The sun has begun to set over the rolling hills of Tuscany: slipping away slowly, bathing the Italian summer sky in fabulous colors of vermillion and another color not unlike sweet marmalade, before disappearing entirely. For a moment, the villa plunges into unrelenting darkness, and then, like lightning bugs, lights begin to flicker across the grounds. From my terrace, I watch as family and friends start to appear one by one on the grassy knolls below for another night of wining and dining. 

An aunt sits under the orange tree with my sister’s babe perched on her knee. My cousin Roberto collects the bocce balls from the afternoon game strewn across the lawn. Little Pia follows the housekeepers in and out of the kitchen, tugging impatiently at their brightly colored skirts. And then there’s my grandmother, as lovely as ever, setting a fresh plate of bruschetta on the table. I take one last sip of lemonade before stepping back inside my room, leaving the doors wide open behind more to hear the beginnings of the laughter and soft music I would enjoy for the rest of the evening. 

I pad barefoot across the old stone floor into my bedroom into the bathroom, where I’m greeted by all of my favorite beauty products balancing precariously around the marble sink. While I discovered some of them on my own, most were gifted by my grandmother, a true barefaced beauty. I grew up watching her in front of this very sink on evenings just like these: completing beauty routines without fail every morning and evening. I studied everything she did, learning how to keep my skin looking healthy and hydrated with the help of essential oils, sunscreen, all-natural face masks, and maintaining a balanced diet.

There was something about the way my grandmother presented themselves to the world that thoroughly inspired me. It could have been her glowing, sun-kissed face with her rosy cheeks and warm smile. Or maybe it was how everyone's eyes fell on her from the moment she stepped into a room. I was among them, not watching in envy but in awe. She possessed that effortless beauty, accessible only to those who recognize beauty in themselves without comparison.

My skin, healthy and bright, is a testament to her teachings. She could always recognize her beauty when she looked at herself barefaced in this mirror. I hope to always do the same for myself. 

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