Punk Makeup Envy’ and yet another past life…
Sunday night I met a local rock God. Punk rock star Seantastic of Karmahitlist. (see pictures here) He was larger than life with rock star hair; rock star clothes, rock star tattoos, rock star moves and yes, punk-rock-God makeup! His was the best makeup job I’ve seen in a long time. As a former professional in the Cosmetic industry and trained in cosmetics in LA—and having owned the Cosmetic studio franchise Merle Norman here in Bakersfield for 10 years; let me tell you this local rock star’s look was right on the money. And I had punk makeup envy! He managed to achieve the perfect dramatic ‘Smokey eye’ look (my personal favorite), he added red shadow under his brows for rock star effect and he wore the perfect shade of lip-gloss (I wanted to ask him where he got it). Although it is possible that somewhere an adoring girl helped Seantastic with his makeup… I prefer to believe that someone of Seantastic’s charisma would have the talent to create his own punk-rock-God makeup look and in turn give me punk makeup envy!

In yet another ‘past life’ (the cosmetic store years) I did on average at least 3 makeovers a day 6 to 7 days a week for 10 years. That’s a lot of makeovers. That’s a lot of different looks I created on every different face and personality imaginable. I’ve done wedding parties, little old ladies, teenagers, and women of every age, local news reporters and transvestites. I once did a makeover on a woman who had been beaten up by her boyfriend and wanted help covering up the bruises that covered most of her face. She was so appreciative and I was just glad to help and see her smile. I met one of my best girlfriends when she came into the store crying from divorce court—I did a makeover on her, made her feel beautiful and we’ve been friends ever since. I taught a transvestite how to do his makeup during the weeks of his transformation from Victor to Victoria. (Quite a challenge I’ll tell you, he was not pretty!) I taught a local news reporter how to apply makeup for the camera. I used to give makeup presentations at local ‘women in business’ conferences. I knew my customers by name and what they wore. And I knew how to make women feel and look beautiful. I was taught that makeup was an art, the face a blank canvas and everyone is beautiful. Makeup just enhances a woman’s natural beauty. When a woman sat down at my makeup station I could look at her face and know exactly what colors would look best on her. It felt like a gift. And the hours I spent with each customer making them feel beautiful; creating my own pieces of art was very full filling.

The thousands of makeovers I did in the years I owned the cosmetic store have blurred in my memory. Too many faces, too many women, even though all were beautiful only a few stand out in my memory some of which I mentioned above. However, the one I will never forget was an older lady in her late 50’s to middle 60’s with gray hair. She came into the store one afternoon and requested a free makeover.

“What type of makeover were you wanting?” I asked her.

“Well, I DON’T want to look like YOU!” She said.

As you can imagine, I was insulted and instantly pissed off. And yet I had to spend an hour with her being kind and gracious and making her feel beautiful and looking nothing like me. I should have given her Seantastic’s punk-rock-God makeup look… but then I don’t think she had punk makeup envy the way I do.  posted by Matildakay at 11:33 PM