My inspiration for this week's post was one of those long conversations that you can only have with your best girlfriend. My friend J and I sat on her porch and reminisced about our mothers and grandmothers and all they taught us about life, beauty, and how to take care of ourselves. These truths they have shown us might seem small, but they're like road maps to being a girl and the effects can last a lifetime.
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| la petite gallery |
My mom taught me to always wash my face before bed and that sleeping in makeup was non-negotiable. You just didn't do it. Even though mom has oily skin, she helped me take care of my dry skin by making sure I always used moisturizer and she kept a humidifier in my bedroom. When I started experimenting with makeup in my early teens, my mom made sure I didn't stop my foundation at my jawline and didn't wear dark eye makeup with a dark lipstick. Her lessons became life long habits for me and saved me from some embarrassing situations, to say the least.
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| via miss moss tumblr |
My grandmothers made a more sensory impression on me. The smell of rose face creme, images of red bee stung lips and cateye glasses immediately come to mind. They used home remedies like honey on a skinned knee and cold cream on a sunburn. And still the smell of any of these things makes me feel little again, as smell is our sense most associated with memory.
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| tobias regell |
I know my friend J learned these same lessons from her mother and grandmother just like me. I think it's a small comfort to know that by practicing what our mothers and grandmothers teach us we keep them alive in a little way. What did your mothers and grandmothers teach you about beauty? Or what have you discovered yourself that you want to share with others?
-Layne
Layne is a licensed esthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty.
Layne is a licensed esthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty.
13 comments:
My mother taught me a great lesson about beauty inadvertently. She never wore heavy makeup. Her beauty routine consisted mostly of mascara, some concealer, blush, and carmex lip balm. She taught me that wearing daily make-up is about enhancing your natural beauty, not disguising yourself. I live by that rule.
Love this! There are SO many things and important lessons my mother and grandmother taught me...but one that, for whatever reason, stuck with me...was to not pull at your eye when you are putting on liner...it causes wrinkles and stretches the skin! But, like you said....the smells! Oh the smells....they can take you back in an instant!
I love this post and I really enjoyed these photos...the elegance, the beauty,the femininity...
I did not learn any beauty tips from my mother as it was just not her thing!! But I can't wait to pass on these things with my (someday) daughter!
Gorgeous photos and I love the way you describe the beauty secrets your mom and grandmother passed on to you. When I think of my mom and beauty I remember her lathering us up as kids in Nivea after a bath. The smell alone brings childhood memories for me also.
Mothers teach us the best lessons... beautiful photos.
Ponds Cold cream...brings back Grandma in an instant...thanks for reminding me friend :-) Such great memories, so glad we can share them together!
Thank you for that :) I just love those pictures - they remind me that our mothers and grandmothers were real women.
Ponds Cold cream is my mom's standard too. She used to buy me special Aveda's foundation - a treat I got once a year at Christmas because it was so expensive. Mom thought it was good to splurge on a good foundation.
I have mostly sensory memories of my grandmother too - that pressed powder smell she had will never leave me. She also taught me to always wear a hat when you're out in the sun, because your skin will thank you later.
My mother swears by always, always wearing a bra, so you don't end up with boobs down around your navel in middle age. Sounds weird, but it's true!
What a sweet post! Moms and grandmas have taught us so much.
What a beautiful post. I've had a similar experience with my mother. She was insistent on teaching me cleansing, toning, and washing my face. I used to think it was such a drag but now, almost without realising it, I have her in the back of my head whenever I don't take makeup off before sleeping. My grandmother didn't actively teach me beauty tips but looking around her home, I can see that my love of accessories and knick knacks have been handed down from her.
I really enjoyed these photos. Thanks for sharing!
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This is a really lovely post. Thanks for sharing it with us.
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