Mother’s Day

For the last 5 years I’ve ignored Mothers Day. Avoided it. Deleted emails.

You see in January 2010 I got the kind of phone call you dread, that makes you sick to the depths of your stomach, that can pull your world apart.

My mum had gone to sleep on the sofa one night and not woken up.

The days after were a blur of paperwork and cleaning, organising and packing. I worked on sorting things out 8am to 8pm, only giving myself time to grieve when I got in the bath at night.

So every Mother’s Day has been a reminder. I don’t have a mum anymore.

This year, I finally felt able to deal with it. To be a grown up and stop ignoring those emails, or sending out a terse email in reply saying no.

So instead of taking my mum out, I took the next closest mum in my life, my kid sister, out for a makeover and some lunch. You see she kind of deserves it too. My mum died ten days after my nephew was born. So while I was cleaning, sorting paperwork and making arrangements, she had a brand new baby to get used to, as well as her own grief to deal with.

The plan was simple. We’d do it the week before Mother’s Day, so we avoided anything that would be uncomfortable, and with the kind help of Selfridges and NARS, treat ourselves to a bit of a makeover at the Trafford Centre before we’d have a lazy afternoon being ladies what lunch.

First, the makeover.

Surrounded by NARS goodies, we sat in the makeover chairs, and as I began to chat with Stefanie about my foundation issues, my sister chatted about her need for a bit of a make up overhaul.

Make up removed, I felt a little bit naked. Unless I have my gym gear on, am running from the gym to work or I’m in my PJs, I always have my face on.

Stefanie and I chatted moisturisers and primers, before she popped on Sheer Glow Foundation and showed me how I can build it up under my eyes for a little extra coverage.

Much better, let’s hide the morning after the night before under a little foundation. Now I could stop worrying about other shoppers staring in horror.

Then Stefanie asked the question – natural or colourful. I already have a great Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow set for natural, so with a little purple Persia eyeshadow, some Bourbon Street and Khao San Road eyeliner, we went bright.

I was so distracted by my own makeover, that I didn’t see my sisters. I turned around and she’d gone from barefaced, to something a little more enhanced.

I know, not only do we look nothing alike, but despite the fact we’re sisters, we’d gone for completely different looks, one natural, one not-so natural.

But taking away our make up notes for later (I need that foundation) and using the selfie mode on my sister’s phone (is it me, or has it filtered us in a very flattering manner? A girl’s allowed to be vain occasionally I think), we thanked our MUA ladies profusely before heading off to lunch.

Seeking a little comfort food, Tampopo called to us. With prawn crackers, and a sharing platter, and a pile of khao soi noodles we talked about make up, family, about mum. We reminisced without feeling all the pressure of a ‘normal’ Mother’s Day.

I’ll still avoid a lot of stuff next Sunday, but at least I feel a little better about it all and I’ve found a way I can give thanks to those mums still in my life. Not every ‘mum’ is a mum. Next year, I can maybe go about thanking those ladies who’ve been like second mums to me with something a little special too. I owe them a lot.

In the meantime, if you’d like to treat your mum, or other ladies in your life, NARS are offering their makeovers for a booking fee of £15, redeemable against purchases, and Selfridges have a lots of other offers, including pamper packages at both Exchange Square and at the Trafford Centre.

The makeover from NARS was provided for free by Selfridges. It came at the right time for me to do something nice for my sister and for that I’m grateful. I’m also grateful for the foundation pointers.