I spoke with the team at Bella Sante when we started to gear up this project so we could all get to know each other better. They sent me three questions to answer that will help all of you get to know me better, too. I'm hoping that my experiences and journey resonate with you ... I think most of us can identify with awkward teen years, thoughts about aging and why we choose to take care of our skin into our mid-lives and beyond. This is the first question I was asked to answer. The written version appears below the video.
Question: What is your past experience with self-care?
It’s not a stretch to say I’ve been interested in this area for more than 40 years.
Let’s look back. Waaaaay back. Shaunavon, Saskatchewan. My hometown. It’s the summer of 1984. Prince’s Purple Rain album had just been released and Ghostbusters was new in theatre. In a couple of months, I would start high school. While you’d find my best friend outside with a Sweet Valley high book, a bottle of sun-in and some tanning oil, I lurked in the shadows — if I was in the sun, my pasty skin would burn to a crisp in 10 minutes or less. And so, I would stay inside to listen to my new cassettes from Columbia House and page through Vogue magazine to find out about the latest trends in fashion and makeup — and also skin care, thanks to a horrifying new case of acne.
My mom had quit her job at the bank to sell Mary Kay skincare and cosmetics full-time, so I was keen to try out their cleansers, face masks and toners in an attempt to deal with my outbreaks. (My acne subscription outlasted Columbia House by at least five years, by the way.) Through my mom, I learned why skin care was important, why you have to take off your makeup before bed and why sunscreen is more important than bubblegum-flavoured lip smackers. It was the start of good skincare habits that took me through college and well into adulthood.
When I turned 45, my mom suggested I should look into Botox to deal with some emerging wrinkles. Instead of cutting my hair to hide my forehead lines, I went to Bella Sante and booked an appointment for Botox. And you know what? I loved it. I stop in every so often for Botox and IPL treatments, and right before COVID, I tried Belkyra and a Jessner peel. (It’s too bad everyone missed how I looked in lockdown, it was FABULOUS.)
In the last 10 years, I’ve also added retinol and vitamin C to my skincare regimen. I upped my sunscreen from SPF 30 to 60. I still love to learn about new treatments, new tech and new products that help skin stay firm and healthy for longer. And now I actually get to test out some of them. This is the realization of a lifelong passion for me, and I am excited to share what I learn with you along the way.
You don’t have to have spent 40 years reading up on skin care to want to try something new. All you need is curiosity and an open mind. (And sunscreen. You always need sunscreen.)
Until next time,
Michelle
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