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Is it Really Possible to Improve Your Looks?

Anti-aging . Beauty

Some people are blessed from birth with good looks, and they don’t have to work hard – or even at all – to look good. The vast majority of us, however, are not so lucky. In our current society, beauty is looked up to, and drives many people to obsession. Body image is often modeled after celebrities – who are often unhealthily skinny. If you want to look good, you shouldn’t shoot for the stars and try to look like a celebrity (no pun intended), but you should know that it is completely possible to make yourself look a lot better than you currently do.

If you are reading this article, chances are you are not completely satisfied with your looks. Guess what: nobody is. Nobody is completely satisfied with their body, not even celebrities (which is why they go crazy trying to stay in perfect shape). Don’t be angry at yourself, and don’t let yourself become depressed over your body image. Read through this article, and learn how you can quickly and easy improve your looks, which will in turn improve your confidence.

 

Get a Hair Cut

Getting a hair cut is extremely simple, yet it can have a HUGE effect on the way you look and feel. If you’ve been getting the same hair cut for years, you might want to try a new style. For the sake of looking your best, consider going to a quality, expensive hairstylist. If you have an idea of what you’d like to look like, bring along a picture or be prepared to describe the style you want. If you can’t decide what would look good on you, leave it to the stylist to decide. After all, they are professionals who work with hair day in and day out – they know what looks good and what doesn’t.

After your hair cut, do your best to maintain the style. Some hairstyles are high maintenance, meaning that you will have to upkeep them regularly. Ideally this is something you should be able to do yourself, at home, or have a friend do. If not, you may have to return to your stylist regularly for help. This can get expensive quickly, but once you have the style down, you should be able to switch to a cheaper stylist, and maintain your style on your own.

 

Get a New Style

If you’ve been rockin’ the same style for years now, it might be time for a change. In this situation, style refers to your overall looks – hair, face, clothes, shoes – everything. If you consider yourself to be a stylish person, you should be able to choose a style and make changes that benefit your looks. If you are not stylish, gather some friends who are, and go shopping! Make sure you take at least 1 person of the opposite sex (or whoever you’re trying to attract!) as they will be able to give you feedback based on your appearance and sexual attractiveness.

If you AND your friends are challenged in the style department, consider talking to a professional stylist. This will be expensive, but well worth it for many people. Especially if you have an abnormal body type (very tall, overweight, very short, etc.) a professional stylist will be able to tailor something to your exact needs. Plus, they know what will look good and what will not, and they will be able to customize your style until it looks good AND is comfortable for you.

 

Get New Clothes

Once you have identified an overall style you’d like to follow, get some new clothes. Clothes can make a huge difference on how you look, and give you the confidence to overcome many of life’s obstacles. Yes, it will be expensive to create an entirely new wardrobe, but you should be able to combine some of the clothes you already own to create new outfits and styles.

Keep in mind that, when it comes to clothes, a higher price tag does not necessarily mean a better piece of clothing. If you are on a budget, don’t fall for expensive name-brands. You can often find clothes that look and feel the same as expensive name brands, for half the cost (or cheaper!). If you want, select one or two items that you will wear a lot (such as a nice pair of pants or a nice coat) and splurge a little bit on it. Just make sure it is something that you will get a good amount of use out of.

 

Get New Shoes

Shoes are something that are commonly overlooked when it comes to style. Some people feel that shoes are just something to protect your feet, and nothing more. At the same time, others are borderline obsessed with shoes, and own tons of pairs. If you are someone who doesn’t own more than one or two pairs of shoes, and/or doesn’t own a nice pair, it might be time to invest in a nice pair or two.

Keep in mind that you should have shoes to prepare you for different activities. Ideally, you should have 1-2 pairs of dress shoes for formal occasions, 1 pair of running/sports shoes, and 1-2 pairs of everyday walking shoes/sneakers. They don’t all have to be nice, but with shoes, more money does often equal a better product. Especially when it comes to running and walking shoes (anything that you’re going to be wearing for long periods of time), investing in a good pair is well worth it.

 

Improve Your Smile

When we interact with other people, smiling can make a huge difference in the way the conversation goes. Most people are more interested in talking with someone who is jovial, happy, and smiling, than someone who hides their smile or rarely smiles. If you are embarrassed to show your teeth, you should consider improving your smile. The steps you will need to take vary depending on the current health of your teeth.

The first step is to talk to a dentist. They will be able to assess the situation, and tell you whether or not there is a serious problem or just some surface stains. In most cases, unless your teeth hurt regularly, you probably just have surface stains on your teeth. This can be taken care of by over-the-counter whitening products (strips and gels) and proper dental hygiene. Consider investing in an electric toothbrush, and ask your dentist what the best toothpaste is for your situation. Also, flossing regularly will help your teeth get healthier, and will also help to eliminate bad breath.

For more serious issues, you will likely have to make another appointment at the dentist. If you have cavities or other serious problems, those need to be taken care of first, before you begin whitening, as whitening products can worsen cavities. For very stained teeth, there are a number of dental procedures that you can use to whiten your teeth. Talk to your dentist about your options, and be sure to mention cost. Some of these procedures can cost hundreds – if not thousands – of dollars.

 

Improve Your Skin

Your skin has a huge impact on how you look and feel. Dry skin, oily skin, etc. can easily ruin your body image and make you feel bad about your looks. Most skin problems can be solved with over-the-counter products, while others might require the attention of a doctor or dermatologist. My suggestion is that you identify the problem, and try a new product that is meant to fix the problem. If after a month or so you don’t see any significant improvement in your skin, you should consider seeing a dermatologist.

The skin is technically the largest organ in the human body, so its health affects the health of the rest of the body. Everyone’s skin reacts differently to different things, including treatments. This is why it is important to see a dermatologist if you discover that your issue can’t be fixed by over-the-counter products. A dermatologist will be able to identify the problem with your skin, and customize a treatment plan for you. In many cases, they will simply refer you to a specific over-the-counter product that they think will work for you. They have a vast knowledge of skin care products, and will be able to point you in the right direction.

 

Exercise

Exercising can help you look your best in a number of ways. First of all, any excess weight will start to drop off if you exercise regularly, which will give you more confidence and allow you to get into even better shape. Exercise is an upward spiral. In the beginning it can be difficult, but once you get in the habit it becomes easier and easier. Plus, as you start losing weight, the exercises will seem easier, so you can step it up to more difficult activities. You will find that, once on track, getting in shape can be a fairly quick and painless process.

Exercise also helps because it makes you sweat. Sweat holds toxins and other icky stuff in your body. Sweating it out essentially detoxifies your body, leaving you happy and looking good. It can also have a huge effect on the look of your skin. Plus, getting in shape and looking good can have a huge effect on your confidence, which improves your ability to interact with others.

 

Consult with Others

Once you have made some significant changes, it’s time to test out the new you. Start with friends and family, and show them what you have been working on. Put on a little show for them, with all your new outfits. Then, ask for truthful and honest feedback. After all, you could look good to yourself in the mirror, but if other people don’t think you look good, that kind of defeats the purpose of changing your style!

Consider taking before and after pictures of yourself. That way, you can see exactly what you used to look like, and compare it side-by-side to what you look like now. Talk with all your friends and family and see what they think of “the new you”. Note any comments they make, and make any applicable changes. When you have the confidence to premiere your new look, hit the road and have a good time! Whether that means going to parties, clubs, or any other social gathering, just go and be confident in the new you.

 

Be Confident

Confidence is a HUGE part of looking and feeling good. Someone can be wearing all designer, well fit, tailored clothes – but if they don’t have confidence, they will not succeed socially. You will find that confident people radiate a sort of welcoming aura, which attracts people to them.

If you are a confident person already, great – keep doing what you’re doing! If you have struggled with confidence or low self-esteem in the past, forget it and move on. You are a new person now – new clothes, new shoes, new skin, and a new look – the only thing that remains the same is your name and your personality. Don’t abandon who you are as a person, but you can abandon the way you used to look, and embrace your new style with confidence.

 

Be Happy

The final step is to be happy and enjoy yourself! This should be an easy step at this point. You have all the tools required to live a happy, healthy life! Be confident, meet new people, start new relationships, and enjoy your time on this planet. Having a pleasant and happy attitude towards life makes you attractive to others. People want to spend time with happy, healthy people – not unhappy, poorly dressed, unconfident people!

Surround yourself with cheerful, happy people, and you will find that happiness is a relatively attainable goal. Of course many factors come into play when it comes to true happiness, but looking and feeling your best is a huge component in the overall pursuit of happiness.

[box_light]Claire York is a former dental healthcare professional who now writes for The Invisible Orthodontist and recommends their clear teeth braces. Follow her on Twitter and Google+.[/box_light]

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