Beauty Pageant

We watch them on television. They're the women who dream of having it all. No I'm not talking about the future politicians. Think more along the lines of those who strive for a more physical appreciation. Think Miss America, Miss USA, and Miss Universe. It's all about the classic beauty pageant. Millions of girls dream of this spotlight, but only few succeed. Now, is it really worth all the grooming, preparation and effort to wear this crown? Well, that all depends on the individual and her life goals. Do you have what it takes to win?

I've never been a big fan of the typical beauty pageant scene. Sure, I like watching the swimsuit part on television, just like every other guy on the planet, but I really don't see the point. Girls compete in a "beauty pageant" for what exactly? To be recognized as beautiful and important? Furthermore, where in the world does the swimsuit part fit in? This is totally there to encourage men to watch. That's my opinion anyway. But hey, it certainly works. Anyway, I once dated a girl who was completely consumed with the beauty pageant process. She was destined to become Miss USA. Not miss America. There is a different you know. Miss America is simply Miss America. Miss USA, however, can go on to compete for the Miss Universe crown. Got all that? Oh, and let's not forget about Miss Teen USA. This makes it possible for young women to begin competing seriously at an early age. Okay, back to my ex-girlfriend. She was obsessed with the traditional beauty pageant. She was determined to become Miss North Carolina, and then go on to compete in the Miss USA pageant. Unfortunately for her, she bombed and didn't even make the final ten. Oh well, what can you do. Sadly this had a negative effect on her self-esteem thereafter. This is something all parents should remember about beauty pageants. Although they can make your daughter happy and proud, they can also crush their self-esteem in a heartbeat.

Being a parent myself, I can't say that I will encourage my daughter to enter a beauty pageant when she is older. I don't care how often people tell me she's beautiful. She can clearly be beautiful and confident without the burden of a beauty pageant lifestyle.

How to Find the Perfect Beauty Pageant Dress for Your Child

Have you recently decided that you would like your child to enter into beauty contests? Whether your child is a toddler, a teen, or an elementary school aged child, it is likely that you will be in charge of choosing and buying a beauty pageant dress. A beauty pageant dress is an important part of a pageant; therefore, you will want to make sure that you take your time and choose the perfect beauty pageant dress for your child, not just any ole one.

One of the first things that many parents do is try to envision what type of dress they would like their child to wear. While this is more than possible to do, you never really know what you will find. Instead of wasting time discussing what you may or may not even come across, you may want to wait and save the discussions until after you start shopping. So, in that case, the first thing that you may want to do is head on down to your shopping mall or dress store.

Once you arrive at the store or stores that you would like to visit, you can start eliminating beauty pageant dress styles or colors almost right away. It is also advised that you bring your daughter along with you. If your daughter is unable to attend, for one reason or another, you can look, but you may want to hold off on buying. A beauty pageant dress is one that should be a joint decision between everyone involved, even your child, especially if she is a teenager. Once you and your daughter have a handful of beauty pageant dresses that they would like to at least try on, you will want to get started with doing so.

When it comes to trying on a beauty pageant dress, you will want to encourage your daughter to do more than just try on a dress. She will want to walk around in it, stretch a little, and so forth. Although a beauty pageant dress may be beautiful, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be comfortable to wear. Yes, in a beauty pageant beauty is more information than comfort, but if you daughter is uncomfortable in her dress then it may negatively impact her beauty pageant appearance.

Cost is another factor that you should also take into consideration. Yes, it is important that your daughter gets a beautiful beauty pageant dress, but you also need to make sure that you choose a dress that you can afford. There are too many horror stories associated with parents who lost their homes or their vehicles because they ended up investing too much money into their child’s quest to become a beauty pageant queen or princess. This is a mistake that you will want to try and avoid making yourself. In fact, you may even want to think about trying to find secondhand beauty pageant dresses.

Although secondhand beauty pageant dresses have this awful ring to them, at least to some parents, you may not have any other options if you are on a budget. You also need to remember that many beauty pageant dresses are only worn once or twice and many are well cared for. What does this mean for you and your child? It means that you may be able to walk away with a relatively new beauty pageant dress without having to go broke doing so. You may be able to find like-new beauty pageant dresses that cost half as much as the brand new dresses do.

It is also important to mention online shopping. You may be able to buy a beauty pageant dress online, in either new or used condition. The only downside to doing so is that it important to make sure that all measurements are correct. One simple mistake on a measurement and hundreds of dollars could be wasted on a beauty pageant dress that your child can’t even wear.

The Complex Definition of Beauty

Throughout the history of mankind, the concept and definition of beauty has remained somewhat of a mystery. People define beauty in many contexts. Sunrise on a foggy day, with the luminous sunlight playing among the shadows, is certainly beautiful. Raphael's Transfiguration, with ethereal blue clouds surrounding the risen Jesus is beautiful. A child's face is beautiful. A hand-painted vase brimming with fresh flowers, or even just a lovely evening gown, can be beautiful. So how can you define beauty?

The definition of beauty is complex, legitimate on a number of aesthetic levels. It's not even a matter of values or sensitivity, as beauty can reside in something so seemingly unimportant as a leaf, floating down a quiet stream. Perhaps more to the point, beauty resides everywhere you wish to find it. According to Webster's, beauty is of a very pleasing quality. You may find a chocolate croissant and a cup of fine Arabica coffee to be beautiful, both in form and taste. An old tapestry, made of the finest silks and embroidered with skill, pleases the visual senses and is thus beautiful.

A closer examination of the definition of beauty reveals that there are degrees and venues into which we may assign the identification of beauty. Some are objects of beauty, such as a beautiful piece of jewelry, wrought of breathtaking materials, with such craftsmanship and skill that you can't help but see its loveliness.

However, as you appreciate and apprehend beauty, the definition of beauty narrows and you find yourself looking for a certain refinement that expresses the ethereal beauty that is ageless and is regarded by all of humanity as beauty.

Now you more closely approach true beauty. True beauty cannot be duplicated. The face of a child is unique. The face you see now may never again be duplicated in its expression, wonder and uniqueness. This is a definition of beauty that you can spend a lifetime contemplating and yet never capture, except in your heart.

Have you ever spent a day walking, just watching people and observing their various moods? You may see a hundred people in a day, just walking through the park or sitting on a bench. Each individual has innate beauty. It is up to you to find that definition of beauty which is surely there. Whether that person is a kindly old grandmother feeding birds, a mother tending her kids, or an unfortunate homeless man trying to make the best of his situation, there is beauty in abundance if only you can see it.

When next you contemplate your definition of beauty, include the vagaries of humanity. There you will find spiritual qualities of that ephemeral beauty. Therein lies the definition of beauty.

Beauty Make Up

Almost all women enjoy looking their best. They’ll go out of their way to purchase new cosmetic items that promise to make them look movie star great. It doesn’t just take expensive mascara, foundation or eye shadow to create the perfect look. A woman also needs a solid set of beauty make up tips to ensure she applies everything exactly the right way.

One of the most common mistakes that women make when it comes to their beauty regime is the color they choose for their foundation. It’s often too dark which results in a noticeable line along the jaw and the side of the face. A great beauty make up tip is to purchase a foundation during the day, and first try it on a spot on your face. Then look in a mirror both while you are in the store and then outside. This will give you a good indication of how close a match it is.

Eye shadow color is another area where women often make an error. There’s a strong misconception that any shade of blue shadow is a no-no. If you have blue eyes though, a beauty make up tip that will highlight them is to apply a thin line of dark blue shadow along the lower and upper lashes. This enhances your eye color and makes them really pop. Another related beauty make up idea is to use dark blue mascara. Again, this really works best if you have blue eyes.

For brown eyes there are a couple of good choices when it comes to what to use. The colors that work best are shades of brown and pink. One beauty make up tip that applies to brown eyes is to try chocolate brown mascara. It’s slightly different than black and can produce a much warmer look when matched with a tan colored shadow.

Lipstick seems to be one area that most women struggle with. With all the shades available it can be almost impossible to find one that matches your own natural skin tones. A perfect beauty make up tip when it comes to lipstick is to experiment. This doesn’t mean going out and buying twenty different lipsticks and giving them a try. Instead it means going to the cosmetic counter and using the tester on your wrist. This beauty make up tip helps in that you can clearly see the color against your skin tone. Bright red lipstick is an entirely different story and best saved for women who want a very strong look.

Experimenting is one of the best ways to find what products and colors are best for you. When you find a color that you think looks great on you ask a close friend what she thinks. Although this beauty make up tip can result in her gently telling you to try something else, you’ll know what works and what doesn’t before you venture out in public.