Beauty Is In the Eye of the Beholder...But Not Under Fluorescent Lighting

I have always enjoyed makeup and have fond memories of sitting in the bathrooms of both my mother and grandmother, a small blonde-haired girl, my round, green eyes watching with wonder as they applied their makeup (Mary Kay for Mom, Avon for Gram). I remember the day I turned thirteen, for it was the day I was "finally" allowed to wear makeup. My mother gifted me a few neutral eyeshadows and a light lipstick, and I thought I was in makeup heaven. Today, at age thirty-seven, I continue to enjoy makeup, beauty products, natural oils, and, more recently, simply taking care of my skin. On the days I choose to wear makeup (there are plenty that I don't), I find the quiet moments while applying it therapeutic. I use that time to reflect, pray for others, and listen or sing along to a few worship songs.

The photos above show my current setup, and I must say that I love it. I keep the area free of clutter, with just a few sentimental items that make me smile: silk flowers from a close friend, a white deer head ornament that I keep rings or hair ties on, and a small picture of my nieces. The dressing table is from IKEA (Malm Dressing Table), and the acrylic storage units are from MUJI USA. I am an extreme organizer (something else I find therapeutic), and these drawers keep everything wonderfully organized and accessible. I purposely house my makeup and statement jewelry in the clear drawers because I find that I rotate and use all of the items this way, as opposed to having things tucked away where I forget about them. I affixed some white hooks to the inside of the desk, where my hair dryer and curling iron are stored. I also have a small, pretty garbage can underneath, just like my grandmother did. I can clearly see her blotting her lipstick and tossing away her lip-marked tissue.

The runway lights. Well, these happened after David and I were in a store one day. I saw myself in a mirror under the fluorescent lights, gasped, and said, "Why didn't you tell me I looked like a CLOWN??" David laughed and exclaimed I did not look like a clown, but that did not comfort me, as I prefer a more "natural but nicely noticeable" makeup look . . . and that day I felt I could rival a drag queen. I had never noticed this issue before and immediately knew it was due to the lack of light in our master bedroom.

After researching different lighting options, I fell for a lovely but costly name brand Vanity Girl Hollywood setup that was unfortunately priced around $400. I asked my handy hubby if we could make something similar, and he happily took to the task. After one trip to Lowes, measuring around the large white mirror we already owned, and some drilling, (myself once again watching David like that little girl watching her mother and grandmother), I had my own custom setup that rivals the expensive name brand. David was really quite excited about making this for me, and he decided to make the lights dimmable, which is my favorite part. In one afternoon, for under $100 (bulbs included!), I no longer had to wonder if I was going to frighten people who glanced my way.

I'm looking forward to more frequent beauty posts, sharing some of my favorite low-cost alternatives to the more costly high-end brands. While I do enjoy luxury makeup items that were either gifts or purchased at a great discount, I get a tiny thrill from finding much less expensive products that deliver the same high-end result. Do you still "play" with makeup? Do you have any holy grail items in your beauty/skin/hair care routine? I'd love to hear from you!

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." ~Audrey Hepburn

~Kara