When it comes to make-up, I have no idea what goes where or for what each brush is best suited. I’m exaggerating, albeit only slightly. Of course I know that blush goes on your cheeks and lip gloss on your lips, but as far as having a make-up routine, I’ve got nothin’.
Part of it is hereditary; while I was cursed with ugly legs, I was blessed with good skin, so most days, I simply put on lotion with SPF and call it a day, even when running errands or meeting a girlfriend for coffee. But, there are some nights that call for make-up, such as a black tie event, NYFW or a gal pal’s birthday dinner. However, my knowledge is limited and I end up styling my make-up one way. All the time.
As a woman in my 30’s, I felt that I should have at least some understanding of make-up and be able to play to my strengths, like my long eyelashes and using colors that are best suited for my skin tone. On the nights I would get dolled up, I would put on a tinted moisturizer like it was lotion, rubbing it first in my hands and then slapping it onto my face. On top of that, I used a bronzer and under-eye illuminator that a make-up artist used on me 2 years ago on the Today Show set. And I still had the same compact and tube that I purchased after said show… again, two years ago. For the bronzer, I would grab a large brush, which to be clear, is the ONLY brush I owned, drag it through the powder and poof it on my face. To highlight my long lashes, I would curl them with an eyelash curler, purchased from a drugstore. I rarely wore mascara, because it would go bad before I’d had the change to wear it more than twice (aren’t you supposed to throw it out every three months?). Lipstick or lip gloss (and this is the saddest of all) are samples that come in 500 bonus point gifts from Sephora or other samples that would somehow accumulate in my make-up bag. And to be clear, the make-up bag to which I’m referring holds Chapstick, a Tide pen and wet naps; no make-up in sight. The accumulation of points? They come from skin care purchases. I believe in full transparency!
While I consider myself a “girlie-girl” this is an area where I am a true novice, so I decided to change. It all started when I asked a friend about a “fan brush” and we decided to make a trip to pursue the fake eyelashes in a local beauty store. It was downhill from there. With two people helping me, I walked out with a few things:
- Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer
- Tweezerman eyelash curler
- NARS Orgasm blush in a compact (I had the stick, which was cream based, but would never rub it in all the way, so it looked caked on my face – not the look I was going for! This color looks good on everyone.)
- Clinique Black Honey lip gloss (Another color that looks good on everyone, and exclusive to Sephora)
- Two set of different eyelashes (for fun and special occasions only. My wonderful friend has promised a tutorial to help me with getting them in place).
- A fan brush: I recently saw a photo of one in a piece I was reading and found it beautiful. I wanted one. Next step: learning how to use it!
Being my first foray into the wide world of cosmetics, I realize that I have a long way to go and many products to try, until I find the ones that work best for me. Thankfully, it’s a process to practice and not one that I have to master. Next up: brushes and their use. They look so beautiful and appealing when they sitting in a holder, on a bathroom sink. But, I don’t want to collect them as art, I want to use them as tool. There’s still so much to learn…
Genuine Joy 