By Tia Cristy
Tips from Tia
As women, we all get bogged down with things in life, but when it comes to self-care and beauty, we feel better overall—in life, work, relationships, and, most of all, our emotions—when we actually make time to do so. Don’t believe me? Think back to when you were a little girl. We could spend hours staring at ourselves in the mirror, learning our facial expressions, playing with our hair and makeup, and dreaming of what we were going to be when we grew up. That kind of mirror playtime made us genuinely happy. Nowadays, most of us spend the quickest amount of time in front of the mirror, and when some of us do, all we do is criticize what we see. I’m here to tell you, that’s not okay. Mental health, beauty, and overall well-being start with what we tell ourselves, so focus on starting with what you say to that woman in the mirror.
What You Tell Your Reflection
What we tell our reflection is vital to our mindset. It’s bad enough to think unhappy thoughts, but to look at yourself and say unkind things can really mess with your internal self.
So, instead, you should tell yourself every morning that you love yourself. By telling yourself you love yourself, you can reinforce your values, implement good behaviors, and build unshakable confidence.
Treat Your Face Well
Treating your face well is a great starting point for self-care. I know it might seem odd to realize that the outside can affect the inside just as much as the inside affects the outside. But listen, when you don’t feel confident in your outside appearance, it can cause a mental spiral where confidence is wrecked.
Find yourself a great skincare routine that you can implement each day. For example, in the morning, after you profess your love to yourself, wash your face. Apply moisturizer over your face and give it a moment to absorb. Next, add a good SPF product to your routine. This is the number one anti-aging product you can invest in. Finally, apply your makeup and go. At night, wash your face and apply moisturizer again. Perhaps you like a Retin-A or a night cream—add that after. Consistency is key when caring for your skin.
Grandma Used to Say, Never Leave the House Without Your Lips
When I was four years old, my grandmother excitedly said that to me for the first time, and it scared the crap out of me. My young mind quickly convinced me there was a chance I could lose my lips at any moment. However, it didn’t take long for me to learn that she meant lipstick, and I could finally join in her enthusiasm. Now it’s not about lipstick specifically; it’s about taking time to beautify that beautiful face of yours so you feel good. When we feel beautiful, we radiate beauty.
Maybe you’re like me and don’t want the heavy makeup routine. Makeup can feel extreme on my face, and by hour two, I just want to wash it off. But today, technology is brilliant with products like FeatherLite Cosmetics that can be brushed on, giving a light, airbrushed look.
I got a chance to speak with the current owner of FeatherLite Cosmetics, Tamara Vander Lugt, and found out the remarkable story of the creation of these products.
FeatherLite Cosmetics was originally founded by the late Kim Harvel. Sadly, Kim passed away in July 2023. She launched FeatherLite in 2004 with a mission to create hand-crafted, clean, all-natural mineral makeup specifically designed for individuals with extremely sensitive skin, just like her own. Tamara met Kim in 2016 and quickly discovered the transformative power of Kim’s products after struggling herself for years to find a natural foundation that wouldn’t irritate her skin.
Kim’s vision for FeatherLite was to craft makeup that enhances natural beauty while prioritizing skin health. Built on the belief that beauty is empowering (Grandma would agree), FeatherLite creates high-quality, cruelty-free products that feel weightless, perform flawlessly, and nurture radiant, healthy skin. Still to this day, Kim’s philosophy remains the heart of the brand: Beauty should instill confidence because you’re already beautiful.
FeatherLite Cosmetics are crafted with just six to eight thoughtfully selected ingredients, depending on the shade. These include sericite, kaolin, magnesium carbonate, zinc stearate, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, and, in certain shades, mica and iron oxides to provide a versatile range of colors for various skin tones. Sericite, a type of mica, gives the formula its silky texture, while kaolin, a natural French clay, absorbs excess oil. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide deliver natural SPF protection, and zinc stearate ensures the mineral powders adhere smoothly to the skin. FeatherLite never includes talc, parabens, fragrances, oils, dyes, or bismuth oxychloride in its formulations.
Natural mineral makeup, like FeatherLite’s, is celebrated for being gentle on the skin and a healthier alternative to traditional cosmetics. Its lightweight, non-comedogenic formula is safe enough to sleep in. Not that it’s recommended, but Tamara admits that it’s happened before, and she didn’t break out from it. Speaking of breakouts, how can a powder that light cover up spots and blemishes?
“Take a little bit of powder and mix it with distilled water or moisturizer to make a paste,” Tamara says. “Then, with the tip of your finger, blot it on the area. Let it set for a few minutes before sweeping the powder foundation across the area to blend.”
Tamara also told me that combining multiple foundation colors can give a soft contour.
What’s Next?
Now that we have talked to our reflection, practiced self-care, and beautified ourselves, what is the next step? It’s simple enough: Continue to do this for yourself each day. I’m not saying you need to primp and prime for anyone other than yourself. But I am saying you are worth it, and you deserve this daily attention. It doesn’t have to be a long ceremony each day, but you should be willing to give yourself at least a solid five minutes of “you with you” time.
Don’t think you have time for that? Think about this the next time you’re scrolling through the social media rabbit hole or drowning in negative thoughts. Go check out the woman in the mirror and invest in some quality time together.
You can check out FeatherLite Cosmetics here to see the full line of products and seasonal collections.
