Caroline O'Halloran, Author at SAVVY MAINLINE

Snow days simply aren’t what they used to be.
No snow-crusted mittens tumbling in the dryer, no guilt-inducing make-a-craft-with-me-mommy pleas, no obnoxious bells heralding a next-level video game victory, no one calling the house to plan a sledding rendez-vous.
Nope, snow days, empty-nester style, are profoundly quiet and still. And I love ’em.
Today is one of those blissful days and guess what I did first thing? (OK, second thing; caffeine and big-girl breakfast ALWAYS come first.) I showed my makeup brushes a little love.
Turns out if you neglect your brushes – and boy, have I ignored mine! – they’ll take it personally. First, they’ll visit upon you every manner of disfigurement – acne, pink eye, scabies. (Kiddin’ about that last one, but you get the idea). Then, over time, they’ll get all uppity and stop working for you altogether – they’ll lose their shape and texture and, in cases of extreme abandonment, start losing their hair. Nasty stuff. Thankfully, no scabies to report here, but chronic bloodshot eyes and the recent purchase of a long-lasting eyeliner in a pot (Bobbi Brown’s – love it!) got me thinking about freshening up my liner brush, and this morning, well, one brush led to another …

Sucker that I am, I fell for a $15 bottle of MAC brush cleaner when everyone knows (everyone but me, apparently) that your grubby bristles will perk up just as readily with dishwashing liquid, bar soap, shampoo or even olive oil.
I won’t bore you with a video showing how I cleaned mine. Just don’t wet the brush barrel (lest your bristles loosen) and be sure to rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. Feel free to lather (gently), rinse and repeat on extra-grimy foundation or concealer brushes. Then lay flat to dry.
The Bobbie Brown Makeup Manual recommends washing once a week but I think once a month may be a tad more realistic. My little burst of early-morning productivity (others might call it work procrastination but they would be SO wrong) wasn’t planned. Nor was it in character: compulsively tidy I am not!
Still, I have to say, I’m feeling pretty pleased. Today’s whiteout wasn’t a complete washout after all. Scratch that – it WAS a complete washout, but only for my grateful little brushes.

Thanks for checking out SAVVY/Main Line, a blog about navigating through midlife with fun, flair and a fresh perspective. My goal is to help you become your absolutely best, most savvy self – inside and out – schooled to handle any curves these pesky in-between years may throw at you.
So sure, SAVVY will address some of the icky stuff – the slack skin, the weird hair eruptions, the hormonal havoc, the brain fog, the self-sabotage. I’m on this journey with ya, sista!
But we’ll also talk about the joys and opportunities of our second adulthood. With our kids mostly fending for themselves, we’re freer now than we’ve been in years –which is a little terrifying and a lot cool at the same time. The empty nest? It’s like being 20 with money, right?
SAVVY will focus on the things – big and small – that matter in your life. Right here. Right now. I plan to bare my soul a bit and to introduce you to my girl crushes – the women I’ve met – as a journalist, a mom, a community volunteer – who inspire and fascinate me. I’ll also sniff out all the stuff that promises to beautify, strengthen, fortify and rejuvenate us, to road test what I can, and to report back with the straight scoop. I do the legwork; you reap the rewards.
SAVVY will answer questions like:

Is that new workout worth your time?
What’s that new restaurant like?
How can I punch up my tired wardrobe without breaking the bank?
Where should I turn to cure insomnia/beat the blues/be kinder to myself?

I hope you’ll come to think of me as that loyal girlfriend who calls it exactly as she sees it (but in a nice way) and as a trusty scout on this exhilarating and sometimes exasperating midlife adventure. Let’s make this a two-sided conversation, OK? I really value your views, tips and suggestions, so please, comment away!
At my core I believe:

Knowledge is power.
In vulnerability lies strength.
Personal connection is key to happiness.
Looking good almost always makes you feel good.
Having fun must be taken very, very seriously.

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My snow day beauty surprise

Thanks for checking out SAVVY!