When I was a pre-teen my mother made me get my ears pierced. I didnt want them done. I had no choice. A very short time after that she bought me mascara and blush, and my mother and sister encouraged to me to apply it. If it wasnt enough they sent me back to put on more. When I look at pictures of me back then I found that I was not ugly, why were they so worried about my looks?

As time moved on I got more into make up because my sister and mother were. (and it was encouraged.) It got to the point I could not leave the house without it because I felt so aware on how I looked.

Everyone always said that my sister was so beautiful and I was the cute one. I felt like that was a bad thing and made me upset. Shortly after I was married I was sharing my new wedding pictures with my Grandmother (on my mom's side) and she was remarking how pretty my sister looked, nothing on me. WTH? That scared me even more.

People tell me all the time that I was a very pretty red head. I work at the local Elm school and the kids tell me Im pretty.

Now Im in my mid forties and I am becoming more and more comfortable with myself. I even put on a shade or two of mascara and some blush to go to walmart. (I cant go out of the house without as much)

Wonder if I would be so conscience if it was not so encourage? Was I molded to wear it or would it be a natural thing I would do when the time came?

Do you leave the house with no make-up, for those who wear it? I know someone that will not even go out to her mailbox without any.