They say mother knows best and based off all my experiences, that’s probably true – especially when it comes to the best beauty and skincare recommendations. The women in my family and beyond have been there for me through boy drama, girl drama, impossible algebra problems and more, but they’ve also been a huge source of inspo for me as a beauty obsessive.
I recently took some time to dive deep with all the boss ladies in my life and ask for their tried-and-true beauty tips, and it was definitely enlightening. Below, read on for the best tips, tricks and all the advice they shared with me!
My Mom, Kristie
Maybe it’s good genes (and I’m secretly hoping that it’s in the genes!), but my mother has always received compliments on how young she looks for her age – and she’s 46. After years of being confused for my older sister or babysitter, I asked my mom for her beauty secret, and she confesses that it’s all in her nighttime routine.
Every night for the last 20 years, she has cleansed her face with Pond’s Cold Cream, which she calls her “holy grail product.” Getting enough sleep is also crucial to her beauty routine, and she suggests setting aside time every night to have a cup of tea to help wind down. Lastly, before falling asleep, she braids her hair to help protect it from any damage that may occur at night. Everyone, take note!
My Aunt, Amory
Because my aunt is so much closer in age to me than my mother is, I’ve always looked to her for beauty and fashion tips. Growing up in Hawaii, my aunt would frequently choose to go with more natural ingredients, and that has impacted her beauty routine to this day.
Amory regularly uses a DIY oatmeal mask to keep her skin glowing, and insists that drinking water is also crucial to happy skin. To test whether she has had enough water to drink, Amory does the Pinch Skin Test. Basically, if you pinch the skin above your knuckles and it immediately goes back into shape, that means you’re well hydrated. If it remains a little raised, you need to start drinking more ASAP!
My Grandma, Shirley
My grammy was raised in the backwoods of Kentucky – meaning that she has a few interesting tips of her own. First off, she recommends using Vaseline as a nightly moisturizer and suggests using ~horse shampoo~ to wash your hair. Luckily, Mane ‘N Tale has heard similar tips, and they’ve updated their shampoo formula a bit for humans.
My grammy also tells me that she used an Awapuhi plant as a shampoo when she lived in Hawaii. Translated to Ginger, Hawaiian locals have long been using this plant to shampoo and condition their hair. If you don’t have access to Awaphui, Paul Mitchell has it’s own version of the shampoo.
Lastly, when I asked what her number one piece of beauty advice would be, she says to “eat as much chocolate as you want.” The fact that it messes up your complexion is an old wives’ tale! And even if it isn’t, life is too short to not eat chocolate.
My Boyfriend’s Mom, Tyann
A lover of purple smoky eyes and experimenting with new hair colors, Tyann is definitely adventurous when it comes to beauty products. But when I asked about the one constant in her skincare routine, she does note that she always washes her face in “upward strokes.” Why? The idea behind this is that it keeps you from pulling your skin downwards, stretching it or forcing it to sag.
My Roommate’s Mom, Vanessa
I can’t tell you how many times I have confused Vanessa for my roommate. Truly, she has found the fountain of youth, and I’m convinced she hasn’t aged since she turned 21. Vanessa attributes this to always getting a good night’s sleep, and notes that it immediately gives her “immense mental and physical power.” Plus, she works out as often as she can, usually four times a week starting at 6 a.m.
She also encourages me that, when it comes to beauty products, not to be afraid to switch up what I’m using – because what’s trending right now might not necessarily work for me.
Though I consider myself to be a skincare obsessive, I would definitely place the bulk of my beauty routine on my makeup. After talking to all the women in my life, however, it seems that the generations before mine put value on skincare above all. My biggest takeaway is to start taking care of my skin now to ensure that I’ll continue to have youthful, glowing skin in the future.
We owe a lot to the women who came before us. And even when we grow up, move out, and go to college, they’re still around to offer their love and advice. So, here’s to hoping we grow up to look and be just as good as they are!
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Fun Fact: My grammy had cousins that would only wash their hair with diluted kerosene to keep it smooth and clean, and apparently the had beautiful hair down to their knees!