Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder not the face of the behold! But it seems our society no longer lives by this unspoken beauty rule as faces have become the definitive standard for beauty.
While facial procedures rank amongst the top cosmetic procedures, other body parts are gaining popularity, especially among ladies. Lately, the standard of beauty now lies in the hands of celebrities and influencers.
Looking like your favourite actors, with the perfect face, nose, teeth and body is the biggest rave but what’s the standard of measurement to determine that theirs is perfect and yours isn’t?
This article is not just a guide about things to add to your beauty, we would also talk about beauty psychology, facial shapes, sticking to what compliments your body, highlighting your most prominent features as well as skin care routines.
Get a notepad to jot out easy tips to enhance your beauty.
Beauty 101: Change your mindset and accept yourself
Beauty is subjective! Read that again. It’s just like someone saying black is their favourite colour when you prefer pink – It’s subjective to their choice.
The reason we don’t get upset when someone hates our favourite colour is because we understand that everyone has a choice and if they don’t choose what we choose, it doesn’t make our choice wrong but with beauty it’s different.
In our physical world where we were groomed to watch princesses with their perfect hair, perfect size, perfect skin and the Prince charming- it’s hard to feel indifferent when someone calls you ugly, fat or imperfect.
Being beautiful according to society gives you higher chances with guys, more friends, the dream life with prince charming, a white picket fence, 2 dogs and a happily ever after.
Now, imagine someone saying you’re Ugly? It’s no longer seen as a statement of choice, it’s becomes an insult that you don’t deserve the dream life “beautiful people” get.
But what if it doesn’t have to be this way?
What if just like you accept people’s favourite colour as a choice, you can accept that someone calling you ugly is their opinion and it doesn’t mean you need to stand in front of your mirror 500 times to figure out why they said so.
Imagine this: If someone calls Rihanna ugly do you think it would get to her? She would probably roll her eyes. That’s how you want to be!
Work on the insecurities and build your self-esteem to a point that the word “ugly” doesn’t farce you. It’s not going to be an easy journey but it’s achievable.
Here are 3 steps to help you get started
- Acceptance and fixing
Cynthia (not her real name) shared her story with us. Her quest for freedom from societal beauty rating began when she accepted herself.
As a teen, she struggled with acne, had protruded teeth due to an accident and a hunchback. At first the insults made her cry a lot but after 2-3 years she got used to them.
One random day, she stood in front of a mirror and accessed herself. According to her story, she realised that she looks okay in her eyes- yes the acne was terrible and her teeth could be fixed. She could work on building better posture to correct her back and that’s what she did.
Without enough money to get braces, she decided to focus on what she could fix. She started with posture exercises, learnt to compliment herself, paid attention to her hygiene, got some drugstore products for acne and her life took a big turn.
According to her: Beauty starts with acceptance! Accept yourself flaws and all, fix what you can and learn to accept what you can’t.
Our takeaway: Are you beautiful? Before you look out for things that add to your beauty you need to truthfully know what you think about yourself.
2. Cry and rebuild your self-esteem
If you can relate to Cynthia’s experience then your self-esteem has definitely taken a hit. It’s sad but you have to let go and rebuild.
Most times when people hear “let go” they get upset or angry but no one is asking you to switch immediately, it can be as slow as a turtle but your progress should be consistent.
Don’t let the pain of people’s opinion limit you forever, don’t give them such power – reclaim your authority.
3. Don’t be a hater
Beauty exceeds physical outlooks! What you think about others, what you say to yourself, the demeaning words you use to halt your progress are not beautiful.
True beauty flows from within and gains outward expression.
Understand your face shape
There are nine face shapes in the world; Oval, heart, square, diamond, circle, triangle, rectangle, pear and oblong.
If you choose hairstyles or makeup trends off the Internet without considering your face shape, you are playing a losing game.
Recreating trends is fun but you can join the conversation by including a minor twist that suits your face shape and hairline.
To identify your face shape we have attached a picture from Elea Blake use this as a guide to determine your face shape.
Note: Every face shape has dominant features. For example, the diamond face has prominent cheekbones while the heart face has a rounder cheek area. Makeup styles for these two faces especially around the forehead and cheeks will be different to accentuated or soften dominant features.
Three facial tips to add your beauty
- Choose hairstyles, makeup style and accessories that compliment your face.
- Soften your rigid features and contour the soften areas while using makeup.
- Never choose a style that doesn’t compliment your face shape.
8 beauty routine to add to your daily skin care
Effective beauty routine demands consistency! It’s similar to taking your medication or flossing. Build your routine and make conscious efforts to stick to it.
- Sometimes less is more
Splurging on the latest beauty product can be causing damage to your skin. The right approach to beauty products is to, identify your skin type(dry, oil, normal or sensitive) and use products that are suitable for your skin. You can seek a dermatologist’s advice.
2. Don’t exfoliate everyday
Clearing off dead skin cells is important but constant exfoliation irritates your skin causing breakout. Exfoliate once or twice in a week but if you are prone to breakout space out exfoliation days.
3. Don’t sleep on dirty pillows or sheets
Remember the skin has dead cells? Guess what feeds on them? Bacteria! How disgusting is that?
Change your sheet within 4-5 days. You can also invest in silk or copper sheets.
4. Sunscreen, shades and protection
Where should I rub sunscreen? On every exposed part.
You should also use hats and shades to protect your eyes from the ultraviolet rays of the sun.
5. Learn to layer your products properly
An easy hack to remember is: start light and build upwards.
- Cleanser
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen
Remember beauty products are more effective at certain times of the day, for example retinol is better at night while vitamin C is a good morning choice.
6. Got a new product? Great!
Spend a few minutes to read the application guide, you can also try a batch test(apply little product on your hand to test for 24 – 48hrs) before using on your face or entire body.
7. Stop poking breakouts
Poking breakouts will further irritate your skin and cause damage. Instead if poking, use warm or cold water to watch your face, apply salicylic acid to blackheads or you contact your dermatologist for a better recommendation.
P.S Sometimes a breakout is your body’s response to a cycle change or stress. Stick to your regular skin routine and they will clear off within 5-7 days.
8. Choose a moisturiser that suits your skin type
For oily skin, use a gel moisturiser and for dry skin apply a generous amount of cream moisturiser to damp skin. There are moisturisers for different skin types – find yours.
Final thoughts
Looking for new things to add to your beauty? Start with improving your mindset- stop comparing your looks with social media standards, accept yourself, fix what you can and accept what you can’t.
If you believe you are beautiful, everyone else’s opinion is subjective!
