Late Summer Beyond the Blog and >50 Beauty

How are you holding up as summer winds down? After a couple of weeks of assorted GI woes, I feel almost human again. Which is great since I’ll probably just have a couple weeks of relief before the weather changes wreak havoc and trigger Raynaud’s! Late Summer Beyond the Blog and >50 Beauty explores skin care, lifestyle, random smiles, quotes, and personal reflections.

I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.

Late Summer Skincare & Easy Makeup

Goodness, some things never change.

It’s not just how weather, ultraviolet light, wind and changing seasons compromise our skin. When I can’t seem to absorb the nutrients I need and inflammation in my body rages, the effects are reflected in my skin.

>50 Beauty: Late Summer Skin Care Helps

But before we even discuss a single skin care thing, you have to hear my pitch about this lip gloss. It’s the first one I have liked since lip smackers in the seventies. The 70s?

I’m serious. This is a lip treatment, a lip gloss, a lip plumper, and the BEST color (Unbuttoned). No tingle, no sticky business, no nonsense…just plumpy, hydrating goodness. My friends and I swear by this one.

One of the perks of being over 50 is realizing your worth.

But back to skin matters. I am all about pampering mine. Forget about preserving youth! I’m after comfort and an appearance that won’t scare my grandfurries away. 🙂

When the season changes, the needs of my skin follow suit. Find favorite products for sensitive/sun-damaged skin as well as yummy wearables.

Do you take a collagen supplement? Here’s the one I started adding to my morning coffee:

Zammex makes this 100% grass-fed goodness for healthy hair, skin and nails. It has both type 1 and 3 collagen with no added hormones, dairy, additives, gluten or soy. If you have shopped, you’ll see this one’s a great value and gets excellent reviews on Amazon.

I will keep you posted on changes I notice, and I’m excited to get started on it now since I typically can’t stand how my skin looks and feels in September after all of the sun from the summer.

Thoughts on Aging Organs & Skin

We can all benefit from checking our emotional response to the word ‘aging.’

After all, from the moment we are born, all of our organs (including skin) begin to age. Right?Infants age. 16-year-olds are aging.

Aging isn’t a sudden sorrowful decline we make after age 35; it’s a process our whole lives through.

Uncomplicated Skincare Routine, S’il Vous Plait

My sensitive, rosacea-prone skin needs all the help it can get. Is retinol on your radar? You sure have a ton of choices. For years, I have stuck with SkinMedica Retinol (a STRONG formula with 1.0…so go easy, child!) because it is powerful and does every dang thing it says it will. How many products these days deliver like that?

As for cleansing and moisture, have you seen those Vogue youTubes with a celebrity demo’ing the 75 products and steps in her nightly routine?

Oy.

If fewer steps appeal, bet you’ll dig mine:

Have you been wanting to try Jenni Kayne’s skin care line (Oak Essentials) yet need a nudge? USE my referral CODE here to get $25 off!

By the way, even though the whole routine is an amazing value ($100 savings when you buy the whole thing rather than separate products), I wasn’t sure about the investment. So I ordered the mask, was knocked out, and totally wished I had bought the full routine!

And then, BOOOOOO, the routine was sold out for months. I’m not surprised at all because after using the products, there’s just nothing like them. I highly recommend at least ordering the mini skin care routine or this Oak Essentials Ritual Oil.

Finds for Healthier >50 Skin & Makeup

When my sensitive skin is especially inflamed with rosacea, I reach for organic rosehip seed oil above to calm it.

What makes Ogee different? Clean, good-for-the-skin ingredients to nourish sensitive skin. If you love a sheer, nourishing lipstick, you may like their tinted lip oil.

Back in the 80s, I remember applying three eyeshadows to my lids, but mama has no patience for that now. Glossier’s Lidstar is the perfect one and done yet it stays put all day. It dries down quickly, stays there, and comes off at night with cleansing balm.

The last product on that essentials list above? Laura Geller’s baked bronzer never looks orangey or fake. Mineral makeup remains underrated…all these tiny lovely particles blur imperfect skin like mine. Kind of a built-in filter for aging, sun-damaged beach bums.

Fashion Finds

I thought this was a cheery color and a piece that could work across the seasons:

If you want to subtract at least 10 years from your age this fall, layer a denim or chambray shirt over a turtleneck, wear a ponytail and bronzer, and get yer low-key Katherine Hepburn ON like Donkey Kong…

What about flattering eyeglasses?

Leggings

When you are after organic cotton and fair trade certified clothing:

Should you be serious about smoothing and extra support…

In case you’re curious about superior stretch Lycra power and a high but not too high waist (I am…so these are in my closet…)

Socks I Wear Every Single Day When the Weather Cools

Welly boot socks are my best friends in winter, and I wear them over bare feet around the house. If I have to step outside, I step into Ilse Jacobsen lace up rain boots (I prefer the shorter styles to the tall).

Coach Crossbodies

I finally replaced my crossbody bag since I completely wore out the leather trim on my prior Coach flight back. But I’m very attached to Coach and the style and have not grown a bit sick of it.

Day and Night Pajamawear

If you have been hangin’ out here for any length of time, you may recall I’m a pajamanista. This style is still my reigning favorite:

Shower as Spa Retreat

I discovered Tocca’s Cleopatra body wash years ago at the Elysian Spa in Chicago. It was not only in the luxurious showers but was also used as hand soap at every sink. The grapefruit and cucumber combination is completely irresistible, and who knew handwashing could feel this luxurious?

Over 50 Daily Hair Favs

AVEDA’s Cherry Almond Line

If you have used AVEDA since the ’80s like me, then you may remember the yum of their cherry almond line! All the AVEDA shampoos smell incredible. but each is formulated for different hair types. I’m also gaga for the fragrance of the Shampure line which was recently reformulated to be more hydrating.

Over 50 hair and chemically processed hair can be fragile and require extra TLC. Here is a leave-in treatment for dry ends prone to split. Organic bergamot, mandarin, ylang ylang and more plant essences impart their pure loveliness.

Over 50 Daily Gentle Rhythms: Makeup

My brows are disappearing, and I’m still contemplating microblading (like a temporary tattoo that lasts about a year) like my sis. Until then, I’m using Boy Brow which is sort of like mascara for yer brows:

I remain enamored with this eye color (in “Slip”) after seeing it on a favorite vlogger and reading reviews from fans over 50, and now I want to try the other colors:

YOU: How many different makeup products do you even really need, dear Michele?

me: ALL. I blame my inner artist who loves her some art supplies.

Gamechanging Favorite Foundation, Blush & Mascara

This luxurious find from Chanel is an indulgence I highly recommend. I can’t think of another cosmetic that indeed works like skincare and leaves the skin unbelievably smooth and healthy after a day of wearing it. How does it do that?

It is soooooo expensive, yet I still can’t say enough good things about it because the color match is spot on, and I can’t say I’d be unwilling to eat Ramen for weeks if the cash ran out. 🙂

Westman Atelier Clean Makeup

After years of wearing full coverage foundation, I’m now feelin great about light to medium coverage where freckles are visible. I find watching makeup artist Gucci Westman apply makeup très relaxant (you can keep your Netflix, sweet cheeks, but don’t take away my makeup youtubes). Gucci approaches makeup like an artist who is less interested in transformation than revealing beauty.

If you’re serious about investing in good-for-the-skin products that multitask, this one is concealer AND foundation:

Cream blushes work so well for over 50 skin, and these below can double as lip color:

I continue to love and wear this cheek and lip color (in shade Werk) from MILK, and it’s very sheer and looks equally good on my eyelids which surprises me. I think pinks are tricky to wear on the eyes, but this makes mine look healthier.

If you love the clean makeup line Ilia, you may also be interested in this kit at a great price.

This Pro SHOWS Us Exactly How We Apply Makeup the Wrong Way

So helpful, and I learned so much about how to correct my color application!

Another helpful makeup tip gleaned; I have been using too dark of a shade on my light brows…didn’t even know a shade like grey (which I need for its light ashy-ness) existed.

Personal Reflections & Health

It hasn’t been my favorite summer as far as flareups with Crohn’s/Pancreatitis/Raynaud’s, and there are days I struggle with mental health which is affected by the physical toll and pain. What I continue to learn is that the more I lean into ideas, actions, and patterns which aim to create more space for liberation, rest and surrender, the easier it is to cope with the uncertainty and symptoms accompanying my health journey.

What that looks like this very moment? Writing, reading, and researching topics that energize me. Allowing reality to be reality. Saying “no, sorry that doesn’t work for me” to requests that would compromise my well being. Seeing my struggles as sacred. Extending more grace to those around me who have no idea how much suffering some of my days include.

Offering more mercy and compassion to myself–letting the divine spark within touch the hurting places and somehow join with all the suffering of all creatures on the planet in solidarity. Because my suffering and your suffering are indeed one suffering.

And yes, I am getting THAT cosmically deep and trippy in the same post with ridiculously expensive Chanel foundation. I’m sure I’m getting it wrong even as I try to move in the right direction. Let’s face it. My aunts in the South might tell you their niece’s ‘cornbread isn’t done in the middle.’ Because it’s not.

But if I wait until I figure it all out and have tidy, mature lessons of overcoming challenges to write about? Wait until the cornbread is baked all the way through? I can’t be sure I have that kind of time.

There’s more work to do. This is messy beautiful business. Some days are cocoapuffs whackadoodle. And some days are heaven on earth. It’s all sacred.

Are you still reading? Goodness gracious.

The more I can remember what I know deep down in my soul about the Kingdom, the upside down kingdom alive within this very moment, the more peace floods my soul.

The more I can step over my self, my pride, and my human frailty and somehow embody healing, the more I can be used as an instrument of peace.

I’m thinking of you right where you are. About how what I express here feels quite personal yet may be quite universal. It’s a strange miracle to be on earth. We are all doing our best to stay present and open with our bodies, minds, and hearts. But dreams shatter. Defenses rise. Fatigue punishes. Disease weakens. Relationships falter.

Remember that REPAIR and RESURRECTION and RESTORATION are all very REAL.

As you can, seek a pocket of stillness. With hands wide open to receive, imagine beauty moving toward you, even swirling in the white space of these words just now.

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

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