Monday, December 17, 2007

Makeup talk-- feels so girly and forbidden!



Iam 32 years old and I have been wearing makeup since I was about 12. Crazy huh? Back then, i did it for fun, or because if you didn't have a little blue stripe under your eye it meant social death in my school or whatnot. I would get the occasional zit and spackle it and enjoyed choosing different lipsticks to go with my outfit. But I didn't feel like I NEEDED makeup until way, way later. Like after my third child.

Go ahead, call me whatever you want to call me. I'm a card carrying member of the third wave-- I read The Beauty Myth the day it came out and Ive gone 2 years without shaving before. Ive been there and done that from different decade-era styles to a seriously short lived period of au natural, dying my hair back to light brown, and eschewing even earrings and bras. (College, what can I say) Where I'm at now is just evening out, perking up, and doing it cheaply and quickly and I think wriitng about it will be of interest to my readers ;)

I think I am doing the world a favor, and certainly my own self esteem in presenting a face that looks like I feel inside. Because the person inside of me does not have grey lips, blotchy broken capillaries on her cheek, straight blonde eyelashes, or light purple sacks under her eyes. The person inside of me is cheery, rosy, sparkley, and yeah, I'm gonna say it, youthful.

So here is the makeup basics that I do to look like myself. I will start with the Wintertime/Bad skin version:

Pluck a few eyebrow hairs. After years spent overboard with that whole thin arch look I endured a long time of looking pretty freaky to have my eyebrows back. I shape a little to enhance the arch that I have which makes me look more awake and friendly and less neanderthal and cross.

Concealer on my zits and my blotches and my scars and my undereye circles.

Mix a tiny tiny amount of some basic beige foundation with some water to make a very translucent and thin wash of color-evening tone in the palm of my hand. Smooth over my face.

Cheapo-bronzer gel on my cheeks for blush. This is a little tube of Bonne Belle that I have had forever but it is so nice and foolproof.

Then I do a big-brush of powder over the whole thing to finish it or whatever the professional term is.

I use lipbalm mixed with red lipstick on my lips and I line them with a darker reddish brown lipliner. I know lipliner is out of style but i need it. My lips are GREY. They need edging. If you don't understand then you are not blessed with grey lips. I applaud you.

I curl my eyelashes. Yes, the scariest of lady-devices, the eyelash curler is now my friend. I used to be afraid f this thing but it is great. You look perky or happy or something when your eyelashes are curled versus straight.

I often wear mascara, but it is double edged sword for me. I feel too fancy with eyemakeup on unless I "do" my whole self up, you know, with an outfit, etc. I have never liked or known how to do too much fancy stuff with the eyemakeup and always feel like I look like a hooker or an old lady or a newscaster and so I shy away from it. So alot of times I don't wear the eyemakeup, just curl the lashes. I had a wealthy friend when I was young whose mom let her get her eyelashes dyed black. She was a very fair girl and had very blonde eyelashes. I thought this was the most exotic thing I had ever heard of and it was only $8. Now I worry about going blind, a little bit, and I just never remember to think about this procedure, but it would be so cool to have dark lashes without gooey glop.

Then, being truly addicted to blush, I usually put on even more blusher in the form of powder blush, a goldey-pink one I have had forever as well.

In the summer, I just do my lips and put on the gel blush and that's it! Even though I haven't purposefully"tanned" in years, I always have a clearer complexion and colorful skin tone when it is summertime.

So, in a way, it is nothing, a little color on the lips and cheeks, but in a way, I feel like I cant believe how rough I look without makeup, after so many years of it being just for fun. Thats ok. I am 32 1/2 years old and it could definitely be worse!






Real youth and 10 minutes of product, side by side.

5 comments:

Sgt Howie said...

You could look into my medicine cabinet and never know it belonged to a homo... except for the eyelash curler. I have to have that. No, seriously. Otherwise my lashes grow straight down over my eyes and obstruct my vision!

Unknown said...

Wow! Secrets revealed! That is so cool to know. Once you know how to use one it is easy. Youre the best.

Trish said...

I echo the love of the eyelash curler!!! Mine don't grow DOWN, but they grow straight out and ugly!

You know, I always thought that you didn't even really wear make-up. It looks very natural. As the Avon lady I could recommend some stuff that might make your skin more even without makeup - but it sounds like you're fine with what you're doing!

I have the biggest collection of make-up that I almost never use - crazy! I have my face down to about 10 minutes in the morning too -- I remember as a teenager spending 30 minutes getting every lash JUST SO! Silly.

Michelle said...

Hi Housefairy! It's your rapidly aging midwife! I have worn exactly the same makeup....since high school. And I am now on the near edge of 50! I have been messing around with "products" that are supposed to be "youthing"....I like the eye cream stuff that "lifts and brightens" because it makes me look not dead....not dead is definately what you want on the near edge of 50. I maybe should try the eyelash curler eh? I used to have one, back in early college days...I remember ending up with more "bent" eyelashes than perky "curled" eyelashes but, I probably had a too-intense grip on the thing ( this is me after all ). Well, you look marvelous.....so does the kiddo! What beauties!

Kelley said...

I think you look fawbulous, dawling.

You know, I have been blessed with curly eyelashes, so I don't need the eyelash curler, but I DEFINITELY need a little help in the product department. I have a funny, freckly something on one side of my face, so foundation (not thick, but at least present) has been a necessity for years. Add a little blush, mascara (also NOT an option), plum eyeliner (I love the stuff!), and lip gloss for going out, and I'm set. For evening, I add a little eye make-up, but as much as I'd love to the do the smoky look, I always end up looking like I have two black eyes. :)

Makeup is wonderful stuff. I love that it makes me feel like a put-together person, rather than a frumpy, clumpy mess. Amazing stuff!

:)