LEEZA'S BEAUTY SCHOOL:
What is beauty anyway? Well, if you believe the images from the fashion and entertainment worlds, it ends at size 2, doesn’t go beyond age 30 and usually involves lips that are pumped so full they create a trout mouth of seduction. But what if we had a world where women didn’t have to shrink to fit in. What if those Dove “real beauty” campaigns actually reflected the beauty standard?
My strong southern mother always told me “pretty is as pretty does” and a woman of strength is always beautiful. There is a difference between a strong woman and a woman of strength. A strong woman wears a look of confidence, but a woman of strength wears grace. The most stunningly beautiful woman loses all allure if she has not found how to use her beauty for something more lasting. My friend Suzanne Somers told me that beauty is nature’s gift to help us through the insecurities in our lives. How many of us know drop dead gorgeous girls who are hard pressed for an answer to hello? After a spellbinding initial meeting, it’s rarely interesting enough to have these women come to a “call back” in our lives.
But lasting beauty always has an action attached. Beauty is when we take our looks and our love; make the most of both and use them for a higher purpose. Sound lofty? Think Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Angelina Jolie.
I have always said as women we want to know where we’re going and look good when we get there! For years, I have had a front row seat to some of the most fabulous faces in Hollywood and have been an eyewitness to some of the most purposeful lives. Truth is, beauty is contagious…the kind of beauty that has nothing to do with bone structure and symmetry, but the beauty that Princess Diana had; living with passion and purpose. But honey, let me tell you…when you look good, it’s easier to do good! Or at least it is for me. “The higher the hair, the closer to God,”…according to my friend Naomi Judd. So let’s talk about how to jack up our hair and boost up our courage. Let’s line our lips and line the streets with our action-oriented passion. I’ll tell you what I’ve learned about how to look pulled together at any hour of the day and how to go from red carpet drama to carpool practical. With a good lip gloss and great eye contact there is nothing you can’t do!
I recently was a guest on my friend Lawrence Zarian’s show “The Fashion Team” on the TV Guide channel and once again, I was reminded of why I love this guy so much. He never misses a chance to empower women of every size; reminding us to celebrate our curves and love our healthy bodies. So, Lawrence got me thinking about all these issues as we head into Valentines Day. It really is about loving yourself first. If you don’t have it, you can’t give it away! No one really “completes” us. Although that is a romantic notion, for sure…it is only by being whole and experiencing self-love that we can attract and give love to others.
