feel pretty

On Sunday I took the time to go shopping for new makeup with a friend. It's been such a long time since I've invested in good makeup and actually sat down to have someone try new colors and teach me a few new tricks. In the seven years Mike and I have been married good makeup hasn’t been a priority and I quickly fell into a slump, only buying what was necessary and always keeping costs low by purchasing generic brands over the counter. I finally became fed up when I realized I really didn't know how to do a decent smokey eye and some most of my makeup was over a year old. 

I did what most moms do. I made everything else a priority and put myself last. In doing so I lost much of my confidence. I didn't feel pretty or sexy for my husband. I felt lost in my identity and actually felt guilty when purchasing something for me. By not investing in myself I haven't just lost confidence in my appearance, it has bled into every aspect of who I am. I've lost confidence in who I am as a wife, mother, daughter and friend. Something that can seem so small as makeup has been chipping away at my whole being for years. I wonder if I allowed myself to continue down this road of self destruction, you see me on a makeover episode of Rachael Ray in five or ten years! 

When I walked up to the beauty counter I was scared, nervous and somewhat embarrassed to ask for help. I’m so glad I had my friend there for support. Meagann, my makeup artist, was amazingly patient and helpful. I’ll be honest, I felt like an idiot a few times. Simple things like learning to use a brush to apply foundation and how to layer eye shadow was all news to me. Meagann showed me some awesome products and I ended up purchasing all the basics to replace everything I had at home.

Once Meagann started applying different products to my face she complimented me on what great skin I have. This was a huge compliment for me because growing up I hated washing my face and even in college I struggled washing my face every night. It wasn't until after I was married I realized the importance of taking off my makeup at night. I often struggled with breakouts on my cheeks and had some scarring. When I decided to consciously make in effort to take better care of my skin I kept makeup remover towelettes on my night stand so I had no excuse to not do it. I also learned how to properly take care of breakouts and since I'm a picker I invested in an extractor tool which has made a world of a difference. No more scarring or unsightly wounds! I had to learn to pay attention to what my skin needs and how it's changed with age and my pregnancies. After Kensi was born I began using Philosophy's Purity line of skin care and it has changed and repaired my skin. 

So as I sat down in the makeup chair to have what felt like miracles take place, more than anything was the one compliment from the makeup artist. It raised my self esteem more than she can possibly know. She showed me I didn't need as much makeup as I thought I did, a good sheer powder does everything I need and want it to do. It felt so good to buy makeup that was suitable for my skin and made me feel good. No more buying a blind color I could never test for a true match. It's time to start feeling pretty again and I'm not looking back!

Here’s what I purchased from Sephora:
| Urban Decay Naked Powder Foundation | Urban Decay Naked2 | Tarte Blush Pallet (similar) | Tarte Creamy Matte Lip Paint | Smashbox Makeup Primer |