Satin Ribbon: An epiphany about unwanted lipstick

-by Kara White

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A couple of months ago I bought a new lipstick from Ulta Beauty. My interest in makeup was steadily growing at the time. I already wore foundation, eyeliner, mascara and concealer; I knew how to highlight and contour my face- and I thought that having great lipstick would be the next step to improving my “beat-face” skills. I inquired to my friends about good and affordable lipstick brands. All of them informed me that NYX Cosmetics had great lipstick and I could purchase them from Ulta. I researched colors for my complexion and learned that the popular colors to have in one’s makeup collection are:  red, nude, pink, and some variation of a dark color. 

I went to Ulta and spent over an hour picking out makeup and lipstick. One of the lip colors that I chose was, “Satin Ribbon,” a nude lip-gloss that had a matte finish. The employee who helped me told me it was a great long-lasting lippie and it also looked nice when I tested it on my hand, so I bought it.

​When I got home I tried on all of the lipsticks that I bought. “Satin Ribbon,” which I was so excited about buying, looked terrible on me. Ulta had a return policy that allowed customers to return open cosmetics for up to 90 days. I told myself that I would exchange the color for something that complimented me better. However, weeks went buy and I returned to Ulta several times but I never exchanged the lipstick. There would be times I would leave home solely to go to Ulta, with the correct receipt, but I would still knowingly leave “Satin Ribbon” at home. Why would I do this? I knew the lipstick looked terrible on me and I would never wear it, but I continued to hold on to it. 

About a month passed and I was preparing to hang out with some of my girlfriends. I had finished my makeup and I was looking for the perfect lipstick, so I tried on the nude lip again. Nothing had changed. It still looked horrible. Another month passed, this time I was in Las Vegas with my friends. I tried on the nude lip before going out and I looked like a clown. I put the lipstick away and I told myself that I wouldn’t waste any more time with the color.

​Today I woke up this morning and applied very little makeup. Because I was preparing to go to Starbucks to do some lesson planning, I thought a simple lip would be best. I looked in my makeup (where I have at least 10 lipsticks at this point) and I tried on the “Satin Ribbon” again. I looked like a clown. I even tried to put my favorite lip-gloss over it and hoped that somehow the combination would make it better, but it only made me look like a shiny clown. I realized that no matter what gloss or lip liner I added, “Satin Ribbon” just was not for me. So why did I hold on to it for so long? It wasn’t expensive, but is that a valid reason to keep something I didn’t need? I had plenty of opportunities to exchange the color, give it away to a girlfriend, or simply throw it away, but I chose none of these options. I allowed it to stay in my makeup bag, take up space, and to fill me with false hope. 

​And as I began to wipe the lipstick off, I had an epiphany. “Satin Ribbon” was like a man. As single women we oftentimes spend so much energy and time looking for the right man. We ask friends, family members, and church members if they know any good, single men. 

If someone shows you who they are, or if God reveals that a person is not for you in the beginning, then you need to believe them. 

We meet someone and after one date we immediately know if they are not for us. However, because we have longed for a relationship for months, or maybe years we keep them around. We may not communicate with them daily, but whenever we want a little company we hit them with the “you up” text or “what you doing?” text. Knowing in reality we don't care what they may be doing, we just want to satisfy our flesh. And each time you hang out with that individual you know that they are not someone you would actually date, nor are they the person you want a genuine friendship with. 

If someone shows you who they are, or if God reveals that a person is not for you in the beginning, then you need to believe them. Hanging onto people for comfort or to just say that you have someone is going to be more hurtful than helpful in the long run. 

​Some tests God allows us to endure so we can be stronger and learn to depend on him. But far too often we allow ourselves to go through trials because we ignored God’s voice in the beginning. We cannot wear two lipsticks at once, hoping that the second conceals the color of the first. Neither can we serve two masters. Choose for yourself what you will wear and whom you will serve. 

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Kara White

​Kara White is a 24-year-old lover of life. She enjoys feeling free and living in her destiny. In her free time, Kara likes to travel, read and participate in athletic activities.

Kara earned her Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Math Education from the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO, and is currently pursuing her Masters in Education. She works as a high school math and engineering teacher in St. Louis.