I became aware of the crookedness of my teeth since age nine and soon after, stopped smiling with my mouth open until I got the ultimate suburban accessory– braces. Years later, my teeth came back to haunt me in the form of a Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Fall 1996 brochure. I remember my classmates coming screaming into the cafeteria, waving orange and purple letter-sized pamphlets. “Kerri!! Kerrrrrriiiiiiii! Is this youuuuuuuuu?!!!” And it was. On the cover, I’m talking the entire cover, was 8 year old me, teeth-besnaggled and on full display. At the sensitive age of 11, this was the ultimate humiliation.

I grew into my face and my teeth, assisted by nearly 5 years of braces, straightened themselves out. I battled acne all through my teenage years and ran a constant battle with the blemishes and hyper-pigmentation that that acne left behind. I, fortunately, had great skincare and boy, did I have makeup. Makeup helped me to FINALLY feel pretty. I was never one to glop it on but it did have a certain placebo effect for me. I had a good face underneath it all but with my magical makeup, I could banish the dark circles that had always plagued me, I could give myself some eyebrows (any shape I wanted!) and I could make people believe that I was beautiful.

But recently, I spent some time with a friend who has known and seen me in nearly every state imaginable, from pukey ill to black-tie ready. I hadn’t put my makeup on yet and he said unprompted, “You know, you’re not really one of those girls who needs makeup. I don’t mind it, but you look pretty good already.”

That struck me. So last week, I went to work without makeup. Intentionally. I was fully dressed and about to do my face and then, I stopped. I looked at myself in the mirror. Really looked. My skin was soft and smooth. I’d started using BeautiControl’s new Instant Radiance Beauty Balm (full review forthcoming) so my skin was actually kind of glowing. I was there and that was me and I was happy and healthy. I looked at myself in the mirror and I finally felt alright.

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So take this graphic, post it on your bathroom mirror, put on your favorite face masque (Tierra Azul Thermal Fango, FTW), listen to your jammiest jams (or mine) and work on you!

What’s your dream? How are you going to put it in action today? Let me know in the comments!

The post Do the Damn Dream appeared first on The Right Style.

Let’s do a little flashback, shall me?

It was the first hot day in May and I took my largely unwilling boyfriend, Yannick on a little photo expedition:

Young men, let’s say in their mid-20’s to mid-30’s, are in a tricky position. It can be hard to find a way of looking pulled together, professional, young AND casual in menswear! I see many guys– particularly in Richmond– rocking the faded polo and khaki cargo shorts that look like they were bought 5 years ago or ankle skimming shorts and a the proverbial “white tee”. All of that works when you’re a college kid, but for the average American man, it might be best to age the wardrobe.

Yannick does a great job of dressing casually– this is literally a “jeans and t-shirt” outfit. Simple things help to make the outfit age-appropriate: the cut of the shirt is slim with a notched collar, indicating that some thought went into the choice. The jeans are slim, straight-legged in a contemporary wash– no one would mistake them for high school holdovers.

And I think this one was my favorite (I’m a sucker for that sunshine):

Yannick dresses much as I would if I were a man: simple lines, easy fabrics and close fits. He uses color confidently, taking what could be a very simple outfit to one laced with impactful monochrome:

Menswear can be tricky business when you’re dealing with the “young, professional and casual” set. What are your favorite casual menswear looks?

The post There’s Something I’ve Been Meaning To Tell You…. appeared first on The Right Style.

Go to the mailbox one day. Discover your mother is America’s Next Top Model.

Find out more about BeautiControl’s May cover lady…

My mother, Kyle, is one of those moms other kids want. My entire childhood I always heard, “Your mom is soooo cooooooollll!” and as I got older, “Kerri, your mom is soooo hotttttt!” It took me many a year but I have finally come to terms with the fact that I was born to a pretty cool, pretty hot lady. But more importantly, pretty accomplished.

My effervescent mother was chosen to be on BeautiControl’s consultant magazine, Beauti Just For You, for her dedication to client service. She is the one, after all, who got me started in this business, just as she was the one who taught me to do a full makeover complete with color analysis (remember Color Me Beautiful?) by the time I was six. Kyle, or as I like to call her– Mommy, has been in the business of making people fly for over 20 years both as a consultant and as a corporate trainer for BeautiControl. As a small business owner for all of these years, she has really built up quite a following with scores of dedicated clients and prom makeover clients.

BeautiControl is an amazing business for recognizing women and encouraging them to make whatever they want to out of their business and their lives. The women on the cover issue are leaders within the company, including BeautiControl’s president, Daisy Chin-Lor. Women are at all levels within BeautiControl, many of them women who did or could not have a place of power in the typical corporate structure. The skin care and cosmetics industry is growing exponentially and I am excited to be a part of it. If you want to be part of that too, contact me. I’d love to hear from you!

xoxo

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Hi there! My name is Kerri Estella Grinnage and I am a certified Image, Skin Care and Style Consultant with BeautiControl Cosmetics. BeautiControl is an amazing skin care and makeup company at the forefront of the cosmetics industry. I have been a dedicated client of BeautiControl’s since I was a kid (my mom is a consultant, too!), and though I love to experiment with other products, I find myself always coming back to BeautiControl.

More than anything, I love style. More than clothes and designers and labels, I love watching people express themselves through the things that they wear and the way they present themselves. And awesomely, BeautiControl has introduced eBeauti, a tool designed to help you find your fashion personality and colors customized for you! I am Dramatically Glam (excess is never enough) and color-wise, Intense Cool. With these tools and my natural love for spending other people’s money, I work as a stylist and personal shopper, as well.

Hang out with me as I discover the latest and greatest in skin care and cosmetics, fashion and style. I’ll share my adventures and hopefully, help you to find The Right Style.

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