Made Up?

I was catching up with some of my blog reading and I discovered this post from Amy over at The Fourth Frog Blog.  She had noticed that she went from wearing makeup on a regular basis to hardly ever wearing it and doesn't remember exactly when that switch occurred.  It got me to thinking of my love-hate relationship with makeup and "doing" my face. 

I remember distinctly when I started wearing makeup.  We were allowed to wear makeup to school for the first time in seventh grade.  Entering middle school was a whole new experience in itself but being able to wear makeup added a little excitement to the prospect.  I begged my mom to let me start wearing makeup and she actually agreed.  I would get up every morning and put on a full face complete with foundation, blush, and eyes.  

By high school my laziness and detest of  mornings started to make me see a little more clearly in this department.  A few more minutes of sleep was definitely more valuable than putting on a full face.  I'd wear makeup a few days a week but if I was running late I certainly didn't put it at the top of my priority list.

In nursing school my late nights and early mornings and my DETEST of getting up in the morning caused me to start skipping makeup even more.  My instructors certainly wouldn't care if I had a full face on.  They were concerned with if I was there and actually learning something.  The fact that I was surrounded by women students certainly didn't hurt.  I knew they weren't mulling over whether to ask me out for a date and wearing make up certainly didn't factor into if I was a good study partner or not.  However, don't think that same rule applied for nights out.  A night out was definitely full-face worthy. 

When I graduated I remember wanting to make a good impression on the job and would try to make the effort to put a little make up on before I walked out the door.  But after I switched the night shift that rule went out the door.  I got tired of the "raccoon" eyes that would inevitably occur by the end of my 12 hour night shift and so I ditched makeup as part of my routine.  There weren't as many eligible bachelors on the night shift anyway.  Again though, a night out was certainly full-face worthy! 

Enter mother hood and makeup became a foreign concept.  Most days I didn't leave the house anyway so why waste good product that cost money?  I didn't care and I'm certain neither did the baby. 

Now, laziness and the fact that I'm not a morning person has kept the makeup at bay.  I only put it on for appointments during the day.  A night out still gets the makeup out and definitely special occasions. 

Even though I've never understood the women who feel as if they aren't dressed until their face is applied, lately I'm feeling as if I look like I need a little make up.  The circles are getting a little darker, the fine lines beginning to show.  I've been trying to make a concentrated effort to at least dab on a little concealer and brush on some mascara.  Time like this makes me envious of all those men out there.  I'm positive they have NEVER looked in the mirror and contemplated whether or not they need to put on foundation to even out their complexion. 

What about you?  Are you a full-face-girl even if you are only doing the housework?  Or are you a less is more kind of gal?