Today I bought new lipstick and mascara at Sephora. As we were in line to check out I told my daughter this story:
Once upon a time, in my early 20s my best friend and I were in Macy’s and just for fun we went up to the Benefit Cosmetics counter and got makeovers. The girl made me look like Kate Winslet, which in the late 90s was pretty cool. When she was done with us, we told her we wanted everything she used. All told, makeup and brushes, we were in a few hundred dollars. Of course I was newly out on my own; I didn’t have a few hundred dollars extra to spend on makeup. But I did have a credit card. So we both went home with a couple bags of makeup and brushes. Here’s the kicker: I never have, and still don’t wear makeup on a regular basis. This was 100% a case of spending money I don’t have, to impress people who don’t matter.
It was decisions like this that lead me to filing bankruptcy when I was 23. I tell my kids these stories because I truly want them to learn from my mistakes. I’ve never been the “because I said so” mom. I am the “I love you and don’t want to see you hurt like I did” mom. I share with you because I love you too.
Today was the first time I’ve ever bought something at Sephora for me. Its probably the first time since that day that I’ve bough more than one cosmetic item at a time, too. I did a lot of research on the lipstick and mascara I wanted. I made sure it was in my budget this month. I feel good about how far I’ve come since I was that young woman. I wish all young people could skip the growing pains I went through and join me in this place.
stacystark.net 