Once upon a time, when I was young and fair I was ambivalent about makeup. When I got married in the late seventies I very nearly did not wear any. It was only my bridesmaids persuasion that got me into any at all. Nearly thirty years later, makeup has to be one of my best friends. Since then I have undergone a metamorphosis into makeup woman, even (and I still can hardly believe this one applying it, advising on it and selling it).
Why the change? Well up until 20 years ago there was not one, my skin has always been good and spot free and like many women I did not feel I needed it apart from a swish from a mascara wand and a smear of something pale and barely there on the lips so I felt vaguely feminine. What brought the change? Training as an image consultant was one factor although at the time I was very keen on the idea of ignoring the makeup part of my course and just concentrating on colour and style. And I remember being pretty verbal when every time I turned up for training they (the trainers) made me put makeup on before we started. And the colours were not pale and retiring as I had been used to, but rich and vibrant a bit like my colouring.
Makeup
The first traitor was my significant other who had been kind enough to be my chauffeur for the first week of training and consequently had viewed me waving him off as pale and uninteresting and returning as glam and colourful. He did not mention the transformation all week until it came up in conversation probably me expressing my horror at the whole thing, he said " ...actually I quite like it...". So the seed was set, my other half who I thought would not notice if I dressed in a bin liner and flip flops had not only seen my make up transformation every day but liked it! So I did complete the make up part of the course and I did start applying it to my clients. Hence over the years I have talked makeup with many women and I know that my original attitude to make up was not unusual as other people have said similar things. And wearing pale makeup is usually a sign that the wearer is not confident about the right shades to wear, this can make or break your look.
Another reason for wearing few cosmetics is an idea that it can clog your skin, this also seemed a fairly fashionable idea in the eighties but has since been disproved as many of the foundations have sun protection factors and actually form a barrier against the elements so this excuse is no longer relevant. Also I have found that many women are unsure of how to apply what makeup they have effectively because no one has taught them the right techniques In the last twenty years I have seen many people transformed by having the right makeup applied in the best way for their features and in colours to complement them. I also think that there comes a time in every woman's life when they look in the mirror and think if only I knew what I was doing.
Quite often this can be on the eve of a big event and the person is all togged up in their finery, flattering outfit in a good colour, jewellery, killer heels, matching accessories and no makeup. If this is you it is never too late, every woman has a right to look good in makeup, and a visit to someone like me who knows about colour and make up may be exactly the answer you are looking for.
Makeup - To Wear Or Not To Wear?
Find out more at ColourMeBeautiful. Book an Image Consultant or a MakeUp Lesson with Colour Me Beautiful.
Cindy Rossiter has been a Nottinghamshire award winning consultant with Colour Me Beautiful in the U.K. since 1991.