Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Celebs Without Makeup!!


Okay, so I'm not a celeb. By anyone's standards. But it got your attention, right? I mean, I don't know about you, but whenever there's a magazine issue that features Celebs Without Makeup!! I eagerly peruse the pics. Because I want to see just how plain (and hopefully homely) they are without all the makeup. But the truth is, even without makeup, they still get those pics taken in flattering lighting and I'd venture a guess that there's still some photo editing going on.

Anyhoo.

So, here's how I woke up this past Saturday morning:

Michael,who had gotten up with the kids before me (I know!), came and sat on the edge of the bed next to me, and gazed at me as I slowly pulled myself from the grip of the Sandman. "Why do you wear makeup?" he asked me. Seriously, those were the first words I heard that morning. As if he had been pondering some deep mystery. What ensued was a discussion (or debate - call it what you will), which has continued through the next few days, about the merits/non-merits of makeup. Michael's not a fan, apparently. I, on the other hand, am a fan of makeup. Specifically, of wearing makeup. It's a security thing, admittedly. I've been conditioned to believe that I look better with makeup than without.

Here, you be the judge.

Here I am in all my un-made-up glory:


Puh-lain! Homely, even. (Color me insecure.) Washed out. Blech. Really, he prefers me this way? I'm sitting here telling myself, "It's The Man! The Man just wants to keep you down!" (You have to imagine me saying that in my throwback, anti-establishment voice; otherwise it's not funny.)

And here I am with my usual helping of makeup:


Completely unretouched, I might add! (As if you couldn't tell.) Really, I try not to use a heavy hand. I don't like the caked-on, mask look. So I go lightly on the foundation. But listen, I'm 42. I've got lines, and dark circles, and uneven skin tone. So I try to remedy those things a little. I do like to do my eyes up a little; otherwise they just blend right in with the rest of my washed-out look. I rarely wear lipstick anymore; instead I just swipe some Aveeno lip balm on about 153 times a day (have you ever heard of a lip balm addiction?).

So Michael tells me - adamantly - that he likes me better without makeup. I'm having a hard time believing him. I know I look better with makeup on - after all, as I informed him, when I was out in the front yard the other day watering the flowers and some guy in a truck drove by and howled at my ass (I'm not kidding! And you know what? I'm documenting it here because it's been a loooooooooooooong time since that's happened, and probably won't happen again too many times before I kick the bucket, and I'll take my ego boosts where I can get them, thank you very much), I happened to have a full face of makeup on. So what if he only saw the back of me!

Anyway, in all seriousness, what he says is that when I have makeup on, it's not like he looks at me and thinks, "Wow, what great skin she has!" but rather, "Oh, she's got makeup on her skin."

Huh.

I used to be the kind of girl who would not leave the house without makeup. Not even to run out for a pack of cigarettes (really good for the skin, by the way). Now? Yeah, I like to wear makeup. But the truth is, I wear it less and less these days. Who has time? I see these moms dropping their kids off at school in the morning and they're all done up (Curbside Beauty Queens, I've dubbed them, because, you know, it makes me feel better) - full makeup, hair perfectly coiffed (or artfully messy), stylish, matching ensemble. They must have jobs (as in jobs which require them to present themselves in a certain way, jobs for which they receive a paycheck), that's the only thing I can figure. My usual morning look is: no makeup, hair pulled back in a sloppy clip, sweats, flip-flops. And I often spend entire days like that. On end. But after a while it starts getting a little depressing. I start feeling really schleppy, and I might catch a passing glimpse of myself in the mirror and think, "Boy, lady, you've really let yourself go."

So sometimes I like to put makeup on. And do my hair. It makes me feel better. It makes me feel like I still take a little pride in the way I look, despite the fact that I'm a 42-year-old stay-home-mom of six kids. Who apparently has nobody to impress.

Here's me all air-brushed and photo-edited (thank you, Picnik!) -


Dude. If I could walk around all the time all air-brushed? That would be NICE.

Or maybe this is my best look:


Anyway, I'm curious, oh female readers. Does your significant other prefer you with or without makeup? If you don't know, go ask and then report back to me, okay? Really, inquiring minds want to know.

9 comments:

diane rene said...

my husband does not care. I have left the house in a rush on more than one occasion and after arrival realize I am naked-faced!
my reaction: why didn't you tell me I had no make up on?
his reaction: you look the same to me
ugh!! really??
I could take offense to this, but he assures me that even tho I see myself as dreadful with naked face, he sees me as beautiful regardless (his words, not mine).
I prefer the make up myself, but I have forced myself to get over not having it on when I go out (today is a perfect example - I won't put it on for soccer practice, but I WILL leave my sunglasses ON).
tomorrow I will be a made up mom as I drop off my kids at school, but only because I have a late breakfast/early lunch date with an old friend ... usually I am in line with my baseball hat, sunglasses, sweats or other equally unflattering attire and my walking shoes - the park is on the way home :)

Esther and Brian said...

lisa, i think that your eyes are stunningly beautiful either way- dark hair with blue eyes? oh yeah, great combination! my hubby does not care, he likes me without makeup just as much and actually tells me that "wow, you have nothing on and you still look like a celebrity!"- I don't think so by any means...maybe better than some, OK...but the point is, he does not care so much...which is nice, right?

The Hapa Girl said...

This one made me laugh, because we have this discussion quite often actually about make up. I prefer make up, he does not.

I like how it makes me feel beautiful and he thinks I look like a bratz doll!

He also likes long hair...I'm getting rid of mine!

I guess in a way, he might want me to look like his mom and there is NO WAY I'm gonna look like his mom!

The Hapa Girl said...

BTW...you are BEAUTIFUL!

Beth said...

I agree; beautiful either way, Lisa! You actually don't appear to wear all that much makeup, so I wouldn't think it makes that dramatic a difference and if it makes you feel more confident, then go for it, I say.

BTW, I drop off my kids at school in my jammies most days. Slippers, jammie pants and t-shirt, ponytail, no makeup.

Leigh Anne said...

i also think you look great either way...but i also agree that makeup just adds a little something something. i never leave my house w/ out some concealer and mascara at minimum. i have olive skin so my husband thinks i look fine w/out it, but it's all splotchy and dark circles look out! i've been blessed to have fairly clear skin w/ just the occasional prepubescent pimple appearing here and there (did you see my FB status yesterday? LOL)...

I love makeup.

Mer said...

My hubby also doesn't care, but he appreciates when I make an effort to make myself look nice. He makes a point to comment when I've taken the time to dress nicely (i.e. something other than workout shorts and a t-shirt) and put on makeup, and he really appreciates it when I dress nicely for church. A lot of that is how I was raised, but it's also a pride thing, wanting to look good for my husband to make him look better to other people. Silly, I know, but he appreciates it all the same.

I also sell Mary Kay, so technically I'm advertising my product when I wear makeup lol

Unknown said...

Larry insists he does not care and in fact he has been instrumental in me beginning the end of my grooming way back when we first started dating - he HATED waiting for me to get ready and insisted I just get up, wash the face, brush the teeth and GO. And at first I was mortified to go out of the house not all made up and hair done and outfit matching etc but slowly but surely I fell into the routine of barely getting myself together before going out. Of course I was still working so at least those days I DID groom fully so I guess it was ok on the weekends to be blah.

But now with the kids I am just as you paint it - sloppy sweats and slip flops, no make up and bedhead to drop the kids off and I spend most of the day that way unless I have somewhere work related or appt-wise to go. You know it is bad when if I am actually fully groomed the kids as "Oh, work today, Mama?" because that is the ONLY time I get it all together for the most part.

But I agree that I feel better about myself when I take some time for myself to get myself together.

Of course the boys are already split over the whole debate - if I "doll up" Matty adores me and gushes how "bootiful" I look while Nate says "what's all that stuff on your face - take it off!" oh well, I guess there really are two schools of thought amongst the men out there and it starts early :)

Crittle said...

I read this a while back, but couldn't comment. No fair using the "before-no smile/after-coy look" trick! You have to smile in both or neither to make it legit. ;-)

I don't wear makeup. Like almost 0% of the time. I did on Sunday because I was feeling sassy and we were going to a party, but before that? Hm. Maybe New Year's Eve? Maybe? So. I'm not a huge fan and my husband doesn't care, so I go with it. One day I'd like to learn how to master a smokey eye though.

And I did buy mascara on Sunday, so maybe I will use it more than twice a year now. I had to borrow some on NYE.