Miss Priss

My Princess, I just cannot say enough about her, really.

After watching me countless times putting on my face, getting all dolled up, made up and make up ready, she has decided to mimic my actions as well.

I caught her one day (as she had quietly slipped off) in my bathroom with my makeup case, black eyeliner in hand, putting on her eyebrows, like mommy. I failed to get a Kodak moment out of it, but she looked so funny with black liner all over her eyebrows.

She has now gotten into the habit of using pencils, pens and, yes, even markers as lip sticks. I find her sometimes with red, purple even black lips, puckering up like she's about to hit the town.

I think she'll be wearing make-up at an early age, like me. Though I hope not a moment sooner than I started, in middle school.

My fascination with make-up started out of nowhere... I saw girls in magazines wearing it so I wanted to try it. I was a bit rough with the application at first... not knowing color pallets and tones and such. But in time, I got better. I figured out what worked best for my skin type. Learned, by observing, how to properly play up my eyes and my lips. And when the finances became available, I stocked up on the good stuff.

No one in my family really wore makeup... not that I can remember, at least not on a daily basis and definitely not all out like I do. Just lip stick and maybe a bit of shadow, nothing more. Most of the women, my mother, my grandmother, even my sister go through their day to day lives bare faced.

I loved watching makeup artists do their thing (did I ever mention that at one point in my life I wanted to be a stylist and makeup artist. I even gave serious thought (and almost did) to applying to beauty school...thanks to a snow storm my admission meeting was canceled and I never rescheduled.)

I learned various techniques on make up application, from how to apply liner to selecting the perfect eyeshadow. I learned how to play up the lips but leave the eyes neutral and vice versa. By no means am I an expert though. I do what I can with what I have. But I have been told I apply my makeup very well, though if asked to apply it on someone else I am lost.

When I met hubby I had the problem of 'face masking'. I wore so much makeup, I was worried no one would recognize me without it. I just thought I looked horrible without my 'face on'. Though, back in high school, that really wasn't true. And until recently, I applied so much foundation, too much, to the point where most of my clothes and other people's clothes would be wearing some of my foundation too.

I finally toned it down about 2 or so years ago. I don't wear makeup every single day now... my skin needs to breathe. And I don't pile it on like I use to, trying to hide my flaws. My face is what it is. I go out in public now without foundation, liner, even without eyebrows (no liner to make them look fuller or more defined). Even though I do feel naked, I also feel liberated.

But my love affair with makeup is far from over. Getting 'prettified' is fun. And I like to take my time in the mirror to apply perfection. Since Princess has observed this ritual of mine, I feel maybe she will be like me too. She's already showing interest in makeup by asking me to apply some on her while I get made up.... to which I might give her a little gloss for her lips (Vaseline) and a small dusting of shadow...just for fun.

Princess has a gorgeous face. I just hope she doesn't try to hide it behind all that gunk.