Bougie on a Budget
“If men ever needed a reason to understand why women are a bit expensive and need ‘maintenance,’ just remind them what we looked like in June of 2020.”
Seven years ago, I sat next to a woman I hardly knew (who is today one of my best friends) during my first MBA class and couldn’t stop staring at her eyelashes. They were gorgeous, full, long, and like nothing I had ever seen. Seriously, my mascara didn’t do that no matter how much I curled and applied. What the hell did she have going on? After the second class, I finally mustered the courage to ask her and when she let out her secret of “eyelash extensions” I knew I had to have them! I gifted them to myself when I graduated the class 18 months later. So, for six years, I have gone every two weeks to get them “filled” and never lifted a tube of mascara again.
Fast forward to 2020 and enter COVID and the end of all “maintenance services” for a solid four months. Oh, and a divorce. And a new house. Since my magician, I mean esthetician, reopened three months ago I have had an internal debate almost daily about whether or not to put my lashes back on. My free samples of mascara from Sephora were fine, weren’t they? I shouldn’t spend money on something so frivolous when I am accumulating debt for new kitchen cabinets. What is someone going to think when I talk about my fiscally responsible ways of saving money on my house by doing so much of my own work and yet spending money on myself? I don’t have time to sleep, let alone take time to get my lashes done. And so the argument went on until I finally decided, no, I am putting them back on. This is the one, and I mean the one, indulgence I do for myself. Once every 10 days I go lay down on a bed, close my eyes, and let someone pamper me. This “someone” happens to now be one of my dear friends who has been through my life with me the past 6 years every other week with me. You think you tell your hairdresser everything? Oh no, my esthetician truly knows all and still loves me for it. And, you know what, I’m also supporting a local business owned by an amazing woman who helps empower women everyday, just like I try to do.
So, judge me or don’t, but I put my lashes back on today, I feel a million times better and I’m not going to feel guilty for one more minute about it. We absolutely must do things for ourselves to get through this thing called life and whatever it is that you need to do that, DO IT!
