Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Is it the Cream that Makes You Glow?
A lot of my clients are very dedicated to their skin care. They have a lot of potions, creams, tonics, masks and toners, and they look great.
But any social scientist will tell you, correlation is not the same as causation. As I help them sort through jars and tubes, letting go of the ones they tried but no longer use, the ones they have three partially used tubs of and (saddest of all) the ones that are still in the box, now dusty, I have to wonder: Do you really need so many products to look your best?
My mother said that when she met my father he washed his face and his hair with Ivory Soap—a true minimalist. In my twenties, when I spent more time and money on beauty products, I broke out. I went to the dermatologist, and she said, “Do less.” She recommended a drugstore-brand cleanser and moisturizer, but her main recommendation was to leave my skin alone.
I’m cynical. I don’t really believe that anything (other than staying out of the sun) is going to keep me from getting wrinkles eventually. While my skin care regimen is more involved than my Dad’s (but not by much), it’s far simpler than most of my clients. But they do look great, so who am I to question their methods?
Actually, I’m the organizer, so I want you to ask yourself:
What if you had to use up one skin care product before you bought another?What if you simplified your process from five steps to three?Does your skin look great because you cleanse and moisturize every day or because you use 100 expensive products?What if you could achieve the same results with a fraction of the time and expense?
I’m cynical, but I believe in habit. I believe that as long as you have a daily skin-care routine, no matter how basic it is, you’re going to look great. If you enjoy the ritual and you like to pamper yourself with exotic creams, you can still probably simplify.
So streamline your regimen, declutter your products and think about what to do with all that extra time and money. No matter what, I bet you’ll be glowing.