I was reading one of my favorite blogs yesterday, by Murr Brewster, and she was talking about how she didn't wear makeup. It was a real revelation to me, after reading her many, many commenters, just how many women gave up makeup at a certain point in their lives and had never looked back.
There was a time when I wouldn't even go to the mailbox at the bottom of my driveway without putting on my face. On went the base, the powder, the eyeliner and eye shadow, the mascara, the lipstick and a spritz of perfume. Then, I was ready to be seen in public.
In my younger days, I haunted the makeup departments in the department stores and subjected my self to "makeovers", wherein a sales clerk put layer after layer of goop on my face. On these occasions, I always left the department store loaded down with creams, astringents, eyelash curlers, eyebrow brushes, makeup brushes, all the tools I would need to apply the makeup that would, theoretically, make me look as though I wasn't wearing makeup. I actually went out of there looking like I was ready to appear in the Mikado, or, worse, like I was headed for my night job as a "professional" woman, if you get my drift.
After years of this torture, and as I got older and older, I decided it wasn't worth it any more. So I stopped, a little at a time. I got rid of the tools, the eye shadow, then the base makeup, but kept using the loose powder so I wouldn't shine. I didn't throw it all away, I just gradually cut back.
The first few times I went out without makeup, I expected to see people recoiling in horror, but nothing happened. No one spun around and ran away from me. In fact, no one seemed to even notice. I didn't know how I felt about THAT, but I think I was relieved.
Nowadays, I do wear powder, mascara and a little eyeliner and lipstick when I have to go to the doctor. I don't want him thinking I look sick, now do I? But, mostly, I just comb my hair, wash my face, and go. Free at last!
Stay tuned.
![](<a href="http://s57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/Bettyann24/?action=view¤t=supcomment.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/Bettyann24/supcomment.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>)
6 comments:
That's funny. I never wore make-up until just a few years ago--eyebrow pencil (because my eyebrows are white) and some lip gloss.
When I was in my mid-teens, we moved to Texas: land of make-up and big hair. Later, as a young wife and mother, I would occasionally go to the store with my hair in curlers (a scarf around them) so I'd look nice when my husband came home from work, but I would NEVER have gone without makeup. These days if I'm going out where someone will have both the time and the interest to inspect me, the most I'll do is put on five minutes' worth of powder, eyebrow pencil, mascara, lipstick and (to distinguish my beige face from my gray-beige hair) a little powdered blush. If I'm in a hurry I eliminate the powder. I hate to waste time and effort, so if I have a makeup-worthy event scheduled, I try to clump other errands around it. If I weren't so pale, I'd probably never wear it.
Great topic. I've also been thinking of doing a post on this subject as I have cut back a smidge on the makeup and been ok. If I don't have blush and lipstick, though, people ask if I'm sick. I have no color in my face without makeup. Maybe some with and without photos?
I struggled to get "made-up" daily when we bought this campground 10 years ago. I realized after the first 4 years that it was a waste of my gardening time! Not to mention that sweat would simply wash all my efforts away. I focus mainly on my eyes when I bother. I find the older I get, the more comfortable I am with myself.
When I had youth on my side, I only wore lipstick and some mascara. Then as the bloom wore off, I found that without at least lipstick, I looked ready for embalming. So today, that is my only make up. You would think with all the money I saved on cosmetics, I'd be better off.
Aww. Thanks for the linky link. I don't care who you all are, you look just fine without all the goo. There. I said it.
Post a Comment