How Do I Girl: Adventures in Make-up Application

So make-up. That’s a thing that exists. I only halfway know what I’m doing when I put make-up on. Most of the time I’m an eyeliner & tinted (barely) lip balm kinda lady but I’m attempting to be paparazzi ready whenever I step out of the house…

And I’m not quite to the point of keeping to it 100% every day (getting there though, I believe in myself).

My new absolute minimum is eyeliner and lip gloss but I’m trying to bump it up to liner, gloss, brows, eyeshadow, blush, and under eye highlight.

The problem is I used to subscribe to the (misogynistic) idea of make-up as a crutch for the longest time. Like writing letters to the editor level of subscription. I believed that women used it to cover their flaws and I figured it was a bigger show of confidence to be make-up free.

We were just never a make-up wearing family (although my grandmother refuses to leave the house without lipstick, which I’m just starting to understand). My aunt always told me that wearing make-up everyday takes away some of the drama when you finally get all dressed up. I appreciate that advice but I’m shifting it just a bit. There are levels and every occasion does not call for a full beat for the gods face.

There’s also the idea of make-up being a part of my work “uniform” and not wearing it takes me out of work mode. This I can stick with verbatim, I just need to be honest about when I need to be in work mode (which occurs more frequently than I’ve been telling myself in the past).

For the EGOTist photo shoot I attempted a full beat face, New School style (see Shot to Death). Highlight, contour, brow definition, the whole shebang.

Took me an hour and a half of trial and error but the final masterpiece (yes, masterpiece) was pretty damn good!

Aside from that the most intimidating make-up moment for me came when I started working in Hong Kong. I was taken to the cosmetology department where I was given make-up, a pack of eyelashes, glue, and a make-up plot. Someone did half of my face and watched over my shoulder as I tried to duplicate what he had done on the other side of my face. I felt like I was doing field surgery. Plus I had never handled a false eyelash in my 21 years of life. But I didn’t have a choice so I practiced and learned and now I can sling on a strip lash like nobody’s business.

So that’s where I am right now. I still hate the feeling of foundation and having to chisel my face off before I go to bed. But I’m liking the way I look with make-up on more and more. I don’t care whether someone else thinks I need it or not. I like the way I look with it. And that’s all that matters.

What appearance/confidence myths do you believe? What was the scariest thing they asked you to do on your first job?

Love,

The EGOTist

#makeovers #image #makeup #confidence #brittanynwilliams #acting #actors