My Make-up Journey

As I write this, I am sat with absolutely no make-up on. I didn't have enough time to put any on this morning and I have been out in public like this. It got me thinking out make-up, my attitude to it and how it has changed over the years.

The Early Years

I have always been a magpie when it comes to makeup. I remember my first Tinkerbell make-up set and the peel off nail varnish (which set me up for many years of manicure mutilation). I remember my Girls World and the early forays into Avon make-up. Make-up was something special but still very much about playing dress up. I did have a little friend that was fond of Max Factor pan stick even in those very early years.

The Teenage Years

I don't recall ever trying to wear make-up to school. Plenty did though and the orange face with brown lipstick and pencil thin brows was the look of choice. It changed from the frosted lipsticks of the late 80's to the opaque, matte formulas of the 90's. I was certainly buying and trying but not really wearing.

Linda E succeeding where others failed

Then I hit my goth/grungy phase and it was all about the pale face, dark lipstick and black nails. Although I quickly lost the German Army jacket when I hit University, the make-up look persisted. Though it became more Mia Wallace than Shakespeare's Sister-esque!

It also became a running joke that if you ever needed to find me I could be found in Boots. I would spend many happy hours pouring over the aisles. I would venture in to Debenhams and Jarrold's department store sometimes but the fear of counters always stopped me visiting for long. I have a sneaking suspicion that Sam Chapman was working at my local Clinique counter at this point. If only I'd stood still for my more than five minutes I might have learned something!

Becoming a Grown up

Throughout my 20's the shift from wearing make-up for nights out only to a more everyday thing began to happen. It changed from a way of making a statement, to a way to look more polished. I would still often wear nothing at all even in to my late 20's. As I worked in a lab with mostly men I couldn't always be bothered. Lazy, moi? I still bought lots of make-up though but just didn't know how to put it on. I did however spend lots of money on expensive skincare and regularly slapped on the St. Tropez.
 
The real change came when I hit my 30's. It was more to do with having children than my age I think. I looked tired from the broken nights and needed a something to blur the edges! This is me at 30.

I did my own make-up and to be honest I barely had anything on. Skip forward nine months or so when I was heavily pregnant and had discovered Specktra and I would have been wearing considerably more. There's nothing that makes you concentrate on your face more than looking like the Goodyear blimp in maternity joggers! I discovered MAC, swatches and online shopping.

Once I found YouTube tutorials and then blogs I never looked back. I learned how to use brushes and stopped using the dreaded sponge applicators. I learned that I could wear blusher without looking like Aunt Sally. I also discovered that I could buy make-up in the colours I wanted without going anywhere near a scary counter. I probably go for quite boring looks to some but the colours I wear make me happy and although not necessarily trendy, I find they make me look like a slightly better, less tired me.

As a final note, I just wanted to add my thanks to the online beauty community. To all of those who take the time to make tutorials, write posts, share swatches and reviews, thank you for all of your efforts. You've taught me so much and given me the confidence to do it myself. If it weren't for you I would most likely be bare-faced most days. I think my bank manager would like a word though....