Makeup was the one-size-fits-all fashion trend that didn’t exclude me

The 1980’s were an exciting time to be a teenage girl. Pop culture and fashion were all about vibrant colors and wild hairstyles. I absolutely loved it! My personal fashion icons were Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, and Whitney Houston. While I aspired to emulate their sense of style, finding trendy clothes to fit my diminutive disabled stature was futile and depressing. However, I found great solace in cosmetics!

Makeup was the one-size-fits-all fashion trend that didn’t exclude me. Like many teenagers my self-esteem was not stellar so, the ability to indulge in self-expression through cosmetics was huge. I started with nail polish. Then I progressed to other cosmetics, like eyeshadow and lipstick. 

By the early 90’s my hair had been every color found in nature and then some!  While I have no regrets because my relationship with cosmetics was therapeutic in many ways, it also periodically took its toll on my physical well-being.

Cosmetic companies have not always been as health and safety conscious as they are today. The FDA now has a detailed list of “Prohibited & Restricted Ingredients in Cosmetics” to help protect Consumers from risking their health for the sake of beauty. 

I’ll never forget how my excitement over a new eyeshadow palette quickly faded when my eyes swelled shut after the first and last application. Instead of going to school, I spent two days in bed with ice-packs on my face. The product line was short lived.

Another extreme reaction I had involved a very popular brand of lip gloss. Within an hour of application, my lips swelled so much that it became painful. It looked like I had an excessive amount of college injections. It scared my mother so much she took me to the ER. More ice-packs on my face. 

To my surprise, one of the worst reactions I had was triggered by a common drug store nail polish. I’m no stranger to physical pain due to the nature of my disability. However, I never imagined that nail polish could cause my fingertips to register a 7 on the 0-10 pain chart. Removing that polish was not a pleasurable experience to say the least!

Fortunately, there are many cosmetic companies today that pride themselves in being free of harmful ingredients. Some deliver better results than others and I definitely have my preferences. One of my favorite brands is Ella+Mila. Their nail polishes come in a wide variety of colors and have a very durable yet shiny finish. Plus, their products are free of the 17 most harmful ingredients found in many other nail polish brands. I’ve enjoyed painting my nails for thirty-five years now and knowing that I’m using a safe product makes it even more enjoyable!