Are we ready to talk about makeup?

Ask Auntie Leila!

The School for Housewives brings you short, practical, and thoughtful messages to inspire you to make your home. If you’re new here, go to the homepage for the previous Lessons; the categories are arranged in the menu bar at the top.

I got a question from a reader about makeup — which, full disclosure, I am a minimalist about.

When this reader asked for a makeup post, I asked her in turn what exactly she was looking for, since I feel I don’t specialize in this topic!

This was her response:

Your hair post was a hit in my book. Balancing femininity, practicality, and modesty is really a delicate matter, with virtue being in the middle! I think especially young moms can fall into the “I never have time to put on makeup” mindset. But then on the other end, we are marketed horribly gaudy, and not at all modest, makeup techniques. It would be interesting to have a post with specifics on how to be our own version of pretty, for the sake of our selves, our husbands, and the community! Do we always choose the bare minimum, for a natural look? Do fancier occasions warrant more makeup? Eyeshadow: yay or nay? I feel like fake eyelashes are always a no-go… Things like that!

As I said before, it’s so important to know your colors!

Makeup will only enhance your pretty face if it’s the right tone and hue! Warm or cool? Muted/heathered or clear? Hair and eye color are not as decisive for your color “season” as the undertones in your skin — and this can be deceiving, so it’s important to understand!

That said, and taking it as read that you’ve figured it out (just go back to the previous lessons if not, and also to our chat on the topic in the membership lounge), here are some preliminary thoughts:

• Makeup today is driven by social media, and what looks good in pictures is not necessarily what looks good and, honestly, normal, in real life. If you know you’ll be in photos (like at a wedding), or if the event is at night, then you can go more dramatic (for you!). But the daily look should be natural.

• You should still look like you, just a bit enhanced.

• Wearing makeup should be a charity to others and not vanity, nor a great expense.

• People — especially your children — should not absolutely know you are wearing makeup! It’s worth thinking ahead to how you want them to approach the subject: you are their role model.

• With all that has to be done first thing in the morning, and given that we do want to be ready to face the day and go on as we start, the routine needs to be super efficient. I always aimed at keeping it under five minutes. When you get to be a grandma it might take longer but when you’re young, keep it quick!

We’ll talk more! Let me know!

As with everything here at the SFH, the best thing is for you to take my ideas, which come from my experience of escaping feminism to enjoy the gift of 45 years of marriage, seven children, and more than a score of grandchildren, and apply them to your situation with discernment, prudence, and confidence — and a sense of humor!

Be happy at home! Could you become a free or paid subscriber? That way you won’t miss anything!

If you don’t wish to subscribe just now, I understand! How about…

For the longer version:

My book on how to live with the Liturgical Year: The Little Oratory