Beauty | What I wish I knew at 14

Dear Dayle,
You are all of 14, brimming with the merriment of youth. You giggle incessantly when words are mispronounced, you still diligently write diary entries and those exchanged glances are the highlight of your week. You are also on the cusp of being a young adult and with the balancing act of exams and hormones, it can be incredibly stressful. I feel you, I really do. Your favorite lip shade is obviously, strawberry pink *or some miscellaneous flavoured berry* and you almost always blind yourself when you try your hand at kajal. But you must know that, you do eventually get your beauty game together. It takes a few failed attempts which include raccoon eyes and a deathly pale face but still, you did it, girl!

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So if I had the chance to impart a few pearls of beauty wisdom, this is it. :

* Your skin laps up what you feed it
Think of your skin as a sponge which absorbs what you put on it. Now think of the layers of lotions, creams, serums and other products that you slather on. It changed my perspective about how I treat my skin because I then prioritized what I really needed to apply and removed the rest from my routine. There will be launch after launch of a new serum, moisturizer or foundation every season. It is up to you to do your research and use your best judgement about what your skin really needs and what it doesn't because less, really is more.

* Expensive isn't necessarily good
Just because you've spent a good portion of your stipend on it, does not mean that the quality of the product will deliver its best to you. I've had my share of peeling eyeliners, dud toners and fading eye shadow even in instances when I've spent a good sum of money on them from premium brands. That's another reason to do your research before you buy a product. Check out genuine reviews, find a match for your skin type and sample the products if possible. It is your money and it deserves to be well-spent. My Beauty Queen On A Budget series was also started to convey the inverse - that there are products available on a fixed budget that deliver great quality and value for your money.

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* Trends fade, classics are eternal
Remember how high fashion trends has its wide reach; to even a girl on a laptop millions of miles away? Beauty trends work in the same manner and that is just what they are; trends. So trends like pastel lipsticks and dip-dyed hair may have worked for one season but a few months later, will be dated. Hence, find a classic, sophisticated look for you that will stand the test of time. Try a shade of lipstick in red, experiment with a crown braid and perfect your sketching so that your eyeliner game is on point. Don't ever stop experimenting with trends but having a classic look in your pocket can save face *quite literally!*

* Know when to save, splurge and spend
I'm the biggest propagator of homemade hair masks and face scrubs but I've also got my favorite foundation and mascara on call when need be. My routine products and treatments are all segregated which I've written about before as well. I have products which are holy grail worthy and hence, regardless of the cost, are splurged on. Some steps of my routine that are completely created in the kitchen with regular ingredients. Then there are others that are worthy of being fantastic dupes & budget worthy of the BQOAB list that I pick up on a regular basis. Establish a routine that works for you - it can include anything from turmeric and honey to caviar and nightingale droppings. Some products are worth a splurge and others are better off saved on, that's something that your beauty routine deserves.

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Photography: Raynor Pereira / Style File

So dear me, It really does get better. You'll figure out that baking is actually something you treasure when it isn't on fire and that pimple is not the end of the world. Take a head start from my beauty wisdom and have fun with makeup. Don't forget to enjoy these wonderfully innocent, blooming years - there is nothing quite like them!

xo
Dayle

Comments

Dayle Pereira said…
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Dayle Pereira said…
cute nails! loving the color and the glitter!

lifeisashoe
Dayle Pereira said…
Thank you, do try the tutorial for them out :)
Dayle Pereira said…
Beautiful letter Dayle! It's amazing to look back and see the wisdom we have acquired along the way.

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