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MAKE UP PRODUCTS--SPLURGE vs. STEAL!
Does it really make a difference?

I don't think women must wear make up, I don't even wear make up all the time, and I definitely don't buy the "Make up is a symbol of men's oppression of women, in that they are made to feel that they must make themselves pretty for men" ideology, either. It's just how I choose to present myself when I leave my apartment--Merv irons his shirts almost every day; I NEVER iron (I make it a point to not buy things that need ironing!) It's a personal choice! (If you're interested in this topic, I highly recommend _Vested Interests: Cross-Dressing and Cultural Anxiety_ by Marjorie Garber.) I used to oil paint all the time but got tired of having canvases everywhere, so for me, it's way to let me play around with colors on a regular basis!

I'm always looking for different colors or products--it never ends! After a while, I realized that I was spending a lot of money for stuff I wasn't always crazy about, name brand makeup from Sephora or Henri Bendel, when I wondered, what really is the difference between the $15 lipstick vs. the $1.50 lipsticks? So I ran down to my neighborhood drug store down the street, Rite Aid, and I spent $26 for a basket full of make up, when I usually spend that much for just a foundation stick! Below are some of my findings of the cheap brands, as well as some of my all time favorites.

By no means am I a rocket scientist; these are just my layman's descriptions and observations!

***
Again, I'm not gettting anything from these people and janetjewelry has nothing to do with the products below! It's just a random review of stuff I bought, so use them at your own risk!

Revlon Illuminance Creme Eye Shadow, in Moody Blue
I think this was like $6.50 at Rite Aid? What can I say, but that I'm a sucker for things that say "NEW!" on it.... I didn't even realize until I got home that these were creme eye shadows, which I usually don't like because creme shadows tend to become uneven looking on the crease part of the "Asian eye." But you know, I don't have much time, and creme shadows are just so easy to apply (stick your pinky in it, rub it on your eyelid, and you're done!), it's great when you're in a rush and just want a little color. I like the light blue & chartreuse-y color, but the other two make my eye look like a black eye.
Revlon Illuminance Creme Eye Shadow, no idea what the color name is, sorry! (the name peeled off!)
I was seduced by the pretty colors! I love pink at the moment, and at first, I thought that this color might not go with my olive complexion, but I actually really like the goldish-orange one and the light pink. I don't care too much for very heavy-looking make up, so I haven't tried the others, but I use the orange one all the time. Again, it's a cream shadow, so it goes on smooth and light, and it fits in with my 5 minute make-up routine.

Shu Uemura, Pressed Eyeshadow in ME Gold #365
This is the splurge version of the orange color I like in the above. I bought it in Tokyo for ¥2000 (roughly $20), and it's a pretty heavy pigment powder shadow. What's the difference? The powder shadows stay on better, and when I use it with different brushes, it's just more flexible when you're playing around. This color is pretty hardcore, and it's a but much for daytime, but I do like it for more dramatic evenings. Beware of Shu Uemura stores--it's like a candy store-- if you're an addict like me, it can be very costly!
Urban Decay, Midnight Cowboy
Can you tell this is one of my all-time favorites? (Where's my Photoshop Guy to fill in the middle?) It's almost nude for olive complexions, adds a little sparkle and a little hint of color, and for the low-maintenance girl, it's your new best friend! I can't remember how much it was, but I got it at Sephora.
Chic Choc, Pressed Eye Color in Blue #53
I got this in Japan for ¥1800 (roughtly $18), and it's fun! It's super glittery so I only use a tiny bit right on my eyelid. This shimmery light blue color was the trend in Japan since a year ago (?), so I splurged on this "souvenir," but I got tired of it pretty quickly.
Yes Mistress, Fifty Lashes
Merv got this mascara for me from work. You know, I've tried so many brands of mascaras that promise different things, and I can't really tell the difference! I think the packaging is pretty funny, and it seems to work fine. And it was free! Can't beat that!

Yes Mistress, Latex Liner
Merv got me this from work, too, and I have to say, I like their packaging concept, but this one gets a thumbs down! When you first put it on, it's great--it's shiney black, it's slick, it's a very cool effect, but because it's latex, it starts to peel off after about an hour! Imagine this: the black line above the tip of your upper lid starts peeling off as one, big, chunk of line! Not a good look, believe me....
Almay, Amazing Liquid I-Liner in Precise Black
To replace the above liner (liked the look, but not the peeling part!), I found this at Rite Aid (around $5?), and it was the only liquid eye liner I could find in any brand! It has a weird wand, not a bristle brush (which I prefer) but one of those magic marker type tips, which I think is harder to use. It's not as shiny slick as the above, but hey, at least it stayed on until I washed it off!
Bobbi Brown, Brown Shimmer 4
$19. This used to be my favorite lipcolor until I found Aveda's "Sheer Camellia" (which goes with my pink hair color better). This one is a really nice, neutral color that has quite a bit of shine (pearlescence) to it. But I've been into glittery eye shadows lately, so I haven't used this one much lately, but it is a pretty color.
Maybelline, Wetshine Lipcolor in Champagne Punch
I found this one at a totally ghetto K-Mart in a sketchy area of Jersey.... It was $5.49, and I must admit, I was attracted to the Barbie-esque packaging (although it's probably meant to attract teens and not 30+ like me....). It's fun--it's sheer, it's shiny (pearlescent), and it's close to Bobbi Brown's Brown Shimmer 4, but a bit more magenta, which goes with my pink hair color better! And for $5.49, I don't mind if I lose this one while I'm out! It's kind of lip-gloss-like, in that it doesn't seem to stay on very long, and I have to reapply pretty o ften.
Loreal, Colour Riche Lipstick in Nature's Blush
I got this at the same K-Mart as the above, $7.69. I don't know why, but I associate its "rose" smell to older women. I like this one for certain looks--it's matte, creamy, heavy in pigment, and it's a nice "nude" color for olive complexions, but again, I don't like the smell all that much. It's not "unpleasant"; I just don't like heavily scented cosmetics much.
Aveda, in Sheer Camellia
I forgot how much this was ($16 or so?) but it's worth every penny! This is my all-time favorite lipstick color! It's totally versatile for everyday wear: it's a very "natural" looking sheer with a little reddish tone (not too red, not too orange, not too pink), so depending on what lipliner color I use, it's a fabulous chameleon color! I LOVE this lipstick!
Prestige Cosmetics, Lipstick color V.I.P.
I think this one was like $3+ at Rite Aid, and the color is a tiny bit too peachy for olive complexions, but can be made better with a nice lipliner color, like Chanel Lipliner in Nude. A more expensive alternative I prefer to this "light nude" color is Aveda's Lipstick in "Seashell," which is more sheer, or even the above Loreal's "Nature's Blush," which is a tiny bit darker than this one. It'll probably look much better on someone who has fairer skin than me. For a cheap brand, the packaging is pretty nice.
Wet 'n' Wild, color 909A
Yup, this is the teeny-bopper brand that's like $1.50! This color is way to peachy-pink for olive complexions, and it comes off on everything! It doesn't have ingredients listed, but I think it must have some kind of petroleum in it, because it makes my lips peel. The packaging needs some work, too--it screams, "Hello! I'm a dollar-fifty!"
Sephora, can't tell, but it's either #808 or #131C
I know you can try on stuff at Sephora, but that always creeps me out--you just never know how sanitary that is, so I bought this one because the color looked sheer and pretty on my hand and I liked its slight "berry" smell, but when I brought it home, it was super bright! It's like a neon magenta! Doh!
Carmex Lipbalm
This thing is only $1.29, and I love it! It has sunscreen in it, too. I used to have severely chapped lips until a make up artist asked me what I used (which was Keihl's lipbalm #2) and she told me that I might be allergic to lip products with petroleum, and to try this one instead. Wow, and I thought I just didn't drink enough liquids!
I-Myu, Eye Putti
Okay, this one's for the Asian posse--ever eat too much salt & MSG before going to bed, and you wake up and your eyes are all puffy and half their usual size? I bought this in Japan (I can't remember the cost, $15 maybe?), and it's a liquid eye tape! It has a thin brush wand, you line where you want the eye crease to be that day, and voila! It's easy, painless, and you're back to normal! I've tried several brands, and this is one of my favorites. Not sure if it's available in the USA.
Shiseido Eye Lash Curler
I never thought that a brand name eye lash curler could be THAT much better, but it IS! Unlike the cheapy brands that have a square rubber curler, this brand has a rounded rubber curler that makes all the difference! I got this in Japan for ¥800 ($8) but I'm sure you can also get it in the USA.
Tony & Tina, don't remember the exact name, something like Black/Silver Glitter Pencil?
A while back, I asked my favorite make up artist, Jerry Brown, the Director of Make Up at the Paul Brown Salon, what was the one thing she highly recommended, and she told me about this product, and I love it! It's basically a black liner with silver glitter, it goes on really smooth, and it's fun! If you like a dark liner but plain black is "too serious," try this one! I got this at Sephora, and I can't remember the cost.
Cover Girl, Brow & Eyemakers, in Midnight Black
I have really thin eyebrows, which was always a bummer in the Brooke Sheild '80s years, but luckily for me, its natural shape seem to be in vogue now...with a little help of definition! For brows, I like it looking "natural," so I don't like products that are very heavy or leave super solid lines, so I grabbed this at Rite Aid for like $5! It's too light/blurry as an eyeliner, but just right for my brows, which I actually line with a taupe shadow first.
Bobbi Brown, Essential Eye Pencil, Heather
I think my sister got me hooked on this about a decade ago! We like to use it as a lip liner--it's not too nude, not too plum, it's just right! Often times, "Nude" colors are too peachy for olive complexions, but this one is a bit darker than the usual "Nude" colors.
Loreal, Shock Proof Nail Color in Mauve
I got this the same time as the below no-name-brand nail polish, and it was $4.79, so I thought, could it really be 3 times better? First on, it goes on smoother, so if you have unsteady hands, it's much easier to use. And, guess which one lasted longer? See below!
No-name-brand Teddy Bear Nail Color, no color name found!
I found this one at Duane Reade for $1.89, and wondered, what really IS the difference between nail polishes? When I first put it on, it didn't go on as smoothly as the Loreal, but after 3 coats, it looked fine. HOWEVER, after a week of this on one foot and the Loreal (above) on the other foot, surprisingly, this one started chipping off sooner! Mev picked this one--he thought the bottle was hysterical!

FINAL THOUGHTS: It's not really the actual make up itself that makes me the addict that I am, but it's the way a color makes me feel when I'm playing around with it, in the privacy of my own home, much in the same way that different music can change or enhance my mood when I'm in my studio. Like I've mentioned before, I don't wear makeup all the time, and my husband doesn't care whether I do or not (in fact, he's a fan of no-makeup, but that doesn't stop me!), it's just a personal choice for me.

As for marketing makeup as a product, it seems clear to me (now that I've actually thought about it) that the emphasis is not on the product themselves (I mean, are they really THAT different?) but more about how they try to positively reinforce the way the person buying it feels about themselves. I actually don't carry any make up in my bag or purse, except lipstick--only because I have a habit of biting my lips and lipsticks never stay on very long--but I've noticed the whole "girl culture" of makeup junkies who carry a ton of makeup with them, who crowd the basins of bathrooms while "refreshing" their makeup and gossiping about who knows what. Hello! I just want to wash my hands! Am I jealous for being" the outsider?" Do I feel insecure about my plain-jane-ness in comparison? Actually, I just can't be bothered! Besides make up to me is something I've always just done at home, like my other hobbies (except, obviously, jewelry making!). If I actually carried make up around with me, I'd probably lose it, and then I'd be really bummed! Plus, I'm not a "purse" person; I have my husband carry my wallet and one lipstick when we go out!

Sure, I must admit, it makes me feel good to have nice things, to splurge on something extravagant for myself now and then, but then again, I strongly believe that not all expensive things are better, nor that all cheap things are bad; for me, good quality things that I like, that makes me feel good, and especially if it's what I would consider "reasonably priced," is the best buy for me, so that I can save up for the things that really count for me--to make janetjewelry better, to travel, to spend time with my family and friends, to fill my life with variety of experiences and memories. And I think that's a philosophy that I hope is reflected in my jewelry.

I heard from a friend of ours, a quote that was apparently posted on the family's refrigerator door when he was growing up, a quote that is so appropriate for one of the nicest people I've ever met: "It's nice to be important, but more important to be nice." Ah... if only everyone had that posted on their refrigerator doors....

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