The 10 Things I’ve Learned About Beauty And Fashion Since I Started Working At The Candidly
by Carolyn Firestone
Hello. I’m Carolyn. I started working as an editor at The Candidly in September of 2022.
It wasn’t an Andie in The Devil Wears Prada situation. I had certainly read Runway.
In fact, I had already been a fiend for The Candidly content, finding it delightfully full of actual tangible, useable information for women north of 35. And not just about the heavy, serious stuff - the health stuff or the relationship stuff.
Turns out that despite being someone who likes clothes and who wears makeup and who struggles with 27 skin issues that deeply annoy me on a daily basis, I wasn’t as up to speed where “beauty” and “style” were concerned.
Ok, so maybe I was a liiiittle more like Andie than I’d like to admit.
But the point is, after working here for more than two years, I have learned some lessons that sound really teeny tiny but have had a huge impact.
And aren’t those the best kind of lessons? I’m not telling you to throw out half your closet or ice roll your face for 90 minutes a day. I’m just telling you about the little gems that can (and have) become routine. My skin is better. My clothes are better. My entire outlook on getting ready to face the day in general - is better.
And I barely have to think about it. Ok, without further ado, here are 10 pearls of wisdom I’ve collected from working at The Candidly.
1. Powders are a great way to UNDO all your anti-aging skincare.
Because I’ve been breaking out since the early 2000s, I’ve also had an early 2000s way of dealing with breakouts. Lots of powder. And to make it so I don’t look like a zombie from said powder, I topped it off with lots of powder blush. Brilliant.
The problem, of course, was that once my skin started to show signs of aging: texture, lines, gravity, powder started to make everything look worse. I was aging myself 5 years every time I applied makeup and couldn’t figure out why. I knew I needed to turn to liquid formulas but everything felt shiny and greasy and intimidating.
Enter The Candidly. The first three things I bought because some wizard behind the Candidly curtain told me to was THIS foundation (the best), THIS cream blush that miraculously doesn’t settle into pores, and THIS cream eyeshadow that doesn’t drag or crease.
Here’s a little before and after to further humiliate myself about how I used to do my makeup vs. how I do it now. I’m still not a licensed pro but my skin definitely looks older on the left.
Best purchases I’ve made as a result of this lesson:
2. Don't be scared of "cropped" tees and tops. They're actually more flattering on bellies.
Even in my 20s, I wouldn’t be caught dead in a cropped top. In high school, I wore a sweater every single day to avoid anyone catching so much as a glimpse of my abdomen, and I grew up in California, which meant I was wearing that sweater on 95-degree days. I say all this, because I’m one of those people who’d shudder at the word “cropped.”
But cropped means something entirely different now. Often it just means shorter not short, and when you pair a cropped shirt or sweater with high-waist pants, it actually makes your waistline look smaller, your legs look longer, and you still feel covered up, because when you choose a top that isn’t too long, you can wear it looser without looking like a sack. It’s a simple hack for giving yourself your best silhouette. And it’s completely changed how I get dressed.
Best purchases I’ve made as a result of this lesson:
3. If you're serious about stopping time in your skincare, you need a Vitamin C serum.
I knew about retinol (which made me peel sadly). I knew about SPF, which I wore religiously. But I did not know that vitamin C was the third and final skincare ingredient actually proven to be anti-aging. I started using THIS one, and it feels so silky and gorgeous and my skin started to glow, and now I am addicted. It’s a short but sweet story. I will, however, get fired immediately if I don’t mention THIS serum which is every woman who works at The Candidly’s holy grail skincare product that they will not be without, and it is next on my list of things to try.
Best purchases I’ve made as a result of this lesson:
4. Stripes are the laziest, most foolproof hack for looking chic.
Because I prefer more classic things, I often struggle to find prints I like that feel timeless and chic and like I’ll want to wear them year after year. But I also got very bored just wearing black and cream and gray and oatmeal solids every single day.
Stripes are such an obvious solution that I strangely never thought about before joining The Candidly. Maybe it’s because there’s that age-old idea that horizontal stripes make us look wide. So dumb. Stripes make basic clothes look elevated and more expensive. On a cardigan. A skirt. Or even a sweatshirt. They make you look like you “styled” your outfit instead of just rolling out of bed and throwing it on, even though all you did was roll out of bed and throw it on.
Best purchases I’ve made as a result of this lesson:
5. Exfoliating is the most underrated, yet CRITICAL step in all of skincare.
Ahhhh, how did I ignore this for so long? All this time I was washing my face and lathering on thick, not cheap moisturizers, without realizing that I’d failed to slough off all the dead, dry, damaged skin that was behind my skin looking older and uncared for.
Since joining this team, I’ve been introduced to some wondrous exfoliating products that have completely rejuvenated and restored my skin to a smoother, healthier, bouncier, glowier state. To the point where I finally understand what the words “rejuvenated” and “restored” actually mean when it comes to skincare, because before it just felt like filler, bs, beauty jargon.
Anyway, THESE pads have been a miracle. Like startlingly good results. THIS toner is also incredible for regular use in terms of keeping my pores as inconspicuous as possible. And who on earth knew that a lip scrub could do so much to reverse time and Benjamin Button your lips? My glosses and balms look 5x better since I started using THIS.
Best purchases I’ve made as a result of this lesson:
6. High-waisted, wide-leg pants are God's gift to over-40 ladies who want to look good with very little effort.
I know I’m not alone in wanting to cry when I hear about the return of low-cut or skinny jeans. Nothing has improved my sartorial life more than the abundance of incredible, high-waisted, wide-leg jeans and pants. And if you pair them with a fitted top and a chic piece of outerwear, it’s just a foolproof formula for looking your best.
I’ve gone ahead and included my three MVPs of wide-legs: the jeans, the ankle pant, and the long pant. I could realistically buy these in multiple colors and be done buying pants forever. The rest of them would just be for fun. But these are for survival.
Best purchases I’ve made as a result of this lesson:
7. There are only 3 colors that actually look good with black pants.
When I first heard this idea that you should not wear a “color” with black pants, I was … confused. So what do you do - just wear black on black and bore yourself into oblivion? But then I had it spelled out for me, and it became one of the best “style” things I’ve learned. Wearing a bright color on top with black on the bottom makes you look older. And white on the top with black on the bottom? Well, that makes you look like a waiter. For years, I could not figure out why I hated my outfits with black pants, and as soon as I applied this rule, that all changed.
So what do you wear instead? Black. Well, yes. Gray? Absolutely. Beige? Yep. Chambray and denim shirts and jackets? Naturally. Even richer creams like oatmeal and off white are fine. Just don’t go too bright on top and your outfit will look chic instead of Chicos.
Obviously, a lot of tops fit these categories, but here is my fave cardigan, button-down, and t-shirt that I turn to ALL the time when I wear black pants.
Best purchases I’ve made as a result of this lesson:
8. You only have to splurge on 1-2 things in your skincare routine and here's what they are.
This is the part where I just outright confess that some products are worth their weight in gold … but definitely not all products. We are of course thrilled (even prefer) to uncover exceptional drugstore finds, K-Beauty routines, and $14 French pharmacy gems. And THIS article was especially helpful in letting me in on what I should and should not spend on at the beauty counter.
That said, there are two things I don’t intend to live my post-40 life without, and it is this MAGIC, line-melting oil and this time-stopping serum. I get to make big claims like that because these are my personal leaderboard of hero products that I never would have known about had I not read The Candidly.
Best purchases I’ve made as a result of this lesson:
9. A good belt is the single most effective way to make your entire outfit look more expensive and put together.
Another thing I’m semi-embarrassed to admit I’m late to the game on. Belts just seemed very businessy and boring most of my life. Turns out, I just hadn’t discovered the quiet (luxury) power of a good one. And I have to kind of admit, this entire section might just be an excuse to tell you about THIS belt. We first saw it in THIS show, where the clothes were so good we wrote all about them HERE. I bought mine soonafter, and it has been embarassingly game-changing in terms of how much better my otherwise boring outfits look. I’m not even bothering to show you another belt. Just this one in black and brown below.
We actually have a code for you should you decide to try it for yourself. Use THECANDIDLY15 for 15% off.
Best purchases I’ve made as a result of this lesson:
10. Classic is better than trendy.
And now we have reached the most impactful, overarching lesson of all. Trends can be fun, and can even, on occasion, be flattering, but the beautiful, classic, well-made pieces are what will get you through life dressing the way you want. These are the staples we rely on - the perfect, everyday bag, the whispery, white tee that’s cut to perfection, the smart coat, the button-down you’ll wear into your 100s.
If you can establish this as a base for your wardrobe you won’t feel depressed looking into your closet each morning. And I can tell you with complete and total honesty, that feeling has slowly vanished since September of 2022.
Best purchases I’ve made as a result of this lesson:
Carolyn is the Managing Editor of The Candidly. Her favorite thing to do is to write about her favorite things, especially when they have even the slightest chance of making someone else’s something (mood, relationship, travel plans, or toiletry kit) a little better. You can find more of her articles here.
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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