Having My Makeup Professionally Done
Having My Makeup Professionally Done

I feel like there are times in all of our lives where we sit down and wonder what happened to our brains. I swear, the older I get the more I forget how to do basic things (doesn’t help that I have a severe phobia of early-onset dementia)

I’ve been feeling that way lately when it comes to doing my makeup. I’ve been in the same routine since my early twenties: shades of brown eye shadows, black liquid eyeliner, lots of mascara and a pale white face. It worked for a long time, but now that I’ve allowed myself to go out in the sun (AKA mow the lawn), the pale China white skin I’ve been used to is long gone.

Anytime I had to put on a full face of makeup, I ended up feeling so uncomfortable because I knew I was doing it wrong. I didn’t know which colors to use on my skin anymore and I felt like there was a whole world that had moved on without me, doing amazing things with contours and highlighting, while I was just trying to cover up my red cheeks as much as possible.

Making the move

I bit the bullet and owned up to the fact that I needed a professional opinion in all of this, so I scheduled an appointment to have a full face makeover at Sephora.

Having My Makeup Professionally Done at Sephora
Having My Makeup Professionally Done at Sephora

My artist, whose name I’ve since forgotten (I am the worst with names!), was SUPER patient with me. She asked why I was there and I just blurted out “I don’t know what I’m doing anymore!” which seemed to take her back a little. I imagine it’s like someone coming up to a chef and saying they’ve forgotten how to boil water; it’s just something innate in their world and someone feeling so lost probably seems pitiful, but if I was going to do this, dammit, I was going to do it right and be totally upfront about where I was lacking.

We went through the entire routine slowly, thank God, as she showed me each step involved and would answer my questions. At the end, I felt like someone who might possibly have their makeup shit together, though I have to admit it’s way more makeup than I was used to wearing so it felt a little strange!

It was a totally positive experience, though, and it felt like this anxiety that was over my head for so long had been lifted!

5 Things I Learned While Having My Makeup Professionally Done

So what did I learn?

I need to stop being afraid of eyebrows

This was the major part, and one I knew was coming. I had my makeup professionally done for my prom and that was the LAST time I ever let someone touch my eyebrows with a wand. I ended up looking like Divine and made her take the pencil off of my face. I’m used to having thin eyebrows due to overzealous plucking in my teens. But my artist showed me how to fill in my brows without becoming totally overwhelmed.

Someone way smarter than me thought to combine SPF and Setting Spray

I admit, I am really bad at using SPF as a daily ritual, so I was incredibly glad to see Supergoop! came out with a setting spray that would give me some protection from the sun. You gotta love a multi-tasker!

I am a sucker for compliments

You ever know something about yourself, but admitting it makes you sound smug? I have long eyelashes so I rarely have to use a lengthening mascara. Though I do love ones that fluff them out and make my lashes look thicker. When she was applying my mascara she noticed how long they were and said: “you’ll never need false ones like I do!”

Instantly, I was in love with her and bought all the things.

CBD oil is officially everywhere, and I am here for it

Honestly, I didn’t see the CBD oil trend coming for cosmetics and that was such a blind spot because it’s BRILLIANT. CBD oil is ridiculously chocked full of vitamins and has a bunch of antioxidant properties. Nonetheless, I was surprised to see it being infused in things like mascara! But MAN once she put Milk’s KUSH mascara on my lashes, they felt lush, you know what I mean?

Feeling insecure is all in my head

I admit I was really nervous about doing this. I felt like I’d be judged, or that they’d just require a complete overhaul of my entire life. My skin felt too blotchy, my eyes too liddy, my lips too tight and thin. But I wasn’t treated harshly at. all. If anything, my anxiety towards getting things like my makeup professionally done has been alleviated and I feel so much better about my face.

Bonus: I still have no idea what I’m doing

So I get home with my haul, lay it out on the bed to admire it all. Then I realize I’ve forgotten everything she told me! So now I’m cobbling together the look she created for me as best I can. But I think it’s going to take some time to get it back!

and now for the most important part:

What I Bought at Sephora: