Surprisingly my makeup journey, although taking some bad turns along the way, started out on a good path

My first memories of a true makeup collection are from my 12^th Birthday. All my friends and family bought me little makeup items consisting of a lot of NYC, BonneBelle and unknown brands I can’t remember today. There were a few good staples, such as the Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes in the little pink tubes (that’s everyone’s first mascara isn’t it?), but there were also quite a few duds, like the NYC LipGloss in shimmery, champagne/bronze shades that I wore regularly. All of this was stashed in a fish and tackle box……that was the way my friends did it and it made sense.

Fast forward through a few years of sticky, shimmery taupe lips, body sparkle in gel form, and white eyeliner to my 16^th Birthday – when things got real. All I wanted for my birthday was a MAC make over, and that’s what I got, converting my stash to almost exclusively MAC products. This included holy grail items like MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation, which I still use off-and-on today, as well as some products that I used religiously and now wouldn’t think of purchasing, such as the Clear LipGlass. I was deeply in love with the Naked Lunch shimmery pink eye shadow and I didn’t think mascara was a necessary step in makeup application.

Everything changed again when I made an appointment at the NARS counter for my Prom. Sigh…..it was meant to be. I pat my past self on the back for that one.

I like to think of those high school makeup days as the doorway to my love and knowledge of beauty. I may have had a few tips and tricks up my sleeve back then, but there are also quite a few things I’d love to go back and tell 16yo me.

No.1: STOP waxing your eyebrows. Never was too attractive and I always had a slight reaction.

No. 2: Have a little more confidence. I may have been a chubby awkward girl, but my body language and stance made me even more so. Stand up straight and smile once in awhile.

No. 3: Stop washing your hair everyday! Not only is it damaging for all hair types, but especially for curly hair!!! That explains the frizzball – oh and by the way, curly hair with straight bangs was weird. No need to clip it back so much.

My shimmery eyed, shiny faced, stringy haired days were just as awkward as most people’s and helped me learn a lot in the realm of beauty. It’s always fun to look back and have a giggle. I’m still trying to learn my hair (that may be a life-long struggle), but my makeup journey has been pretty smooth and I love continuing today!

Look back on your makeup journey. What did you learn that helped you today?