Words and Light

Confession: I never wore makeup until January 2008.

Yeah. Somehow, I lived more than 20 years without lipstick, eyeliner, blush, foundation and other powders, liquids and other goops with which I am still unfamiliar. And yeah, I know many women have survived longer than that without applying makeup.

My point is, I’m still a novice to the very complicated world of cosmetics. I haven’t worn makeup for a few weeks now — no point if I’m going to be a hot mess at the end of an outdoor assignment — and even when I do, it’s no more than a quick application of eyeliner and a swipe of lipstick.

So I learned a lot one night, when I photographed a makeup session attended by the Atlanta hockey team’s spirit squad.

© 2010 by The Atlanta Journal Constitution. (Click on the image above to view the full photo gallery on ajc.com.) Atlanta Thrashers Blue Crew member Allison Dekle applies bronzer at the Pur Minerals headquarters on Monday, June 28, 2010.

For example: There are at least four different things you can do to your eyes. And like three different things to do to your lips. And different brushes are used for different things.

Okay, I really didn’t learn that much — at least, nothing that I would ever be able or care to do for myself. But at the very least, I was intrigued. And bewildered.

I’ll stick to being a bit of a tomboy.