Not sure where it has come from, maybe marketing or the media, but who made up beauty rules?
I'm not talking about the ingredients and regulations; I am talking about how we use beauty products, their purpose and what beauty products we need.
Take the cotton bud, for example.
They were invented in 1923 by a man who watched his wife attach bits of cotton to toothpicks to clean her baby's outer ears and nose. Who would have thought they would become a bathroom and beauty staple for men and women worldwide for centuries? (His wife would have loved our reusable buds as the silicone tips are softer on a baby.)
And in the 1990s, some awesome person (let's assume it was a lady because I can't find out who actually did it) invented the first liquid cleanser. This was after many years of using a simple bar of soap to clean that thick makeup off. Have you ever used a 'cheap' bar of soap to clean your face? You could crack it after like a mirror; it is so tight.
I remember when my friends and I used to put food colouring in our hair over the holidays (which I believe teens still do today). Then cut up old stockings to apply many plaits to our hair. We thought we were so cool!
Problem solving skin concerns.
But since switching to eco-friendly or sustainable beauty products, I opened my eyes to challenge how I use my products and think outside the box.
Going back to the cotton buds, which I used my whole life to remove makeup smudges. I suddenly stopped buying them and tested how they would replace single-use ones. Which went on to be our first product, the Reusable Beauty Buds. I then realised I don't need cotton buds to remove makeup; I could use my face cloth, reusable face pads, or, better yet, a clean/ dry finger.
For years I have been experiencing rashes on my underarms, face and legs post activities like shaving, surfing, swimming, and even long runs. I tried all sorts of creams and preventative measures that didn't work. One day I started using an old travel-size cleanser I didn't like as shaving gel for my legs. After a couple of weeks of using the cleanser, my leg razor burn rashes stopped flaring up so bad. After doing some research, it seems like the cleanser is gentle and balances the pH instead of stripping the skin, reducing the irritation.
In 2022 and the age of TikTok, millions of people are sharing their transferrable beauty hacks and tips. Breaking the rules and changing the way we have been traditionally taught or 'sold' about using beauty products.
Here are some of the things I do to break my own rules of beauty:
- I mix it with nude or light lipstick with eyeshadow and apply it as a waterproof eye shadow balm.
- Use a gentle tonic/toner for my under-arm and legs to calm irritated skin after-shaving
- Apply un-wanted moisturising creams or balms to the top of hands and feet
- Use reusable buds to apply makeup like eyeliner, eye shadow blending, apply eyebrow serums and lip masks
- Put sunscreen on my hair before entering the ocean to prevent it from drying out
- Use a tiny bit of pink clay mask over a spot under the foundation to calm inflamed skin
- Use reusable under-eye masks to treat other parts of my face, along with using them as a guide for eyeliner
I encourage you to try, test, experiment, and find new ways to repurpose those beauty products (but please be safe). You never know; you might start the next new craze and trend.
Do you have a beauty hack you would like to share? Comment below.
If you loved this blog post, don't forget to share and like :)
Thank you for your support
T&G x