My love of makeup -- well, all things beauty -- started at an early age. I can remember being around 4 or 5 years old, sitting on my mama's bed as she was getting ready for work and being mesmerized at the things she was applying to her face. Of course, she was already beautiful, but seeing her apply foundation, powder, lipstick, and a touch of mascara made her even more so. I remember telling her to put something on her cheeks -- she never wore blush -- but I thought they looked naked without having anything on them. She swiped her lipstick lightly on her cheeks and blended it in, giving herself a touch of color and I felt like it tied everything together nicely and completed the look.

I'd raid her purse to go through her makeup or her dresser drawers where she kept the bulk of cosmetics. An old pale pink Mary Kay compact that had lipstick, blush, and eyeshadow became my prized possession. While Mama always preferred Lancome and Elizabeth Arden back then, she would always buy something from a coworker if they were selling it, so she had ordered the pallate and didn't hesitate to give it to me. I thought I had the greatest thing ever in that little compact!

Flash forward to my teen years, and Mama always made it a point to get me 'good makeup.' Elizabeth Arden had a compact foundation that you appied with a sponge that made me look like I had the best skin ever. Lancome made a lipstick color, Mimosa, that I wore until they completely sold out after they discontinued it when I was in my late teens. (I'm still looking for a similar shade.)

I was obsessed with everything makeup though. Cover Girl, Bonne Bell, Maybelline -- it didn't have to be high end for me to want it and buy it. My prized possession was my pink Caboodle that held all of my pretties and could easily go with me anywhere I went.

As I got older, I signed up for Mary Kay so I could get the kit. Back then, you got a huge case with tubes of all of the foundations, lipsticks, and skin care. I loved it. Eventually, I went on to work at a Merle Norman store part time in the evenings aftr work, and when I felt like I needed a huge career change from my full time job, was hired by Clinique at a specialty store. Being surrounded by makeup, perfume, and other products was like a dream come true! When I moved to a Clinique counter at the mall, my name tag from my floor supervisor titled me the Counter Diva (instead of manager) so that's where I came up with the name for my blog.

I went on to eventually apprentice at a salon, but couldn't finish due to the physical demands, but I still worked in a couple of salons doing whatever needed to be done. Sweeping hair, shampooing, filling the shampoo bar -- I loved every second of it because I was working in the beauty industry and it felt more like fun than work.

A friend and I were talking about the idea of having more joy in our lives recently. We work in a high stress, high burnout role, where we're supposed to be helping people, but at times, it doesn't feel that way. I thought about that for a few days, and realized the thing that brings me joy (outside of my family and furbabies) is makeup. It's something I love, something I enjoy, something that when I am having a bad day or feeling less than, I can put on a red lipstick and feel like I can take on anything. Or at least fake my way through it somewhat. Makeup, and beauty, is something that can make us feel empowered and confident -something, that can be worn away when we're dealing with a lot of stressors in every day life. It can also be a form of art and self expression. It's how we show up to the world, and most importantly, for ourselves.

So thank you for reading and being here. I hope you find some beauty -- and joy -- here.