Get Makeup Professionally Done

Completed: 19. Get Makeup Professionally Done

I have written about my makeup addiction and how I challenged myself last year to go to work without any on. It was tough to go without my protective “mask,” but I completed it and did so for four extra days. It was such an empowering experience.

Alternatively, I’m not comfortable wearing dramatic makeup either — at work or otherwise. My go-to dressy-up makeup is a smoky eye/red lipstick, which is bold, but I don’t often experiment with different colors. In addition, I don’t like anyone but me applying my makeup. I’ve done my own makeup for about 99.99% of fancy life events — homecomings, proms, dinners, weddings, even my own pseudo wedding reception.

As with most of my goals, I craved to be pushed out of my comfort zone. And “Get makeup professionally done – specifically apply contouring makeup” would do just that. I wanted to have a real professional makeup artist paint my face and paint it boldly. Turn me into the over-the-top drag queen I sincerely wish I could be!

I made my appointment with MAC at Fair Oaks Mall. From the start, they were great. I was running late as a result of the omnipresent traffic on 66 West, so I had to call and push my appointment back an hour, which they accommodated. Once I got there, I was taken to a concealed area in which I met my markup artist, Grace. I proceeded to give her the rundown. This included why I wanted my makeup done, my neuroses, my hooded eyes (where are my eyelids?), and my desire to go with a colorful, dramatic look that I would never do on my own. Grace was ready for the challenge! Off she went to find my colors.

Here’s the before shot. Hashtag: no makeup.

Grace came back with a lot of wonderful colors — greens, purples, gold, a fun glittery turquoise eyeliner. Here are all of the products that were about to go onto my face.

I asked Grace to contour my face, but unlike a heavy contour a la Kim Kardahsian, she would apply it in a more subtle way. I approved.

She worked on my eyes first, walked me through the products, and gave me helpful tips along the way.

Here’s me after the eye primer and first eye shadow color color was applied:

She filled in my eyebrows, something I’ve never done with a full set of eyebrows (Long story about a masochist threader who literally threaded them into non existence and for a period of six months in college, I penciled in my eyebrows. Dark times.). I LOVED the fuller eyebrows.

Here’s me with the eye makeup and eyebrows done, but no face makeup (and also what appears to be crusty lips):

Awkward mid-application photo:

Grace then contoured my face, showing me the areas on my face I should “bring out.” Then to the lips… Grace chose quite possibly the prettiest lipstick color I’ve ever seen. Like azaleas.

So, here’s the final product — over-the-top, dramatic, colorful, and contoured.