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Filler post because I feel the need to blog something light and fluffy rather than some of the darker and less fluffy thoughts doing the rounds of my brain cells. (The good stuff roundup is being saved for when I need it more!)
My attitude to cosmetics changes fairly often. In general though my policies are that a) I don't buy anything tested on animals and b) if putting the stuff on becomes a chore then I stop.
Often (especially in term-time and extra-especially at the start of each term), putting on relatively subdued makeup becomes part of my daily routine. At some point I hit a limit where I think 'hey, this is getting boring'. That's when I start cutting back on makeup or maybe saving it for times when I can get away with the more dramatic stuff. Other times, I feel pressure to look 'perfect' (not going to happen since my natural appearance is part of the raw material here!) by erasing all signs of stress. Then I rebel a bit. Or sometimes I make a conscious decision that if I feel like I 'need' makeup then it is time to do away with it altogether for a bit, because the 'need' isn't good for my self-esteem and my skin can't take foundation every day.
Right now, however, hiding my seemingly constant air of washed-outness while at work seems like a bit of a triumph. I have had a shitty summer term: can't blog any real details of my job, but in the light of a bereavement and an accident on top of a generally increased workload it can be difficult to keep up morale. People's reaction to my unfoundationed face might be the last straw there! More importantly, makeup tends to cheer me up - especially if I have scope to experiment with colour - and the routine involved calms me down and gives me a break from the racing my mind is prone to. If my hand is steady enough to hold an eyeliner brush when I get to that stage, I am less panicky than I was. And if I can be distracted from the worse aspects of my life by something that small, life can't be as bad as it sometimes appears!
My attitude to cosmetics changes fairly often. In general though my policies are that a) I don't buy anything tested on animals and b) if putting the stuff on becomes a chore then I stop.
Often (especially in term-time and extra-especially at the start of each term), putting on relatively subdued makeup becomes part of my daily routine. At some point I hit a limit where I think 'hey, this is getting boring'. That's when I start cutting back on makeup or maybe saving it for times when I can get away with the more dramatic stuff. Other times, I feel pressure to look 'perfect' (not going to happen since my natural appearance is part of the raw material here!) by erasing all signs of stress. Then I rebel a bit. Or sometimes I make a conscious decision that if I feel like I 'need' makeup then it is time to do away with it altogether for a bit, because the 'need' isn't good for my self-esteem and my skin can't take foundation every day.
Right now, however, hiding my seemingly constant air of washed-outness while at work seems like a bit of a triumph. I have had a shitty summer term: can't blog any real details of my job, but in the light of a bereavement and an accident on top of a generally increased workload it can be difficult to keep up morale. People's reaction to my unfoundationed face might be the last straw there! More importantly, makeup tends to cheer me up - especially if I have scope to experiment with colour - and the routine involved calms me down and gives me a break from the racing my mind is prone to. If my hand is steady enough to hold an eyeliner brush when I get to that stage, I am less panicky than I was. And if I can be distracted from the worse aspects of my life by something that small, life can't be as bad as it sometimes appears!