Studies Show Pretty Results

Put your best face forward for the best pay

Studies have shown that women in the workforce who wear makeup, do their hair, and put effort into their appearance make MORE than women who do not.

Lesley Everett, author of the book Drop Dead Brilliant, says, “It is a fact that women who wear make-up in business generally get better jobs, get promoted more quickly and get paid more.”

In a survey, 64 per cent of directors said that women who wore make-up look more professional and 18 per cent of directors said that women who do not wear make-up “look like they can’t be bothered to make an effort”.

Everette claims this is because “whether we like it or not, we live in a very visual world and we get judged on appearances.”

Whether I like it or not, I think I agree.

To read the rest of the article on Lesley Everette, visit: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/graduate_management/article2961724.ece

A Guy’s Guide to Grooming

Men can feel pretty too! But, ya know, in a manly sort of way.

In my last post, I discussed my love of makeup. But taking care of one’s appearances aren’t limited to just women. This goes for men too.

There are plenty of male products available, most of them focusing on the art of shaving and maintaining a smooth, healthy complexion.

Men may not wear makeup (with the exception of a small population), but that does not mean they cannot put some effort into their appearance. Men like to call this grooming.

Grooming may encompass one or all of the following:

• Basic Hygeine
• Facial Moisturizer
• Shaving Accessories
• Lip Balm
• Hair Products
• Cologne
• Concealer

Basic Hygiene means basically washing your smelly boy germs off yourself: showering, brushing your teeth, washing your face, etc. Every girl loves the smell of a yummy boy’s body wash (or at least loves not having to deal with your B.O.!) And for those gusy who haven’t figured it out yet, basic hygiene should be practiced EVERYDAY. So suds up!

Facial Moisturizer sounds a bit girly, but it’s not (especially if you live in a cold-weathered climate like Michigan). Dry, itchy, flaky skin on your face in order to appear more “manly”? No thanks! There is a whole category of moisturizing products aimed at the male market. Brands such as Jack Black, Lab Series, and Anthony Logistics are strictly “male complexion enhancers.” They even have male-prefered characteristics such as colorless, odorless, and UV protection, all amounting to one easy-to-use all-in-one product. These are not your mom’s moisturizers, boys.

Shaving Accessories usually include a razor, shaving cream, and after-shave balm. Elitists use a pre-shave oil to prep their face and a shaving brush to lather the cream evenly. The brands listed for the Facial Moisturizers all carry shaving accessories. Another brand to try is actually called The Art of Shaving. If you don’t want to spend big bucks to keep a clean profile, the drugstore brand of Nivea Shaving Cream comes highly reccomended. My male friends claim that the Nivea shaving cream is even better than some of the expensive, high-end brands. Another one to watch is Aveda’s After-shave balm. Not only does it leave your face smooth and smelling fresh, it is organic too (if you care about that sort of thing). For $15/ 3.4 oz bottle, I would say it is a good investment to make.

Lip Balm is one of those products that you guys tend to bum off your girlfriend or a close female friend. But it is time to stop mooching and start buying your own! Obviously sickly sweet flavors are going to land you at the butt of every joke, but there are lip blams out there that can make you seem a little more heterogeneous. Jack Black’s Intense Therapy Lip Balm delivers moisture to your dry, chapped lips while smelling of the fresh scent of peppermint or the soothing scent of Lemon and Chamomile. Burts Bees Lip Balm is another good option that does not smell or taste of Katy Perry’s lips (You should want to taste cherry chapstick on HER lips, not vice versa). Chapstick even comes unflavored and in peppermint.

Hair Products have become the most acceptable form of male grooming (aside from basic hygiene, I hope!) Guys trying to achieve a short, spiky-look use wax. When trying to get that mussed, bed-head look, guys use pomade or defining paste. American Crew has plenty of great “male-inspired” products. They even have a “grooming spray” that serves the basic function as hairspray. Now you can stop secretly using your girlfriend’s bottle of hairspray!

Cologne is another product with which most guys don’t seem to have qualms or gender-identity crises. the world of colognes are endless. If it smells good to you, chances are it will probably smell good to her too That is, unless you wear ”Sex Panther” cologne (if you’ve seen the movie Anchorman then you know what I am talking about). A few of my personal favorites for men are from Burberry, Guess, Lacoste, and Jean Paul Gaultier.

Concealer (aka the flesh-colored makeup that covers acne and dark circles) is becoming more and more popular among the male population. Men are finally figuring out that it is OKAY to not want to walk around with acne on their face. Believe me, girls are rejoicing everywhere and will thank you for covering those nasties up.

Even the holy grail of makeup suppliers, Sephora, has a men’s category on their online store (www.sephora.com). Obviously, if there wasn’t a large demand for a men’s category in a makeup retailer, it wouldn’t be available. This just goes to show that men’s grooming is becoming more popular.

It is about damn time!

Feel Pretty: A Makeup Manifesto

A woman’s best cosmetic is happiness. In the meantime, pass me that tube of lipstick.

 I am one of those girls that wears makeup every day. I’ve been playing with pots of rouge and pallets of pigmented powders since 3rd grade. To me, the application of makeup is a methodical practice of art. The transformation the application of makeup produces is much like starting with a blank canvas and turning into a work from Monet . Swirls of colors, soft edges, and an overall pleasing form is produced from a few precious swipes of paint on a bare canvas. The benefits makeup provide are like a religious experience; it’s a chunk of time out of my day that I devote totally to me. I look better, feel better, and look forward to the rest of the day. It is a therapy that only I can provide.

Now, I am not saying anything bad against girls who do not prefer to wear makeup. Afterall, it’s your face and your prerogative. In fact, some non-makeup wearers actually  think my interest in makeup is cool and volunteer to be my victims by letting me give them the occasional makeover. Even my boyfriend (as much as he complains about how long it takes me to get ready) says  he is fascinated by it and loves watching me apply my makeup before we go out.

But there are the naysayers who condemn me for the practices of my craft. These are the femi-nazi non-makeup wearers who think that if it’s not for them, then it shouldn’t be for anybody. And the mindset is that if you do wear makeup, then you obviously are fake, shallow, and have insecurities that you are trying to hide.

When asking to apply just a teensy-weensy bit of lively color to her otherwise plain-jane complexion before we went to a club, a roommate of mine responded in a rather snarky tone, “I don’t NEED makeup, I’m cute WITHOUT it.”

A few thoughts ran through my mind:

1. Unless you are have almost-perfect DNA and are therefore making millions in modeling contracts, makeup CAN and WILL make you look better.
2. I want to go out with someone who looks READY to go to the club, not ready to go to the library.
3. Please just at least let me even your complexion!

I am still unsure as to whether she was trying to make a jab at me for wearing makeup or if she was really delusional enough to think that makeup would somehow make her less of a person, but I will tell you one thing: I don’t wear makeup because I feel like I HAVE to, I wear it because I WANT to. It’s fun. It adds a little bit of confidence when I know I look good. But most of all, it says to other people that I care enough about myself to put a little bit of effort into taking care of myself.

I can understand if applying makeup and moisturizers feels like a chore to some people. However, there are many products out there that are multi-tasking and easy to use. Products such as Benefit’s Creasless Cream Eyeshadow is a glass pot of creamy eyeshadow that can be used as a liner as well as a shadow. Benefit’s Rush Hour is another multitasker that can be used as a cream blush as well as a lipstick. Nar’s The Multiple (it even says it in the name!) can be used as a highlighter, blush, eyeshadow, and lip shimmer. These are just a few of the glorious world of multitasking products.

Even just the basics of a bit of concealer, a little powder, a swipe of mascara and lip balm can dramatically enhance a person’s appearance. This way, you can still look and feel “natural,” but look like you put a bit of effort into taking care of yourself. And the best part is, it only take 2 minutes.

Back in the 1950′s, women did not leave the house without first applying their lipstick. Now, this may be a LITTLE extreme, but I think a world where students wear sweat pants and ripped jeans to class is a little extreme too.