A cursory look into my life comes with the realisation that I’m far from being minimalist. This property lends itself to all aspects of my life — including (not limited to) books, sparkles and skincare routines. Do I really need to be slathering on four serums twice a day? Maybe not, but let me have this! I don’t tell you what to do!!! (Okay maybe I sort of do, but that’s only because I want only the best, most divine things for you and your face skin.)
This being said, any attempts that I have made to simplify my skincare routine are generally met with huge failures, thanks to my compulsive skincare habits and borderline neurotic behaviour. It took a college weekend trip to Goa and a mini backpack for me to give this low maintenance, minimalism thing a try. I was armed with only a bottle of travel size micellar water, three cotton pads (DANGEROUSLY minimal), tea tree oil, BB cream with SPF, nude lipstick and mascara.
Here’s the thing, when you’re still in college (with a budge to match) you often rely on the kindness of strangers, and the kindest of them don’t always deal in amenities like soap and sanitisers. Before you ask — I’m a far cry away from being a germaphobe, but this one place we stayed at, had washrooms caked in what appeared to be months (or years) worth of brown rings.
You see, Goa is filled with people who love stage-diving nearly as much as they like not cleaning anything ever. This is fine, I guess, but I really don’t want to put my face anywhere close to these sinks and I definitely don’t want to dry my freshly washed face on your towels (which 99/100 aren’t even there.)
I removed my makeup and grime using a cotton pad soaked in micellar water, instead of using plain water and a cleanser. Accompanied with feverish praying that I am not pushing all that gunk deeper into my pores as opposed to removing it. I’ve read about how people just use micellar water all the time and are cool with it? It only left me feeling a little dirty, missing my double-cleanse, and neurotically dreaming of my apothecary of cleansing products.
Look, I know not washing my face for two (whole) days is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but everything is ickier when you travel. To be honest, I was surprised that I didn’t feel all that grimy! I was expecting/accepting to live with the “I-woke-up-like-this” greasy, puffy face but this micellar water is NO joke, guys. I only got ONE tiny whitehead on my nose which was easily squeezed out.
I’m always up for a little beauty dare, even if (especially if) this ‘dare’ is sort of non-activity and prissy. But ask me to sleep with a full-face of makeup and I might actually have nightmares. Sigh, have any of you messed with this non-face-washing cleanse? How does it get off waterproof mascara? I mean, all of it. It doesn’t right???
Saumya R chawla
@pixie.secrets
The writer loves to over-share, drink wine & watch period dramas