You are currently browsing the monthly archive for August 2008.
The other week I went to see my dermatologist to get my moles checked since my family heritage so nicely bequeathed to me moles of all shapes and sizes. A couple years ago, my now ex- dermatologist took one look at me and said, “Wow, you are quite spotted.” “Spotted…” What is that supposed to mean? I didn’t get the feeling she was exactly giving me a compliment.
I’ve never liked the fact that I have moles and yet I don’t know why. Who ever said being spotted wasn’t a great way to be? I remember on my wedding day our photographer wanted to take some shots of my necklace which sounds like a great idea. However, all I could see in the pictures afterwards were the dark spots dancing around the pearly necklace. I decided it was not one for the photo album.
Maybe the idea that we are supposed to be smooth-skinned like babies comes from the race of air-brushed peoples that frequently inhabit your local magazine and television screen. At this last visit I asked my new dermatologist (who made no degrading remarks regarding my many dark spots) whether my daughter had escaped this hereditary gift, because her skins is spotless. But she said it was because she’s only 1 year old. Sigh…I was hoping she was in the clear.
Today as I was taking a walk to the grocery store I began to think of all the beautiful things in this world that are speckled: the tiger lily, the ladybug, the cheetah, and mint chocolate chip ice cream. I’m pretty sure no one mocks them for their spots! In fact they would be quite lacking without them.
So, I have decided it is going to be “in” to have moles. For all you ladies who have disliked being spotted, you can now confidently sport your moles, grateful that you have been gifted in this way. For all of you who don’t have them, no worries, they can be easily mimicked using various shades of brown eyeliner pencils.
This summer MK was featured on E! with some summer tips that might surprise you: Smokey Eyes with purples and lilacs! It looks terrific and puts a fun spin on the traditional black and greys for smokey eyes. I often hear women say, “Oh, I don’t wear much purple…or blue…or green.” But the key to wearing eyes shades in vibrant colors is that it should not be the color you are wearing, but it should be the color that accentuates your eye color. The purples are subtle and beautiful! Check out this video from E!
Here is an interesting tidbit of important information for all of you ladies who wear a mineral powder foundation! There are several mpf’s on the market today claiming spf protection. It seems like a great idea to have your foundation and spf coverage in one, however, according to Leslie Baumann, M.D. you would need to apply your mpf on average 14 times as thick as the normal person does to achieve the claimed spf in the mineral powder formula. So, it is important to wear a sunscreen with an spf of 15 or more before your foundation, then apply your mineral powder foundation or cream foundation.
By the way, I am a huge fan of mineral powder foundation – it is on the top of my favorite products! If you want to try a great mineral powder foundation, I personally love Mary Kay’s. It is light, easy to apply, great for your skin, comes in great shades, and is so reasonably priced ($18 jar that lasted me months!) It is so easy to apply and gives me such great coverage I have completely switched over from my ex-love Medium Coverage Foundation.
Last week was one of those weeks when I didn’t feel very beautiful. “Why do women do that?” asked my friend’s husband as all four of us were casually talking about how flighty we women can be about whether we “feel” pretty. “Good question.” If I knew the answer to that one, I’d be a millionaire.
I know for myself it usually happens when I have been comparing myself to someone else…The problem with that is there will always be someone with longer legs, or bigger boobs, or bluer eyes, or less moles and freckles. And it is an extremely impossible and subjective contest as it depends on what you like at the moment, what time in history it is, or even what part of the world you live in.
It also happens to me when I haven’t spent much time being grateful for things I take for granted about my body like being able to WALK with friends, or SEE my baby’s cute face, or EMBRACE a family member…Take one trip to the grocery store or park and I run into someone who wishes their physical body could just do one of those things and it changes my whole perspective.
The other time it happens is when I have become too focused on myself, which almost inevitably leads to too much critique of myself… I think the more time spent getting ready in the bathroom is correlated to more time thinking about how I look which in turn leads me to a greater amount of insecurity just because I’m thinking about it too much!
I had another conversation with my husband at the end of that week…and he had a good reminder for me. “You are most attractive when you are playful and confident in who you are.”
Beautiful You 