Three Steps to Feeling Pretty

Wouldn’t it be great to feel so good about your looks, that every day you throw open your bedroom window and belt out to the world “I Feel Pretty” à la Maria in West Side Story? 

Okay, maybe your neighbors wouldn’t love that, but still… there is a way to create a beauty so real, so true, so deep, that every day you feel like singing. And the secret to true beauty is the trifecta you’ve probably heard a lot about: Lifestyle + Skincare + Makeup. Let’s break them down.

Lifestyle
In order to feel beautiful on the inside, you have to treat your body right. Sure, we all love indulging in a glass of wine (or three), a bowl of ice cream (or three) and a good ole fashioned Netflix binge sesh. But we also know that eating that way and sitting for that long watching a screen and missing out on proper sleep is going to lead to some pretty rough mornings-after. The fix: eating the right foods, drinking plenty of water, exercising, and getting a good night’s sleep. It’s simple, but for some reason so difficult. Why? Because we all want instant gratification. We like instant shots of dopamine. But all us beauty lovers know that beauty isn’t instant. That wine gives you a quick shot of dopamine, but the puffy face the next day that makes you feel bad all day long? Not worth it. If you want to look great, and therefore feel great, you have to invest in yourself. It’s like planting a garden. You don’t bury the seeds and get mad if they fail to bloom the next day. That’s insanity. So the first step in creating a truly beautiful you is making the decision to invest in a healthy lifestyle. You don’t have to be a Rigid Ruth about it. You can have days where you indulge a little more than others. But your goal in life should be to treat your body extremely well. You only get one body! Just one. So step 1: invest in a healthy lifestyle. When you do that, you get the kind of dopamine shots that last all day long.

Skin Care
Skin is your body’s biggest organ. It covers your entire body, is about two millimeters thick, and makes up about 16% of your body mass. So the second step in creating true beauty is treating your skin with care. Korean beauty experts have long regarded the skin with great respect. For thousands of years, Koreans have been treating their skin to hydrating beauty products made from natural, plant-based products. They’ve always believed in healing the skin gently. They don’t use harsh chemicals or under-moisturize. Koreans want their skin to be glowy, plump and elastic. Not dull, inflamed or wrinkly. Now, not all humans have the same skin types. But the point is to get to know your skin type, and then give it the nutrients it needs. A healthy lifestyle + healthy skin = “I Feel Pretty!”

Makeup
Not everyone wears makeup, but for those who do, finding the right makeup and applying it correctly is an act of artistic expression. If your face is the canvas, makeup is the paint, and you are the artist. Makeup can be like sprinkles on a cupcake. They’re not necessary, but they sure do make the cupcake look cute!

Invest in a healthy lifestyle, treat your skin with care, and, if you want, apply some fun makeup. You will be crooning “I Feel Pretty” in no time!