Today I am really excited to share this great post from reader Joanne, who shares with us a dramatic lifestyle change that I know happens to many people. You may even take a bit of inspiration from her story to change your own life.

I used to be the biggest beauty junkie around. It started when I was very young, and by the time I reached my teens there was no sign of stopping.

My first after-school job meant spending many hours perusing the local pharmacy who stocked Estée Lauder. The girls there knew me by my first name. Wise beyond my years, I coveted everything available by the brand. Pay day meant dashing to the counter for a new jar of Daywear or Advanced Night Repair.

Christmas was my favourite time of year. Though I wasn’t ho-ho-ho-ing over trees, carols and stuffed turkeys. Hell no. Christmas time for me meant Blockbuster and serious GWP (that’s Gift With Purchase) time at Estée Lauder. And I needed one of everything.

Pretty soon, my bathroom cupboards were busting at the seams. My morning routine was a good twenty minutes of cleansing, toning, moisturising. I didn’t dare step outside without at least an SPF15+ on. And, fearing wrinkles that weren’t even close to appearing, eye cream couldn’t be forgotten.

Make-up? Well, that was my favourite thing in the world. A Saturday night out meant a good 60 minutes getting ready. Every imaginable product you could think of found it’s way to my mug: moisturiser, primer, foundation, concealer, powder, sculpting powder, bronzer, three or four eye shadows, liner, highlighter – the works.

In my mind? It was totally worth it. I was forever being asked how I did my hair, and my secret to all-night-lasting lipstick.

Pretty soon, I found myself working full-time as a beauty therapist. My dream job. With access to many of the latest and greatest products and treatments around, I was in heaven. And I tried them all. My make-up collection exploded to a ridiculous level, taking up whatever free space I had around my house.

And then one day… I literally woke up and realised I was really kind of sick of it.

Why was I smothering myself in so many chemicals? Did I really need 42 shades of blush and 28 mascaras? And did that $45 bottle of conditioner really do a better job than the $6 supermarket brand?

Coincidentally, this realisation came at the same time I was moving house and changing jobs. As I tried to pack up the thousands of dollars worth of cosmetics, I decided I had the option: make moving easy and get rid of it all, or lug it to the next, smaller place which had even less storage space than the current one.

So I got rid of most of it.

And you know what? I haven’t looked back since.

It’s not that I’m now anti beauty, I just realised that I did not need so many products. And since moving, I’ve realised I can do without even less than I thought. My skincare routine now consists of a simple cleanser. Occasionally I use moisturiser. I don’t own an eye cream. And I focus on buying organic brands that come in recyclable packaging.

My make-up bag is now just that – a make-up bag, not 10. It consists of two blushes, one mascara, an eyeliner, some foundation, concealer, bronzer and my favourite shade of gloss. Combined, these products create a tried and tested look that I know suits me to a tee. My nails are normally a sheer pink (when I remember to put polish on), and there’s no unwanted hair situation a new razor can’t fix in seconds.

My life is simpler. I can get ready in minutes. Travelling is now a cinch. No one’s ever told me I look worse for it. In fact, I probably look happier – I have much more spare time to focus on other things and my credit-card is thankful.

But don’t get me wrong – I still love beauty. Make-up fascinates me, and I love its ability to take you from feeling rather ordinary to fabulous in minutes. I still enjoy getting ready for a night out, I’ll probably never stop having my hair cut and coloured, and if my skin is looking dire, I’ll reach for one of my favourite serums. It’s just that I now favour a healthier, more organic lifestyle. I like looking “fresh” and a lot of that comes back to eating a good diet, doing some exercise, and getting a safe amount of sun. No cream in the world can replace that.

What do you think of Joanne’s story? Have you had a similar experience or change of outlook?

If you have a story to share please do not hesitate to email me

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