Enhancing your Features without Invasive Treatment

So we know there are many augmentations, lifts and implants we can pay a hefty price for if we want a bigger chest, a perkier bum or poutier lips and as long as you seek the correct treatment with a professional consultation, you should have the option to change what you don't like. But what about the more natural options – How well do they fare against the costly alternative of surgery? Let's find out!

Our bodies all come in different shapes and sizes and because of the rise of social media, the pressures have been on to aspire to look a certain way for quite some time. We see supermodels, Instagram influencers, TV and movie stars and even athletes adorning our television sets, magazines and laptops. So, it can be hard to see someone your age seemingly living the perfect life with the perfect body and at the same time try to feel great about your own. But the thing to remember is you are in control of your body and you never know, someone could see you and wish they had what you have!

If you are truly unhappy with something about yourself, it can be so tempting to look at surgical options as a quick fix and your dreams of having a smaller waist and prominent curves could soon become a reality. But what if you don't want to fork out that kind of money? What if you are unsure about surgery after reading about things that have gone wrong? If you are nervous and unsure about seeking surgical treatment, then it may be best to look at what you can change naturally first and see if a few lifestyle adjustments can help you gain a body you are proud to live in. It is possible!

Diet – What we eat counts for a lot when it comes to our bodies overall, and that includes our health. Longer lasting problems in life can come from poor nutrition and can lead to many ailments in the future. If you are looking to lose a few pounds, it isn't just about the calorie intake, it is about eating the right sorts of food containing healthy fats and proteins. When talking about diet, I don't mean go on an all out fast, but just to change something to benefit your body. Instead of reaching for a flapjack or pastry at lunch, grab a handful of almonds instead. They contain the right sort of fats that give you energy and store it in the right way. Try switching up white rice for wholegrain rice or potatoes for sweet potatoes. These little changes will be noticeable almost immediately and you will see the pounds shed faster than you think!

Exercise – Everyone knows that diet alone can't change everything about your body but coupled with some exertion each day will help you see vast differences in your body shape, and it may just be what you need to see your actual structure and build. Not all of us are built like supermodels and some may have a more athletic shape, and both are equally as fantastic and as beautiful as each other. If you up your cardio work outs each day along with some strength training and weight lifts, you may just surprise yourself with what your body can do more than what it looks like and see this as a more viable option to continue with than going under the knife and having fat removed and deposited elsewhere on your body. Getting your dream body won't come easy, but it will be worth it when you realise that the power is in your hands and not just a surgeon's.

Skin is our body's largest organ and so we should treat it like any other organ, we only get what we've got so we have to look after it, there are no do-overs. The condition of our skin can not only affect our health but also our mental wellbeing. It is hard to hide completely but if you find yourself with something changing in its appearance it can make you want to hide it or change it. And how do people do that? Tanning. Tanning use to be a case of sitting out in the sun for a few hours, but then people longed for more sunny days so started going to tanning booths. Then this became inconvenient, so tanning injections and pills became a thing. Promises of popping this one pill and just sitting and waiting for results you won't believe.

But with everything unnatural put into our bodies there are always risks and taking those risks is not for everyone. So instead of grasping at expensive and limitless options such as tanning injections or pills, you may want to try something a little less permanent and a little less scary if you want that golden glow even on a cloudy day!

Fake tan – There is a lot to be said about fake tan these days. It sure has come a long way since the days of looking like an oompa Loompa and then stepping in the rain to have fake tan slide down your skin and gather at the ankles. Don't get me wrong, that stuff is still out there, but at least these days there are more options available and in so many different tones that it is easier to match to your own skin tone with a little bit of a darker shade. There are also longer lasting options that don't wash off in your first shower meaning you haven't just wasted your hard-earned cash on a glowing tan for a night in front of the TV. If body confidence issues can be helped with a little tan, then I say go reach for the fake stuff! Check that you don't have any allergies to the ingredients, and nothing will irritate your skin, then go for it!

Sun-tan – I don't know about you, but I love summer! I crave the long days and the bright blue skies that leave uninterrupted rays of sun to beam down on me all day long. But – and that is a big but – this is not always the healthiest option for our skin. Whether you are like me and love to bake in the hot summer sun, usually to the result of a nice golden tan or whether you a quite fair and burn within 5 minutes of stepping outside, you should treat the sun and its potential to harm your skin seriously. All skin is susceptible to sun damage whether you can see it or not so it is important not to spend too long out there and more importantly to either cover up or cover your skin with a high SPF sun cream. Once you have got this down, you should be able to enjoy getting out into the sunshine and allowing your skin to soak up the vitamin D while giving your skin a glow to help you feel confident in your body again. Don't forget to drink plenty of water though! This will help stop your skin from drying out and keep you hydrated throughout the day.

Moisturisers – Keeping your skin hydrated and moisturised can also keep you feeling confident about stepping outside, it all goes back to having healthy skin that you feel good in. And with moisturisers that include tints that are available, you can use these to give you a little sun-kissed glow that may just be the difference you need to see before deciding on taking on more drastic measures to tan your skin. Give it a go, and then make your mind up, you may just be happy with the results!

Ok so when we talk about invasive treatments, I suppose it doesn't technically cover hair but I have included it as there are things that we do that could be a little less painful and risk-free and if it saves us from spending a pretty penny then why not look at the options.

It is a stereotype of break ups that we all want to change our hair afterward to start an overhaul of our look to make us feel better and like a brand-new person. Maybe this is not just the case these days, due to the fact that there are so many options if we want to do something different. Aside from dyeing it, we can have it cut or get extensions, hair transplants or even laser correction to get rid of some of it, and if you ask me, some of those options sound very expensive and very unnecessarily painful.

Now, I'm not going to tell you to go out and buy a wig if you fancy a change but try to go with a good old-fashioned cut and colour before trying anything drastic that may well damage your hair in the long run. Extensions for example, can be quite painful to wear for a long time and the weight of them over time can cause damage to the follicles and stop it from growing back fully in certain places or become patchy and thin. If the choice is to try something more natural, then these are your options.

Cut – The best thing about a hair cut is how it feels straight afterward. Whatever conditioners hairstylists use is like a miracle from heaven on my hair, being quite thick and wavy. Having a haircut and restyle can just make my day! You don't always have to go drastic, even just a trim to get rid of some of those split ends will do the trick. But if you fancy a whole restyle, then it is good to check out varied styles that suit your face shape.

One thing to avoid doing is to take a picture of your favourite celebrity into your hairdresser, demanding to look exactly the same. Firstly, you won't ever look the same as your face may be a lot different to theirs and secondly, the chances are that picture was taken during a photo shoot where their style was made specially to last as long as the camera keeps snapping pictures. Hair always falls differently the moment you step out of the hairdresser's chair and its usually copious amounts of spray and product that holds it into place. So unless you're looking to glam up for a special occasion or a one off event, be sensible with what you ask for and make sure it is realistically achievable by you at home once you have no stylist to help you out.

Colour – One of my favourite things is to change up my colour from time to time. It can be quite daunting if you are new to the world of hair colouring, and many would say if you haven't had to so far, then just don't! But some people may feel like this is an option to help their confidence and may even just want a drastic change. A word of advice… if you decide to go for a new colour, leave it to the professionals! Box colours, although available from every beauty store around are hugely convenient and cheap and are really good for touch ups or covering those sneaky greys for a while, but if you have dark hair and want to go blonde or a lighter colour, its best to seek out a professional in the business who will consult you on what will work and what won't.

Remember, any kind of chemical such as peroxide or bleach will damage your hair, so prepare to be able to maintain the upkeep in conditioning and touch ups to keep it looking fantastic and feeling even better than it looks!

I would say that since the turn of the decade, lip augmentation has been one of the most popular forms of cosmetic treatment especially amongst young women and even more so now that the options are becoming less expensive, safer and less permanent. It is possible to have fillers that are dissolvable so that the effects may not last forever which is a really good thing if you had the procedure and don't know how you feel about it, or if you liked the results of your lips and want to keep them topped up.

While it is relatively safe to have dermal fillers through a series of injections, it is not for the faint of heart or someone who is a little unsure about trying out something that invasive. But, if it is the option you choose, just make sure you choose wisely and seek the correct consultation beforehand. If you were born with naturally thin lips, you have to remember that the shape of them may drastically change and going too big can alter the way your face looks and, in the end, look quite unnatural. But if it's a more natural approach you are looking for then be sure to follow a few handy tips to get you going on the right path to fuller and plumper lips.

Lips Plumping Balms – You may ask yourself if they really work and opt to go straight for the fillers, but before you get ahead of yourself, it's a great idea to try a lip plumping balm to see if a) it gives you your desired look without having to open your purse to something more expensive and invasive and b) how it makes your lips look and if it is what you expected in terms of shape and size. If you can get all this just from trying out a lip pluming balm, then you are already a winner!

The good thing about balms designed to plump your lips up, is they can last upward of a few hours and also keep your lips hydrated at the same time. Xlips Lip Pluming Balm is one of the great options as it uses natural ingredients to smooth out the appearance of wrinkles, so it adds to the extra pouty effect the plumper is designed to give your lips. It also doesn't leave a sticky residue so you can be free to colour your lips with your favourite shade and feel the tingly effects of the balm getting to work on giving you a fuller set of lips instantly. Just in time for your night out!

Lip Lining – Sometimes you don't need to rely on an appointment for dermal fillers to achieve a pout others can be envious of, and all it takes is some cleverly applied makeup to your lips to accentuate your existing shape and make them stand right out. If you make sure you exfoliate your lips to begin with, you magically increase the appearance of the surface area on your lips and this is just a start. If you then use concealer over the edges of your lips, you can then extend your colour of choice as it will sit on top of the concealer and create an even colour. By slightly over-lining your lips you can create a deeper cupids bow and then finish your lips off with a dab of gloss right in the centre of your mouth to give that 3D appearance and make your lips look plumper than before. It honestly works, it just takes a little patience and practice. Plus, you can also use your brand new lip plumping balm underneath it and get the best of both worlds. Sold on avoiding fillers yet? If not, at least give these options a little thought and remember there are ways to enhance your lips without relying on injections every few months.

So, after all the considerations of different options you can take without honing straight in on surgery or cosmetic procedures, there is still not rule book you should stick to, but it is wise to consider your options before jumping into something drastic.

Body confidence is not something to be taken lightly and it is something we all wish we have. Even the most super of super models has hang ups about their body and wishes they could change something. The difference is, they have the means to keep up with various procedures and see the best of the best surgeons, cosmeticians and doctors. If you really want to enhance your features, there is no one but you who can stop you, just keep in mind that you are fantastic without it, and these little hang ups you have about yourself may just be what someone else loves about you.

No one can better tell you that your physical and mental wellbeing needs to improve more than you, and if you really want to improve the natural way then start by setting yourself little goals and you will find when you have overcome any obstacles to get there, you will start to feel like a brand new person. There is no amount of cosmetic surgery in the world that can convince you of this more than you can. So, start to love yourself the way you are and if you want to throw in a fancy hair cut or some brand new lipstick along the way, then go on, treat yourself! You deserve nothing but the best, after all.