it’s finals week and i have been enduring some long days. the kind of days that start at 6 am and end 10 pm at which point my hair is greasy, my face is shiny, and my makeup has disappeared. it’s really attractive :)
i decided this week that enough was enough and that it was time to equip myself with a combative beauty arsenal to help fight this late-in-the-day cosmetic breakdown and spare my graduate school group-mates from a disheveled and … er … slick … peer. here’s what i’m packing:
i switched back to a moisturizer with spf 15 (i know, i know shame on me for switching away from such a thing!) because i find that the sunscreen acts as a great makeup primer and keeps me matte much longer. this one is oil free to boot, which just adds to keeping shine at bay.
i keep a travel-size oscar blandi pronto dry shampoo in my bag. i wash my hair every other day and on my off days, i was using this first thing in the morning. well, it turns out my hair just doesn’t need it first thing in the morning, it’s late in the afternoon on day 2 when things really start to get ugly. so, instead of using it in the morning, i do the obvious thing and apply it during work. it makes a helluva mess in our communal bathroom but people are yet to question the powdery white substance all over the floor, and my hair looks fabulous.
and finally, when that late-day shine rears its lovely head on my nose, cheekbones + forehead, instead of using a powder (rumor is that blotting papers with powder and blotting powders themselves actually just triggers your oil glands to produce more!), i blot very lightly with a paper towel.
so there you have it! my somewhat unglamorous approach to staying shine free.
any other tips and tricks out there?
