If you’ve ever had one of those days when nothing’s going right, then you’ll know how frustrating it can be to try to pull yourself together and get the perfect look.
You may feel bloated, maybe your complexion is dull, maybe you have frizzy hair that you just can’t tame. Or, maybe you’ve applied your eyeliner three times already and it’s coming out wrong every time.
These tips will help you to find the confidence in the way you look – even if the complete package won’t quite work out for you on this particular day.
Looks are fickle. Hormones, the weather, sleep, lighting – there are so many things that can make you look different or just feel different.
Finding ways to feel confidence in how you look even when things aren’t perfect is a real game changer. If you need a little boost, try these tips – they’ll pull you up from feeling like a four to feeling like a nine in no time.
1. Keep a little perfume roller on you
If you have a scent that you love, then carry a little deodorant roller around with you at all times. It will help you to feel better in yourself even when your outfit isn’t quite right. You’ll seem more confident, because the scent will give you that little mood boost.
Most quality perfumes are sold in small sizes, so that you can keep one in your purse or backpack. Get in the habit of having one on hand at all times; but don’t over-do it. A little on your neck or on your wrists is all that you need.
If the smell is overpowering then it can irritate others, and that’s not really the result that you want. A quick dab, a quick inhale of the scent that you love so much, and you should be good to go!
2. Carry a travel toothbrush
A lot of people feel self-conscious about whether or not they have bad breath. Brushing your teeth is the best way to get rid of that. You’ll feel much more confident if your mouth feels fresh and you know that your teeth are white.
Try to have a toothbrush with you for those important moments like interviews an public speaking. Carry gum or mints for those emergency moments, like when you bump into a person you’d really like to get to know a bit better.
3. Concealer can fix almost anything
When you feel a pimple coming on, it can be quite distracting. Instead of stressing out about whether others can see it, try to be a bit more proactive about fixing it up. Carry a stick of concealer with you to cover it up.
You can use concealer with a moisturiser on it to fix up dry skin, or to cover up if you feel like your foundation isn’t quite up to scratch as well. It can also be used to conceal dark under eyes according to Dore Aesthetics.
Concealer, lipstick and a bit of mascara is all it takes to give you that ‘barely there’ look that is still fresh-faced and clean skinned, but has enough glam for most situations.
So, if your day to day makeup is ruined by tears, bad weather, or just a stressful day, use a few basics to give yourself a face that will still turn heads.
4. Keep a spare hair tie or two on hand
Even if you prefer to wear your hair down, you will sometimes have moments when you’ll wish that you could tie it back. If you get caught out in the rain, feel like you’re looking windswept, or are just having an all-out bad hair day, then there’s not much better than just tying it back or popping it into a bun.
Keep hair ties on hand – some in your desk drawer, one on your wrist, or some in your purse. They don’t take up a lot of space, and they can come in really handy.
Plus, they’re inexpensive, and even if you don’t end up using them yourself you can get to be the hero of the day for someone else when they’re flustered and you casually pull a hair band out of your purse. Because you are prepared for everything.
5. The mirror doesn’t always tell the truth
Don’t stress too much about mirrors. The mirrors that you see in shops are often tilted in a way that will warp your body and make you look different. Fitting room mirrors might make you look slimmer to make you want to buy the clothes.
Mirrors on the shop floor could be poorly lit, or angled in a way that might make you feel short or stubby. Some mirrors are just warped because they are poorly made.
Don’t obsess with what you see in the mirror. Don’t let one glimpse of yourself ruin your day when you know that you are put-together and can take on anything.
Base your confidence on what you do yourself. Have a mirror at home that you know gives you a realistic reflection, and rely on that if you must, but take care of yourself.