Self Esteem Boost

I love it when I get new toiletries. Even when it's just every day stuff, shampoo, shave cream, and moisturizers I just want to throw myself into the shower and try it all out. Especially if it's in pretty bottles. My new shampoo, formulated for long hair, comes in a bright red bottle and is called "Long Term Relationship." Yes, I'm a complete sucker for marketing. I cannot wait to wash my hair tomorrow.

There's also this: for the first time in my life, I'm wearing the right colors of makeup. You'd think that since I've been wearing makeup for about 15 years that I'd have figured it out a long time ago, but alas, this just isn't true. At some point, someone (I can't remember who) told me that I had a "cool" skin tone and should choose makeups with a slightly blue undertone. Since then, I've been buying rose colored blush, plum eye shadows and all the wrong shades of red lipstick. All of these things worked together (with my super pale skin) to produce the look of a wide-eyed, over done porcelain doll (especially in pictures). If I ever managed to put on a full face of makeup, or even just blush and lipstick, I looked somehow overdone.

But that's all behind me now because I have discovered the magical world of peach and apricot makeup. I no longer look like a 6 year old pageant queen when I apply my blush. I look like me, only less washed out. My lips no longer scream "misguided adult film star." Instead, they quietly whisper "don't you want to kiss me?" And thanks to my new mastery of an eyelash curler I will never again have to drive all over town with raccoon eyes. (I touch my face too much for mascara to ever be my friend.) I feel like such a girl, a pretty girl, and it's just so refreshing. I'm a little disturbed that no one ever told me that I was doing this whole makeup thing wrong, and that no one ever showed me how to do it right, but more than that I'm bothered that it took me so long to figure out exactly where I was going wrong. I mean really, should there be a 15 year learning curve on lipstick? Where was the Mary Kay lady when I needed her?

Ah well, better late than never...