WHAT HAPPENED?

I am suddenly au naturel

Anyone who knows me a little can picture me. And I mean that literally. Because quite a bit is applied in a day. After my six-layer cleansing ritual comes the makeup. Foundation from Sisley or Chanel, a little shine here, an under eye corrector from Becca, shiny blush from Victoria Beckham for Estée Lauder and so on and so forth.

Yesterday morning I had just stayed in bed a little too long to go through my self-built car wash on platinum mode. While I was brushing my youngest's teeth, twisting my oldest's hair into a bun, and grabbing the swim bag of the middle girl, I managed to apply some foundation to my face. Without a mirror. While my girls were putting on their shoes, I filled in my eyebrows. Leaving the house without eyebrows is Not An Option. Because one girl still needed to pee, I had thirty extra seconds in which I applied some mascara (Chanel Le Volume, Chantal Janzen has it too) But that was it. I felt naked, but okay. Facing the wrath of the strict kindergarten teacher was worse.

Once on the playground, I forgot my makeup-less state. I chatted with my best friend about the wild party I had the day before (read here for a moment) and I asked another mother what her daughter wanted for her birthday again. She stared at me. “You look suddenly beautiful.” That’s what she said. I didn’t know whether to be happy with the compliment. Because hey, she thought I was beautiful after all, and being found beautiful is something we all want. But the word ‘suddenly’ made me waver. Why suddenly? Not last week then? All those years we saw each other not then? My friend agreed with her. It had also immediately caught her attention. We continued talking. About fathers, parties, and other motherly matters. Then she said it again: “So beautiful. I suddenly see your face.”

And now I only think about everything I could have done in the hours I spent on my makeup. I could have learned Russian. And Chinese. At least. Or a sewing course. Maybe I could have learned design. I don’t know if I agree with the colleague-mother and friend. But this weekend I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. I can enjoy lying in bed for half an hour longer.