(New products for spring.)
As I run out of regular beauty products these days, I’ve been working to replace them with more natural alternatives. I’ve recently tried a few new products for spring and I’m really pleased with all of them.
My skincare routine is simple and straightforward, and in the morning, I apply my trusty Mullein & Sparrow serum before adding moisturizer for the day. After reading so many glowing reviews about Josh Rosebrook’s products, I decided to sample his Nutrient Day Cream SPF 30, which contains zinc oxide for sunscreen. After a reaction to a product with titanium oxide last spring, I discovered that zinc truly calms my skin. This day cream is moisturizing and slightly sticky at first, so it works well as a primer under foundation. Josh Rosebrook also makes a tinted version, which I tried and liked, though the plain version is my current favorite. Because Josh Rosebrook’s products are made from natural ingredients, the pricing is fairly high. The company offers generous sample sizes for both their hair and skin products for six dollars, which is a great way to try them before committing to the full-size bottles. I have sampled several of the hair products, too, and really like them.
Since last fall, I’ve been using Honest Beauty’s Tinted Moisturizer as my daily foundation. It also contains zinc oxide and offers the light coverage that I prefer. But sometimes I like a more refined look, and I’ve been curious about Gressa Skin’s Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation since first watching makeupTIA rave about it in her videos. After months of research, I finally ordered a bottle of the foundation in shade 02 and have been using it daily for the last few weeks. Overall, I’m very pleased, though it’s different from any foundation I’ve ever used before. As a serum foundation, it’s completely liquid and only requires a few drops to cover your entire face. Because I prefer a more natural look, I’m still using the Honest tinted moisturizer and applying Gressa’s foundation where I like more coverage. I’m learning to use a foundation brush, also from Gressa, to blend it into my skin after lightly using a beauty blender. The finished look is subtle and natural, and since Gressa’s ingredients are organic, this foundation feels like the last step in my skincare routine. If you’re curious about Gressa’s foundation, definitely watch a few application videos first to learn how to apply it.
My last skincare product is a tool I’ve been reading about for months, with lots of skepticism. But this crazy spring weather has left me dealing with regular sinus headaches, so I decided to purchase a jade roller to help relieve the tension in my head and neck. Jade rollers have become popular among beauty bloggers as a way to apply serum while gently massaging your face. They are touted as possessing healing elements while also aiding in wrinkle reduction. I doubt the truth of those claims, but I do find the jade roller to be a great facial massage tool. And because it stays cool while touching your skin, it’s a simple way to relax after washing your face at the end of a stressful day. Since first trying my jade roller, I’ve purchased several as gifts for my mom, mother-in-law, and sisters, and everyone has enjoyed using theirs, too. It’s one of those little luxuries that you might not think much about, until you try it.
I’m really happy with my current skincare routine, and these three additions have quickly found their places among my favorites. Are you trying any new products for spring?
This week, PBS aired The Armor of Light, a recent documentary by Abigail E. Disney that profiles the story of Reverend Rob Schenck, a pastor and pro-life activist who begins to question the prominence of guns within the evangelical community in the United States. The film also follows Lucy McBath, whose unarmed, teenage son was murdered in Florida, home of the controversial “Stand Your Ground” law. McBath’s story is interwoven within the larger exploration of Reverend Schenck’s journey, and the result is both powerful and moving.
As I watched the film, I kept thinking of that old saying about politics making strange bedfellows. Though I completely disagree with Schenck’s campaign against the freedom of choice, I was struck by his intelligent approach to learning more about America’s gun issue and the compassionate and gentle way he chose to broach the topic with fellow pastors and church members. The film is essentially Schenck’s quest to find the courage to speak out against gun violence within the confines of the evangelical community he has worked so hard to strengthen in his years as a vocal anti-choice activist.
It’s not an easy task by any means, but Reverend Schenck assumes this responsibility after meeting with many parents who lost children to gun violence, including McBath, who encourages him to use his platform to help change both public opinion and government policies. Schenck takes a lesson with a gun instructor, visits NRA conventions, and talks with fellow believers in an effort to understand their motivations. He is surprised to discover many pastors who don’t share his views, but finds many allies within Black churches.
As Reverend Schenck explains, “I’m concerned about the NRA promoting the idea that the best way to solve the most vexing problems in our society is to be prepared to shoot people dead. That doesn’t sit well with me as a Christian moral vision. When we champion the Second Amendment over and above the word of God, then we must be very careful that in respecting the Second Amendment we don’t violate the Second Commandment.”
Rob Schenck’s compassion and sense of moral duty are incredibly inspiring, and despite his past activism, I found myself encouraged by his message of love. His ability to sit down at a table and just listen is more than many people are willing to try, and I hope that more faith leaders will take up this work, as well.
The Armor of Light is available on PBS until May 25th and more information about the film, including links to purchase it, can be found here.
(Drawings and design by Elizabeth Stilwell.)
The Ethical Writers Coalition is hosting their fourth bi-annual Style Swap this coming Saturday in New York City. Since I can’t be there in person, I’m helping to spread the word online and sharing a few style stories from my fellow writers. If you’re in New York and would like to attend, tickets can be purchased here. The past swaps have been a huge success and everyone came away with lots of great new finds.
Clothing swaps are an excellent way to recycle clothing and accessories with your friends and family, and you might find something you love, too. Below, some of the members of the Ethical Writers Coalition share their secondhand stories.
Faye Lessler, Sustaining Life
Ever since I was 10, every time I went over to a close friend’s house, I would bring a bag of clothing with me and come home with a few fun, new-to-me pieces to add to my closet. To me, swapping is about trying new things and creating stories around our relationships through our clothing!
Addie Benson, Old World New
“Reuse, sustain, make old new again.” That’s my motto, and my favorite old things to make new again are clothes. Finding timeless pieces at thrift stores, vintage shops, garage sales, and even at clothing swaps make for a great curated closet. Sometimes I’m amazed by my finds and wonder how anyone could have ever let them go, until I head to my closet and realize my style has evolved and that I, too, need to donate or swap some things that I once loved to don regularly. The cycle of donating clothes and finding more second hand clothes to wear is exhilarating. It is never the same twice, but it is always a fruitful adventure that yields endless style possibilities!
Sara Weinreb, IMBY and Necessary Trouble
A few years ago I bought a vintage coach purse at a flea market. I love it and use it all the time! It is such great and sturdy quality, and I wouldn’t have spent the money on it new, plus I love the worn-in look to it. Added bonus that my fashion student cousin was with me and authenticated that it was real!
Stephanie Villano, My Kind Closet
I think there’s a romantic element to swapping or buying secondhand. I like to imagine who was wearing or using the piece of clothing or home decor (my husband and I like to shop secondhand to decorate and LOVE antique mirrors and nautical stuff) before me and I often come up with a story in my mind about what that person was like and how they styled it. I’d like to think that the person who owned the pair of boots, piece of clothing, or artwork before me would be happy to know that it has found a new home and is still being enjoyed. I also sometimes consign old items with a local consignment shop, and I really take pleasure in seeing someone around town wearing something that I know used to be mine.
Several ethical writers also have exciting new projects in the works! Grechen Reiter of Grechen’s Closet recently opened Slowre, a curated consignment store featuring ethically and domestically made clothing and accessories. I’ve consigned a few pieces and it was a great experience. Kamea Chayne of Kamea World has published her first book, Thrive. And Hanna Baror-Padilla of Sotela just began her Kickstarter campaign to produce a line of dresses that work with the changing needs of women’s bodies. Congratulations to Grechen, Kamea, and Hanna!
And don’t forget about the Style Swap if you’re in New York City this weekend!
