Powder Puff Principles is about remembering the grace and good manners our mothers and grandmothers displayed in their dress, behavior, and the image they projected, while preparing ourselves to do the same for our children. Powder Puff Principles is about being polished and prepared, and adhering to morals and integrity. These principles allow us to embrace our own strengths and femininity while empowering us to do anything we put our minds to.

Powder Puff Principles

A posh girl's guide to etiquetteBy KYM JACKSON

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2012 Kym Jackson
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4772-6836-0

Contents

Foreword.............................................xviiWearing the Crown....................................1Hey, Girlfriends!....................................5Hygiene Etiquette....................................11Skin Care............................................19Beauty for Life......................................27Makeup...............................................35Hair and Nails.......................................45Spa and Salon Etiquette..............................53Finding Serenity at Home.............................57Fashion and Wardrobe.................................61Everyday Etiquette...................................67Electronic Etiquette.................................81Ageless Beauty.......................................89Your Cleansing Thoughts..............................97The Powder Puff Principles Books.....................101Acknowledgments......................................103Bibliography.........................................105About the Author.....................................107

Chapter One

The difference between having a dream and living a dream is what you do to make the dream reality. —AJ Johnson

Wearing the Crown

For me, wearing a crown really was a dream come true. Even as a child I was fascinated with the whole idea of beauty queens and pageants, and I dreamed of becoming Miss Texas and then Miss USA. I worked hard toward that goal, and I won first runner-up in the Miss Texas USA pageant, only to realize that time was running out for me to achieve my goal of wearing the Miss Texas crown. At age twenty-four, I became too old to continue competing in the "Miss" pageants. Apparently, twenty-four was over the hill! I realized that winning the crown in that particular pageant was just not going to happen in my life; I had to deal with that harsh reality and find comfort in knowing that I had done the best I could. But winning a pageant was still one of my heart's true desires.

While I had heard of the Mrs. Texas Pageant, I wasn't married at the time, so I couldn't compete. Fifteen years later and now married, I once again contemplated the idea of entering the pageant, but the timing was not right; though blissfully fulfilled by my new role as wife and mother to two very busy boys, my original dream was never far from my thoughts. Then one day, I just picked up the phone and called the Mrs. Texas USA Pageant—and the rest is history. My experience as Mrs. Texas 2005 was everything I dreamed of, and more! A quote by Pastor Joel Osteen sums it up: "You will produce what you're continually seeing in your mind." I saw myself as Mrs. Texas, something I really wanted! Ultimately, winning the crown became one of my greatest life accomplishments, not just because I won, but because I never gave up on a dream. And the journey involved in winning Mrs. Texas has been nothing short of incredible.

Never give up on your dreams and passions. Remember, you are just being groomed and fine-tuned to face the beautiful challenges of your future. Dream on ...

Chapter Two

Happiness is like perfume. You can't give it away without getting a little on yourself. —Freya Stark

Hey, Girlfriends!

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." We've all heard this old cliché. The question is, What is the eye beholding—just physical attributes, or the many nuances that make up our total radiance?

I've been in the beauty business for more than twenty years, and my mother, Elouise, for thirty-plus years. Chauncey, my daughter, has given us insight into the questions and concerns of the younger generation. Over the past two decades, we have done seminars, workshops, and even a television program in which we openly addressed the issues and concerns surrounding beauty and etiquette.

Yes, beauty and etiquette are synonymous. You can have perfect features—a lovely smile, great eyes, beautiful skin—but if your social graces are inadequate, your total radiance still needs work. Many people are unaware of it, but true beauty is usually just an outward manifestation of inner beauty.

Over time, every successful woman accumulates wisdom comprised of Mom's teaching, Grandma's reminders, friends' discoveries, and an abundance of information gleaned from the pages of countless magazines, books, videos, and websites. Powder Puff Principles is no exception. It reflects our accumulated wisdom, much of which may have originated from sources now forgotten or misplaced. In that respect, the advice you read on these pages includes the time-honored wisdom of such luminaries as Tyra Banks, Donatello Versace, and Coco Chanel.

This book is a collection of observations, ideas, and suggestions compiled over many years. It is a generational collaboration—and I am very grateful to have a mother and daughter who make such wonderful collaborators!

Our simple wish is that the next time you ask, How should I ..., When should I ..., or Where should I ..., you will find the answer in these pages. These basic educational principles never change, and they apply whether you're involved in a pageant, cotillion, or modeling—or just dressing for success.

So much of what we talk about in this book pertains to everyday lifestyle, etiquette, beauty, and simply treating others as you want to be treated. Our goal is to help make your day-to-day life just a little bit better. The advice here is like riding a bike: once you learn it, you won't forget it. You may get rusty over time, but with just a brief refresher, the knowledge returns quickly. Through practicing what you learn here, you will build your confidence in social situations and begin to define and improve your image for everyday living.

It is impressive to know your social graces. As a teenager, you may have thought that it was an old-fashioned notion for a woman to cook, set a table, and be beautiful and smart all at the same time. We hope that by now you have discovered that it is awesome to be a woman. We should embrace and nourish our femininity. Why shouldn't we be the best women we can be?

Don't let anyone rain on your parade

Sometimes we have to be stronger than we want to be, and we need to pull this strength from the core of our being. Challenging as they are, these are the times when we realize that all things are possible and that we deserve the best. The same is true when developing your sense of self, but in this case, you grow from the inside out. A strong inner core combined with a healthy mind and body can make you feel invincible.

You deserve to live a happy, healthy life, no matter your circumstances. As women, we have the ability to make lemonade from lemons. But, with a little inner strength, we can serve that lemonade in crystal goblets on a silver platter, with a smile from the soul. It's as easy as taking a stand and saying, "I should be different, and I am the person who is going to make the change."

Girlfriends, don't let anyone stop you from being the best person you can be. Sometimes the "rain" can bring out the very best in us, making us stronger than we ever imagined—and much, much more than we ever thought we could be!

It's good to be me!

A lot of women look in the mirror and find fault in what they see. Many of us spend precious time focusing on our every flaw. This is not healthy, and it could be...