<b>By Takiya Smith</b>

This past week, I sat down with a girlfriend and had quite the conversation about our beauty history of mishaps, bloopers, blunders and wardrobe malfunctions, minus the aide of a personal assistant to tuck us back in.  We literally laughed ourselves to tears as we traded stories of our oh-so-secret beauty enhancements becoming oh-so-public. Then it hit me that our shared stories were so similar to many others shared by close friends, complete strangers and many women alike.  These days, unless you have crawled and live under a rock, most women have or have had some form of cosmetic or body aesthetic enhancement.

Now, before we all go get out of sorts and quickly chime, “not me”, let me explain what I mean by “cosmetic” and “body aesthetic” enhancement. For starters, my beauty disclaimer of enhancements includes but is not limited to hair extensions, semi-permanent eyelash extensions, acrylic nails, color contacts, permanently designed cosmetic eyebrows, day-to-day wear concealer, foundation, eyeliner, blush, lipstick, lip gloss, a body shaper and high heel shoes.  No girl’s arsenal is complete without at least one pair of sexy heels to lengthen and lift the body frame.

With all my beauty secrets exposed and out there, my point is, and always will be, this: Whatever makes you look and feel good is all that matters. What and how you choose to do so is your business and yours alone. What you have, don’t have and can’t get concerning beauty is simply in the eye of the beholder and when all else fails, fake it ’til you make it. Until then, I’ve said it before and I will say it again, “viva la revolucion de beauty!”

For more information or questions and comments, visit my blog at www.blb-boutiques.com.