More than a year ago my sister-in-law, my boy's sister, told me two things: that she was getting married and that she wanted me to take care of her look. I thought she wanted me to accompany her to try on dresses, something that I was very excited about, but she wasn't referring to just that, she needed me to do her makeup and hair for the most important day of her life, the exact words “that's your style, something simple, like you do your makeup.”
My answer was a resounding yes, without being me at all.
Before telling you what this little Odyssey was for me – suck that Nolan – I have to confess that I don't usually wear makeup, in fact, I've been wearing the same foundation, which is actually a tinted moisturizer, for years and if I have a more ''professional'' product than usual it's more because of Instagram's ability to sell me things, than because of experience in this field. The exact same thing happens with my hairstyle, I've been doing the same waves for centuries. That's what I do! Because I don't do it, I don't even dry my hair.
If we add to all this that I am tremendously insecure, but at the same time people pleaseryou can imagine the responsibility that was for me. Although I said yes from minute one. Luckily, if my sister-in-law has something, it is that she gives the right importance to things, she trusted me and she was very clear about it.
Gloria (that's my sister's name before the law) is quite minimalist when it comes to makeup, her spending on these things is usually minimal and at that time she only had a Deliplus makeup base whose expiration date was a mystery. So the main task we set before starting testing was to find the perfect base.
Since we wanted a natural finish, we intended to buy the same one that I use, the one from BareMinerals, but it is no longer sold in Spain unless it is online, so we ruled it out because we couldn't try it to find out the perfect shade. After visiting several perfume stores with inconclusive tests – and my sister-in-law's face two shades above hers – we found an offer that gave me the optimism to face the task: a light, luminous and practically custom-made Sisley foundation for Gloria at half price (it was Black Friday). I still regret not having caught it for myself too.
With the base (pun intended) in our hands we started with the tests. I had already seen several tutorials on YouTube, especially to avoid a stiff effect and try to work on the skin so that it looked juicy and natural. I created a Pinterest folder and bought highlighters, blushes and other cream products to apply them more easily.
We were ready for the first test. My nerves were on edge not only to do it well, but also to spend two hours alone with my sister-in-law, whom I loved very much, but with whom until then I had barely had moments just the two of us. I just arrived, as it were, to this my in-laws and, although Gloria was always super close, I still had a hard time relaxing or finding my place completely with them beyond the plans my boy was in.
Tutorials, tests and a mask that almost ended in tragedy
Things went wrong: I put a mask on her with my Foreo UFO to prepare her itchy skin, I almost gave her an allergic reaction, all my shadows and blushes are in pink tones (a color that doesn't suit her at all), and I didn't dare to draw a line in her eye or put mascara on her because my pulse was trembling. Also, her hair was curlier than she expected and I had to iron it at the end to remove the waves. But yes, we had a pretty good time.
So much so that we decided to try again a few weeks later, with a new shadow palette, a little less blush (in light brown tones) and much more confidence now that we have calibrated the errors. In the end, I lost count of the tests we did – watching makeup tutorials became ASMR – but the truth is that I almost always suggested them because they made me feel more confident with each step and more comfortable opening up to Gloria.
I have left out a very important fact: the wedding was not just any wedding, it was an intimate party in Scotland, specifically in the middle of the Highlands. So to all this whirlwind of emotions we must add a trip, a fairy tale place (the most beautiful I have ever seen) and a simple wedding, but so careful and beautiful, that I felt that screwing up was not an option.
Day B (or N of nerves) has arrived
To no one's surprise, on the wedding day I was a little nervous as a good dramatic – almost more so than the bride, who was a balm of tranquility – but I firmly believe (more every day) that I am the typical person who works better under pressure. When I'm at my limit, I get into mode focus and I give my best.
Things flowed and came out almost by magic. Like when you go overwhelmed for an exam that you have prepared a lot for because it was important and you think you don't remember anything but you sit down and don't stop writing. That's how it was, Gloria was beautiful (because she is) but also, she was happy with the result. It had gone better than ever – his words, not mine – and without delays. The thing went so well that the hairstyle withstood a photo shoot at Outlander with the Highland wind and the makeup lasted practically intact until the end (dance included).
What I take in my heart from all this
But from this whole experience I am left with a deep feeling of gratitude. Being part of that beautiful and important day for my sister-in-law made me feel part of the family, more than ever. And I think the definitive proof that something has changed between us is that now we constantly send each other memes on Instagram and stickers on WhatsApp, which I suppose is a fairly official way of certifying that we are already friends. We have partly developed our own codes and, when something seems nonsense to us, it is enough to look at each other to make us laugh. I don't know when it happened, but I love that it happened.
And Gloria has that, I understood it on the day of the wedding, chatting with her closest friends (we were only 20 guests) and her family (political and blood): she is integrative, like a kind of discreet glue that makes everyone feel comfortable and get along well. Throughout this year, while we were preparing for the happiest day of her life, I have discovered what I already knew, that I have a wonderful sister-in-law and that if I appreciated her before, now I love her on Esteban level: I, for my Gloria, kill her.
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