Confessions of a Makeup Virgin, Part 1
By Annie Mooers
Like most twenty-somethings, I’m trying to get my life together. As I move through the journey toward adulthood, my main quest is to be at my best physically, emotionally, and mentally.
I have little to no experience with makeup. Growing up, I was pretty much your quintessential tomboy. I have two older brothers who taught me how to understand sports early in life, and most of my outfits in childhood pictures consist of T-shirts, mesh shorts, and a single pair of sneakers. I attended Catholic schools throughout my youth, so I was never allowed to wear makeup in middle school and I never thought to try it at my all-girls high school. What’s more, the sport I pursued was swimming! There was no point trying to experiment with makeup if it was just going to come off in the chlorinated water.
When I was 15, my mom introduced me to Clinique, which is an amazing way to begin your skin care experience. However, I definitely didn’t use the products as much as I should have and my face didn’t quite serve as the base that makeup products really deserve. Throughout high school dance seasons, my makeup knowledge grew slightly. I sort of knew how to put on foundation, and mascara and lipstick were a breeze! Now, in college, I’m sorry to say I still don’t know too much.
You might ask, “Why are we talking about skin care when this is a makeup column?” Well, we need a good face-base for the makeup itself! If you have bad, oily or dry skin, you won’t get the cosmetic results you’re looking for if your skin care is wrong or nonexistent.
I’ve been blessed to have pretty good skin thus far in life and I’ve had various skin care routines in the past couple of years. But they’ve always involved products from multiple different companies.
This time, I was fortunate to collaborate with the Senior Director of Public Relations at Clarins, Nassima Kebir, and have her help me pick out the products that would work best with my skin type. These products from Clarins are designed to work well together. I couldn’t wait to see these products step up my skin game.
Twice a day for a week, I washed my face using this routine: First, I used the the Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Shea Butter ($26). Second, I dabbed on the Multi-Active Eye ($45), an instant eye reviver, around and my under eyes. Next, I applied the Alcohol-Free, Extra-Comfort Toning Lotion ($26). For the final step, I hydrated my skin with the Multi-Active Day Moisturizer with SPF 20 Moisturizer ($56) for the first half of the week and the Hydra-Essentiel Silky Cream with SPF 15 ($48) for the latter half. The main difference between the two moisturizers is that one is designed to work for all skin types while the other is specific to normal-to-dry skin.
Immediately after the first time I washed my face and used the moisturizers, my skin felt refreshed. The products were light on my face. They hydrated without drowning. The products don’t have a scent, which is something I like, except for the toner. Using the toner was like using aromatherapy, which made my new routine even more enjoyable.
The creamy moisturizers quickly absorbed into my skin. I saw that the more expensive the product, the less you need to get the job done. This is definitely the case with Clarins. I still have so much product left to use, and I plan to use all of it until I run out and then I’ll replenish my supply. My skin hasn’t look this good in a long time. It hasn’t FELT this good in forever. A couple of my friends recently remarked on the freshness of my skin. Isn’t that one of the best compliments? Someone telling you how lovely your skin is?
If you want great skin, use Clarins. Check out my week-long Clarins journey here:
