Look good on the outside and feel great on the inside

By Wendy Bakewell, full time business owner and unofficial style guru


Whether you’re spending the day at home, picking up the kids, going to the supermarket or running from meeting to meeting with important clients, it’s essential to look good on the outside to create the right impression.  You will find that no matter how you are feeling at the beginning of your day, if you make the effort to look good by following my tips you’ll instantly feel better, giving you a glow from within which will increase your self-confidence.

 

Looking great on the outside doesn’t actually require as much work as you might think!  It really is the little things that can make a big difference. 

Wendy’s Top Tips:

• Personal hygiene has to come at the top of my list.  If you don’t shower everyday there is no way you are going to feel good on the outside!  I use Pure and Natural Crystal Deodorant Stone which the bottle says has been sold to over 10 million people!  It is hypoallergenic, eliminates odour, unscented and non-staining 24 hour protection.  Just wet the stone and apply. It may seem a bit pricey at $12.99 for 120g but it lasts a very long time.  I have found this sometimes difficult to find but I buy it from Steve’s Wholefoods in Palmerston North, Phone: 06 355 1300.

• You may need to wash your hair every day, like I do, otherwise it looks a greasy mess! However there are excellent dry shampoos out there if you don’t have time.  Klorane is great because it’s natural and contains fewer toxic ingredients than other products on the market. It’s also perfect for darker hair, as it doesn’t leave any white residue. Highly recommended!    You can buy Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo for $18 at Sephora.com.

• Have your hair styled by a professional hairdresser.  There are excellent hairdressers in small towns that don’t charge the earth to cut and/or colour your hair.  A great hairstyle that is easy to manage takes minimal time to look after.  I go to our local hairdresser and pay $95 for a cut, colour and foils.

• Using a great cleanser, serum and moisturiser does wonders for the morale and keeps your skin in tip top condition.  I recommend a very reasonably priced skin care range at www.scullys.net.nz.  I have just purchased the Hydrating Lift Serum and am very impressed with the results.  Priced at $18.95 per product and if you buy three products you get the cleanser free. Scully’s say about their products “the products are made as naturally as possible using essential oils and natural hand picked flowers”.

• Always use a 30+ sunscreen on your face after you moisturise.  This does more for your face than most fancy face creams and protects from skin cancer.  I like Le Tan spf 30+ Classic Spray 250 ml as it is non-greasy and very light.  It is also a great base for foundation and gives your skin a glow.  You can buy this from most supermarkets.

•  Dress to impress!  Even if you don’t have to go outside the house, putting on something stylish and trendy instantly lifts your spirits and puts you in the right mood for the day, not to mention those around you.   Purchasing stylish clothes doesn’t have to break the bank either!  I have shopped most of my life in second hand shops and on Trade Me and some of the nicest clothes I have are recycled …  sssh don’t tell anyone!!  One of my favourite stores is the Recycling Boutique and they have shops in Auckland, Newmarket, Palmerston North, Wellington and Dunedin.  Always check what you already have stashed away in your wardrobe before buying something new and make sure you have something that will go with the new item you are looking to purchase.

• For a minimum amount of fuss Thin Lizzy Mineral foundation is very hard to beat.  The concealer does what it says and conceals better than anything else I have used.  You can put this all over your face first and then apply the mineral powder.  You don’t need to buy Thin Lizzy on TV although it is cheaper to do so.   

• A lipgloss and mascara completes the daytime, go anywhere look.  There are numerous lipglosses on the market and I buy whatever takes my fancy at the time.  I am very fussy about the mascara I buy however.  Maybelline, the Falsies Volum’Xpress Mascara is the one thing I can’t live without!  It gives you more visible lashes, fills in the gaps and you get great volume.  It is priced around $26 and can be bought from most supermarkets. 

  

It is also fairly easy to wash off with cleanser although I do use an eye makeup remover to make sure it is all gone. 

• Lastly, but as equally important as anything I have mentioned above, always, always take your makeup off before going to bed!  You will never have great skin if you don’t follow this simple rule.