Vanity

The very motion of dipping your finger into a pot of lip gloss -- there is an intent to alter perception. The cosmetics industries flourish even in third world counties. Why is that?

I look at my own table top full of bottles, tubes and pots of cosmetics. Each one promises to highlight, conceal, remedy and tinge the face or body. When did I amass such a collection of appearance-altering instruments? Being so well equipped, am I in the business of perception alteration? Whoah. People get paid a lot of money to do that, and here I am excelling at it in front of my bathroom mirror.

Yes, folks, I had these thoughts in exactly the spare 10 seconds I had between leaving my son to finish his breakfast and the imminent cries of my breastfed baby. I haven't even had my daily dose of caffeine yet! I will not even attempt to answer these deep questions about people needing to alter their appearance in the quest for acceptance. I do not need a headache this early in the morning.

So now as I type this let me breakdown my most up to date perception-altering state: I have some face powder on and lip gloss. Underneath is face moisturiser with an spf15+. I also happen to have all my jewelery on: watch, rings, bracelet, necklace and earrings.

Where have I gone to warrant my appearance and where else am I going? I spent about 5 minutes on myself before rounding up my 7 year old, his enormous school bag (lunch and snacks packed: check!) and my 3 month old in her car capsule into the car. I have dropped my son off at school and then came straight back home. There. And this is where this blog starts. I am all gussied up to face this laptop, check my email and type these words.

Therefore I pose the question: is vanity worth it when all I am facing is my laptop screen and I am about to do house cleaning?

The resounding answer in my head is YES!

I feel better knowing that in case I have to leave the house and face another human being, I will not look anything that reminds people of Sigmund the Sea Monster (remember that show?). I will also revel in the fact that my spf will protect my skin so that in the years to come, my husband and children will not utter the sentence, "Look! A walking prune! Oh, no...it's just mum.". In the event that my trip to the shops is recorded in any way (for posterity or for security -- thanks cctv!) I know I will not look like a train wreck who has not quite woken up yet.

Grateful am I that my sister is a manager in cosmetics retail and that a friend works for a major cosmetics company-- for the generous gifts and samples, I thank you both profusely.

But above all, I thank God for the spare 5 minutes given to me to make myself look and feel better. Motherhood is not the beginning of membership to track pants world and "What tornado hit you" land-- it is taking those little moments I have to myself so I can come back to the unique and fearfully created person that I am. And if Mum needs a bit of gloss to make it through the day doing one of the noblest jobs in the world, I say dip your finger in the pot, gloss it on and smile.

This face was brought to you today by Kit Cosmetics and Clarins.

NOTE* At the time of this blog's publication, the blogger was last seen pushing the vacuum cleaner -- complete with makeup, jewelery, high heeled shoes and her good jeans on.