As a teenager in the 50′s wearing make-up should have been a big deal. For me it wasn’t. I couldn’t wear make-up! It was one of those rules in the church. Oh, wait a minute, I could powder my nose, so it wouldn’t be shiny. I could wear clear nail polish. That was about it.
In high school a friend held out her lip stick and told me to put some on. “Oh no,” I told her, “I don’t wear make-up.” She kept after me to try it…to just try it. I finally gave in and went to the restroom to put it on. It was bright red. I put it on and then stood back and looked at myself in the mirror. Oh, horrors! I looked awful! I looked gaudy! I tried to wipe it off. It was so bright it wouldn’t just come off. I used soap and tried to scrub it off. My lips were red the rest of the day! I felt awfully sinful.
I had a neighbor ask me, after I’d been married about 12 years, how I ever attracted boys, when I was a teenager, if I never wore make-up! Well………I had lots of boy friends before I met Jerry! Make-up isn’t what makes a person…
But that rule is gone now too and I’m so glad. But at the same time…I seldom wear make-up! Oh, I’ve tried to. I’ve gone to make-up parties and had my face all made up, several times. I’ve bought make-up. But I was so out of the loop I couldn’t remember to put my make up on until we were driving down the road! I’d say to Jerry, “Oh no, I forgot to put make-up on!” He’d usually say I didn’t need it and then he’d ask if I wanted to go back. We never did.
My grandchildren love to make me up! They divide the jobs between them. One does my eyes, another my face, someone else lipstick. Another gives me a manicure and someone brushes my hair. They make up a good team!
But the point here is that the ruling of our church on make-up is gone. I’m so glad. It wasn’t easy breaking through the legalism of the church but it was so worth it. I’m proud that the church changed the ruling. It wasn’t people who rebelled and did as they pleased. The ruling came from the General Conference, was voted upon and won. I’m proud of my church.
