Task 39: Have a MAC makeup lesson

Despite the tactful and helpful suggestions on using makeup - including links to various YouTube videos - provided over the years by my friend Rowena, who always looks immaculate, I have never made much of an effort in that direction.  The exception was for my wedding, when I had a half hour makeup lesson at a specialist salon in London and reappeared in the office looking so different that my line manager was amazed.  Telling me I looked lovely was very gratifying and much appreciated.  Saying he hadn't realised it was possible, less so.

I'd experimented with eyeshadow in my teens, armed with my copy of Jackie, but lashings of dark purple, inexpertly applied, was never likely to be successful.  Mascara has always made my eyes water and eyeliner was even worse.  Eyelash curlers were a mystery and lip liner always seemed to end up a bit wide of the mark.  I gave up until my mid twenties, when I realised I needed to smarten my appearance at work.  Lipstick and a bit of blusher helped, with the later addition of some Clinique matte face powder which I applied liberally.  Apart from my wedding, that was how things stayed until now.

When I was compiling my list of 60 challenges and getting stuck for ideas, I remembered Rowena suggesting last year that I should think about having a MAC makeup lesson in Cape Town.  MAC's approach is to have a consultant do one side of your face and then you have to do the other, with the whole process taking an hour and a half.  I reckoned it would be sufficiently different from my previous lesson for it to count as something I'd never done before - especially given the possibility I'd make a real mess of it and have to walk back through the busy tourist shopping centre, looking like a clown.

On Monday morning I duly presented myself at the MAC emporium, wearing no makeup at all:

When I arrived, I was disconcerted to find I'd been allocated a male consultant.  He was charming, however, and thoughtfully asked if I'd like the music turned down.  Feeling rather ancient, I gratefully accepted.  He started by asking which aspect of makeup I'd like to focus on.  "Um, well, all of it really."  I showed him the makeup I use, which obviously didn't take long.  He approved of the blusher - a Clinique freebie - but there wasn't much else he could say.  He asked if I used a bronzer and I had to admit I didn't know what that was.  By that time he had me pretty much sussed and we agreed to aim for the "natural" look.  

It's surprising how much work and how many different products go into creating it.  First there was a hydrating spray, then a moisturising cream, followed (not necessarily in this order - there was a lot to remember) by a sort of setting serum, foundation, concealer, blusher, a serum and primer for the eye area, eyebrow pencil, two shades of eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, highlighter, lip moisturiser, lipstick and finally lip liner.  This was the result of his work:

Then it was my turn.  Fortunately he prompted me at each stage, reminding me of what came next and why.  There was a bewildering array of differently shaped brushes to use, with a range of techniques for each.  Should I dab, sweep, swirl, push, peck or feather?  It was confusing but definitely fun, and I managed not to poke myself in the eye with the mascara brush - or should that be wand?  I was really getting into the swing of it and realised as it came to applying the lip liner that I was almost at the end.  And that's when it went pear shaped.  I wasn't wearing my glasses as they'd have got in the way in the earlier stages and I could only vaguely see the outline of my lips.  Still, no problem, I could simply draw round the edge of the lipstick with a firm hand.  I'm not sure which bit went wrong - maybe all of it - as I couldn't really see what I'd done, but the consultant started giggling and then shaking with laughter.  When I asked where the mistake was, he had to hold onto the wall as he was laughing so much.  Once he'd recovered, he removed all the lip liner, redid it himself and that was that, the completed face:

The whole process had taken two hours and I'd thoroughly enjoyed it.  I decided to splash out on foundation, concealer (my highest priority, to hide the dark rings under my eyes) and the two eye shadows he'd used.  When Peter saw me he approved of the new look but wondered how long it would take me to achieve the same result on my own.  Realistically I'm going to have to invest time and effort practising, and it wasn't encouraging that the next morning my eyes were sore and bloodshot, presumably because they'd reacted to the eyeliner or mascara.  Overall I think it will be interesting and fun, and I can definitely only get better - especially with the lip liner.