There’s a special place in hell for tactless folk with no self-awareness.
The kind of people who have no qualms telling you, in front of others, “You look like you’ve gained some weight… Somebody needs to go on (insert trendy diet here).” Or the troll in the office who feels the need to helpfully inform you that “you look tired. Are you tired? You have eyebags.”
Listen, if my eyebags could talk, they’d be yelling obscenities by now.
Even I am not exempt from face-palming behavior.
I remember meeting someone for the first time and thoughtlessly commenting on her leather bag. I don’t quite remember what I said—or maybe I blocked it out—but it had something to do with her bravely wearing leather in the face of the all judgey vegans in the room. Turns out she was a judgey vegan with an animal skin complex.
So what do we do when we lose face?
For the thoughtless, artless comments, a quick yet sincere apology or—in my case—a quick turn of phrase does the trick. “Leather?!” I quipped after the vegan expressed her outrage. “I meant the weather. The weather is SO nice now.”
She didn’t laugh.
Monday Mood Face
There are solutions to Monday Mood Face (MMF). (To the uninitiated, that’s basically when your complexion is as gray as your mood.) Chalk it to up to sleepless nights marathoning “Daredevil” or that new Netflix show “Catastrophe,” a bad hangover or too many post-morning mimosas, but MMF is a result of a vice-filled weekend followed by an early Monday morning call time.
Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. It’s Wednesday as I write this, and I’m still there. (They call Wednesday “Hump Day” because people tend to look like a camel’s hump by midweek.)
That greige complexion flatters no one and does terrible things for self-esteem. I once screamed out loud when my iPad died on me and I was surprised by the reflection of my MMF (although it was actually 3 am Monday morning).
There are new innovative ingredients that can wipe out a bad case of the Monday Mood Face, like Dr. Perricone’s proprietary neuropeptides that restore the “energy potential” of skin, which in turn reactivates physiological factors that restore radiance.
Here’s a list of new potions and ingredients that can help when you’ve got a case of the Mondays:
Moringa
Moringa (better known as malunggay) has healing, anti-aging and inflammatory properties, which makes it perfect for skincare. Moringa-O2 Malunggay Herbal Facial Toner has merged malunggay with with olive oil, for its antioxidants and omega, known for its moisture-retentive qualities, to create an alcohol-free toner that cleanses residual dirt and helps minimize pores without causing dryness.
Available at Mercury Drug, Watsons and SM Supermarket
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Known to be a powerful anti-aging ingredient, it’s known to deliver complexion-saving benefits, like minimizing fine lines and wrinkles while resurfacing skin. Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer Tint contains not only nutrient-rich antioxidants, but also Vitamin C Ester to boost collagen production.
Available at Rustan’s
DMAE
Dr. Perricone promises high concentrations of this mystery ingredient (it doesn’t reveal what the letters stand for), but assure users that DMAE helps to prevent and correct the loss of skin elasticity. Neuropeptides, meanwhile, work with DMAE to create a smooth skin texture that softens the look of fine lines in the Perricone MD Neuropeptide Face Activator.
Available at Rustan’s
I’ve armed myself with a beauty cabinet filled with potions to deter MMF—from moisturizing right after bathing to drinking a huge glass of water as soon as I wake up. But I’ve also learned not to pay attention to people who insist on telling me that my eyebags seem to be doing double duty as a moat. Or that my hair looks so messy, I look like I was just electrocuted. (Uh, I did that on purpose. It’s called Dry Shampoo.)
To be honest, I enjoy beauty products because they make me feel pampered. If people feel the need to critique my face, my response is not to run to the salon and salve my soul with some intense waxing, but to just shrug it off. Only I get to make fun of my appearance. To paraphrase Christina Aguilera, “You are beautiful, no matter the state of your oil glands.” (See related story,
Their fave face-saving products)
E-mail me at bledesma@hip.ph