Glowing Goddess

When I was a little girl, I was always darker than the other kids in my family. I was, in fact, several shades darker. I remember my family telling me once that I was adopted. I would cry & cry; in junior high, I remember I would use powder that was at least 2 shades lighter than my actual skin tone for about 2 weeks, until my nephew told me that I looked like Michael Jackson after he had gone through skin bleaching.

As a teenage girl, I started to become interested in beauty pageants; my dream was to run for Miss Arizona. I would work out and lay out and tan so that my skin would look golden. Bronze it was, and so that I wouldn’t get tan lines as a grown woman, I’d spend plenty of time lying on the beach on my vacations, by the swimming pool, or in the tanning beds. This fake baking and toasting on a towel ritual was not good for my skin, I knew, but I’ve kept up the same cycle through the years, even though I wish I could say I haven’t.

The other day, while shopping at Sephora, I met a wonderful cosmetic rep for NARS who was not only funny and personable, but also a beauty connoisseur like I am. It is no wonder we had a long discussion about my blog, writing, and my penchant for NARS products. She said, “Wow, you have a great tan, you should try our body glow!” She gave me a sample, and swore she would make me a believer.

I took it home, eager to find out if she was right. As I smoothed on the NARS Body Glow on my body, I noticed an immediate difference in my skin tone, a delicious, pretty scent that was vaguely reminiscent of pina coladas on the beach or slathering yourself with tanning oil; and it felt like it was conditioning my skin the entire day.

Although I know now that I am not adopted (although some days, when my family drives me crazy, I want to believe that I am) and even though I have cut back considerably on my tanning, I still want to be a bronzed goddess just like the next girl. Body Glow by NARS will make you a believer, and in the process, leave you looking like a Brazilian supermodel who just stepped off the beach.

Hey, a girl can dream.

**Shout out to Raquel from NARS for all her beauty advice & the sample; what an incredible representative for this company—you are an asset to the beauty brand & thank you for all your help!

For all NARS products, as well as Body Glow, check out the Neiman Marcus counters near you, Sephora, or their online website.