booked a makeup lesson

*Here is my before photo: hair pulled back, black tank, blue denim, ready to run downtown to Hotel Lafayette.*

We had an intimate family wedding in southern France during the last week of September at Château Martinay to celebrate Lexi and Maxwell’s marriage. As you can imagine, many of us were in peak prep mode: daily workouts (sometimes twice a day), supersonic skincare routines, and a tanning booth session might have happened, which was downright ridiculous.

*You bring all of your products, and then she makes additional recommendations.*

*She also taught me which brush to use and where.*

*And who knew how high up the contour should go?*

*More contour details*, one *daytime eye, one smoky eye.*

*Viola! The finished look. Selfie while driving home.*

*Here is the selfie I took once I got home before I started dinner prep. I was so happy with the result. Thank you, Katie!*

One of the prep highlights was a makeup lesson I booked with Katie at Groom Service. She is an absolute professional, and my time with her was priceless. She taught me to start with the eyes and to use makeup wipes to erase all extra product from underneath the eye area once you have the look you want. She taught me that a brown eye pencil is best and that a black eye pencil is for red carpets, when you will be photographed, or if you are going for the super smoky eye. She taught me a day eye look and a smoky eye look. She taught me wear to apply contour and where to apply blush, who knew. She taught me to use a setting spray. So many things! When I walked out of there, I felt like a better version of myself and more confident. Makeup does make you look better, and applying it can become a wonderful part of your self-care routine.

*New York Times recipe baked feta with honey, one of my go-to’s for an easy appetizer.*

*I grilled simple marinated chicken and hot dogs for the kids, and the kids at heart. 🙂*

*For dessert, I baked an apple tart with puff pastry. I’m wearing* *one of my all-time favorite sweaters; it’s like a warm hug.*

*How great is this? Anytime the grands are over, I’m happy.*

Investing in yourself makes you show up better for yourself and those you love. Not in excess; of course, you can take self-care too far, which might narrow your focus or infringe on the time you spend with others. The wellness industry is everywhere, just enough to get real benefits. I wore my new makeup look to cook dinner that evening for the family, and it felt good to look good. When you feel good, you always have a better time.

*I also hemmed Booie’s new jeans that day by reattaching the original hem.*

*I think sewing is becoming a lost art. It’s a craft* *I return to time and again. We were all systems go for wedding prep, and I hemmed and altered many pieces for the family before we left town.*

The last time I had a makeup lesson was when I was in my twenties. Now on the edge of sixty I was long overdue. It was fun and enriching.

Consider booking a makeup lesson if it’s been a while since you’ve spent time with your kit. It’s motivating and inspirational and might give you that little extra boost for the upcoming holiday season. Cheers!