I want to share with you my new favorite beauty product: Jergens All-Purpose Face Cream. When it says "all-purpose"--they're really not kidding! It is the BEST makeup remover I have ever used, it's a great moisturizer, and it lasts forever. And--in addition to all this--it is cheap: this large jar costs less than $4 at Wal-Mart (I know--right!?!?!.) I have used this cream as a night-time moisturizer for a long time,especially in the winter when my skin tends to be exceptionally dry, but in doing some research on 1950s beauty regimens, I found that it was also used as a makeup remover. So, I tried it one day and could not believe how easily it removes makeup, and how well it cleans your skin. (Not to mention that it leaves your skin moisturized, and not dried-out like soap would.) If your skin is very oily, you probably won't want to use this as a moisturizer, but it would still be an excellent cleanser. It takes off all forms of makeup (even mascara and lipstick) with the greatest of ease. Just liberally apply to your face and neck, let sit for about a minute, and wipe off with a warm, wet washcloth. Trust me: you will NOT be disappointed! Pond's Cold Cream is probably the most recognized cleansing/moisturizing cream, and I haven't used it, so I can't speak to its effectiveness, but it's also more expensive than Jergens. Besides, I'm completely satisfied with this, so why mess with perfection? The only thing that may turn you off from this product is the smell. It's not bad, but let's just say that it could be more pleasant.  |
| My jar shows signs of frequent use |
As a lover of the 40s and 50s (and of makeup and beauty products, in general), I have been trying to collect information on beauty routines and beauty "secrets" of that time period. All instructional beauty books I have come across highly recommend using some kind of all-purpose face cream as part of an everyday beauty regimen. I find it fascinating that women really had a regimen back then; I know that women today spend tons of money on beauty products, but do we really have a regimen? There are so many products out there, even if one wanted to establish a regimen, how would one know what to pick and where to begin? And how much money would all these special serums and lotions add up to? Now, I never went to bed without removing my makeup, but I have never really had a "regimen." (This is actually one of my "vintage housewife" goals: to establish and actually commit to a beauty regimen.) Sometimes I would use Noxema, or some other cleansing cream, but I usually found myself still having to wash my face with good, old-fashioned soap and water afterwards in order to remove all the makeup. I love the idea of ONE product being able to 1) dissolve and remove makeup, 2) clean my face, and 3) moisturize. And what an added convenience that it's cheap! Let me know what you think if you try it!
