Face Forward: Sunny Summer Beauty Tips

Summer is upon us you know what that means....it's time for swimming, beaches, cookouts and fun in the sun! This also means that it maybe time to make a few changes in our beauty routine. So here are a few tips to get you through the hot sunny days of summer.

1. Drink plenty of water. Water is not only good for your body but it does wonders for your skin. So drink up!

2. Don't forget the sun block. Everyone needs sun block...even those of us with darker skin. The sun can do some serious damage to your skin, especially to your face. To avoid dry blotchy skin apply sun block after your moisturizer.

3. Ditch the foundation. Foundation is much too heavy for the summer heat. It melts and runs and that is never cute. Instead opt for a tinted moisturizer, a light powder, or just skip the makeup all together.

4. Become a bronze goddess. Bronzer looks good on everyone. It's a simple makeup look that gives the appearance that you have been slightly kissed by the sun.

5. Get bold. Try out a bright lipstick. This is the easiest way to make a statement without a lot of makeup or work. If you feel really daring spice up your look with a bright eyeshadow.

6. Don't forget to moisturize. The sun often makes the skin shiny and oily and in turn we ditch our moisturizer until the cooler weather returns. This is a big no no! Moisturizer serves as your skin's protection. It keeps your skin looking young and healthy... and no one likes to look old. So slather it on.

7. Wash your face. This should be done at least twice a day. This will keep your skin fresh and blemish free. Keep in mind that you may have to alter you skin regimen because of the weather. So pay attention to what you skin is doing and adjust accordingly.

8. Exercise. Do I even have to say why this is so important? Exercise keeps you healthy, looking good, and it helps to keep your skin looking great.

9. Get a pedicure....and on a regular basis. You want your toes and feet to be at their best so that you can rock all those cute sandals you've been eying.

10. Have fun! After all that's what summer is all about.

Editorial: Beauty and the [Exercise] Beast

If you’re anything like me, you’ve declared that this is the season that you are going for the gusto. No holds barred. All doubt out the window. THIS is the season that you will get in shape. OOWWWWW! But if you are even more like me, you have hit more than a few hurdles stoplights on your journey to conquer the bulge. Allow me to offer this word of advice (that I admit I ministered to myself first). Your quest to whip yourself into shape should be primarily an effort to increase your physical condition, not your physique.

We live in an image-conscious society. I get that. And as much as one may try to proclaim that they are not a part of the world-wide image divide, let’s face it. We are all chilling on some spot of the spectrum. Even the biggest advocates of the ‘I love my curves club’ and the ‘makeup is for gypsies assembly’ care about the way they look and how people perceive them.

I personally feel that putting your best foot-manicured or not-forward is great. However, I also feel that the foot that we put forward is often the foot OTHERS have told us looks best. With this in mind I will say that I find it quite disturbing to notice women adopting work out regiments and eating habits to achieve a size society has told them is acceptable.

Reach for and maintain a weight/size that fits YOU. You know by now whether aiming to be a size 4 is unrealistic or not. Reevaluate what weight and size is healthy for your height and weight. Get real with yourself. And while you are reaching, reach for your health first.

I am a big fan of working out. I feel that getting your body involved in some sort of physical activity on a regular basis is what will save us from many ailments we face as we age. Studies show that common ailments such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and even arthritis can be prevented with simple concern for what you eat and how much physical activity you engage in. It is recommended that you should engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week (that means 4 or more guys!). Strength training helps your body fight calories when you’re not working out and stretching helps prevent injuries (can’t really show off those toned calves in a cast!) Also, studies show that extra fat around your midsection makes you more susceptible to weight related health problems than fat around your hips or thighs.

I know very few people who would work out if they didn’t have to. NEWSFLASH: WE ALL (all meaning those who reside in a human shell- not just overweight people) HAVE TO. But it can actually be fun! So don’t lose heart! And remember, do it for your health!

Editorial: One Size Does Not Fit All

Does beauty come in a specific size? Is there some sort of unwritten rule that says if you weigh over a certain amount that you are no longer beautiful? Who decides what is beautiful? When we turn on the TV all we see are images of what people are telling us we should look like. Sometimes I wonder how much of our opinions on beauty are actually our own and how much of it is based on what others tell us to like and dislike.

As I log into my twitter page this morning and turn on the television I am constantly reminded as to why so many girls have low self esteem.  My female friends are obsessed over losing a couple of pounds and constantly comparing themselves to the celebrities they see in magazines. I’m guilty of this as well. As I log into Facebook I see the images of what my male friends think are beautiful and come to a quick realization that I don’t look like those images and neither do most of my friends.

 Our minds become consumed with the images of what we think we should look like and what others tell us is beautiful. Our trips to the gym are no longer about a desire to be healthy but a desire to be thin or at least thinner. It seems like loving yourself is no longer enough especially when the world is telling you that you shouldn’t because you are a size 16 and not a size 6.

This is a very personal topic to me. I have been in a battle with my weight and acceptance most of my life. I went on my first diet before I went through puberty and have been on and off them since. I was always an active child but for some reason was never as thin as my sisters and people had a way of always reminding me of that.  I spent most of my childhood and early adulthood ashamed of who I was and ashamed of how I looked. There was this constant fear of being compared, judged, and scrutinized. Then one day a few years ago I took a look in the mirror and for the first time saw how beautiful I actually was.  I had come into my own person and for the first time since I could remember I liked what I saw. No, I wasn’t perfect but who is?

At what point do we stop and realize that beauty comes in all different shapes and sizes?  Some people no matter how hard they try will never be thin and they shouldn’t have to try and kill themselves to get that way.  Many girls struggle with eating disorders before they reach high school.  According to The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 10 out of every 100 young women suffer from an eating disorder. Don’t get me wrong. I believe that we should all practice a healthy diet and exercise but the goal should be to be healthy not to be thin.  It’s ok to want to lose weight.  However, our purpose for losing weight should be personal and our focus should be on being healthy. It should never get to the point where you are consumed with losing weight s to fit the beauty standard of someone else. We need to learn that not every woman is going to be shaped like Beyonce. 

We as women need to learn to truly love ourselves no matter what size we are. We must stop letting the world tell us that we are not beautiful and that we need to change.  I am proof that beauty does not come in a specific size.