Strong dads needed!

I was in a friends wedding recently and all the bridesmaids were getting ready together.  One of my friends looked over at my small make-up bag and asked, "is that all you brought!?"  I replied, "this is all I own."  I received several strange looks and then my friends resumed their mirror rituals and continued insulting the beautiful faces staring back at them in the mirror and I made a mental note to give my dad a giant hug the next time I saw him.  Let me explain...

Around fifth grade I started waking up to the world of boys.  I wanted to wear make-up so that I could look pretty, but make-up was forbidden in my house.  So being the obedient, perfect child that I was...I spent the night at a friends house, spent all my allowance on make-up and gave it to my friend.  That following week she smuggled my make-up to school in her back pack and I put it on in the school bathroom.  This plan worked beautifully because I arrived home from school exactly thirty minutes before my parents and had time to wash my face before they could see me.  That is until the day my Dad called in sick from work.  Dread filled my stomach when I saw his truck out in front of the house.  Channeling my best ninja skills I made a mad dash from the front door to the bathroom but my attempt was foiled and my Dad caught a glimpse of me.  Please note that I am a child of the 80's and early 90's so my face was most definitely covered with neon make-up...looking back I probably could have assisted in the landing of an airplane with my make-up, hair and outfit.

My Dad could have grounded me for life, made me do ridiculous chores or any number of things but instead he taught me a lesson that I have carried with me every day in life.  First, he made me go and wash my face.  Then he told me to go and stand in front of the mirror for twenty minutes.  The whole time I was in there I was looking at pimples, my ugly eyebrows, my weird nose and so on.  When my time was up my dad asked me one simple question, "what did you see that you liked?"  I gave the typical whiny pre-teen reply, "nothing!  I have such a weird nose..."  So I was promptly sent back into the bathroom for another 20 minutes.  This time I admitted that I have really cool green eyes like mom, they make me feel like a cat at night.  That is when my dad hit me with the punch line:

"Do you know why I hate make-up?  Why would I want my BEAUTIFUL daughter wearing stuff called, 'concealer,' 'cover-up,' 'foundation.'  All these products and their ads make you believe that you are not good enough, that you are not pretty unless you cover-up or conceal the real you.  You are perfect the way you are.  But since you want to try make-up and you think that you have pretty eyes I'm willing to let you wear make-up that highlights your eyes only.  But before you can wear any make-up you have to learn how to apply it from a professional."  Two weeks later I went to my mom's hairdresser received a lesson in color choices and application and I was finally allowed to wear make-up.

My dad could also have easily caved in and allowed me to wear make-up as I found "my personal style" but I'm so glad that he didn't.  Yes my make-up bag is very small because I only wear what I need to highlight and draw attention to the things that I love about myself.  He helped me find confidence during the most vulnerable years of my life.  As a result when I look in the mirror I don't hate my flaws, instead I love my unique beauty.  Dad's please teach your girls that they are beautiful and that they don't need to hide themselves in order to be liked, you will save them from a lifetime of self doubt and loathing.  What you will be giving them is a lifetime spent loving themselves and their unique talents; shiny skin, bulb nose and all!