This might come as a shock to some of you… but I really like having my photo taken! I love looking back at family albums and my elementary, middle and high school pictures. Professional photos only happened once a year! Everything was on film! And they only took one or two shots! Above you can see my senior portrait next to a photo of me and Felix from last summer. 

I used to plan for these big photo shoots extensively. I’d usually sleep in curlers (the pink sponge rollers) and when I was in fifth grade, I finally got to do “makeup” for my photos. It was the first time I was allowed to wear it to school (dance recitals were the only time I’d worn makeup before then). My beauty routine it was a very soft blush, clear mascara and Vaseline for lipgloss. I vividly remember looking in the tiny mirror in my locker before this photo was taken and practicing my best smile. I wore a maroon faux suede long skirt and matching cami (homemade) with a cream lace top, a black beret and a cross on a velvet choker. I felt stylish and beautiful and grown up! 

In middle school my mom took me to Target to get my “kit” of stuff that I’d need as a teenager.   I got my first razor, a stick of deodorant, some zit cream, a new toothbrush and my own tube of toothpaste. We also bought a little plastic container for my drawer (in the small bathroom I shared with my little brother and sister.) On my own I bought my first set of tweezers and makeup brushes and went to town on over plucking my eyebrows, as evidenced in these photos. To give myself a little credit, that scar is a little tricky to work around and thin brows were the thing in the late 90s!  

As I transitioned into high school, I was about being blond and tan! I was on the cross country and track teams so I spent a lot of time outside. I also rocked pale purple eye shadow and still went with a clear lip gloss. I spent a lot of time on my foundation makeup - I had pretty bad skin so I’d use a paintbrush to carefully apply my concealer. Now that I see these photos again, I think to myself - what a pretty girl, but like a lot of teenagers, I had terrible self esteem. I wish I could have been kinder to myself back then.

I obviously don’t have the same beauty routine as I did in fifth grade or even high school. I’ve added SPF, BB cream, liquid eye liner and I fill in my eyebrows. I’ve experimented with a huge range of products. But the basics are still the same. I curl my lashes, I use mascara and blush and I still dab a little something on my lips. Some days it’s a bright lipstick, but most days it’s something to keep them from getting chapped and dry. 

For the past couple weeks I’ve been trying out Vaseline Lip Therapy Tins. When they brought the idea to me, I immediately thought back to that school picture day in the beret and choker. Not to completely date myself, but it was over twenty years ago when I first used Vaseline on my lips, so of course I want try the different varieties now (Original, Aloe, Cocoa Butter and Rosy Lips). The tins have been popular in the UK and finally available stateside at Target stores (for under four bucks a pop). My favorite is the Rosy Lips for the delicious smell! I also like packaging that looks retro and when I’ve gone through all of the product inside, I think it would be a great vessel for little bits and bobs in my purse. 

Big thanks for Vaseline for sponsoring this post, which lead me on a trip back down memory lane. Also big thanks to my Mom for scanning and sending me these photos!