Make-Up On My Own

Much to my mother’s dismay, I fell in love with make-up when I was around 15 years of age.

I liked it all including blush, eye shadow, eyeliner, foundation, but my favorite was lipstick. Although I was all into the make-up game, my mother was not so much. She thought I was too young to wear that “grown-up stuff “as she called it. Knowing how bad I really wanted to wear it, mom would put a little on my face.

As I got older, my favorite sister, Peggy, stepped in as my make-up artist. And still to this day, she helps me make sure my make-up is on point.

One thing you may not know about people with disabilities is no matter how much assistance we may need, we’re always trying to figure out how to do things for ourselves. I know I do. Our catchphrase is, “I got it” for we know there’s going to come a day where no one is around and we’re going to have to Make Things Happen for ourselves.

Applying make-up is one of those things, I learned how to say, “I got it” since I loved it so much. Learning how to apply make-up on my face didn’t come without tons of practice; Because of my disability, I’m spastic, which can cause makeup to go everywhere on my face. Especially in places that I don’t want it too. Let’s just say, when I first learned, there was a lot of wiping going on until I got it right.

After all, make-up is supposed to enhance your beauty and not make you look like the character MiMi on the Drew Carey Show.

For reasons such as my spasticity, I’m happy make-up mogul L’Oréal invented the Hapta.

https://www.businessinsider.com/loreal-lipstick-makeup-applicator-people-with-disabilities-hapta-accessible-tech-2023-1

The Hapta is a computerized makeup applicator. This applicator makes it easier for people with limited hand movement to be able to apply their own lipstick. This is a dream come true for a person like me and others that love wearing lipstick and want to try new looks.

Although I’m pretty good at applying lipstick, after years of practice, I can’t stop thinking about how this unique applicator is going to assist young girls, women, and whoever wants to wear lipstick.

Once again, this is another thing that proves to the world that people with disabilities are just like anyone else.

I have many make-up applicators in my collection, but I may have to just break-down and buy the Hapta! I already have mad skills, and this might make them even better.

Watch out world, my lips are about to become, FIRE! Thanks, L’Oréal for thinking, full inclusion.