Break-Up to Make-Up

If you're in a rush this Monday morning here's the short lesson:
Don't buy new make-up after a break-up with your partner.

And if you have time to read the long version, like to hear it? Here it goes:

Roughly four years ago I had a huge argument with my boyfriend at the time. I was working for a small hedge fund in Client Services holding down the fort, answering investor questions. That afternoon he and I got into a more than heated discussion about some of his "questionable behavior" and while he spent the rest of his day doing nothing, I had to suck it up and walk through some old guy the requirements of a QEP. That's "Qualified Eligible Person" for all you non-financial peeps.

After work I was broken, my eyes bloodshot, my nerves just simply shot. I headed over to the department store nearby and hit the make-up counter.

I was 99% sure the guy behind the counter was wearing eyeliner and mascara. He must be good at makeovers right?

I told him I wanted a "smoky eye". Warning: Never ask for a smoky eye.

I could've purchased a black eyeliner at the local CVS and done some experimenting at home. But my fractured heart (and ego) was telling me this called for a professional.

He sat me down, covered my face with some sludge that he called moisturizer - and began violating my face with pencils, brushes, paints, and something he called dust. Was this a makeover or a rave?

Color upon color was applied to my skin. Caking it on, still telling me along the way, "girl you are going to be smoky as all get up".

After 45 minutes my chair spun around, the mirror was placed in my hand and I was shown the casualties of smoky-eye war. Yowza.

With my bloodshot eyes and puffy face I looked like I had either just finished a night of hardcore drinking or an even rougher night of walking the streets.

Now this is four years ago so I handled the situation differently. If this happened today (first of all I'd do my own smoky eye) I'd say this isn't really what I wanted, wash my face, and nicely say no thanks to buying everything he used. Instead I thought, "hey this could work", whipped out my debit card, and paid $165 for make-up I would never use again.

Sometimes after a fight or break-up we do crazy things. After I ended things with my long-term boyfriend I moved to the south side of the city, bought a new car, rescued a miniature poodle named Bernard, and climbed Mt. Fuji. Oh and ran a marathon. You don't have to go that far.

After a break-up definitely take time to find yourself. Do something you'd never normally do. But don't (and I really mean this) ever hit the make-up counter, the hair dresser, or god forbid the tattoo parlor.

I forgot I got a nose piercing too.

You get my point.