I’ve officially decided that being a girl is overwhelming. I’ve never been much of a girl in the traditional sense. I don’t dress girlie, I don’t wear makeup, and I don’t generally do my hair. For me, it’s about ease… I don’t like being as lave to my mirror. However, as I’m closing in on 30 I’m finding that my taste is changing and I’m desiring to embrace my femininity a bit. I never had a good example for makeup from mother as her makeup was usually applied for work (exotic dancer… more ‘normal’ than most of the girls she worked with, but it’s essentially stage makeup), and my Nana doesn’t wear makeup.
When it comes to clothing, I would have to say that I’m a bit old fashioned, and I don’t like bright colors. So, when I dress to go out it tends to be very understated. Compound that with my normal everyday clothing of jeans and a black t-shirt, I’m just a boring tomboy.
For the last two days I’ve been watching one of my favorite YouTube gurus, Michelle Phan. I’ve been following her for just over a year, and her skin care tutorials are excellent. Most of the supplies can be found in your kitchen, and are very gentle and non aggravating. Her makeup tutorials are very nice too, but the few times I’ve tried them out, it’s been a disaster. It’s not her, though, it’s me. It’s a disaster when I try to figure out what colors to use, and the techniques are hard as well. To top it off, I feel completely inadequate when I don’t understand something, or can’t do it. It drives me nuts.
I spent all of last week trying to figure out what my overall skin tone was but couldn’t. So, in turn, I was unable to figure out what my undertones were. I don’t know how important undertones are, but I know that general skin tone is important. Cool, warm… I have no idea what the hell I am.
We're still flying... 
Alls I know is I like make-up. Especially lipstick. I’m a bit of a red lipstick whore (I have a couple dozen different reds that you would probably think were too close to the same). but I couldn’t tell you what my skin tone it. I can do greens and grey tones. Pink makes me look bruised. trial and error.
Ooo.. I’d love to wear red. I wear lots of earthy tones… mostly brown , or dark grey. I tend to pick stuff that’s just too dark. I have very full lips, so when I put it on, it’s just too much!
I was very much in the same boat regarding make up. Here’s how I learned (it involves a slight splurge but worth it): having a pro do it.
There’s two choices – one, get a make up artist to get you prettied up before a big event, or go into a swanky store like mac and have one of the salesladies do it, and explain how it’s done.
Make sure it’s one of the pricey stores, not a department store – just to make sure they know what they’re doing. That’s where the splurge comes in – they will probably work on you long enough for you to feel guilty enough to buy at least some of their products – but think of it as going to a class or something. 🙂
Do the kids that work in those places actually know what they’re doing, though? We have a MAC store, but when I popped my head in, the girls behind the counter weren’t old enough to drink. I mean, maybe that makes me ‘age-ist’ or something, dunno. It’s a good idea. Maybe looking for someone who does their makeup like I’d like to would work.
hmmm, maybe your mac store is extra-sucky. on the other hand, it probably wouldn’t hurt to pop in and give it a spin. if they’re no good, then you won’t feel guilty if you don’t buy anything. 🙂