seeking the simpler life
i love the idea of simplifying just about everything in my life. do you? schedules, routines, regimes … as well as clutter of all kinds.
i like simple menus, easy summer days with no agenda and spending more quality time with friends and family.
when it comes to beauty, clients frequently ask me about how to simplify beauty routines and regimes. i am also in a position to listen to many women tell me what is working for them and this usually includes multi-performance products that reduce the number of products you need.
essentials such as a haircut that looks great without, or with, a blow dry or time consuming styling are key.
men and women love multi-performance products that can replace several others. two-in-one, even three-in-one products are here to stay. here is one of the more creative ones that I have heard, use a dab of hair conditioner as a shaving gel in the shower. one less product to clutter the shower and some added moisture to the legs.
this time of year when thoughts turn to a summer glow, many women find that using facial self tanner on a regular basis allows them to use a lighter foundation or tinted moisturizer. and speaking of tans, the 5 minutes it takes to have a private sunless tanning session with our new state of the art system, available at both the ridgefield and southbury salon & spa gives days of glow and helps minimize imperfections.
we all make it though the day multi-tasking one way or another… but there is a point where focus and quality beat quantity on what gets accomplished. when i find myself going over the edge in trying to do too many things at once, i realize quality is lost. slowing down and doing fewer things better is part of simplifying life.
“speed is the modern, natural high,” says psychiatrist edward hallowell, MD, director of the hallowell center for cognitive and emotional health in Sudbury, ma. but he insists that true multitasking is a myth. we may feel we’re doing two -- or more -- things at once, but it’s an illusion. instead, we’re quickly switching our focus back and forth. that’s because the cerebral cortex can pay attention to only one thing at a time,” says hallowell. “what people really do is shift their attention from one task to the next in rapid succession. that reduces the quality of the work on any one task, because you’re ignoring it for milliseconds at a time.”
the best advice i ever received is one i share now with clients all the time … to keep it simple and just forget about your least favorite skill, personality trait or image issue, and focus on your strongest qualities. invest some time in basics, and minimize some of the time you spend multi-tasking to opt for more quality.
beauty wise, don't scrimp on the services and products that give you daily freedom, but look for your own beauty shortcuts to free your own personal style … that’s an easy way to a beautifully happy simpler life!
adams favorite multi-performance products
1. oribe root touch up concealer
works as a dry shampoo, texturizer and has uv protection
2. nars multiple blush
use dry for sheer coverage or wet for more vibrant color
3. pure blends shampoos
cleanse hair and adds a boost of color
4. ab tinted primer
spf 20, hydrates skin, and performs as a light foundation
