By the girls, for the girls. Because we write for ourselves and girls like us, we will be honest. That means that we will tell you when your hair looks great and we will tell you when your nail polish is chipping. We look out for each other, and we'll look out for you too.

Makeup Remover for Sensitive Eyes

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BEAUTY | THE PRODUCT » By Jennie Wong » ★★★★☆ I’m a fan!

Perks of having roommates like mine are that you get to share beauty finds (and cupcakes!). My friend and roommate Dorothea taught me a thing or two about gentle makeup removers that wash away makeup in a snap.

For a long time I’d been using a blue, oil-based makeup remover from Sephora (read the review here). However, I noticed that as I started to use more eyeliner and water-resistant mascara, I had to really scrub to wash it all off at the end of the day. I knew this couldn’t be good for my eyes or the eye area. 

Dorothea introduced me to Biotherm Clarifying Cleansing Milk ($27, 13.5 oz.), a double-duty cleanser and eye/face makeup remover. Cleansing milks are silky, oil-in-water emulsions that leave the skin moisturized and refreshed. They are non-irritating and safe for the eye area. Apply with a cotton pad around the eyes or use as a normal cleanser for the whole face. Unlike my old eye makeup remover, this product doesn’t leave behind a film or residue.

If you are looking for solely an eye makeup remover because you already have a facial cleanser, I recommend the Sephora Sens’ Eyes Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser ($24, 3.38 oz.). This makeup remover has a similar texture and consistency. ✧

Want more product recs? Read the posts here and follow us on Twitter @etrethegirls.

Spring Cleaning: Makeup Drawer Edition

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BEAUTY | THE SETUP » By Jennie Wong

Did you know your makeup has a shelf life? Take a minute this spring to go through your makeup drawer and clear out the old to make room for the new.

I learned at work that mascara should probably be thrown out every 4 months — and I realized with some disgust that my tube was past due date. I took this as an opportunity to sort through my entire makeup drawer. My criteria for stash-or-trash was:

- Do I use this product regularly?
- Is there an expiration date?
- Have I used this product for more than 4 months?
- Is this just taking up space?

Through this process, I was able to clear out everything you see in that box pictured. You should pay special attention to products near the eye area like mascara because you don’t want dried out mascara or bacteria to get in your eyes. I also make a habit of cleaning my brushes every day (Daily Brush Cleaner), deep cleaning them once a month (Purifying Brush Shampoo), and replacing them completely every quarter.

What products can you get rid of? Remember, the key to a minimalism is getting rid of the excess. It starts with the little things. ✳

Mama Said: Skincare

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BEAUTY | THE SETUP » By Jennie Wong

This weekend I was fortunate enough to return home to California for a few days. I visited family and spent time in the sun reading, reading, reading and washing off the rust and grime of the city.

I also had the privilege of sitting down with my mama for dim sum and real talk about skincare. Here is what I learned.

My mama has beautiful skin, but she didn’t have the luxury (yes, it’s a luxury!) of cosmetics or skin products growing up. I look at her and I see healthy, glowing, soft skin. She is aging gracefully, with integrity. She does not wear any makeup.

I asked her, of course, what her skincare routine was. What should I do? Did I need to wear more sunscreen?? What products does she use?!

And my mama replied: Nothing. She washes her face with soap in the shower, and she uses an Olay facial cream day and night. That’s it.

“DO YOU WEAR SUNSCREEN?” I asked, incredulous.

“No,” said my mama, without any defensiveness.

And in that moment I realized that I, a blog-reading, American-born, beauty industry femmebot, may be a little too obsessed and overread with beauty products and prevention and treatment and spf and how many products can I crowd my bathroom counter with? How much of what I have is from Stuffmart — just noise to true health and skincare, “organic” in the original sense of the word? Sometimes, less is more. Sometimes, “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” (Leonardo da Vinci).

My mama is living proof that the body takes care of itself, if you let it. That doesn’t mean her routine works for everybody. But I think it’s good to think about.

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The next morning, I woke up to a jar of Olay cream on my desk.

Later, she texted me, “If you have skin like mine and grandma’s, you will be pretty :).”

Mama Said is a series of topical advice mama gives us that we can’t forget and need to share. Want to contribute your own story? Email us at etrethegirls@gmail.com for more information.

Ruby Wing Color Changing Nail Polish

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BEAUTY | THE PRODUCT » By Jennie Wong » ★★★★☆ I’m a fan!

Who remembers the color changing markers we used when we were little? This solar activated nail polish by Ruby Wing is the next best thing.

Ruby Wing is a line launched for summertime by nail art maven Color Club. The polish changes color in the sun, creating two completely different looks for indoor and outdoor. There are tons of hues to choose from, with names like Festival and Birdie.

To apply, swipe on a base coat, 1-2 coats of the color, and a top coat. The formula is thicker than usual, so make sure to wipe excess off the brush and use clean strokes with even pressure. Watch the color change in the sun.

imageRuby Wing in Poppy on my friend Dana

The next in nail trends? We’re hoping for mood-changing nail polish. ☼

RUBY WING, rubywing.com, sold online at select retailers

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