This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Crystal Light Water Way Challenge
I’ve been feeling ugly lately.
No, this post is not meant to prompt you to comment back with “You’re not ugly, Michelle! You’re preeeeeeetty!” even though blogs can be so good for that (and I totally wouldn’t stop you). And no, this post isn’t about feeling ugly inside or anything deep like that either — I don’t have time for that type of introspection.
No, I’ve just simply been feeling ugly. It all kinda started when I noticed that several of my favorite bloggers were posting photos of themselves without makeup as part of a project in recognizing your true beauty. I wanted to play, too, so I asked Matt to take some photos of me first thing in the morning, before my daily beautifying session.
Snap-snap-snap.
“Lemme see! Lemme see!”
He turned the camera around and showed me the photos.
“Ew, disgusting! Try it again.”
Snap-snap-snap. He showed me the new batch.
“Ew, nasty! Do some more.”
Snap-snap-snap.
“EWWWWWWWW! I HATE THEM!”
Finally, he started to get frustrated and said, “Here, lemme try something.” He adjusted the settings on his camera.
Snap-snap-snap. “Much better,” he said with a chuckle.
He turned the camera around to show me an image that was almost completely white except for a ghost-like outline of my face.
“Arrrrrrgh!” I said.
So, uh, yeah, that post? Not happening yet.
Lately, I’ve been looking in the mirror and cringing. I’ve always had pretty good skin, but that fresh, dewy, youthful glow seems long gone. My cheeks look dry and the skin underneath my eyes looks shadowy. I feel like I need to smother my face with exfoliants, masks, gels and creams just to look presentable.
All that stuff does help, but I’m realizing that’s not enough. I need to renew my face from the inside. So I’ve decided to 1) take Vitamin E capsules because they supposedly have some amazing benefits, 2) cut back on alcohol (this may be hard), and 3) drink more water.
Luckily, BlogHer is helping me with No. 3 as I was just asked to be part of the Crystal Light Water Way Challenge.
There are about a gazillion benefits of drinking more water (I mean, it’s water) and prettiness is definitely one of them. But it’s not always easy getting those recommended eight glasses, especially when you’re at your computer and drinking more water means, well, getting up. Plus, even though I think plain water is really yummy, anything that would make it even yummier is a a good thing. Did you know women who drink Crystal Light drink up to 20 percent more water? I guess they just can’t get enough.
With this challenge, I pledge to drink eight glasses of water with Crystal Light each day for one week. I’m especially excited about trying the White Peach Tea Skin Essentials Mix — it’s supposed to have all kinds of vitamins and stuff for your skin.
Check back here for updates throughout the week. And feel free to join the Crystal Light Water Way Challenge at BlogHer yourself! There’s a $1,000 sweepstakes you can enter. You can also check out the Water Way Challenge site and get your own widget to help you track your progress, as well as take Crystal Light’s Water Assessment to see if you’re getting enough water.
Hey, if all of these efforts work, maybe next week, I’ll be brave enough to show you my makeupless face.
We’ll see.
UPDATES:
Hmm maybe I should do this makeup-less thing too. Although I’d probably have your same reaction. I think that we’re the most critical of ourselves, even though others wont see us that way. Like when my fiance tells me I look beautiful when I first wake up, and I’m like HELLO? Do you not see the BAGS under my eyes, lines on my face from my pillow and various other defects? Blech.
I already drink at least this much water a day…but on days when I’m feeling bored with the plainness of water I love Crystal Light packets! i have them everywhere…in my purse, in my glove box, in my boyfriends car, in my nightstand…raspberry green tea is my fav!
Congrats on your new found freeeeeedom by the way…i am jealous!
XOXO
I’m sure the 8 glasses of water every day will help your skin get hydrated! Night creams work really well too :) I still think you’re a pretty lady from that pic in your header!
It’s cool that you’re doing this with BlogHer and that Crystal Light is endorsing it…
but I have to say I’m more of a purist when it comes to hydrating myself. I take plenty of vitamins and supplements (organic) with mineral water every day. I’m curious to see how significant the vitamins are in the Kraft product. Maybe you can share the ingredients? I honestly can’t imagine Kraft really caring all that much about what we put in our bodies – judging from all the other products they manufacture.
do you wear makeup everyday? I try to remind myself of what I look like by taking ‘days off’ from makeup; it helps me, because then I realize that I look alright without makeup and I get used to seeing myself that way; there are pics of me on FB without makeup from normal day to day activities!
I used to live by crystal light but I ended drinking so much of it, that I got sick of it.
As of late, when I’ve been browsing the aisles at Target, all of the new flavors have been shouting “buy me!” so I may give the white peach tea a try.
good luck on your water drinking!
I’m always thinking to myself that I should drink more water, but I only ever have during the first six months of breastfeeding. Maybe I should try some sort of flavored water. I like plain water though…I’m just lazy.
I’ve heard that it’s important to start on a low dose of Vitamin E and slowly work up to a higher dose. Also, I took Omega 3 supplements when I was pregnant and I heard that stuff does wonders for your hair and skin.
I know how you feel about the “ugly” thing – it’s a tough one to overcome. I would give you advice, but unfortunately I’m struggling with the same problem!
Looking forward to seeing how the water thing goes…I definitely notice a difference in my skin’s texture when I drink lots of water for weeks at a time and when I fall off the wagon.
Sounds like a defective camera.
If the barn needs painting you paint it.
Can you drink me pretty too? It might take booze instead of water. Still have that Crystal Light/Vodka recipe? Don’t know how hydrating that will be though.
I have had that moment too where I look and the mirror and go “whoa” . Even though we are young we can still see the affects of aging, weird.
But guess what? you are not ugly. just sayin
be brave, michelle. you’re gorgeous, i know you can do it! :)
I was feeling the same way. The skin under my eyes looked all crepe-like, and I had really gross dry skin. I started drinking 8 glasses a day and taking vitamin E and fish oil, and the difference was amazing! Turns out I was just dehydrated the whole time.
Tangential complaint, but you know what? I wish that glossies would ease up on the Photoshop. Half of their cover girls look just like us in the morning, but we wouldn’t know it. I used to think it was all good lighting and heavy makeup and drinking lots of “water.”
I know how it feels. I really do. Hang in there.
I just joined that challenge, too. Hope it helps– I am SO water deficient. LOL.
careful with the crystal light though. diet stuff isn’t good for you in lots of portions.. i know one guy who drank it religiously and his kidneys failed. just saying.
Well, good for you for doing something positive about something you feel negative about… too bad that it’s a myth that you need 8 glasses of water (although I’m sure that Crystal Light doesn’t want you to think so):
http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp