In the pre-coronavirus days, I used to claim—and, I think, believe—that I wore makeup primarily for myself. Of course, it was nice to get a compliment on my lipstick or whatever, but for the most part, I wasn’t wearing makeup to look more professional or more attractive; I was wearing it because I liked mixing… Read More Beauty Lately
Last September, I wrote what I thought would be my final post on Auxiliary Beauty. I had a few reasons for ending the blog: my demanding schedule, my increasingly utilitarian approach to makeup, and my desire to focus on other kinds of writing. The next six months gave me no reason to regret my decision.… Read More The Partial Resurrection of Auxiliary Beauty
Around this time last year, I was talking to one of my doctoral advisers about a short story I was struggling to finish writing. “I hate finishing things,” I said, “because then they’re done.” It was one of the more ridiculous statements I’ve made in a lifetime of making ridiculous statements, and my adviser found… Read More The End of Auxiliary Beauty
We’re already halfway through January, but here are my beauty-related resolutions (and some other resolutions) for 2019! 1. Maintain a replacement-only makeup no-buy through March (and possibly longer). It seems like everyone on the Internet is undertaking a year-long no-buy in 2019. While I admire that level of dedication, I don’t think it’s the right… Read More 2019 Beauty & Blogging Resolutions
(I started writing this as an Instagram post, but I can type only so much text with my thumbs on a tiny keyboard before I have to move to the laptop. I’m old.) The end of the year has awakened the destashing impulse in quite a few makeup people I follow online. It makes sense:… Read More Last Destash of 2018
Since I’m moving this month and need to limit both my spending and my accumulation of new crap, I’ve put myself on a replacement-only beauty no-buy until the end of August. It’s been pretty easy so far: I’ve been so consumed with other problems that I haven’t had much brain space for makeup. But since… Read More My Best No-Buy Tips
I’ve fallen behind on my promised Glossier reviews (surprising no one, I’m sure), but here’s the first of two Glossier-centric posts that I hope will make up for my dereliction. I’ve been testing Glossier’s new mascara, Lash Slick, for the past month, and I finally set foot in the Glossier ~*~showroom~*~ earlier this week. This… Read More A Visit to the Glossier Showroom
I recently had a realization that I’ve been pondering ever since: I’ve been passionate about beauty for seven years, and I’ve had a beauty blog for four of those years, but I’ve never considered myself particularly good at makeup. Believe me, I’m not fishing for compliments; I’m simply stating the truth as I see it.… Read More What Does “Good at Makeup” Mean to You?
Happy New Year, friends! It’s 0°F outside (that’s -18°C), so we are STAYING PUT. But I’m still wearing glitter and sequins, because 2017 only dies once. And we made prosecco-raspberry jello shots and put them in French 75s. I’m still planning a post about my lipstick inventory, but before 2017 ends, let me write up… Read More Beauty Resolutions for 2018
In my personal taxonomy, most makeup falls into one of four categories: 1) products that I collect actively (lipstick, eyeshadow, nail polish); 2) products that I own in limited numbers because I use them very slowly and/or don’t find them exciting (blush, highlighter, eyeliner); 3) products that I wear regularly but purchase only when I… Read More Gambles with Gloss: NYX Gingersnap and Revlon Rosy Future
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