Many young women ask, “Can I use cosmetics?” and each has her own concerns. The answer is simple: start using cosmetics from an early age.
First, determine your skin type. Even normal skin — smooth and resilient, which reacts well to water and soap — needs care to prevent early imperfections. In the evening, wash your face with boiled water to which you’ve added half a teaspoon of baking soda per liter and a little gentle baby soap. Rinse with warm water, then with room-temperature water. If you’ve been wearing makeup, remove it first with a cleansing milk before washing. In the morning, after splashing cold water on your face, apply a moisturizing cream.
In summer at the beach, or on a cold, windy day, apply a thick cream generously. Dry skin can lead to early wrinkles.
Should you do masks? You might ask. No. If your skin is well-nourished and you keep a healthy work-rest balance, it doesn’t need masks. If you get sunburned at the beach or out in the sun, make a soothing mask from buttermilk with a few drops of oil.
Dry skin requires more careful attention. Wash with a linden flower infusion (1 teaspoon per cup of water) or with tea made with milk (4 tablespoons of milk per cup). If your skin often flakes, wipe it with a flaxseed infusion (soak 1 teaspoon in cold water, boil, then cool). At night, use rich, vitamin-enriched creams, but avoid those labeled “bio,” which are meant for older women. If you can’t find suitable creams, try traditional remedies our grandmothers used: boiled oils, sour cream, or goose fat. Pay attention to your diet and get enough vitamins A, E, and C. If your face frequently itches or flakes, make a weekly mask by mixing 1 tablespoon cottage cheese with 1 tablespoon fresh sour cream and some carrot juice.
For oily skin, use a special lotion and wash first with warm salted water (1 teaspoon per liter), then with cold water. Before going outside, apply a moisturizing cream and dust your face with powder.
Regularly cleanse your face of blackheads. While it’s best done in a salon, you can do it at home. Prepare a steam bath in a bowl: pour 2 tablespoons of medicinal herbs — sage, burdock root, or chamomile — into 2 liters of boiling water, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes. Then reheat to boiling, set the bowl on a table or stool, lean over it, and cover your head with a towel, steaming your face for 10–15 minutes. Pat your face dry and gently squeeze out blackheads, wrapping your fingers in a tissue. Afterward, wash your face with a chamomile infusion.
Care for your elbows. Short-sleeve dresses will immediately reveal their condition. To prevent rough skin, apply cream to your elbows whenever you moisturize your hands. Once a week, scrub them with wet salt, rinse with water acidified with a little vinegar, and apply glycerin.
Freckles lighten when you regularly wipe your face with serum and fresh cucumber juice. Make whitening masks from strawberries, tomatoes, or currants. Here’s a recipe: mix 2 tablespoons of a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution with 1 teaspoon of starch and apply it to your face. Do these procedures regularly and over time. It’s best to start in winter when freckles are barely noticeable.
And finally, if you’re heading to a disco or an evening gathering, you might find yourself arguing with parents who say, “At your age, you shouldn’t wear makeup.” Others see makeup as part of a modern lifestyle. Girls with beautiful, fresh skin and dark brows and lashes don’t need makeup, but a young girl can still look attractive with a light dusting of powder on a shiny nose or a tinted cream to cover blemishes. Keep lipstick barely noticeable. If you use eyeshadow, avoid the “black eye” look. Highlighting your eyelids to accentuate your eyes is an art — if you’re not skilled, don’t change your face so much that it looks tacky. It’s often better to visit a beauty salon where professionals can help.
Always be charming and attractive!
