By Andi Douglas, mama of 3 and nwaMotherlode beauty editor
With a job title that is basically “Booty Wiper”, I don’t get to sit down and have a quarterly review telling me all of the great things I have accomplished recently. The closest I get is spending a full day at the park and everyone leaving in the same pants they arrived in. So, sometimes I seek out affirmation in non-conventional forms.
For example, I get a ridiculous thrill out of helping my kids with their vocabulary words or figuring out the big words in books. I realize that, as an adult, being able to determine the word they’re trying to sound out from across the room just by context clues is not exactly rocket science, but you take what you can get.
I’ve always relied on my avid reading habit to fuel my vocabulary, but with the age of the Internet and the natural fluidity of language, everything’s gone all whopper-jawed (I got that from my granny, not a book) and I find myself in a head scratch over certain terms, especially in the increasingly creative world of beauty.
I’m going to try and clarify a few of those beauty terms that give me pause when they cross my news feed:
Strobing
My Definition: Flashing lights at a club that used to be fun but now give you an instant migraine.
Beauty Definition: The opposite of contouring, strobing uses highlighting to define your facial features. The goal is to highlight the highest points of your face, ie: above your cheekbone, to create a radiant complexion. If contouring always seemed a little too harsh for you, but you still would like some definition, The Everygirl gives some great tips based on your specific face shape. Just remember that this is Instagram-worthy strobing and you can easily tone it down and apply these tips for an everyday look.
Oxidizing
My Definition: The reason my dad said I should wax my red Blazer in high school so it wouldn’t fade, which I didn’t do, hence my pink Blazer in college.
Beauty Definition: Just like metal that is exposed to water and air can begin to rust, your foundation can be affected by elements such as oxygen, the oils in 
your skin or other products and begin to change color. That is why you may think your makeup looks great when you leave the house but when you catch your reflection a few hours later you have taken on an orangey hue.
To prevent this annoying chemistry lesson, start with a primer before foundation to create a shield between your makeup and the oils in your skin. After you have applied the rest of your makeup, dust a layer of finishing powder on top, like e.l.f. Perfect Finish HD Powder. Despite the white color, it is translucent, just apply with a light hand.
Finish off your look with a spritz of setting spray, kind of like hairspray for your face. Nyx Long Lasting Setting Spray comes in both a matte and a dewy finish, and is affordable and raved upon in reviews. If you still feel like oxidation is an issue, try buying your foundation a shade or two lighter. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, right?
Dry Brushing
My Definition: Bridget Jones’ hilarious and relatable pre-date ritual to minimize her cellulite. (I was at least on the right track with this one.)
Beauty Definition: If you didn’t try this at least once in the double-aughts, you might want to look into it now. Dry brushing is the process of literally brushing your entire body with a soft bristled brush before you get in the shower, hence the dry, to exfoliate, increase circulation and release toxins from your system. The increased circulation is what can minimize the look of cellulite.
Also, exfoliating before you shower helps you to get a closer shave so another perk for getting great gams. The detox aspect is fairly new and why spas are now offering dry brushing as a treatment option. Since you guys are pretty aware of how I feel about getting naked at spas, you can understand why I will be investing in a couple of brushes for private sloughing, one brush for the face and one for the body.
These are just a few of the terms that I think cause a lot of confusion in the beauty world. I have a whole other list of “what-the’s” just for hair that I will be defining for you soon.
Until then, go throw around some big words at the playground and bask in the glory of being slightly smarter than a preschooler. Hasta la vista, Mamas! (Bam, I know Spanish, too.)
Andi Douglas is a mama of three and loves to play with makeup and other beauty supplies. She likes to try new products and services in the name of beauty editor here at nwaMotherlode.
