MY BEAUTY ROUTINE

I know, seeing the title of this post, many will expect a whole lot. But let me say it in the beginning itself- my beauty routine consists of nothing. Yeah, you read it absolutely right – NOTHING at all!

Recently, I saw a youtube video where the female youtuber was presenting a 5 minute 'minimal' make-up routine of hers. I’m not a make-up person, hence, it sparked my curiosity as to what can be minimal. I’ve always hated make-up and have never in my life used any. My face sweats a lot ( Indian climate aaarrrgh... ), so, even using a simple day cream is a torture for me, forget layers and layers of make-up. It’ll all get messed up in no time. The closest I ever came to using anything called make-up was a BB cream which a brand had sent for me to review. It was simply horrible and my face just sweated it away like mad. Hence, I’ve never used anything on my face. I like it fresh. I know, I should use a moisturiser or a little something to protect it, but my skin simple screams a big NO!

So, like I said, I was curious what ‘minimal’ thingy this youtuber was offering. Maybe, it'd help someone like me. But, was I left so aghast or what in the end!!!! Well, first she started of using a cleanser ( which was okay kinda ). Then she used a Vitamin C serum and moisturiser over it ( still okay, I guess ). After that she used an SPF, a make-up primer, then a liquid foundation and on top of it a powdery foundation ( and the hell-ride begins ). She used two types of concealers underneath her eyes one on top of other ( blending it as she said ); next, a concealer lock. Then, she used a high-lighter on the high points of her face, like the cheek-bones and sides of the forehead. Last but not the least, she used a powder compact over her entire face. She then moved on to use a bronzer, and then, a blusher on the contours. She did her eye-brows with two types of eye-brow filler ( it looked like a colour palette ). For eyes, she used a base colour first, an eye-shadow primer and then a creamy eye-shadow in the middle and another 2 shades each on both edges, and underneath her lids. Ah, then of course, she stuck her false eye-lashes on and fluttered. By the end of the video, I was left gaping. Was this minimal? I wondered aloud. If this was minimal make-up, what on earth was heavy make-up then? OMG, the way she piled on one product after another in her face :o I noticed, she lived in a cold place like NYC, so, maybe it was tolerable for her skin. But still….I mean….WTF!!! What was minimal in all of these?

One thing I didn't understand in all of these is, if you first apply foundation/ concealer to make your face look even i.e one colour/ tone, why the heck do you then use bronzer/ contour / highlighter and other stuff to make the different parts of your face in different colours. Wasn't your face already that before the make-up? Okay, thats just me being Meh!!!
Anyways, so , that’s why I’m not a beauty-blogger. I just can’t imagine the torture it’d be to be one. At the end, the youtuber did look good on the screen, but am wondering what was the effect in real life. Won’t using so much products on the face, make it look stuffed, cakey and what not? And how on earth does she really feel with all those stuff stuck on her face the whole day, and night? ( she has another routine for night IMHO ) EGAD!

I know girls love make up and swear by them, hence, the beauty industry is the most growing industry, but still…….phew!

Anyways, I know, I’ll never be a make-up person. If till date I’ve avoided it successfully, then, there’s no chance that I’ll start using any in the future. Having said that, I do look into 'skin-care' regime with interest and follow one. This are basically the cleansing, scrubbing and a face-pack ( all anti-tan ones ) – all washed off after using, of course. So, nothing remains in my face. I use a toner sometimes, and that’s it. I use sun-screen only on my hands and feet and never on my face- it’d be again too messy. I carry umbrella instead, for sun –protection. Yes, an umbrella goes with me wherever I go. I don’t care what people think, but for me that’s the best option. Also, I don’t like covering my face with scarf like some girls do. I use scarfs only when I’m riding my scooty in the sun as I cannot carry umbrella while riding it :o I wish, I could, lol. So, it just hangs in the scooty hook in the front during that time, ready to rescue me once I'm off it.

Like I said my face has absolutely no make-up at any point of time. And I prefer it that way. Its comfortable and feels fresh n light. For eyes, I use the eye-pencil or kajal and for lips ~ a lip liner. I just outline my lips and never fill it up with colour. So, the middle is always bare. And, that’s my regular look.

As the story goes...once a man fell in love with a girl and wanted to marry her immediately, as she looked so beautiful; so perfect. But on their wedding night, he ran out of the room crying 'who is this girl???' The girl apparently had removed her make-up, and he didn't recognise her :p

I feel no-make is the 'real' you. Whats there to hide? But, each to its own. Who am I to say anything to anyone. Its their wish and their life after all. Like, its my life to choose and do what I like. So folks, that was my beauty routine :-) minimal no? heheheh....