The Power of Makeup | My 'Makeup Story'

I must of been about 11 or 12 when I got my first 'box' of makeup for Christmas from one of my aunts. It was one of those sets you would find in Boots back in the early naughties. Big fold out plastic thing full of brown eyeshadows, red sticky lipsticks and red blushers. (There is even a photo of me holding it!) I remember thinking 'Makeup? What do I do with that?' needless to say I wasn't too excited about but like all girls I had a play around with it but wasn't really that 'into' it at the time.

A bit like this but far less awesome!

Fast forward a few years to the age of 14 and a half and another Christmas with another makeup set. This time it was cream eyeshadows in a bubble like container. Now I was starting to get interested. The colours were pretty cool and I freaking loved that set. I remember there being a bright metallic blue and a shimmery green and my favourite the metallic purple. I used to wear it all over my lid and under my lash line with a generous helping of mascara, both top and bottom with black khol liner on my waterline. Sounds bad but I didn't care I felt good and I really loved it!

Between this age and about 16 was my experimental ages where I was more daring with my eye makeup, bringing the colour up towards my eyebrows and highlighting underneath said brows with white shadow. Sounds worse than it was, but also with my makeup experiments came harsh 'boy comments'.

I remember one distinct one from a boy in my class while we were waiting to go in to our science class. I was proud of my makeup that day. It was light and shimmery and blue and looked quite pretty and I remember him saying to me: 'I don't think your eyeshadow is meant to go up to your eyebrows', in that tone that idiot boys have! I immediately felt embarrassed and ashamed, the worse thing was, this was a boy I didn't even talk to at school, he was a 'popular kid' and I was an 'inbetweener' but I found myself rubbing at my eyes to get it off. I knew what he had said was just to be mean but it really affected me. I was just a shy 15 year old and the comment of a popular kid was 'important' back then.
Needless to say the popular boys words stayed with me for a long time and my eye makeup became less and less daring.

By the time 6th form rolled around I wore nothing but mascara and foundation. Maybe a lip gloss if I felt like pushing the boat out. And that was pretty much how I rolled for years.

Its only been in the last few years, 10 years on and in my mid 20's ( and after my makeup tutorial video discovery on youtube, I mean really what had I been doing all that time, I though youtube was just funny cats ) that I have slowly begun to find my love for makeup again.

Learning to 'master' the art of eyeliner, (I still get it wrong some days) to being brave enough to put on a bright pink lipstick (feel naked with out now) and walk out the door has been amazing!
There are days when I wear very little makeup and I can also walk out the door with out any on. I don't need makeup but I find that these are the days I feel like I'm missing something. I don't feel ugly, I just don't feel confident.

When I apply a great eyeshadow look or a flawless kitty flick and put one of my favourite lipsticks, I feel good, I feel powerful and confident. Like I could take on the world! Well sorta.

The same thing could be said for my mum. She's just about to turn 50 and this last year she's found her love for makeup. Every morning she loves putting it on and loves how it makes her feel. That feeling is priceless. And if something as simple as putting on a red lipstick can do that, then I'm in!

My bare face photo isn't the most flattering of angles I look so nosey! I almost only posted the 'done up' picture, But I think this showcases The Power Of Makeup not only in the way that I look but my confidence in front of the camera clearly increases whether that's subconscious or not I don't know!

One of my favourite youtubers gets so many harsh comments about her makeup looks and I feel that its just not on. There's no need. Her looks are stunning and inspirational and make her feel good. Who cares if you don't like the ways she contours or there's too much bronzer.
Life's to short to worry about what other people are doing to there faces, think about your own one!

If I've taken one thing away from taking a look back at my makeup story and if you take anything away from this post its NEVER listen to anybody (unless its about serious shit). If wearing 'lots' of makeup makes you feel good and gives you that Va Va Voom, just do it! Because you could end up like me! Loosing out on prime makeup experimental years because some 16 year old dickhead said you didn't look cool.

And this also can go the other way too, next time you see a girl (or guy) with a full face of makeup and you think 'jeeze layer-cake much!' just stop for 3 seconds and think that maybe that makeup gives them confidence.

At the end of the day you can wash it off and wear less or none at all. Its just makeup but its potential to do great things is exponential.

Thanks for reading!

Jen x