I used to love coloring as a little girl. I loved getting the biggest box of crayons and looking at all the pretty colors, and I would spend hours and hours with my crayons, coloring.

Makeup, for me, is an extension of that happiness I had as a child. It's like fingerpainting almost, to me.

Over the years, I've had one or two people tell me that I wasn't a proper feminist because I didn't eschew makeup, and how could I be expected to be taken seriously with makeup on?

But I didn't care. I loved makeup anyway. I love playing with eyeshadow and blusher and highlight and contour and creating a smooth canvas with foundation...I love playing up my best features and playing down my worst ones.

I like collecting makeup. Whenever I feel like treating myself to something, I pick up an eyeshadow at the grocery or drug store, so I've amassed a good-sized collection. Probably bigger than average. And I love looking through it, sorting it by colors and textures, and experimenting with it each day. It just feels like fun to me, and self-pampering!

Anybody else like makeup?

I was just thinking about this as I replied to the "What make up articles do you carry around with you" thread!

As a teen/20/30-something, I was crazy for makeup, and wouldn't think of leaving the house without at least base/eyeliner/mascara/lipgloss. I took a course in makeup application (just for fun, not a career), and was in big demand with friends and family!

Then I moved to the country, got caught up in horses, dogs, husband and son, and I went bare-faced almost always.

Now there seems to be more time for me (I've still got the horses, dogs, husband and son!) and I'm back into it.

Foundation's my favourite thing right now, I've got several different brands - powders, creams, light and heavier coverage. They all evoke something for me - the way they smell, feel, the textures.

A little luxury is going to Sephora, and wandering around looking at all the colours and sparkly stuff - love it!

Haha... Well I too love the IDEA of makeup, but I can't seem to get the application (or maybe the products) right for my life, I am mystified. Especially when it comes to eye liner, whatever I do looks so amateurish, which is frustrating because I feel like that's the one thing that really enhances my looks. I just turned 27, moved to a city where ALL the women are super-polished and feel particularly out-of-place with a mostly-bare face.

Any pointers ? I tried getting a makeover -- two actually -- at a sephora but neither really impressed me.

I...am just figuring out makeup. I am 23 and I have never worn makeup and I just got interested in it recently. Now that I have some though, I never find/make the time to put it on and I have trouble changing myself because I am afraid of what others will think. For example, if I find a piece of clothing that I like and looks great on me, but I think is a little outrageous, I won't get it because I'm afraid to go for it. This is why I wear t-shirt and jeans every day and don't really make an effort on my appearance.

Anyways, besides that little tangent, I still can't figure out eyeliner. I've tried a million times and it always just looks dumb on me.

I love makeup, too. Mostly eye makeup. I love shadows that have a little shimmer or sparkle to them (not super sparkly, though, cuz I'm in my 40's).

I have had trouble with eyeliner in the past. The pencils always drag and either leave a thick line, or they break, or it's hard to get it smooth. The liquids with the little paintbrush are tough, too. I have blue eyes and fair skin, so a thick line of black liner is too harsh for me. So this is the eyeliner that I use:

http://www.lorealparisusa.com/eyelin...ing-Bronze.htm

I use it in Defining Bronze because it has a little bit of shimmer to it. It's a powder, and you can see that it comes with a little flat, firm brush. It's really easy to control; I can do a thicker line on my upper lid and a teeny thin one underneath. Give it a shot! I got mine at Target a few months ago. I see that they don't carry it at my local Target anymore, but it's still on the L'Oreal site so it's probably still available from someplace. It was a little spendy but this container should last me for years.

Lori, I had a Womens' Studies prof at university. She walked in on the first day, with perfectly styled hair, 3 inch heels, a short skirt and what I'm pretty sure was a boob job. As she said, "One doesn't have to be dowdy to support women's rights! I'm an advocate for women, men, and children and I'm going to advocate my butt off in a killer pair of heels!"

I am a makeup-a-holic. I think I need a 12 step program I have SO much. I agree, it's like being an artist. I'm a creative girl, so it's just a way to express myself. And nail polish too...don't even get me started on that!

I wouldn't wear makeup everyday unless I had to, I just look a hundred times better with foundation, concealer and powder because I have very pale skin with rosacea. But it is fun to put on makeup I think and experiment with different looks Right now I'm thinking about getting a turquoise eyeliner pencil because I saw that Jennifer Aniston tends to wear it underneath her lower lashes in many photos and I think it looks good. There are really good videos on youtube that explain how to do different looks, I've learned some useful tips from some of them.

If I'm just hangin' around the house, then I skip the makeup but I almost always put on a little something when I go out, even if it's just to the grocery store. At least some eye makeup. There is a girl at work who has perfect, porcelain skin with nary a blemish. She doesn't wear any makeup at all and she looks beautiful. I think maybe if my skin looked like that, I could skip it, too, but unfortunately I feel like I need a little help! LOL

Try MAC, and ask them to give you a natural-looking face, something you can wear every day, and to tell you what they're doing with the products as they go (ask for a list of what they're using, too). They did my make up last summer for a wedding; I told them I wanted to look natural, not made up, just like me but better And they did a fantastic job, I was really happy. You'll have to buy $50 worth of MAC make up, but if you like what they did that won't be a problem. And then just practice, practice, practice.

[QUOTE=Windchime;3118960]So this is the eyeliner that I use:

http://www.lorealparisusa.com/eyelin...ing-Bronze.htm
QUOTE]

Uh-oh, I feel a visit to the make-up counter coming on!!

I wore makeup for quite a while and got out of it...mostly it seems that there just isn't time and I do a little eye makeup on a special occasion. Shades of brown over my hazel eyes, and eyeliner/mascara.I'm usually the last in the shower and have the least amount of time to get ready in the morning!

That said, I never used foundation and don't know the first thing about it. wondered if maybe I should at some point, but I doubt that thought will be realized anytime soon.

a giggle...recently I picked up nail polish. I did so because I could reach my toes without huffing and puffing or contorting, and wanted them to know that I was pleased to make their reacquaintance! I put some on my fingernails, too, just for fun. For me, that is a MAJOR upgrade.

I enjoy putting on makeup as an artistic outlet. I've been told I have beautiful eyes, and I learned to play them up. Coupled with long hair, this serves as a distraction from body size, as something immediately noticeable about me. It's all about accentuating the positive.

Not a proper feminist? A friend of mine mentioned coming across the same kind of feedback. People wonder why she wears makeup when she's a lesbian. Her answer, "I'm not trying to be a man. It just so happens I like girls."

I love makeup. I have ever since I was 3 years old, lol. I used to sneak into my mom's bathroom and put on her makeup. Then she started putting makeup on me just for fun. On picture day at school, she'd rub a little blush on my cheeks, lol!!

I love spending money on makeup. Sephora is one of my fave stores. I can spend hours looking at everything. I can even spend hours looking at the website. My hubby doesnt understand why I need so much makeup. But then I dont understand why he needs so many tools, lol!!

My mom's grandma (my great-grandma..I never met her though), always said that when you're feeling down..just put on makeup and you'll feel better. So whenever I'm down, I do just that.

Your great-grandma was a wise lady. I know it's true, you do feel better when you put on makeup. I just have to *remember* that when I'm down.