Valentine’s Day | Smokey with a Pop of Pink

Hey everyone! Valentine’s Day tutorials are ubiquitous at the moment, but in case you haven’t found something you fancy, the tutorial on this look is posted below!

But before I get to the video link, I wanted to bring up something else that I feel is important. Yes, we’re getting real for a sec.

I have to confess something to you. Valentine’s Day has always felt like a scam to me, whether it came while I was single or in a happily committed relationship. To me, it’s a very plastic holiday. It’s a day that, in my opinion, has the potential to send the dangerous message that as long as you’ve given or received something from a pre-determined, socially accepted list of gifts, your relationship must be golden even if it’s actually shit.

I’m not saying gifts shouldn’t be exchanged and that love shouldn’t be celebrated. But Valentine’s Day puts a lot of pressure on people to present their relationship in a certain way. And I think it’s important to remember that you do not have to. Now, if you LIKE to celebrate with roses and heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, that’s one thing. But, when you really think about it, those same confections are available year-round (and for about half the price). Same goes for the roses. Do you celebrate with those items at any other time of year?

The truth is that love usually doesn’t lend itself to the glamorous image that Valentine’s Day paints for it. It’s not all chocolates and bouquets and stuffed animals. And it certainly isn’t always shiny and new. Love toils silently in the face of adversity. It lends strength in moments of weakness. Love is the product of hard work. It’s the worn, smooth wood of a well-used workbench, the result of endless hours of careful attention and tireless craftsmanship. It’s good communication, openness, and honesty. And yet, that kind of love doesn’t fit the image of perfection and ease that Valentine’s Day caters to and people throw parades for. Love’s foundational elements are far too bland for this holiday of rainbows and sweets.

So this year I would put it to you to celebrate your love differently. Whether it’s love you share with a romantic partner, friend, or family, celebrate it honestly. You can still go on your dinner date and rock your new hot pink lipstick. But don’t do it because people will think that your relationship is somehow “less than” if you don’t. Get past the superficiality of needing to post the “OMG look” photo of your V-day present so everyone in your social media network knows you have the perfect relationship. I promise you that if you skip the overpriced chocolates, marked-up roses, and cards that end up as kindling, your love doesn’t mean anything less. In fact, I’d wager that it’s stronger for it.

Now, let’s rock that makeup tutorial, shall we??

xo

K

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