The Importance Of Learning How To Apply Makeup

One of the rites of passage for young women in the United States is learning how to apply makeup. It goes right along with the first time a girl shaves her legs and goes on her first date. I remember that my mom was the one who taught me the basics, along with some teen magazines. I was only allowed to wear makeup in stages, too. For example, when I was in the seventh grade, I was allowed to choose two items from my mom's makeup bag to wear to school. Eyeliner was completely off limits, as was dark eyeshadow. Usually, I went with mascara and lip gloss. As each school year passed, I was allowed to choose one more item out of my mom's makeup bag. I wasn't allowed to own my own makeup until I started high school, but it didn't really matter. Each year I looked forward to putting on a little bit more. By starting me off slowly, my mom was teaching me how to apply makeup. Less is more, she always said. I can still hear her telling me that the trick to wearing makeup is to make it look like you aren't wearing any. Women are supposed to be naturally beautiful, not beautiful because they've got blue eyeshadow and gobs of eyeliner. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I think my mom was against eyeliner in general. Still, one of my fondest memories of my mom was when she was teaching me how to apply makeup. I learned more from her than I did from any of the Seventeen magazines that I read growing up, and I never realized it until later on in life. One day, I look forward to teaching my own daughter how to put on makeup and bonding with her in the same way I did with my mom. Except that maybe the next generation will be allowed to delve into the eyeliner before the tenth grade.