Call me a quitter, call me conscientious … call me Salvador Dali. My skin needs a break.
This summer, I set out to mimic makeup looks inspired by different influencers. I still have two videos to follow (and more! I’ve found others since starting), but I’m stopping early… for now. As I mentioned a few days ago, I’m experiencing a nasty reaction from a lip wax gone bad. It’s healing, but I definitely don’t want to put makeup on it, much less multiple cake-face layers!
I reached a handful of conclusions through this makeup experiment, and chief among them is the makeup look I want to achieve. Let’s reflect!
- I don’t understand lips. I really don’t. I don’t see how you can line your lips to look fuller, more polished, and not come out the other end looking like Tangela from Pokemon. It just DOESN’T look right on me! I know it’s physically possible, but I don’t know how I can get my mouth to become a different mouth. REALISTICALLY SPEAKING: not everyone has the same pair of lips. Sure, a lot of influencers are getting fillers these days, but that’s not going to make them all have the same mouth. That’s just not how genetics work, even with science. So I know that makeup plays a role, I just don’t know what that role is.
- Having flawless foundation is a lot easier when your skin is better. On my better skin days, I would see a more polished look on my face! There are less uneven patches, both in color and coverage. Moral of the story: the better you look without makeup, the better you look with makeup.
- Fake lashes are a game-changer. Finally trying false lashes on my own was the best decision I ever made. They ratchet things up from a ten to a twenty, and I was already a ten, so I’m a perfect thirty. MATH. 10/10 recommend putting magnetic lashes on every girl’s makeup must-haves list.
- Makeup isn’t super worth it for me. OOF. Yes. I said it! Quarantine has led me to wear makeup a lot less. There’s been no need for me to get gussied up for the office. Why would I put on a full face of makeup when I’m just facing a computer all day? On a similar note, I think that every girl is going through a similar thought process. I think we’re slowly leaving behind contour and smokey eyes and heading into a new era of “no makeup makeup.” I noticed that I was feeling more confident about my skin, and less like I needed foundation. That probably came from not putting on makeup every day, and getting a better night’s sleep! I would love to be at a point where all I need, makeup wise, is lashes, eyeliner, and a lil’ bit of lip gloss. I’ll probably want to tidy up my brows, too, but IN MY DEFENSE: micro-blading is technically against my religion and I already eat cheeseburgers, so I don’t want to push my luck.
The purpose of this experiment was to create a more effortless, polished look.
The overall result? I found a more simple office look: it involves liking my face enough, and treating my skin the way it deserves to be treated by drinking water and getting better sleep. To actually look more awake, I should be more awake. To have a killer smile, I should wear chapstick and think happy thoughts (and yeah, figure out lip liner). You get the idea! Beauty really does come from within, and quarantine just made that feel all the more true to me.
So, what comes next? I will complete those other tutorials at some point, when my skin is less, um… burned. I’m thinking of doing a newer version of the experiment in 2021, where I spend more than just one and a half makeup sessions figuring out a look or concept. Who knows what 2021 holds? But, more on that later!