Shelf Care: Momo on Beauty, Part 1
Here at She’s Full of Lit, we are multi-faceted women whose mutual interests don’t just include books. One of those interests is beauty, and the products and rituals we use to take care of ourselves. We thought a series outlining our skin care, makeup, and hair routines, as well as some deeper questions about what beauty means to us, would be a fun read outside of our usual book-related content.
We should disclose that Shannon has worked for The Estée Lauder Companies for seven years, which owns every brand/product with an asterisk next to it below. She does get discounts on those products. Please note that there are affiliate links throughout the below, but I have not affiliate-linked the brands that ELC owns.
What are your AM and PM skin care routines?
I truly did not start caring for my skin until about a year ago. I mean, I literally did not wash my makeup off most of the time. Luckily I have the totally unearned genetic blessing of good skin, and I no longer take it for granted. I double-cleanse, first with Caudalie Micellar Water to remove any makeup. It works so well, and so gently, but I HATE tasting it on my skin, so I wash afterward with Mamonde Petal Spa Oil to Foam Cleanser.
I recently bullied my derm into prescribing me retinol, so per her instructions I mix it with *Clinique Moisture Surge Intense moisturizer and am just using that at the moment. I’m still in the red and ouchy phase of retinol use, so I then coat my face with Eucerin.
I’m bouncing around with face oils, but currently am using Lord Jones’ CBD oil as a final step (I received this as a sample at the gift show!).
Mostly, I’m realizing more and more that hydrated, well-maintained skin both makes makeup look better, and makes you look better without makeup.
What is your daily makeup “uniform”?
I almost always wear makeup, and have a relatively quick and standard routine down pat. I use *Bobbi Brown BB Cream for some coverage and SPF. I use Wander Beauty Mile High mascara. I’m a huge blush person, and think it’s one of the most underused cosmetic products—everyone looks better with blush on. I tend to use Glossier Cloud Paint blush, NARS Multiple Orgasm, or au Naturale Creme Stick blush in Pink Grapefruit, and my absolute favorite, Tarte Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess. Generally I prefer cream makeup to powder (millennial much?).
A few times a week, I top it off with the best red lipstick in the world, Fenty Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored.
Let’s talk hair. Do you have a signature style? A go-to product?
I have pin-straight baby fine hair that I usually wear down, so I use a ton of product—I also heat-style every day. I use the following Bumble and bumble products:
*Brilliantine—when I wear my hair straight, for some shine and separation
*Tres Invisible Dry Shampoo for second (or third or fourth…) day hair. I also use the *Pret a Powder which is great for giving some texture to my hair if I braid it
I also use Living Proof Perfect Hair Day balm before I blow dry, which makes my hair silky and helps it fall nicely.
I blow my hair out every time I wash it, and usually use a straightening iron to do curls for second day hair. Unfortunately, if it is even remotely humid, all bets are off and my hair looks awful.
There’s nothing like that “fresh from the salon” feeling. Where do you get your hair cut and colored?
If you know somewhere good that’s not prohibitively expensive, let me know. I love going to Bumble and bumble in Meatpacking but my budget prohibits that being my regular spot (though if you can swing it, it’s so worth it!) I’ve had middling luck with other places I’ve tried. I’m rapidly graying, so I have my hair highlighted platinum (essentially gray) to camouflage.
What is your most tragic beauty fail?
I have three that should make you feel better about your critical thinking skills. I joke that my autobiography will be called “Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time”
I’ve been known to take a potentially treacherous shortcut and shave stray brow hairs rather than pluck. In tenth grade I accidentally lopped off half of my right eyebrow. It was…not a great look.
I was a redhead for a long time, but I picked the wrong box dye in college once and my hair turned purple. Everyone lied and said it was not purple, but when I dyed it back a few days later they were all like “yeah it was really purple.”
I cut my own bangs, often in fits of pique, and have definitely accidentally given myself those super-short Bettie Page bangs a few times—except uneven and decidedly unsexy.
What are your favorite and least favorite features?
I have big eyes and lips, and I love my skin, even though it’s a liability in the summer. I really dislike my nose, though I’m not overly preoccupied with it, and I also have distractingly large earlobes, which I’m sure no one but myself notices.
