Something to Prove

I’ve always loved hair, I’ve always loved makeup, and I’ve always loved dressing up. I also have always taken pride in my appearance and the way I present to the world. My favorite job I had when I was in high school was at a restaurant working as a hostess. (It’s also the job where I met my husband when I came home for the summer in college and returned to that job.) I got to dress up every night in cute outfits, and wear wedges and high heels, and just talk and interact with people, for a teenager this is just the absolute best.

When I was pregnant, I didn’t feel like myself. If you have ever been pregnant you can probably relate to this feeling, and if you haven’t yet, well it will give you something to look forward to! My first pregnancy I had great hair, it was so long and full and blonde and fabulous, oh and everywhere I went people thought I had my lips done because they were so swollen and full, much like the rest of my body. But that was the problem, I was so swollen! Not to mention uncomfortable, and like nothing fit or was cute because while they were “my clothes” they weren’t really my clothes. I barely wore maternity clothes, but it still just wasn’t the same as my usual choices.

After my son was born, I felt like I had something to prove, like I had it all together. So, we had a routine, he would wake up, we would play, have breakfast, and when he took his morning nap, I would painstakingly do my hair perfectly, and expertly apply every layer of makeup imaginable. I even got the most horrendous eyelashes you can imagine in an attempt to look more awake and well-rested. I would dress myself and the baby immaculately; a lot of the time in matching outfits. It was amazing don’t get me wrong, but it was exhausting, both physically and mentally.

I was having a hard time figuring out who I was, which I think is natural when you go through any kind of big life change, and so I went to school for makeup artistry, and I loved it. But as it turns out, I am a huge germaphobe I didn’t like or want to touch other people’s faces. So the pro…I learned how to do my own makeup well, the con…no return on investment. Sorry honey!

Cue, my son starting school, and the pressure to feel like you must be dressed perfectly, with a full face of makeup and perfectly coiffed hair at 8:00am when you walk your 2-year-old into class for 4 hours. But this wasn’t the case, this was just what I told myself. 

Now comes pregnancy #2, my hair not full and lush and long, like the last time. It’s limp, dull, and stringy. But still had the luscious lips with a lot less swelling the second time around. But by the time he was born I was a lot more comfortable in my own skin, and now almost 4 years later it sometimes feels like I’m a whole new person because I’m so comfortable.

It took time and work, and its a marathon not a sprint, but now I do things that make me feel good, and I don’t worry about the other stuff or what other people think so much. People are always going to talk, but that’s on them, not me.

So, you know, most days it feels good to put on a cute outfit, but if it doesn’t and I want to wear workout clothes all day, or gasp joggers, I do! I don’t wear full makeup most days, but if I get inspired to try a new eye makeup technique I do it. More often than not my hair is done, because clearly that is my thing, and when my hair looks fabulous, I automatically feel fabulous even sick or coming out of neck surgery. But some nights I just don’t have it in me to do a full-on blow-dry and so I don’t, I rough dry before bed and deal with it later.

So I’ll always be a high maintenance girl, but at heart, I’m really a beach bum, and with that comes finding the balance in life and living it for yourself and not what you think anyone else makes you think you should do, or how you should look, or feel, or act. You do you! 

So, the next product launch will be a tribute to my lazy beach girl side but with an HMF twist!

Stay tuned….

Xx,

Jenna