My makeup

I wear a lot of makeup. I know it. And I like it. I rarely go out in public without it on. I just like wearing it!

However, there are times when I don’t wear makeup in public. And no one recognizes me. Don’t believe me?

Exhibit A

One time in high school, I was on this confidence kick, thinking “I don’t need to wear makeup every day. I’m beautiful just the way I am.” So, I went to school without makeup on. I had good intentions, but became quickly annoyed when the entire day, people kept asking me if I was sick. Teachers, classmates, friends, everyone thought I was sick. I wasn’t sick. Just annoyed.

Exhibit B

One time in college, my friend Addie and I went to Windy Gap, a Young Life camp in North Carolina, to get it ready for summer campers. Addie and I spent the entire week painting a gazebo in the blazing hot sun and painting a stuffy, unventilated room behind the stage. No need for makeup, I thought to myself. I’ll just sweat it off. Plus, it’s Young Life camp. No one will care if I wear makeup or not. So, the second day I was there, I decided to go out of the cabin with nothing but my beautiful bare face and some already-paint-stained shorts. (Oh, and a shirt, of course!) Bad idea. Not only did people think I was sick, but most people who I had met the day before introduced themselves to me again. They didn’t recognize me! Much to the pleasure of Addie, who since that weekend has thought it hilarious every time this happens to me.

Which brings us to a couple of weekends ago.

Exhibit C

Coleman and I went out to breakfast one Saturday morning. It was early, and we decided to walk there, because it was so nice outside. I pulled my hair back, threw on some jeans and a zip up, and we headed out the door. Once at the diner, we were seated at a little booth. Just about the time we got our coffee and had placed our orders, a couple came in and sat at the table next to us. I recognized them from our apartment community–the girl is always really nice and says hi every time we pass each other. So, I said hello, asked them how they were doing, and introduced them to Coleman. “How nice,” I said to myself. “Someone actually recognized me without makeup on!”

About a week later, I passed the couple in front of our building. “Hi,” she said to me. “How are you?” I replied, “Great! How was your breakfast the other morning? It was so funny running into you there.” She looked puzzled. Her husband looked puzzled. “At the diner,” I reminded them. “I was sitting at a booth with my husband, you sat at the table next to us.” (Blank stares.) “Remember? On Saturday morning?” It finally clicked. “Oh!” the girl said. “That was you? I had no idea who you were!”

Awesome.