Now more than ever, we have access to just about anything. What makes something valuable, then, is what’s rare, unique, or custom - and everyone wants it.
We see this in makeup trends. We had “basic” makeup when I started wearing makeup in the 2000s, then the world exploded with this photo:
@kimkardashian via Twitter
Now, we have “clean girl” makeup, which is “basic” makeup reincarnated. And the heavy contour? Maybe you’ve heard of my favorite makeup artist, Kevyn Aucoin, who launched his book Making Faces in 1994 based on the techniques he used on everyone who was anyone. Look familiar?
Everything is cyclical and most things are not new. So how to you make things rare and precious? You add effort.
It’s like a fingerprint - everyone has their own set. When it comes to makeup, you have to put in the time to find what works best for you. Anything worth doing is worth doing well, so when it comes to your face, why not embrace the process?
I hope you’ll join my ARE YOU READY challenge, where I break down the building blocks of good makeup. The easiest way is to subscribe to ELX and have the monthly action items all in one place each month:
I’ll be honest, this isn’t the most glamorous challenge. It’s not flashy. It might be tedious and maybe frustrating at times, like Mr. Miyagi asking you to “wax-on and wax-off.” But think about it this way: everyone sees celebs on a red carpet for a split second looking “glamorous.” What you don’t see is a lifetime of diet and exercise programs. Facials. Cosmetic dermatology and plastic surgery. Hours of makeup and hair discussions and actual application. Fittings. Major pressure to shine. Et cetera.
Or a football player who devotes hours and hours to practices for just one game a week. Or spending days prepping Thanksgiving dinner for everyone to eat it in 30 minutes. You get the gist. Nothing just happens, and it’s no different with discovering and executing your signature makeup look!
Come with me and breathe the rare air. The satisfaction of passing yourself in the mirror and saying, “Daaaaaaamn I look good” is a real mood-booster. Just saying. And it’s not about the amount of makeup, its about finding what works for you. If you’re ready, let’s find out together.
Appreciate y’all, mean it! -JY