another ticky-box on the girl qualification exam

[serinde]

Since I won't be getting all sweaty every lunchtime for the next several weeks, it occurred to me that this would be a useful time to get a handle on my inability to apply makeup. Not that I have any intent of making this a daily part of my life, but I'd like to be able to do it with confidence and dispatch if I want to.

So I bought a book--I had a couple that were given me previously, but as I phrased it to sweh, I needed the kindergarten level and those started somewhere around middle school--and got crackin'. I came into work with makeup on both Friday and today. It is subtle, sufficiently so that audiovile didn't notice I was wearing any until I pointed it out. This is to the good, as I hold that makeup is like stage lighting: the viewer shouldn't be consciously aware of it unless you're deliberately doing something dramatic; they should merely notice that things are looking uncommonly well and they don't know why.

My current foundation is oil-free, which is mostly fine, but I think I need something else for my nose, which is awfully dry. I do moisturize it beforehand, but it would seem that bigger mojo is in order. The book advocates a sea sponge (!) for applying foundation, too, but using a regular wedge sponge seems to answer. Certainly it's vastly better than what I had been doing--I no longer feel like I've got glop on my face. In fact I keep forgetting it's there and rubbing my face. Oops.

I also keep forgetting mascara. This does not matter too much, as my lashes are naturally dark, but it should be a conscious decision not to wear it, not Hello I Am A Ditz.

I need more daytime eyeshadow (I have lots of gold and acid greens, but not much of natural shades) and lipstick (I only have one not-dark), just so's I don't get bored.

Also, GIP.

Comments

[otherwise-nyc.livejournal.com]

I have found the folks at the MAC counter to be very helpful, as Nancy says, about doing makeovers and suggesting techniques and products, but pretty chill about my saying, "Hey, I can't afford to buy all of this at once, so I want to get a couple of high-return/high-impact things."

Although when I got married, and was completely clueless about makeup, I went there with swatches of fabric and my wooly headdress and played and played, and then bought *crazy* amounts of makeup. That was super fun.

I'm also game for a makeup-buying expotition. Group girly outing, maybe?

[syringavulgaris.livejournal.com]

I would be down with that, very much! Though I need a chance for the ole finances to recover. Maybe in a month or two.

We've often gone to Sephora for this sort of thing, because you can try stuff to heart's content.

[nancaurelia.livejournal.com]

Sephora has a different attraction -- YOU can try everything and mix brands. At department stores, they are showing you how you might use various products.

And I agree w/ Missionista -- Sheido rocks.