Whether it’s for an interview or
a romantic date, polishing up your look only means good things. From makeup overhauls to new duds, posture practice to new accessories, implementing small changes can make a big difference.
Perfect Your Posture
You probably don’t realize just how much your posture affects your overall appearance. Slouching can bow your shoulders, causing you to look unkempt, shorter, and heavier. Poor posture can lead to various health consequences
including back pain, so it’s in your best interest to work on perfecting your stance. Take a moment and consider your posture right now. Probably not the best, right? We all do it. Bending over at our desks, craning our necks down at our screen, slouching into the couch. Without making a conscious effort, it’s easy for us to fall into bad posture habits.
How to Improve It
There’s easy ways to better your posture, but they may not be what you expect. Contrary to popular belief, keeping your spine completely straight does not contribute to better posture. The best posture is brought about by maintaining two curves: the concave curve from your upper back to the base of your spine and the concave curve from base of your head to your shoulders. Keep your body weight balanced on the balls of your feet, and pretend your head and spine are being held up by a string from the ceiling, and remain aware of this throughout the day. Create alarms on your phone that will remind you to straighten your posture at hourly intervals if you find it hard to stick to.
Revamp Your Makeup Routine
Another easy way to polish your appearance is to overhaul your everyday makeup routine. If you’re using the same products and techniques you’ve been using for 10 years, it’s time to switch it up.
Switch Up Your Foundation
You want your foundation to look flawless without appearing cakey. Use a foundation that can create a matte finish and control your oil production throughout the day; my personal favorite is the
Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation.
A New Lip
The nude lip is out, color is in. Especially in these cold winter months, don’t be afraid to try some deeper hues. Try a deep berry color or a rich red—don’t be afraid of the color. If you do go loud with your lip, keep your eyes natural looking, with just a swipe of mascara so as to avoid the clown look.
Try a Different Liner
Instead of sticking with the same old boring brown that you first tried when you were thirteen, incorporate some exciting hues into your eyeliner. Depending on your eye color, there are various options that can really make those irises pop. Try out copper if your peepers are hazel, use grey to make blue eyes stand out, and stick to light purple for brown eyes.
Relieve Your Stress
Do you want to know the one thing that doesn’t look good on anyone? Stress. Excess stress forces your body to produce a variety of hormones including cortisol, which results in more oil production and subsequently more skin problems, including acne. From under eye circles to puffy skin, stress wreaks havoc on our physical appearance to be sure, but it can also be deadly. From obesity to heart issues, you have every reason in the world to better manage your stress levels. Get more sleep, exercise, receive regular massages, and talk to a professional if your stress feels unmanageable.
Update Your Accessories
Don’t forget to give your accessories a facelift. Update your jewelry collection with understated pieces that you can wear daily to dress up any casual wear. I have a personal affinity for jewelry with a personal touch;
these necklaces can be customized with your initial and go with anything and everything. Update what you carry with you as well, even down to your electronics. Grab a
modern iPhone case and stay prompt with a classic
Daniel Wellington watch. Remember that every detail contributes to the bigger picture.
Focus on the Details
Looking polished is about paying attention to the tiny details. Maintaining your manicure and pedicure do more than you know, and you don’t need to head to the nail salon to have your fingers and toes looking their best. Use a high-quality nail polish brand like
Essie to avoid chipping, and don’t skip the base and top coats. The extra couple of swipes will be worth the wear you get out of your polish. Another detail that makes a difference? Your eyebrows. Threading may hurt, but it does look oh so good once finished.
Looking polished is a matter of paying attention to the details you might have shirked before. Incorporate these little changes into your daily routine and get that “pulled together” look we all seek.
