the UGC: Operation Whitney Buys Make-Up: Results

Operation Whitney Buys Make-Up: Results
April 14, 2008

Just in case you're wondering, I did venture out and buy some make-up a couple of weeks ago. I had a whole slew of advice from all of your lovely comments, and after thinking about it for a while, I went to Target (also known as "the happiest place on earth"). I decided that I didn't want to buy expensive make-up because it's entirely possible I'm not going to be wearing it ever again. Unless perhaps I end up performing in another show (and frankly, I think it'll be a while). Target has a wide selection of make-up in varying degrees of niceness. So I wandered through the aisles, and decided I would try some of the more hypo-allergenic brands. I came home with this:

- Physicians Formula Wet/Dry Eye Shadow in "Baked Oatmeal"
- Physicians Formula Eye Definer Eye Pencil in Black
- Boots No. 7 Sensitive Mascara
- Maybelline Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

I didn't buy any lipstick because I already had a tube of mostly unused Clinique Almost Lipstick floating around.

After I brought home my haul, the boyfriend remarked, "Do you even know how to put this stuff on?" Which was a good question, because I have little to no clue regarding how to apply anything except maybe lipstick (if we're being honest, and I think we are, I'm not very good at the lipstick thing).

A couple of Saturdays ago after class, we had a little make-up dress rehearsal. We all crowded around the mirrors in the practice space, and this is when I finally took everything out of its packaging. I started applying some of the eye shadow, and it was just sad. I felt like an ogre haphazardly smearing color over my lids without any rhyme or reason. Eventually, after attempting one eye, one of the gals in the class came over and helped. She starting applying color to my other eye, and explained what she was doing, and showed me what she was using (she had some small brushes and such). I made a mental note to buy some brushes, and perhaps a darker shade of brown for my eyes. She even fixed up my other eye a little bit so they looked the same. When she was done, the general consensus was, "Hey, you look good! Maybe you should wear make-up more often!"

I decided to leave it on after I left class. I figured this would be a good way to see if I had any sort of reaction, and it might give the boyfriend a good chuckle to see me all done up (which it did).

I ended up removing it all a couple of hours later when I went to rub a corner of my eye and smeared some of the shadow down the side of my face. I figured I was in the clear because my skin didn't seem to react to anything while it was covered in make-up.

However, the next day my eye-lids were dry and irritated, and I felt like they were a little puffy. They remained dry and flaky for most of the week. It was terribly attractive, I assure you. If it wasn't the make-up, I'm chalking it up to what I used to remove it (Philosophy Purity face wash). So now I'm feeling a little unsure. Do I figure that I won't be wearing it that often, use the make-up from Target, and suffer through the resulting dry, puffy eyelids? Or do I investigate some fancier, more expensive make-up?

I didn't realize how unsure I was until I found myself in the aisles of Sephora this weekend. The new Bare Escentuals "Eye Starter Kit" caught my eye, and after a lot of debate it ended up in my basket. I also ended up buying a few odds and ends to go with it (black eyeliner powder, an angled eye liner brush, a lip liner pencil, and probably a couple of things I'm forgetting). I'm not having a complete buyer's remorse attack, but I'm still unsure. On one hand, if I do decide to try wearing make-up, I've got a pretty nice set to start with now. On the other hand, I've got a bag full of really nice make-up that I may only use once or twice a year.

So this is what I'm thinking. I try the Bare Escentuals stuff and if I have a reaction, I have a completely valid excuse to return everything to Sephora. Then I'll use the Target stuff for the rare occasion that I need to wear make-up. If I don't have a reaction, I've found make-up I can wear! Of course, I don't think that means I'll be wearing it all the time, but I'd at least have that option if I wanted to go down that road.

I'll be sure to l et you know how it goes. But first, I'm going to have to get over my fear of actually opening everything up.

$\"Open\"$ \n\n\nJust in case you're wondering, I did venture out and buy some make-up a couple of weeks ago. I had a whole slew of advice from all of your lovely comments, and after thinking about it for a while, I went to Target (also known as \"the happiest place on earth\"). I decided that I didn't want to buy expensive make-up because it's entirely possible I'm not going to be wearing it ever again. Unless perhaps I end up performing in another show (and frankly, I think it'll be a while). Target has a wide selection of make-up in varying degrees of niceness. So I wandered through the aisles, and decided I would try some of the more hypo-allergenic brands. I came home with this:\n\n- Physicians Formula Wet/Dry Eye Shadow in \"Baked Oatmeal\"\n- Physicians Formula Eye Definer Eye Pencil in Black\n- Boots No. 7 Sensitive Mascara\n- Maybelline Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner\n\nI didn't buy any lipstick because I already had a tube of mostly unused Clinique Almost Lipstick floating around.\n\nAfter I brought home my haul, the boyfriend remarked, \"Do you even know how to put this stuff on?\" Which was a good question, because I have little to no clue regarding how to apply anything except maybe lipstick (if we're being honest, and I think we are, I'm not very good at the lipstick thing).\n\nA couple of Saturdays ago after class, we had a little make-up dress rehearsal. We all crowded around the mirrors in the practice space, and this is when I finally took everything out of its packaging. I started applying some of the eye shadow, and it was just sad. I felt like an ogre haphazardly smearing color over my lids without any rhyme or reason. Eventually, after attempting one eye, one of the gals in the class came over and helped. She starting applying color to my other eye, and explained what she was doing, and showed me what she was using (she had some small brushes and such). I made a mental note to buy some brushes, and perhaps a darker shade of brown for my eyes. She even fixed up my other eye a little bit so they looked the same. When she was done, the general consensus was, \"Hey, you look good! Maybe you should wear make-up more often!\"\n\nI decided to leave it on after I left class. I figured this would be a good way to see if I had any sort of reaction, and it might give the boyfriend a good chuckle to see me all done up (which it did).\n\nI ended up removing it all a couple of hours later when I went to rub a corner of my eye and smeared some of the shadow down the side of my face. I figured I was in the clear because my skin didn't seem to react to anything while it was covered in make-up.\n\nHowever, the next day my eye-lids were dry and irritated, and I felt like they were a little puffy. They remained dry and flaky for most of the week. It was terribly attractive, I assure you. If it wasn't the make-up, I'm chalking it up to what I used to remove it (Philosophy Purity face wash). So now I'm feeling a little unsure. Do I figure that I won't be wearing it that often, use the make-up from Target, and suffer through the resulting dry, puffy eyelids? Or do I investigate some fancier, more expensive make-up?\n\nI didn't realize how unsure I was until I found myself in the aisles of Sephora this weekend. The new Bare Escentuals \"Eye Starter Kit\" caught my eye, and after a lot of debate it ended up in my basket. I also ended up buying a few odds and ends to go with it (black eyeliner powder, an angled eye liner brush, a lip liner pencil, and probably a couple of things I'm forgetting). I'm not having a complete buyer's remorse attack, but I'm still unsure. On one hand, if I do decide to try wearing make-up, I've got a pretty nice set to start with now. On the other hand, I've got a bag full of really nice make-up that I may only use once or twice a year.\n\nSo this is what I'm thinking. I try the Bare Escentuals stuff and if I have a reaction, I have a completely valid excuse to return everything to Sephora. Then I'll use the Target stuff for the rare occasion that I need to wear make-up. If I don't have a reaction, I've found make-up I can wear! Of course, I don't think that means I'll be wearing it all the time, but I'd at least have that option if I wanted to go down that road. \n\nI'll be sure to l et you know how it goes. But first, I'm going to have to get over my fear of actually opening everything up.

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