Once upon a time, I never went anywhere without Sea Breeze wipes, loose powder and blotting papers. I was a teen with serious sheen.
The oil factory never shut down — not even for maintenance. I’d wash my face and, before I could reach for a towel to pat it dry, a new oil slick would appear across my forehead.
I was forever shampooing my hair. It was naturally blonde — but only for a few hours after washing. As the day wore on, it mutated into a shiny, slippery, dark brown mop.
Though a few of my peers battled dry skin, I never had to slather on hand cream or body lotion to make my skin smooth and dewy. It was naturally so. And then some. I called it “over-glow.”
While it wasn’t quite the beauty statement I’d hoped to make, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. My breakouts weren’t horrible…. My hair was mostly manageable with a ponytail holder…. My skin was always soft…. And the natural oils that I struggled to contain in puberty kept me well-preserved into middle age and beyond.
I’m still a bit greasy. But, lately, there’s been less of it. In fact, in recent years I had to resort to something I never would have considered as a teen: Moisturizer.
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion
With no previous experience to speak of, I was lost. Trying to find the perfect lotion made me feel a little like Goldilocks: Some were too thick. Some were too thin. And then, after experimenting with eleven different brands, I finally found the one that was “juuuuuuust right.”
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion offered instant hydration. Easily absorbed, it left my rough, dry hands feeling like velvet. My skin was soft and supple — with no greasy residue. And yet, somehow, the lotion stayed with me.
According to the back of the bottle, the product is made with colloidal oatmeal which leaves behind a “protective barrier, preventing the loss of moisture.” I don’t know how or why it works. But it does. And it only took one application to prove it. The truly surprising thing? No need to reapply. Shower, moisturize and you’re good for the whole day.
Fragrance free, Aveeno has just the slightest earthy aroma, leaving you free to add your own fragrance. Or not. Available at a corner drug store near you, a small tube sells for just $2.99. Now that’s a happy ending.
I remember that Ahhhhh-veeno moment!
Oh, how I wish I’d thought of that for the title of this post!