It's Spring! And you know what that means, babe... Time to spring clean your beauty shelf and get things in order. (This can obviously be at any time of the year, but you know how it is 😜) Out with the old and in with the new!
Bestie 1: Getting savvy on the ingredients
It's super important to check what goes into the makeup and skincare products that catch your eye, and to do your research on them to make sure they aren't harmful in any way, short-term or long-term. At Standard Beauty we are all about natural active ingredients and antioxidants, and you should be too. But skincare products that contain parabens and carcinogenic chemicals are definitely a no-no.
Bestie 2: Getting rid of expired products 💀
Most people don't even really know how long their makeup and skincare products are meant to last before it's time to throw them out. What we can tell you is that Standard Beauty products all have a shelf life of 12 months. As far as makeup goes, the shelf life can vary anywhere between 3 months and 2 years, which is why it's important to do your research on each product. Using expired cosmetics will usually result in irritation and/or infection to the affected area, as well as breakouts. The shelf life on your cosmetic products is either marked by a jar with a number, e.g. 12- this means the product expires 12 months after opening, or an exact expiry date.
Bestie 3: Cleaning your brushes & sponges
Going too long without cleaning your makeup and skincare applicators is a bad idea, as bacteria actually builds up on those babies pretty quickly. Our African Black Soap with hot water to kill bacteria is an excellent product to use for cleaning brushes and sponges. Once a week will do the trick, although you could push it to every second week. It's also advised to replace them completely every three months.
Don't forget your sunscreen, babe ~
No-No 1: Not applying sunscreen
UV rays are stronger than you might think. Even when you're indoors, the natural light coming in during the day affects the skin ☀️ That's why applying sunscreen at the end of your daytime skin routine is really really important - we literally can't stress this enough.
No-No 2: Going all in too fast
If you're new to skincare and makeup, our advice is to start small and work your way up. There's really no rush, babe. Identify your skincare concerns and the aspects of your face that you want to accentuate, and use that as a starting point when building your skincare collection. You can take our skin type test here if you aren't sure of your exact skin type. At the end you'll get a list of recommended products based on your results - easy as pie!
No-No 3: Using the wrong combinations
Again, this is where thorough research comes in. It is so important to read the labels and/or to know which products combine well - or not - with other products. That's why we list the "besties" and the "no-no's" on all of our boxes; so that you're aware of which combinations are safe and which aren't. Toners, for example, generally contain very strong ingredients which should only be used about 3 times per week. Our Aloe and Cucumber Toner, however, is the one toner we have that is safe for daily use 🌿
Our Aloe & Cucumber Toner is suitable for daily use ~
Happy spring cleaning, babe! 🌼
