The Thin Blue Line, June 13th

I first started wearing makeup back in 7th grade. Just a little Bonne Bell Lip Smacker roll-on gloss, some liberally applied Drug World blush with that cheap stiff bristled brush that was included, and a fantastic shade of bright aqua crayon drawn in a thin blue line across my lower lashes. All of this makiage perfectly complemented my overpermed hair and not yet tweezed brows. (Are ya getting a good visual here? Good God! I know some of you remember that I did post my senior year yearbook picture not that long ago, but do not expect me to repost that handsome snap ever again!)

Some years later I discovered liquid liner and it just about changed mah life! That tube of Very Blue got me through the heat of summer, too many breakup with boys tears, a 1984 cross country teen tour, and many Sweet Sixteen parties.

A lot has changed since I drew that first thin blue line. For starters I no longer wear a crazy shade of blue on my lower lashes. I was schooled by the pros at MAC, Pat McGrath, and Bobbi Brown that a nice thick black line above the upper lashes does wonders for making your eyes look larger and brings out the natural blue! And by adding a smudge of liner to the inside upper lash line in a matching shade—voila, major drama, but in a good way.

Now I feel like the minute I finally find a fab new product, two weeks later I stumble upon an even better one guaranteed to make my eyes bigger, my brows thicker, my skin healthier, and my life better. I know– a lot of choices, marketing, spokespersons, flash ads, Instagram posts, and pop ups pepper us night and day with claims of the best false lashes, swirling curling irons that make our hair Giselle perfect, and flawless coverups and contouring that promises airbrushed, camera-ready perfection that lasts all day. Frankly it’s exhausting just scrolling through the Moxie lash and Lashify ads!

I was never a cleanser, toner, powder, spritzer, night cream, serum, color corrector kind of gal. I’m seriously low maintenance with the products—always have been. I tend to draw the line at using no more than six items total. My makeup routine is sort of like the express lane in the grocery store—where they let you speed through if you’re traveling light and can pay quickly.