Beauty Quips: The Blog

Who Made the Beauty Rules? And what happens when we stop following them? There are a lot of rules in beauty. Some are written on product labels. Some are whispered between friends. Some are handed down from one generation to the next. And some of them? We have absolutely no idea who made them. At some point, many of us learned that certain colors were “too much,” certain hairstyles were “too young,” certain makeup belonged to certain ages, and taking time for ourselves was somehow a luxury we needed to earn. We learned that beautiful meant polished—but not too polished. Natural—but not too natural. Youthful—but apparently not so youthful that anyone thought we were trying too hard. It's exhausting. And maybe it's time we questioned a few of those rules. Who decided shimmer has an expiration date? I'll go first. Why exactly does getting older mean we have to stop having fun with makeup? Sure, our skin changes. Our preferences change. The products that worked beautifully at 2...

There’s something about the end of summer that makes us want to hit the reset button. The calendar starts filling up again. Mornings get busier. Schedules change. And suddenly that leisurely summer beauty routine—or lack thereof—needs a little structure. But before you decide you need an entirely new makeup bag, a twelve-step skincare routine, and a bathroom counter full of products, let’s pause. You probably don’t need more beauty. You need a better routine. A good beauty routine should make your life easier, not give you another list of things to accomplish before breakfast. Start With What You Actually Do The best beauty routine isn't the one that looks impressive on Instagram. It's the one you will actually do on a Tuesday morning when you're running late, your coffee is getting cold, and someone needs something from you before you've even found your shoes. Start by looking at your current routine and asking: * What do I use every single day? * What products make ge...

There is something about the start of a new school year that makes everything feel like a fresh start. New pencils. New notebooks. New routines. New schedules. And, if you're a mom, a teacher, a homeschool mom, or anyone whose calendar suddenly gets a whole lot fuller in August…possibly a desperate search for the snooze button. This week feels especially fitting for me because homeschool officially begins in our house on Wednesday, and I've already stepped back into my role as a paraeducator. So yes—back-to-school is happening in my world, too. And it has me thinking about something we don't always put on the back-to-school checklist: How are we going to take care of ourselves while we're taking care of everyone else? A New Season Doesn't Have to Mean a New You I love the feeling of a fresh school year. There is something hopeful about sharpening the pencils, organizing the supplies, opening a brand-new planner, and thinking, This year, we're going to be so orga...

Clean Slate: Why Healthy Skin Starts Before Your Cleanser By Heather | Beauty Quips There are nights when my skincare routine feels like a little luxury. Then there are nights when I barely make it to the bedroom before remembering I still have makeup on. If you're anything like me, you've probably experienced both. The truth is, healthy skin isn't about having a ten-step routine or a cabinet full of expensive products. More often than not, it begins with one simple habit: Taking everything off at the end of the day. Throughout the day, our skin collects more than just foundation and mascara. Sunscreen, oil, sweat, pollution, and everyday dirt all settle on our skin's surface. Even if you aren't wearing makeup, your skin has worked hard all day. Giving it a clean slate each evening is one of the kindest things you can do for it. Why Cleansing Matters While we sleep, our skin naturally goes into repair mode. Removing the day's buildup allows your nighttime skinca...

There was a time when I thought looking put together meant spending 30 or 40 minutes getting ready. Then life happened. Between work, family, responsibilities, and everything else that fills our days, those extra minutes became harder to find. I realized something important: most of us aren't looking for a complicated beauty routine—we're looking for one that fits real life. That's when I stopped chasing perfection and started focusing on intention. I've discovered that five thoughtful minutes can make a surprising difference. Not because makeup changes who we are, but because taking a few moments for ourselves reminds us that we're worth the time. For me, a simple morning routine looks something like this: 💕 A moisturizer that leaves my skin feeling refreshed. 💕 A cream eyeliner that glides on quickly without fuss. 💕 Mascara to brighten my eyes. 💕 A favorite lip color. That's it. The goal isn't to look like someone else. It's to feel like ...

From the Editor's Desk A weekly article from Heather, Managing Editor of Beauty Quips. Have you ever realized you're almost out of your favorite moisturizer…right before you're supposed to get ready for work? Or reached for your favorite lip color only to discover it's empty? If you're anything like me, it's usually at the worst possible time. Life gets busy. Between work, family, errands, volunteering, and trying to squeeze in a little time for ourselves, remembering to reorder beauty products often ends up at the bottom of the list. That's why I've started thinking about beauty a little differently. Instead of asking, "What should I buy next?" I ask, "How can I make taking care of myself easier?"    Beauty Shouldn't Be Another Thing to Remember One of the biggest gifts you can give yourself is removing unnecessary decisions. We already make hundreds of decisions every day. Dinner. Laundry. Appointments. School activiti...