I’ll tell you a secret. I had this post in draft since yesterday but was waiting for the next daily prompt so I can link to it. But the prompt yesterday was yellow which doesn’t fit my post (Although I really do love the color yellow… It’s so energetic and happy. Like the sun! Ahehe.) so I had to wait another day for a new prompt, but the replacement still does not fit. So I decided, I’ll just post this way anyway. Hahaha.
Okay, now that that’s out of the way, here’s another vain post. Brace yourselves! Hahaha.
Actually, I’ve never been the type to be vain. I don’t use makeup. I don’t know how to. I grew up knowing I was ‘darn ugly I’d be an old maid’. But I was okay with that. I’ve accepted it as a ‘fact’ since grade school. (Pikon kasi ako nung bata ako so I actually believed yung mga pang-aasar sa akin. You know how kids are, and how naive or gullible I can be. Haha.) I didn’t bother exerting effort to ‘pretty-fy’ myself. Afterall, it can be very costly and I didn’t have the money to spare. Haha.
But what do you know?! I actually got married! Guess looks aren’t all that matter in love and life ei?!
And as if I’ve hit the jackpot (joke; blessed lang po talaga ako. Mabait si Lord.), this hubby never fails to tell me that I am pretty, EVERYDAY (Minsan nga nakakasawa na marinig. Char!), that I am still the prettiest for him and even when I feel fat or ugly, he doesn’t mind, he even finds it cute when I’m being like that. And to top it all, he thinks my character is one of a kind, perfectly matchy-matchy with his, and that’s what makes me even more pretty in his sight. Ayiii… Paki-iwasan ng onti ang hair ko, baka kayo mapatid.
Seriously though, I have never really bothered dolling myself up on a regular basis. We have special occasions for that. Like weddings! Aha!
But I had a few realizations last year that made me revisit my view on this whole vanity thing, as part of my new year’s resolution:
1. Workshops
I conducted a felt flower workshop with a group of really pretty girls last November and I realized I looked too simple I’d pass for their yaya. Seriously! I didn’t think just going out to stuff like worshops meant you needed to look your best, but they did for me. And I didn’t for them. So I figured next time, I need to make sure I come to workshops presentable and confident! I need to be as pretty as the flowers I am teaching my participants to make. Maglagay na rin kaya ako ng flower sa ulo? Hehe.
2. Hubby
Hubby… Is not the most pogi guy in the world (though for me he is… Sorry Dy, parang ilalaglag ata kita rito.) BUT!!! Hubby is really fashionable, EFFORTLESSLY fashionable!
I dunno how he does it, but he always manages to look good with anything he wears. Charisma or sex appeal perhaps? Mysterious… Hahaha.
He isn’t the one to follow fads, actually mas madalas nauuna pa sya. Often, he’d wear or sport something even before it became the ‘in thing’ – skinny pants, printed socks, bomber or jean jackets, you name it, he rocked it first.
I’ve been telling him to be a fashion or ootd blogger since I think that’s not a common male thingie here and he might make good money *ka-ching*, but he doesn’t want to. He doesn’t believe he looks good or fashionable enough for that. 😛
Nevertheless, hubby never bothered pushing me to change my own sense of style. Afterall for him, ang ganda ganda ko na diba? Ahahaha. As long as I am comfy daw, walang need baguhin sa akin. 😉 It would even be a waste to ask him how I looked for the day, he’d say I’m pretty anyway. Sorry na… Cheesy na… Sabi sa inyo blessed ako eh… Buti na lang malabo mata ni hubby. Hahaha.
But seriously, if he is pioneering in the ‘fashion’ and ‘looking good’ scene, I think it’d be a shame not to follow in his footsteps, right? Tee-hee-hee. 😛
3. Work
Since I moved into a new team lately, a new friend and colleague was too cute I couldn’t resist her persistence to let me try some things out, like lipstick. She said we needed it for work. We need to either be aggressive or charming enough. She would say, “buti ka nga effortlessly maganda ka, hindi ka lang nag-aayos. Hindi mo nga kailangan mag-ayos, kailangan mo lang maglipstick kasi maputla ka.”
And that really flattered me. I never looked at it that way. I used to really think it would take sooo much effort to make me look good, I’d be too lazy or kuripot about it. Hehe.
But eventually I bought some lipsticks and we would viber lippie photos to each other. Thank God for girl friends!
4. Age and Skin Care
I personally like using an ordinary bath (bar) soap for my face — cheap and dries my skin, thus, I avoid pimple breakouts.
I don’t like using Sunscreen — I tried it before but I didn’t like the hot sticky feeling it left on my face. I don’t even like using an umbrella on a hot day.
I don’t like having my hair treated. Again, costly.
I don’t like those creams and stuff you see in commercials to put on one’s face.
Basically, I don’t like a lot of things that cost me time, effort and money.
But after turning 33 last November, I began to realize that aging is inevitable. I used to ask my hubby, “eh pano yan dy, pag matanda na ako, edi kulubot na mukha ko, love mo pa rin ako?” And he’d answer, “edi matanda na rin ako nun! Wala naman masama run. Baka mauna pa nga akong tumanda’t pumangit sa’yo. Eh hindi ka naman tumatanda. At kahit pa, at least we’ll grow old together.”
Too sweet, yes. But reality is reality.
Eventually I’ll be 40, 50, 60 and so forth. I will have wrinkles. My skin will sag. It can’t be helped but it can be slowed down, or minimized. We can age gracefully. And we have to start now.
So I’ve asked a couple of my pretty mommy friends (special shoutout to Belle of OneAwesomeMomma and Alen of AlenSnaps) about make-up tips and they were kind and supportive enough to tell me that I didn’t have to wear make up if I am not used to. Instead, I should focus on a daily Skin Care regimen – facial wash, toner, moisturizer, sunscreen and stuff. And if your skin or face looks and feels good enough, you won’t need makeup. You only need a bit of sunscreen, BB cream if you must, and lipstick for that needed pop of color.
Just like these…
Again, thank God for girl friends, right!?
And so after all these considerations and realizations, I’ve started improving the way I look and the way I dress. The compliments have really been flattering, though it gets awkward sometimes. Everyone, as in literally everyone, seems surprised yet happy with this change, I’d ask my hubby, “ganun ba ko talaga ka-dugyot dati?!” Perhaps.
I dunno how long I can keep this up. I am still lazy about this whole thing. Really not in my character, sorry. But I hope I can do this long enough to be an innate habit.
But yes people, nagsusuklay at naglilipstick na po ako ngayon! 😀
They say being beautiful has nothing to do with looks. It’s about how you are as a person and how you make others feel about themselves. True beauty is what lies on the inside.
And I still believe that too.
But they also say being beautiful is being the best version of yourself inside… And out. Ohah!?
I often ask hubby if I am being too vain lately. This is still new to me and it can get uncomfortable. But he’d often reassure me that I am not being vain, I am just being ‘normal’. And it’s about time I be normal. That he can’t believe it took 33 years before I finally did stuff lile this. Haha. Then he’d remind me that it will always be okay to do this kind of stuff, especially since I’m a girl, for as long as I do it for myself and I am happy with it.
But knowing me, I’d be too lazy to do this for myself. I know I love doing it ‘coz I am doing it for them — I now think that hubby deserves to have me look my best when I am presented to his family and friends. I now think that Dana deserves to have me look my best when I meet her teachers and other mommies in school. I now think that my work colleauges, friends and workshop students deserve to have me look my best when I am working or hanging out with them.
And I believe, even God loves seeing me take care of myself for a change… Afterall, we need to be reflections of God’s beauty and wonderful creation.
We are God’s masterpiece. Look like one. Be one. Inside and out.
By God’s miracles, grace and favor… Siempre!
To the awesome and beautiful God be the glory! 🙂
Craft and Cuddles 