Thursday, February 19, 2009

It's In My Make-up

I have always loved make up.  I was obsessed with it as a girl and received some for presents on every present receiving occasion.  I remember I was in HEAVEN when I got sets like these with the pull out drawers (only I remember mine was like three times as big as this; I mean had three times as much make up.  Of course it was much bigger than this.  I am NO GOOD at finding pictures on the Internet so you get this tiny little picture only).


I wore make up ALL THE TIME, from the time I was maybe three (okay, probably 5).  I caked it on and I looooooved it.  I knew I was gorgeous.  I think I wore make up for most of our family birthday parties (although I couldn't find the photographic evidence I was looking for).  

One day when I was maybe 7 or 8 years old, I went to the park down the street in all my painted glory.  I was swinging there alone when Julie Stephens came along to play.  Julie was older than me by a few years and she was the most beeeeeeeeeautiful girl ever.  All the girls admired her.  All the boys were in love with her, or at least we assumed they must be.  And here she was.  And she was seeing me at my very best.

She came over to where I was swinging and I said hello.  The first thing she said was, "Oh my gosh, you're wearing WAY too much make up."  

I left as soon as I could after that, and that's all I remember.  And I'm pretty sure I cried.  I was crushed.  But I think I finally stopped caking it on so thickly from then on. 

But I still love me some make up.  I don't care a hoot about brands, but I don't leave the house without foundation, mascara and lip gloss on.  That's almost all I ever wear, though. 

I wish, I mean I really WISH I could get away with the super dramatic dark eye make up some people wear.  Not like this, really: 



More like this:


Reese Witherspoon at last year's Oscars.

But I can only wear really light colors or my eyes disappear.  And not because they're small, because they're not.  It might have to do with my "natural make up" I'll have to blog about some day.  Right now there's a boy with a very saggy, soggy diaper waiting to have a shower and a haircut, in the opposite order.  BYE!

20 comments:

Andi Kate, Children's Author said...

I would not have guessed that you were so into makeup. I think I had the opposite makeup journey--started with next to nothing until sometime in college, and have moved on to feeling naked without it. My minimalist look is concealer and eyeliner, mascara if I can swing it. And chapstick. Always chapstick. (But that's more first aid...)

MelancholySmile said...

I'm with you on the foundation, mascara and lip gloss. I have thin lips, so I always have to make my eyes the focus. Do you have a favorite mascara?

Erin said...

I definitely need mascara. You can't see my eyes if I'm not wearing mascara. I like the idea of makeup, but mostly I'm too lazy to take the time to make it work.

Barbaloot said...

I never got into make-up. When I turned 17 one of my sisters-in-law finally got fed up and took me to Nordstrom's to get my make-up done. I'm better about wearing it consistently now...but I still hear, probly too frequently, my dad say something to the effect of, "Don't you wanna put on a little more make-up?" before I leave the house.

Heidi said...

You have a natural beauty that defies the need for make up. :)

Elizabeth said...

I wear more make-up now more than ever as I am seeing all the things I would like to hide on my face. I was never into it in high school or before. I wish someone gave me some sort of tutorial, I just find faces I like and try to copy. I wish I could do eyes like Reese also, mine would turn out looking more black than anything. Did you have a caboodle to store all your make-up in? I'm laughing thinking about it.

wendy said...

I love make up too---well more like NEED make up then love it. Some people have such a knack for applying it just right??? I even had my eyes tatooed with permanent eyeliner. I have enjoyed that. But now as I get older, makeup becomes a little more tricky as it has to be a little more subtle and they say people my age shouldn't wear the shimmery eye shadows. Like I said, it is tricky.

gramalee said...

You were such a cute little vamp! Always questioning why you could not wear your paint to church or other public places. :) Brings back the days! xo

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

I'm so much the same! My mum never wore any so it was quite the adventure trying to figure it out on my own.

Alison Wonderland said...

Well, that's it then, mystery solved. We are, in fact, not the same peron. I don't do make-up.

Pancake said...

I wish I knew how to make my eyes look great like that!

Kazzy said...

One of the nice things about having darker features is that your eyelashes show up. The boys always seemed to like the blond girls in high school, but I could go to school with a little less effort. HA HA That also means plucking those eyebrows every single day (still). Ugh...

Heather said...

I remember looking forward to Christmas for those great make up kits too!

OnGod'sErrand said...

It totally relate to you on the make-up scene. I wasn't allowed any until my 12th birthday and then only a little lipstick. So I think I went a little crazy when I finally got out on my own. But, I still wouldn't dream of leaving home without it! Too bad we put so much emphasis on the outside----we should be looking more "on the heart".

Anne said...

I remember the days!!!! I'm surprised I never got into it with you!? Zero interest for me!

Lara Neves said...

I need to second everything Kazzy said. Even if I get my eyebrows waxed, I still have to pluck every day, so what's the point?

I love make up too. Especially lipstick. But I think everyone already knows that. I can't get away with the dramatic eye makeup, either. I think it might have more to do with that I don't know how to do it right than it does that I couldn't do it all...

And I loved reading your stories. I guess we all have to learn eventually what's acceptable where make up goes, and you were lucky to learn it earlier rather than later. :)

Melissa said...

I have always loved makeup, too. Something about all the pretty colors.... I used to wear purple mascara for heaven's sake! I look way better with makeup than without, but my husband would just prefer that I not wear any. I rarely oblige him.

ncheshire said...

So how'd Greg's haircut go?

Nancy said...

i love the dramatic eyes... i can't pull it off either. even if i could, i don't look like myself to me and therefore, it doesn't look good. you know...?

Little GrumpyAngel said...

I love make-up, too! I have to wear it conservatively because I work in a conservative office plus I am always pressed for time in the morning, but on nights out I can get more creative.