Embrace Your Beauty

When I was younger, I used to feel very unattractive.  In the Pakistani norm I wasn’t considered “fair” and nor did I have the perfectly luscious hair people see in Indian/Pakistani movies.  I was constantly scrutinized for not “taking care” of my skin, hair, etc.  This could not be far from the truth.  I loved my skin color, I didn’t love my hair, but learned to deal with it.  I have always been obsessed with appearance; I was your typical “girly” girl growing up. I have learned I will never be the prettiest, never the fairest, nor the one with the best hair.  And I am OK with it.  It comes from years of learning to respect yourself and shutting out the outside noise.

Shut Out the Noise!

Change the Way You Age

With that being said, from my early years working at Dior I became very aware of skin care and beauty products and their importance in my life.   Aging is inevitable but leaving your make up on, smoking, alcohol, stress can speed up the process.  I religiously wipe off my make up every night.  There is a theory that the face ages 7 days if you leave your make up on overnight.  Ever since my 20’s I have maintained a similar routine but have changed my products. Living in Texas I know sounds a little strange to say but my skin feels drier.  Perhaps it’s the fact we are always in air-conditioned rooms and try to stay out of the sun.  As I turned 40 last year, I saw a big difference in my skin.  It had started to look dull and dry.  I was reading through Allure magazine and the article was about dark spots and target areas.  Rated at the top of their list was Sunday Riley’s Tidal and Good Genes.  Being the product junky that I am, I went that day and bought both.  Just after two weeks of using it, my skin felt more alive and much smoother.  Tidal is a gel moisturizer that is fragrance free, it can be used daytime and nighttime.  In the past, I have used LaMer, Chanel, and Shieshedo and I felt absolutely no difference.  All of Sunday Riley’s products are fragrance free, and affordable.  Those of you who get migraines or are smell sensitive this is the line to try.  I know there is a lot of controversy out there over their reviews, but I am speaking from first-hand experience, and I really do love those two products by Sunday Riley.

 

Here are a few of my favorite facial products that I am currently using:

Cleanser: First Aid Beauty

Toner: Clinique Acne Solution

Serum (daytime/nighttime): Good Genes by Sunday Riley

Eye serum: Caffeine by The Inkey List

Eye Cream: Capture Totale by Christian Dior

Daytime/Nighttime Cream: Tidal by Sunday Riley

Night Time Serum: Kiehls Midnight Recovery (for those extra dry nights)