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Changing the way you look and altering your self-perception can be one of the most powerful ways to gain confidence and grow as a woman. The idea here is not to fix your flaws but to do the opposite: make intentional shifts that change how you carry yourself. Here’s what to do.

Create a focal point on your face

You’ve probably heard about creating focal points in your living spaces, but adding them to your makeup routine can also be a great way to create what is often referred to as editorial skin.

The hack here is to add a drop of your favourite facial oil or liquid highlighter to the bridge of your nose, cheekbones, or your brow. When you do this, it creates a subtle sheen that contrasts with the rest of your face and transforms your look completely. When you look in the mirror, you notice that light is bouncing off your skin in a more radiant and subtle way.

Use reverse contouring for instant lifts

Another thing you’ll want to do is look into using reverse contouring for an instant lift. The idea here is to avoid standard contouring that might look a bit muddy or heavy.

You can start by dabbing a small amount of concealer that matches your skin tone into the corner of your eye and angling it upwards towards your temple. When you do this, it should blend out with a damp sponge or your finger. The result is to lift your visual expression points and change the structure of your face. It’s a simple trick, but it can make you appear more rested, making it a great option if you’ve been living off little sleep all week.

Use monochromatic colors

Another approach is to use monochromatic colours, especially when you feel overwhelmed or tired. You can do this by using a single multi-use cream stick that combines terracotta, soft berry, and dusty rose. Dab it on your lips, your cheeks, and a bit across the crease of your eyelids, then blend well. Sometimes this monochromatic styling can create the same facial harmony as cosmetic surgery.

Add a scent to your routine

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Lastly, you can take advantage of the olfactory system by adding a scent to your routine. Smell directly wires to your amygdala and hippocampus and is involved in the way the brain uses emotion and memory. You can use this to reprogram your mind to deal with stress more successfully, especially on weekdays.

Start with an essential oil that you only use when you want to feel calm. The best ones for this are things like eucalyptus, citrus, and lavender. Apply it to your pulse points and rub your wrists together. When you do this, you’re conditioning your brain whenever you catch a whiff of that perfume. It resets the fight system and helps you concentrate more.

So there you have it, some empowering beauty hacks that you can use to change the way you feel. Which will you use?