Looking Hot

Photo credit: Mark Peterson, Redux Pictures - www.poyi.org

Happy Fourth of July to all!

Given that we are in such a festive mood, we are going to take a brief break from the Meeting Women series, and as a small detour, which applies to the subject of Meeting Women anyway, we will talk about a very important issue, and that is the issue of looking our very best.

Now some of you may be thinking, oh, here she goes with shallow expectations of wanting us women to look like models. Coming from someone who looks far from a model type, I’m not saying we have to look like a model. What I am saying is let’s make the best of what the creator gave us. Think about it, how pretty a woman is when she is polished, no matter what her size, shape or color or whatever. Like I said, whatever our looks, let’s maximize them.  Let’s polish ourselves up and look hot. This is our chance to break stereotypes about women who date other women. Though some of us may not consider ourselves beautiful, we can all agree that a polished look makes you beautiful, add to that a confident attitude and the world will come to you like honey to a bee.  Whether we like to admit it or not, we must recognize that beauty is power. After all, as I said before, wouldn’t you want a hot looking girlfriend? Well, it wouldn’t be fair to expect that without looking hot ourselves also. Right? And there is nothing wrong with wanting to always look and be our best, as long as we have everything else in substance to back it up.

Photo credit: clublez.com

So, below are a few general “polish up” tips that I found useful for myself, which I thought worth sharing with you. These tips are courtesy of the beauty experts from BuyBeauty.com, a great site that I recently discovered. Here you can find your favorite brand name cosmetics such as Lancôme, Clarins, Bobby Brown, MAC, Clinique, Dior, etc. at deep discount prices (way below my favorite department stores' prices—Bloomie’s and Macy’s), add to that free shipping.  I like this entrepreneurial site and I think you’ll like them too.

So, check out the tips below. No matter what your style, you could never go wrong.  And even if you’re not the type of girl who wears make-up, I’d say read on. Many of these tips ARE NOT make-up related. I’ve added some of my thoughts and personal recommendations here as well.

1. Your eyebrows add strength and definition to your face. Well-groomed eyebrows enhance your beauty.

2. You should pluck eyebrows before bedtime so any redness will disappear overnight. In shaping your eyebrows, use your facial features.

3. Use a pair of slant edge tweezers, which grip hairs easily. Comb hairs one way and then the other to remove loose hairs.

4. You should pluck hairs between the brows and any stragglers. Never remove the hairs from above your eyebrows

5. Pluck each hair individually close to the root. Work in the direction of the growth

6. Always avoid over plucking. In defining your eyebrows, choose a shade similar to your natural hair color.

7. When using a pencil you should apply in small, feathered strokes. Starting at the inner corner work outwards. I recommend Lancôme’s Le Crayon Khol for smoothness and staying ability.

8. Toners remove all traces of dirt, make-up or cleanser that remain after cleansing. While on that subject, if you don’t have a personal favorite yet, I am going to recommend you try the Persona Vitamin C toner, which has wonderful ingredients such as vegetable sources, Chamomile, vitamins A, B, C, and E. And vitamins are key to staying looking fresh and young.

9. Apply the toner to the crevices around the nose and chin.

10. Metallics nail lacquer is all the rage this year, and this is a great season to sport a trendy new look. For the best impact, keep your nails trimmed relatively short and show off a splashy metallic look. Silvers, greens, blues, and blacks – anything sparkly goes.

11. For a lovely feminine look, consider a French manicure. Pale pink nails with emphasized white tips accentuate your fingertips and complement any outfit, swimsuit or occasion. For a flawless manicure, head over to the salon and get your nails done.

12. For a creative nail touch, apply an iridescent or glittery topcoat. Or, for a modern twist, introduce a delicate white on your tips and enjoy a unique new French manicure.

13. The most kissable lip look? The same one that's pretty any time: your natural shade with a kick.

14. Smooth lips with lip balm. Avoid slick products, such as Vaseline or anything else petroleum-based (they will make the lipstick slide off). My personal favorite is Burts Bees lip balm, which you can find for about $2.50 at any Borders store (yes, the bookstore) or at specialty drug stores such as Concord Chemists at 425 Madison Ave (corner of 49^th Street) in NYC. Or you can order it from the Burt’s Bees website by clicking here. The ingredients are 100% natural and include: bees wax, coconut oil, almond oil, peppermint oil, vitamin E and rosemary extract. It tastes yummy and your lips will love it. Trust me on that one.

15. To add definition to your lips, line them lightly. Now, you know that not all lip liners are created equal. My old favorite all-time classic liner is MAC. It lines smoothly and reliably and it comes at a good price for about $15-$16. You can find it at Bloomie’s or Macy’s, or simply order it online, for less, from the BuyBeauty girls who have it for $10 plus free shipping! Now, if you prefer a brand other than MAC, check out the other really good ones by clicking here. Again, deep discounts plus free shipping.

16. After applying lipstick, lightly kiss the back of your hand. This will get rid of excess product without cutting down on the sheen. Then, gently smack your lips together to even out the color one last time.

17. Carry a powder compact at all times. If you don’t have time for makeup, you’ll be happy to at least dust some powder on your cheeks and forehead. If your company throws a last minute photo shoot at you, your compact will save your tail. Here one of my personal favorites is Chanel Double Perfect Compact, unfortunately not available at BuyBeauty.com, however, you can get it at Bloomie’s or Macys for retail price, or at Amazon for slightly less, plus I believe you’ll get free shipping since it is over $25. It retails for about $40 and it is worth every penny. It lasts for a long time and it gives you a smooth look immediately without clogging your pores. My other favorites, lucky for you, are available at the BuyBeauty site and they are: Bobby Brown Oil Free Foundation compact, Clarins Loose Powder, Lancôme Photogenic Sheer Loose Powder or the Lustrous Loose Powder in the Sun.

18. To keep your manicure alive as long as possible, apply a clear topcoat daily to prevent the nail polish from cracking and chipping.

19. The right pair of sunglasses will compliment your face and complete your look. If you cannot find them in the streets of NYC for $10, you can always order the latest looks and a better looking set from here.

20. Avoid standing for prolonged periods of time to reduce the appearance of varicose veins.

21. To create the illusion of having more cleavage, simply apply and blend a little dark colored bronzer to the area between your breasts. 

Well, that is all for today, July 4^th. The tradition is that people feel very sexy today, so I thought to contribute to that.

The next article will cover the next topic of Meeting Women: Meeting her at the Workplace. So, stay tuned and make sure to return in a day or two. In the meantime, feel free to post feedback.