Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Be-YOU-tiful

     Hey y'all! I hope that you all have survived your first weeks of schools, countless county fairs and various opening socials. I have enjoyed seeing the highlight reel on social media. Keep them coming!
     Speaking of social media, something that has crossed my news feed several times are pictures of women with half their face made up and half of it left natural. I have always found the art of make up quite fascinating and have enjoyed for the past few years to figure out how to use it in a way to highlight my features and even make me look like one of those girls on "Toddlers and Tiaras". What I have discovered is that make up can do amazing things to one's appearance. It is honestly amazing me how much various mixtures, colors, glitters, powders, and liquids can have such a big impact.
     So I decided to do my own half and half experience.
      I did just what I normally would do if I were going to go out dancing. Note: I don't do ALL of it when I go to class. Let's be honest, I am in college. I am looking a lot more dressed for the day if I have eyeliner and mascara on and my hair is straightened. 
      My "done" side of my face was primed, liquid contoured, powdered, powdered contoured. I primed my eyes and applied at least four different layers and colors of eye shadows that I then blended and highlighted with a fifth color. Carefully, liquid eye liner was applied then more smudily (yep, totally made up a word) black and white pencil liner was added to add dimension. And to top it all off, several coats of a couple different kinds of mascara were painted on with a little red lipstick to be the cherry on top of all the icing. 
     As it turns out, I quite like just doing half of my face because I don't have to worry about making the other side of my face even. No matter how even I think I get my eyeliner, my signature "cat-eye" liner is never completely even. Trust me I try very very hard. 
     Lets look at my handy work shall we?

     Now I won't lie to you, I do like my eyes with at least some mascara. It hasn't been until recently that I would even allow myself to walk around the house without at least a little bit of eye make up on. And for years I was jealous of those girls who wore no make up and still looked super gorgeous. Don't take that as I don't like myself and I think that I am ugly without it, I just prefer myself with it. 
     Society these days play make up off to be as a necessary evil. You are no longer  fully dressed with just a smile, but must have three layers of make up and a full-lipped pout in order to be "fully dressed" in the eyes of society. When you scroll through social media there is always a picture of a Kardashian sister with their full, Botox injected lips, contoured facial structure, and painted on eye make up. New make up tips from various magazines pop up in various articles with hacks for new products to obtain to make your look flawless. 
     Not gonna lie, I don't mind looking at new articles and ways to do things different and better. I also have quite the make up case with more products than my mother and sisters combined. I have an arsenal of eye shadow pallets and foundation and matching powders for all the different skin tones my face will turn during the different seasons. I am a consumer. 
      But what I want to say to those girls who read this is, don't let make up define who you are. Yes it can accent your features and make you look "more beautiful", but don't let it consume your life. I'm not saying throw all your beauty product into the trash, I mean honestly lets not make any rash decisions. What I am challenging you to do is not be dependent on artificial products to value your physical beauty and self worth, but rather look within. Work on accepting yourself for the way God made you. I could quote a lot of songs about empowering the real you and how you are amazing just the way you are (ha I did it anyway haha), but I won't go that far. Just think. Be aware. Pay attention. Don't be afraid to be you. You don't have to try (ha! there I go again). 
     So there is my #halfmakeup challenge. I am not one to follow trends and usually back down and refuse to do anything when called out to do a challenge because I don't think that they always get their true purpose across rather they attract attention elsewhere. However, I truly believe that this is a challenge that shows the true beauty inside and out. So go on, show me your #halfmakeup face. 
     But more importantly, don't be afraid to take it all off. 
Until next time!
Peace, Love, and FFA!
McKenzie

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