3 Ideas for Feeling Pretty When You Just Don't

I was given free product in exchange for this blog post. All opinions are my own.

You know those days when you look in the mirror and your first reaction is "Eeewwww"? Yeah, one of those. We all have them, I think. And even though we really shouldn't be dwelling on those thoughts, and even though we really are beautiful just the way we are, it still stinks to have those feelings. Sometimes it is just nice to feel pretty, to feel vibrant, and to feel free from self-consciousness.

First of all, our beauty comes from Christ. We are made in the image of God, He loves us, and when he created us, he liked what he saw. The creator of the entire universe was pleased when he sculpted us. So, if God sees our value, and God sees our beauty, it really can't get any better than that. We should be completely pleased with that truth.

However, I fully acknowledge that we can take care of ourselves at different levels, we can have good days and bad days, and sometimes, a girl just wants to enhance the way she looks and feels. And I completely resonate with that.

It's not about fixing something that's wrong with us, and it's not about making ourselves acceptable to society. Feeling pretty isn't just about appearance, but it's also not just about what's on the inside. So today, I am sharing a few ideas for what I do when I don't really feel beautiful- whether on the inside or outside.

Encouraging Music

Sometimes, all I need is some good, cheerful, encouraging tunes to cheer me up. Whether it be something danceable, a song that reminds me of God's goodness, or a song that I really just like belting out at the top of my lungs- listening to music is often a good idea.

And the thing about it is, if I start feeling more cheerful, I usually also feel better about myself. The better my attitude, the more self-confidence I tend to have. I suppose this is because I know that a smile brightens my eyes, which usually improves my looks by about 500%.

Fresh Flowers

I love fresh flowers, but it wasn't until very recently that I realized it really was okay to buy myself flowers just because I feel like it. I knew other people did it, but it felt excessive and silly. But then I realized that treating myself to something as pretty and fresh as a bouquet of flowers made me feel cheerful and feminine. It's a strange thing, but I feel better when I have a vase of fresh cut flowers in my room. And again, if I feel feminine and fresh, I also feel prettier.

Pretty Lipcolor

I'm not going to lie- when I heard about Lipsense, I was soooo skeptical. I figured it was just another thing for people to go crazy over, sell for a few months, and then realize that it's not so great and fade into obscurity.

But I kept wondering, and kept wondering. Why? Because I actually love makeup. I don't wear it very often because as a nanny, it's pretty pointless. When the only person that sees you all day is a two year old boy, it doesn't really seem like there's a reason.

However, the side effects of never wearing makeup are that I often feel frumpy and I often think "ew" when I look in the mirror. Should I think "ew" about myself? Of course not! But I will admit that I do look pretty frumpy a lot of the time. Makeup may not be the main reason we are beautiful, but it certainly doesn't hurt our self-esteem if we have a healthy view of it.

So I was already starting to want to improve that situation when I started asking my friend Summer of Coffee with Summer about Lipsense. She had recently started selling and I figured that if she was into it, it might not be the gimmick I thought it was.

As Summer and I discussed the product, she told me about how she went from being a skeptic to falling head-over-heels for Lipsense. She had never been one for direct sales, but discovering Lipsense changed her mind since she believed in it so much. Summer kindly offered to let me try it out if I wanted to do a review for TPT, and I am so glad that I did! I'm loving Lipsense. I have been surprised that it lasts as long as it does, and I am beyond-impressed with the color selection.

Summer gifted me the shade "Luv It" (above), and I loved "Luv It" (see what I did there 😋) so much that I ordered another, more "everyday" shade. This time I bought "Beige Champagne" (below) and I am seriously in love with it. It might be the most beautiful lip color I have ever owned! Plus, Lipsense is smudge-proof (no joke!), lasts hours and hours before wearing off, and there's a shade for just about every scenario you could possibly imagine!

If you are interested in trying Lipsense, check out Summer's Lipsense Facebook page, The Darling Lip Studio, or her Lipsense Instagram account. Summer is approachable and tries to help you identify the best shade for you. She isn't just interested in selling product- she wants you to love the product! So if you think you'd like to try Lipsense, head on over to her Facebook page, where you can choose your colors, ask questions, and order your product.

Obviously, these ideas are not cure-alls. Sometimes, the only thing that we need is a good ol' dose of perspective. But, when we have perspective and we just need a pick me up, these ideas are some that often help me, and I hope you find them helpful and successful too.

Never think that your value, worth, or beauty come from coating your face in makeup, getting a nice bouquet of fresh blooms, or even from how you feel about yourself in the present moment. God determines your value, worth and beauty and he says you are valuable and lovely. But if you just want to feel an extra little boost of peppy and pretty in your life, give these tips a whirl!