A YEAR OLDER
Each month, MiNDFOOD beauty editor Megan Bedford considers the issues and approaches that play a key part in our beauty routines.
It’s a time to celebrate and re-evalute.
Abirthday is always a reason for celebration. Like many people, being adjacent to a number of serious health challenges experienced by my loved ones over the years has coloured my perspective – but not my humour – hugely. So, I like to offer the playful mantra “Old is the goal!” on each milestone with a wink, particularly if anyone bemoans the number of figurative candles on their cake.
As you might imagine, it doesn’t necessarily mean I apply the same thinking to the way I look and feel. When it comes to my appearance, old isn’t so much the goal, but neither is young. I just want to look like the best version of myself currently, and to feel confident and at home in my skin each and every year.
Like the start of a new calendar year, a birthday can also be a time to consider how you’ve spent the preceding year and what you’ll do differently going forward. It’s certainly the case at MiNDFOOD, as we strive to bring you smart and useful content relevant to the current demands of our modern lives.
It can also be worth doing the same with a beauty or self-care routine. If you’ve spent many years putting others before yourself, perhaps at your next birthday you might consider a change you could make, be it big or small, in the name of prioritising how you feel and look.
Top New Zealand makeup artist Lisa Matson once told me women often get stuck in a rut with their makeup and default to the approach they used at the age they felt they looked their best. For some, that could be decades ago, and certainly it can require a bit of bravery to seek out an updated signature look that promises to serve us in a more useful manner now. Not to mention, the work of re-engaging in one’s self worth.
The same can be true of the way we wear our hair or the skincare we use, if any. If this resonates, I always suggest seeking out advice from experts like makeup artists, hairstylists or reputable skin clinics, about achievable updates that can really make a difference. It can be as simple as how you apply eyeliner, filling in your brows, or trying a different finish to your foundation.
It’s an upfront cost, but I’ve found that occasionally having my makeup or hair done professionally, such as for a special event like a wedding or party, has paid dividends over the years by arming me (and replenishing me) with a wealth of tips and tricks I can use at home.
If you are re-evaluating your beauty approach for the year ahead and your budget allows, the following suggestions are worth considering:
• An indulgent ‘just because’ item that instantly lifts your mood, such as an evocative fragrance or a bold lipstick.
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Working out in full makeup isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Make caring for your skin before and after a workout easy with these gym bag beauty essentials and expert-approved tips. mindfood.com/gym-bag