The “Aha” Moment
Little did I know that when Marsha sat down with me at the department store makeup counter to have her makeup done, she’d put all the pieces of the puzzle together for me. At 48, Marsha was soon to be a first time bride and—like all of us-- wanted to look her beautiful best for her upcoming wedding. She certainly didn’t want to look “too made up” and didn’t think her soon-to-be husband would appreciate that look either. And then she said it . . . the nugget of information that proved to be the true “aha” moment for me: her college roommate had taught her how to put on makeup and she’d been putting it on the same way ever since.
I’m a professional makeup artist and since Marsha shared that comment with me, I’ve worked with hundreds of women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and well beyond. And I’ve asked almost all of them these same three questions: when did you first start wearing makeup, who taught you how to put it on and are you still using the same techniques. The “when” and “who” responses certainly varied from person to person—from “At 16 I had to sneak out of the house with makeup in my purse to meet my best friend Tracy in the school restroom to put on our makeup”—to those who learned to put on makeup anywhere between the ages of 13 to 21 with help from a sister, aunt, or articles in Seventeen Magazine. But the “Are you still using the same techniques?” question almost always elicited the same response: YES.
The “Why”
And that “YES” response is why I’m writing this blog.
When I retired five years ago after 35 years with Twin Cities Public Television, I launched my “next career” as a makeup artist. During this time I have worked part time as a professional makeup artist for a major cosmetics line. And though I love my work with the cosmetics company, my passion-- and mission-- is helping women in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond look and feel their best and have fun doing it. I teach a class I developed offering makeup tips and techniques specifically for midlife and older women which helps women build their confidence and get their "glow" back. In addition, I do individual makeovers and work with small groups of women who bring their own makeup for makeup parties.
As I've talked and worked with women over the past few years, several things have become clear. Most of us as we mature continue to use the makeup techniques that we learned in our teens or 20s, but these techniques may no longer be the most flattering for us. Or, we may look in the mirror and see those signs of aging that seem to happen overnight and just decide that there's not much we can do. Or, we may look at the myriad of makeup and skincare products available, don't know where to start or how to determine what will work best for us, and feel overwhelmed.
The “Goal” and The “How”
My goal for this blog is to offer you makeup, skincare and beauty advice, techniques, tips, product information and practical “how-tos” specifically for those of us in our 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond. I am here to help you so I hope you will please share your questions and concerns with me. I encourage—and will greatly appreciate—all your feedback, comments and questions.
What’s Ahead
Stay tuned in the weeks and months ahead for a wide variety of makeup, skincare, beauty topics and practical “how-to” information ranging from “The Three Makeup Techniques that Research Proves Can Erase 5-20 Years,” to “How to Pick the Perfect Foundation,” to “Must Have Makeup Secrets for Beautiful Eyes.”
Thanks so much for joining me on this journey!
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