“PLEASE mom,” my six year old son Snags begged. “Please let me give you a make over. Please?”
I tried to convince him to do something else, clean up his toys, get ready for bed, read a book, even sit idly and watch TV, but he wasn’t interested. He only wanted to give me a makeover.
“I don’t think that’s a very good idea,” my husband said.
“Why not?” Snags asked.
“Because,” my husband intoned. “Boys don’t give makeovers.”
But we all know that’s not true. There are plenty of male stylists out there. All you have to do is watch TLC and you’ll see Damone Roberts, the makeup artist on 10 Years Younger. Or Nick Arrojo cutting hair on What Not To Wear. Other’s come to mind as well. Vidal Sassoon, Toni and Guy, Ken Paves, and surely more I’ve never even heard of (which, incidentally, is why I am not listing them here).
“Alright,” I sighed. “Let’s go. But makeup only. No nail polish, no hair gel, and NO SCISSORS,” I warned as Snags took my hand to lead me up the steps. When we got to my bedroom I saw that he had already pulled out my makeup case. Dust from powder and blush tinted the bed sheets from where he had sat opening the various containers he had found.
I washed my face, dried it, and sat down. The first thing Snags applied was blush. All over my face. I looked like I had gotten a dirty sunburn. He put dark purple eye shadow on my eyebrows. Then two shades of lipstick on my lips. One color on my top lip, a different color on my bottom lip. Brown eye pencil was next, followed by even more blush.
Hair barrettes held my bangs back so he could apply the finishing touches. Close your eyes, mom, he said, pressing something (a tattoo?!) to my forehead and laughing.
“Oooh! You are looking pretty,” he said. “Dad is going to be so jealous!”
When he was all finished he ran to grab a mirror. He showed me his artistry with glee. “Do you like it?” he asked.
“Wow! I said, as I looked in the mirror. “Wow,” I said, again, nearly speechless. “I look nice,” I lied.
I heard my husbands words in my head again, “Boys don’t give makeovers.” I think what he really meant to say is “Six year old boys don’t give makeovers, very well.”
Here, take a look for yourself. You be the judge…
Later, when I said I was going to wash my face, Snags didn’t complain. “Well, okay,” he agreed. “And, mom, you can take off that snake tattoo on your forehead. I don’t want people to think you are weird.”
Which is good, because I don’t really want people to think that either. Although I realize, it might be too late for that.
Running With Books 