I Auditioned for "American Idol" Wearing L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara

The first makeup I packed for American Idol was also the first makeup I ever bought with my own money.

My mom was a Mary Kay consultant for most of my teen years, so growing up, I used anything she gave me. I spent a lot of time performing in concerts and musicals, and became a fast fan of their Berry Kiss lipstick for the stage lights, but sometimes, my makeup bag lacked the variety I craved.

High school was a time when heavy black eyeliner, plucked eyebrows, and eyelashes that pointed up to the sky were all the rage. And because I wanted to fit in, I gravitated toward the makeup that would give me some semblance of coolness. All I needed was the perfect mascara.

My eyelashes point straight down, so when I discovered that waterproof mascara helps hold a curl, I instantly began searching for a new formula. Second semester of freshman year, I held on to some Christmas money to go to the drugstore and pick up what would become a staple in my collection: the L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes waterproof mascara in Blackest Black.

I’ll admit: I didn’t know anything about the mascara, but the reflective gold packaging looked so luxurious to my 14-year-old self. Feeling like a high roller dropping $10 (my own $10, mind you), I walked out of that CVS with a handful of coupons and my head held high. In the words of One Direction, nobody could drag me down.

That mascara quickly became my lifeline; whenever I needed it, it was there for me. It made my thin, straight lash hairs resemble Betty Boop’s. When I cried my eyes out because of some petty high school drama, it didn't even give me raccoon eyes.

So, it made sense that when I packed my bags to go audition for the eleventh season of American Idol, into my makeup kit it went. Mascara and lipstick have always been the last steps of my routine, and I distinctly remember applying a couple (or, more accurately, 15) coats, then heading out the door of my hotel in Savannah, Georgia to go audition for TV’s biggest singing reality show.

Despite the 7:00 A.M. call time, I walked on set that day with a huge smile, ready to impress in my audition. I was told to sit in my assigned seat next to the last singer of the day: eventual Season 11 winner, Phillip Phillips (when he introduced himself, I definitely thought he was joking). My eyes looked bright through every interview and filmed, “candid” stroll down the sidewalk.

Around 5:00 P.M., it was finally my turn to go in. Ryan Seacrest flashed a smile and held the door open for me, and I remember being momentarily blinded by the lights on set. As I faced Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Steven Tyler, my heart started to race and I prayed that I wouldn't forget the words. Sweating under the bright camera lights, I finished my audition song (inaugural Idol queen Kelly Clarkson’s “Walk Away”).

The audition itself was a blur, and to be honest, I think my body went on autopilot; I only vaguely remember singing. It was only when they started wrapping up their critiques and deciding on their votes that I finally tuned back in, just in time to hear all three of these music legends give me a "YES" to move forward to Hollywood Week. I threw my hands up in the air and ran outside with my ticket screaming, “I’m going to Hollywood!” Upon seeing my family beaming proudly outside, I immediately burst into tears. Obviously, mascara wasn't even on my mind in that moment, but I later realized that the same formula I'd proudly purchased from the drugstore in high school had pulled through yet again — leaving nary a smudge or smear in sight, even after my (happy) sob fest.

I've lost count of how many tubes I've gone through at this point (after straying a few times and ending up with an eye infection, I've come to realize it's the only one for me). It took me through college auditions, my first serious boyfriend (and accompanying heartbreak), endless auditions, job interviews, and my move to New York. And I have a feeling that I'll be wearing it in every formative experience to come — if it got me through American Idol, it officially wins a permanent spot in my life.

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