Style expert and Today Show contributor Bobbie Thomas sat down with me at the Dove PitiCures event at The Grove where we chatted about spring fashion, beauty must-haves and empowering women, among other things. And what is a PitiCure, you ask? Well, it is a cleansing treatment for the underarms. It started with a relaxing back massage, followed by an underarm exfoliation and an application of Dove Advanced Care Anti-Prespirant and Deodorant, of which I am really a fan. It smells fantastic and it works! In addition, it is always positive to support a brand that believes in the real beauty and the empowerment of women. And that is where Bobbie comes in. We had a lovely “girlfriend” talk, and she couldn’t have been more relatable.
RCR: So I just had the Dove PitiCures treatment and I feel refreshed and exfoliated! What do you think about it?
BT: I love the concept of a PitiCure. It’s a head-turning term in today’s world and gets you to say, “What is that?” I admire a brand, like Dove, that seeks to empower women and also is unafraid to tackle the underarm! Dove gives women the power back and removes the stigma.
RCR: What beauty products are you obsessed with?
BT: Personally, I don’t know what I would do without my scrub gloves from the drug store. I have been talking about them on Today forever! Everyday I am in the shower, I exfoliate my body, chest, face (lightly) and my bikini area. If you exfoliate, you regenerate cells faster. And I believe that it helps your skin absorb all of the benefits from the products you use. And you have softer skin. Be sure to follow with a nourishing product like Dove’s Advanced Care Anti-Perspirant and Deodorant. And instead of lotion, try a dry body oil spray and a great pedicure and/or manicure.
RCR: Do you have any favorite spring fashion trends?
BT: Pink! It’s one of the most refreshing, youthful, rosy tones. And I love that you can do everything from a deep fushcia to a pretty blush. This is a great season to invest in a pair of pink jeans, a blush blazer or that gorgeous soft pink ballet dress that you will have forever. And a pair of white jeans. I feel like what black and brown used to be, is what nude or a similar skin tone is now. Even if you are wearing a little black dress in the summer, a nude shoe or handbag will really soften the look up. In he winter, I think a nude bag looks really chic because it is unexpected.
RCR: And what about some fashion advice for the everyday woman?
BT: If something looks good on you and you feel good in it, how can it be out? In my book, The Power of Style, it is about asking yourself how you present yourself to the world in order to get what you want in life. I was inspired by the law of attraction. Are you looking for that special person, do you want a promotion, do you want more friends, do you want to be taken more seriously? Whatever that is, boil it down to three to five key adjectives and see if how you present yourself matches the message that you want to put out into the world. Also, especially in these remaining winter months when you are done holiday shopping but not ready for spring just yet, merchandise your own closet like they would in a department store. Get excited when you open the door, so you fall in love with the things you have. It’s your second layer of skin. It’s so personal. And don’t beat yourself up looking for negative things!
RCR: To our friends in the Northeast, East Coast and just about anywhere but California, how does one look cute in the polar vortex?
BT: For me, I have bedtime beauty routine that I love. At night, I either take a bath or shower and then I do my thing. I put my hair up, then use body spray oils because they are so moisturizing and by the time I wake up, my skin feels so refreshed. And it gives me a quicker start to the day and I feel clean and soft. Also, I love my sheets when they smell good, and I like for my pillow to smell like my shampoo. It’s the girly part of me!
RCR: What advice would you give to other young women looking to make their mark in the entertainment world?
BT: It’s really important to find out what your passion is. What’s going to get you up earlier, what’s going to make you work later, what’s going to keep your chin up in spite of challenges? Because if it was easy, then everybody would do it. It’s also really important to find your added value. In today’s world, it’s getting tougher to fill a position, so you have to create an opportunity. And in order to create an opportunity, you cannot be copying one. It’s really not competition if you view what you plan to do as filling a void. You need to offer a service and you can do that by working underneath people you really admire, gaining experience and the skills necessary to then justify being able to ask for compensation for your service. It’s important to focus on what skill is today because I think we have lost sight of that in favor of celebrity, in terms of the entertainment world. You don’t have to be the most famous person to have a really fulfilling, satisfying career or life. And sometimes, you may be surprised that you are happier with being respected and that will be rewarded more.
Great advice, Bobbie. What do you think about her nuggets of wisdom?
