Time is flying by so fast this year and I can’t believe that it’s already the middle of May! With that said, lots of exciting things are happening for some of you guys – and one of those things is graduation! It’s been years and years since I graduated from both high school and college, but reflecting back on my journey, there were definitely some things I’d do differently (especially in the beauty department). In honor of graduation, I’ve partnered with Olay today to share some of the beauty lessons I learned the hard way – so you can avoid them too. Let’s get started!…1. Invest in self-care earlyWhen you’re younger, it’s so easy to get caught up on external factors (like school and people) that you don’t realize how important self-care is. I wish I had invested more in my mental and physical well-being. One of the simplest ways to start is with skincare. I wish that I had new the importance of being kind to my skin and keeping it nourished. It’s a big investment that requires time and commitment. However, it’s definitelyworth it in the long haul. I sometimes look at my skin now and notice how I could have prevented some of the scarring and pigmentation by using the right products. SPF is a key product, which I cannot stress enough. If you haven’t started using sunscreen, I highly recommend Olay Sun Face Sunscreen with SPF 35.…2. Make SPF priorityI never used to wear sunscreen even when I would sunbathe regularly. And it wasn’t until I got my first few sun spots in my early 20’s that I started applying it everyday. Knowing now that the sun is one of the biggest contributors to premature aging and dark spots, I have huge regrets about not adding SPF to my regimen sooner. And today, I feel like I can’t live without it. Olay Sun Face Sunscreen with SPF 35 is what I’ve been using daily to prevent further damage and slow down the aging process.3. Less is moreSkincare wasn’t a huge initiative for me when I was younger, but I definitely loved makeup. When I look back at old photos, I cringe at some of the things I’d go overboard on – like black eyeliner, shimmery bronzer, and the wrong eyebrow color. I wish I had simplified my makeup routine earlier because less is really more. If you don’t, you’ll probably have years worth of photos that make you cringe.4. The ingredients in your products are importantSkincare is not a one-size-fits all ordeal. So, it’s important to know which ingredients you need for your skin. I’m a fan of AHA/BHAs, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide (which can be found in the Olay Sun Face Sunscreen). And for sunscreens, I like avobenzone, which is safe and effective for combatting the sun’s harmful rays. Avobenzone ensures that I never get that white cast in photos that occurs from SPF flashback.5. Eyebrows are just as important as skincareFinally, I wish I knew the power of eyebrows much earlier on. Brows are a huge game changer if you’re like me with essentially no brows. With a natural shape and more definition, your face will just look complete – even without blush, bronzer, and lipstick.…To be fair, I learned more than just beauty lessons in the past decade, and I know I called this beauty lessons but figured I’d throw in 3 more life lessons that I think you need to hear:– Real valuable work goes beyond the surface. Advice like create a platform, build a following, work the system, etc isn’t great nor practical – because real work and satisfaction goes beyond the surface. It stems from diving deep into something and staying there for a long time. And that requires giving up instant gratification and the luxury of time itself!– Follow your bliss. Essentially follow what makes you happy if you care about living a fulfilling, exciting life. Know that it will take courage, tons of risk, and it might suck for a while. People won’t understand, but take the risk and go for it anyway. Know that this can be an ever-changing journey and you just have to keep following it.– The best advice comes from people aren’t giving you any. I’ve also learned much later that the best advice comes from people who try to teach you how to approach a situation so you can solve it better on your own rather than those trying to relive their old glories.…What life lessons have you learned over the years?Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Olay. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
