Transformation
When my sons were small, they would emerge from bed all fuzzy-eyed with wild hair and climb into a lap for sleepy snuggles. Our oldest would talk in his quiet sleepy voice about his dreams or the coming day. He once remarked, “every day I shed my skin,” and while my kids have said a lot of amazing things over the years that one still gives me pause.
Sometimes I like to think that I am the same person I have always been, but I don’t know if even one cell of me remains that I came into the world with back in 1974. My eyes are not the same color that shines from my 2nd grade class photo with my crooked bangs and floppy pig tails, but they are still my eyes. As a kid, I remember watching my mom get ready for work in her 80s Business Woman outfit: massive shoulder pads in an angular button-up dress with a big bold buckle, shiny nylons, pointy heels, and chunky geometric earrings. The real magic was her makeup routine. I was transfixed by the process: concealer, eye shadow, mascara, foundation, blush (really high cheekbones!), and lipstick. The way she’d blot the lipstick on one square of toilet paper leaving a smack of her smile. Then there would be my mom, but a different mom.I went heavy into makeup in my teens, and I have the photos to prove that I had no idea what I was doing.
The South Bay area of California included a lot of Wet-N-Wild cheap eyeliner, melted a bit with a lighter to get that really dramatic look, and Aquanet for high bangs that moved in the wind like a piece of dry toast stuck to my forehead. It was a look.Natural cosmetics didn’t even exist back then. We just happily slathered our skin with toxic products that didn’t even bother to tell us what was in them. My favorite co-op brand is Gabriel Cosmetics (we also carry their Zuzu Luxe brand). I spend way more time hydrating my skin these days than applying cosmetics, but when I do decide to level up a bit, I use Gabriel concealer to brighten my eyes, the eyeliner to add some depth, shadow at the outer corners of my eyes, and a very light application of their liquid foundation. Its mineral content provides a mild sunblock while also evening out my skin tone and letting my own natural coloring shine through. Yes, I love that it is local, vegan and non-nano (nano particles are so small they can be absorbed into our skin and that can be cause for concern).
Our customers also love Gabriel’s products because we sell quite a bit! Well, we did when our faces were on display more often. The classic earth tones of the Gabriel palettes are matte so there’s no shimmer, but Zuzu Luxe can bring the bling! Their liquid eyeliner is easy to apply and dries fast without smudging even though my crow’s feet don’t lend themselves to cat eyes anymore.Yes, to all of that, but the main reason I love Gabriel’s stuff is because of the actual Gabriel. It was the first product show I ever attended and we had heard about this local brand of makeup. Gabriel was the most glamorous person there – his flawless skin and bright eyes shining in the spotlight, loving it, working it. He greeted everyone with a sense of delight and regalness, then took one look at my hands and said, “Honey, we need to get those nails painted.” He turned with a flair and called out to another divine creature who spent a few minutes transforming my diaper-changing, shelf-stocking, email-writing hands into long graceful fingers blooming with color and sass that really needed to be holding a cold beverage by a pool.
Even when we can’t change our scenery, we can change how we see ourselves and that is a gift we should never pass up. Not long ago, after years of avoiding salons because of migraine-inducing odors and a few bad cuts, I found a low-tox salon in Bellingham called Topaz. I decided to treat myself to a transformation haircut (that is literally what they are called) by Kelly Bird, the owner. I gave her full reign of my locks and just let her cut away all that I had been carrying around on my head. She flung tresses into the air like wind carrying off dead branches to make way for spring growth. The next morning I was so excited to get up and look at myself in the mirror, and not because I thought maybe I’d finally be able to pluck out that elusive white eyebrow hair, but because here was an intentional, positive change that I had made, and yes, I was rocking strong Stevie Nicks vibes too.
So, if you wake up and feel the need to shed your skin and spice up your reflection, I got you. Maybe it’s not lip liner or cuticle cream you’re after. Maybe your transformation is more than skin-deep and I am happy to try to help with that, too. We can talk about flax and the many ways to take it or the eyebrow pencil color that is called “flax” for the day when all of our eyebrows are gone. We can laugh at what we used to do to try to look cool (or hot) and compare the best options for avoiding the dreaded hot flash. I will talk you through the overwhelming number of products we offer to help with stress, and we can look at your hands that have made meals and healed hearts to find the shade of nail polish to add some color to your day when it feels a bit drab. I totally got you.
by nancylee bouscher