This weeks creative post is dedicated to a book, but not just any book… A beauty book.

In late 2016 I found myself having just graduated high school and with my first job. One of the perks of finally starting to earn money was that I was able to go out and buy things that I really wanted to buy whenever I wanted to buy them, and I had heard really great things about this book “Amazinger Face” by Zoe Foster Blake (beauty writer, business lady extraordinaire and a total role model.

Up until this point I had never been a huge beauty person, it was something I think I had struggled with at times due to the influx of information that is out there.

For many people this is great because you realise how different techniques and styles can suit you, but for me I just wanted a book that had all the answers in one place, and good answers for that matter.

Wonderfully, after buying this book I began going through each section; Skin, face, eyes, lips, hands and nails, hair etc etc, it felt like the symbol of hope for the cosmotologically challenged (yep, made that up..) in other words, a girl starting out in the world of beauty and skincare. So it is my media post for the week, and here are a couple of things that it taught me:

1. Your face stops at your boobs

This was literally the first sentence typed in the book and I’m really glad that it was. Blake talks about the importance of being gentle to your skin and looking after it beyond the face. Meaning to apply sunscreen to places like the neck and chest as well as all the other places you normally would, as the neck and chest are the most common places the sun can target during the day. After I read this fact, even now I notice it on people who have sun affected skin particularly around the neck and collarbone area because not everyone realises how much those spots are exposed in clothing. This point also encouraged me to make applying sunscreen and moisturiser a daily habit that I’m now seeing so much difference for!

2. Your makeup look can be as simple as a pretty lipstick

In hindsight it was something so simple and logical, but I needed to hear it in a book written by an expert. We get very used to seeing celebrities and famous people in a full face of makeup, contour, highlighter and a lip kit applied all ready to go. But for everyday life many of us don’t want to have to go to these lengths yet still want to incorporate some sort of beauty trick to feel confident, or just better. It was really refreshing to hear a tip like this from someone so knowledgable about beauty and it made me realise my love of a soft pink lipstick.

3. Highlighter pencils and concealer are your best friends

A great tip to make your eyes appear less red is to invest in an eye pencil that is a little bit lighter than your skin or even a white colour if that works and to use it on the waterline. This makes the eyes appear bigger and brighter and is really simple to apply. Another piece of advice that I use whenever I put on a fuller face of makeup on is to use concealer not just under the eyes or over pimples but on areas like the sides of the nose (which tend to be more darker areas) and the chin. When I tried this, I noticed that overall my face seemed much brighter and evened out. Highly recommend!

4. Be proud of little accomplishments, from an even cat eye to a well blended eye shadow

One each page, Zoe writes little notes with pieces of advice relating to the skill you are reading about but something I noticed after getting a few chapters in were the reminders to love yourself and how you look. In the last year, it really clicked with me how beauty (even beyond applying makeup) is a really powerful form of self love. Whether you’re applying a face mask, moisturiser after a shower or painting your toenails for that party, each routine holds a different meaning for each of us can be a really positive thing if we let it be.

So if you need some guidance for learning the basics or want to try some new techniques, equipped with a detailed list of products, step by step tutorials and funny anecdotes, go have a read of “Amazinger Face” by Zoe Foster Blake. You won’t be disappointed!

xxx