I remember my first foray into the beauty world. I was 13, and my mom took me to the mall to get “skin typed” at the Clinique counter. There I was, in my awkward, slightly pimply, teenage angst, learning about all the failings of my face from a woman in a white lab coat. I found out I had combination skin (gasp!), slightly prone to breakouts (agony!). Apparently, this was cause for great consternation, judging from the concern exhibited by my beauty-queen mother and the SA as they discussed my prescribed skin care regimen in hushed voices. Finally, they laid it on me: I was to commit to daily scrubbing with a large, half-moon, yellow bar of soap, followed by “exfoliation” via Clarifying Lotion 2, capped off with moisturization (must prevent the wrinkles!) with the ever-ubiquitous Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. Feeling overwhelmed and slightly numb, I nodded my agreement, Mom handed over her credit card, and a deal with the devil was made.
And such began my journey into the world of skincare and makeup.
Since then, I’ve become a fanatic, surpassing even my mother’s wildest dreams. Not even the craziest, most drunken night in college could keep me from removing every trace of makeup each night…even when there was a very real possibility that I might pass out and knock myself unconscious on the sink while doing so. When I read that the sun was responsible for 80% of premature aging, I became the only girl on the quad who insisted on staying ghostly white each Spring, for fear I would see a wrinkle pop up in my 20′s. I was fascinated with every lotion, potion, serum, and powder that arrived on the market. I researched every “miracle” ingredient that came on the scene, and scraped together my pennies so I could be amongst the first to try them. While my friends were spending money decorating their first apartments, I was blowing my paychecks in the cosmetics department. While their idea of “Happy Hour” was margaritas after work, mine was a makeover, a pedicure, or a facial on a Saturday afternoon.
I even went so far as to become a Counter Manager for several high-end department store cosmetics lines, which fed my obsession for a few years. I was on the forefront of the research and got to share my knowledge with everyone who came within hearing distance. I became a makeup artist and realized just how much a new look could really affect a woman’s entire attitude about life. I learned that a new red lipstick could solve almost any problem.
Of course, I eventually grew up a little and realized the retail life was not the life for me. Then I grew up some more and had 3 daughters, and ended up working in a decidedly UN-glamorous job with the school district so I could be home with them as much as possible. But I still have my obsession, and I hope to share it here, as I try new products and discuss which of them end up in the “keep” box rather than the trash. And I plan to do it all wearing my favorite red lipstick.
If you have any comments or suggestions for me, please feel free to contact me at lipstickdiva@comcast.net. I'd love to hear from you!
