I grew up at a time when it became pretty confusing to be considered a “girl”. Young boys used the word “girl” with curled lip contempt. “You throw like a girl”, “You’re can’t-you’re just a girl”. One day in class at Catholic School a nun asked, "Who wants to be an altar boy?" My hand shot up immediately. Get to wear cool long robes and ring the bell at the altar during Mass-count me in! Only to be told I couldn't be an altar boy, because I was a girl. I did not see what that had to do with it since wearing a long skirt and bell-ringing did not require any particular male skill set.
Soon after came the Feminist Movement and women were refusing to be called girls, and being pretty was “out”. They rejected mascara and lipstick along with supportive undergarments. Skirts were viewed as symbols of societal suppression.
I never really identified with the Women’s Movement, but not because I disagreed with the issues. I just felt that everyone deserved to have equal rights and opportunities, and that a Humanist Movement made more sense. That did not stop me from going through a phase of trying to wear as little make-up as possible. When your eyebrows and eyelashes are blonde a smudge of eyeliner goes a long way.
Eventually I just embraced the fact that I was born a girl who loved make-up. I love putting on make-up and I love shopping for make-up. If I had nothing but time on my hands I would change my make-up a couple of times a day just to play with colors! Instead I have honed my make-up sessions down to a routine that I can accomplish in just a few minutes since most days that is what my schedule demands. I could happily be a make-up artist because I would love to watch the transformation that a special hue can make.
Cosmetics are an art form and the face is a canvas. Finding the correct shade of foundation, blush, and lipstick can elevate natural beauty to a new level. Most of us want to look younger and look our best, and make-up can make that happen.
Isn’t Nature enough, and should we really be so concerned with how we look? In many forms of design and creativity it’s all in the details. The right moldings can make a room look splendid. Sculpted architectural embellishments transform a rectangular box of a building into a cherished landmark. I love watching the home renovations shows on cable TV. Creating beauty is as basic to humans as eating and breathing. And it can start in our own bathroom mirrors.
Bringing forth the best in ourselves tells others we are on our game, and contributes to a better environment. At least, that is what I tell myself, as I paint and powder! Yes, a barefaced woman can be a judge, or a surgeon, or a professor, and be taken seriously by her colleagues. Credentials are a powerful “selling” point. But studies show that first impressions are door-openers to some of the games of life. A smart woman, sharply dressed, and beautifully made-up can also be a judge, a surgeon, or a professor. Impressions and PR do matter, and how we present ourselves is a clue to others about how we approach life.
For me, more than anything else, make-up is fun. I think there is pure delight in shimmery pigments, curly eyelashes, and heavenly creams. And with all the new botanical lines, beauty can be healthy, too.
I do agree that standards of beauty are very personal. Last week I ran into an old friend I had not seen in years. Her hair had turned a beautiful shade of silver, which were a beautiful backdrop to her sky-blue eyes. She had dabbed on just a touch of mascara, and she looked truly lovely. Not only her face, but her humor and warm personality, were complemented perfectly.
Another silver-haired lady I met recently asked me if she needed to wear make-up like me to find a husband at her age. She told me she hated the feel of foundation on her face. I suggested that she could find a guy who doesn’t want a lady who wears make-up like me. My husband is smart enough to tell me he thinks I look fine without make-up. But he never objects to the time I spend primping.
So, along the way I learned that Girls Rule, although being a girl is a game without rules. Girly or not, make-up is about personal style. The most important thing is to have one, because style is the expression of who we are and how we want the world to perceive us. Making a mark in the world is all about our goals and what we do to achieve them, but there is no reason we can’t look good doing it.
Want to prepare your canvas and wake-up your face in the morning? I like to use a Jade Roller. I scrupulously clean my face at night, but in the morning I don’t cleanse again so that my skin can maintain its own balance. I just use the Jade Roller to “iron” out sleep creases (not to mention wrinkles) and I roll out any puffiness and, hopefully, to tighten. I give special attention to the neck. This only takes a couple of minutes, but improving the circulation of blood and lymph (the white blood system of the body) seems to be a tonic for the face. Look for a good quality roller that rolls smoothly and doesn’t squeak. There are dozens on sale at Amazon like this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RW5GD28?aaxitk=JDH5AVbqH2Yq5rP4dkIvJw&pd_rd_i=B07RW5GD28&pf_rd_p=44fc3e0f-4b9e-4ed8-b33b-363a7257163d&hsa_cr_id=9646797750301&sb-ci-n=productDescription&sb-ci-v=Deciniee%20Jade%20Roller%20and%20Gua%20Sha%20Tools%20Set%20-%20100%25%20Real%20Natural%20Nephrite%20Jade%20Roller%20for%20Face%2C%20Eye%2C%20Neck%20-%20Anti%20Aging%20Jade%20Facial%20Roller%20Massager%20for%20Slimming%20%26%20Firming%20-%20Rejuvenate%20Skin
Sending a big kiss (after using a tissue to wipe off my lipstick ;-))