Dear Concealer: It was only a few months ago when your soft texture first grazed the delicate skin underneath my eyes. Up until then, I had no idea how in love I could be with a beauty product. Until then, I had no idea how amazing concealer could be. After hearing rumors that you, concealer, could hide under eye circles, I found a perfect match to disguise the deep purple baggage I had lived with for decades. The darkness was finally over.
This winter, I decided it was long overdue to give my face a break from makeup. I wanted my skin to be blemish and dark-spot free for summer, because the annual habit of sweating off my layers of makeup powder all over my clothes was not something I looked forward to. Admittedly, my makeup routine has always consisted of throwing a heavy layer of mineral powder all over my face and whatever top I'm wearing. The makeup on my face was always nearly gone in a few hours, but unfortunately, I couldn't say the same for the makeup stains on my shirt, but it was the clogged pores of dirt and leftover makeup that had me finally stop putting makeup on.
The first day without makeup felt like I was reclaiming my natural beauty. I confidently walked into work with my head wrap on feeling like a Erykah Badu on a summer's day — but, in reality, I looked like I had been up partying and crying for three days. I wasn't sure I could make it without a little something to hide my old dark spots and baggage.
When a version of you showed up at my doorstep, I wasn't sure if we were a match. I had made mistakes before; choosing the wrong type of mate for my undertones. It was those previous beauty blunders that lead me to abandon coverup forever. Still, I hadn't intended to ditch eye makeup during my makeup cleanse. I had heard about you before — heard that women who met you couldn't possibly live without you. I also heard that you had a bad habit of wreaking havoc on everything you touched, so I was wary.
However, after that first day we spent together, I knew it was true love.
Suddenly, I looked more awake. I was glowing. I even looked friendly. Because of you, I had the courage to go on without others that were not out for my skin's best interest. I no longer sought comfort in the arms of heavy foundations. The new freedom gave my dark spots and blemishes time to heal and time to breath.
Now that I've been aesthetically reborn, I have unstoppable confidence. I will not be tied down. I tell new suitors that I've just only started wearing concealer, so I really need to explore what's out there for me and my face. If only we knew each other in college.
Image: Kristin Collins Jackson; Giphy
