Oh hello! I’ve missed this space, even if it’s taken me months to find the time to sit and write again. Time has been a scarce resource, and while I have tried to be better at managing my time, I’ve underestimated the time I’ve needed to spend in the kitchen.
If you are unaware, I presently run a commercial kitchen making treats for pets (dogs, mainly). Not ever having operated a commercial kitchen before, it has been a steep learning curve, especially once we took the steps to take ourselves out of the home kitchen, and into a commercial space. That said, it has been very rewarding, and I would not have it any other way at this point in time! 🙂
What the long hours and late nights at work has meant is that I have had far less time to spend on an extensive skincare routine; and if I’m to be honest, it hasn’t been all that bad! In fact, it has taught me a few things about excesses.
Just one of anything is good enough
Just before the Chinese New Year, I did a deep spring clean of my dresser. At any point in time, I used to have at least 3 different containers on my dresser, holding various skincare products. Not only did I have different products, I had different brands of the same product – ostensibly in the name of ‘testing’. The dressing table was FULL!
In order for me to have a clean slate, I threw everything out. Anything that was old or half-used that I didn’t find myself reaching for was out. In the process, I streamlined everything down to just having 1 brand of a skincare step open at any one time. What you see in the photo above is all I have for skincare these days – still a lot, but far less than before.
Whether I loved or hated the product, I’d only stick to using that one item until it was finished. If it was something I wasn’t loving much, I’d use a little more so it goes more quickly 😛
I realised that just using one of anything was quite enough, be it one retinol serum, one Vitamin C serum, or one moisturiser. There was no need for me to have 3 different brands, or 3 different types of serums open at one time – it was enough.
Products finish within a reasonable time
Using just one product for months on end means they actually finish. All those years of being so hyped about ’empties’ meant nought, when I was emptying products like a pro! Or rather, like a normal person LOL 😛
The good thing of course, is that a product finishes within a reasonable time, which means I don’t have half-opened, half-finished bottles and jars cluttering my dresser and my mind. This also means that whatever opened product does not go bad or oxidise, because they are being used up slowly but surely. This is in contrast to the days when I’d forget that I had an opened bottle of Vitamin C serum, and notice it only after it had turned brown. My Vitamin C serums don’t have time to brown anymore! 😀
Products are more effective
When I was blogging actively and being an unpaid product tester (like so many ‘influencers’ out there today), I’d be strict about dedicating a month’s use of a skincare product, before deciding if it was any good for me. This meant that brands got tired of engaging with me after a spell, as I wouldn’t sing their songs and do a silly TikTok dance video within 3 days of receiving the product LOL! 😀
Ever since I now use and finish products as I go along, I have realised that most products are pretty effective at what they promise to do, albeit some act more quickly than others. Some Vitamin C serums that I wasn’t keen on the past (Mad Hippie Vitamin C comes to mind) is now pretty decent, albeit more gentle than I’m used to. I am far less hesitant to recommend it today, than I was 5 years ago.
This also means that I allow the product to run its course with my skin, as it usually takes about 2 months at minimum to finish a skincare product. When I use a product daily, I barely notice this passing of time.
Not mixing different products that serve the same function means I allow one product to act on my skin, and allows me to see if it is truly as effective as it claims (it usually is, just slower or faster). And on an overall basis, it’s better for my skin too.
Facial masks aren’t terribly necessary
I have masks in my skincare wardrobe, but because I am now time-poor, I haven’t had the time nor energy to use them. Most of my masks are wash-off masks, and I have not bought any leave on, or sheet masks in a long time.
While there are masks that I love (the Meso Mask in the photo is one of them), arriving home at midnight doesn’t allow me that luxury of time to enjoy a masking session. All I want to do is to shower, wash my face, do my skincare routine and fall into bed LOL!
Did my face fall off or break out, or just deteriorate? To be honest, no. Everything is pretty much status quo.
Does using a mask make my skin look or feel better? Yes it does, but I now feel that this feeling is quite temporary. I much rather devote my time to a complete and proper skincare routine (I don’t skimp on this no matter what time I get home from work) that keeps my skin well treated and well moisturised on a daily, regular basis.
Masks are a great quick fix, if you have somewhere to go, or want an instant plumping or glowing result. But like all instant & fast food, it is temporary satiation of hunger.
RELATED READING: Sheet masks are like fast food – so say I!
These are just some things I’ve noticed since I streamlined my dresser, and I have found it much healthier for my skin and for my mind as well.
I haven’t bought many skincare products in recent times as I am still working through my skincare stash, although I now see more spaces where I used to see piles of product. When I do buy, I now know what brands and what products to go for – and it may not surprise you to know that I will not go for a luxury brand or product (unless it is something I absolutely cannot do without – like Biologique Recherche Lotion P50)
I have enjoyed this little time penning down my thoughts, and even if no one reads this anymore, it reminds me just how much I love writing (almost as much as I love experimenting in the kitchen) so maybe I will drop in now and again 🙂
xoxo
PB
I do read you still! So excited that you’ve finally found time to post ?
Am also very curious what are the products that managed to make it to the finals, hope you can share one day ?
Thank you Shirley 🙂 To be honest, I’m just using whatever I have, so I’ll update if/when I repurchase something haha! What I can definitely say is in my final list is Altruist sunscreen. I’m not wavering from that for the interim 😀
welcome back! so happy to have one of your Blog post today!
I have been on and off employment for the last 3 years and had a similar reckoning.
The good thing is that I had enough products to carry me through without buying much (or any at all).
The bad thing is that I realised how many I had to bin, especially makeup.
I used to hoard products and periodically have to bin them as I have not used them enough and have gone bad.
I’m now trying to buy less as I’m not as excited by makeup trends or new products anymore but also because my aging ass can’t be bothered to spend too much time with elaborate skincare or makeup.
P50 an exception for me as well!
it’s funny how priorities change over time.
Happy to know all is well in your life and hopefully, I will have the pleasure to read another post some time in the future (no pressure ?).
Hi Tee, it feels good to be among friends again! I’m sorry to hear about your employment status, but I hope you’ve been well all this time. I totally hear you about the amount of skincare and makeup we accumulate, in the name of ‘collecting’ or ‘trying new things’ without even realising that we cannot realistically use them all up. But I’m like you, I haven’t paid attention to new makeup releases for a long time so I don’t even know what’s happening anymore. I think for many of us, the epiphany we have is a healthy one. I don’t think we were living with a very healthy mindset before this 😀 I hope to write again soon – I have missed this space!