“Glamour Gal” Beauty Tips 101

By

Lisa Butler

                                                Don’t Rush a Wax Job
Vanity drives me.  Each time I pass a mirror or window as I am training or simply passing by, I examine or briefly glance at the reflection of choices I have made (my form if I am training) and brutally pass critical judgment on the image looking back at me.  However, I have never been a “glamour gal” – I don’t have manicures, pedicures, facials, or all of the latest fashions (unless they say Timex, Blue Seventy, Trek, Spenco, Rudy Project, Headsweats, or FuelBelt).  My “make-up bag” is non-existent.  I wear mascara and sometimes Chapstik.  I know there must be a “glamour gal” looming inside of me, because I do experience times where I long to be fashionable, trendy, and actually consider the need for wearing make-up. On these occasions, I decide to don something other than Timex or Ironman logo wear, board shorts, and flip-flops, transforming into a woman “walking” in heels – for me, this act requires the same characteristics of an Ironman or marathon: focus, concentration, patience, training, and endurance.   

A few evenings ago Steve and I were watching the NFL football game, and I went to the bathroom.  As I typically began meticulously examining my reflection, OCD or ADD kicked in, I got a wild hair (or actually saw a few wild hairs) and decided I needed to wax my eyebrows.  No big deal.  I’m no “glamour gal”, but I have waxed my eyebrows (once before) and knew waxing would only take a few minutes – nuke it, smear it, and rip it.  

So, I proceeded to nuke the wax in the microwave.  While returning to the bathroom, though I realized I had “ditched my date” to “wax my brows”, the obsession to “fix my flaw” was overtaking all of my focus.  Besides, I simply rationalized that all I had left to do was “smear it and rip it” and I was done – flaw fixed and back to my date.

Quickly, I opened the jar and stirred the wax.  The temperature was seemingly perfect – the word “ready” was legible on the dipper.  I hurriedly made a few swipes of the wax just below my right brow line.  Then it happened.  My “flaw” became a FLAW!

It was a catastrophe!  As I scooped up a glob, and brought the stick to my eyebrow, Steve startled me and the glob dropped on the inner section of my eyelashes.  I told him I would be right there and began trying to get the wax out of my lashes.  The more I tried, the more matted my lashes became – the wax temperature had been perfect.  The only recourse I had was to “rip it”.  So I did, and pulled out an index finger’s width section of my top and bottom eyelashes. 

My emotions went from shock to fear to anger to acceptance to hysterical laughter.  I have always been complemented on my eyes and “long beautiful” eyelashes, and now my face looks like a before and after photo of a meth user.  The good news is it’s hair and it will grow back – it will just take longer because I waxed.

FLAWED,

Lisa