My Beauty + Hair Story
/ |
| My eyes: one is brown, one is green! |
Blogging about fashion, I get tons of style questions. A close second is definitely questions about my makeup and hair though. I'm often asked about my beauty routine and why I usually wear my hair down, so today I decided to spill the beans! (Along the same lines of this post: "My Fitness Story") I think some of these facts may surprise you, and I have even been known to share a couple of the more shocking ones as entertainment at parties (j/k). I love feminine dresses, shoes, and clothes of every kind. But when it comes to beauty and hair, I have always felt like a bit of a Plain Jane, and I think I might be missing a girlie gene. For example:
- I've never painted my fingernails.
- I've never done anything to my eyebrows like waxing, plucking, etc.
- I've had one pedicure and hated it. (My toes are always painted, but I do it myself.)
- I've never had a facial or a massage.
- I wore fake eyelashes once in my life, and didn't love it. (Applied by a pro, but they hurt.)
- I've used the same type of eyeliner since 8th grade.
- My makeup routine takes less than 5 minutes, and I never change it unless I'm going out at night or appearing on TV. (Watch the video here.)
- I've never used self-tanner or spray tan. (I also don't use tanning beds, and I'm very strict about SPF, especially since I live in Florida. That skin color you see is all natural!)
- My hair is naturally wavy and super-thick. Most days I just wash it, throw it up, and never even blow dry it. (You can see an example of how I wear it below, but I try not to take blog pics that way b/c it might scare the children.)
- If I actually do get around to blow drying and straightening, I leave my hair down. Partly because I like it down, partly because I don't know how to do it, and partly because it's so thick it gives me headaches when I wear it up for too long.
- I've been adding highlights since 10th grade, after an unfortunate at-home coloring experiment, and have been a "slave" to highlights ever since. I'm currently trying to grow them out in hopes of a more natural look!
 |
| My usual 'do |
My philosophy on beauty + fashion: So, what's the conclusion? I feel somewhat inadequate in this area of life, and sometimes I wish I was better at hair and makeup, or even just had more of an interest in it (I never read that section of the magazine!). A lot of you expressed interest in seeing a different hairstyle on me in a recent outfit post (and have done so in the past), and I really wish sometimes that I was at least a little better at doing hair! If you have tips for "baby steps" in this area, or links to hair tutorials for super-thick hair, please leave them below! (But also keep in mind that I do all my pictures at the same time, so there isn't a lot of time to switch hair in between.)
That said, while I always believe in improvement and experimenting, I'm also comfortable with keeping my look the same! There is some part of me that is terrified of looking like Snooki, and I really prefer to stick to what works. (I tried a smokey eye once and didn't like the pictures afterwards.) I have always felt that keeping my hair and makeup neutral, feels the most like "me" and creates a blank canvas for my clothes. I feel confident with 5 minutes of makeup, and that anything else (like fancy hair or colorful makeup) is a distraction, and takes away from whatever natural beauty I may have been blessed with (rather than enhancing it, which is how I think makeup should be and how I try to apply it). I never want to look overdone, especially since I'm often wearing crazy outfits, and I feel like "plain" hair and makeup balances it out, and I prefer to play it safe. Or maybe I'm just making excuses for being lazy. One of the two. ;-)
That said, while I always believe in improvement and experimenting, I'm also comfortable with keeping my look the same! There is some part of me that is terrified of looking like Snooki, and I really prefer to stick to what works. (I tried a smokey eye once and didn't like the pictures afterwards.) I have always felt that keeping my hair and makeup neutral, feels the most like "me" and creates a blank canvas for my clothes. I feel confident with 5 minutes of makeup, and that anything else (like fancy hair or colorful makeup) is a distraction, and takes away from whatever natural beauty I may have been blessed with (rather than enhancing it, which is how I think makeup should be and how I try to apply it). I never want to look overdone, especially since I'm often wearing crazy outfits, and I feel like "plain" hair and makeup balances it out, and I prefer to play it safe. Or maybe I'm just making excuses for being lazy. One of the two. ;-)
Your philosophy on beauty + fashion: So let's hear it ladies. I'm dying to know your personal philosophies. Am I in a rut, or do you think sticking to what works is a good plan? How do you blend beauty + fashion? Do you focus more on one or the other? Do you think crazy clothes need crazy makeup to balance them out, or do you believe that neutral makeup helps the outfit pop?
Please share your beauty stories and tips below! :-)
You may also like this post: "My Fitness Story."
You may also like this post: "My Fitness Story."
