Five Beauty Lessons I Learned From Food Shows

 

How ironic is it that I am literally the biggest fan of food shows such as Top Chef and Cupcake Wars, and can barely make scrambled eggs?  (Don't answer!). Really, it's funny, but there are few shows on T.V. I enjoy more than those two, and believe it or not, I have learned a beauty thing or two (actually, five!) from them:


1. Less is more
On Top Chef and basically every single food competition, the chefs arrange their plates beautifully, but in the simplest of ways. You never see an overstuffed plate on those shows. This rule is paramount for beauty also: too much of anything never looks appealing. I.e. too much foundation will look cakey; or statement lips plus statement eyes is too over the top. Choose a main feature on your face, and work the rest accordingly, keeping it simple.


2. The tools on hand make all the difference
Have you seen those challenges on cooking reality shows where the chefs are required to cook with only a couple of tools/pots? They always freak out and have to use all their creative thinking to be able to produce something of quality. In beauty this is no different: you might have beautiful ingredients (i.e. makeup) but if you don't have the right tools, you won't go very far with them. A good set of brushes, an excellent eyelash curler and even the right nail file will make the makeup you already own go much further.


3. Something unexpected is always more eye-catching
No one would ever watch Top Chef, or any food reality show for that matter, if the contestants always cooked the same dishes over and over. In each challenge, the chefs are forced to use all their creativity and imagination to take some ordinary ingredients and turn them into something spectacular. This might not be feasible for every day when it comes to doing your makeup (we wouldn't get anything done!) but it is fun and a nice change to spice up your look once in a while. Maybe once a week or once a month, or even once a year, try something you've never done before: a double eyeliner look; a shade of lipstick you haven't dared to wear; a beehive hairdo. Getting out of your comfort zone and experimenting with different things is a good thing. At worst, you'll need to use a couple of makeup removing wipes, but at best you've found a new look that suits you wonderfully!


3. A pop of color changes the whole look
Contestant chefs always seem to have this rule down pat. Even when their plates use fairly neutral ingredients, they manage to add just that little detail that brings their whole dish to live: a little edible flower in a gorgeous red hue; a sprig of purple lavender; the brightest cherry tomatoes, you name it. When it comes to beauty, I am a big fan of this too: I love my color. Even for work, I try to incorporate a little brightness into my look. I'll be wearing a beige shirt with navy pants, and I might add a cute bright bracelet; or I'll put on a beautiful red necklace if I am wearing black and white.
This is technically more of a "fashion" rather than "beauty" lesson, but a helpful one nonetheless.


5. You don't have to be the most beautiful dish to be the most delicious
This is perhaps the most important lesson: there are countless times on Top Chef and similar shows were the chefs present the most incredibly beautiful dishes but they turn out to miss the mark and disappoint. Even though these dishes charm the judges at first, once they dive in they realize that they are bland, under-seasoned or overcooked. Make sure you are not one of these dishes: your beautiful, striking looks will mean nothing in the end if you are completely devoid of substance and flavor.
Love you bunches!