At this age, if it looks good on me, it's probably fake
We WERE supposed to be in Jamaica for Spring Break but once we discovered my husband's passport was expired last week, we were sh*t out of luck and had to pivot.
And yes, I was very close to needing a straightjacket last week.
But a close consolation prize was a place near and dear to my heart, a very special town in the northwest mountains of North Carolina called Asheville.
I love it here so much that we've considered moving here.
It's very artsy. Lots of hippies. Music. Sustainable living. It's very vibrant and full of culture and fresh mountain air and even more beautiful scenery everywhere.
But on this trip, I noticed something I hadn't before.
Nobody wears make-up in Asheville.
Just casually roaming around with their bare faces on full display.
Like a bunch of easygoing confident freaks!
For context, when I was a teenager and was busy sneaking out of my house sleeping over friends (usually where boys were) houses....
I remember sleeping with my purse and make-up bag RIGHT next to my head.
The moment I would wake up, I would roll over and put under eye concealer and eyeliner on before anybody could see me.
And to be clear, nobody taught me that. I also grew up in New Jersey so you can draw your own conclusions here.
It felt instinctual that my face was never to be seen bare or flames of hell would swallow me whole and shield others from my hideous visage.
I do love a full-face of make-up. It does feel like a type of canvas and artwork.
And some people are just so beautiful with a fresh face.
But I never felt like I could pull that off. Nor did I want to.
And even now, despite my desperate efforts to remain looking youthful at all costs, my reflection is changing.
At this age, if it looks good on me, it's probably fake.
I love my lash extensions, microbladed eyebrows, botox, and fillers.
I get those pesky "glitter" hairs colored every 4 weeks among a ridiculous litany of high maintenance upkeep that frankly, I would just bore you to list (and probably piss you off if I haven't already).
And I've been a little freaked over the lines that are forming around my mouth when I make my dumb dance faces when I teach dance class.
If you have been riding with me and read last week's blog post about my disordered eating and body dysmorphia, it seems that the focus has shifted from my weight and body image to aging.
Or not aging.
I have so much to say about this, but I'll save it for later.
And if you vehemently disagree with my view on this, feel free to respond and tell me why.
I think the concept of changing someone's belief is a very interesting one.
And so I had bestselling author and former criminal lawyer, Sarah Krasnostein on the podcast talking about WHY people so fervently stick to their beliefs, no matter how unpopular or outlandish they may seem.
Listen here:
xo,
Allison
P.S. Stay tuned as I am going to be making the Culture Changers community MUCH more interactive. I am so excited to share what I have been working on for you!
P.P.S. Jeeeeeesus, have you seen this yet?
P.P.P.S. The most thought-provoking essay I've read has just come to light. I think my next podcast series will be on this.
