VANITY & BEAUTY
Lately, I’ve been wanting to open up about beauty. With my latest projects and turning twenty-five, it feels like the right time. Then I thought, what better way to do so than by inviting you into my very own vanity area where I get ready every day. You see, having a personal blog is a peculiar thing for many people completely outside of this world. Some of my best friends are a part of it, and other friends on the outside look in from time-to-time amused by the fact that I post pictures of myself on the web. While I’m editing outfit photos, for example, they might ask “do you ever get tired of looking at yourself?” Albeit half jokingly, I can still feel the implications they may or may not mean: that I’m vain. For a second, it gets me. I self deprecate to appease what feels like an accusation and get us on to the next topic. Then I pause a moment and ask myself “…am I?”
The truth is I don’t see it that way at all. When I’m editing a photo of myself, it’s just as when it’s anybody else. I’m more interested in making a beautiful picture of a certain place, time, and character than how I look as an entity apart. I’m able to step back and see myself in the way that I see all other women. Too often I pull out my camera to take pictures of females amongst my family and friends, and they shy away. If they finally agree to stay in the frame, they freeze up and the essence of them I wanted to capture is suddenly hidden by their discomfort. Why do we do that? Who taught us to feel this way? It makes me sad. Suddenly, I’m reminded I don’t want anyone to feel she’s not beautiful enough to photograph, because she is. All women deserve to be beautiful and are beautiful. That’s how I see other women.
And how do I see myself? Like too many of us, I spent many years feeling exactly the opposite of beautiful, particularly as a young adult. Inner insecurities, exterior criticism, it was all there — you can fill in the details. Now at twenty-five, I feel better about myself than I ever have. I’ve never been heavier, and I’ll never be younger. Nature alone will never spare me the laugh lines and grey hairs I already have and know I’ll only see more of. None of that makes me feel less beautiful. It’s not a matter of settling, it’s a matter of settling in, fully aware of how I do and do not look and on good terms with both sides of that. I know what I think looks good, and more importantly what I feel good in. I’ve learned to appreciate, not envy, what others have that I don’t, and afford myself that same respect. How is that so? Part of it’s life experience, part of it’s falling in love, and part of it has been blogging. I was talking about the latter with a friend the other day and she mentioned comments from readers must be a huge part of that. While they for the most part are a source of positivity, it’s more so about a relationship to self. Confronting insecurities, finding confidence, and seeing the good, not the bad. If I had the chance to look like any one else tomorrow, I would say no thank you. I’m not interested in trying to be or look like anyone one other than myself.
Now, what does this all have to do with makeup? I’ve never been a beauty junkie, I believe in the right products at the right time. I prefer to see beauty as an opportunity, not an obstacle. For me above all I believe makeup and skincare aren’t about wanting to change one’s self, but rather how I can look and feel like the best version of me. I invest in quality skincare because I respect the integrity of my skin and what goes on it. I use various lotions, serums, and more because I value my skin and want to treat it well to look well, correcting and repairing when needed to let my best skin shine through. I approach makeup as a chance to enhance and show off what I like most about myself. I use makeup as an opportunity to express myself and my personal style, to have fun with many different kinds of beautiful. Most days I’m with it, somedays I’m with out it, but every day I’m myself, and that’s someone I feel confident enough to share with the world. I think all women are beautiful enough to have that same confidence, if only more would let themselves see it. But alas, their story belongs to them to share and this is mine. If that makes me vain, then so be it. I’m not the only one, as bloggers across the world representative of real women are doing the same. From so many ethnicities and backgrounds, size six to sixteen, they’re appearing in magazines, collaborating with fashion brands, and ending up on the homepage of the world’s biggest beauty brands and I think that’s wonderful. It seems a bit of vanity isn’t such a bad thing after all…
A few of my favorites things
Genefique & Dreamtone Dual Pack · Teint Visionnaire Foundation · La Vie Est Belle Fragrance · Définicils Mascara
Thanks for bearing with me a bit longer than usual. I hope you find some food for thought. If you like what you read, as always you can follow me for some more on instagram, twitter, and facebook and subscribe via bloglovin. Be sure to read my latest article on Lancôme’s Paris-Rendezvous to discover some of my favorite places in Paris and some beauty tips this week and every week in the coming months. More soon…
