In my house, we were allowed to get our ears pierced at 12, use makeup at 14 and then date at 16. This means I had been waiting to wear makeup for a long time. (But we still got away with using it for "play" and photo shoots. Which is how we ended up with the creepy picture to the left. A little too much America's Next Top Model that summer). All my friends were starting to wear it in middle school and then I finally turned 14 the summer before high school. That did not give me a lot of time to train myself on how to look like a super fly freshman. I definitely had some interesting times with makeup. Like I said I was a fan of the green eye shadow. When I was a freshman in high school I wore a flower in my hair practically every day and I had a lot of green flowers. Like any other practical human-being I matched my eyeshadow to my flowers. Which ended up with me going to school with some crazy makeup choices. No one stopped me or told me a looked dumb. (Though I do remember having a conversation with my mom about using neutral eyeshadow colors while in the Target parking lot. Yeah, luckily I took that into consideration.) The thing with makeup is you have to experiment. You won't know exactly what you are doing at first (I still have no idea) but you will learn and you will continue to learn. And there are so many platforms that can be used when it comes to learning about makeup such as Pinterest, Youtube, Instagram etc. Makeup can be so much fun and can be a great way to express yourself. I have a couple tips that will make makeup a little less scary.
1. Eyebrows should be on fleek. - In my humble opinion, your eyebrows are of the up-most importance. Take care of them. The first time I got them done, I felt extremely powerful. Like I could be the next President. (Sounds silly but you won't understand until you get them done.) Eyebrows can change the whole shape of your face, so take care of them.
2. M-O-I-S-T-E-R-I-Z-E. - This is extremely important. And I am really guilty of not doing this. I always pay for it in the end. Think of it as putting paint on a cracked, dried canvas in comparison to a fresh, smooth one. Your face is the canvas. Take care of it.
3. Wash yo face. - Never sleep with makeup on. You will break out. Every. Single. Time. Don't clog your pores on purpose. That's just dumb.
4. Avoid waterproof mascara. Unless you are going swimming or you know you are going to cry a lot. Avoid the waterproof products because it is really difficult to remove. Meaning you'll be wearing it for days after you put it on.
5. You pay for pigment. - This is actually a tip I picked up while I was in college listening to a makeup designer come in and speak to my Intro to Theatre class. She told us that when we buy makeup we are paying for pigment. Meaning that the cheap dollar store eyeshadow will have less color meaning, you'll have to use more to get that color to really show up. And that's why my expensive Naked 2 palette lasts forever because it has more pigment so I can use less of it.6. Take Theatre. - This one I say kind of jokingly but stage makeup is an art. That can then help you with your day to day routine. I mean look at my flamingo makeup, definitely weaved that into my routine.
But I am definitely not the all knowing makeup God. So I have enlisted so helpers. These girls are really good friends of mine and they just happen to be very talented when it comes to makeup. We all had to take that first step and that first application, but since then, this is what they have learned.
First up is my friend Louise. We have been friends for a long time, since the 4th or 5th grade. We've seen each other through the good, the bad, and the ugly. But today she always looks so put together and lovely. Here is what Louise has to say about makeup. (Louise also takes lots of great pictures, you should check her out on Insta @Rebelphotography3)
5 Thing I Wish Someone Would've Told Me About Makeup
For little girls makeup is often a rite of passage as they grow older their parents may allow them to wear more makeup than before. Learning the correct techniques for applying makeup once you've entered this new and magical world can be quite an adventure. With the endless different types of makeup that is out there today (eyeshadow, foundation, contouring, primers, etc…) entering this world can be a daunting task. Over the years, I've tried lots of different brands and types of makeup and accumulated some tips for those of you taking the leap into this new and confusing world that is makeup.
1.Matching your foundation matters!
I cannot tell you the amount of times I've looked at a foundation and thought “that'll be the perfect color!” without testing it first. This can be such a disappointment when you finally go to wear your new wonderful foundation and it's off by a couple shades. Now fret not, there are some remedies for this unfortunate event. If you get a foundation too dark you can always try to return it or simply save it for summer when you'll be tan enough to wear it. If these things don't work and you absolutely have the wear the wrong color foundation I've found that applying a highlight to your cheeks, forehead, the bridge of your nose and chin can significantly lighten the overall look of your face. WARNING: it is always important to blend your foundation down your neck but it is even more important when the foundation is too dark. If your foundation is too light this is definitely not the end of world. Once again you can try to return it or use it in the winter when you will probably have a lighter skin tone. If this is not an option for you can alway use contouring to help darken you face. Contour the way you normally would. Do not add more contouring than you normally would! So a simple way to avoid all of this nonsense it to always test your foundation before you buy it, especially if you're shelling out the big bucks for a brand name foundation
2.You pay for the quality you get, most of the time….
Now for most of us we have a strict budget that does not include spending sixty plus dollars on makeup when we do need something new. However, there are certain products that are worth spending a little more for.
Eyeshadow primer: this is one products, I would recommend putting some money into. A good primer can make any eyeshadow look better and last longer. I personally use Urban Decay matte primer which is $20. Normally I would not be spending $20 on one single product but I have had the primer for about a year now and haven't had to buy a new one yet.
Eyeshadow: eyeshadow is definitely something that you will get every penny out of. I have found that often drugstore eyeshadow tends to be dull and fall apart or they get used up easily. Buying quality eyeshadow can make a huge difference in the overall look. Most pallets come with at least ten colors and they last quite a while even if you use them ever yday. I've had the Naked 2 palette from Urban Decay for about two years and I have yet to need to replace any of colors.
Foundation: this is one product that I personally prefer to buy from the local Target or Rite Aid. For my skin I have found that Neutrogena's line of foundations are the only ones that don't cause my skin to break out. This is one of the few products that between an $8 or $40 foundation I haven't seen a quality difference (and I have bought a $30 dollar foundation that I hardly ever use.) The key to finding a foundation that is a good match for you is knowing your skin type and finding a foundation that works with it.
Eyeliner and Lipstick: these are two more products that I have never paid more than $10 for. When it comes to eyeliner it's all pretty much the same. Whether you use pencil, liquid or gel eyeliner is more about technique than quality. You could buy the most expensive eyeliner on the market but if you don't know how to apply it won't make a difference. Lipstick is a little different. I am an avid lipstick wearer and I'm sure that there are some very quality lipsticks out there that are more than $7 but it is easier to buy 10-$7 lipsticks than 10-$20 lipsticks and for me lipsticks are the more the merrier.
3. Less is more
Often times it is easy to get carried away with all the different thing out there especially when it comes to facial products! The liquid and powder foundations, concealers, pore minimizers, contouring, bronzers, blush, highlighting it's easy to go overboard. I think the key is to always use less than you think you need to. This goes for about any makeup you put on your face, the more subtle to better. Don't get me wrong, you want to have a good amount of coverage, but you also don't want to end up looking like you're wearing a mask.
4. Find a makeup routine that make sense to you
There are so many video and tutorials out there on the internet that give a million different ways on the order in which you should apply your makeup. Foundation or concealer first? Eyeshadow or foundation first? Eyebrows or eyeshadow first? Honestly, there's no wrong or right way to decide which order to apply your makeup in. It's good to experiment with different orders and techniques until you find the best way for you!
5. Have fun!
Makeup is supposed to be fun. Although it can be hard sometimes makeup is something you should put on because it makes you feel good and you have fun do it. Don't ever let anyone make you feel bad for the makeup you do or don't wear.
Another lovely lady is my best friend Jenni! We always say that we were friends in the womb. My mom claims that I didn't mean Jenni until a couple years after I was born. But we were definitley friends while in utero. I have always looked up to Jenni when it comes to makeup. She always pulls off whatever she does. It's kind of amazing. So here is what she says about makeup.
Makeup is so dope! I spent a lot of my early teenhood “not liking” makeup because it represented all the femininity that I was ashamed of having. But then I, like, did the opposite of what people consider a stereotypical feminist awakening when I was fourteen I found Rookie Magazine and Virgie Tovar and IMMEDIATELY started rubbing makeup all over my face. BEWARE OF LIBERATION, LADIES. It led me to red lipstick and quality skincare.
I found a lot of freedom in being able to decide how I looked, and I got a lot of comfort from the daily ritual of putting makeup on each morning. Those are the two main things that I love about makeup. It’s something that I have to stop and do. I have to physically look at myself and be nice to my face. I like to put a lot of ceremony into my beauty routine. I do things in the same order, and I sit down on the floor so I can really focus on the application. I also like to turn on a podcast or audiobook while I do it. It’s twenty minutes of the most serene self-care out there.
I know that the process is different for everyone, but for me, making room for makeup in my life is almost sacred – it’s the kind of self-love that makes me feel like I can face a day. You can get that from all kinds of things, and makeup isn’t the only thing in my life that makes me feel that way. But it sure is a big one. There is something about physically putting on war paint that makes me feel like I can tackle anything. It’s less about how it makes me look and more about the principle of caring for myself that intensely. It’s nice to consider my face the kind of thing that deserves to be painted.
Last but certainly not least, one of my favorite people in the whole wide world, Marissa! Marissa is definitely a makeup role model. She did own makeup for proms and plays. She was always fabulous and always willing to help others to feel just as fabulous. I definitely say listen to Marissa.
First off, if you are reading this, you are beautiful with or without makeup! But I think that makeup is an awesome way to express yourself, and it can sometimes be a confidence booster. I am, in no way, an expert at makeup but it is so much fun to express myself with the power of makeup. Growing up, I loved watching my mom do her makeup, and couldn't wait until the day that I was allowed to wear it. Personally, I do not wear makeup everyday, but I do have certain makeup styles for different places; like school or date nights. To save money, I try to buy my makeup from drug stores like Walgreens or CVS. I've tried almost every drug store brand, but my absolute favorite is CoverGirl. I just recently started using Mary Kay, but it can be on the expensive side. I do not want to bore you with different makeup tutorials, because there is no "right way" to wear makeup. But I will include a few ways that I like to do my makeup.
On days that I have school, I don't really have a lot of time to put on a full face of makeup. I start by using moisturizer before anything. I have tried so many different moisturizers, but I am using Garnier 2-in-1 moisturizer right now. Then, I put on my Mary Kay foundation primer, Cover Girl True Match foundation and powder, and I sometimes use my Mary Kay bronzer. If I wake up early enough, and have enough energy to do so, I put on a little bit of mascara. When I go on a date, or out with friends, I do the same exact thing, with a few more steps. I fill in my eyebrows with brown eyeshadow and an eye shadow brush. I also use Elf liquid eyeliner. Again, if I'm not feeling lazy, I will do a smokey eye shadow. I recently started wearing Elf lipstick, but I haven't decided if I love it yet. 
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