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My daily beauty routine is always the same old thing. I put on a natural, dewy look with neutrals for the eyes and lips (and that’s if I even bother with lip gloss). Seriously, it’s pretty bland.
I’m naturally a shy and reserved person, so I’ve never been one to experiment with the playful side of makeup. I hide behind my glasses and don’t deviate from my routine! But now that I’m a sophomore in college, I’ve decided it’s time for me to test the waters and try a few new things. For one week, I made subtle changes. Stepping out of my beauty comfort zone didn’t have to be anything too wild, because stepping out of my comfort zone doesn’t mean changing who I am. Some trends I loved, and some I will 100% never touch again. Here’s a breakdown of how my week went.
- Rainbow nails
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Something that might be so simple for other people felt bold for me! I have short nails and chubby fingers, so nail art has never really been my specialty (though that doesn’t mean I won’t spend hours on Instagram looking at it). Over the last few years, it’s been extremely rare for me to wear a polish that’s anything except pastel pink.
For this challenge, I used a combination of Essie’s “Ballet Slippers” ($9), “Find Me An Oasis” ($9) and “Out of the Jukebox” ($9). The shade “Find Me An Oasis” was an opaque formula, so I barely even needed two coats. On each hand, I put “Ballet Slippers” on my ring finger and topped it with the sheer and shimmery “Out of the Jukebox,” which is such a dream duo, btw. This was such a simple beauty change to try and I got allll the compliments about it. When you never leave your beauty comfort zone, people notice when you do — and it was fun seeing all the positive feedback.
- Glitter eyeshadow
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This one was a big yikes. I went out for a study date with friends, and even they noticed what a hot mess this glitter was. I used “Prima Drama” from the Colourpop Sweet Talk palette ($18) (one of my favorite palettes ever), which in theory is a beautiful shade. Yes, this glitter is supposed to be safe for the eyes and yes, I applied it as suggested. That didn’t stop this glitter from falling all over my face and getting in my eyes as I tried to remove it. I kept going to the restroom to try to clean up my face and wipe off excess glitter, but there was no saving that mess. Removing it took a wipe, cleansing balm, and cleanser, so I think I’ll stick to matte shades and soft shimmers.
- Blue mascara
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Out of everything I tried, this was by far my favorite find. Blue mascara is a total win for my blue eyes. I used the Maybelline Snapscara in “Deja Blue,” ($8) a volumizing, non-clumping mascara safe for sensitive eyes. The formula was so, so good, and I have high standards for mascara.
It was easy to apply, lasted all day, and made my lashes so full voluminous I could cry (but I didn’t, because it’s not waterproof). The color was more navy than electric blue, which actually worked perfectly for me. The deep blue made my eyes pop, and the fact that several people noticed absolutely made my day. I loved this mascara so much I definitely see myself wearing it on a regular basis.
- Posting a photo of myself
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Okay, so what? I posted a picture of myself? Yeah, and I’m proud of it! I have no problem posting pictures of myself on my personal page — my friends and family know what I look like on and offline. Posting myself on my public beauty page, though, I feel at risk to criticism. I didn’t post the most perfect photo of myself, either. My hair is a mess, I don’t even know what a snatched jawline is, and the lighting isn’t great. Honestly though, who should care? It was a happy picture from sweet time with friends, plus I wanted to show off my colorful nails that weren’t ruined yet. I was flooded with kind comments from friends and strangers alike, and I realized posting myself isn’t, and shouldn’t be, a life-changing event.
Stepping out of my beauty comfort zone didn’t mean dying my hair, trying colors that made me feel uncomfortable, or anything else that just wasn’t me. I’m still me, I’m just now more confident in trying new things. While glitter still might not be my thing, at least I can say I’ve tried it! I found a new favorite mascara in the process, too, so stepping out of my beauty comfort zone is an experience I’ll do again and again.