Wednesday, August 17, 2011

30 in 30: Question #2
How did you learn to put on makeup?

My answers to 30 makeup questions in 30 days! Today's question is:

Question #2. How did you learn to put on makeup?

As chronicled in my answer to #1, a lot of my makeup education was simply trial and error. In the early days, I owed a lot of my methodology to simple curiosity. I don’t recall anyone ever telling me I could crush up eyeshadow and mix it into Vaseline to make my own lip colors, I just figured, “why can’t I?” Since I lack the affliction that makes me care about other people's opinions toward me, I was never very bothered if something didn't work or looked odd. To me, weird has always been a compliment.

I also can’t ignore the impact of beauty and fashion magazines. In the days before YouTube, those glossy pages were a god-send to those lusting after a smokey eye or trying to choose the perfect shade of lipstick. Allure magazine is an all-time favorite recommendation of mine to those that say they simply have no clue where to begin. Infamous for their yearly reader's choice and Best of Beauty awards, the magazine is packed full of the latest & greatest along with tips and tricks on everything beauty- they even publish flash cards in each issue!

My formal education didn't come until I got my first job in cosmetics. I’d never had so much as a department store makeover myself, but the idea of doing them on other people sounded pretty sweet, so I applied at my local Merle Norman. Luckily for me, the woman who owned my studio was extremely dedicated to the business that had been in her family for two generations, and she didn't settle for mediocre training. Aside from periodic regional training seminars and weekly staff meetings, every day was an opportunity to learn; every customer a chance to practice and hone my craft. I even learned how to do acrylic nails from observing and questioning our on-staff nail technician!

Finally, I did pick up some extra education as a theater major in college. As a small, self-sufficient theater department, we were required to take classes in everything from costuming to stagecraft to lighting. Though I never suspected at the time that my education would result in the career I have today (my goal was actually to teach high school English and Drama) it certainly did enrich my skills in a way nothing else could have.

While all of these routes are still available- and probably just as effective as they were when I started out, now that beauty blogs and YouTube tutorials are prolific on the interwebs, a whole other venue of education is open. Nonetheless, the dictum remains the same. Practice makes perfect!

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