Foundation

The Best Foundation for Your Beauty

By Michelle Phillips

One of the most common beauty questions women find themselves asking is, “What is the best foundation?” This seemingly shallow but daunting question is the subject of countless articles, TV segments, and conversations, in which we are totally engrossed. And as much as generations may have searched the world over for a miraculous product to give them the “perfect” look, let the search be over. The perfect foundation for your true beauty doesn’t get applied to you on the outside, it lies within you and radiates out!

So at this point you may have a new question, rather than “What is the best foundation”, you may be wondering “How do I develop mine?” The start of that answer is remarkably similar to how we select the best makeup. Have ever looked in the mirror while trying a new shade of lipstick or eye shadow and it made you smile? By looking in that same mirror for the natural beauty that is you, and simply smiling, you are creating a layer of foundation. You are putting on a foundation of self-love that could never be found at a makeup counter.

Look again. Do you see the beautiful color of your eyes? The depth of your soul behind them? Take a moment to make a mental note of all the beauty that you see in just those eyes. Now go a step farther by actually writing it down. Are there wrinkles around your eyes from years of smiling, sun, laughter, and tears? Continue through the features you love on your face and move on to your body. If you are having trouble finding the glory of you, remember how each of these amazing parts serve you on your journey.

When you are done collecting all of your beautiful external qualities the real foundation building can begin. Take a minute to think of twenty of your most gorgeous internal qualities. It can be your sense of humor, generosity, curiosity, adventure, caring, intelligence, or anything else you think makes you unique. This is a very important exercise because even more than your facial features or fingerprints, it is this combination of personal attributes that makes you a one-of-a-kind work of art. You are a stunning original that has never been done before and never will again in this exact form.

As you discover and build your “foundation” you will find that you radiate a new, deeper beauty that can’t compare to the mere external. You will begin to experience some of the very important differences between a cosmetic foundation and a deeper spiritual one.

First, is the strength of the foundation itself. While the makeup layer may be microscopically thin, the spiritual foundation spreads far and wide across every aspect of your life. In addition, at the end of any day, you can wipe away your makeup and the thin veneer of so-called beauty is gone. Meanwhile, your beautiful internal qualities continue shine bright.

Also, makeup styles may change with the times, your age, complexion, and for any occasion, but the enduring power of your passion and compassion, courage and character, never go out of style.

Once you have taken the time for this self-discovery you can start to build a life of authenticity on this foundation. It is with this strength of knowing who you truly are that will afford you a life based on what you think and feel, according to your values and purpose. This is a life of true beauty that can beyond any trend and that only gets better with age.

Michelle Phillips is a celebrity makeup artist and Life Coach, speaker, and author of the bestselling beauty and self-esteem book from Hay House, “The Beauty Blueprint: 8 Steps to Building the Life and Look of Your Dreams”. http://www.michellephillips.com

Breaking the chain of low self-esteem

breaking-chain-low-self-esteem Everything we are and everything we desire stands on the foundation of self-worth that we build from within. The value that we place on ourselves in the marketplace of life dictates the quality of relationships we will have, the pay that we will receive for our services, and resonates out to our family in friends in ways that will affect generations. It is for all of these reasons and more that we build that foundation strong and tall and lovingly reinforce it every day.

Recently my friends and I celebrated the life of an amazing woman who was truly an inspiration for us all and who so beautifully illustrated the importance of creating our personal value. The day my friend Jan realized how her low self-worth was allowing her abusive marriage to continue and how that relationship was affecting her children was the day that she said enough and left. She took her kids to a shelter and started over with the desire to always be treated the way she deserved.

While living her new, higher-valued life Jan gave back to others at every opportunity. Whether it was the Red Cross, YMCA, or abuse shelters, she was always showering others with love and telling them they were worthy of more.

Eventually she started her own organization that supported foster children who had been abused or neglected. Through dedicating her life to children who felt they had no hope she helped them realize they already possessed every ounce of worth and potential needed for beautiful, abundant lives. The legacy she leaves behind doesn’t just live on in the kids and young adults whose lives she touched but in their children and children’s children. By empowering just one person to a stronger sense of self-love you afford them the opportunity to change every life they touch.

Where does this change all truly start though? How do we break the cycle of bad jobs, bad relationships, and stop passing down a belief that lives that are beneath us are acceptable? By reclaiming and building our self-worth we free ourselves from the chains that hold us back from living with purpose and joy. The next step is demanding that value be honored in every aspect of our lives. By asking for what you are worth you teach others how to treat you and model to your kids the importance of valuing themselves.

To start the self-worth ball rolling take an inventory of your amazing, positive qualities.

What are your strengths? What are the personal qualities that define you?

What are some achievements you can look back on with pride to remind yourself of what you are capable of?

How did you feel when you achieved those things? Try to remember by putting yourself back in that place of accomplishment.

Another great tool I suggest using is to think of how your best friend would speak of you, if needed, ask them. We can all think of an endless amount of beautiful things to say about someone dear to us, start by giving yourself that same amount of love.

The most important thing of all though is to pick your moment to ask for what you’re worth. Whether it is in your relationships or your job, the day or minute you make the decision to say to the world, “I am good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, and deserving of everything I desire” is the day it will start coming your way. And it is the day you break the cycle for generations by inspiring others to start construction on the foundations of their beautiful lives.

Makeup Meltdown

I know it’s awfully tempting when the heat is on to go au natural with no makeup but that’s not an option now is it ladies? We have to look good for work, dates outdoors, and even the dreaded pool party. Unfortunately the summer sun can have your makeup dripping so bad you look like someone dumped water on an oil painting. Never fear, before you throw in the makeup wipe here are some tips to keep your face in place.

A great starting point with makeup for any season comes even before the foundation. I always recommend that women begin with a moisturizer to properly hydrate their skin.

When it comes to foundation, I like to multi-task and suggest using a tinted moisturizer or a mineral powder as they tend to be lighter in weight and they are generally better for your skin. Most tinted moisturizers help even out skin tone, reduce the appearance of fine lines and pore size, and have an SPF of at least 15.

Next up are the “windows to the soul”. How often have you been chatting up a guy in your teeny bikini and after saying, “Hey, my eyes are up here”, you thought, “Are my eyes ready to be seen?” Finding a mascara that can hold up to the heat can be a task so it’s important to look for one that is waterproof or smudgeproof.

Another choice you’ll have to make is whether or not to wear eyeliner. Since eyeliner can also smudge easily in the heat and humidity to avoid raccoon eyes you will want to consider a powdered eye shadow instead of a liquid pencil. To achieve the darker looks try using a brown or charcoal color and apply it using a small, slanted brush to define your lash line.

When it comes to blush, lighten up to brighten up. The heat will turn the blush tones darker-so avoid browns and dark shades. You want a healthy glow, not a ruddy face.

Of course we can’t forget to keep our lips looking sexy and protect them from the sun. To look beautiful, not sweaty, skip the matte lipsticks and choose a light lip gloss or tinted Lip Balm with an SPF.

Written by Celebrity Makeup Artist, Michelle Phillips http://www.michellephillips.com

Am I Pretty?

In a disturbing new trend thousands of girls as young as 11 and 12-years old are posting videos on YouTube asking the question, “Am I pretty?” This public call for validation shows a dangerous lack of self-worth and an unhealthy focus on outer beauty at an early age.

Am I pretty? The answer is YES!

As a Celebrity Makeup Artist and Life Coach I have been working with people for years to build their ‘beauty’ from the inside out. Usually though the questions of; “Am I pretty?” “Am I good enough?” or “Am I worthy?” don’t really start to weigh on us until life as taken its toll a little bit more. Seeing such a display of low self-esteem at such a young age though really troubles me so I feel strongly that this is a topic that needs addressing.

Whether it is the images in the media, social networking, or increased peer pressure, people, especially teen girls, are feeling pushed to look and act a certain way. One of the things they don’t understand is that in trying to find acceptance online they are opening themselves up to even more negative influence. The relative anonymity of the internet creates a breeding ground for hostility and hate resulting in wave of hurtful responses to their videos. Not to mention the fact that online predators are constantly lurking, typically preying on girls in this exact age range.”

To remedy this I suggest a variety of solutions.

– Monitor your child’s internet usage! The web is just that, a dangerous place for those that get caught up in it. There are just as many physical and emotional hazards to be found in the virtual world as there is in the real world.

– Talk to your kids about their ‘beauty’. Have your child create a list of their most beautiful qualities; their values, dreams, and maybe even throw in some physical attributes they love as well. By working to build a foundation for what makes them uniquely beautiful you create a source for real and lasting self-worth.

– Model strong self-esteem yourself. Even with all of the other sources of information your kids have access to you are still their biggest influence. By relating to them your self-worth you are instilling that same value in your kids.

Most important is have as open a line of communication with your kids as possible. And when the question “Am I pretty” is ever asked by you or them, the answer is always “Yes!”

Top 5 Tips for Enhancing Your TRUE Beauty

Glance at any fashion magazine and you are sure to be inundated with products and techniques to keep up with the latest celebrity looks. Here some simple tips to enhance our own true beauty without breaking the bank.

First of all, we need to go back to the basics of classic beauty. Less is more! It’s that simple!

Concealer is a must…even if you don’t wear a foundation. Try a concealer with a yellow base to it. Apply only on the inner corner of your eye and lightly blend out. There is no need to apply to the outer corner of eye. If you do this, you will look like a raccoon and accentuate any fine lines you may have
Fill in your brows! Properly arched brows that are lightly filled in with a pencil or powder that matches your brow color will create more of an open eye look and lift the eye area. The goal is to look more youthful!
Blush…apply your blush on your cheekbone…not under. Blush should never be applied below the imaginary line that goes from your nostril to your ear. The lower the blush is applied the older you will look. Avoid Brown tones when it comes to blush, brighter tones will give you a healthy glow.
Eye shadows should remain neutral. Trends are fun…but only on teenagers. Warm tones bring out any eye color.
Mascara is best when applied on the top lashes only. For a more dramatic evening look go for top and bottom. If you have dark circles under your eyes, avoid mascara on bottom lashes all together.

We are all beautiful! Keep in mind that make up is supposed to enhance your beauty, not cover it up.