Rec
🛀
minimal skincare/makeup
now i firmly believe beauty culture is a product of white supremacy, capitalism, and patriarchy meant to construct and then profit off of widespread insecurities-- an idea that i first read in jessica defino's wonderful work. it tells us lies like you're not good enough as is... here is a magic fix to cure all your ailments... those natural aspects of your appearance are unslightly flaws!!... but buy this concealer and nobody will have to see it :). what lies!
over the past year i have grown tired of the endless aesthetic labor and self-criticism. and also the price tags of today's most popular beauty products. i'd like to have more time and energy for the other beautiful deep parts of life!
now i am down to a very straightforward cleanser/moisturizer/sunscreen/aquaphor for skincare & blush/mascara/perhaps eyeliner and a lip for makeup. giving up concealer was probably the hardest for me insecurity-wise (see: dark circles and occasional acne) but it has truly been so good for my skin!! sunscreen is an absolute non-negotiable. i am very partial to blush because i like to match the shade to how i am feeling and what i am wearing on a given day. the ultimate results to reducing your beauty product consumption are:
1. your skin will probably not be that different than when you bombard it with a 20-step routine 2. your wallet will be so much happier and you will have more $ to spend on non-superficial things! 3. you will have so much more time and energy for creative and comforting pursuits 4. your routine will feel much less arduous and much easier to stick to! 5. with time you will begin to feel more comfortable in your very own, unchanged skin. it doesn't need to change to please other people-- your face and body are so radically unique and divine! <3
and, divesting from beauty culture does not mean no engagement at all. i too still enjoy a face mask or a trip to the salon as a splurge self-care ritual. i like putting on a cute little blush and a red lip!! i do still care about my appearance-- but less so. i am more comfortable with my unadulterated face. my self-worth is less dependent on how i look. all that matters to me is that my external state authentically reflects my inner state!
for further reading on gender, class, and capitalism, def check out Problems of Women's Liberation by Evelyn Reed!! findable in gale archives if you have university access ^-^
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@antifabricated
Nov 13, 2024
30
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@mouse
Mood. whenever I wear makeup now for an event my skin breaks out like the next day and I just think “imagine this is what I was doing to my face every single day“. the myth that makeup doesn’t hurt your skin is so wild
Nov 13, 2024
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@antifabricated
mouse absolutely!! our skin was meant to be able to breathe without layers of products on top. i agree, my skin has felt so much better since i stopped covering it in Fake Stuff every day!
Nov 13, 2024
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@americaninperil
recently read susan sontag’s essay “the double standard of aging” and it really has had me rethinking my skin care routine :// lowkey why am I putting so much energy into something that is in service of social expectations I personally believe are BS.
Nov 13, 2024
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@antifabricated
americaninperil ooh thank you for the essay rec-- i will check that out! it is so important to interrogate the social expectations we're trained to conform to... where did they come from? who benefits when we follow them? beauty expectations are certainly included here and lately i am sooo tired of following them. esp when i remember they were constructed and hold no objective reality!
Nov 13, 2024
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@marxinista
THIS!!! my life def got like 10% better when i stopped wearing concealer/foundation !! i will say i feel like as someone who identifies as femme it can be hard to me because queer subversive beauty is important to my identity but i’ve had to do a lot unpacking and all to separate it from internalized misogyny/desire to be acceptable or what have you
Nov 13, 2024
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@antifabricated
marxinista mmm totally. i think there's always a give and take between your motives for wearing makeup-- indeed it can be a wonderful, validating means for self-expression. that was its original function in early human society based on what i know. i try to keep in mind the question: who am i wearing this for? does it feel obligatory? how would i feel without it?
Nov 13, 2024
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@taterhole
I’m with you I rarely use makeup and when I do it’s minimal with clean beauty products that wipe away almost entirely with water… And for skincare I just use sunscreen if I’m going to have direct sun exposure + a cream cleanser + cocoa butter as moisturizer. I resent the idea that I need to spend time and money to beautify and meticulously preserve myself!
Nov 13, 2024
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@antifabricated
taterhole yup yup i love to hear this. you are so right-- we do not deserve to be expending all this energy punishing, manipulating, and concealing our lovely selves!!
Nov 13, 2024
1

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Look at yourself less
1. I promise promise you don’t look decrepit or dying, I know that it feels that way but you are a much harsher critic than everyone around you 2. If looking at yourself is making you overly anxious, or self-critical, try to do it less— we look at ourselves so much more now than at any other time in history, and it’s okay to disengage when that feels bad or unrewarding 3. When I feel ugly, I brush my teeth and wash my face— even if it doesn’t fix that feeling, I am now cleaner and have taken care of myself a little. Try drinking water, and if you feel that there’s a particular skin issue, schedule an appointment— nothing is more affirming than having a professional tell you that a) they see this all the time, and b) they can help you resolve the things that bother you. General skin tips: - drink a glass of water every time you eat— if you have a hard time remembering to hydrate, tying it to an established habit can help - find a moisturizer and face wash you enjoy using (I use CeraVe and sometimes Beekman) - get some sun — this is good for your body and your brain - try two weeks off sugar and dairy, if you’re able— these are both often linked to worse skin - find something that makes you feel confident. I don’t often wear makeup on my skin, but I do my mascara (Ilia) and my lipstick (MAC or Clinique black honey) every day, and that makes me feel way more confident, without clogging my pores or feeling I have to cover up to go out.
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@nadiyaelyse
Nov 5, 2024
7
Rec
⚗️
the less skincare the better
i don't know who needs to hear this (me. i need to hear this. i wrote this rec for me.) but late-stage capitalism influencers reaaaally want you to believe you need to have this whole grand 15-step skincare routine with all the little gadgets and gizmos or you are doing something fundamentally wrong. hear me out here - you are fine. the only thing they are contributing to is the ever-growing need to consume and the systematic destruction of your skin barrier. as long as you wash your face regularly and put on some sunscreen every morning, the rest is mostly just for the vibes.
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@saraiguess
Mar 21, 2024
12
Rec
💆
More minimal skincare
Okay, so I fell into the tik tok trap of trying to look like a teenager for as long as possible, and I told my dermatologist to prescribe me retinol. I used it, like three nights a week, and then got so obsessed with the false belief I had in my head that it was making me like a doll, I was using it almost night...yikes. But THEN, I went to a facialist and the second I walked in she was like ….”you’re using retinol, aren’t you?” and she told me it was irritating my skin and that I should stop immediately. She told me to stop with all the serums, the at home peels, the 200$ lotion, and instead wash my face with Klorane’s micellar blue cornflower water…random lol. And to use Avene’s Cicalfate+ cream by pressing it, not rubbing it, into my face over and over again. I’ve never had a more minimal skincare regime in my life, of course I still use SPF every morning, but stripping back on all the glamorous goops has seriously improved my skin texture and my overall vibe. Also, I’m saving so much money because I’m literally addicted to buying skincare, and now I feel like I’m not allowed to, and I have a weird religious school instilled thing where I don’t really do things i’m “not allowed” to do lol. More on that in my next album.
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@grace-ives
Dec 20, 2022
1

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