Face it!

Is it just ME, or have you, too wondered what you might look like with a professional makeover?

Please, tell me I am not the only one!!

A professional makeover used to mean – and sometimes still does – that you get an updated hairstyle, a new outfit that suites you better & flatters you more and a new way of applying cosmetics.

Today, a makeover is often a ‘fakeover’!

Digital enhancing is used to create more flattering curves, better bone structure,  a more youthful body, a whiter smile, bigger eyes as well as enhanced other body parts!

A recent survey of non-celeb woman who participated in a full-blown photo shoot followed by ‘fuller-blown’ photo-shopping produced surprising reactions from the subjects of the survey:  they preferred their actual photos over the photo-shopped ones.  For this – and to them – I say, “Yes”!

Not only were the ‘befores’ their preference, they were overwhelmingly so. 

                                                     82%    vs   18%

I dare say we all know, perhaps quite well (!) women who criticize their physical appearance.  Wishing to be taller, thinner, having the perfect nose – whatever that is -  fuller lips….the list goes on.

By more than a 4:1 margin, women are finally becoming OK with their own physical reality defining their beauty as the uniqueness of their individuality over the elusive, if not impossible, Barbie -template of what we have been told defines beauty.

Kudos to the companies who now use ‘real’ women and girls in their ads and portray them as they are.

For at least a generation, there has been a debate about the damage the cover-girl image has inflicted on us, the average woman.  Knowing that even those we collectively agree are beautiful are photo-shopped for magazine covers, go  through pre- Red Carpet  binding and taping should bring the jury back on the issue of undue pressure on women to be the every woman: brilliant, beautiful, capable, accomplished.

Actually, this woman does exist; look in the mirror.  If you don’t see her there, ask yourself if you are looking for the right stuff, if you are willing to accept who and what you are and to know that if you are doing the best you can, well then you are good enough.

Beyond the mirror, look inside yourself.  If you know your actions are aligned with your beliefs, that results are equal to your efforts and that you are comfortable with how you feel, you, dear sister are just about as beautiful a woman as there can be.

Believe in who you are, lead with confidence and encourage others to do the same; you are, after all, a woman of leadership! 

So, IS it just me, or are you, too, willing to be the best you can be from the inside out?

Confidence

(Con fide: from the Latin: “with belief”)