Make-Up can be tricky.

I learned at an early age, like so many of us, that a woman is not “finished” until she applies her make-up. Is that an old wives’ tale, or an urban myth? Is that society twisting the minds of young girls? Yes and no. I do feel unwanted pressure to apply make-up – although it’s pressure I’ve learned to put on myself. But there’s no denying that I look a whole hell of a lot better with make-up than without!

How much better is up for debate. When I look in the mirror without make-up I see a middle aged hag. With make-up there is, at least, the chance that what stares back at me won’t startle me and kill my appetite (and trust me that’s a tough appetite to kill!). But is a lot of that just in my mind? I guess it doesn’t matter since it’s how I feel and it affects me and my ability to function confidently. Too cerebral?

I was on my make-up free deathbed with the flu one day and my sweet little Mom, the one who told me years ago that I’d better get busy and find the right make-up if I ever expected to look good, leaned over and crooned “Oh, you look so much better than you normally do!” An ill-concealed attempt at critiquing my current make-up regime – face it lady you are NOT subtle! She knows just how to give me a karate kick in the confidence – and all in my best interest. But that comment of hers is at the very root of the menopausal woman’s dilemma with make-up.

The problem is that as one gets older one’s eyes get weaker at the very time that make-up application gets more critical and exacting. I am now forced to use the inevitable magnifying mirror in order to see exactly what I’m doing – and as some of you will attest – every blemish and, god forbid, wrinkle is magnified into a mountain range and a vast crevasse. Really tough to look good under that kind of scrutiny! But if you falter and fail to scrutinize you run the risk of looking like Bozo the Clown’s older sister. The sins of heavily applied and/or badly blended make-up become grotesque on the middle aged facial landscape. Those minor application errors that just tend to highlight the loveliness of the youthful complexion turn the mature facial pallet into a garish and macabre freak show capable of stopping a freight train at full speed. There’s a fine line for us. Stepping too far either way is likely to elicit a tsunami-like response from those poor souls who are unlucky enough to be around at the wrong time.

And for those of you who skate through life feeling no need for make up or hair styling, my hat is off to you! I wish I had your confidence!