The rural west Texas town of my childhood was delightfully long on charm and hospitality, but abysmally short on any access or even suggestion of fashion and beauty. Each month I’d wait impatiently for my Seventeen magazine to arrive in our mailbox. Not only was it the only magazine my mother allowed me to read, it was also the sole related resource this savvy young girl had to reference. My girlfriends and I would peruse the pages yearning to look like the gorgeous models—the clothes, hairstyles and makeup—but not one of us knew how to mimic their looks. There were no department stores or malls, no one to educate us and our only source for cosmetics was limited to the town drug store. We spent hours playing in our makeup, trying different colors and techniques, but truly had no idea what we were doing. Was it too much? Not enough? The right color? If by some chance we received a compliment, then that was a clue that maybe we had actually accomplished something from the hours spent in front of the mirror, though our quest continued.

As I got older, I enjoyed watching beauty pageants and from those experiences began to understand how critical ones image is to their success. The contestants walked gracefully and held their heads high. I wanted that but did not know how to pull it off and make it work for me. I’d look in the mirror not disliking what I saw necessarily, but knowing I could improve—look better and more beautiful—with the right knowledge and products. By this time, I had accumulated drawers-full of random cosmetics that only left me frustrated and disappointed.

When I left home for college, I was introduced to department stores. I’d died and gone to makeup heaven! Until I realized that, though the selection was improved, there was little offered in the way of education ... no one was teaching how to apply ‘pretty’ makeup. Thus I continued collecting makeup and skin care that didn’t deliver. My passion for knowledge fueled my search for someone, anyone, who could mentor me. Skip ahead—following a year at Abilene Christian University, I relocated to Dallas, Texas to pursue my dream. As a new student at Wade’s Fashion Merchandising College, Ms. Wade encouraged me to consider modeling. To facilitate my aspirations, she referred me to the one of the best stylists in town for a makeover. I was a sponge for the stylists’ techniques and tips. Finally I’d found a resource for the information I’d been craving! That initial makeover was my catapult to not only modeling, but ultimately to my professional success. I learned more of fashion and image, gaining poise and a better understanding of the art of communication and body language. I absorbed every snippet I could about cosmetics, skincare, hair, and virtually all things beauty until the day came when I was bursting with knowledge and I knew it was my calling to share it with anyone who would listen. God delivered that opportunity to me when, at 19, I joined the educators at John Robert Powers Modeling Schools writing curriculum and teaching others self-improvement. At 21, my research was demonstrated and verifiable, but I could not find products that coincided with what I knew to be truth. My cosmetics line was launched from that need to provide my students products that were compatible with the knowledge I had and the curriculum I was authoring. It was my mission to save them the exasperating frustration I’d felt in my earlier years.

My passion ultimately became my life-long career as I built a foundation based upon five basic principles. In sharing these principles, it must also be said that not only will they be helpful in your profession, they also will serve you well in your daily life.

1. Believe your inner voice when she speaks to you. Listen and know what you love to do, then do your own research, not taking that of others as truth until you’ve proven it yourself. If you simply follow others, you will become them and lose what makes you uniquely you.
2. Search for common unmet needs and continuing frustrations of others within your industry and work to meet those needs and squelch those frustrations. Not only will you be amazingly successful, you will be a hero to many!
3. Know your facts and resources and be ready and willing to prove them up. If you are unsure about the information you are relaying, how can the listener possibly be sure? Do not be afraid to state what makes you, your business, product or service superior to the competition, keeping in mind that degrading or disparaging your competitors will never—ever—serve anyone … most especially you.
4. Build strong relationships with your customers and clients. This may seem elementary but it remains a mystery to many—even in today’s challenging and increasingly competitive environment, great service is not a given. That can be experienced in any industry in any city. If you take these relationships seriously, your customers and clients will as well and it will manifest in mutual loyalty.
5. Do not lie. Do not burn bridges. When you believe in yourself and the work you do, there is no need to stretch the truth, oversell or take advantage of another.

Your Image. Your Success.

My passion, of course, is self-improvement and the beauty business. I sincerely believe that genuine beauty comes from within. I get it. But let me share, it is so much easier to feel better from the inside when you know you look good on the outside!

Now let’s get serious. Oh, I mean it … really serious. Look in the mirror. What would you like to see appear differently? We all have areas we’d like to improve. In this exercise, neither overly critical nor shy be. Remember, we are not talking about perfection. Past the age of accountability, ‘perfect’ is a fantasy that only Photoshop can create, so let’s release that expectation right here, right now.

What I witness daily is not an “I hate everything” attitude, rather the want for a tweak here and a tweak there. Moreover, the most often requested service at our Beaute’ Playgrounds is simply an “update”. Nothing crazy, nothing that makes you look like someone else, but a little boost to break us out of our boredom and keep up with current trends and freshen our look. Listen when I tell you I have worked with literally thousands of women since the 18th century. LOL. Not quite that long, but long enough to know that a makeover is the fastest, easiest, safest and least expensive avenue to a new sense of self. Remember my experience at 19. I was desperate to look the part, fit in, be a popular cheerleader, maybe one day even have a boyfriend. My makeover helped me understand that it was neither essential nor even appropriate for me to look like all the others, but to look my best … my very own personal best. As a bonus, it even helped me with my weight struggles because I was so motivated from the immediate gratification of the makeover!

Begin at the beginning. From head to toe makes sense. Start with your face … Invest in the highest quality (within your means), proven skincare and makeup products. I said ‘highest quality’ not ‘highest price’ because price does not always denote quality when it comes to beauty products.

Build a collection of professional makeup brushes. You cannot get professional results without professional makeup brushes. Seek information and education. Learn to do your own facials and be your own makeup artist giving you the confidence to apply makeup that lasts all day or all night, be it for the office, a night out on the town or a special occasion.

And for the love of all things beautiful, get a handle on your brows. The brows frame the most expressive feature on your face. A well-shaped, shaded brow is brilliant. A bad brow—from bushy, unkempt to skinny, skimpy—is a disaster sticking right out from the middle of your face. And while I am up here on my brow soap box, for Heaven’s sake do not ever, ever tweeze, wax or thread your brows, or you could wake up one day with no brows at all. It’s the truth. Brow planing is a safer, more precise technique for achieving the perfect brow.

Then move to your hair… I will say this again for emphasis—move to your hair. GF a great hairstyle suited to your hair type, face shape and lifestyle will make as much of an impact as makeup. And do not ignore your hair color either. The right hair color can stop traffic. The wrong hair color is a trainwreck. Keep it fresh. If you are sporting the same hairstyle you had two years ago, (or God forbid, five, even ten years ago), it’s time to shake things up. Take a look around. Television, movies, magazines are all great resources for the latest looks. And truthfully, U-Tube videos and professional beauty bloggers can be incredibly helpful! I constantly update my website with educational postings and “How To” videos on all things beauty. Try looks, styles and techniques that make sense. Be realistic. Solicit the help of a professional whenever possible, either virtually or face-to-face. Here’s how …

Get started on your quest for a great makeover by calling a nearby major department store and speak to their fashion director or store manager. Most are happy to refer you to the modeling agency they use for special events. Call the agency and ask for a referral to a professional makeup artist and hairstylist who can design a fabulous new look for you. This may cost $150 to $350 for a makeover depending on your market, but understand it will save money and potentially heartache in the long run. Be opened minded for change at your appointment because you are likely to get just that with professionals. It’s what they are there for and what they do. Draw on their expertise. Be sure the artists teach you how to recreate your look at home. I suggest taking your own hair and makeup brushes as well as your primary makeup collection so they may see what you are comfortable working with.

Fashion and style follows face and hair. Begin with a Fashion Stylist, a professional who can pull everything together for you. Goggle ‘Fashion Stylist (city)’ in your area. Ask their specialty (casual, corporate, formal) and do find out as much as you can about their professional background. They will be happy to share that information. Peruse their websites if available. Again, a reputable modeling agency can be a great resource for a fashion stylist. Keep in mind, department stores, personal shoppers, wardrobe consultants or image consultants typically sell clothes. A Fashion Stylist works with you to develop the image you want to portray on a budget you can live within, often saving you hundreds of dollars on clothes that may not be the best additions to your closet. Most will begin with what you already own, adding a few necessary pieces seasonally, keeping you hip to the latest styles and trends.

Splurging on fabulous, crazy-expensive pieces can make for a fun day of shopping, but being fashionable does not have to cost a fortune. Great higher-end labels offered at discounted prices can be found at Neiman Marcus Last Call and Nordstrom Rack. Target, Zara, TJ Maxx, and other discounters offer terrific options as well.

Carrying a few extra libbys? Many of us, myself included, struggle with our weight from time to time. I am currently learning as much as possible about alkaline foods. Science suggests we cannot gain weight on alkaline foods! How fantastic is that? I’m not a physician and cannot advise you specifically as to an appropriate weight management program. What works for me may not work for you. However, I encourage you to take action against the damaging effects of excess weight. This is not only a matter of aesthetics, but so many health issues can manifest from being overweight. Eat sensibly, work out or enjoy some type of exercise and stay strong!

You deserve it all, but you must believe it and know that you can have it all. The right professionals can help you get there. Seek their expertise now so that you don’t wake up someday and say, “I wish I’d known these things years ago.” Working with professionals can not only help you look great and manage your wardrobe, but may mean the difference in landing that client, promotion or new job you’ve worked so hard for. If your credentials and reputation are sound, yet your results aren’t showing as you feel they should, take inventory of your image. Image can be the determining factor in closing the deal. As is said so often, you only have one chance to make a first impression. Use it wisely. Make a commitment to yourself, your present and your future. Dare to dream and when you do, dream big! My career vision began with the colorful pages of my Seventeen magazine … and now my products are often featured in that same publication, among others. Did today’s reality seem even remotely possible to me as a young west Texas girl? No. But with my dream of working in fashion and self-improvement came the determination to work as hard as I must to share my passion and knowledge with other women, forever alleviating their beauty frustrations. Do what you love. Love what you do. The results will astound you!

Lastly, let me share that regardless of our outward appearance—as important as it is to our success— we cannot be our best, most successful selves if our hearts and minds are not in the right place. Take good care of both your physical and spiritual self. Have faith. Be kind. Find joy in the little things every day. Count your blessings. Stand in gratitude. Walk in beauty and light, and live in peace. You are beautiful!

Hugs,
Christi Harris