Face Time

    Most of you have never seen me without makeup. If I tried, I could probably list every person in the last year who could have possibly caught me in the small window between waking up and doing my makeup, and if you exclude family and roommates that list is TINY. It’s not like I’m terribly ashamed of the way I look, it’s just that putting on makeup is an important part of the way I like to present myself to world. It’s the same reason none of you have caught me out and about in sweatpants and flip-flops, I don’t really want people to see me that way.

    What’s the problem? Well, it’s hard to feel pretty when you’re sick. It’s not like this is some groundbreaking statement, just about anyone who has spent a weekend shuffling around battling a bad head cold can back me up here. There’s nothing appealing about dark bags, puffy eyes, red noses, or splotchy skin. Fortunately, most illnesses come and go in a reasonable amount of time and let us all resume our happy, fresh-faced activities. Unfortunately for me, I’m in it for the long-haul this time. There are plenty of days when I’m feeling tired or down, and I just don’t feel like making myself up. That would be all fine and dandy if I didn’t care about it, but the truth is that seeing myself without any makeup on, actually looking sick, makes me feel more down in the dumps than before, and I don’t want to go out looking that way.

    So here’s what I’m gonna do: I know you guys like pictures, so I’ll document what I look like as I go through my regular makeup ritual for everyone to see. I think it makes a big difference, so hopefully this will keep motivating me to take a few minutes to pamper myself in the mornings. On days when I’m really sick and can’t be bothered to do anything to my face, well, everyone I know will already have seen what I look like without any makeup on so it won’t be a big deal.  

      (If this was a movie, this is where the snazzy musical montage would play while I got ready and took a bunch of photos. Also, I’m well aware that it’s past 3 in the afternoon and I’m just now getting myself ready for the day. Shut up. I have cancer.)

    Oooh okay deep breath aaaaaand this is what I look like with nothing on my face.

Well, that’s a lie, I have a lot of features on my face like eyes and lips and a nose and stuff. I mean I have no MAKEUP on my face, which makes this is a pretty scary picture for me to post, and probably a semi-scary picture for you to look at. Let’s move on, shall we?

Much better. This is me after doing my foundation and concealer. It’s funny how not having hair changes how you look. I think the quality of my skin is much more noticeable now, and so I spend a lot more time covering blemishes and trying to lighten up those dark areas under my eyes. Another thing that I do more now that I don’t have hair is….

Add blush!!! I was never much of a blush girl before, but it’s crazy how a pop of pink on your cheeks can make a huge difference between looking kinda tired to looking very healthy and awake. Now I do my eyes and…

TADA we’re done. I’m forever grateful to the eyelashes that still haven’t fallen out. They’re definitely sparser than they used to be, but if these last few suckers can stay with me for a few weeks longer I’ll be a happy girl.