Why We Love 'Nasty Woman' Beauty Habits
It seems that before the third presidential debate, no one let Donald Trump in on our dirty little secret: It’s COOL to be a nasty woman. Clearly, Trump didn’t realize that there’s a “nasty woman” inside each and every one of us — outspoken, brave, and bold as hell — and we’re going to wear the title like a badge of honor, thanks in large part to all of the cute #NastyWoman gear that’s suddenly taken over the internet. As Lena Dunham said, “RT if you're a nasty woman and it's made your life a freakin' pleasure.” (Indeed it has.)
Since we’re reclaiming Trump’s “insult” as a chance to celebrate all of our #nastiness, it’s time to address another aspect of what makes nasty women so awesome: our beauty habits. Yes, we pop our zits, bite our nails, and forget to take off our makeup before bed, and (sorry, dermatologists everywhere!) we’re not ashamed. We’re far too busy trying to take over the world to be bothered worrying about brushing our hair on a regular basis.
In the words of fellow nasty woman Elizabeth Warren, “Nasty women are smart. Nasty women are tough, and nasty women vote.” Nasty women also may not wash their hair or get weekly manicures, but guess what? That is 100% completely OK (seriously, I asked the experts). Here are 9 nasty beauty habits that are really #NBD, care of the people who make the rules.
Nasty women, unite. (And bring some dry shampoo.)
1/9Not Brushing Your Hair
“Make sure you brush your hair before you leave the house!” is the quintessential morning beauty tip, but sometimes we just don’t have time. Or, sometimes we just don’t want to. And guess what? That’s totally ok. “There is something understatedly sexy about hair that has an unfinished polish,” says celebrity hairstylist Marc Anthony. “With the right cut, all hair types can rock the unbrushed look.” You can officially “forget” to brush your hair, and call it a look.
2/9Using Food As Beauty Products
We’ve all been there before. We run out of a beauty product and turn to the kitchen for the next best thing. As we learned this week from Chloë Grace Moretz, for example, olive oil happens to make a great cleanser. “If you’re in a bind and don’t have makeup remover, olive oil will help wipe all the makeup off your face,” says dermatologist Dr. Shereene Idris. After all, it’s all completely natural! Just remember to rinse off.
3/9Going Months Without Cutting Your Hair
When you get an amazing haircut, it’s natural to want to make it last as long as humanly possible. People used to think you needed to get your hair cut every six to eight weeks, but the unspoken reality is you can technically wait for as long as you want. “I believe you wait until the cut stops working or the ends start to split,” says Anthony. “The sweet spot for a cut varies with each of us, and you want to ride that out for as long as possible.” Just don’t pull your split ends when you get bored in class. Trust me: teachers don’t like that.
4/9Not Washing Your Hair
To all you dirty-haired girls out there, you’ve been right about your hair-washing habits all along. “You don’t have to constantly wash your hair,” says Anthony. “Nor do you have to constantly use a dry shampoo.” Hold for applause. Anthony suggests scrunching your hair with wet hands and a little conditioner to reactivate your look on the second day after washing, and adding dry shampoo for volume on day three. In fact, you only really need to wash once or twice a week — which leaves you plenty of time to catch up on Pretty Little Liars.
5/9Not Getting Manicures
Sometimes, getting manicures can be pretty boring. Sitting in a chair for an hour without being able to text, then having to worry for the rest of the afternoon about smudges? Yeah, pass. Thankfully, this professional beauty treatment is more of a luxury than a necessity. According to dermatologist and nail specialist Dr. Dana Stern, as long as you take time to self maintain — meaning that you regularly file your nails and cut down your cuticles — you can stay far, far away from the salon chair.
6/9Not Getting Pedicures
Raise your hand if you’ve ever “forgotten” to get a pedicure from October through April. (Yeah…my hand is up). After all, you’ll be shoving your toes into a pair of boots for six months! As long as you’re diligent about taking care of your feet (which includes removing dead skin cells and callus buildup, and moisturizing, trimming and shaping your toenails), then you should be in great shape. Bottom line: Be kind to your soles, and you’ll be okay.
7/9Reusing The Same Disposable Razor
The following scenario happens to me at least once a week: I get in the shower, go to shave my legs, and realize I’ve forgotten to bring in a new razor. Instead of getting out to grab one (it’s cold out there!) I pick up an old, used one that’s inevitably hanging out on the shower shelf for awhile. Sound familiar? Don’t worry — it’s totally fine. “Generally speaking, you can use the same razor several times, as long as you clean and dry it properly between uses,” says BIC Soleil’s Mary-Ellen Lacasse. You’ll know it’s time to get rid of the razor if you feel like you need to put in more effort than usual to get the perfect close shave, since dull blades can give you razor burn. Ouch.
8/9Popping Pimples
Sometimes it’s just irresistible to pop a big, juicy zit. While there are some pimples that should never be touched (like the deep, cystic ones that live under your skin), fully developed white heads are totally fine to pop — as long as you do it the right way. Facialist Mashell Tabe advises cleaning the area with cotton balls, then carefully using two Q-tips to press down on both sides of the breakout, starting from the outside of the pimple, angling inwards, and squeezing up to get rid of the bacteria. Then, clean it with hydrogen peroxide and apply some serum. Bonus points if you can get it to squirt the mirror.
9/9Not Washing Your Face After Working Out
Some days, you want to hold on to your post-exercise glow for as long as possible. Or, just don’t feel like washing your face after practice. NBD, says Dr. Idriss. “If you’re uber sweaty, I would suggest washing your face,” she advises. “But if you’re just mildly pink and rosy, you can wait until you get home.” Make sure you take off your sweaty sports bra and leggings after your workout, though. They can give you folliculitis if you’re not careful, and that’s one #nastywoman problem we’d rather avoid.
