Site Maintenance

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Things might be a little odd, stability-wise, around here for a little bit.

In Exciting Nerd News

Beauty Skeptic is in the process of migrating web hosting providers! This is largely an exercise in tedium, but I am really happy to be breaking up with BlueHost. It’s been a long time coming.

BUT

It might be a little bumpy because ye olde day job is hectic at the moment, as is school. Ergo, whereas I would normally run this migration like any other project, I can’t give it that level of priority right now.

Thanks for bearing with me through this change.

Worth it? Noom

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Worth it? Noom

Last November, I had the opportunity to check out Noom to see if it was a good fit for me. This opportunity was extended to me gratis with the idea that I might like it enough to promote, so I have not paid for a membership. I am in fact able to use affiliate links for Noom to monetize conversions (sign-ups) but I am not for reasons that will become evident.

Starting over a year before that, I had decided to stop assuming that I could ride the coattails of my metabolism forever and made some lifestyle changes to better suit my health and my sedentary career.

People who know me are going to read that and have a stroke. STOP! Breathe.
I work 50+ hours a week and I sit for practically all of it. This, for me, is not about weight loss. This is about making healthier choices so my body does the thing better, for a longer time. I can binge 1500 calories of Reese’s cups in a sitting or I can try to consider my nutritional needs.

I don’t diet. I don’t believe in, “dieting,” because they imply a temporary adjustment is going to cultivate lasting change. This is not reason; it is folly. I’d been managing by my own reason using an if-it-fits-your-macros or IIFYM approach based on my activity level, goals, and needs. When I encountered Noom and found that they are not about that, ‘diet,’ life, I figured – oh, what the hell.

So I took them up on it and tried Noom to see if it was worth it.

What is Noom?

Let’s start with their mission statement:

Help people everywhere lead healthier lives through behavior change.

Okay, this resonates. But what IS it? Realistically, Noom is an accountability tool that helps establish and promote healthier behaviors through a series of positive reinforcement. It IS NOT a diet or fitness program, though they do now offer meal and workout plans for an additional fee over their base cost.

tl;dr?

It isn’t for me. BUT that doesn’t mean its bad.

Why Noom isn’t a Good Fit for Me

There are two big reasons and two small reasons; read more to see why.

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Dyson Supersonic: Luxury Meets Performance

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Dyson Supersonic
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer, $399 new / $275ish refurb

This post’s title should be Beauty Skeptic or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Dyson Supersonic.

At the end of 2018, I shared that I had purchased a refurbished Dyson Supersonic hairdryer. This is now the single most expensive beauty tool I own. In the time between the time I placed the order and delivery I vacillated between whether or not I was losing my damn mind.

Answer: Maybe?

If you’ve been reading for a long time, you’ll know that when I like to use pricier tools for a long while while before writing about it. This enables me to evaluate its performance long term and make a confident recommendation. We’ve all gotten a product (beauty or otherwise) that was great at first and then maybe not so much as time passes. Frankly, I find the gushing, “I’ve used it for 3 days and it is TOTES WORTH IT,” reviews grating beyond belief.

The dryer arrived on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, I have no alluring unboxing photos; since it is a refurb, it doesn’t come in fabulous retail packaging that’s worth showing you. It came in a very utilitarian, nondescript, white cardboard box with white inner packaging that was effective but not luxurious. As much as I can appreciate nice packaging and presentation, I also appreciate not paying a huge premium for it.

First Impressions

  • “Wow this thing’s weight is distributed sooo nicely.”
  • “Diffuser? Ugh, space consumption.” (Great for the curly girls, though).
  • “Concentrators – omg, there are two of them? NEAT.”
  • “Omg the magnetic bit for the tools is amazing. This is so nice, so much better than something that snaps on that can wear with time and become less secure.”
  • “OH! It sounds so smooth. And – this thing is powerful.”

Review

Time-to-Dry

My hair, which is long (and longer than usual at the moment thanks to CoVid-19), goes from, “I got out of the shower five minutes ago,” to dry in less than ten minutes. This varies depending on what products I’m using and how diligent I’m being about sectioning – but it is great. Thanks to a girlfriend, I started wearing wireless earbuds when I blowdry (genius), and I usually go through about two songs. That’s like 6-8 minutes.

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DIY Eyebrow Tinting

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DIY Eyebrow Tinting with Refectocil
DIY Eyebrow Tinting with Refectocil, $22

We can’t all have luxurious brows. I don’t; in spite of my natural brunette hue my eyebrows are on the light side. Not blonde, but a mild enough shade that the sparseness at the tails doesn’t do me many favors; their slight hue makes it challenging to see when grooming. But I’m a problem solver by trade – so when I learned how easy DIY eyebrow tinting was I checked that off my list immediately.

Why DIY Eyebrow Tinting

Do you have your eyebrows tinted? I didn’t. I knew tinting is a service you can get in a salon; Benefit Brow Bars charge between $20-23 for it depending on the market. I hadn’t cared about it

It wasn’t until I was watching a tutorial on how to execute your own brow wax (thanks, pandemic) that it struck me to. As her first step, she used DIY eyebrow tinting to help guide her removal so she didn’t over- or under-remove. It’s quite clever, actually.

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Laser Hair Removal Update

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Laser Hair Removal Update

In 2019, I started getting professional Laser Hair Removal treatments. Yes; even though I at one point purchased a Silkn Flash & Go device, I splurged on the real deal as a birthday gift to myself.

In short? I’m glad I did.

I started with underarms and brazilian laser hair removal treatment, and added lower leg about six months later.

Myths & Realities

It only takes 5-6 Treatments

You may experience a solid reduction in that time, but those cases are probably statistical outliers used for the benefit of marketing. Many cases do take longer going to get the results you want (significant reduction/removal) in that time.

I’ve been going for about a year and have maybe 5 active follicles remaining for my underarms. Brazilian is not quite as an aggressive reduction yet, but that can be owed to the thoroughness of the esthetician (comfort levels vary); and I get it.

If you’re considering laser hair removal, ask providers about average results and what to expect fee wise if treatment takes longer than the 5-6 that are so commonly touted. In my case, buying what equates to the cost of 5-6 treatments (‘a full course’) entitles me to however many I need over a two year period to get the job done.

Laser Hair Removal is Painless

It isn’t universally painless. There are many variables that contribute to discomfort that you might feel. To name a few:

  • Follicle density in a treatment area
  • How well you adhered to prep instructions
  • Pain tolerance (women’s tend to vary because thanks, hormones)
  • Machine settings (i.e., higher intensity wavelength may be more uncomfortable – but also more effective)
  • Color of treated hair and its contrast with your skin

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2020 Skincare Arsenal

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Obviously, since it’s been a while since I published any content, let alone consistently, it has been a while since I’ve shared my updated 2020 skincare arsenal. Some has changed since I last shared – but there are a lot of fixed elements, too.

Today, I’ll be sharing what products and tools I use regularly as well as how often I use them up and repurchase.

Makeup Removal

2020 Skincare Routine - Makeup Removing Cloths

I haven’t used makeup wipes since 2018. They’re expensive for what they are, wasteful, and not great for my skin. Instead, I invested in some reusable makeup removing cloths and use them with – yes, really – just plain water. I say invested, but that makes it sound like I spent a radical sum; I didn’t. I started with, repurchased (and would again) this $10 pack of two from Ulta (which also often goes BOGO). This single fixture of my 2020 skincare arsenal has easily saved me hundreds since I implemented it.

I’ve since amassed a collection of a few different ones (that’s a whole post to itself) and probably won’t need any for a while. I hear they can last up to five years with proper care. I love that I can throw mine in one of my favorite mesh wash bags and wash them with regular detergent. Mine is a Tide household, but I tend to use Laundress for these and other items that need to be handled gently.

2020 Skincare Routine - Makeup Removal - Garnier Micellar Water

When I’m wearing something more stubborn (like gel liner) I use Garnier SkinActive Micellar Water, $7 [[review]] instead of just water. Simple makes a nice one too; I buy whatever is cheaper-per-ounce when it is time to restock.

Cleanser

2020 Skincare Routine - Cleanser - CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser

My 2020 skincare arsenal would be woefully incomplete without CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser, $15 is nothing new for me. At this point, I’ve been using this skin pH friendly cleanser for years. If it ain’t broke and is affordable, don’t fix it. I wash my face once per day, in the evening – yes, only once – and go through about three 16oz bottles per year.

It treats me better than Cetaphil used to and is a great, fragrance-free alternative to Philosophy Purity at less than half the price.

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