Once upon a time....

Since this is the first post, I figured it would be best by explaining a bit about me.

I've been in love with all things beautiful since I was a young girl.
My mother was never much of a gal for dressing up, but when she did, I would always watch and marvel at how stunning she looked.
How it seemed to have this ability to make her smile from the inside out.
How it straightened her posture and made me glow with confidence.

Though, things of vanity were never something my mother wanted to discuss with me and I found myself using making up as nothing more than something for face charts [I would make 100s].
I never quite fit the stereotypical idea of beauty.
I never thought I was very pretty and didn't really fit in with most of my peers.
Especially in my early teens.

That was until I got my first tube of pitch black lipstick.
It seemed to transform everything about me and for once in my entire life, I actually found myself comfortable in my own skin. I actually didn't mind looking in the mirror.
Like most things, I jumped in with both feet.
My hair went from an auburn to black and black liner didnt' just stop at my eyelids.
Black nailpolish became a staple in my life, along side long skirts, combat boots & gaudy necklaces.
This was the early/mid 90s, so even despite living in a small town - it was still not that far fetched.
And that, my friends, was my introduction to the world of make up.
And why I believe that it isn't about what someone else THINKS, it's about how it makes you FEEL.
There is no right and wrong.

Everything else tended to follow.
I had had numerous differences with my skin over the years - most memorably the acne that plagued me in high school.
Also, the lack of information on how to treat it at the time and in small town didn't help matters.
I recall trying EVERYTHING.
It appeared to be something that was helped by a combination of
A]growing out of it and
B] Birth control
Still not sure which was the actual cure all.

I've had a few different dream jobs in my lifetime and am currently in one that I plan to stay in.
I'm currently an educator for make up application, skin care and fragrance.
It's my job to try products, see what I think and share my knowledge.
In saying that, I thought this would be a great opportunity to spread the love, share the knowledge and hopefully help with some questions.