I happened to be on Facebook today and I saw this request that one of my friends had posted on her status update. It seemed very reasonable, after all, living in Hawaii brings with it a lot of humidity and weather that doesn't really lend itself to having long luxurious sleek hair or makeup that won't melt off.
(Case in point: I left my air-conditioned work this morning to step outside and immediately my glasses fogged up and my phone in my hand became so wet because of condensation I feared for its life.)
Now, Stephanie, I am not a beauty blog. Far from it. In fact, this blog has been awfully, terribly dead recently. But in the spirit that gets me writing sometimes, I shall attempt to do this for you, at least what I can from my limited perspective and experience.
Let's look at your questions here. You want to know how you can look good
- without having makeup melt off your face
- without being restricted to one hairstyle because of heat and convenience
- with stylish yet comfortable clothes designed for both wrestling with a baby and looking totally fab
Beauty Protip 1: Wake up. Or don't wake up, if you happened to not get any sleep last night. But once you wake up, I want you to stretch. Yeah, like that. Just straighten your back, lengthen your arms, yawn a little. Then, I want you to remember that you want to look beautiful in this terrible, terrible heat. Go to your mirror. Look at your face. It's beautiful, isn't it. Look at that nose, those eyelashes. No one else has eyelashes quite like you have eyelashes. They're gorgeous, just like you are.
Now, I want you to look at your beautiful, beautiful face, and say, out loud, "I am a cutie patootie." Because not only are you a cutie patootie, but you are adorable as heckie.
But, that is not your goal here today. You want to be able to wear makeup that won't melt off your face. So, bearing in mind that you are the most wonderfully beautiful person on the face of the planet, look at your face. Now, in my very not-intensive research, I have discovered that most, if not all, makeup easily melts off your face in extreme heat, so your options are either to work and live in constant air conditioning or not wear makeup.
"Carina," you will say, "that's not what I'm looking for."
I want you to go back and look at your cute face and tell me you need makeup to cover it up. (Sometimes, yes, you do. I do too. Makeup is wonderful and fabulous.) But some days you don't. And on days when you know that, don't wear makeup! Or, if you still want to look even more fab than you already are, just wear minimal makeup. Perhaps just put on a dazzling display in the eye department and wow everyone with those gorgeously done windows to the soul. Or wear bright red lipstick and nothing else (actually, please wear clothes as well, I would not like to see you get arrested for indecent exposure). That way, you can look fab, with minimal results in the melting-your-face-off-this-is-not-an-Indiana-Jones-movie department.
So, wear whatever you feel like, be it all-out makeup or nothing but bare skin and beautiful flaws and blemishes or a compromise between melting and dazzling.
Beauty Protip 2: After you've decided what to do with that perfect face of yours, it's time to turn to spend some much-needed time with your flowing locks. As you contemplate the beauty in the light reflecting off a few strands and the colors that change and exist (try it, hold a lock of your hair up to the light and look at it, it's stunning) you have to do something with it. By all means, leaving it down and flying freely is totally an option, but here, as it is so hot, and also very windy, with the trade winds (I've never been fond of hair blowing in my face) leaving it down may not be the most attractive option.
But, because of the wonderful versatility of hair, you are not limited at all to just a bun to get that hair out of your face. Here's a short list of hairstyles that may or may not be just as labor intensive as a bun but will also look major cute on your amazing head.
Beauty Protip 3: I actually really don't have a very good idea on what to do with clothes and heat, given as if I could get away with it, I would wear minimal clothing, if clothing at all. (It's really hot here when the trades die, okay? Also, less laundry. Who wouldn't want that?)
What I do know is that material like cotton is very cool and you would want to go for that, and it's also very comfortable and soft for babies. In my experience and memory which I'm really hoping is correct, synthetic materials tend to gather heat and get sticky and not fun. So if you can, if you remember, try keeping an eye out on that when you buy clothing.
Also, I like wearing skirts. It's not a thing everyone can get away with (I'm looking at people of the male gender who for some reason think pants are better) but when you can, they're both cool and comforting and cute and adorable and an instant dress-up sensation. I prefer long, flowy, almost gypsy-esque skirts, but that's what looks good on me and what I find comfortable. (Warning: with long skirts and elastic waistbands you do face the possibility of a baby pulling your skirt off, which may or may not be fine with you.)
Shorts are also nice, but again, it's clothes. To each their own, with their own unique styles, their own budget, and their own time. Wear what's comfortable, and if anybody decides to give you grief for it, eat them.*
Finally, decide that you are pretty. Look in the mirror at the beginning of the day, and tell yourself that you are pretty. Because no matter how you do your hair, how much or little makeup you wear, or what clothes you deck yourself out in, if you have not made the decision that you are pretty, it will be harder to convince yourself of that fact. Once you have decided you are pretty, no one can take that from you. And if you think you're the only one that thinks you're pretty, you are wrong. Because I think you are not only pretty, you are a crown jewel in beauty and your smile could bring world peace. Even if you don't think you're pretty yet, I think you're pretty, and you can come and read this every day and it will still be true. So go out, brave the heat, and enjoy your life.
~
*Don't actually eat them. I will not be held responsible for your actions if you decide to take my words into your own hands. Cannibalism is never recommended, even if the person you are about to turn into a three-course meal is being very rude. You are not Hannibal. Your name does not rhyme with cannibal (I hope) and even if it does you still should not eat people. People are not food.
So, wear whatever you feel like, be it all-out makeup or nothing but bare skin and beautiful flaws and blemishes or a compromise between melting and dazzling.
Beauty Protip 2: After you've decided what to do with that perfect face of yours, it's time to turn to spend some much-needed time with your flowing locks. As you contemplate the beauty in the light reflecting off a few strands and the colors that change and exist (try it, hold a lock of your hair up to the light and look at it, it's stunning) you have to do something with it. By all means, leaving it down and flying freely is totally an option, but here, as it is so hot, and also very windy, with the trade winds (I've never been fond of hair blowing in my face) leaving it down may not be the most attractive option.
But, because of the wonderful versatility of hair, you are not limited at all to just a bun to get that hair out of your face. Here's a short list of hairstyles that may or may not be just as labor intensive as a bun but will also look major cute on your amazing head.
- Braids (French, Dutch, pigtails, milkmaid, a really long rope down your back). There are so many different kind of braids, and most if not all of them serve the dual purpose of getting hair off your neck and out of your face and looking really cute. Also, braids don't get snarled easily and stay clean, so if you sleep right, you could wear the same braided hairstyle for more than one day if you so chose.
- Classic high-top ponytail. Just pull your hair up as far as you can without it actually being on top of your head, put it in the elastic, and let your hair waterfall down gloriously. If you are not blessed with curly hair already, feel free to curl it if you wish (and have time) for a gorgeous mass of waterfalling ringlets. Always classy.
- Clips (of varying size and compostition and design). You can do amazing things with clips, whether its getting all your hair very messily and easily off your neck and just holding it back to just holding part of your hair up if you want to leave some down. Clips are some of my favorite things.
- Cutting all your hair off. Obviously this is an extreme new hairstyle, but getting a bob or pixie cut or even just slicing off a few inches will help you feel better and your hair be healthier and lighter. It depends on your hairdresser and what you feel like you would look good with.
Beauty Protip 3: I actually really don't have a very good idea on what to do with clothes and heat, given as if I could get away with it, I would wear minimal clothing, if clothing at all. (It's really hot here when the trades die, okay? Also, less laundry. Who wouldn't want that?)
What I do know is that material like cotton is very cool and you would want to go for that, and it's also very comfortable and soft for babies. In my experience and memory which I'm really hoping is correct, synthetic materials tend to gather heat and get sticky and not fun. So if you can, if you remember, try keeping an eye out on that when you buy clothing.
Also, I like wearing skirts. It's not a thing everyone can get away with (I'm looking at people of the male gender who for some reason think pants are better) but when you can, they're both cool and comforting and cute and adorable and an instant dress-up sensation. I prefer long, flowy, almost gypsy-esque skirts, but that's what looks good on me and what I find comfortable. (Warning: with long skirts and elastic waistbands you do face the possibility of a baby pulling your skirt off, which may or may not be fine with you.)
Shorts are also nice, but again, it's clothes. To each their own, with their own unique styles, their own budget, and their own time. Wear what's comfortable, and if anybody decides to give you grief for it, eat them.*
Finally, decide that you are pretty. Look in the mirror at the beginning of the day, and tell yourself that you are pretty. Because no matter how you do your hair, how much or little makeup you wear, or what clothes you deck yourself out in, if you have not made the decision that you are pretty, it will be harder to convince yourself of that fact. Once you have decided you are pretty, no one can take that from you. And if you think you're the only one that thinks you're pretty, you are wrong. Because I think you are not only pretty, you are a crown jewel in beauty and your smile could bring world peace. Even if you don't think you're pretty yet, I think you're pretty, and you can come and read this every day and it will still be true. So go out, brave the heat, and enjoy your life.
~
*Don't actually eat them. I will not be held responsible for your actions if you decide to take my words into your own hands. Cannibalism is never recommended, even if the person you are about to turn into a three-course meal is being very rude. You are not Hannibal. Your name does not rhyme with cannibal (I hope) and even if it does you still should not eat people. People are not food.
