Beautifully Salty Part 2: Simply Sexy

Why You Should Streamline Your Beauty Lifestyle

Let me preface this second part of the “Beautifully Salty” blog series by saying I am naturally a minimalist (I gravitate towards minimalism). You would think that minimalism being second nature to me would make it easier to streamline what I refer to as my "beauty lifestyle" but I am still tinkering with it. So, if you decide to pursue a more streamlined way of doing beauty, do not feel bad or give up if your journey looks different than someone else’s. There is no right way to accomplish this. The only recommendations that we have here at Salty Beauty are that you a) create a beauty lifestyle that works for you and not against you, b) ensure that this lifestyle complements other areas of your life (e.g., your relationship with God, yourself, and others), and c) remain flexible and allow your routines to take shape (grow or shrink) depending on your immediate needs. 

Instead of creating routines that you strictly adhere to, the goal is to structure your beauty lifestyle using a personalized framework as a daily guide. The beauty community tosses around the word ritual a lot but that term suggests something that requires you to conform to it no matter what and this is not what we’re going for. What we are going to discuss in this blog post is the importance of eliminating disruptive practices and choosing practices that work for and with you to improve your overall well-being. If this sounds like something you are interested in then keep reading.

One thing that I have learned from my beauty journey is that while there is nothing wrong with let’s say a 10-step Korean skincare routine it is a problem if you sacrifice other important things to achieve it or if it does not really align with you but you think it’s something that you have to do. In either case your saltiness (that is, your God-given light and beauty) will decrease no matter how excellent that 10-step routine is. For example, if you are always late for something or going to bed late because of any kind of complex routine (guilty) then in the former case your partner may become irritated and in the latter case going to bed late is counterproductive since it will negatively impact your health and appearance. Whether it is skincare, makeup, your workout, diet, etc. take time to sit down with yourself and God and reflect on how well these routines are working for you, how you can improve them, and why you gravitated toward these routines in the first place. 

For example, at some point in my twenties, social media brainwashed me into adopting a complex skincare and makeup routine that extended the amount of time that it took me to get ready and eventually made me dread going to sleep because I did not always feel like completing my extensive "self-care" routine. It was on a trip home to the Caribbean–as I fought to maintain my rituals in 90 degree weather–that I realized that these processes were not working for me. When I returned home I had a talk with God and myself and we decided that my so-called self-care routine was actually making me care less about God, myself, others, and ultimately my life. I was solely focused on being accepted as mainstream beautiful, and I believed I was only beautiful when I executed my routines flawlessly. The result was always being late because my routines took so long and made me anxious, and at one point I would not even go to the mailbox without wearing makeup. I realized that I needed to simplify my routines so that I could spend more time enjoying my life and less time dolling myself up for photos that gave the impression that I was enjoying my life. 

My improvement plan became finding multitasking products that reduced the steps in my routines, really focusing on taking better care of my skin so that I did not need to hide behind makeup, and I researched ways to look better without makeup so that I could focus on maintenance and use makeup as a tool for special occasions (or if I’m just in the mood for it) and not as a mask to hide my insecurities. I realized that my routines had become idols and that I had decided that I could improve what God had created. Once God revealed this to me I made the decision to focus on enhancing what God gave me versus masking or altering my beauty in an attempt to align with what random users on social media consider beautiful. And you know what? I have never felt sexier.

Being able to go makeup-free or only use a few makeup products to achieve a look I’m happy with has greatly increased my self-esteem. I can go to the beach and do outdoor activities without feeling exposed and (funny enough) I get more compliments now than I ever did when I hid behind those complex routines. After mastering this area of my beauty lifestyle (and I suggest you streamline one area at a time) it motivated me to streamline other areas like fashion, diet, and exercise. If you are just getting started here are some steps to follow to structure a simpler beauty lifestyle.

Steps to Structure a Simpler Beauty Lifestyle

1. Identify areas of complexity in your routines and explore simplifying solutions

2. After trying out different solutions keep track of the ones that work for you

3. Rather than strictly planning your days listen to your daily needs and structure your days to meet yourself where you are:

   1. Tip #1 - Jot down what you think you need/need to do today

   2. Tip #2 - Accomplishing everything on the list is not necessary

4. Create a spectrum for your routines, for example I have the following routines for skincare and makeup:

   1. Daily Routine - basic steps for daily maintenance (no makeup)

   2. Work/Errands Routine - accentuates my natural beauty (some makeup)

   3. Going Out/Special Occasions Routine - amplifies my beauty with extras

5. Leave room for flexibility

Step five is very important. Creating a routine does not mean you have to wear the same lipstick or erase your personality. As I stated before you should focus on creating structure not a strictly disciplined plan (it should bring you joy not stress you out). For example, the daily routine I listed above consists of 3-5 steps depending on what my skin needs, including swiping on some lip balm. In contrast, my Zoom work call/errand-running routine involves filling in my eyebrows, lightly outlining my lips, and using a multi-stick on my lips and cheeks, but sometimes I add matte highlighter or a little foundation if I feel like it. The goal is to not go overboard and to keep my routine within a time limit to keep my stress low and avoid obsessing over my physical appearance. 

You can apply these steps and tips to other areas of your beauty lifestyle such as fashion (by creating capsule wardrobes), exercise (by focusing on maybe one part of your body on different days so that you are moving a little every day versus a lot of movement one or two days and greater periods of no movement), and when it comes to diet you can take note of things you like to eat and explore simple healthy meals that can make healthy-eating easier. I have also found that undated planners are extremely helpful because they prevent you from feeling guilty if you “miss a day”. And yes, you are allowed to miss days. The best thing on some days might just be intentionally doing nothing. Remember that this is not about being perfect but about helping you enjoy being you and feeling beautiful just the way you are. In a later blog series titled “Simply You” we will discuss the following routines in depth: spirituality (incorporating God in your life on a daily basis), diet (nutrition and meal planning), physical fitness (daily movement and making exercising fun), skincare (building a routine and recommended brands), and style (dressing for your body). That’s all for now Salty Beauties!

xoxo