First impression is the last impression! How true this rings in today’s world where face value has been given the highest brownie points. Teenage girls look up to bollywood actresses, botox and face uplifts are a growing trend, and size zero is the latest fixation! It’s all catching up with not only the youth, but the middle aged, the corporate businesswoman as well as the homely housewife.
Research by leading experts indicates that we make up our mind about a person within 60 seconds of meeting him or her.
Looking good does not mean looking like Deepika Padukone or Katrina Kaif. It means being comfortable with yourself and showing it on the face. Good looks have much to do with a high self esteem, a self assurance that comes only when you think well of yourself.
You need to accept that you are different than the dolled up daughter-in-laws of the saas bahu soaps, and the size zero chicks of tinsel town. A Gucci bag, a Mac face powder or a high-end botox treatment, lavish spending on beauty products come with an expiry date.
Each one of us has been blessed with a uniqueness that shows on our physical attributes and overall personality and which we wish we could change to something else that we find more appealing. But then why not highlight that what we have than crave for something that we lack? Why not better and enhance our own strengths than crib and brood over that which is not ours? We can look our best by enhancing our own attractive features rather than letting our not-so perfect features undermine our confidence. The key lies in identifying your own strengths and weaknesses.
Techniques that will make you rock!
Mirror, mirror on the wall: Spend time in front of the mirror - talk, smile, laugh, and frown. Let it look like you are actually in conversation with your mirror image. Then study your expressions, and notice things like, do you smile too wide? Another effective method is to video tape while in conversation and then rewind, replay and evaluate your best expressions.
Say Cheese: Click your own pictures with a digital camera in different profiles. Indentify the kind of profiles you look best in.
Dress to the hilt: Experiment with different colors, cuts and patterns. Check what suits your complexion and body shape the best. Do not follow trends blindly. Do not get carried away by what you see in the movies or on TV. More than anything else, the dress must complement your body shape and figure. Use minimum cosmetics and those that you do use, ensure that their quality is the best and they match your complexion.
Opinions: Ask your friends and family members for feedback. Ask them to list what they think are your three best and three not-so-great features and expressions. Ask them for opinion on what kinds of clothes suit you. Reflect on what they say to get an even better understanding on how to look your best. This is because very often the person looking at us has a better feel of what suits us, than ourselves.
Basic Grooming Tips:
- Not too much: Never wear too much make up. Use make up to look fresh and to enhance your features. Too much colour on your face can look scary!
- Moderate jewellery: Wear one or two stunning pieces of ethnic, Indian jewellery. Too much jewellery does not enhance the beauty of either the jewel or the person wearing it.
- Confidence shows: It is important to be confident of what you wear to be able to carry it well and look smart.
- Vanity shopping: Good purse/handbags and shoes are an investment. They enhance the beauty of every outfit you wear, hence these should not be neglected.
- Negligees: Lingerie can make or mar an outfit. Take time and consult an expert (trained staff at many lingerie stores) to choose the correct lingerie fit.
- Hairy talks: Go for regular trimming of hair. Maintain your hair well, with regular shampooing and conditioning.
- Nails speak volumes: The first impression of a person’s cleanliness can be gauged from his/her nails. Clean nails speak a lot about a person’s overall health and hygiene. The nail polish is no substitute for unkempt nails. Polished and shapely nails can be a big put on.
- Trustworthy: Endorse only those cosmetic products, including face wash, moisturizer, sunscreen that are endorsed by your skin professional or those from a well-known brand.
- Food and face: A balanced diet is very important for both physical and mental health and wellbeing. It determines not just how you feel but how you look too. Nutritional deficiency will take away the radiance from your personality no matter what you apply externally.
- Weight: Get regular weight checks done from your family physician so that you can manage your health and body shape better. Maintaining you weight allows you to experiment with different kinds of clothes.
Imbibe these sure shot tips into your lifestyle and you are sure to stand out from the crowd and make heads turn!
