❤Rock What You've Got

Leigh Lopez

One night I found myself reading a post on facebook, the individual wrote 'beauty is on the inside' trying to insinuate that advertisement's show-casing beautiful faces was a waste of time. And that made me think,  What is more valuable, the looks or the inside? Of course, it would also determine the context, I own a skincare company, so advertising my products would obviously need to be done show casing beautiful faces but  let's attempt to answer after
weighing all possibilities.  Let's start with what is beauty.

Beauty in its free from opinionated existence according to the Encarta Dictionary, it is the combination of qualities that make something pleasing and impressive to look at, listen to, touch, smell, or taste. (note the word combination) What if we look at it from solely a person’s appearance? Why, it is the physical attractiveness of course; especially with regard to the use of cosmetics and other methods and practices of enhancing it. Joseph Addison had once stated: “There is nothing that makes its way more directly to the soul than beauty.” It’s almost as if he wishes to say that beauty is synonymous to good…so shall we perceive ugliness another word for bad? Most certainly not! Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. It is molded into many different forms and is distinctive things to diverse people. Beauty may be judged in numerous ways but the fact that must be established is that it can be categorized into two common types: Inner beauty and Outer beauty.

“Boys think girls are like books, If the cover doesn't catch their eye they won't bother to read what's inside".”
― Marilyn Monroe

I have learned a lot about what makes women feel attractive as they age. And by that I don't mean which over-the-counter remedy works best or how to get just the right nip or tuck that leads to looking like a model on a magazine cover. What I mean is what really works from the inside out for real women who want to look great at any age.

Having worked inside the world of beauty for the past 15 years—I discovered trade secrets from women whose lives were all about looking the best they could. As a skin care expert I help women understand themselves so they could feel and look their best. I have interviewed hundreds of women—current and former models, psychologists, corporate execs, stay-at-home moms and women from all walks of life. Their responses revealed a number of surprising similarities.

The most frequent comment I heard from the women interviewed was that beauty is about confidence. I remember when I was younger, I assisted Lester Rausaue of The Cloth (sure I haven't spelt his surname correctly). I assisted him in teaching girls to walk the runway and surprisingly being a model wasn't about being the prettiest—everyone was pretty in that forum. It was about how you carried yourself and how self-assured you appeared on the runway. So it is for all women at any age. Holding your head up high, with poise and self-confidence, is probably the number one quality that women say leads to feeling and looking beautiful at any age.

When it comes to feeling beautiful, it's important to keep in mind 'You should focus on what you got'. Women who focus on features they like (rather than those they don't) and use them to serve their self-image are more likely to say they feel attractive. It is well known in the fashion industry that some models are branded for their great legs or long necks. They use these assets to feel beautiful. Sometimes only their hands or feet are considered marketable material. Take a look at yourself and choose one feature you like and embellish it. Delicate wrists? Wear an eye-catching watch. Thick hair? An elegant headband or jeweled clip can draw attention where you want it. Good posture? Standing tall can make everything else about you look and feel more attractive.

A woman's smile is reported as the single most important physical feature that leads to being viewed as attractive. Women say it conveys what they call their inner beauty.

It's important to remember that beauty is about looking the best you can for your age rather than competing with others. Successful models whose careers last the longest learn that lesson early on. From the day they start working, there is another younger model ready to take their place. So they cope best by looking forward, not sideways or backward. Theirs is an exaggerated and intensified version of what many women experience when they compare themselves to younger women. Women who say they feel attractive as they age are interested in looking and feeling healthy, robust and vital, not younger. They don't focus on having the smoothest skin, the thinnest waist, plumpest lips or the youngest body. They feel like winners, not because they come in first in a competition, but because they get out of a race they know they can't win and channel their energy into achieving their personal best.

Leigh Lopez, without a trace of makeup. 

Perhaps the best tip I heard from the women who age gracefully is that they see themselves as role models for the next generation. They feel a responsibility to demonstrate that being attractive at midlife is not only a possibility, but that the meaning of beauty can be broadened and deepened with age. These are women who don't panic as their looks change, so their bodies and faces appear calm and relaxed.

Some people are gifted with the natural features of Outer Beauty while others find that it is necessary to create this outer appearance. For most people, Outer Beauty is easily created by means of a temporary camouflage of creams, scents, powders, styles, embellishments and various kinds of outer wrappings. There are also people who are described to be “average”, which is a medium term between beauty and ugliness. Although it is true that some people are generally considered beautiful or ugly by a majority of people, there is always a level of relativity depending on that person who considers the person either ugly or beautiful. Attractive people tend to have a higher level of relativity, because some people may find “less attractive” what others consider attractive. In the case of unattractive people, others can look at other aspects of an unattractive person that may “suppress” that physical appearance of the person. For example, that person may not be physically attractive, but may be a very courteous and nice

It is important to also understand that Inner Beauty or Outer Beauty, by itself, is only one minuscule aspect of our divine nature. If we rely upon our Inner Beauty or our Outer Beauty alone when we present ourselves to others, you would only be revealing a part of you.

So, does beauty reside on the inside, or  is that something ugly people say? I have come to the conclusion that it's true that real beauty hides inside, but let's not deny that the outside is still pretty darn important!
Especially if running a beauty company!!!

Namaste.