the plain ugly truth

source

I came across an article in Bazzar Singapore (Jun'13 issue), where it was remarked that SG women are not dressing up as fabulously as the SG men. The article went on to describe how well the men are doing (apparently the analysis on women was done in the previous issue which I didn't read).

I must say I am one of the guilty ones. Ever since I left my corporate job and retreated to sunny Bali island, my dress code has been reduced to tee, shorts, havaianas and no makeup (grasps!!??). Yes, even when I return to SG, it remains the same. I would still dress up for dinner gatherings and functions out of respect for the occasion and other people. But when I am running errands, shopping, meeting my friends for coffee, I am just plain. Obviously, I have gotten so comfortable with myself in that skin, which one year ago, I would never imagine myself being like this.

About the article, I am not sure if that is a fair judgement. For a working woman, dressing up for 5-6 days a week can be tiring (worst, sometimes we run out of ideas). The next best thing that we hope for is to be at ease in our comfortable skin (whatever that may be). I am not about to launch into a discussion on the amount of effort needed in order to look good for a woman, as compared to a man.

But I am not saying that most of us are not guilty of not trying to look our best everyday. And I happen to attribute the root of the problem to personal grooming. It is unfair but personal grooming is really extra important for a woman. A well groomed woman can look so fabulous that she can stand out in a room full of people. Don't we all have some girlfriends who look so pretty everyday with the most minimal products (sometimes none)?

I define personal grooming as 6 basic routines.

1. Trim my eyebrows

Our eyebrows are so important because when we meet people, 99% of the time they will glance over our eyebrows first. When I have no time to visit a professional, I will pluck the stray hairs so that the basic shape of my eyebrow is maintained. To save time, I usually do this during my night skin regime, while waiting for the skincare products to be absorbed.

At this point, I must say it is highly NOT recommended to shape our own eyebrows. The chances of screwing them up is 100%, and we do not want to risk that, do we?

2. Clear, healthy looking skin.

Ok, this is sensitive because not everyone is blessed with genetically good skin (me included). It is unfortunate that some of us are constantly troubled with problem skin, so it is important that we visit an established dermatologist to get it under control.

Many ladies would share with me that they have done everything they could but nothing is working. In my experience of dealing with my most problematic acne proned skin, I can only say the sole reason for failing is not having enough discipline and perseverance sticking to the routine.

And I've seen ladies putting on so much makeup products on their troubled skin to hide it. It will not only worsen the skin condition, aesthetically, it is really awkward. I know that by hiding under thick makeup products, it restores their confidence. Which is why I said, the road to recovery requires much discipline and perseverance. Its much like a chicken or egg situation here: a very controversial topic.

3. Well kept hair

Sometimes I wonder why some ladies put in so much effort on their makeup but neglect their hair. Isn't hair and makeup a whole package? I find it awkward to look at flawless makeup with out-of-bed hair.

I have frizzy wavy hair so it is really a disaster by itself. When I have time, I blow dry my hair with a paddle brush or round brush, then go over slightly with a straightener. When I run out of time, I pull it up into a ponytail with some slight teasing for volume at the top, and tidy up flyaway hair with some hair spray.

My point is there is always some way out for our hair so please do not neglect styling our hair.

4. Keep underarms and legs hair free
This has to be a regularly scheduled effort. I really do not recommend doing it only when we need it. I know of many ladies shaving in the shower, which is so convenient. For me, I use a good epilator and tweezers. :)

5. Regular exercise

Regular exercising keeps our skin looking radiant and our body fit (i.e. we will look so fabulous). And combine with the so many other good benefits of exercising, why shouldn’t we?

6. Maintain a basic makeup kit

For me, it comprised of just 3 things: (1) eyebrow pencil, (2) mascara, (3) lip stick or lip gloss

Some ladies may prefer eyeliner instead of mascara, which is perfectly OK! To me, these are really the minimum that a woman needs to look fabulous. These basic items are sufficient to make a difference. If you don’t believe, try it out. :)