Confusion in the Beauty Aisle

So, this evening, while I should have been rehearsing my tap routine at dance class, I was instead browsing the makeup section in Walgreens.  It's been three years since I have purchased new makeup for myself, and I have been thinking about buying some for a while now.  There have been many times lately that I have ventured into the makeup section of various stores -- Walmart, Target, CVS and the like -- but I just haven't been able to make any purchases.  There are several reasons for this.  Money and time both come to mind immediately, but I think it's been about a little more than that.  It's really been about my confusion about what to buy and well, the feeling that I'm not really so young anymore.

For the past several years now, whenever I encounter the beauty department, I first feel a sense of excitement.  This excitement, however, is quickly pushed aside by confusion at the shear number of items available.  And it just seems to get worse over time.  It seems like only yesterday I was in high school, and there were but two or three major brands to choose from.  Now there are dozens.  And within each brand there seem to be a hundred products -- some familiar, like foundation, blush, and mascara -- others completely foreign, like bronzer, packed powder, and the new buzz word "minerals."  Maybe a 22 year old can walk in the store and know exactly what she wants, but at 39, I just feel lost and confused.  Looking at the ridiculous number of products on the shelves and attempting to choose the "right" ones makes me feel old -- like at my age I should be an old pro at this, but I simply am not.  It's just been way too long since my appearance has been a priority, and now I am totally out of touch with this realm.  There were a couple of moments that I felt close to tears while in the store tonight because I felt so clueless.  I mean, how am I suppose to know if Ellen knows something Drew doesn't?  Does Beyonce know where it's at?  Maybe Andi McDowell knows more than all of them.  She IS older.

Anyway, I know that I could just take myself on over to some glitzy department store like Macy's and have a "professional" makeup artist tell me exactly what I should get, but I simply cannot afford to pay twice as much for the products just to get that service along with it.  For the folks like me that must go the economical route, we're pretty much left to our own devices when it comes down to it.  As it is, I spent just under $50 tonight for eight products.  That was my final price after factoring in the buy one get one half-off sale AND $9 in coupons!  Everything I bought was buy one, get one half price.  So, I paid 1/2 price for four of the eight products I purchased.  Here's what I came home with:  liquid foundation, powder blush (that I realized after I came home didn't have a brush with it), an eyeliner, mascara, eye shadow, a lip pencil, lipstick, and lip gloss.  Now, if I had bought all of that at Origins (which is where I shopped when I was in my 20's) that probably would have cost about $200.  I feel guilty enough as it is spending $50 on makeup, but I'm not going to dwell on it.  After all, it's been three years, and I know I deserve it!

Yesterday I colored my hair using a do-it-yourself kit.  I'm really happy with the results, and it only cost me about $5!  I really do think I'm too young to have so much gray hair.  Maybe this is why I still don't know what my mother's actual hair color is (I think she has been dying it my entire life).  Tomorrow I am getting my hair cut.  It's been over two months now.

I think after all this "improvement" it might be time to schedule a hot date with my beloved!