I spent the first several months after we launched Mented feeling like I always had to have a full face of makeup on. "How can you run a beauty company without being a walking billboard for makeup?" - I thought. It wasn't just in my head either - one night, after telling someone what I did for a living the person responded, "Now that you run a makeup company you really should look the part." (Of course the person was a man - eye roll.)

 I watched hours of YouTube tutorials, terrified of being the dope in the room who didn't contour or highlight properly. I'm not joking - I've spent more time watching YouTubers contour than I've spent planning my retirement (relatedly - we should all be spending way more time thinking about retirement). 

There were plenty of days when I loved putting on a full face - sometimes there's nothing more relaxing than piling on concealer, am I right? But there were plenty of days when I started approaching minute forty-seven of my makeup routine and thought to myself, "What am I still doing here?"

Thankfully, the hotter-than-Hades New York summer snapped me out of my more-is-more routine, and forced me into a simpler, less-is-more variation. Some days I don't wear any makeup at all (though I always put on a brow…a girl's gotta have standards). Most days, I find myself quickly swiping on some concealer to diminish my dark spots, brushing on a dash of eyeshadow (Redbone from our Everyday Eyeshadow palette), adding mascara and a gloss (I'm still obsessed with Send Nudes) and I'm out the door. Because right now, in this moment, that's what makes me feel beautiful (and that's about all that can survive the heat).

Come fall, I suspect I'll up the ante a little bit, but I'm committed to remembering these past few glorious months - I haven't contoured in ages and I'm telling you it feels amazing. What's more, makeup feels fun again, because I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone; I'm simply using some of my favorite products - which were formulated specifically for brown women like me - to enhance a face I've come to love, flaws and all. 

Until next time,

KJ