fabulous makeup and prettiness

Erica just posted some pics of Mirella looking pretty for her homecoming dance. She looked just like a doll--big pink frou frou dress, perfect accessories, perfect makeup. I can remember being just like that once upon a time.

The funny thing is looking at me now on an everyday basis, one would never know that I used to obsessively shuffle through pages of Vogue and W looking for the immaculate faces to try & duplicate at home. I was obSeSsED with makeup. I practically drooled everytime Kevyn Aucoin would have a 6-page spread in Allure. I would turn on my music, (something cheesy I'm sure--think Alicia Silverstone-era Aerosmith) bust out my cheap brushes, makeup--a mix of Lancome samples, Revlon pencils and MAC powders, and be happily on my way to creating a masterpiece. I was usually pretty successful. I could draw a perfect black line above my lashes like no other...with a pencil, mind you. And in the world of makeup--as you can see on so many amateurs walking around the mall--that is not an easy task to pull off.

But today, in the midst of getting the boys off to school, caring for a 6-month-old, and congratulating myself if I shower everyday, having a flawless Kevyn A. face is not a priority.

Last night, however, it was. Last night I got all dolled up and played with my makeup like I was 16 again. I know I look like a completely different person when I do this, and I'm ok with that. IH must have told me I looked beautiful about 100 times last night--and ET even noticed the difference. The thing is, I hardly ever wear makeup anymore for no reason, so my boys think something is up if my eyes are lined or there's a little extra rosiness on my cheeks. Usually I'll just put some moisturizer on and I'm out the door. There was one day that I put some mascara and lip gloss on for no good reason. When I picked B-Boy up from school, he was like, "Where are you going?"

So, no--makeup isn't the answer to feeling pretty. That's not my point. I truly believe that feeling pretty will come from within you if you feel it inside. Hot pink lip gloss, jet-black liner, and three coats of mascara are only the cherries on top. But they aren't the fake maraschino kind--they're like the freshly fallen from the tree, sweet-as-hell, dark red and juicy kind. And I mean reeeeally juicy.