“There’s one way to get through cancer – you just gotta do it. But you can do it with a smile!”
~ Judi Austin
We hear you Judi! After chatting with several amazing and like-minded women in our Fighting Pretty community, we discussed Beauty Hacks that resonate with us most.
As we approached the topic of beauty, we asked "what comes to mind for you?" We broke it down with a few simple questions and here are the recommendations:
What is something you never leave home without?
When asked this question, answers from our community ranged from lipstick to color correction foundations to mascara. Plus, for hydrating (which is great for your body and your skin) a big bottle of water to leave in the car, bring with you to appointments or carry with you to run errands is always essential!
Many claimed they never leave home without sunscreen and anti-bacterial lotion as well. As someone in cancer treatment, knowing there are so many germs around it's great to include a way to stay germ-free for you and your kiddos. But be careful not to use too much as it can definitely dry out the skin!
Lastly, a fun pair of sunglasses was also a must-have. Keeping a pair in the car is perfect for the sunny summer or winter days, and it adds a sence of fabulousness when you're on your way into a crummy appointment. Sometimes it can also help you hide those tired bags under your eyes when you're not feeling your best.
When you’re feeling down, what helps you feel beautiful?
A major favorite was a bright shade of lipstick. Our founder, Kara Frazier swears by her favorite hot pink lipstick called "Ebony" by Thrive Causemetics topped with the lip tint "Kara" also by Thrive to add some moisture to her lips! (yes, this Lip Tint was named after her!)
Another favorite was adding an accessory to your outfit like a fun pair of earrings, headband or headscarf, or even a fun pair of socks. Anything that adds color and shows your personality can really help you get out of your funk.
Others were saying a fun skincare rejuvination routine is the best source of feeling beautiful. Even an at-home facial by sitting over your faucet running hot water and breathing in the moisture can help clear your mind (and your face!) and then adding a face mask, using your stone roller and adding your face lotions and toners can help you reset in the comfort of your own home.
What are your biggest beauty challenges?
One of the major issues that everyone faced at various points were changes to their skin including texture changes, redness, blemishes, dryness or something else. It's natural for skin to change with age (in fact, your skin cells are replaced every 28 days!) so it's important to adjust your skin care from acne control as teens to youth preserving serums as we age, and everything in between.
When facing cancer treatment, we shouldn’t be surprised that our skin will have different needs in response to heavy treatment and unfortunately, most times our normal products are typically just not as effective. It’s ok to replace or change up your skin care while you’re in treatment, it might be a temporary change or it might be a new normal that will take some acceptance.
Our recommendation is to talk with your physician about your skin issues as they may have some specific recommendations - especially if you are undergoing radiation treatment.
For skincare and cosmetics products we love, check out the following list of clean beauty brands, and visit our website for some special discount codes to use at checkout!
- 103 Collection
- Bryght
- Camwell Botanicals
- Gemelle Beauty
- Lucky Chick
- My Girls Skincare
- Red Apple Lipstick
- {save} skincare
- Thrive Causemetics
It's no surprise when asked about beauty hacks, we kept coming back to attitude:
"Putting that shade of lipstick on helps you feel powerful. You already had all the goodness going on, this just helps it pop!"
~ Renee Firato
We say, go ahead, get out of your comfort zone and try that purple lipstick! Order that blue Thrive Causemetics mascara! Just remember to treat yourself like the queen you are. Get lots of rest, drink tons of water, and love your body just as it is.
Remember, this is the only body you have and it's gotten you here to where you are. So love it. Appreciate it. You are beautiful in the skin you're in, but there's nothing wrong with using some cosmetics and skincare to help you really feel it!
Do you have a beauty hack you would like to share?
Post it in the comments!