Looking (Almost) Flawless at the Stables

Hacking out on some trails w me on Baloume and Mother on Zeus

I love being at the barn. I wish I could live at the barn with my horses, not in their stall per se but maybe like cute loft apartment above the barn. The barn is my sacred place, it's my safe haven where all the worries of the world just melt away as soon as I step through those doors. It's the place that all my friends know not to disturb me at, and they also know that if I am talking to them while I'm at the barn, then they better count themselves damn special. There's not anywhere else that I would rather be when I am at the barn. However, being at the barn does come with an asterisks mark, as that's the one place (besides the gym I would think, but maybe another post on that?) that I think it's not always so easy trying to look glamorous, or at the very least, dolled up.

At the barn, I never try to look too made up just because I feel like that's not the place for that; however, one can still come up with a way to look great. That's why, after many years of trial and error, I have come up with a few good beauty guidelines that I think work well for putting your best foot forward when all you want to do is just spend quality time with your four legged best friend, because who knows, Prince Charming might just come walking through those barn doors.
And of course I want to share these tips with all of my equestrian babes out there, and even if you're not an equestrian, I'm sure you could apply these tips to some aspect of your daily life.

For me personally, two of my favorite moisturizing products are Avalon Organics and Aveeno daily moisturizer.

DOs:

• So my first and foremost rule is having a good sunscreen + moisturizer!! Spending so many hours out in the elements can definitely have an impact on your skin, and you want to do all you can to minimize the damage. I know, it all sounds like it's been repeated a million times, but it's so true. Of course, depending on where you are you might have an indoor and therefore don't get a lot of exposure to the sun, but eventually, I'm sure whether it's to get a horse from pasture or maybe hacking around the property after a good ride, you will be exposed to the sun. Here on the east coast, we always board at places with an indoor, but I would still find myself spending quite a bit of time outside. So you definitely don't want to risk it, especially during the summer. In the winter, it's easier to forget, but during the spring, summer, and early fall you especially want to remember your sunscreen! Many moisturizes already have sunscreen in them so as long as your still getting the protection you need, then it can make your life a bit easier.* Personally for me, I prefer to use the Avalon Organics Moisture Plus Lotion, which as vitamin C and an SPF of 15; and I also really like Aveeno's daily moisturizer with SPF 30. 

• Another important absolute staple in my beauty regimen for the barn is lip balm! Riding horses and taking care of them takes a lot of out of your skin, but sometimes we forget our lips. That's why I have gotten into the habit of using lip balm. I live by Burt's Bees lip balms, and I always have a couple hanging around somewhere so that I can easily remember to apply it routinely. I love their balms because they are never too sticky, all natural, and they have a good variety to choose from. Plus, they are so easy to apply and have around! That's why I have gotten into the habit of using lip balm. People probably notice when I put on my lip balm, because I will literally just apply it for a couple minutes straight, just slathering it on my lips. If you want to add a little bit of colour to your barn face, then I would suggest a tinted lip balm.

Using BB Cream makes evening your skin and hiding blemishes so easy, especially at the stables!

• So although not as important as the above but still quite necessary to looking flawless, I recommend BB cream. I only recently started using this magical potion and it's a big component of keeping my skin looking nice and fresh while I'm constantly on the go. What I love about the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream is that it's very light, blends into my skin well, and never looks like I have a mask on my face. It just makes my skin look naturally even and gives a nice glow. Because it feels light I never feel like I dragged my face through a cloud of smog or something, you know. While it doesn't provide coverage like a foundation + powder, I'm not asking it to, especially at the stables. I don't want heavy makeup when I'm going to be sweating and covered in dirt by the end of the night anyways. BB Cream will be your best friend at the barn!
 

Other key points for the stables:

• Keep things simple. You don't need to go overboard trying to look like a supermodel at the barn. A) It won't work out in your favor AND B) Others will just end up judging you, probably counter effecting what you were going for in the beginning...
• ABSOLUTELY NO mascara, eyeliner, or anything on the eyes, except for maybe some light natural eye shadow. It just looks incredibly unnatural and like you're trying too hard. If you want to look nice, a natural colour should do the trick. PLUS barn usually = dirt and dust, even with the cleanest of barns. And when you ride in an arena, no matter how dust-free it is, there are still particles floating around. And when all that dirt and dust settle on your eyes and stick to your mascara, the turnout can be annoying or even bad, including getting eye infections. Trust me, I speak from experience. It's annoying having dust in your eyes to begin with, but you don't mascara on your eyelashes to attract any more dust and if you rub your eyes or anything, it just turns into the worst situation possible. Especially if you wear glasses at the barn, just stay away from the mascara. 
• Keep hair simple. It's not a beauty contest. Just like at the gym, a simple ponytail will do the trick. I try to keep my own hair flat ironed and then I will go without a ponytail until I get in the saddle but if it's not I just keep it in a bun or something. That way, my hair stays out of my face and it's one less thing I have to worry about. Keeping hair braided also works well, too. I might look like Pippi Longstocking or something but I'll also put my hair into two braids and that way it just stays put.

These are just a few of my personal tips for looking great at the barn that I have acquired over the years. Please feel free to share your opinions or what works for you! :)

kisses & peppermints,
Rebekka Hov
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*According to the American Melanoma Foundation, "dermatologists strongly recommend using a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater year-round for all skin types."