I was a cakey mess yesterday.
Before going onstage at The Today Show I was painted up by a friendly makeup artist wielding a messy palette full of assorted bottles and tubes. Clear gels, paintbrushes, and foam triangles came at me in a blurry daze before I teetered back to the leather couch in a blurry haze.
When I looked in the mirror I noticed my shiny forehead, bumpy cheeks, and bright red zits had just … disappeared. Yes, I was in the clear — the proud new owner of a no-money-down-no-interest-till-2012 New Face.
“I could get used to this,” I thought to myself as I blinked and curled my lips into a clown-faced grin. My mind flicked forward to scenes sitting cross-legged atop of mountain of pillows as someone gave me a silky smooth New Face while others tenderly clipped my nails, softly brushed my hair, and gently massaged my pointy hunchback.
Jokes aside, the gang at The Today Show was truly, truly wonderful — supportive, thoughtful, and obviously massive pros. Meredith was a gem onstage. She saw me sweating buckets like a nervous wreck and came over to calm me down before the cameras rolled.
Flash forward a few hours later and I was back in my cramped hotel bathroom wiping soggy tissues down my color-fading cheeks. Pimples came back, mustache hairs said hello, and the forehead bumps got bumpy again. But you know what? The massively refreshing feeling of cool air rushing back to my skin more than made up for looking ugly again.
Ladies, you know what I’m talking about.
AWESOME!
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— Email message —
“Using a community pool of crafts from friends I perfected a poster for The Today Show. I woke up way before dawn cracked and hopped on the first train to the city with a friend. The conductor thought the sign was clever as she punched my ticket. We ventured to the studio and eagerly waited in line. Although the smell of free coffee was tempting I didn’t want to lose my spot in line. Security finally let us into the plaza where I pressed against the fence to ensure my sign was seen. We picked a perfect spot and were seen on camera as it panned by the crowd!” – Casey
i hate it when i do the opposite & forget to take it off that night.
I wake up & see my pillow with two black eyes staring back at me on my white pillow covers.
:S wooopps. !
Teehee!! I do the same thing. Poor pillow…
haha We absolutely know what you’re talking about! As someone who’s been wearing foundation for her acne for 8 years now, there is nothing like letting your skin feel fresh air, again :) Congrats on the opportunity and publicity!
AMEN! Especially after being in a wedding or something where it has to stay perfect the whole time.
Stage makeup is the worst!!! That foundation they put on you is like cement. But hey, you looked good up there! (expect an extra 48 hours of pimples, if your skin reacts to it like mine does, though :/)
That is why I don’t wear make-up. I have no zits (1 0r 2 small ones through the years, but they are few and far between), my skin is soft, I don’t have dark circles under my eyes from mascara, and most of all I am not irritated by the various chemicals that inhabit that creation of face-paint.
That is why I am glad to never wear make-up.
Awesome!
Wow, I’m jealous. I always have a few zits hanging around on my face, my skin is not soft, I have permanent dark circles from lack of sleep, and face paint irritates my skin quite badly. But I don’t wear makeup either. I just can’t be bothered with the stuff.
And I agree, it is awesome.
Agreed! When I’m feeling particularly optimistic (or particularly blah) I’ll put on mascara, but short of giant dance I must attend/very important night out, I really can’t be bothered with all that make-up stuff
Amen, sister! Being happy with yourself just the way you are….AWESOME!
Sooo true! One of my favorite things :)
I’m sorry, I have’t had a chance to watch the Today Show yet. Yesterday was kind of crazy when I got home. I WILL watch it today, though.
I’m not much of a makeup person. I always wear eyeliner and sometimes I slap on some lipstick. I’ve never worn as much makeup as you did yesterday…. um…. is that normal?
Ok, I couldn’t wait, I went to the Today’s website and wathced you. You’re so smiley all through it. :-)
Way better than the first time I saw you on tv. I can’t remember which show that was…the Early Show maybe, I don’t know. All I remember is that they wouldn’t really let you talk much, they kept talking and wouldn’t stop.
Oh, and Casey….I’m so jealous. You got to go stand outside the Today show and show off your awesome sign.
Agreed! I loved that the focus was on the blog/books, and not on what the crew of the show found to be awesome. Just sayin’. We’re biased, though ;)
Totally agree with the above.. you rocked it Neil!! Congrats – I don’t know how you stayed so calm, collected, relaxed and awesome.. What a great way to put your best foot forward in the face of some pretty serious national publicity!
Way better than the last appearance you had where all the different people just covered you in a blanket and told inside jokes to each other.. *eye roll*..
Way to go!!
Yeah! What all of them said! Congratulations!!
LOL Freddo, “covered you in a blanket and told inside jokes”
I was waiting for the day that you’d post this!
It’s all true!
I usually just wear mascara and maybe some eyeliner, but when I go out I NEED foundation. I feel naked without it but then again, taking it off before bed time.. Ahhhh, I can feel my skin saying “thanks, now I can breathe again!”
Yes! I agree with this one today!
And, I offer you the pictures of my little cupcakes made to look like green apples. I think they are awesome: http://livewithflair.blogspot.com/2011/05/why-not-story-of-green-apple-cupcakes.html
Yes they are! Loved the hamburger cupcakes too. I am inspired!!! thanks for sharing your awesome flair :P
So great to see you on the Today show! You did AWESOME! :)
Last summer I was in a wedding party~ organic mineral foundation was applied to my otherwise “virgin” pores~ asthma attacked~ IT wasn’t a pretty sight…I HAD to wash it all off asap. I could literally feel my pores saying, “Thank you”, and breathing a sigh of relief…I could breathe!
My grannie always said, “Wear cotton and be make-up free~Skin needs air and to breathe,” I think my grannie was very smart, since skin is our largest organ and oxygen a basic survival need.
Neil’s post on Your Skin #285, explains this very well.
*It’s not awesome to call yourself ugly without either, Neil.
“You are BEAUTIFUL, no matter what you say,” Christina Aguilera version.
Now Casey~OUTSTANDING sign and so proud smile…You’re Awesome:D
I hate to start nearly every comment the same way, but I have to say it: I LOVE this!
It feels SO amazing to return your skin to its pure and natural state. You can rub your eyes without running the risk of unintentionally donning a raccoon mask and you can lay your face on various pillowy surfaces without leaving a foundation and powder trail of evidence. It may not look as great as a face full of makeup, but it sure does feel nice! :)
I thought I had rubbed my eyeliner around my eyes just now….but I didn’t…its just dark circles from lack of sleep. :-(
Conrats on your big day! It was totally AWESOME!!
I was in a play last December and in the midst of a cast of beautiful people my job was to look dirty and disgusting (literally the ONLY person in a cast of 135 that was given this mandate). Tons of fun working with the stage makeup to achieve the right levels of gross but nothing compares to the feeling of scrubbing that gunk off and going back to the comfort of a makeup free face. Definitely Awesome
PS: I did have to go out in public directly after a performance still rocking my disgusting makeup. Always tons of fun :D
Ah, just did this myself. And oh yeah, it’s awesome!
A-Freakin’-Men. I’m currently in an indie horror film, and the other day I spent three hours getting covered in fake blood and cadaver makeup for my death scene. Washing it off at the end of the day felt SO GOOD.
OMG, you’re in a horror film…and covered in fake blood?! Now THAT is AWESOME! It would just be the ultimate to play a zombie!
But you missed a rare opportunity to lie on the pavement, freaking out the passers-by! Like that girl in England who was playing dead on the sidewalk when the Google car went by.
I saw you on that! I was so excited for you! You were calm and totally awesome. The camera loves you
Neil, congratulations on your success!!! I have been one of your first followers (maybe after your Mom and Dad….) and love your website, your books, and your attitude. It’s a wonderful world out there and it’s so good to focus on the awesome things in life.
I’ve seen your commercial, seen you on CityTV and now on the Today Show. Wow!!! Way to go.
Keep it going Neil. We’re so proud of you!
Mascara’s like glue if you keep it on long enough. I’ve practically sealed my eyes shut before. Nothing like waking up with black mess all up under your eyelids…
That’s exactly what I use it for! I have a lot of eyelashes and I lose maybe 3-8 per day. They always fall into my eye instead of landing on my cheek or something. I use mascara to glue them all together, so I don’t have to stick my fingers in my eye during the day to fish out an eyeball thorn. Then when I wash my face at the end of the day, the loose ones just get rinsed away with the mascara.
I’ve only done the TV makeup thing once, but can definitely relate to this post from that one experience. It’s so refreshing to feel that cool breeze on your cheeks in what seems to be the first time in a long time. Aaaahhh…
You were great on the Today Show (and that’s how i found out about this site). We could all be reminded what’s awesome. You got it with the whole make-up thing. It’s also great when it goes on and you’re a new you. So i guess make-up gives you double awesomeness!
This is lovely. Especially when I happen to get a cat hair (or eyelash) jammed in my eye. After a couple of intense minutes of rubbing and prodding at my eye to get it out, I hesitantly look in the mirror and am met with the reflection of someone who could very well be the lead singer of a punk/rock band. Or a member of a raccoon family. One of the two. It is such a nice feeling to clean all of that makeup off and let my skin breathe!
haha….this is funny,true yet awesome! I would like to add one thing to it.the pleasure of seeing yourself in an all-new-look stays with you even after you take off those tons of makeup. love the feeling :D
one of the best things in the world! it’s almost better than http://1000awesomethings.com/2009/04/27/779-getting-into-a-bed-with-clean-sheets-after-shaving-your-legs/
awesome!
I don’t see how you guys can wear makeup without resisting the urge to rip it off. I’ve worn makeup a grand total of one time and it felt like I was wearing paint. Couldn’t wait to get home and wash that stuff off. Natural and free is the way to be.
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