Women
"Beauty is God's handwriting-a wayside sacrament."
Celebrating beauty is one of the true joys of life. We are blessed to be surrounded by the beauty of the cosmos--the handiwork of the Lord--and endowed with the potential to create and enhance beauty ourselves. In recognizing the blessing of beauty, Ralph Waldo Emerson remarked, "Beauty is God's handwriting-a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, And thank God for it as a cup of His blessing."
Developing our own beauty, both internal and external, is a God-given mandate during our life's journey. Internally, beauty is formed and nurtured over time as we grow and allow the character of Christ--the fruit of the Spirit--to be formed within us. We can also allow that inner beauty to seep out externally, as we take advantage of the tools and resources available to enhance our outward appearance.
Of course, until recently, many beauty treatments were exclusively the province of salons and spas. Today, however, many options are available as DIY kits for use at home. People buy these hoping to save time and money. In truth, though, not all these treatments work out well at home. Some treatments are best left to the professionals.
Beauty treatments that you need a pro for
. A tan is no use if it doesn't appear even. Sunless tans in spray cans often give themselves away by the unevenness of their appearance. A professional sunless tan, on the other hand, is guaranteed to look even and to last. If you do have to get your sunless tanning at home, try lotions instead of spray cans. They tend to slowly build your color level up over several applications and are more even.
. Given the number of DIY hair coloring kits there are, it can often feel like doing your coloring at home is a completely acceptable idea. Much of the advice above for sunless tans, though, applies to hair color as well. If you get your coloring the wrong shade or get it on slightly unevenly, it will completely ruin the effect you are looking for. A professional stylist can also achieve a more natural look with a precise combination of highlights, lowlights and other techniques. This is beyond the abilities of the average self-colorist.
. A DIY hair blow out can work reasonably well. It doesn't tend to last as long as a professional job, though. If you need your hair to look glossy and bouncy over a number of days, a professional appointment is the only way to go. You can sleep at night with your hair tied into a loose bun on the top of your head.
. A brow shaping can be difficult to do on your own the first few times. You need help from a professional to know the exact shape that works for you. You can try your hand at it yourself after you've lived with a professional brow shaping a few months.
Beauty treatments that you should try at home
. A peel with glycolic acid helps with exfoliation. You can get a glycolic peel at any beauty store and easily use it on your face (after you investigate any potential for sensitivity). Unless you have sensitive skin or conditions like sunburn, rosacea or eczema, a glycolic peel should make your skin glow. Since OTC glycolic peels are not as powerful as the professional variety, sensitivity-related problems are rare.
. A waxing done at home usually brings you the same results that professional salons do. As long as you have regular hair (and not ingrown hair or very coarse hair), you should do fine.
. A gel manicure is a great way to get a beautiful, polished and damage-free manicure that lasts two or three weeks. DIY gel manicures can work very well, too - provided that you take the time needed to do a good job. Many DIY kits provide you with a mini UV light to set each coat. With a little practice tools like these, you could get great-looking manicures right at home.
With these tips under your belt, you should be in a better position than most people to get the best beauty treatment you need with no money wasted.
Summary
You can look beautiful without going over budget. In many areas of care, DIY beauty treatments are often possibility. In truth, though, not every kind of treatment works well. There are some kinds of beauty treatment that are best left to the professionals. Ultimately, however, true beauty comes from within.