Beauty | Grit and Grace Life

Starting the New Year With Grit, Grace, and Inner Beauty

By Ashley Johnson / Health & Beauty, Purpose

There’s something hopeful about a new year. Who doesn’t love a fresh start? A new year often incites determination to tackle big projects, resolution to make hard changes, and lofty dreams of what our renewed motivation and hard work might bring. Maybe you plan to organize every room in the house over this next year, drop some of that holiday weight, or go after your dream job. Those are all great goals that you can achieve! But have you considered focusing on the inner you—the part of you that has nothing to do with outward appearances? Here are 4 truths about inner beauty you should know: 1. You are valuable. Not because you are beautiful, funny, smart, kind, helpful, hard-working, supermom, the […]

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Natural Teeth Whitening—For Your Child and You

By Ashby Duval / Motherhood, Health & Beauty

Lately, I’ve noticed my oldest son’s permanent teeth look a bit yellow compared to my other three boys, who still have their baby teeth. Of course, my first assumption was that he wasn’t brushing correctly. Or worse yet, he’s skipping his brushing altogether. But after a few weeks of supervising and not noticing a big difference, I started to do a bit of research. Apparently, baby teeth are naturally whiter than permanent teeth. One pediatric dentist explains that “permanent teeth not only have a thicker enamel, but the layer under the enamel (dentin) is also more dense. Dentin is yellow in color. This gives the permanent teeth a color slightly more yellow than the baby teeth. And it’s perfectly normal!”(¹) There is

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5 Helpful Tips for Loving Your Body the Way It Is

By Rachel Hagstrom / Health & Beauty, Purpose

My body shaming started in fifth grade shortly after a classmate made up a “clever” little saying about my breasts. She recruited a group of boys who all chanted for days: “Rachel’s so flat a pancake would be jealous. Flatty cakes, flatty cakes!” Good one, sister. I was 11 years old… of course I was flat. As junior high came into full swing—and then high school—I noticed when friends blossomed as my own adolescent development seemed to lag behind my peers. When I finally started my period at the age of 15, I felt defective for showing up to the puberty party late. Over the years, I’ve abused, neglected, badmouthed, overworked, and shamed my body. Some of my shaming was induced by

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Running with Grit and Grace in Hot Pink Spandex

By Lynn Fleshman / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking to a group of beginner runners on the topic of motivation. Why would I receive such an invitation? Well, because I’m about the world’s least likely and most enthusiastic runner. Especially running with grit and grace. I’m all of 5-feet-2-inches high (on a tall day), I weigh in around one hundred and sexy (which happens to be 20ish pounds more than my doctor thinks is necessary), and I faked asthma to get out of gym class in middle school. Nevertheless, I’ve conquered numerous 5Ks, several half marathons, a full marathon, and a triathlon. One of the reasons I’m asked to help motivate beginners is because of my—ahem—non-athletic appearance; it instantly qualifies me

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Beauty Treatments of the Past That Will Make You Laugh and Cringe

By Darlene Brock / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

Have you ever wondered who determined that we ladies should take small metal tongs and pull hairs out of our face, one at a time, to achieve perfectly arched eyebrows? Or who was the masochistic individual who believed the removal of hair under the arms and on each leg was a great idea for our gender? What did they have on hand to accomplish this new task? A very dull blade, or were they kind enough to provide a sharp knife? We all know that Gillette’s Venus four-blade with lotion was far from being invented that year. I imagine a smoke-filled lounge with men enjoying their cigars and glasses of bourbon as they determine beauty treatments of the past that might make

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My Alopecia Diagnosis Changed My View on Real Beauty with Ashley Johnson – 227

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWe’ve all heard the adage “Beauty is more than skin deep,” but do you believe it? It doesn’t take more than five minutes scrolling Instagram or wandering the magazine newsstands to realize that the media—and, by extension, our culture—is saturated with images depicting luscious hair, dewy skin and trim figures. We live in a society that clamors for beauty, and because of that, it’s hard to escape our own concerns over our self-image. In this episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender sit down with Grit and Grace Life‘s Managing Editor, Ashley Johnson, to talk about real beauty. Over a decade ago, Ashley was diagnosed with alopecia areata,

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woman dabbing lotion on her face after a shower as one of the recommended skincare hacks for women

Want to Look Younger? 5 Skincare Hacks for Women of Every Age

By Caroline Beidler / Life & Culture

My son looked up from his car seat, legs like noodles. “Mommy?” “Yes, sweetheart?” “What are those bumps on your face?” I looked in the rearview mirror and touched my cheek and realized that I had broken out. Yes, I still get pimples in middle age. It’s one of the many hideous things no one tells you about until you are living it. Similar to perimenopause (please look this up), forehead 11’s (also look this up if you are under 35), and any number of physical things that happen as we age. Since turning 40, I’ve become obsessed with skincare hacks. Still not sold on the whole “medical spa” thing, I’m relying on other methods to get that youthful glow back along

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True Beauty is Found in a Woman’s Strength

By Darlene Brock / Health & Beauty, Purpose

The unspoken definition of a woman’s true beauty often appears on the cover of magazines in the grocery store checkout aisle. Gracing the pages is a photo-shopped image of an already nearly perfect-looking human being. The flawless skin, sparkling eyes, not a hair out of place, and unrealistic body type make me want just to turn every magazine backward, so we don’t have to endure. Social media is even worse. But having lived quite some time, walking alongside many women, I can honestly say that’s not the beauty I am drawn to. That is not to diminish the value of the physically beautiful women in our lives. Trust me, they really do have their own challenges, often insecure like every one of

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5 Truths About the Best Kind of Beauty

By Sharita Hanley / Life & Culture

I repeated the phrase to myself again and again. Think on things that are noble, pure, and true. Beautiful things I’d told myself as I tried and failed to will myself to think positively. Noble, pure, and true I reminded myself as the blinking LED light slowly but surely diminished my attention span. Positive. Noble. True. I whispered as though something magical was about to happen, but the pull of social media proved strong as the blinking blue light beckoned my focus. Not quite capable of 100% resistance, I checked the notification bar. Instagram was waiting, seemingly where the best kind of beauty resides. As if the blinking LED light gave me permission to move forward, I clicked the notification, diving headfirst into

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10 Classic Beauties Full of Grit, Grace and Inspiration

By Rachel Hagstrom / Health & Beauty, Purpose

As a devoted fan of black-and-white cinema and 1950s fashion, I relished the moments I spent watching classic films like Sabrina (check out the swoon-worthy outfits Givenchy designed for Audrey Hepburn) or North by Northwest with my Gram, who never failed to captivate me with stories about the private lives of all the actors. Theses classic beauties inspired me. I’d sing my little heart out with Etta James as she dazzled me with “At Last”—a favorite that still causes goosebumps to rise along my arms—or I would study the prized, yellowed newspapers documenting JFK’s assassination my great-grandma had tucked away in the corner of her closet. I’d stare at the picture of Jackie Kennedy, clothed in black and grief, holding her children’s

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How to Age Gracefully in a Culture Obsessed with Beauty

By Amy Saxby / Faith

The day I turned 40 didn’t hit me the way I thought it would. I felt young, so I thought, “Why let a number bother me?” Busyness defined me, but I had energy to sustain it all. I didn’t feel like I was “over the hill.” Now that I’m almost 45, that feeling has slightly shifted. The number does bother me. It’s funny how five years can make a difference. Suddenly, I feel older. My body gets tired more quickly. Stress hits me in strange ways. My brain reaches capacity more quickly than it did in the past. Our Culture’s Message on Age and Appearance I am also noticing differences in how I look. My thick, dark hair is suddenly thinning and showing

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10 Things That Make a Woman Beautiful

By Ashley Johnson / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

Here are 10 qualities that make a woman beautiful: 1. She can laugh at her silly mistakes, knowing it doesn’t diminish her dignity. 2. She gives the benefit of the doubt. 3. When she comes across something that reminds her of someone special, she buys it for them. Just because. Even if it’s just a candy bar. 4. She gets to know the people around her: baristas, security guards, receptionists, etc. Strangers become her friends. 5. She chooses to see the good in all people, knowing everyone is a work in progress. 6. She can let go. 7. She’s humble, but finds satisfaction in a job well done. 8. She’s strong, but she doesn’t use her strength to push other people around.

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Anatomy of a Strong Woman

By Darlene Brock / Purpose

What makes a strong woman is touted in academia and social media; it’s displayed daily on almost every television network. The phrase is even currently awarded to those who are not biologically female. But I contend being born female is the only path to becoming a strong woman. Those are the women I admire and want to emulate. Today’s version of female strength is often exemplified by some of the angriest ladies I have ever encountered. I’m not sure that much of anything would make these women happy. They tell us we should demand respect, our rights, and equality (but oftentimes with an air of superiority). This is not to say that women cannot have a voice, that we are undeserving of respect,

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5 Ways I Learned to Love My Middle-Aged Body

By Meaghan Dawson / Life & Culture, Best Of

The other day, as I was participating in my daily scroll on social media, a Facebook memory popped up on my feed. It was a heartwarming throwback of me and my youngest when she was just a baby. I looked tired, yes, but also had that new-mom glow as I held my daughter in her “Baby’s First Christmas” outfit. She was three months old and this was, sadly, quite a few years ago. I remember that picture well. We were at my in-laws’ house after church, and it was the first time I had gotten “dressed up” since giving birth. And I remember being wildly insecure about my new, mom-of-three body. I felt frumpy, overweight, and gross. I didn’t want to go,

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5 Colors Every Woman Can Look Great In

By Darlene Brock / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

I’m sure you have landed in the dressing room with a handful of clothes that you think might just work. As you slip that really cute top over your head then look into the mirror the shriek you emit is audible five stalls down. Is it the lighting in this dressing room (which shall we all say is the dumbest thing a retailer ever installed?) or does this color just make me look horrible? It could be the yellow/blue/gray light that shines down on the top of your head, but it’s often the color of the clothing. I know if I put that tan khaki tone anywhere near my face the next step is to take that shovel and dig a 6-foot deep

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Advice for the Woman Who’s Not Happy in Front of the Mirror

By Allison McCormick / Faith

My mother had me late in life. So, by the time I was 12, she was nearing the magic age of 50. I remember sitting in her bedroom while she dressed in the mornings. We would talk about my plans for the day. And as I sat there, my mind would drift, “I wonder if I’ll look like my mom when I grow up?” She was a small-framed, almost frail, woman, with what she endearingly called her “baby belly pouch.” It hung right above her panty-line. I can remember she always tried to hide as she dressed almost like she was just a little embarrassed or uncomfortable for my 12-year-old eyes to see her nakedness. Her behavior left an impression on my

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Just Because She’s Pretty, Doesn’t Mean You’re Not

By Ashley Johnson / Health & Beauty, Audio Articles, Relationships

(Listen to the audio version of this article here.) Do you have a friend who’s so beautiful that sometimes you find yourself staring, admiring? How about one who lives off of donuts and never lifts more than her purse but somehow maintains the body of a supermodel? Maybe you have a friend who always gets what she wants, and everything seems to go her way. Or what about your funny, charismatic friend who lights up a room and makes even strangers feel like they’ve been life-long friends? Have you ever noticed your friend’s beauty, talents, opportunities, or life as a whole and then suddenly felt like you got the short end of the stick? It’s not a fun place to be, and

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