Welcome to my pretty little blog about beauty – inside & out. Here you’ll find my honest opinions on the latest beauty products, fitness crazes, pampering ‘tools’ and everything else associated with beauty, health and fitness, as well as tips, news and musings on the subject.
Obviously, I agree that beauty exists in the eye of the beholder, but if you look good, you feel good, and that has a proven positive influence in every other aspect of our lives. Pampering (the art of taking time out to relax and indulge) has been shown to boost all sorts of things from mood to immunity, while exercise and fitness have proven to act faster as mood-improvers than the most relied-on chemical antidepressants.
My credentials? I’m a self-confessed beauty aficionado (junkie sounds so coarse…), having spent the past two decades scouring the planet for the products that would deliver on their promises of perfect skin, eternal youth etc. etc. Along the way I’ve picked hundreds tips for looking good without looking over-done, or spending the equivalent of a small mortgage.
During my teenage years I felt awkward – curly hair that couldn’t be tamed, oily skin, low-level spots, ‘issues’ with food and body image. I’m not unattractive, yet I wouldn’t class myself as a classic beauty either. It became apparent quickly that I would have to make the best of what I had. Hence a lifelong relationship with beautifying.
I only wish I could share all I’ve learnt since with my younger self. I could pass on so many tips that would have saved hours of angst! (I’d also be tempted to gently tell her to stop being so silly, get over it and enjoy life – Baz Luhrman never said it so right when he sang/spoke:)
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind;
you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked….
You’re not as fat as you imagine.
*His suncreen advice is also absolutely correct by the way.
I believe all women should be able to feel beautiful, and that it shouldn’t necessarily be qualified on overall looks. Along with the obvious screen-siren-esque polished package, beauty exists in the smallest details – bright eyes, great poise, interesting imperfections. To me, the true definition of beauty is a very ‘evolutionary’ one: good skin, shiny hair and inner confidence and contentment. If you’ve taken the time to ‘look after yourself’, that shows a degree of self-worth which is attractive too. Lotions, potions and the latest exercise trends can assist this quest, enhance what we have and change how we look to suit mood or occasion. Ultimately though, pampering should be seen as just darn good fun. Definitely not something worth losing (beauty) sleep over.
And for all you feminist-types who think this is all air-headed piffle, fear not – I also run my own Company (as well as the odd marathon) and was back at my desk three days after a C-section. Twice. A woman can be hardcore as well as being beautiful…
If you have any questions, or would like your product featured on the Simply Darling blog, do get in touch: wellhello@simplydarling.co.uk