There are two types of people in this world - those who would never forget to put their makeup on in the morning, and those who barely remember. I am in the latter group, desperately trying to get to the former. And my ever growing supply of cosmetics is testament to this. Right now I can see $200 of purchases on my credit card all with the aim of making my face look better. Oh, well, and my nails.
So, what does one spend $200 on?? Well, my current absolute favourite purchase is Bobbi Brown's Favourites palate. It has 4 lipsticks and four eye shadows in, well, a dinky black pallete. Complete with decent mini-brushes. I bought this in the belief that if I could bring sensible colours (a cream highlighter eye shadow, a latte esque shade, a beautiful dark brown for lining, and a sandy shimmer shadow for being exciting) to work in my handbag, I might drag my arse to the toilets in the morning and actually use it. Well, I've managed that twice so far. And right now, it's even sitting beside me at my desk at work, and I'm still not using it. BUT, don't let that put me off you getting it. It truly is beeyootiful.
Bobbi Brown is doing an ace job at snatching all my cash right now. I also succombed to her amazing shimmer grey gel liner. Now, there is one look that I do a lot (well, on weekends), and that is attack my eyes with as much black kohl pencil that they can take - MAC make a brilliant one for this. It works very well for me - punky mixed with dresses is fab. But if I ever want to make a bit more of a grown up statement, enter bobbi brown's grey liner stage right. It is beautiful, easy to apply, and potentially very dramatic. It doesn't have enough of a "smudge factor" for my liking, but this might make some people like it even more.
I also got a sandy shimmery lip gloss from Ms Brown. This is the only one of her products which I'm disappointed by. I think I was kinda bullied into this one by the sales girl, and whilst it is perfectly nice, it is far too sticky for me to enjoy wearing. Instead, I bought two lipglosses from L'Oreal's Nude Glam range that manage to somehow be glossy, not sticky, and not have those awful sparkly bits in them (too tacky for words).
Bobbi Brown might have heavenly makeup made for grown up ladies, but she doesn't really cut it in the beautiful packaging front. For that, my friend, let me please refer you to Nars. Nars has been around forever (well, 10 years plus), and was always seen at the luxury end of the world for me. But, I do have this fantastic event tomorrow night, and I'm wearing a navy sequin dress. Now, normally I'm not a matchy matchy girl, but I just know that having dark eyes with a hint of blue shimmer will look amazing. And there's only one place I know that does that - Nars. (Okay, I've just thought of another - Barry M's glitter dust might give the same effect, but it's a lot of work and not masses of staying power). Nars has the most amazing blue-black eye shadow cut with blue shimmers through it, and I'm planning on attacking my eyes with it in order to create a true glamour puss look. Plus, the packaging is black and rubberised, just screaming class and fabulousness.
However, my entire Nars shopping trip wasn't a success - I am such a victim at the makeup counter, and I should never open my mouth. I usually know what I want, and why on earth I feel the need to ask for the opinion of others is beyond me. This tme, with the dark dark eyes, I am really needing a shimmery, icey pale pink lip, glossy - I know you are thinking no, and that is too much makeup, but trust me, it will look twenties and gorgeous. Anyways, the guy at Nars instead recommended that I get a nude lipstick. And when we're talking nude, we're talking skin tone. I know what he was talking about, and if I was just going out with friends or to a great bar, yes, I would look amazing. But I'm going to a conference with middle aged men where the chat will centre on contracts - nude lips will just be out of place. But somehow I succombed, and now have a beautifully packaged creamy nude lipstick that makes me look like the cover of an i-D magazine. I did manage to say no to a similar lipgloss though, as a sign of strength.
So, morals? Expensive eye shadows are amazing, but cheap lip glosses are better than the pricey thanks to the billions they spend on science so that our hair won't stick to our mouths.
