A Tiarra, A Girl & Iron Maiden

I had the privilege last weekend of being a judge at a teen pageant. Now I know you hear pageant & you think oh NO! beauty pageant = fake girls.  Not this pageant.. Scoring is based on poise, confidence, guts & authenticity. 

Three of my girlfriends were on the same panel with me and we called ourselves “Team Sunshine!”  We were committed to lifting up these young girls and helping them have a great experience.  

We were all so honored to interview some truly amazing young girls.  Some were scared, struggling with self-confidence, depression and anxiety disorders.  Others had overcome anorexia, being bullied and family tragedies. But the amazing part was they all opened their hearts to us. 

At lunch, we all paused, looked at each other and said what tremendous courage & beauty ALL these girls had! We felt so honored to be a part of something magical, that we could sense was beginning to happen. These girls won just by having the guts to show up! 

These brave young women made us laugh, some made us sing, some educated us and some choked us up.. then we met Charleigh.  She was one girls that we met that left an imprint on our heart.  She boldly shined her light and embraced who she truly is. Was she scared?  Yes.  Did she admit it? Yup.

She greeted us during her interview and told us she loves 80s metal rock and she is obsessed with Iron Maiden (flashing us the rock on sign)!  She had a style all her own and she owned it and emphasized it with a nervous giggle.

The day of the actual pageant she stayed true to herself.  She was honest, she was vulnerable and she was truly genuine to who she was.   She owned it.  She shined across the stage.  We all struggle with our brand, our style, our personality – some days I don’t know WHAT I AM DOING and I am 44 years old!  

Out of over 100 girls she placed in the top 20. She didn’t look like a typical pageant girl but she rocked! She is beautiful.  She is a role model.  She is brave.  She embraces her uniqueness and she deserved to tell her story.

So grab your invisible tiara, sing along to your favorite songs and attack every day!  Realize that what you add to the world each day CAN NOT be duplicated by anyone else!  No ONE is YOU!

Do you know a young girl that you could be a positive influence on and remind daily, weekly or monthly how unique and beautiful she truly is? DO IT! Let’s start changing the dialogue.. and give these young women the confidence to tell their stories. ❤

But I’m wearing granny panties!

We’ve all had a day, especially that time of the month (you know what I’m talking about) OR you run out of the house so quickly, you don’t have time in the morning –  you just grab and go!  Before you know it (and your morning coffee starts kicking in) your day gets started and you realize you are wearing granny panties!

(compliments of RageOn!)

Not normally a big deal if nobody is seeing them throughout the day, BUT then you realize you have a fitting, you need a dress, you find yourself trying on bathing suit, running in for a waxing appointment, taking a yoga class after work and oh my GOSH!  EEeek! I’m wearing granny panties today! Well that is what happened to me this morning..

I went in for a massage.  It was “that time of the month” and my therapist usually has me wear shorts so he can stretch me during the massage. He greeted me and told me, “we are switching it up today,” then told me to disrobe as normal.  PANIC  hit me!  I looked at him, my eyes got really BIG and I said, “I can’t! I’m wearing granny panties today.”

So I went on a mission to find fashionable and comfortable granny panties because let’s face it, some days you have to wear them! It’s a necessity.  If you don’t there could be other types of embarrassing moments throughout the day (you know what I mean). But in doing my research, I found out NOW they are HIP (phew!):

The TODAY Show’s CLIP

So I set out to find some fashionable granny panties here’s what I found.

1. This esty shop BIGBESTSALE is adorable
2. Navy shorts from VANITY FAIR
3. Bright colors from FRUIT OF THE LOOM
4. Gorgeous lace from BARE NECESSITIES
5. No argument here from these sexy finds at GARMENTORY

So when you’re husband, friend or partner makes fun of your granny panties, tell them you are HAPPY & HIP (and to just SHUT IT!)  The JOYS of being a woman..

Please share with me your granny pantie finds.. @michellebouse on social media.

The sun killed my Aunt

It’s been 10 years since the sun killed my aunt. Mary Katherine Grant was a successful 68-year-old career woman who was a respected top healthcare management consultant, traveled the world regularly, enjoyed golfing and loved spending time in the sun.

The latter is what took her life.

SKIN CANCER, is a silent killer & it took my aunt. My aunt was one of the estimated 10,710 people in 2006 who passed away as a result of skin cancer.

 We’ve heard it all before: Don’t talk to strangers, be careful when alone at night, smoking isn’t good for you… but never “the sun can kill you!” Our family, like thousands of other families, learned the hard way; it can. And now, with all the talk about the disappearing ozone layer and environmental/global warming, there is a desperate need for much more awareness of the dangers of the sun and skin cancer.

I wish my aunt had realized the dangers of the sun, before skin cancer cut her life short.

When we think of the effects of the sun’s rays on our skin, we usually think about the exposed areas of our bodies and our face. Those dreaded signs of aging we begin to see in our 30s, as well as the pain of a good sunburn, immediately come to mind. But the effects of the sun on the scalp are rarely considered, if at all.  This easily overlooked area of skin, hidden by a full head of hair, is where it started for my aunt..

After her hairdresser told her of a small, irregularly-shaped mole hidden by her hair, my aunt visited her dermatologist for a checkup. The news was grim: cancerous melanoma. After more visits to her dermatologist, and then many more skin experts, my aunt was diagnosed with STAGE 4 skin cancer – the final stage immediately before the terminal phase, Stage 5. There was little all those specialists could do. She had no previous symptoms. No pain. No weakness. My aunt felt great, looked even better and traveled the country weekly. But, she was rapidly dying.

After multiple surgeries over three years, various expensive medications and treatments, the cancer spread deeper into her skin and into the dermis. The specialists tried to stay ahead of the aggressive cancer by removing the cancerous areas, including a four inch by four inch plate of her scull, but by then the cancer had spread throughout her body. It attacked her lymph glands, her bone, her brain. She suffered a stroke that rendered her left side unusable. On a Wednesday afternoon, after packing up her office, my aunt took herself to the hospital complaining of a headache. She slipped into a coma. Three days later, my aunt died from a silent killer – that started from a small, almost unnoticed mole. She died from skin cancer.

My aunt was one of the estimated 10,710 people in 2006 who passed away as a result of skin cancer.

Once she was diagnosed, there was nothing I could do to help my aunt, but I can help my clients, others, and myself by bringing this subject to the forefront. As a professional esthetician, I make it my business to look and make suggestions to my clients. As well as suggesting regular, yearly body scans with a qualified dermatologist.  I can help in the prevention of skin cancer, one person at a time.

Don’t wait until your hairdresser finds a mole. Visit a qualified dermatologist today. They will check you for irregular skin conditions, and instruct you how to do the same at home. It could save your life. Make an appointment to see a dermatologist and have your entire body checked regularly. Learn the ABCD’s of melanoma and spread the word:

(A-Asymmetry, B-Border, C-Color, D-Diameter).

Awareness, education and early detection are our best defense. And most importantly, ALWAYS WEAR SUNSCREEN! (daily & year round)

For more information and to make a donation, please check out the skin cancer foundation at: www.skincancer.org  (feel free to share this with someone you love)

Power picks 4 Confidence (my SuperPowers)

What are you special accessories that make you feel extra special? That activate your Super Powers?

Bright Lip, Heels, & Polished Nails are my “go tos” whenever I have to present, make a speech or represent an organization (or have a “put my foot down” meeting).

I think it goes back to my dancing days.  I was tall and cast as a showgirl alot.. I always felt so elegant on stage with my sparkles, makeup & heels.

I taught ballroom for 8 hours (a day) in heels and dancing in NYC in the 1990s was all Broadway style heels (minimum 2 inches).  Plus you NEVER showed up at an audition without lipstick!

There is something about the way heels elongate my stride, posture & confidence.  But add a bright lip, especially on days where I’m feeling a bit tired and BAM!

Here’s my story from a few weeks ago.. (via Periscope: michellebouse)

 

I would love to hear your secret picks to activate your SuperPowers!  (don’t worry I won’t tell) 😉

 

New Year, Let’s get real!

There is nothing like browsing gorgeous pictures online or in magazines, especially during award season. I want. I wish. I wonder. Sigh..

Having a makeup artist, hairstylist, great lighting and photoshop editors makes EVERYONE look great – trust me, I KNOW. At the start or end of my day, I don’t even come close to seeing a semblance in my mirror. Do you?

I hate to be Debbie Downer, but those people in the photos aren’t recognizable in their mirror at home after the event – once everything is off.  Good news: They are just as normal as you and I – only they have a BEAUTY TRIBE.

So it’s a new year.. I want to help you with real beauty concerns, questions & frustrations.  I want to give you real solutions, hope and inspiration!  So let’s GET REAL! Who’s with me?

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Here is your first Beauty “TO DO” for 2016.. schedule in #MeTime this year & regularly!  Whatever you have to do; add it to your calendar, phone, schedule an alarm or  stratigically place sticky notes – DO IT & be consistent!  Here’s list to help start you off.

I will be back with more TO DOs for YOU and your perfectly, perfect (and annoying) imperfections!  Together we will GET REAL and feel more BEAUTIFUL by the end of 2016..  Cheers!!!  ~Michelle

5 Ways to Beat the Post Holiday Skin Blues

Were you NOT running around packing as much as possible into your days leading up to the holidays? Was I the only one?

The largest organ of our body is our skin. It’s also the greatest “tattle-tale” of what’s going on in our life. It shows STRESS honestly.   

Take a moment, sit down and follow the instructions below to de-stress your skin and put this back in order, post holiday!

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1. DEHYDRATION: Water. (Put in your mouth & on your skin)

Traveling and climate change take a toll on the hydration of our bodies and ultimately our skin. Water is so important for healthy body functioning as well as ALL of our cells. On average, our body is made up of 60-80% water.. So refill it consistently & often, and it will GLOW. 

2. SUGAR OVERLOAD: Skip it & Detox. 

We all indulge more this time of year. Did you know that consumption of processed sugar actually breaks down the good fibers in our skin? I know. I’m bummed too. So go back to limited sugar and stick with the natural forms (fruits, vegetables) and a bite of dark chocolate every other day. 

3. TOO MUCH MAKEUP: Wipe it off (well).  

This is the time of year we dress up more & add extra eyeliner. Take the time to do a second cleanse. Grab a toner with ingredients like salycillic acid, peptides, aloe & haulourinic acid so you are putting them into the skin as well as cleansing. You will be amazed at the amount of makeup residue you will wipe off your skin AFTER washing your face. 

4. MORE LINES & WRINKLES: Mini facials. 

Start giving your skin more love to make up for all the stress. Do a scrub every other night. Add extra eye cream under your eyes. Apply a second layer of moisturizer for a hydrating mask while you sleep. Grab the green tea bags after brewing and apply to your eyes for 5-10 mins. You’re skin will thank you & bounce back. 

5. EXHAUSTION: Rest. 

They call it beauty sleep for a reason. All our cells regenerate at night. Start winding down a few nights early and allow your body more time to rejuvenate. Not only will you feel better, you’ll look better! Promise. 

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I’d love to hear what you think.. Do you have a specific post holiday skin issue? Please let me know. 

  

Happy Beautiful New Year to you ALL!  ~ Michelle xo

Vitamin C is good 4 You

And your skin. Are you using it?

Anti-oxidants protect skin from future sun damage as well as repairing cells of past damage (those darn free radicals). Let me say that again, Vitamin C helps the skin repair itself!

It helps stimulate the production of collagen and elastin which slows down with age – hence the wrinkles.

Internal consumption is extremely good for skin as well. Buffered Vitamin C has always been recommended as a good choice for better body absorption.  Vitamin C is water soluble so you if it’s not absorbed by the body, it leaves.  We need to replenish daily because look at all the health benefits..

3 of my favorites are:

Dr. Spiller Vitamin C Line (serum, day & night cream)

Rodan + Fields Reverse Line (vitamin c & retinol combo) and the Sunscreen is the most hydrating I’ve ever used!

Avalon Organics Vitamin C renewal (lip balm)

So whether it’s finding a skincare line with Vitamin C, throwing an orange slice into your tea/water, munching on C based veggies (bell pepper, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, collard greens, tomatoes) or supplementing your diet with buffered C (especially during cold & flu season) – start rev-ing UP your anti-aging routine today.

Your skin & body will THANK YOU!

Fall M/U trend #2. Flushed cheeks

Flushed cheeks… what comes to your mind?

For me I think of a blushing bride, a chilly afternoon, a brisk, fall walk, a pilates class or a happy approachable person. Color “coming from within” that’s the goal of this look. Not that you’re embarrassed, doll-like or injured but when you’re flushed, good circulation, a beautiful glow & healthy.

Sometimes the benefit of a bright cheek allows for a quick swipe of mascara (I also like to swipe the blush along my brow bone for the illusion of a natural eyeshadow application) and that is all.  Natural beauty.  The flushed cheek is usually using a PINK/MAUVE or PEACH tone color.. not Bronzer. Watch my quick video on powder application tips:

Gels and tints/stains are also a great option but take a bit more practice.  Powder is easy to blend and wipe off.. a stain is not.  Cream blush and a tint are a great way to layer color.  I use my fingers to apply a swipe of a cream or a gel on the “apples” area of my cheeks and then follow with a light layer of powder color on top.  Blending is always the key!  Remember if you don’t like it, wipe it off and start again.

My Product Picks:

1. Tarte “Natural” cheek stain
2. Nars “Orgasm” Blush
3. Cinema Secrets “Natural” blush
4. NYX blush
5. Naked Illuminating Shimmer 
6. Smashbox soft lights shimmer

Application Tips: 

1. Tap off the end of your applicator before applying to eliminate any “splotches” of too much color at the first point of contact on skin.

2. Use the end of a sponge (“the butt”) to the blend edges of your blush application as well as to remove excess product.

3. Keep color within the triangle of your cheek and do not apply too far down under your cheekbone.  This is where it starts looking like you were punched in the cheek.

4. Take a selfie and see how it looks. Then add a swipe of a light shimmer powder across the top of both cheekbones to finish the look with a little glow. (Alittle goes a long way.)

5. Not working for you? Use the temporary tried and true methods: pinch your cheeks & exercise!

Stop by each week In September for tips on how to incorporate the 5 Fall Runway Trends into your every day look.

Fall M/U trends: #1. Red

Runway trends don’t always translate into every day wear, but this year there are 5 great trends that would work and really jazzed up your every day make-up look.

Each week In September I’ll give you some examples of how to incorporate each trend into your look as well as my favorite product picks.  Let’s start with #1 = Red lips.
Every year when I think of the Fall & holiday season, the first thing I think of is bright, rich, bold lips!  And I get excited.. I have dark hair and pale skin so I love reds, dark fuchsia, bricks, crimson and wine.. and every year I add a new color.  This is one of the trends from the runway this season.

The trickiest part is choosing the right undertone for your skin tone. Here’s an example and a guide from The Beauty Bookends : Choosing The Perfect Red Lip.

My TOP 5 all-time favorite pics are these:

1. Avon Slick Tint in Wine
2. LipSense in Blue Red (The best contact for LipSense: lisaderoma@netzero.com)
3. MAC LadyBug or RubyWoo Gloss
4. Revlon Black Cherry
5. Loreal Pro Infallible Red (long lasting not too drying)

Basic rules: 

1. Red isn’t for everyone, but it doesn’t hurt to try.

2. Clear lip liner helps it stay in place & not bleed.

3. Keep your eyes simpler with a really bold lip. 

4. Take a selfie and see how it looks but make sure your whole face is made up not just your lips.

5. Have fun! Aren’t you thrilled that the fall is finally coming? Go out and try something new it’s make up remember, you can always wipe it off.

Do YOU have a favorite RED or have your eye on a new one for Fall? Please share with me in the comments below.. I’ll be shopping soon.

Always wash your face before bed?

That’s what my mother always told me.. So do you?

Confession: I feel asleep last night without washing me face!! Eeeeeeeek! I can hear my mom now! 

Yesterday was a “beauty day”. Hair, color, waxing, facial – so I didn’t wear any makeup. Good news. Bad news, I was so tired I fell asleep (yes, beauty is exhausting), without cleansing my face (which I do religiously every night) and woke up with three breakouts on my chin. Shoot! Point made.. clean the day off my face before falling asleep even if I didn’t put on makeup. (Love using the Norwex cloth for this & in the mornings – Just add water).

Here is a great article for why sleeping in your makeup is bad for your health in a 30 day experiment blog post. http://dermrf.com/2015/07/the-risks-of-sleeping-in-your-makeup-run-more-than-skin-deep/

We live in a dirty world (insert your favorite theme song). I’m in Los Angeles, known for smog and desert dirt!  Just a light wipe of a toner over your face at the end of the day is proof (try it after cleansing to freak yourself out). I wipe with toner, Hydrosols or astringent – And still can’t believe what still comes off.

My picks:

I love a toner that is a treatment as well: https://michellebouse.myrandf.com/Shop/Product/AATN125 (R+F “spankz for skin”

Great hydrosol: http://amzn.to/1IKjLyA (love the rose & lavender from EvanHealy)

If you like an astringent: http://amzn.to/1M7ZEQ4 (rose petal witch hazel w/aloe from Thayer)

So here is your friendly reminder.. Wash your face before hitting the pillow. Start the rejuvenation process with the cleanest skin possible. Nighttime is the most important time for your skin and body’s renewal process. Even if you fall asleep first, get up, clean your skin and go back to sleep!