When I first moved to Lansing, MI to stick out 3 years of law school with my fiancé, I had no idea what I would do with myself here. I had a background in the arts, but who can support themselves as an artist? I looked around for something that would suit my interests as well as pay the bills. What I found? Not much...the economy here really does stink. I had come from a pretty big city full of fashion, night life, art, and music. Lansing, Michigan has its charms, but the bus system stops running at 9 pm to give you an idea. After a month of looking and sending resumes, I settled on a retail job that had one perk: I would be selling cosmetics! A love of mine since the 7th grade, when my best friend' s conservative catholic mother accused my make up of looking whorish. I wore my Urban Decay deep red lipstick almost every day. The eye shadow was always blue. Dark blue, baby blue, metallic blue, blue glitter... it didn' t matter. I thought I looked beautiful. In retrospect, I would not change a thing. My early makeup experiences are as important as my first paintings. Now I know a lot more about how make up "should" be applied and what colors look right on different skin tones (my undergrad color theory class is finally paying off). I help women every day make the right choices, and help them to venture into some new shades, and look out side of beige. I also study the runways, and see how my favorite stars are wearing their make-up.  Although, my favorite beauty inspiration is not a famous person at all...her name is Millie, and she is 87 years old. I met her one day when she came into buy the same lip stick she has been wearing since the 1960' s: Elizabeth Arden Pink Vibrations #49. Think of the brightest pink you have ever seen, and it is no where close to the lip color that Millie puts every day of her life. I now own one of my own and wear it with pride. This is what looking beautiful is about. It is about you. It is the 13 year old discovering woman hood with bright blue eye shadow, and it is the 87 year looking damn sexy in neon pink lipstick. Today, I work the world of cosmetics, things have certainly changed for me, but one rule has stayed the same- I say, if you feel good, you look wonderful! Don' t hold back, use cosmetics for self expression. I like to wear brighter colors on my eyes when I have low energy and it seems to pick me up. I wear pale soft lips when I am angry and it softens me. I look forward to my morning ritual of  putting on makeup, sometimes it is the most meditative and calming part of my day. Cosmetics can do more for you then you think! And to Millie, and all the women who dare to wear the brightest lipstick they can find, you are inspiration to us all!