Grandma was right
Simple, tried and true beauty tips that have worked for decades
By Leslie Peck / Illustrations by Getty Images
When I think back to my grandma’s beauty routine, it was very simple yet effective. No over-the-top frills, definitely not time-consuming and it stayed the same as far back as I can remember.
I spent a lot of time with my grandparents growing up. My grandma had a beauty shop (The Beauty Bar) next door to their house that she owned and operated for 57 years. I spent many days after school and on the weekends watching her shampoo, set, perm and color heads of hair while listening to the shop chatter. It was a fascinating world where women told stories, swapped recipes, laughed, cried and solved the world’s problems under the hum of a hooded hair dryer. Their daily routines were curated from generations of women maintaining beauty one day at a time.
Eat a balanced meal
My favorite place in the world growing up was my grandparents’ table. There was always a home-cooked meal that had some sort of protein, vegetables, potatoes and, of course, bread and butter. Real butter. We definitely knew we had to eat our veggies to stay healthy and grow.
Rubber gloves work wonders
My grandma and my mother-in-law both advocate using rubber gloves while cleaning and doing dishes. It really does help keep your hands soft and hydrated. I’ve always rebelled against this, and then I end up with dry hands and cuticles from bleach, dish soap and other cleaning solutions.
Stay hydrated
I grew up living in southeast Arizona. It was extremely dry, hot as all get out in the summer and windy and cold in the winter. Needless to say, the daily goal was to keep yourself hydrated inside and out. My grandma always had a daily water glass sitting by the sink. Each time she would pass through the kitchen, she took a few sips of water. She was constantly reminding me to “go get a swig of water” too. I also saw her apply hand and body lotion regularly. Hand lotion lived in every nook of the house, in the car and in her purse. She was a huge believer in triple lanolin. The smell of it takes me back to childhood every time.
No heat or low-heat hair dos
That generation didn’t apply direct heat to their hair. Sleeping in curlers, using hot rollers or sitting under the dryer with curlers or pin curls created all the curl they needed. My daughters have recently brought back the art of heatless curls via YouTube. I am fascinated how they can use the sash of my bathrobe to wind their hair around in such a way and wake up looking like they just stepped out of the salon.
DIY teeth whitening
Dental health and a bright smile are a must in your beauty routine. There was always a little container of baking soda to add in with toothpaste to help whiten teeth at my grandparents’ house. A little goes a long way to help remove stains on teeth.
Dress up to go out
My grandma was very casual and she made all of her own clothes. She did however have her “house clothes” and her “clothes to go to town.” Any time she needed to run errands, she would change her clothes, freshen up a bit, fix her hair, put on a little lipstick and fill in her eyebrows. A little effort goes a long way.
Never go to bed with makeup on
Never ever, I mean ever, go to bed without washing your face. She was very big on washing with a wash rag (pronounced warsh rag) and always scrubbing ears inside and out.
Take a bath before bed
This was a ritual that I thought was so magical. Every single night I spent at my grandparents’ house, my grandma always cooked dinner and my grandad cleaned up supper and did the dishes. While he cleaned, I would hear the water running and smell her lavender bubble bath as the tub filled. Caress soap, a wash rag and a shower brush to get her back was all she needed. She had a jar of lavender powder with a puff that she would dab on after her bath. The smell filled the house and made for a good night’s sleep.
Have a signature lip color
My grandma wasn’t a big makeup wearer. Just the basics. She did have a favorite lipstick, though. It was fairly neutral in color but it was just right for her. There’s something about being a woman and putting on a lip. A little lip definitely goes a long way.
Beauty rest
My grandma woke up early, sewed, crocheted, cooked, cleaned and worked long days at The Beauty Bar. However, she always made time for a quick nap somewhere in the day. When we came in the house and saw her in the recliner with a homemade afghan, we knew if we woke her up, we would be in big trouble. She believed in the midday nap, early to bed and early to rise.
Stretch and move
I always find it funny how today we pay for yard maintenance, for our house to be cleaned and for gym memberships. Our grandparents cleaned their house, did their yard work and didn’t go to the gym. They got so much exercise in their daily tasks, and they were always fit.
