LofeMide: The Time I Bought Make Up Because of Rita Dominic’s Flawless Face on a Billboard

"For a long time, Classic powder has comfortably occupied the space allocated to powder in my head. Every time it breaks (which is practically every month), I walk into a supermarket and pick up another one. I never consider other options or see reason to change. No, I was faithful to Classic. Until recently.

Staring at my face in the office restroom mirror at 5:00 pm one day, I asked myself ‘who would imagine I wore powder this morning’. Just like that, my commitment to Classic evaporated, quickly replaced with a desire for a new powder.

My make up artist (who has made me up the two times I ever desired proper make up in my entire life) told me a number of times that Milani would be perfect for my face. I believed him, I still do. Only that Rita Dominic looks so flawless in the Zaron billboard at the foot of third mainland bridge. No lines, no smears, no colours- such flawless beauty makes me want to look like that everyday. It somehow never registered in my head that she must have received a ‘beating for the gods’ from a ‘make up artist of life’ and that the picture assaulting me must have won at least a 100 others to make it to that position.

So the last time I walked into Blenco, I asked for Milani, then Zaron, then Milani or Zaron. Fortunately for her, the Zaron agent heard me and offered me a sample session to see what my Zaron shade will be. Whisk, whisk, flush, flush, her brush went across my face. She handed me a mirror and the image it revealed under their energy saver bulb propelled me to willingly cough out 3,500 for the powder.

I walked by the Classic shelf without sparing my long term N800 companion a second glance. It was finally over, my Zaron was in my purse, I could already see my flawless Zaron days ahead.

My people, my dreams have not survived. My expectations have been dashed. As my amateur hands applied the powder to my foundation-less face, it looked good,  but not like Rita. Two hours later when I stopped by the restroom, the mirror taunted me. It seemingly asked what happened to my face.

The powder is there but so is a shine I never used to have. Something about my image in the mirror reminded me of akara that took a long siesta is Power oil. I couldn’t deal.

Apparently, I should have researched more before buying Zaron. It’s not that Zaron is not good, my skill set just does not have room for it. Maybe it was time to move on from Classic, but the recommendation from my make up artist should have been enough for me.

And that is how life is; God, and people ahead who obviously know better, tell us what to do. No, we refuse. We look at Instagram and choose to be like the people we see there, completely unaware of the processes behind their display and the differences in our personalities, dreams, purpose and future. Your ‘skin type’ is different, what works for others might not work for you. Ask the one who made you and understands your formation, he alone has the script.

Next time you are tempted to make someone you hardly know your ‘goals’, remember the words of Solomon- It is dangerous to have zeal without knowledge.

Looks like I will have to look for Milani after all. What do you think?"