October 17 07

the best part about Isabella’s little “i paint” adventure.

why yes, i AM a big fan of MAC. how did you ever know??

i’m actually not very good with make-up (or adventurous). I find the women at MAC to usually be very, erm, well, bitchy. and then i feel like a complete tool asking more than a few questions. like they are the sages of make-up and they are judging my face as i talk to them. she needs some more foundation, badly. and what on earth did she do to her eyes? she looks like some sort of rodent.

So i say “i’d like some good eye shadows for work. something for everyday. and then maybe something a little more going-out-y.”

instead of saying “i’m a little bit backwards when it comes to doing my eyes. so, if you could kindly show me what you mean by “the crease” or “blending into the corners for a smokey look” that would be helpful. thanks.”

the crease? i can’t seem to find the crease. i feel like Stan trying to find the clitoris in the south park movie.

and i say “i’d like to try a new eyeliner color”

instead of saying “i have a perfectly unused eyeliner at home because i can’t friggin’ figure out how to put the stuff on. so instead of buying a new one, can you teach me how to use the one i’ve got??”

above the lashes? below the lashes? my lashes just seem to get in the way. and that’s only the bottom lid….don’t even get me started on the top lid….because how on earth?!

i think i just need to bite the bullet and say

“look lady, i’m a mess. my mother doesn’t wear makeup. not even lipstick. no one taught me how to do this. teach me your ways, oh wise one!”

think that’ll work?

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  1. I’m soooo very jealous of the makeup you just bought. I love Mac. And it’s been way too long since I’ve been on a proper makeup shopping excursion. I just keep buying things as I need them.
    But, as for the eyeliner over the eye – here’s my advice. Do it before you do your eyeshadow (ignore what they say because they don’t make errors) and then if the line isn’t perfect you can use a Q-Tip (dipped in eye makeup remover if necessary) to clean up any parts you messed up.
    Then do the eyeshadow on top. Plus, the eyeshadow kind of sets it.
    PS if you don’t like the Mac people you could book a make-up lesson at a salon and bring your own stuff. It’s not that expensive and you get to use your own stuff.
    PSS Yes, I have way over-thought this comment.

    Comment by Laural on October 17, 2007
  2. I’m so totally with you Ali…
    I have a sister, who has been experimenting with makeup since she was 15, and she knows how to do it ..although has never really told me. I have been experimenting with eye-shadow (my 14 yr old step-daughter starting wearing it .. and I started feeling old, so thought I better start wearing it too .. how SAD is that…)
    Anyway, my sis was in from NYC the other day and out of the blue complimented me on my eyes .. ah .that was nice! Anyway, I agree with Laurel .. that is how I put it on ..also, you could just stop by one of those Bay booths and get them to put some on you and show you how! I love the colors you bought, did they pick them for you to go with your eyes? I have trouble knowing what colors to buy…
    I’m taking a day off work today .. funeral at 2pm of an acquaintance.. but you have insprired me .. I am going makeup shopping this am!!

    Comment by Sarah on October 17, 2007
  3. I love MAC. It’s Adobe Photoshop for your face. Totally worth the cost if you can look that good. I’ve been using makeup for a long time (think Color Me Beautiful Books and a five-year-old with blush on the *forehead*) but when I picked up my first MAC set, I felt like I had finally done it right. And don’t go for the women, go for the gays. My gay at MAC said to me right away, “Girl, I don’t judge.”

    Comment by hello insomnia on October 17, 2007
  4. Mona’s comment “go for the gays” is killing me! I’m no help, though. My made-up face consists of mascara, blush and lipstick. I had a pencil eyeliner, but it’s not sharp anymore and I can’t be bothered.

    Comment by LoriD on October 17, 2007
  5. I’m so with you on the not knowing how to apply eye-liner. I might as well give my 5-year-old a black sharpie and ask her to have at it on my eyelids, cause I’m sure the effect would be the same as me trying to do the eye-liner thing myself.

    Comment by alison on October 17, 2007
  6. I am actually really great with makeup. Your new makeup looks BEAUTIFUL, lucky you!

    Comment by Rebecca on October 17, 2007
  7. I am in a makeup rut (80’s). I need so badly to update, but how???

    Comment by Cynthia on October 17, 2007
  8. Yeah, now that it’s October I need to start wearing makeup again. I’m so friggin’ lazy, though. Maybe I’ll get some new MAC stuff… I haven’t tried them, the few staples I have are Clinique – cuz I like the freebie bonus, but I just missed the last one. I really do like those colours – I think they’d suit me, too. But then, what do I know?

    Comment by DaniGirl on October 17, 2007
  9. It would be a cold day in hell before I let a salesperson of any kind be snotty to me. I may or may not have said to a MAC consultant, “You need to stop being cuntish and actually help me, mmmkay?”

    Yes, cuntish is an adverb.

    Nice haul though! Cha-ching!

    Comment by Karen Rani on October 17, 2007
  10. i luv Mac too – they always have such great colours!! my opinion on the whole make-up application thing? it’s all about experimenting and having fun with it. don’t be afraid to sit in front of your mirror with an eyeliner pencil and make-up remover and just keep playing until you like the way it looks. 🙂

    Comment by Tova on October 17, 2007
  11. I just started at a make-up counter! Not MAC, but it starts with a “C”. I’d never be snotty to a customer and I love to sit with them and show them how to apply things. I haven’t had to help any REALLY OLD ladies yet, and I am nervous about how to apply liner to extremely wrinkly droopy lids, but hey, it’s all good. We’ll figure it out together. Be careful putting color on top of your liner, unless it is the same color, you will completely change the color/look of the eye. I know a girl who puts blue (ish) shadow over her black liner and it looks awful.

    Comment by JuJuBee on October 17, 2007
  12. …and then you teach me, okay?

    Comment by Oh, The Joys on October 17, 2007
  13. I have this Cover Girl set of four complimentary eyeshadows that has Corner, Crease, Lid, and Highlight printed on the edges of the box and on the back it has a little diagram that shows you where to put each one. I know it’s not MAC, but I am a poorcollegestudentsoicannotaffordanythingnice. Also known as a PCSSICAATN. Or a pussy cat’n. Whoa that all just flew out of my fingers. Am I really going to post this? I think… yes.

    Comment by epic on October 17, 2007
  14. when was younger, i was fab with makeup.now i’m just meh and could use a lesson meself! you do great -very natural–makeup!

    Comment by haley-o on October 17, 2007
  15. I love those shadow colours, too. Please share names…I’m hopeless when confronted by the awesome selection at the MAC counter!

    Comment by jen on October 17, 2007
  16. sorry Ali can’t remember the last time i wore makeup.and now it just irritates my skin and eyes .i’m think i have allergies to it.but that looks like really nice make-up and you’ll will look fab in it.

    Comment by LAVENDULA on October 17, 2007
  17. when you figure it all out let me know ok?

    Comment by lisa b on October 17, 2007
  18. I don’t get the whole top lid thing either- now I just ignore it. Maybe it will go away.

    Comment by Andi on October 17, 2007
  19. I go to the MAC counter and say, “I’d like to freshen up my make up (or eyeshadow, or lipstick, or whatever category you’re looking for) collection. I’ve got 25 minutes. Can you put some pretty stuff on my face?” I usually do this about once a year, and then I buy most of what they put on me.

    Go wearing your favourite shirt. They’ll take the cue from the colour you’re wearing, and probably do something nice.

    I find the MAC ladies usually pretty helpful if you approach them this way.

    Comment by Kirsten on October 17, 2007
  20. I am now a huge fan of Bobbi Brown and own and wear more makeup than I ever have. And dang, if it doesn’t actually hide most of the stuff I want it to! The last time I went in for a bunch of stuff, the woman and the counter showed me everything I need (that I owned and was yet to own). I said something like “now I just need you to come over every morning and fix me up”. She said (with a LOT of gusto and sass), “You can do it! You’re a Bobbi Girl!”

    And right there and then I decided I was. Then handed over a pile of cash.

    Comment by jennie on October 17, 2007
  21. Love what you bought!! I feel the same way – I admire anyone who can use more than 1 eyeshadow at a time (crease? huh?). I use the eyeshadow-for-dummies technique – 1 colour all-over the lid and then eyeliner…that’s it! MAC’s “woodwink” or “shroom” are great for that! Good luck and have fun!

    Comment by Michele on October 17, 2007
  22. Make-up? Who has time for make-up… 😛

    I’m completely clueless about all that stuff, too. I just threw out all of the stuff I’ve been hoarding since college (yeah, gross I know) and started over with all Estee Lauder. I still can’t get it to look as good as when the lady at the counter puts it on me.

    best of luck!!!

    Comment by GHD on October 17, 2007
  23. Eyeliner? Total mystery to me. Either you can’t tell I’m wearing it or it’s hopelessly smudged two inches under my eyes OR I look like I just emerged from the ’80s.

    Comment by Arkie Mama on October 17, 2007
  24. If you can’t face the bitchy MAC girls, get your buns down south of the border. I give lessons to my friends, and am happy to help you get your smokey on.

    Comment by Vaguely Urban on October 18, 2007
  25. I’ve tortured MAC vamp women myself. You think you’ve got it hard? At least you have a crease! I got no landmarks. My makeup can go very, very wrong.

    Comment by KC on October 18, 2007
  26. I love new makeup, the brand-new, unusedness of it. Then I remember that I can’t A) figure out how to wear it properly or b) have a place to wear it right now.

    I do love MAC stuff, and am completely envious of your shopping trip!

    Comment by b*babbler on October 18, 2007
  27. And I just realized under your “my tunes” section I currently have more than half of them on my regular rotation. Love Dice, Rabbit Fur Coat, Honey & The Moon, On the Radio… Are you my secret twin?!

    Comment by b*babbler on October 18, 2007
  28. I blow goats at eye makeup period, but the ladies at my local MAC are really nice. Recently though I started using this stuff from Benefit (I am a Benefit whore) called She-Lac and it has been a godsend (even mascara stays on now). I still haven’t found my crease either, and blend? HA!

    Comment by SleepyNita on October 19, 2007
  29. I never buy the eye liner from them…or the mascara. It’s like five dollars at the drug store. Am I a bad person?

    Comment by uberfrau on October 23, 2007
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