Little Magazine 9
Fireworks! Sun! B.B.Q.! It’s lit!
Daisy dukes, check.
Tube-top (sans tan-lines), check. Platforms, check. (🤷🏼♀️I'm a Cali-girl at heart!) July 4th 🇺🇸 is one of my favorite holidays. Happy Birthday America! It’s one of the few holidays when the entire country feels unified, relaxed, and happy. It’s summer, there’s B.B.Q. (one of my favorite foods), and it’s all about spending quality time with family and friends, relaxing. And there’s a burst of glitter in the sky at the end of it all. C’mon. It doesn’t get better than that. So whether you’re going to the park, beach, or your own backyard, let’s prep our faces (and gams) for the event, shall we? Here’s a Le Kitsune curated July 4th playlist to help you get your party started.
Be as cheeky as you want,
but wear a hat!!! As I’ve recommended before, while it’s helpful to check your city’s UV index for the day, it’s still always a good idea to just… wear a hat! Especially if you know you’re going to be outside all day. Big sunnies 😎 extra credit. Mama Lee once shared some wise words. She said “you see the sun damage on your face that you incurred ten years ago.” In other words, it’s too late by the time you see it. You can do the creams, peels and lasers to try to reverse the damage—or you can just wear SPF and a hat and save yourself a whole lotta trouble. Here’s a list of SPF reco’s in Article 4. I can never reiterate sun damage prevention enough! ☝🏼️Don’t forget to set an alarm every 4 hours ⏰ to reapply. I like to cleanse the skin mid-day before reapplying sunscreen with something like these Astringent Exfoliating Pads ($6.49).
I tend to be more vigilant
in my skin-cleansing routine during the summer. This is because: 1) I’m slathering on sunscreen, and 2) my sensitive, combination skin tends to get oilier in the heat and humidity. When I know that I’m going to be in the sun all day & reapplying sunscreen, I prepare my skin for the onslaught of fun. The night before I do a thorough cleanse of my skin. This entails:
1. Oil Cleanser ($13.41)- Oil breaks down oil. This dissolves all the grimies we accumulate throughout the day.
2. Foam Cleanser ($16.99)- This rinses off all the oilies. Think: Soap on a greasy dish.
3. Tone (w/cotton pad)($10.99)- This rebalances your skin’s pH levels, refreshes your skin, and gently removes any leftover dirt in your skin (aka fights against pollutants).
4. Essence- This step is supposed to smooth the skin, amplify the steps after (think skincare primer), and accelerate skin cell turnover. If you don’t feel like dishing out ($91 @Walmart-yes, Walmart!) for SKII’s famous essence (it’s a little stinky, FYI), you can always go for a Missha’s wallet-friendly version ($16).
5. Serum- The skin’s vitamins, I like to call it. It’s also intended to target your skin’s concerns. Problem-solving, designed to penetrate the skin. High-impact. Vitamin-C for lightening dark spots ($49), or growth factors for rejuvenated skin ($281).
5. Moisturize/ Seal- Here are two light, non-offensive options that are good for everyday use in the summer. Peach and Lily’s Rescue Balm ($28), and Skinesque’s Moisture Lock Cream ($40). Moisturizer locks-in all these good steps.
6. Mask ($1.80-$2.90)- If you want to be extra (nourishing) to your skin, then these masks are a no-brainer and won’t break the bank. I stock up on these and pull from the inventory when needed. If you really want to treat yourself, SKII (3 for $39) is my Shangri-La of masking and my pre-treatment for Bridal Makeup applications.
If you want happy skin
the next day, make sure you repeat all previously mentioned cleansing/ prep-steps and maybe even do a pure aloe-mask. Swing by your local farmer’s market, grab a leaf or two, scoop it out like my grandma used to do, and with a spoon—eat half (apparently it’s good for your insides, too!) and slather the other half on your face. If you don’t have time—grab a blue jar of the good stuff, Noxzema. Read more about my affinity 💗 for it in Article 4. The goal is to soothe and calm your skin and restore it back to health.
“Tippy-Tip: If you’re going to the beach, massage in a deep-conditioner to your hair ends, and it’ll give it an extra coat of protection for the beating it’ll receive!
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Here’s a link to the good stuff.