Let's Be Honest, The Truth About Beauty

This post is going to be an open discussion and exercise about Self Acceptance. I'm going to ask you to do a few things in this post. I am going to plead with you to participate in a couple exercises as you read through this post. I would love it if you would post your answers in a comment below. If you are a blogger you could do a blog post containing your answers and link your post in the comments below.

1. List three things you would change about yourself. 

My weight
My skin tone
My voice

It took me less than 30 seconds to come up with those answers. I am fairly certain every woman could easily deliver 3 answers in less than a minute. I would also be willing to bet money on the fact that 95% would give at least one answer that involves self image. Let's be completely honest about what we think of ourselves.

2. Imagine you discover a video, that thousands had watched, highlighting all the flaws in your appearance. Write 3 sentences describing how you would feel.
I would be depressed for weeks and probably stay in bed for days.
I would feel disheartened, like a worthless human being.
Negativity would plague me for a very long time.


Kindly watch Lizzie Velasquez in the video below. Listen to her harrowing story. Learn how she managed to reclaim her beauty to become an inspiration for us all. It's a ten minute video but it's ten minutes well spent! She does discuss her religious beliefs, but I would request that my non-Christian friends watch as her story is inspirational regardless.

After watching this video, I would request that you be completely honest in answering this next question. Imagine how heartbreaking it would be to see these things posted on the internet with your picture attached.

3. List 3 facial features that make you feel unattractive. 

Wrinkles around my eyes and mouth
Several age spots, especially a large one high on my right cheek
Red, splotchy skin

Kindly watch the video below.  Dove has done an amazing job with this video. It will make you think about the negative things we say to ourselves. It left me in tears the first time I watched it. 

We, as women, are influenced by preconceived notions about beauty. We have allowed advertisers, marketers, agents, producers and such to define beauty for us. It is time that we broaden our definition of beauty. Over the centuries and over the miles, coveted features of beauty differ wildly. We often covet the opposite of what we are born with. In America, we find tan skin appealing. In Asia, they appreciate lighter skin. Women with curly hair utilize keratin straightening treatments and women with straight hair use curling wands, irons and rollers. Can't we just be comfortable in our own skin?

4. List 3 physical features that make you beautiful. 

My green eyes, they have a ring of gold around the pupil
My long legs, my height
My easy smile

I ask you to place these on a sticky note and stick them on your mirror for a week. Every time you look in the mirror read those features.

(I will post a picture of mine when I return home from my parents)

Beauty is more than skin deep. It's not just about facial features and body type. It's about character, it's about love and acceptance. We need to embrace everything that is beautiful about ourselves. We even need to embrace the things with which we struggle. After all, they are what makes us unique.

5. List 3 personality traits that make you beautiful on the inside. 

My positivity! No matter my pain level I can always find something to smile about.
I'm non-judgemental curiosity. I love learning about different cultures, religious, etc.
I'm understanding. I am great at listening to others' problems and helping them stay centered.

Let's embrace what makes us beautiful and work to improve what's lacking. It's the only way we will ever be happy in our own skin. Consider this, I found a deeper respect for my super fair skin after visiting the Philippines, where one can easily find skin lightening creams over self tanners. I have learned to appreciate that my smile can brighten someone else's day in spite of my slightly crooked teeth. The sway of a nice skirt when I walk can make me feel beautiful even if I feel it should be a size or two smaller. I have learned to embrace peace and calm, after my health has given me nothing but chaos. What positive changes can you affect in your life by embracing beauty rather than focusing on flaws?

In addition to answering the 5 questions above, I would request that you compliment at least three people a day. I find this easy to do when I am at work. Whenever anyone seems a little down when they enter the fitness center where I work, I will find something to compliment them on. Instantly, a smile crossed their face which makes me smile as well. You will find that if you do this on a regular basis, it's easier to see the good in others and, consequently, the good in yourself.

I say it's time to challenge the definition of beauty. It's time to embrace what makes us unique and to see the best in ourselves and others. Let's reclaim the power to embrace everyone as beautiful individuals instead of holding them up to some insane measuring stick. To all my fellow bloggers, I beg you to do a similar post on your blog. All others please feel free to share your answers in the comments below.

So You Wanna Go Nude?

So, you wanna go nude? A nude lip is the simplest to wear. Ohhh...... you thought I was talking about your clothing choices? Sorry about that. I am talking about wearing a great nude lipstick. I love a nude wearing nude lipsticks. My collection is full of nudes or variations of nudes. So I thought I would take the opportunity to help you navigate the world of nude lips and find the choices that are right for you.  This post covers the tan nudes in my collection. My post on pink nudes can be found here. 

I will cover both tan nudes and pink nudes. This post will also cover a wide shade range from lighter to deeper nudes. This first grouping is 'Light to Medium Tan Nudes' and it includes MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2, Wet N Wild 360S Birthday Suit, ELF Mineral Rosy Raisin, MAC Ramblin Rose, Wet N Wild Bare It All, MAC Velvet Teddy and Rimmel by Kate Moss in 14. 

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 is a cooler tan which leans toward peach in their amplified range. I wear NC15 in MAC foundations and this shade is too light for me to wear as a stand alone lipstick. This shade looks like I am wearing concealer on my lips. It, also, tends to settle into the lines in my lips and it doesn’t go on as smoothly as I would like.  looks like I am wearing concealer on my lips. I usually wear this lipstick paired with another lipstick that is too bright for my liking.

Wet n Wild 360S Birthday Suit is a shimmery warm tan with a frosty finish. It has great pigmentation and sits well on the lips.  It goes on smoothly and wears well. I prefer darker, richer colors and I now prefer crème finishes over frosty finishes. This is an amazing lipstick to pop in the center of your lower lip to give you that full pouty look.

ELF Mineral Lipstick in Rosy Raisin is a warm light-medium tan with a crème finish. Rosy Raisin is just a tad lighter than my own natural lip shade. This formula glides on and feels so creamy on the lips. It had nice pigmentation which goes on sheer at first but it easily buildable without feeling heavy on the lips.

MAC Ramblin’ Rose is a peachy tan which is almost rose gold with a frosty finish. This shade is loaded with micro glitter but does not feel gritty on the lips. It’s an absolutely beautiful shade that I prefer to wear in the center of the bottom lip for a great pout.  

Wet n Wild 902C Bare It All is a warm light tan with a matte finish. It goes on smoothly and has a great wear time. You will want to wear a balm underneath as it is a bit drying. This shade is just lighter than my own natural lip color so it looks a bit unnatural on my lips. I usually wear this under a brighter gloss to tone it down a notch.

MAC Velvet Teddy is a warm tan with a touch of rose coloring with a matte finish. This shade is the tanner version of my own natural lip color. It goes on smoothly and looks amazing topped with a natural gloss. This is my favorite matte lipstick as it isn’t too drying. I do wear it over a balm. Velvet Teddy is my go to natural look lipstick.

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss in shade 14 is the crème version of MAC Velvet Teddy. It is the tan version of my natural lip color. I wear this color when I don’t need the longer wear of a matte lipstick. This lipstick is super smooth and creamy and feels great on the lips. It’s a great shade for a polished yet natural look.

Now onto the the next grouping which is the ‘Medium to Dark Tan Nudes’ which includes L’Oreal Gilded Pink, MAC Viva Glam V, NYX Heredes, MAC Sequin, ELF Mineral Rustic Brick, MAC Viva Glam VI, ELF Fantasy and Milani Teddy Bare. 

L’oreal Gilded Pink is a medium tan  leans slightly toward rose with gold micro glitter and a shimmer finish. It goes on a bit sheer but builds quite nicely. It is smooth and sits nicely on the lips. The flecks of gold glitter look absolutely beautiful when they catch the light. This lipstick is easy to wear

MAC Viva Glam V is a medium rose ran with micro glitter and a lustre finish. This is one of my favorite MAC lipsticks. It is a great lipstick for everyday wear and it suits my fair skin town quite well. It does go on a bit sheer but is buildable to fully opaque. This is my lips but shinier which I love.

NYX Heredes is a medium peachy tan with a frosty finish. I prefer tans that lean rose rather than peach. It suits me just fine; it’s just not what I prefer. It is nicely pigmented and feels smooth on the lips.

MAC Sequin is the first MAC lipstick I purchased and is the only one I have repurchased. For me Sequin is my lips but better It’s a medium rose based brown and a frost finish. I normally don’t care for frost finishes but this particular one looks fantastic since it’s not overly frosty.

ELF Mineral Lipstick in Rustic Brick is a medium red based brown with a crème finish. This formula is so smooth  and creamy. It has great pigmentation and it feels really great on the lips. I love this formula and this color works really well with my coloring.

MAC Viva Glam VI is a slightly darker, more nighttime version of Viva Glam V. This is a reddish brown with a lustre finish. It applies a bit sheerer but is buildable. It’s a great natural color that draws slight attention and nice shine to my lips

ELF Fantasy is medium dark brown with a crème finish. This formula is really nice and for only a dollar it’s absolutely amazing. This color is a little too brown for my liking; so I don’t wear it much. I tend to combine it with an opaque gloss in a lighter shade.

The final lipstick in the tan category is Milani Teddy Bare which is a medium dark, cool brown with a crème finish. It is very opaque and looks amazing on the lips. I am not crazy about this shade either but I do occasionally wear it. It doesn’t appear quite as brown when applied to the lips. 

That concludes all my tan based nudes. I hope I’ve helped you navigate the sea of nude lipsticks. Nudes truly are my favorite to wear since I am such a fair skinned girl.  This weekend I will post my pink based nudes since I haven’t covered any of them here.

The Human Spirit

Some would say that I am inspirational. Some would call me strong willed. Some would say I'm courageous. I would merely explain that this is the only life I know. I truthfully don't understand what a life without chronic pain is like. My existence is so interwoven with pain that I don't know how to separate one from the other. I've experienced pain and strange symptoms since childhood; so I can't imagine the freedom of living without them. My pain and my symptoms are my constant companions in this life. I deal with them on a daily basis and they have become commonplace. Therefore, I would ask you not to look upon me as some pillar of strength. I am just an average girl trying to find happiness in a complicated world. 

I would ask you to look at others and see the inspiration they bring. After all, they don't know pain as a daily way of life. They were just average people trying to make their way in this world when life dropped this huge life altering bomb in their lap. One of them is an Oklahoma City Murrah bombing survivor. He was going about his daily life when Timothy McVeigh detonated a truck bomb which left metal shrapnel permanently stuck in his head. Another is a Hurricane Katrina survivor who lived through some harrowing experiences which has left her battling depression, panic attacks and other related conditions. A teacher and a student survived the Moore tornado inside of Plaza Towers Elementary but struggle with the haunting nightmares caused by the wrath of nature. Another woman, my Mom actually, is a breast cancer and double open heart surgery survivor who lost an infant son while stationed overseas with my Dad.  For these people there was a defining moment that stripped away everything they trusted in life. These people are heroes. These people are pillars of strength. I've seen all of these people continue to smile and enjoy the beauty that life still offers. It renews my faith that the human spirit is more resilient than we can imagine.  

What is it within some that causes them to stand defiantly when others would drop to their knees in despair? What is it that a person possesses that causes them to rise up again when life has sucked the very breath from their lungs? On the other hand, why is it that some seem to enjoy floundering? I know so many who have overcome such great odds and are embracing the beauty in everything they find. I also know many who seem to embrace their self imposed role as victim. Since the dawn of time man has struggled; so it's not that adversity is something new to the human race. So what is the defining factor that moves a person from victim to victor? I say it's the ability to look inside of ourselves. Those that have the courage to peel away all the layers of ego, false bravado, intellect, fear, pride and self righteousness are the ones that embody the strength of the human spirit. Those that are too afraid to look within themselves will never become accountable for their own path in this life. When you can't look deeply within your own psyche you will never be able to rise against any misfortune that may befall you. The most harrowing journey that one can ever take is the one that leaves their soul bare. You have to face yourself ripped open from the inside, raw, naked and afraid before you can ever learn the depth and breadth of your character. If you are too afraid of what you will find then life will drag you through your entire existence. 

We must face our darkest truths and see them for the strengths that they are. Only then will we be able to call ourselves victors. You see, there are no negative character traits. Society has tried to impose good and bad upon us; but, the truth is that there are good and bad uses of all characteristics. Chances are if you are using your traits for the wrong reasons then you are going to have a hard time looking into the mirror and seeing yourself as honestly as others see you. Selfishness is the greatest cause for fear when we are looking into our own psyche. Once we own our selfishness then the other traits become a little clearer and the human spirit begins to shine through. That's the biggest opponent we will face on our journey within, selfishness. I've faced my selfishness and he no longer holds me in fear of myself. I hope that you can say the same; because only then will you be free to embrace all the glory and all the pain that we experience in this life. 

Wet n Wild Megalast Polish Collection

I recently posted a small Wet n Wild polish haul which then made me decide that I needed to do a post on my entire Wet n Wild Megalast collection. So without further ado, I present to you my collection. All of the Wet n Wild Megalast Polishes have the flat wide brush which makes painting your nails super quick.

The first shade is ‘I Red a Good Book’ (located at 12 o’clock with the remaining colors going clockwise) which is a true red with a shiny cream finish. It does not lean pink or orange. It’s opaque in two coats and is not streaky.

‘Hot Candy’ is a neon pink which leans read when worn on the nails. It has a semi-matte or satin cream finish rather than a shiny cream finish. I love this color but am always surprised that it doesn’t translate as a true neon pink on the nails. It is fully opaque in two coats.

Next is ‘Mallrat’ which is a beautiful, rich bright pink with a shiny cream finish. It leans just a bit toward red. I love this shade, it’s a gorgeous bright without being neon. It is opaque in two coats.

‘Candy-licious’ is a medium blue based pink with a shiny cream finish. This shade is opaque in two coats and is a perfect spring color. It’s not too bold or too pastel. It’s a perfect shade for work and is opaque in two coats.

Oh the fun of ‘Luck a l’Orange’ which is a bright orange with gold micro glitter. It appears almost metallic and really pops when applied to the nails. It is opaque in two coats and has a slightly shiny finish.

‘Club Havana’ is a mid toned orange with a shiny cream finish. It is slightly lighter than Luck a l’Orange and has no glitter. It is completely opaque in two coats.

‘Limelight’ is definitely one of my favorite polishes. I never thought I would enjoy wearing green but there is something about this green that is so much fun. This is a bright lime green with gold micro glitter with a satin finish. It is completely opaque in two coats and is absolutely stunning.

Next is ‘I need a RefreshMint’ which is a lighter turquoise polish with a shiny cream finish. I adore the name of this polish and it looks great on the nails. This polish is opaque in two coats.

‘Root of All Evil’ is an amazing blue which is somewhere between a navy and a royal blue. It has blue micro glitter with a shiny finish. This is an incredible shade of blue and is opaque in two coats.

‘On a Trip’ is a medium purple which is between a lavender and a lilac. It has a shiny cream finish and is opaque in two coats. This is a fun shade for spring and summer.

Next up is ‘Disturbia’ which does not photograph well. It is a deep rich plum color which leans towards a chocolate brown on some skin tones. It is opaque in two coats and has a shiny cream finish.

‘Through the Grapevine’ is a cross between a dark rose and a medium berry color. This color just screams fall to me. It is opaque in two coats and has a shiny cream finish.

‘Sugar Coat’ is a beautiful peachy nude. The problem is that it tends to go on sheer and streaky. It took 4 coats to build up to this color on the swatch which is a problem when you have to wait for each coat to dry. It has a shiny cream finish and is a beautiful color but it’s just to cantankerous to work with. Skip this shade.

Next is ‘Break the Ice’ which is a milky white with white, sliver and blue micro glitter. Like Sugar Coat it is sheer and streaky. This is only two coats on the swatch but if worn on the nail you would be able to clearly see the end of your nail bed under this polish. It has a shiny finish. I would say skip it.

Last but not least is ‘Sea Change.’ It translates as black with blue and green micro glitter when worn on the nails. It’s disappointing because it is so incredibly stunning in the bottle. it is opaque in two coats with a shiny finish. I would say skip it unless you’re looking for almost black with practically indictable blue and green micro glitter.