For me, trips back home have tended to do more to hurt than help my body consciousness.  But finally, after 30 years, I found myself staring back in the mirror at the person I’ve always striven to be.

A low carb diet (on top of my regular gluten and dairy free diet) and twice-daily walks with Waylon the Wonder Dog have helped get me into great physical shape that I could feel good about–even in unkind “fat” mirrors (you know, the ones that instead of making you look taller and thinner do just the opposite) I could see the results of all my hard work and feel great about myself.  But what amazed me the most was how great my skin looked!

Our North Carolina home is filled with beautiful, natural light, but the bathroom is lit by energy saving CFLs.  So every time I stand in the mirror to do my makeup, wash my face, or even brush my teeth, I wind up seeing a lot more in the mirror than perhaps I’d like to.  For as I confirmed on last week’s trip home, energy-sucking lightbulbs are a whole lot more flattering to the skin.

So if you find yourself taking excellent care of your skin, but never seeing your true perfection in a fluorescent lit mirror, try moving your looking glass to a room with natural lighting, or a room whose lights have yet to be replaced.  Chances are it’ll do wonders for your skin confidence.