|
You'll
never meet Prince Charming (or Prince William) unless you're
ready
to go to the ball.
By
Lisa Daily
Peace,
harmony and pedicures.
Who
knew something so important for you could be so much fun? Here's
the
first of the dream girl decrees: In order to feel really fabulous
about
yourself, confident and beautiful, and as comfortable in your own
skin
as you can, you must start caring for yourself. Pampering
yourself.
Remember, you're an amazing, wonderful girl. Don't just
pamper
yourself because this book says you should. Dream girls know
they
deserve it. I'll just skim over the basics, because you already
know
what they are. Eat well. Drink lots of water. Exercise at least
three
times a week. Aside from being good for your body, exercise
releases
all those fabulous "happy" endorphins that give you that
wonderful
sense of well-being. (Kind of like shoe shopping, but not so
expensive.)
Also, exercise gives you that extra boost of energy you'll
be
needing when you get your rotation in full swing. (See chapter
four.)
Of course, you should check with your doctor before starting any
exercise
program. Pampering yourself is crucial to your well-being, and
to
the success of the Stop Getting Dumped! method. Even when your
social
schedule is jam-packed, you must always take time out to care
for
yourself. Here's more. Get a fabulous dream girl haircut, and a
trim
at least every eight weeks. The dream girl haircut doesn't have
anything
to do with a particular style, it's whatever cut makes you
feel
like Miss Thang, and compels you to walk with a little swagger and
spontaneously
flip your hair like one of Charlie's Angels. You'll feel
it
right away. A part of you will halfway expect to look back and find
trail
of wolf-calling construction workers and schoolboys following
behind
you, like you're some kind of female Pied Piper. When you get
that
feeling, you've found the right cut. A good stylist can be a
godsend
in guiding you towards the most flattering and stylish look for
your
face and hair type. Regarding new hairstyles: Never cut bangs, or
make
a drastic permanent change for at least one month after a breakup.
When
you're smack-dab in the middle of an emotional train wreck, the
last
thing you need to deal with is a hair trauma. Wait a month or two.
When
your head has cleared, you'll be ready to make those
appearance-altering
decisions with clarity, and face the scissors with
confidence.
Another sure pick-me-up is to try a new hair color. Go red,
go
blonde, or go black. A new color can make you feel like a new
person.
My girlfriend Kristin was the queen of this particular move.
Like
the dream girls' own version of Linda Evangelista, she tried a
dozen
different hair colors just for kicks, and looked fabulous in
every
one of them. Be sure to get a professional color consultation
when
considering a change. An expert can help you choose the best
shades
for your coloring. Kristin is the only person I've ever met who
could
wear nearly any color and look smashing. Make sure your clothes
are
flattering. Don't get caught up in trends unless they look utterly
fabulous
on you. Don't worry, if the hot trend isn't right for you,
there
will be another one coming along any minute. (Hey, kind of like
men.)
Always dress as though you might meet "the guy" no matter where
you're
going. No, I'm not saying you should be sleeping, eating and
pumping
gas in a miniskirt and strappy sandals. Just be sure that no
matter
where you go, or what you're doing, you always look your best.
Figure
out the most flattering colors and styles for your coloring and
body
type, and wear them every day. If you're not sure, ask a couple of
close
girlfriends to be brutal with your duds, and pick their three
favorite
and most-hated of your outfits. If you keep hearing the same
thing
over and over (Sure those pants are nice, if you're going for a
truck-stop
mechanic look...) you can assume it's probably true. Look for
patterns
in their likes and dislikes. Does everybody love you in green?
Wear
more green! Keep hearing gray makes your complexion look like
canned
meat? Cut it out of your wardrobe, or at least don't wear it
close
to your face. Pay attention to what you're wearing on the days
you
receive the most compliments. Figure out what's causing the big
stir,
and whatever it is, color or style or both, wear more of it.
Refresh
your lipstick throughout the day. Run a brush through your hair
before
you hit the street. Check your shoes for toilet paper before you
leave
a public restroom. (This is good advice for life, not just when
you're
looking to meet the man of your dreams.) Be prepared. That way,
if
you do end up meeting Mr. Right while you're out walking the dog,
you
won't have to strategically veil your face with your hand because
you've
got that little fu-man-chu thing growing on your chin. Here's
where
it gets really good. The dream girls know it is terribly
important
to indulge in some little treat for yourself at least once a
week.
Get a body scrub, or a massage. Have your nails done or get the
muck
steamed out of your pores. Try the entire menu of girlie delights
until
you find what makes you feel the most beautiful and relaxed, and
then
do it over and over again like some kind of supermodel opiate.
Aside
from making your outside more beautiful, your soul will reap the
benefits
as well. There is nothing more important and soothing than
caring
for yourself as a standard of your life. Now, I'm sure you're
thinking-
who does this book person think I am? Ivana Trump? I don't
have
the money to blow $85 on a facial every week! I promise, I'm not
insane.
Not many of us have the money to do that. The fact is, you can
indulge
yourself with a myriad of girlie-girl treats for nothing more
than
hamburger money. Hey, I wouldn't insist you needed a facial every
week
without telling you how to get it, would I? Of course not!
Welcome
to the bargain spa.
So
here's how it works: Start hanging out at your local beauty schools,
or
what the girls and I like to call "The Bargain Spa." You'll find
them
in the yellow pages, and almost every town and city has one.
They're
usually open during normal business hours for clients, and most
are
open on Saturday as well. Beauty schools are a haven for cheap
treats.
Here, you can get crème brûlée care for lime Jell-o
prices.
Students
who need practice before their exams administer the treatments
under
the watchful eye of a licensed instructor. Of course, the key
here
is to only choose treatments that will wash off. Stay on the safe
side,
you don't want to accidentally end up with a 1978 perm, or only
one
eyebrow. It's best to go to your regular salon for anything that
will
permanently alter your appearance. There are, however, a number
of
wonderful, pampering therapies to be had at the beauty school. And
the
best part is, they're dirt-cheap. Scalp treatments with a deep
conditioner
and 30-minute head massage run $5.00 or $6.00. Complete
facials
with a deep pore mask, about $5.00. Manicures and pedicures are
a
steal as well, usually $3.00 - $5.00. The best thing, is that these
students
are working for a grade, so they'll give you extra time and
attention
you might not get at a busy city salon. Yes girls, a $5.00
facial
feels almost exactly the same as a $75.00 facial when you're in
the
dark with those little eye patches on, and that groovy new-age
music
playing in the background. Another great tip for bargain
basement
pampering is your local massage school. They offer the same
type
of deals as the beauty schools, basically cheap massages by
students
who are working to get their credentials under a licensed
instructor.
And, as you might expect, a bad massage is quite a rarity.
Hour-long
massages by students typically cost anywhere from $5.00 to
$20.00.
Now, this doesn't mean that you and your girlfriends shouldn't
splurge
once in a while and spend a day (or a week) at a real spa.
There's
something absolutely rapturous about hanging out with your
girls,
drinking green tea and padding from treatment to treatment in
those
fluffy white slippers. If even $5.00 a week is too much of a
stretch
for your budget (hey, I've been there) you must still take time
out
every week to pamper yourself. Give yourself a drugstore facial,
paint
your own toes, and lie on the couch with a deep conditioner on
your
hair and a bag of frozen peas on your eyelids. Treat yourself
well.
If you don't lead the way, no one else will. And, after all, we
dream
girls deserve it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lisa
Daily is the author of Stop Getting Dumped!
All
you need to know to make men fall madly in love with you and marry “The
One” in 3 years or less. At bookstores everywhere.
As
seen in/on Cosmopolitan, The Other Half and The Sally Show
Get
our FREE Dating Tips newsletter - chock-full of
man-snagging
techniques, at http://www.stopgettingdumped.com
|
