Ahhh… May 1st – a public holiday that is celebrated internationally by all “labourers” – you and me included 
Yay for “universal” public holidays! a public holiday here and in many parts of Asia. Just learnt its not as universal as i originally thought. Boo! It should be! 
Which brings us to an interesting question some friends have asked me – What beauty products do you keep at work? What do you ensure you always have on hand, even at the office?
Wanna know mine?
Nothing.
I’m serious! I don’t keep any beauty products at work. No makeup, no hand creams, no lip balm. That’s my work desk in the office and at home up there. They are messy as anything, but its mostly scraps of paper, stationery and at work, some chocolate (not even sure why since I don’t eat much chocolate either!) But not a beauty product to be seen.
Oh wait, there’s one – a bottle of drinking water, if that’s considered a beauty product I have a bottle on my desk so I remember to drink enough water during the day. Not counted, then the count stands at 0
I guess its because I don’t use hand creams, nor do I use lipbalms, the 2 items you may expect to find at most womens’ desks. I really should, seeing that constant exposure to air-conditioning can be very drying to the skin. Maybe I’ll bring a tube of hand cream to work the next time.
Am I alone in this or am I the odd one out? 
Your say: Do you keep beauty products at work? What beauty products do you have on your work desk then?
Happy Labour’s Day everyone!
Paris B
Here’s what some other friends have on hand – Lyn @ BeautyCabby, Rinnah @ Consumer Reviews, Kahani @ Soloverly, Beetrice @ Beetrices Reviews, Dom @ Belle Demoiselle, Juan @ My Views My Reviews
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[ 72 comments… read them below or join the discussion ]
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Twitter: xiaoo
May 1, 2012 at 8:40 am
I keep hand creams around because I keep getting paper cuts, and um, for when I’m bored. I’ve never had a “real” office/desk with drawers, so I can’t say what I’d do (and well… they’re all beauty internships).
PARIS, we don’t get labour day off in the US! Such a travesty
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:10 am
I can’t believe you don’t get Labour day off in the US! In fact, I always thought it was a worldwide holiday
Twitter: lipglosseater
May 1, 2012 at 8:53 am
I have a tube of hand cream and a bottle of body lotion on my desk. I also have a bottle (or two) of water and a nice, hot cup of green tea everyday, if these are counted!
Jenn recently blogged…Product Review: L’Occitane 20% Shea Butter Dry Skin Hand Cream
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:10 am
The next question would be – how often do you use those creams on your desk?
Twitter: lipglosseater
May 3, 2012 at 10:54 am
Err… lets just say that i’m still using the ones from 2009 =X
Twitter: dalekathryn
May 1, 2012 at 9:07 am
I was going to say no I don’t because i always have it in my purse and then I looked at my desk…moisturizer, lipstick and blush and clear polish!
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:10 am
Clear polish! How interesting.
Twitter: dalekathryn
May 3, 2012 at 10:33 am
lol… not for my nails… in case of a run in my stockings.
Twitter: ramenku
May 1, 2012 at 9:18 am
Heh, at my desk I keep hand lotion, antibiotic cream, and hand sanitizer.
But, I also keep a full stash of makeup at work, inside my desk. And I have a portable stash in my purse…
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:11 am
Wow sounds like you’re well prepared for all eventualities!
In my makeup pouch in my bag, you will only find lipsticks LOL!
Though I do have a workstation at my client’s office but my job sometimes requires me to move around. So I sort of live off my laptop backpack, which is a good thing because I’ll be mindful of what I bring or end up carrying too much on my back. I am not a fan of hand cream. I’m like you, no beauty products on my work desktop and a big water tumbler is a must
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:23 am
Ah so you have a mobile office! I never got the hang of carrying a laptop around so I ditched mine. Very liberating not to own a laptop hehe… But yes, the backpack & laptop etc is terrible for the back.
I always keep a small bottle of Vichy’s thermal water at work because it just gets so dry in the aircon room
also have a small mirror which doubles up as a boss-spotter so i can see when my boss is coming from behind, heheheh
Germs recently blogged…Revenge of the Masker – Kose Junkisei Prime Mask
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:23 am
LOL! Boss-spotter! How apt
Twitter: theBumblebee92
May 1, 2012 at 9:59 am
I’m not working yet, but I’ve done my industrial training last year for 4 months. During that time, I always have my lipbalm and hand lotion on my desk because the office is fully air-conditioned and it made my skin dry. Oh, I also have hand sanitizer because I’m such a clean freak. Even after touching others stationery, I use hand sanitizer. Who knows they might be picking their nose, use their pen, and I use their pen aft that. Then I touch my face aft touching the bacterial-infected pen. Ok, I just went overboard >.< And I have my travel-size toner, day serum, moisturizer & sunblock in my drawer. This is because I will cleanse my face during the lunch break and reapply everything on my face. I just don't like the feel of make-up on my face aft more than 6hours. ^^
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:25 am
Hand sanitizer! Now that you mention it I guess I’m lucky no one else touches my stationery except me
In a previous office, I had a whole set of toiletries and skincare at the office because I used to work late. As in overnight. These days, I don’t so that doesn’t happen anymore YAY!
I have lip balm, hand cream and hydrating face mist.
Gotta have those to fight the dry air conditioned space. 
Sze Ling recently blogged…Sultana Scones
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:26 am
Gah! So many people using/keeping hand cream and lip balm at the office. I feel like I’m missing out
Twitter: sandrasitih
May 1, 2012 at 10:10 am
A thermal water, a hand cream & a lip balm. In fact, these are must-have items in my bag too. I keep a small mirror (from a used, empty compact powder) on my desk too – like Germ mentioned: boss-spotter! ^___^
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:27 am
haha its a feng shui tip too! Watch your back!
You are definitely not the odd one =) Although I haven’t start working, but I seldom pay any attention the hand cream and lip balm as well. Guess this is one of the habit which I should change as my hand’s skin getting drier and drier nowadays.
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:27 am
I only ever apply hand cream now before bed. Thats it, though its at least 1 time more than I used to LOL!
I’m not working yet but I have a jar of tony moly peach hand cream sitting there in my desk.
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:30 am
Sounds delicious!
Thermal flask, dental floss, toothbrush and toothpaste. Recently added, dry shampoo to freshen up the hair.
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:34 am
haha I like your list! Its all about hygiene!
I used to keep a toothbrush and toothpaste at the office too when I would pull overnighters. Man! That was horrible 
Twitter: beautycabby
May 1, 2012 at 12:21 pm
This is what I call minimalistic beauty! It’s okay, I can relate. I only have four products and mostly for eczema and itching, so I’m not sure if they actually count. And I’m gonna have to throw out that hair thing because it smells funky now.
lyn recently blogged…What Beauty Products Do You Keep At Work?
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:38 am
Haha I think many find it surprising
I just never associated the office with any sort of beauty/primping but it could just be that I don’t go straight out thereafter that a bit of lipstick (kept in my bag) can’t handle 
Oh i’m surprise. I have on my desk – hand cream, body lotion (which I hardly use) and face spray (which I hardly use). In my drawer – stash of makeups (I usually do my makeup in the office) and some lipbalms.
lavender recently blogged…The Sloane Clinic – Bangsar
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:39 am
haha… yeah I think many find it surprising too
I do my makeup at home, so I don’t feel the need to keep anything at the office, and then I’m not the sort to touch up during the day as I do my makeup to last all day. The only thing I would touch up if I had somewhere to go is lipstick but that’s in my bag so… 
oil blotting paper counts? And a spare lipstick for quick touch up.
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:40 am
Of course oil blotters count!
My colleague is all guys especially since I work in an aerospace industry and I get weird look if I pull out my lip balm.
So not wanting to shock them even more, there’s goes my face spray and everything else.
So I’ve only blotter and only when no ONE is looking. A girl do have to keep up her appearance
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:41 am
LOL!! You know what? You should buy them all a stick of lipbalm and tell them to use it and you can all be lip balm buddies!
I know male friends who ask me for lipbalms once they work out that cracked lips aren’t just a woman’s domain hehe…
Twitter: skyiseternal
May 1, 2012 at 1:57 pm
haha…Paris, good question
even I don’t keep anything on my desk and not even a lip balm…but, I always try to make sure I carry a cream with me in my bag and always forget to do it or use it…and, always remember it in emergencies when my hands get too dry or my lips feel stretched 
but, yes, I am too lazy still. but. right now, I do have a body lotion in my bag. kept it just yesterday as my hands were getting dry due to air-conditioning.
Swati recently blogged…Open Pores? {Reader’s Query}
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:42 am
That’s interesting, Swati! I don’t carry those in my bag either but maybe I just don’t take very good care of my hands
Perhaps I should. I’ve started by applying a hand cream at night and I’m not sure if its helping, but at least my hands feel nice in the morning 
Let’s see…I have 2 hand creams, 1 facial mist and most importantly, my Humidifier which I bought to constantly blow mist into my face as I work in the dry air conditioned office. It is just so so dry to live in a desert environment!
Nope, there’s no Labour Day holiday where I am. *sulk*
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:45 am
Boo to no Labour Day and I’m quite curious about a desert environment. Maybe I should make Dubai my next destination. I hear its quite an interesting place to visit, and I get to experience something different too
I don’t have anything at my workplace as well.
But at home, because my dresser is kind of small, my beauty products spill over to my writing desk, where I put my laptop. So currently, I have my Baby Lips, Eyelash curler, a Sleek Palette. Also a spray bottle of rose water and a Lush Hand cream.
I have little drawers on the table with everything from blushes to eyeliners, and in one of the two drawers under my table, are eyeshadow palettes too.
haha, the other drawer contains my proper stuff like receipts, bills, etc.
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:45 am
Aww you sound so organized! I’m a disaster at home and at work. Argh!
Twitter: forluminousskin
May 1, 2012 at 3:19 pm
Paris, you’re odd! Lol, Im kidding. Wow, but bravo to you to manage to keep your Beauty Monster under control at work. Mine is all out and proud
on my desk at work you can find lip balm (sometimes even 2), hand cream, hand sanitizer, vitamin b5 cream for dry skin/lips, hair oil, leave-in conditioner for hair, hair scalp treatment (yes, try to grow out my hair), oil blotting papers, spa water spray (useless), in the summer there is also a sunscreen or uv powder.. And no, I dont have a problem.
Helz Nguyen recently blogged…3 Day Detox Fruit Flush Diet – Day 2
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:46 am
*feels sad for being odd*
I know right? when my friends posed me the question, I looked around and only saw chocolates and snacks on my desk, alongside a deluge of paper LOL! Tells you what my priorities are eh? 
Gosh. I keep a stack of beauty products at work!
1. Lip balm, lipstick
2. Shower stuff because I do lunchtime runs at times – shu uemura cleanser decanted, shampoo&conditioner, body wash, roll-on perfume
3. Multiple hand creams and hand sanitiser
4. Full makeup kit – I do a lot of after work drinks/dinners and don’t want to turn up looking grotty (this is where the cleanser comes in handy!)
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:46 am
Hey, you could live at work!
I have some body lotion at office which I don’t use. I have no idea why I have it there. I have a lip balm which I hardly use.
Some people told me that hand creams creates a layer of something around the skin and eventually will make us rely on the hand cream more. I don’t like the feeling of something on my hands as type, flip papers and sometimes eat at my desk. So, I have not experienced this. However, I find some lip balms which I randomly used in the past somehow causes my lips to peel whenever I use.
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:48 am
You know, I wonder if we are just conditioned to think we need to have hand cream and lip balm at work, when most of us will never use it because we’re too busy
I don’t know how true it is about hand cream dependancy, but I do think there is some degree of lipbalm dependancy. I don’t use lip balms but I use a moisturizing lipstick and I think its just as helpful (Plus my lips don’t peel, like they do with some lipbalm too)
Twitter: mostlysunnyblog
May 1, 2012 at 8:34 pm
Since I work from home, I’m probably not the best person to answer this. However, if I do work in an office I think I’ll keep cream there. I’m always in need of some hand cream! Maybe some lip balm too, but not really makeup.
Sunny recently blogged…Brussels PR Day: New from Bumble and Bumble, Deborah Lippmann, Bobbi Brown, Tom Ford, & More!
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:49 am
Ahh I could never work from home, I’d snack too much and look like a blimp!
I tried once – but I do tend to get more work done 
I have hand cream and lip balm at work, both were gifts from fellow colleagues. Both turn out to be very handy when hands and lips feel dry!
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:49 am
Your colleagues are nice! And yes I must admit they can come in handy when humidity is very low. I’ve been to some offices where its so cold in there, its like the tundra
Hmmm I have:
- Wet wipes
- Hand serum + hand cream
- Body lotion
- Body sunscreen
- Lip balm
- Oil blotters
Seem like alot eh.. Time to housekeep..
Twitter: paris_b
May 3, 2012 at 10:59 am
Next to some, that isn’t a lot at all
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