So as of today, I am 81 days sober. It’s been a wonderful, terribly challenging, roller coaster of a ride. The peaks and valleys have started to turn to rolling hills as of late…thank goodness. Sober life has been full of a lot of “news” and “firsts”…everything from REALLY SEEING the beauty of nature when I walk my dogs in the park each morning, to looking forward to my tea and dates in the evening (instead of wine and who knows what else), to actually taking good care of my body.
In fact, I have become fastidious in taking care of my house and my body. Each night after dinner I clean up my kitchen and start the dishwasher - even when I very much don’t feel like it, then I head upstairs to clean myself. It always makes me think of a book I read (and a Moth podcast by the author), It’s So Easy (and other lies), by Duff McKagan. Don’t laugh, it’s one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read. If you don’t know Duff McKagan was the bassist for Guns n’ Roses. His sobriety story is amazing and inspiring. After a near fatal episode of pancreatitis, he got sober on his own through working out, and eventually finding martial arts. Towards the beginning of his journey his sensei told him, “Duff, go home. Do you laundry. Put away your clothes. Wash your dishes and put them away. When you dirty another dish, put it into the dishwasher. Brush your teeth. Go to bed, and in the morning come back here ready to work.”
I think of that every night. Take care with yourself and your life. So each night, I do the dishes, put away laundry and head upstairs to care for my body before bedtime. What’s this got to do with beauty? Here it is: I spend probably a good 15 minutes after my shower religiously applying nearly every anti-aging product I have. They work, so why wouldn’t I use them? If I’m attempting to be the best me, why would I disregard my skin? So I don’t.
With my clean hair up in a towel, I spray on my Skin Ceuticals Equalizing Toner so my face won’t feel tight after the deep clean from my Clarisonic. Then on to a new fave, Neocutis Micro Body. We recently brought on the new Neocutis MPC products. If you have used Neocutis before, you most likely used their original line in pretty Tiffany blue bottles, with growth factors. They are truly miraculous for healing post-procedure skin (we have their post-procedure kit for clients doing laser procedures). But the MPC line doesn’t have growth factors. It has micro-proteins that stimulate collagen and elastin. MPC is geared towards those of us who are 40 and over and need help with lifting and firming of the skin. The Micro Body is a firming product for larger body areas. I use it on my thighs, butt, and stomach.
I also have the MicroSerum for the face. This is a product that you should buy if: you want fast results and you don’t want multiple products. It includes antioxidant, SPF, and the micro-proteins for stimulating elastin and collagen, and smoothing lines and wrinkles. There really is not a comparable product available. It’s expensive…but like I said, get it if you want just 1 product and not 3 or 4. You won’t be disappointed.
The MPC products we carry are: Micro Body, Micro Day, Micro Night, Micro Eye, Micro Serum, Micro Lift (for Neck + Décolletage).
Old faves I slather on? Skin Better’s Intensive Alpha Ret for improving skin texture and clarity, and stimulating cell turnover.
My morning routine includes the Neocutis products again, then Skin Better’s Eye, and Colorescience’s Total Eye (this acts as a concealer, an SPF and a corrective product for lessening darkness and bags).
All of this fastidiousness can get downright exhausting sometimes, but I think in the end it’s worth it to take care of what you’ve got - body, mind, soul, house, etc… Sometimes I think, What the hell was I doing with my life before?! (Well I know what I was doing and it involved Chardonnay!).
So, I’m no sensei, but hopefully a few words were encouraging, even as simple as making you want to take your mascara off at night, or purchase an Alpha Ret so when you look in the mirror you see yourself glowing back at you.
Namaste. Kombucha. Chaturanga chimichanga!