threadwalker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
threadwalker) wrote2008-03-27 09:12 am
threadwalker) wrote2008-03-27 09:12 am
Entry tags:
Silly post
I'm in a sudden lull at work. Thus, in the interest of looking busy this morning, here's my cosmetic report.
Yup, cosmetics. No, not surgerical, just OTC girly frou-frou stuff.
I'm a Tom Boy. For me, it was never a question of "when can I wear make-up" when I was growing up. I was not interested. I always thought it was pointless, a waste of time and a waste of money. When I hit college and I occasionally wanted to dress up a little, I embraced my ignorance and inexperience.
Three words: Blue eye liner.
Yeah... we can all remember the blue eye shadow days. My one saving grace being that I've avoided eye shadow and contented myself with eyeliner, so you had to get really close to see how off the mark I was. I wonder why they even make that stuff unless it's to mark out the clueless, cosmetically challenged among us who are drawn to it like moths to a flame.
However, now I'm a big person with a job where looking professional has made a difference at work. I could go on at length about that, but to sum up, my personal experience has been that the more polished I look, the more successful I have been. In particular, my acne can be rampant, disfiguring, and excruciating, which has a big visual impact and affects people's initial reactions to me. So I turn to cosmetics for camoflage. (minus the blue eye liner)
About 4 years ago a friend dragged me to Nordstroms and plunked me down at the Laura Mercier counter with the parting comment "these people will take care of you" and then vanished for a few hours.
The things they did! I am now armed with tools and stuff for acne-camoflage. I'm better equipped than ever before and I understand how to use it. But they didn't stop there; I learned about base on eyelids, lip liner, lip stick, lip stain, creme eyeshadows, bronzer, and that each one of these is applied with a different brush. When I go "all out" I feel like I'm doing "art" and not putting on make-up, which is a weird perspective, but it appeals to my creative side. Since then, I've explored the various vendors at Nordstrom. I stay clear of MAC because I have no desire to look like an extra for Cirque, but I'm a huge fan of Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown and Yyves S. Laurent. And for skin care, I love Philosophy, Clarins and Clinque.
Here's my personal favorites:
Laura Mercier:
+I think she has the best brushes.
+For my acne, I use her products: base, touch-up cover up (I forget what it's called, concealer? but it comes in a compact-like case, has a pasty texture, and is applied with a brush), translucent setting powder, and base for eyelids. I don't actually wear any of this unless I'm broken out, but I am damn greatful to have it when I do break out.
+I also love her lip stain: it goes on wet, dries in a few minutes and then you put gloss over it (provided with the stain or you can get other gloss). It lasts all day if you periodically apply a little gloss - not sloppy wet, but just a little bit like chap stick. I haven't tested it in the pool yet, but I discovered that it will stay on through meals, drinking diet coke (which is acidic), martinis, and work outs. And since it's a stain, it doesn't "get on" stuff. The gloss will come off, but it's like wearing chap stick and does not stain.
Bobbi Brown Her long wear gel eye liner rocks! It's a gel, so it's painted on with a brush. It dries quickly and once it dries, it's staying on until you are ready to remove it. And soap and water do not do the trick. I use either eye make-up remover or moisturizer. When I swam my 1/2 mile on Friday, I had some on. It didn't run or smudge even though I was in a chlorinated pool for half an hour.
Lancombe & YSL:Lip stick. I love how their lipstick smells. I can't explain it, I just do. I have a shade of holiday red that's suitable for going out at night, but sometimes I can't resist wearing during the day just because it smells so good. mmmmm.... I don't wear lip stick often, but this is almost a sensual experience for me.
Clarins UV Plus protective day screen (SPF 40, oil free). I wear sun screen everyday. I used to use Eucerin, but it was too thick and hard to work into my skin; I always had this white residue. I use Clarins everyday now. It goes on light, you don't need a lot, and it works.
Philosophy I have sensitive skin. I use Philosophy face wash and daily moisturizer. I have also tried Clinque, Laura Mercier, Oil of Olay, Eucerin, and Proactive, but I keep coming back to Philosophy. It's non-abrasive, mild scent, and leaves my skin soft. Instead of cleaning by removing your top layer of skin, it removes oil and dirt without drying me out.
YSL Lipstick. And, as an ode to past memories, I have some YSL limited edition blue eyeshadow. I bought it for the Def Leppard concert over a year ago. Ahhh good times!!
Body Moisturizer I don't normally do this. However, since I started swimming, I use a body oil on swim-days to help moisturize my skin since it's been submerged in chlorine for up to an hour. When selecting one, I was in Target and my choices were limited. I avoided Lavendar (the old lady smell), and got the Lemon scent since citrus is a refreshing, wake-up smell and I was hoping it could mask the residual chlorine odor on my skin. Unfortunatley now can't help thinking I smell like Lemon Pledge when I'm using it. Oh well. At least it masks the chlorine and I'm not dry and flakey.
There was a lot of serious compare-contrast leading up to this point and I still feel like I'm still a Tom Boy, but at least now I'm equipped to go to work and look polished. And that has had its own rewards. Knowledge is power! Even if it's girly-frou-frou cosmetics.
Yup, cosmetics. No, not surgerical, just OTC girly frou-frou stuff.
I'm a Tom Boy. For me, it was never a question of "when can I wear make-up" when I was growing up. I was not interested. I always thought it was pointless, a waste of time and a waste of money. When I hit college and I occasionally wanted to dress up a little, I embraced my ignorance and inexperience.
Three words: Blue eye liner.
Yeah... we can all remember the blue eye shadow days. My one saving grace being that I've avoided eye shadow and contented myself with eyeliner, so you had to get really close to see how off the mark I was. I wonder why they even make that stuff unless it's to mark out the clueless, cosmetically challenged among us who are drawn to it like moths to a flame.
However, now I'm a big person with a job where looking professional has made a difference at work. I could go on at length about that, but to sum up, my personal experience has been that the more polished I look, the more successful I have been. In particular, my acne can be rampant, disfiguring, and excruciating, which has a big visual impact and affects people's initial reactions to me. So I turn to cosmetics for camoflage. (minus the blue eye liner)
About 4 years ago a friend dragged me to Nordstroms and plunked me down at the Laura Mercier counter with the parting comment "these people will take care of you" and then vanished for a few hours.
The things they did! I am now armed with tools and stuff for acne-camoflage. I'm better equipped than ever before and I understand how to use it. But they didn't stop there; I learned about base on eyelids, lip liner, lip stick, lip stain, creme eyeshadows, bronzer, and that each one of these is applied with a different brush. When I go "all out" I feel like I'm doing "art" and not putting on make-up, which is a weird perspective, but it appeals to my creative side. Since then, I've explored the various vendors at Nordstrom. I stay clear of MAC because I have no desire to look like an extra for Cirque, but I'm a huge fan of Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown and Yyves S. Laurent. And for skin care, I love Philosophy, Clarins and Clinque.
Here's my personal favorites:
Laura Mercier:
+I think she has the best brushes.
+For my acne, I use her products: base, touch-up cover up (I forget what it's called, concealer? but it comes in a compact-like case, has a pasty texture, and is applied with a brush), translucent setting powder, and base for eyelids. I don't actually wear any of this unless I'm broken out, but I am damn greatful to have it when I do break out.
+I also love her lip stain: it goes on wet, dries in a few minutes and then you put gloss over it (provided with the stain or you can get other gloss). It lasts all day if you periodically apply a little gloss - not sloppy wet, but just a little bit like chap stick. I haven't tested it in the pool yet, but I discovered that it will stay on through meals, drinking diet coke (which is acidic), martinis, and work outs. And since it's a stain, it doesn't "get on" stuff. The gloss will come off, but it's like wearing chap stick and does not stain.
Bobbi Brown Her long wear gel eye liner rocks! It's a gel, so it's painted on with a brush. It dries quickly and once it dries, it's staying on until you are ready to remove it. And soap and water do not do the trick. I use either eye make-up remover or moisturizer. When I swam my 1/2 mile on Friday, I had some on. It didn't run or smudge even though I was in a chlorinated pool for half an hour.
Lancombe & YSL:Lip stick. I love how their lipstick smells. I can't explain it, I just do. I have a shade of holiday red that's suitable for going out at night, but sometimes I can't resist wearing during the day just because it smells so good. mmmmm.... I don't wear lip stick often, but this is almost a sensual experience for me.
Clarins UV Plus protective day screen (SPF 40, oil free). I wear sun screen everyday. I used to use Eucerin, but it was too thick and hard to work into my skin; I always had this white residue. I use Clarins everyday now. It goes on light, you don't need a lot, and it works.
Philosophy I have sensitive skin. I use Philosophy face wash and daily moisturizer. I have also tried Clinque, Laura Mercier, Oil of Olay, Eucerin, and Proactive, but I keep coming back to Philosophy. It's non-abrasive, mild scent, and leaves my skin soft. Instead of cleaning by removing your top layer of skin, it removes oil and dirt without drying me out.
YSL Lipstick. And, as an ode to past memories, I have some YSL limited edition blue eyeshadow. I bought it for the Def Leppard concert over a year ago. Ahhh good times!!
Body Moisturizer I don't normally do this. However, since I started swimming, I use a body oil on swim-days to help moisturize my skin since it's been submerged in chlorine for up to an hour. When selecting one, I was in Target and my choices were limited. I avoided Lavendar (the old lady smell), and got the Lemon scent since citrus is a refreshing, wake-up smell and I was hoping it could mask the residual chlorine odor on my skin. Unfortunatley now can't help thinking I smell like Lemon Pledge when I'm using it. Oh well. At least it masks the chlorine and I'm not dry and flakey.
There was a lot of serious compare-contrast leading up to this point and I still feel like I'm still a Tom Boy, but at least now I'm equipped to go to work and look polished. And that has had its own rewards. Knowledge is power! Even if it's girly-frou-frou cosmetics.
no subject
This was a great post. We should do the kamikaze makeup counter thing sometime. ;)
no subject
A friend took me to Nordstroms last summer. I love both.
no subject
I don't know if it will help your skin but it probably won't hurt it. Be sure to keep your brushes really clean though.
no subject
I mega-dose Vitamin A for my acne. I can give you more details if your curious, but there's probably some info on the web since it's a strategy that's been around for decades.
no subject
http://www.petaliterature.com/VIV236.pdf
no subject
A quick check makes me happy: Avon, Almay, and Aveda are on the list. Yay!
no subject
no subject
I think I need to look into it again... such good stuff, and it lasts for freaking ever.
no subject
One-stop shopping
no subject
And for the corporations not on that list, you can contact them through their websites. They frequently have statements about non-animal testing. I think PETA and groups like PETA have done such a great job of raising awareness that vendors are aware that animal-testing can be a make-it or break-it proposition.
Re: One-stop shopping