Beauty Is A Duty

There are some lessons you learn early and they stick with you a lifetime.  If you know me then you know I rarely leave the house without make up on.  On the rare occasion that I do then it's sunglasses and lip gloss.....always lip gloss. Why?  Who cares?  Shouldn't we all be loved and accepted for who we are the inside?  Let me share some insight....  My mom was always one to "put her face on".  Whenever we wanted to go anywhere my mom always said, "Just let me get my face on."  It always seemed like such a weird thing to say.  So, one day I needed a ride somewhere and didn't want to be late.  My mom gave me her usual "Face On" line and went to her bathroom to get working on that.  I went into the bathroom and said. "MAAHHMM....no one cares if you have your make up on.  No one will see you.  You're not even getting out of the car!!!  Let's just go....I can't be late.  No one's looking at you anyways!"  (I was a mouthy, bratty teen.)  She spun around, aptly armed with a mascara wand shaking in her hand and said.."Carolyn...Beauty is a DUTY.....and DON'T you forget it!!!"  Lesson learned.

But as you grow up and get busy with kids, family, work, church service and life in general it's just so easy to stop caring.  Right?

There is always something more important to do then get up the energy to "Put your face on!"

Maybe it's because it's like a thousand degrees outside and any attempt to put make up on is met with melting goo sliding off my face as quickly as it goes on. Maybe it's because in my 50's, concealer has become the most important tool in my tool box. There are days when it just seems to be too much.   Mister is partial to make up.  I learned early in our marriage that if I spent the day cleaning the house to perfection but didn't have time to get out of my pajamas before he got home he'd ask what I had done all day. GRRR...   BUT...if I read a book all day and managed to put on my face and do my hair before he got home then he would say....oh, you had such a busy day!

Most days I do manage to get my face on.  It helps the day feel just a little special. You know that on the day you don't get fixed up that's the day something wonderful happens and the only thought on your mind will be, "Crap...I forgot to get ready for this!"

Those of you who never wear make up, good for you.  I applaud you.  I personally can't pull it off.  It would scare the neighbors and their children.  It helps me feel ready for the day.  In fact as I sat down to type, my hair had dried from my shower into a curly, homeless mess.  I couldn't do it.  There was nothing.  I went to the bathroom, turned on the turbo cooling fan, wrangled the blow dryer, flat iron and round brush and NOW I can work.

It seems shallow to admit that I'm a make up junkie but I am.  My grandmother gave me my first Estee Lauder make up extravaganza box when I was 14 and I was hooked.  I'm not talking about a grand and spacious beauty box, but a well stocked tote tray works wonders.

It's not about looking like some glammed up Hollywood train wreck searching for relevance on TMZ or being something you're not.  It's about putting your best self out into the world.  My best self just happens to include, make up, hair spray, lip gloss and enough self tanner on my legs to try and disguise the road map of veins currently living there.  Everyday choose to make a difference.  Make someone laugh and give someone love.  Just make sure you do it with lip gloss on!

P.S.  Next week we are going on our first ever road trip as a family. I'll keep you posted.