Why I Love Makeup

I'm sure some people who have read my other blog or know me in person wonder why I'm so interested in make-up. There are several reasons I love cosmetics.  Their ability to transform faces  and to be a catalyst for endless creativity. All of the  beautiful colors and finishes combine to make an amazing and nearly endless  coloring book for those who may have outgrown a traditional one.

Makeup doesn't  require one to be a certain size or of a certain income level . Many products can be used in several ways,so very little goes completely to waste. As I've gotten older, makeup has for me become less about vanity and more about creativity and privacy.

 As someone with a disability who needs help with a lot of personal care related activities and doesn't get much privacy in many parts of her day, makeup is loved as something I can do entirely on my own. To many this may not seem like a big deal, but to someone who might need a lot of help with tasks that most people take for granted, having an activity that you enjoy that you can do on your own is very liberating.

Yes, I appreciate every bit of help I've ever gotten but have always wondered what it would be like to do things like have a shower with no one else in my bathroom. I'm also well aware there are people with similar situations (new parents for instance), but unlike parents of young kids, I've never known true privacy. This is a loss yes, but not the end of the world. For at least several hours a week, I apply, talk about, or write about makeup. For me this is like visiting a candy store for work , I love it.

 Whether it is make-up, art, or a sport-whatever. I encourage you to find something  you enjoy and spend time doing it at least a once a week. Perhaps even find a way to make it part of your work.  As you grow more confident in your  "hobby" you may very well grow confident in other things. Give it a try and most importantly...have fun!

Thank you so much for reading, have a wonderful day!

Jennifer

Hi There! :)

Hey everyone, welcome to my blog AbilityBeauty.  Yes, this is a reboot of a blog I started in 2011, but I am now able to blog much more consistently and add photos and video! This blog will be an accompaniment to my YouTube channel of the same name.

My name is Jennifer Burss. I’m 35-years-old,a freelance writer by trade, and I live in Michigan with my wonderful husband Sam.  I started AbilityBeauty  because as a teenager with cerebral palsy I would see beautiful makeup in magazines and being demonstrated by makeup artists on television and in a lot of cases think, “How can I do that with my fingers and hands?”.(My CP affects my legs, arms, hands, and fingers)

Being the creative person I am, I started to experiment with ways to apply makeup and skincare products and get decent results.  I used these techniques to apply products from high school onward. I started both my YouTube channel and this blog to help share what I have learned over the years.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t consider physical “beauty” anywhere near the top of my list of important qualities. In fact, I believe how we feel about ourselves and the way we treat others as far more important. Makeup, to me is simply one method we can use to express ourselves and create. I also believe no one should be excluded from any method of creation or expression based on what they are able to afford or what they can or cannot do physically. There’s more than one way to do almost everything!!

Both here and on my channel I try and will try to give as many application tips and alternate product suggestions as possible. I can’t always know what is best for every situation. In the end, we all need to do what is best for us. If I suggest a method or product and it doesn't work for you, please feel free to do whatever does work best for you. I hope we can all enjoy this blog and have some fun!  Thank you so much for reading and watching! Have a great day!

Love,

Jennifer