A Beginner’s Guide To Getting A Body-Positive Makeover – In this day and age, it’s no longer enough to simply recommend a makeover to someone. We live in a much more sensitive era now, one that is cognisant of people’s different body shapes and types and doesn’t shame them for those body shapes. As such, a makeover is no longer simply “become thinner and more beautiful”; now, there are all sorts of different recommendations and options for people based on what they want and what kind of body or skin tone they have. Here’s our beginner’s guide to getting a body-positive makeover that will leave you feeling fabulous!
Build up some funds
Unfortunately, although body-positive makeovers are much more inclusive than makeovers used to be, they will still probably cost a lot of money. That’s why you should think about building up some funds. This is the kind of expense that counts as treating yourself, so you could dip into your savings in order to pay for it (if you have any). Alternatively, you could think about taking out a loan; personal loans and quick loans alike will suffice for paying for a makeover. However you get the cash, just make sure you’ve got enough to pay for your new look.
Don’t try to live up to unrealistic standards
If part of your makeover is heading to the gym and working on your fitness, don’t do so just because you want to look thinner. The body types you see around you are unrepresentative of what you might be able to look like; there are not enough diverse role models that showcase lots of different kinds of bodies yet, so you might be trying to work towards something that simply isn’t physically possible (or desirable!) for you. Instead, work on feeling better within yourself through exercise. This will help both your physical and mental health in the long run.
Pick makeup that’s right for your skin tone
Too many people have tried for too long to wear makeup that simply isn’t meant for their skin tone. These days, more and more makeup and beauty companies are releasing products that are intended to cater for underserved skin tones; it’s not just white people who can wear makeup that accentuates their natural beauty anymore. Ranges like Rihanna’s Fenty are designed for those with darker skin tones, for example, so make sure you shop around carefully for the right makeup if this is a big part of your intended body-positive makeover.
Check out some inspirations
Sites like Pinterest are a great place to find potential inspirations for a new look. You can browse those sites to determine exactly what you want to change about yourself and what you’d like to become. Whether it’s colour mood boards, fashion inspirations, or accessories that you want to find, it’s a good idea to try and look for some aesthetics or styles that you want to incorporate into your own makeover. After all, it’s no good changing your image and style if you don’t end up with something that you like afterwards, right?
Don’t neglect your hair
Your hair is a fundamental part of your image, so don’t neglect it. Maybe you want to change styles and make your hair shorter (or longer). Perhaps you’ve decided you’re entirely done with your hair and want to shave it all off; it’s a drastic look, but it’s definitely one that can work for some people. Whatever you want your hair to look like, make sure you’re incorporating it into the core identity of your new makeover, because you don’t want to pick out a new wardrobe and matching makeup style for yourself and then forget to work on your hair!
Be bold
Don’t shrink away from trying exciting new things if you’re giving yourself a body-positive makeover. Boldness is a huge part of coming up with a brand new style for yourself; if you don’t experiment with new things, you’ll never find that one incredible change that really emphasises what you want your new aesthetic to look like. Think of things that have intimidated or scared you in the past (but in a positive way, of course) and try to make those the cornerstone of your new look. You’d be amazed at what this can do for your confidence.
Don’t hide your scars
We understand that scars can sometimes be a source of embarrassment for people, and of course, if you really hate the look of any scars you have (that are in prominent places), it’s your prerogative to hide them or not. Of course, if hiding your scars and bringing out a new you is part of your image, that’s totally fine too (TW: self-harm for that link), but try not to hide scars just because you think other people will find them ugly. A makeover is all about you, after all, and it’s about what you want to show off to the world, so if scars are part of who you are, don’t hide them!
Take before and after pictures
One of the most important things to do during a body-positive makeover is to document your journey. First, take a picture of what you look like before the makeover. If you can recruit a friend to take multiple shots from different angles, that’s even better. If you like, you can document the journey along the way by taking shots of each stage of the makeover, but the most important thing is to make sure you build a portfolio of “after” shots as well. That way, you’ll know exactly how far you’ve come and how much you love your new look!