'Your Beauty Mark' by Dita Von Teese

The first thing you should know about me is that I am always looking for role models, women that can inspire me and light the way. I have mentioned my love for Dita Von Teese in my previous piece so it is only right my first ‘real’ beauty article is about her.

At a first glance, one would think Dita Von Teese is probably not the best fit for me, considering that I suffer from second-hand embarrassment every time someone even only kisses on the telly. Summers spent with the nuns as a child, what can you do?

However, many friends and fellow bloggers seemed to love her so very much and I was intrigued.

Her style and elegance are without discussion. Her devotion to aesthetic is something I especially admire. I myself long to live the perfect aesthetic life but, as a wannabe academic, that is not always possible. Don't get me wrong, I am incredibly lucky! My origins are humble so I have learnt to get by- I clean my own place, do my own laundry, iron my own shirts, cook my own meals, as we all do.

Having said that, I try to appreciate the beauty around me as much as I can, and I try to make the space around me as beautiful as I can. And I love makeup, I love to make myself beautiful. That is to say, I would never compare myself to a Victoria's Secret Angel- the idea is preposterous, but I like myself well enough and I like to think I can make myself look as the best version of me. With a little help, of course.

The first thing you need to know about Your Beauty Mark is that it is the kind of book you cannot rush into. The text in itself is simple- it would make for a rather quick read were it not for its staggering sincerity as well as for the incredible amount of wonderful pictures.

Secondly, Dita Von Teese is not after creating an army of beautiful women who look like her. Sure enough, she offers instructions on how to arrange your hair in 50s styles, or how to apply red lipstick the way she does. However, as the title says, this is all about finding your beauty mark. All of the techniques she offers can certainly be followed to the letter, but their ultimate goal is to inspire you to find your own style and aesthetic.

"I say, enhance what others might deem less wow and make that your beauty mark."

You see, when I was little I was bullied a lot. As were many people, of course. One of the reasons for which I was bullied was the way I looked- well, it goes without saying that the main reason anyone is bullied is because bullies are insecure little creatures, but let's pretend. As I was saying, one of the main reasons, then, was the way I looked. Especially my eyebrows. I was born with a unibrow, like Frida Kahlo, but thicker. I tried to go to a beautician when I was eleven but it was so very painful, my eyes would get puffy because of the tears, and I would scream quite loudly; it was just the most pitiable scene you can imagine.

Fifteen years later, my eyebrows are my strongest point. They are sharp as a blade and I can move the right eyebrow so high up, it can communicate my disgust and disappointment to anyone standing miles away from me.

So you see, I relate. That quote touched me quite deeply and I will store it in a little corner of my brain alongside all those quotes I love (maybe someday, I’ll tell you more!). I made my eyebrows, the target of those bullies' cruel jokes, my best feature. Now, whenever I look myself in the mirror, I can see that same little girl, now smiling with confidence, ready to go out and offer disdain to any bully that might come her way.

Dita Von Teese is all about body positivity. To this day, she fights for her right to look like she does, to be who she is. She is an example to follow in determination and, yes, sincerity. Through artifice she became who she wanted to be. Dyed hair and heavy makeup do not cover her, they make her.

At end of the day, it is her face, her body, and she should do with them as she pleases.

And so should you.