Utils in Bat Country

Makeup? We don't need no stinking makeup!

It would seem that, as a habit, women bloggers occasionally post about the makeup they're wearing. What they love, what they use, where they got it. Etc. And so, I too shall do this. Right now. And it will be Epic.

*Let me state for the record that no self-respecting cosmetics company would ever, in 3485749 million years, give me makeup or ask me to shill for them. Because Steph is very worried that the FCC is going to sue me if I don't tell you I bought and paid for everything here myself.

Let us go then, you and I, into my shower. And see what lies in wait.

Well, that's not much, is it? Here we have some Head and Shoulders, some cheap Aussie conditioner that I only use every once in a while because I am lazy, five bottles of Philosophy body wash, and a bamboo scrubby mitt. The five bottles are: one large bottle of Hot Cinnamon Dots, one large bottle of Red Licorice, and three small bottles, one each of Watermelon, Bubble Gum, and Red Fishy (that's Swedish Fish, folks, not salmon). Missing from view? A Gillette Mach 3 men's razor that I use, and a new large bottle of Mint Hot Cocoa body wash that Steph sent me for Xmas.

Seriously. This is all I use in the shower.

My medicine cabinet:

Right. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

I loves me some nail polish. I'm often lazy about putting it on, but I do love it. And so, here is what I have. The little baby bottles on the side are Urban Decay's new line. I wore their stuff all the time, back when it came in awesome shaped bottles and I wasn't married. When they released new stuff a couple of months ago, I bought it, right quick. Some of the other stuff is off the shelf at the grocery store, or CVS. Most of them are OPI Sephora colors though. On the far right end, the purple looking bottle? Is their new color, which is actually just glitter, which I currently have on over black polish. But it was called "Too Good For Him" and I instinct purchased it when I was out of town a couple of weeks ago. I was pissed off, and thought, "Damn straight." But I'm glad I did, it's awesome.

Here's a shelf that's worth a small fortune. From left to right we have my exciting toothpaste and toothbrush. Then we have some Bed Head, which I used before I got a real hair cut, because it tamed down the frizz. A small Hope in a Jar, which I use just enough of to keep my face moisterized in the mornings, Aquaphor for tattoo healing, a small bottle of Bliss body scrub, a giant tube of Bliss unscented body butter, which also works very very well in healing tattoos. In front of those we have two jars of pomade for my hair. The black and blue one is good, but I can't remember the name or be bothered to zoom in and check. But I got it at Sephora online. It leaves a bit of residue if I use it for too long, but it works perfectly. However, I prefer the stuff in the white tub, which is Billy Jealousy stuff. It doesn't take much (which is good, as neither tub was cheap) and it holds really well. Next to those we have Bliss face wash, Philosophy's Purity face cleaner, then some toothcare stuff I'm bad about using and some Crest White Strips.

Top shelf. Qtips, Tums, Hugo Boss Woman. Wait, what? Perfume?

Shut up. It was a gift, and it smells damn good.

 
Drawer of random Sephora samples and some headbands. Oh and razor blades.

And the lip gloss/chapstick drawer. S'mores, Gingerbread, Spicy Pear, Cranberry Apple, as well as green and blue Sephora brand (they're used to mute other colors, but really are just shiny and a little bit tinted in a not bad way). A plethora of Burt's Bees stuff, plus a few of the soda flavored glosses from Sephora.

Finally...
Yes, that's concealer. I needed it in New York. Don't ask. It's really good stuff, though. I could cover my tattoos with it if I needed to.

And yes, that's an issue of GQ in my bathroom.   

What's in my...

er, I guess what's ON my bathroom storage cubby?  

I saw this post over at Whitney's yesterday and thought I'd play along.  Now mine isn't nearly so nice and contained...

 

but, it works.  (The bins - from the dollar store!)

On the top shelf live all my hair clips and ties and barrettes and whatnot along with my lip glosses.

   I have a minor lip gloss issue.  I lucked into the silver case when D had to get a tie for a wedding we went to and it was b/w one that came in the case and one that was just on the table.  I swayed his opinion to my storage advantage.  

Next shelf is eye makeup in the front and hair products in the back. 

  

I may have a small eye makeup issue as well.  

Next shelf down is moisturizers, blush, foundation, body splash, etc.

 

And then there's the favored lip glosses that are currently living in my purse. 

  Ah, NARS Bad Education, you're so wonderful.

As demonstrated, I don't really have a particular loyalty to any one product/brand - just Sephora's emails.  

However!  I do have some favorites:

Neutrogena eye makeup remover (every bit as good as the Clinique version, imo)

A combo of John Freida Frizz  Ease spray before drying my hair and Bumble and Bumble styling spray before I flat iron.  I keep trying, but haven't been able to get the Bed Head After Party mousse to work as well for me as it does for Tass. 

Urban Decay for eyes, NARS for lips, Tarte for cheeks, Philosophy for skin care

Thanks for the idea, Whitney!

*All products seen or referred to in this post paid for by me with my very own after tax dollars.

The Law of Diminishing Returns hasn't kicked in yet

Once upon a time, I was trolling the Internet and happened upon a screen shot of Blair Waldorf in a very fetching shade of lipgloss.  Since whatever site I was on (People? EW?) so kindly included the product information for the lipgloss, and I too have dark hair and dark eyes (which makes us practically identical twins!) off to Sephora I went.

$24 later, NARS Bad Education was mine and it was wonderful.  Instantly became my favorite and would travel with me from briefcase to purse to pocket to car and back again.  Of course - I lost it.  Sadness, despair, forgetfullness -> hello, 2 months later.  Then, while getting a bday present, I decided I could not longer be without it so repurchased.  Now $48 in for one tube of lipgloss and I just love it.  Is one of those glorious shades that looks good no matter what season it is or what outfit I'm wearing. 

So.  I now feel the need to buy 5 more tubes and squirrel them away in various places - desk! car! makeup bag! - like a, uh, squirrel.  When it comes to lipgloss, I laugh in your face law of diminishing returns!

The law of diminishing returns essentially says the more of something you get, the fewer utils (utils!) you get with each successive acquisition.  So, the more you get of something the less happy each one will make you.  Now, I hear you saying, but, duchessbelle, what about gold bars?  I could get many of those and still be very happy.  Yes.  This is true.  However, if someone came around and gave me one gold bar, I bet I'd be much more happy about it then if someone gave Bill Gates one gold bar.  

what on earth did we do before gchat?

Tassie: i'm here, what are you thinking about buying?

Tassie: i like the sweater

think you should buy it

duchessbelle: ok

Tassie: they have cute stuff

duchessbelle: i. know.

is going to be a problem

Tassie: well, not all of it

some of it is awful

but that sweater is cute

if i had $98 to spend...i would think about getting one

duchessbelle: 15% off coupon and free shipping has i

Tassie: nice

duchessbelle: hey do you have your moms chicken and noodles recipe

Tassie: i can get it

duchessbelle: yay

Tassie: hang on, it might be really easy

Tassie: mom says you can have the recipe

i'll give her your email addy

AND

mom says thanks for calling and that you told her she could call if she needed anything, but you didn't leave a number...goofy

and she really appreciates you calling

(the goofy was me)

duchessbelle: it's her cell phone so i knew my number would show up on the screen. so there.

Tassie: no it wasn't

she doesn't have a cell phone

you called her home number

goofy

and she doesn't have caller id

so there.

duchessbelle: well you're there and you have my number. i knew it'd be easy for her to get it if she wanted it ;PP

Tassie: lol

duchessbelle: oh fyi you was not here and i impulsed purchased yellow suede and gray patent jcrew heels off of ebay last night

Tassie: that sounds OK

duchessbelle: why must all crockpot recipes use powdered soup mix and velveeta spread

Tassie: they don't, but they're better with it

duchessbelle: blech. cream of mushroom soup tastes like old aluminum. i'm sure somewhere they just just tell me to add mushrooms and cream and butter or whatever the actual ingredients are

Tassie: well, you already KNOW what the ingrediants are. just add them

and

velveeta

duchessbelle: i would expect that if i were looking at a box of velveeta but if i click over to a beef shortribs with mushrooms and wine recipe i don't want to second ingredient after the meat but before the mushrooms and wine to be powdered onion soup

come. on.

Tassie: lol

duchessbelle: did you see this http://www.mamapop.com/mamapop/2009/08/my-pants-are-so-totally-into-you-right-now.html

happy birthday!

Tassie: goddam right

duchessbelle: zomg. in the next three months i can go see phantom, legally blonde and trans siberian orchestra

the showtunes are all smashed together in my head now "the music of the omigod you guys as done on electric guitar"

Tassie: oh god

Tassie: did you get the new urban decay email?

duchessbelle: nope, not on their mailing list yet but i did see a blog post about their book of shadows vol 2 palette

i think that's the name

something like that, at any rate

Tassie: you shoudl have it now

duchessbelle: ah, yes

so why does my brain remember the name of the new palette but forgets important details for work

i do love those pocket rocket glosses

Tassie: lol

duchessbelle: hmm i think i need to decide if i'm going to buy a flipcam or some sweaters

Tassie: hmmm

i need sweaters

duchessbelle: anthropologie!!

Tassie: lol

duchessbelle: ooh pretty http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29769692&ref=sr_list_9&&ga_search_query=owl+necklace&ga_search_type=all&ga_page=9&order=date_desc&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

Tassie: yes

duchessbelle: wow. this living out of state when life is crap and it's your bday thing has benefits - emailed my mom earlier and asked if she would buy me a anthro sweater for my bday and she did

it's like back to school shopping, except better

Tassie: lol

duchessbelle: snerk. in my email i called her mommmmmyyyyy and that's how she signed the gift message she just sent me.

duchessbelle: inspired or chilly? http://www.etretouchy.com/

Tassie: the sell those for people to shoot in

duchessbelle: ah ha, so i have straight from the source information. do you give them thumbs up or thumbs down

Tassie: i think they're cute. if you have that kind of phone.

duchessbelle: what do you think http://www.katespade.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3739486&cp=2135389

in red oak

Tassie: NOT FOR $200

NO NO NO

$75 max

duchessbelle: ok

---------------------------

And fin

Shopping in Columbus by Way of Brigadoon

Steph has now come camping with me twice. And by "with me" I mean she drives herself two and a half hours, alone, to hang out with me, my parents, my shooting friends, and sometimes my dogs. And now we have expanded that to include exploring the wonders that are Columbus, Ohio.

We headed to the Polaris Mall on Saturday morning, because we knew there was both a Sephora and a Chick-Fil-A. And we were surprised, to say the least, with the mall. It's one of those fancy-pants malls. That you certainly don't expect in Columbus. OK, that I certainly don't expect in Columbus. Ohio. Etc.

The Sephora was huge. Once inside, much time was spent looking at everything and choosing the proper colors for Steph's purchases. This involved much hemming and hawing over shades of green that all look a little similar to me, as well as a plethora of makeup cleaning wipes. In the end, however, I think I spent more money than Steph did. I purchased one large bottle of the most amazing smelling body wash ever, three small bottles from the sweets collection (watermelon, bubble gum, and Swedish fish)(no, not fish fish. Swedish fish), some nail polish, some lip gloss (clear), and a really overpriced bottle of lotion which I have been guaranteed will change my very being. Steph's purchases took a lot longer, however, as she had crazy returns and exchanges and whatnot.

Then, onward to Chick-Fil-A. I have been told many a wonderful thing about this place, but I was underwhelmed. I mean, it was good, decent food. But based on the rave reviews it gets from people, I was expecting more.

We spent some time at Hot Topic, wherein I couldn't get anyone to sell me a pair of shoes. But I did buy the most ridiculous pair of rainbow striped thigh highs, with big pink bows at the top.

Steph found out there was an Anthropologie nearby, and since it was raining and nasty outside and I didn't need to be back to camp until 4, we went.

And found Brigadoon.

There's an outside mall/shopping area north of Columbus. We found it, and as we searched for parking (which was plentiful, and threw me for a loop after dealing with DC), we repeatedly said things like, "Look, Coach! Burberry!" Etc. We parked, and as we walked towards the directory to find the Anthropologie, we saw it, standing there, large as life. A motherfucking Tiffany's. In motherfucking Columbus, Ohio. (Ok, not really Columbus. But, close enough.)

I love Tiffany's. I know that seems weird, and perhaps it is. But. Love.

So, to Anthropologie. Where Steph exclaimed much over clothes I think look like they came out of my grandmother's closet. And not the cool, mod stuff. But the old lady, floral embroidered sweatshirt looking stuff. I did try on a dress that I really liked, but I won't pay $150 for a dress made out of jersey. No way. No how.

From there, it was onward to Tiffany's. Now, I will admit that once you've been to the Tiffany's in NYC, other stores pale in comparison. But it's still Tiffany. We explored, and ended up back at the counter where the keys are displayed. They are this years signature item, a piece of jewlery that high school graduates of a certain socio-economic background will receive the nation over this year. And we wants them. We covets them. In both the scary Gollum way, and in the both Steph and I wants them way.

And no one would help us. No one even said, "We'll be right with you."

So. We left. Because we'd rather buy them in NYC anyway.

We returned to camp, and the eest of the weekend went exactly as expected.

But. Brigadoon. Seriously. High class shopping while wearing Meijer sweatpants. WTF, Columbus?