Finding Awesomeness in the Oddest of Places
I've always assumed that my version of hell will be filled with touchy feely people who walk around hugging and saying weird things to each other. But no, that's just a day at a human resources conference. It turns out my actual version of hell involves a bunch of women sitting around in a circle putting makeup on their daughters.
I survived hell, you guys.
Basically, this competition dance thing involves a lot more hair and makeup that I can comprehend. From the very long and very specific list of required products to the class I attended last week because we all have to apply it in the same way, it's a lot.
Did you catch that "class to learn how to put it on" thing? THAT WAS AN ACTUAL THING. Two hours of a very nice woman (truly) telling a room filled with dance moms of varying degrees of crazy how to put eye shadow and concealer and foundation and false eyelashes on their girls. When we were done putting more makeup that seemingly possible on the girls, we learned how to make perfect ballet buns.
It was ... interesting.
All the while, I was miserable but doing my best to be a good sport because Alexis. Alexis was sooooo excited. She loved everything about the concept of getting made up. It was all sorts of new and exciting for her. She is acutely aware that she's the youngest on her team, so she's getting to do the stuff the big girls get to do without having all of the responsibility that comes with being a big girl.
That. That is her heaven.
Or so I thought.
As the makeup and hair lesson progressed, Alexis gradually became more and more excited, but then things turned. Somewhere between the fourteen layers of lipstick and the false eyelashes, she started to seem ... well ... I think it was the lipstick that turned her. I think it was the lipstick that marked the point in the game when Alexis looked at herself in a mirror and then turned and said, "I look like a clown."
Later that night, I sent Alexis a photo from the evening. It was the group photo that we took at the end of the night that showed all of the girls wearing all of the makeup. Alexis took that photo and posted it to Instagram. The caption? Makeup is overwhelming.
And with that simple sentence, the two most miserable hours of my life were suddenly worth every millisecond.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Reader Comments (2)
Brilliant! Gracie hasn't asked yet, but I know: Makeup Is Coming.
Oh, Alexis. You speak the truth.
I am fascinated by makeup tutorials on YouTube, and even those little 15-second transformations on Instagram, because I love watching the magic happen. But when it comes time to put on my own, I stick with the basics.
Though I was brave enough to wear false lashes to a friend's engagement party a couple of weekends ago, and I got way more compliments than I expected, so maybe there is something there. But only on special occasions.