Whoa! Does your personal brand need reassessment? Not getting the recognition or job advancement you think you deserve? Feel that opportunities are passing you by? Here’s the rub – don’t look ‘out there’ for the answers, although it might be worthwhile asking a few people you trust for some honest feedback on the impression they have of you. You need to look ‘inside’ to find out what is really going on. Are you valuing yourself? Living purposefully? Honouring your highest values? Taking time for yourself? Dreaming big dreams?
Because people will form opinions of you based on the very superficial visual and behavioural messages you leave them with. Don’t complain – what else have they got to go by? Your work ethic? The time you get to and leave work? The amount of work you get through? Well – these things won’t cut it if you are looking haphazard, lack-lustre, dishevelled and lacking in energy. Worse still if the things you wear and carry are in the same condition. If this is the case – then move over for the up-and-coming ‘living purposefully’ hot-shots hard on your heels. YOU are about to be over-taken, left in the dust, forgotten in the bleachers. That is – unless you want to take serious stock of where you are at – and what you are willing to do to get you back on track.
Here are a few – yes, superficial… tips that will have you looking at your reflection in the mirror and seeing yourself once again in the role you either want to hang onto, or the one you aspire to. Or is it that you want to feel attractive again?
Tip 1 – Reality Check
Depending on your immediate agenda….e.g. want that promotion? want that job? want to attract a life partner? etc. Then get dressed for whatever it is that you want to attract. For example – if you want that promotion – get into your best business attire, if you want a life partner or want to put some life into an existing relationship – get into your most appealing outfit.
Now go get a paper bag – and put it over your head – leaving two holes so that you can ‘see’ yourself without actually seeing your face – I know – this sounds crazy, but do it anyway. Now stand in front of a full length mirror and take a good hard look at yourself. Would you be attracted to ‘this person’? If you met yourself at a business event or at a party – would you be impressed? You see, when you cover your face – you take the ‘me’ part out of the visual picture which makes it easier to actually assess honestly what you see. Now making sense?
This can be a ‘moment of truth’ for many people. If you are not satisfied with the image staring back at you – you have work to do. Congratulations to those who are happy with the reflection they see.
Tip 2 – Toss the Tossers
Do yourself a favour – and go to your wardrobe and toss everything that doesn’t make you feel attractive when you put it on. Go on … toss all those nasty pilled shrunken sweaters, tracky-daks, oversizes T-s, flag-daddy shorts, anything oversized/undersized, washed out rags and those truly ugly shoes that look like old boats in Hong Kong harbour. Get rid of them out of your life!! Now.
Feel better? Like in relationships – you can’t attract the ‘new’ into your life without first getting rid of the ‘old’ :-) Oh – and don’t think about passing them onto your friends or rellies, because they won’t want them either. You are allowed a few old T’s to keep as polish cloths if you must.
Tip 3 – DIY or Engage an Image Consultant
If you can, create a list of must-haves you need to buy. Be honest. New suit? Two new suits? A fabulous dress ladies? Something appealing, alluring and yet classy? List everything you need. Don’t be put off by the length of the list – you can prioritise it and get the essentials now and the no-so-urgent things in the next few pay-cheques. If this is too daunting, then do yourself a favour and engage a recommended image professional who will take all the hard work out of this for you. No – I’m not talking about those shop-floor attendants who are now labelled as stylists. They may only know how to show you clothes…and more clothes to try on (more about this in another blog post). No – you need someone to work WITH you who will keep an eye on your current role/s, your goals. your preferred style/s and natural colour direction.
There are more Essential Branding Tips to follow. Visit us again in the next few days – looking forward to your comments.
How often have you found yourself living by someone else’s agenda?
Have you sometimes wondered why you are doing something you just don’t want to do? I know I have. I’ve been invited to functions and found myself asking myself “what am I doing here?” ”If only I could slip out the door now!” As I mentioned on my Facebook Page – living life the way we choose to, is all about remaining true to oneself and it’s an everyday conscious decision. Distractions will beckon, and other people’s expectations will always be there to have us become derailed. The question remains, do we want to jump to our own tune or to someone else’s? Of course, it’s going to be to our own tune – right? This requires soul searching, planning, immense focus and all the while, ensuring that fun is part of the process.
So live your life like you own it – because you do! You owe it to yourself and to those who care about you. When you nurture yourself, you have more of yourself to nurture others.
Best wishes to my beautiful Blog followers. Happy New Year – and stay looking good!
Warmly
Evelyn Lundstrom
Floral fragrances are the most traditional, and also most popular family. They range from a linear scent of one flower (Yardley’s English Rose) – to a veritable bouquet of flowers (Guerlain’s Champs-Elysees). The floral family is feminine, romantic, and suitable for any age. Nice for romantic evenings under starry nights. Sigh. Does this sound like you?
Oriental scents are strong, often spicy, with musk and vanilla tones, warming and exotic and are created from a blend of spices, resins, and other exotic aromas. Think winter evenings by the fire. Personalities think Paloma Picasso and Salma Hayek. Also personal colouring e.g. olive skin, dark hair, dramatic appearance, strong physical features etc. Someone who has delicate features and fair colouring would find the heavy oriental fragrances too overpowering. Example: Guerlain’s Mitsouko
Fruity fragrances are fresh, youthful and most popular in summer. They contain citrus fruits like lime, tangerine, and lemon creating refreshing aromas. These can be worn during the day for most people, perhaps evening for people with fairer complexions. I think more feminine personalities would enjoy the lightness of these fragrances. A light splash of eau de toilet in this perfume family would be refreshing and very appropriate for those engaged in active sports and gym workouts etc.
Examples: Yardley’s Strawberry and Kiwi (sweet) or DKNY (fresh, citrus).
Woody scents are earthy, sophisticated and perhaps a bit more masculine. Definitely an acquired taste. This is my favourite perfume family. Perfect for my skin and personality. Florals are much too flowery for me. I’d never wear a flowery print either – interesting.
They range from smoky to mossy and include scents such as patchouli, pine and sandalwood. Example: Miss Dior
Green fragrances are fresh and neutral and use notes such as pine, grass, fresh leaves and herbs – these are too ‘green’ and herbal for me, even though I can grow things in the garden ha ha! Are you a sporty individual, natural and unfussy? If so, you might enjoy this fragrance family. E.g. Elizabeth Arden’s Fifth Avenue.
The Concentration Levels of fragrances – from Perfume to Cologne.
Pure perfume is the very concentrated and also most expensive. It will stay on your body for long period of time. Use sparingly because of it’s high level of aromatic formulation and cost. Not appropriate for the office.
Eau de Parfum is one of the best sellers, still stays on longer than the weaker varieties, yet less expensive than perfume.
Eau de Toilette is a lighter scent, doesn’t stay on long so needs reapplying occasionally. Ideal for the office.
Cologne has the least concentration of it’s aromatic ingredients – between 2% to 5%. As a light fragrance, it is suggested for wear in the office. But wearing lighter perfume requires more frequent application in the summer months. Evening wear colognes are mostly Oriental to enhance a warm and exotic mood.
Finding Your Signature Perfume
Part of your unique style could include a signature fragrance you wear most of the time. When you build a strong connection to a favourite perfume, it becomes part of you so that each time someone smells that fragrance it brings to mind YOU!
So many to choose from. It can be confusing to find a signature fragrance you love that suits your skin and personality, so be prepared to try sampling many to find the ‘just-right’ fragrances for you. Most often, people discover their right fragrance quite by accident – an impulsive sniff while shopping, a magazine sample sachet, or someone’s perfume wafting over you (you’ve got to be prepared to ask them what perfume they are wearing though).
When you find one you like, spray it on a pulse point or inside your elbow then check it again in an hour or so to see if you still like it. If you still do, then buy the smallest size available until you’re sure it’s a scent you want to wear for a while or longer. You don’t want to buy an expensive bottle of perfume only to find it gives you a headache, or starts to smell like cat-pee after several hours.
Tip: Don’t test too many perfumes in one day or you’ll be overwhelmed by it all and won’t be able to distinguish one scent from another. It’s suggested that smelling ground coffee beans between sniff tests will clear your nose so you don’t confuse scents. Hmmm I know I love the smell of coffee beans even if I’m not sure about the perfumes.
In Tune With Perfume
We talk about music scores made up of ‘notes’. Did you know that perfumes are also made of a variety of ‘notes’ that come together to create that special blend we call perfume?That’s why the perfume you wear gives out a different aroma at different times after you apply it. The smell you get on application is quite different to what you get after about 30 minutes have passed. Then it can change even more during the day. The perfume starts to evaporate and the “different notes” start to come out.
Top notes – these are what you get when you first open the bottle and stay with you for the first 5 – 30 minutes.
Middle (or heart) notes – can be smelt after 10 – 30 minutes. These notes are what balance the various blends of the perfume. Interesting isn’t it?
Base notes – these are the most dominant part of the perfume. These notes hold the fragrances together, last the longest and slow down the evaporation of the Top and Middle notes.A Little On Perfume Etiquette
1. Don’t spray perfume in public. Use very little or none at all if you’re going to be in a closed room meeting or working next to someone.
2. Avoid heavy scents at the office. For a lasting effect without overpowering is to layer your fragrance by using the same scent through your bathing process: scented bubble bath, body cream, dusting powder, deodorant and finally a very light spray of cologne. Never finish with a heavy perfume when layering.
3. Some fragrances come in perfume form, which is the strongest scent; Eau de Toilette is lighter; and cologne spray, the lightest of all. Go lighter in the day than at night. Before dousing yourself with perfume, think of people around you. You don’t want them choking for air.
My favourite perfumes
Chanel No. 5 Chanel No 19 Chanel – Allure Chanel – Coco Dior – Dune White Linen – Estee Lauder L’air du Temps – Nina Ricci
Did you know…? The most expensive perfume in the world as listed in The Guinness Book of Records is Clive Christian No. 1
Best place to buy your Brand perfumes and skincare at terrific discounts is at www.strawberrynet.com
And finally – do you have a favourite perfume? Share it here by adding a comment below. Your recommendation could help someone discover a new favourite for themselves.
Today I received the Pow Wow e-newsletter and before I sent it to trash-heaven, something caught my eye. An article by Noah St. John. It was about Affirmations: The Secret Key to Manifestations in 2011. Affirmations had never worked for me – not sure about you but that article got my curiosity going. Well – expecting to read the ‘same old…’ again – I was quite surprised that Noah had a 4-Step method to affirmations and it was an interesting approach. I’ve attached the article here on the right column under ‘Pages’ and would love to hear about your experience with affirmations to date and your thoughts about this 4 Step process.
