how to glow down
+.｡☆ﾟ:;｡+ﾟ ☆* to be hot is to actually live +.｡☆ﾟ:;｡+ﾟ ☆*
i used to wake up every single morning at 6am to straighten my hair for school, meticulously applying a thick layer of mascara lengthening my lashes to be as long as possible. dry brushing, gua sha-ing, nightly face masks, monthly eyebrow appointments, teeth whitening strips that resulted in a mind numbing stinging and jeans 3 sizes too tight filled my existence.
the other day i was chatting with someone i knew in college and as we were reflecting on things that felt so important in 2018 that are delightfully insignificant now, i laughed and told her, “i think i’ve glowed down since then and have never been happier”
i like to feel as though i live in my clothes, my unique experiences folded up in every wrinkle. i like being able to sit in my jeans and laugh without constriction. i like when my eyebrows are a bit overgrown showing my humanity. i like when my hair feels messy in a way that points to an ease with which i carry myself, ready to float through whatever situation comes to me next unbothered with how the external world affects me. i’ve learned to accept the dark circles underneath my eyes as opposed to trying every possible remedy to get rid of them (cold spoons do not work). it’s okay if i have to wear mismatched socks or if my pants are too short exposing my ankles. through a perfectionistic burnout eerily similar to cassie’s in s2 of euphoria, i’ve let go of that overwhelming pressure to look crisp and effortlessly perfect every single day and instead i think the physical manifestations of living to be eternally more beautiful.
THESE ARE A FEW THINGS I’VE DONE TO GLOW DOWN!
these are things i have eliminated that make me feel more comfortable and holistically ~me~ i still love to wear heels and mini skirts and a red lip!!!!!!!!!!!! a glow down is merely a symbolic release of all the things you thought you had to do to fit into a societal norm- you are fabulous without all of the noise.
cut my hair short - this may feel like a silly one but i internalized the idea that long hair was the most palatable choice for a ~girl~, i drastically cut my hair into a bob this past year and love the edge and ease it gives me with minimal styling effort.
a simplified makeup routine- i used to watch makeup tutorials and was fascinated by the ability to contour your face into someone with sculpted cheek bones with the perfect nose. i am ~not good~ at applying makeup and i ~do not enjoy it~ instead of spending 45 minutes in front of the mirror fixing the shaky eyeliner i applied i’ve narrowed down my average routine to be a dab of kosas foundation, a swipe of nars concealer, a pinch of the merit cheek tint polished off with the saie beauty lip gloss. i love that i now feel happy to recognize myself when i look in the mirror <3
wearing oversized / wrinkly clothing - i have this trench coat that i ADORE and treasure, it is a XL coach trench with embroidery that i scored at a sample sale. given the nature of the fabric it is perpetually wrinkled at all times which i used to feel a bit self conscious about but a woman whom i find extremely chic once said to me that she thinks it feels cooler wrinkled. she may have been just trying to make me feel better but it worked!!!!! i think there is a certain ease and whimsy that comes with wearing clothes that feel wrinkled / comfortable.
stopped getting my eyebrows waxed- i have big ole bushy brows i used to blame my dear father for inheriting and would schedule monthly waxes to make them as clean and tight as possible. i’ve recently let them grow out and there is something i find quite beautiful in how they take up space on my face (as weird as that sounds). i do use the merit brow pomade to keep them in check which i highly rec
5. dressing for myself and nobody else !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i touched on this idea in my substack dedicated to knowing what you like but to beat a dead horse, the ability to dress for nobody else but yourself is (to me) one of the most magical experiences one could have. life is so fun when you live it for yourself ! the right people will still be there <3
XOXOXOXO
Love this 🤍