Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Cosmetic frivolity + life lesson. With fake lashes. Wink wink bat bat.

So what I learned through the makeup process was something I've learned about myself in every other piece of my life. It is this: almost everything with me is a process of elimination.

I don't necessarily know what I want until I find it. Which means you necessarily try a lot of what you don't want.

Remember my gazillion dates? No, no, no, maybe, but no, and more no. And then, hello Nick! And at that point, knew exactly what I wanted.

So this was how I plowed through my dating career. And much of my work career. I have had more boyfriends than jobs, but my resume is not a short one.

It's not the easiest way to go through life. Nor the most expedient. If it's your MO, I imagine you will agree.

So back to the business at hand.

I got a recommendation on a makeup artist from a friend who worked in the makeup business for years. About a month ago I did a trial run.

The end result was that I really liked her, but I hated the makeup.

This woman was so pretty, and her makeup was impeccable. The whole time she was putting my makeup on, I was sitting there thinking, "She's just so beautiful!"

I wanted to ask her how it feels to be that beautiful. But what a weird question to ask.

At the recommendation of my friend, I'd pulled pictures out of a bunch of magazines with the general look(s) I thought I liked.

When she was done, I looked in the mirror, and was kind of confused. It just didn't really look like me. My maid of honor was over, and she felt the same.

The makeup artist said to sit with it, to think about it, and think about what I liked, didn't, etc.

So she left, and we analyzed what was wrong, what wasn't sitting well with us. And came to the conclusion that I looked kind of like I'd been snatched out of a European village at a young age, sold into prostitution, been hard-used, escaped, and started my life over. And was now trying to look younger and fresher through makeup.

I say this not to be mean or denigrate her makeup skills. As I said, her look was perfect.

It was just a look that really, really didn't work for me. And taught me the power of makeup. My face looked more round than it actually is. My eyes, which point, looked round. And I looked like I had a whole lot more wrinkles than I do.

Although I am loathe to put this up, here's proof I'm not exaggerating. Don't you agree?

I didn't say any of this to her. But I also didn't want to risk hating the apparent shape of my face on my wedding day. And so I said was that in looking at our budget again, we had decided to forgo paying for makeup application.

Which was my precise intention. It freaked me out to lose control over how my face looks.

A week later, my mom and I went to the mall. We were walking past the Lancome counter, when an attractive woman with really cool glasses asked if she could help us. She had a visiting makeup artist that day.

And I sat down, and she did my makeup, and I just felt pretty. And sparkly. And not at all like I was recovering from a kidnapped life of use.

To make things even more fun, while she was doing Betty's makeup, we talked about the wedding. She asked if I was going to wear false eyelashes. And then said if I walked over to MAC and bought some, she'd put them on for me.

Which she did. And I kind of loved it. This photo I put up above shows the lashes best, I think.

I wanted to take her home with me and ask her to make me look like that every single day. But instead, I asked her if she's free the 27th.

I am waiting for confirmation, and if she can't do it, I'd already decided to do my own. I do love those fake eyelashes, though.

24 comments:

  1. hubba hubba!
    you look awesome! (in the top picture of course, because in the bottom one you look like Okasan Bayoul's (sp?)long lost twin)

    and i'm with you on the problems... i always know what i DON'T want, i never have a clue what i want until i find it. i use the process of elimination by always taking out what i will not tolerate and usually end up with exactly what i wanted (but i just didn't know it). it's a terrible way to live life but at least i have some sort of clue... imagine the sad sacks that don't have a clue what they like, even when they see it.

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  2. Are there people who do things through any method other than process of elimination? Who are these people?

    Anyway, I've never worn false eyelashes because mine are pretty out there on their own- but I've always been curious. They look fantastic and sparkly on you and I say go for it- for sure.

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  3. yay for trial runs! yep, for some reason the first time doesn't look as fresh. but WOW! the second time/first picture looks fantastic. i love it!

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  4. I told you that Lancome was awesome. You are one pretty lady.

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  5. pretty! Sparkly! Lashy! Red Lipsticky!

    That is exactly how I think you should look. It looks like you, including the hair, just more sparkly.

    Not that my opinion matters. At all. But you look GRRRRRRReat.

    :)

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  6. I think it's beautiful - The make up is perfect! Trial runs are a life saver. Yay pretty bride!

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  7. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she is available, one of the great stress relievers for me was having my hair and makeup done. I told my artist to make me look virginal... We all laughed...

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  8. You look fantastic with those falsies!

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  9. You look so lovely. There is no other word for it!

    And yes, your face definitely does look decidedly... rounder... in the other picture. Teh oddness.

    Definitely go with sparkles and glitter and falsies! Love it!

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  10. I lovelovelove the makeup. AND, false eyelashes! But I do feel like I would not be a good friend if I didn't warn you; falsies are like getting bumped to first class. You will never want to go back! =-)

    I will cross my fingers that she is free on the 27th, as well.

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  11. You look like Grace Kelly in that first pic. I'm not touching that second pic, but will say it doesn't do you justice.

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  12. I like the lashes! Sometimes it's the make-up itself settling into the really tiny lines that makes you look older. Then there's the opposite "erased face" look that newscasters tend to have, which might look OK on TV, but looks weird in person. Fingers crossed that lady you like is available.

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  13. Totally not sure what to comment on this post, other than to say I just realized I think I'm in a gender minority when it comes to remarking on your posts.

    You're gorgeous, Nick's lucky, happy wedding!

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  14. Oh, thank you! You all made me feel so good!

    notsojenny - Hahaha! Yes! that is who I look like! her twin! It is hard, but at least it's varied.

    Nicole - I have really long (blonde) lashes, so you can't see them unless I wear mascara. And then they're crazy long. But not as crazy as fake ones. Really amazing.

    MrsMac - Thank you! And the one where I looked fresher was taken 5 hours later, where the "less fresh" one was taken immediately. Makeup is wild!

    Lemmonex - You did, and you were right! Thank you!

    Slightly Disorganized - Um. It's not red. It's Veil of Rose. :) Or something like that. And you are right - you called it. Long ago. Thank you sweetie!

    Canaan - Thank you! I think she did an amazing job!

    Soph - You just made me laugh out loud. That's a fantastic instruction to give! You always have had a great sense of humor!

    Maiden Metallurgist - Yay falsies!

    LivitLuvit - Thank you! So sweet! And I know, odd. Really interesting that can happen.

    Ryane - That definitely makes me nervous. Having been bumped to first class, I begrudge cattle class all the more. Every. Single. Time. :)

    FreckledK - Thank you - what a lovely thing to say! And the second pic, sigh, I know.

    J - That makes sense. I was wondering why all the wrinkles. Yah, fingers crossed!

    Simple Scholar - Ah, thank you so much! And yes, you are definitely in the gender minority. I don't know how many guys read this blog, but I think not many.

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  15. Heh, Red, Pink, Rose. Whatever, it looks fantastic.

    Also, is it weird that I know which number those MAC lashes are. #7's right?

    Heh, the hardships of being a former makeup artist. :)

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  16. false lashes..are my verrry fave beauty "trick"!
    and yours look loook hot!
    xoxo

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  17. Gorgeous! Your skin is flawless. Please share skin care regimine!

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  18. the top picture looks great! I love false eyelashes, but I can never get them to stay on my face.

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  19. Slightly Disorganized - Yes! You called it exactly! She said to walk over to MAC and ask for #7 lashes. First time I haven't been intimidated by a MAC counter. Ever.

    suicide blond - Who knew? So much fun!! Thank you!

    HKW - Ahh, thanks! Loads of foundation in that pic. Otherwise, usually Cetaphil for washing and for night (which several different dermatologists recommended), Oil of Olay 30 for day. I tried this wrinkle reducing cream from the dermatologist but it gave me nose rot. So I'm waiting till after the wedding to deal with wrinkles in any way, shape or form.

    Maxie - I've never tried. She said to let the glue dry a little first so it gets really sticky. Maybe this will help?

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  20. You look absolutely beautiful. Those eyelashes rock!

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  21. I hope she's available too - your makeup looks great in the first one, but if she's not, you could still wear fake lashes - a couple tips - any of the MAC artists at the MAC counter will usually apply them for you. So say you did all your own makeup anyway and wanted them to just put on the fake lashes, they would do that. Also...you can put them on yourself, but I would recommend practicing if you've never done it before. And also not being in a harried rush on the actual day of when you're trying to do it. :-) Good luck.

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  22. Great lashes - too cute! Can I ask you a question, and not seem to freaky? The lipstick in the top pic (coral-ish) - can you tell me who makes it? I love that color to pieces!!

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  23. DCup - Thank you! I really love them! So much fun.

    Anonymous - She just wrote and said SHE IS! Yay!

    Susan - The lipstick was Voile de Rose, but the lipgloss changes the shade to more coral-y than just pink. It was three things, and I bought them all - lipstick, lipliner, and gloss. They're at Nick's and I won't be there till Thurs night, but if you want the names of all, email me to remind me, I'll look.

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  24. Good, good call on going with the top pic over the bottom pic. The eyelashes are lovely--I'm so jealous!

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