Mutton Dressed as Lamb: The Musings of a Birthday Girl

Such an awful phrase, considering that certain ages are no longer represent what they once did when our parents were young, and yet at times it just seems it's so fitting. And seeing as my birthday has just passed (yesterday), it's a topic that's kind of on my mind. Especially as I creep ever closer to that dreaded 4-0.

You can find examples of it all over the city, at least I can: mature women who are either raiding their teenaged daughters' closet when they clearly should not be, or still desperately clinging to the same look they had a decade or two ago as an attempt to relive those glory days. This is by no means of condemnation - I myself often look in the mirror and wonder 'am I too old to pull this off?'. Fortunately I happen to be blessed with good genes (oily skin in your youth can be a good thing, as it turns out) that makes me look younger than I am, and a particularly vocal nine year old who will be the first to question what's going on with my makeup or clothing. Because he's far more critical and conservative than I am, there are some instances when I'll dismiss him as a Puritan. 

But most of the time, much as I'm loathe to admit it, he's spot-on.  

If you aren't as 'lucky' to have something similar in your life, there are ways that you can do your own self evaluation. A word of warning: it involves complete honesty, bright light and a hand held mirror, preferably with a magnification side.

1. Take a good, hard look at yourself in natural light: This isn't an easy thing to do, believe me. But every now and then it must be done. It's the only way you can determine if your foundation is still the right shade and texture for your face. If it's patchy and powdery spots, that's an indicator that you need something with more moisture. That's an easy fix - simply blend equal parts moisturizer and liquid foundation in your hand before applying to your face. This will also thin out the texture of the foundation, which can cause other issues as one's skin ages. You don't want to look like you're wearing a mask. Foundation that is slightly sheer is less likely to cling to fine lines that can form around the nose and lips, and on the forehead. It's also easier to blend if it so happens that it's a bit too dark for your skin in the winter months - a quick check of the jawline will give you the answer. If your face is a different colour than your neck, it's not the one. 

2. Focus on the eyes: It's still amazing to me how quickly you can take years off a face that's wearing too much dark, heavy eye makeup and replace it with more flattering matte tones. A common trap that most of us fall into is doing the same thing makeup-wise day after day - partly out of habit, partly because you aren't really sure what else to do. For some, that trap can stretch on for decades. In effort to avoid such a fate, I encourage all of you to take an hour to yourself and just dig through your makeup case. Pull out those colours you never thought you'd use and just give 'em a shot. You never know, right? For best results, invite a friend or two over so that you can have a second opinion. Perspective is key. So too is a matte texture on an eye that's starting to show signs of aging; a product that has too much shimmer will cling to even the finest of lines, and make them all the more noticeable. And I'll go out on a limb and guess that is not the look you're going for. 

3. Lip Service: A general rule of thumb when it comes to makeup is the lighter the lipstick, the more youthful the look. Darker lipstick can often lend a pallor to the skin if it's the wrong shade for your skin, while bright lipstick can just scream that you're trying too hard. That last one is an offence of which I'm most guilty of, but I've decided to say screw the rules - my lipstick is my signature. But I am conscious of the need to switch it up from season to season. Feel free to do the same. And by the same token, you may want to give that pink nude shade you got as a gift with purchase and promptly tossed to the back of the vanity drawer a shot. You never know, it could be a new favourite waiting to happen. Just be careful of going too light on the lips - you don't want them to disappear entirely, nor would you want to look like you're single-handedly trying to bring back the Swinging Sixties.

Most women I know have a few random unused makeup items kicking around, either through a promotion or an impulse buy, that they've never used. Why not take a chance and try something new, or better yet - gather a few of your friends with the same problems and surplus cosmetics for a New Year's makeup party? After all, this is a season of self reflection and goal-setting for the year, so why not extend those same principles to your makeup? 

2012

2007

And with that, I will leave you with a little then and now of yours truly. Each picture is certainly a snapshot in time in their own right, and I hope it demonstrates the point I've been making all along: time marches onward, and no amount of black eyeliner is going to change that.