, there is no way the lifeguards won’t see me if I’m drowning.

I also like this one and this cowboy hat.

Here are a few other really cute, practical options.

Or you could always go with this option, but if you do please don’t tell me about it. Just put on your Vans and keep moving.

On another skincare note, I received an email from a reader named Kristi who asked me what kind of foundation I use. She was looking for “something that can take the heat, look flawless (on flawed skin), and be good for my combination, easily prone to adult acne, face” and asked me for recommendations. She’s been using Bare Minerals and isn’t thrilled with the coverage.

I recently switched from Bare Minerals for the same reason. I love how it feels, but wasn’t always satisfied with the coverage. My current foundation is by Laura Mercier and while I like the coverage, it feels too heavy in the summer heat and humidity.

So, do y’all have any good foundation recommendations? What product provides good coverage yet doesn’t feel too heavy? What about tinted moisturizers? Any luck with those?

I promise I’ll actually post about fashion next Friday, but I felt like the beauty issues had to be addressed. After all, fashion comes and goes, but your face is with you forever.

Much like a four-year-old who senses you are on the phone.

Hope y’all have a great Friday!

Oh, and don’t forget to head over to the LifeWay All-Access blog. There’s some good stuff going on over there and I have a new post up today.

**Edited to add: I fixed the link to the hot pink hat. Sorry about that. I was multi-tasking and put up the wrong link.

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