My Mom And I Bonded By Testing Beauty Products

When I told my mom my editor asked for a piece about Cindy Crawford's beauty line, Meaningful Beauty, I was given a 20-minute text spiel from her about how beautiful the former supermodel is and how she hasn't aged a bit. Because she practically begged me without actually asking, my mom and I tried the Cindy Crawford beauty line — and both loved it. There's nothing like mistaking wrinkle smoothing capsules for actual pills to get you a little closer to your mother.

My mom and I have never agreed on fashion styles, beauty products, or boys. So when it came to trying out Meaningful Beauty, I was ready for gauntlets to be thrown and yet another beauty product that would end up in her bathroom or my bathroom, but not mutually shared. The first night we both applied the product, however, was full of laughs.

Having never received a sample of beauty products before, my mom was seriously impressed with the amount of products we received. Before applying, she began reading through each of the three packets inside of the beauty box. Needless to say, she was the one who was calling all the shots on what we applied when.

Here's what we both thought of all the products in the line.

Wrinkle Smoothing Advanced Capsules

These "capsules" were the most confusing things in the world. When we received the Meaningful Beauty packet, we though they were actual pills and decided not to take them.

Mom: Hayli, these are not pills, you dumb. (Followed by lots of laughter). Feel these, please.

Hayli: They're squishy! What are they?

Mom: There's lotion inside. Get out that how to packet.

Hayli: Oh, you just take the top off.

Mom: I know. Take a picture.

Then we put the lotion inside the capsules on our faces. It was actually a wrinkle smoother for under your eyes, crow's feet, laugh lines, forehead... wherever. It felt very smooth going on your face. My mom has already used the rest of the capsules (without sharing), so it's safe to say she's a fan.

Skin Softening Cleanser

Hayli: Are you supposed to wash your face first?

Mom: It's a cleanser. You wash your face with it.

Hayli: But it feels like a lotion.

Mom: Wash your face with it.

*both washes face*

Mom: My skin feels super soft. Feel my face right now! It feels awesome.

Hayli: It does feel super soft! Does your face feel moisturized?

Mom: Normally, I would put on moisturizer after this, but I don't think I will. My face feel really moisturized.

*My mother proceeds to put this item in her beauty bag, thinking I don't notice.

Crème de Sérum

Mom: You can't really see anything happen when I put this on, just take picture of the bottle.

Hayli: I can't just take a picture of the bottle! Explain that to my readers.

Mom: I have that dry spot on my mouth, take a picture but not of me, please!

Hayli: This is actually supposed to help dry spots. It's a cream, so apply it all over your face and maybe use that second plump for that dry spot on your mouth.

Mom: I'm going to steal this, too, since that spot is not going to go away in a day.

Lifting Eye Crème

Mom: Oh, eye cream! I need this more than you; let me go first.

Hayli: Hahaha OK, but you don't need it. I like laugh lines. I think they mean you smiled a lot when you were younger.

Mom: I smiled a lot and it shows. So I just apply this around my eye?

Hayli: Around the circles of your eye and crows feet.

*mom applies*

Hayli: Does it feel puffy or of your eyes feel weird?

Mom: No, should they?!

Hayli: No, I'm just trying to see how it feels.

Mom: The cream is very lightweight. I'm having a hard time believing it's a cream. Look, do I have less eye wrinkles?

Hayli: After one application? Yes, yes you do.

The top pictures are after our first day of applying the cream and the fifth day of applying the cream. I don't have many lines around my eyes (yet!) but my mom says she is happy with how the product has reduced the wrinkles around her eyes.

Skin Brightening Décolleté and Neck Treatment

Mom: Why does a neck cream exist? Why does my neck need a separate cream?

Hayli: The neck is the most forgotten about part of the skin. You moisturize your face daily, which prevents wrinkles, but you forget your neck so you will get wrinkles there, which will still age your face.

Mom: Well, don't you just know everything.

Hayli: How does your neck feel?

Mom: This cream is also light, which I like. I'm just not used to having a cream on my neck.

Glowing Serum

Hayli: Is my skin glowing? Is your skin glowing?

Mom: We're positively radiating beauty.

Hayli: I can't usually use products under my makeup because it makes me more shiny. I don't feel like I look shiny. Do I look shiny?

Mom: No, you actually do look really refreshed.

Hayli: Thanks! Do you like it?

Mom: I don't think I'm glowing like an angel, but I look like I have less wrinkles.

Ultra Lifting and Filling Treatment

Mom: Do I use this on a specific spot or all over my face?

Hayli: All over.

Mom: So my entire face is wrinkly?

Hayli: No, not what I'm saying. I'm saying the directions state to use it all over your face.

Mom: Do I look filled and lifted?

Hayli: Yes. Do I?

Mom: Sure, but I really think this is working for me. My cheeks really do look filled.

Antioxidant Day Crème

Mom: I'm not putting sunscreen over my makeup. I like to put it under because my foundation also has SPF 30.

Hayli: It says apply "liberally 15 minutes before going out in the sun." You're going out in the sun in like an hour.

Mom: It will still protect my skin. I don't want to be shiny, I'll put it on underneath.

Hayli: I put it on over and I'm not shiny, see? It's really lightweight.

Conclusions:

My mom and I both really liked the Meaningful Beauty products. After we discovered that we can put on sunscreen underneath makeup and we were not supposed to eat the smoothing capsules, we used the products every day for a week. Since I don't have many wrinkles on my face yet, my mom was the ultimate testing pro. I definitely noticed a difference in her skin, even just by Day 3 of the experiment.

Although I am not of age to have many wrinkles, I am definitely going to continue moisturizing my neck, cleaning my face with the skin softening cleanser, and use the antioxidant day creme over my makeup! I was so excited to find a lightweight sunscreen to wear over my makeup without looking shiny.

By the way, Mom ended up with the remainder of the Meaningful Beauty samples. She argued her skin needed it more than mine. Le sigh.

Images: Hayli Goode (9); Meaningful Beauty; Giphy