
I’m back in one of my nosy moods
I was doing my face a few days ago when I accidentally kicked at the stool next to my dressing table which brought forth a string of not very savoury words. It was then that I actually looked at the stool that I’ve had for almost 5 years now, and wondered “Why do I even have a dressing table stool, when I do my makeup and skincare routine all standing up?!”
How very strange right? So I wondered if I might be one of those rare birds who does her whole skincare and makeup routine standing up, or do I have company?
I personally don’t think there’s any great difference whether one stands or sits. Well, except any tiredness on the legs if one has a very long skincare routine. I find it easier getting close to the large mirror on my dressing table while standing. Also, I guess its just habit as far as I’m concerned.
The mirror I have is a largish one that accommodates me standing up so I stand. There is also no hole for me to stick my legs through because I went for a dressing table with loads of large drawers. If I had purchased a dresser with a low or no mirror and with a space for my legs, then I might perhaps have converted to a sitter vs a standee
So, out of curiousity, do you sit or stand when doing your makeup and skincare routine? Do you have a reason why you do or is it just habit?
Paris B









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I was just thinking about this myself the other day! I stand, because I have a full length mirror in my bathroom. Plus I am blind without my glasses, so sitting would be too hard to see!
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 3:13 pm
Now that you mention it, my habit must have been born from the days when I wore glasses too! I had to get as close to the mirror as possible to make sure colours and products got on the right parts of the eye/face
I definitely sit! I have a mirror on my desk so I just make sure I’m as close to it as I can (without bumping the end of my makeup brushes on the mirror – harder than it sounds!) so I can see clearly. Like Trakee, I am BLIND.
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Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 3:15 pm
Oh hey! I used to be blind too!
I think there’s something so decadent about sitting down to do makeup. I try to but then I find myself jumping up again to peer in the mirror. Maybe because my mirror is fixed, not the smaller table top ones
i can sit or stand… depend on where is my skincare bag. as i mentioned previously, i traveled every week so my skincare products are in the bag.
i even slap on my skincare at the doorway before simply because the lazy me left the bag at the doorway HAHAHA
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 3:15 pm
LOL!! Literally slapping it on as you run out the door eh?
thats right! so not lady like hahahaha.
at those time, i will say: less is more! XD
I stand because I need to see my face close up in the mirror. I remember my mom used to sit on her stool while I would stand beside her, both doing up our faces.
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Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 3:16 pm
I remember seeing my Mom sit on her stool to do her face too (she still does) and I always thought I’d be like her. I never was LOL!
Twitter: fortheloveofme
May 22, 2012 at 9:08 am
I used to sit down and do the whole beauty thing back in Malaysia. When my family moved into the house my parents are now living in now, mum had my room renovated and a dressing table and chair included. Lovely setup, and I used the stool for a while. This was until I realised that due to my short-sightedness, I had to stand very close to the mirror to apply makeup. After a while, the stool was no longer used.
Over here, my tiny home does not allow me the luxury of having a dressing table. My dresser is a chest of drawers from IKEA and a small mirror on top of it. Good enough for me as I still have to stand and paint my face anyway

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Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 3:17 pm
Yes! I think its my short sightedness that resulted in me standing too. I never really had a dressing table growing up but I used to see my mom sit at hers to do her face and used to think that when I grow up, I’ll be like her. Hmm… never happened
Now, I’d be lucky if I can see over what I have on my table
Me standing…. much more comfortable, faster and easier… i guess…
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 3:19 pm
I think also it depends on the height of our dressing tables
But yes, its easier.
I don’t have a proper vanity lol I stand for skincare because mine are kept in a tall drawer lol
I sit for makeup because I use a handheld mirror for that :3
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 3:20 pm
As I mentioned to another reader, I think its so decadent to sit down to put on makeup. Its like saying you have all the time in the world to do your face, and not like me going “where’s my brush, my foundation, my powder… oh god! where’s that colour I want to use?”
Haha! That is rather true XD If I didn’t have time to slap some make up on, I’d just run out of the house bare-faced XD
Twitter: huixin
May 22, 2012 at 9:27 am
i stand when i apply eyemakeup but i sit when i do the rest
i have the dressing table stool too which i never use, usually i just sit on small ikea stool because it is just much more convenient coz my dressing table is a low one with a full length mirror and storage space (yay!) behind the mirror.
and i bought tht dressing table stool just because it will ‘look’ complete in a set
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Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 3:21 pm
Yar I think the height of the dressing table plays a part too. Mine is quite high as you know so if I were to sit, I’m not sure I can see my face over all the mess
I also bought my stool to make it “complete” but now I use it to hold clothes and random items. Some days I can’t even see it
i prefer standing and when i bought the dressing table i paid the furniture shop extra to omit the chair and the whole dressing table is actually 2 small drawers and 2 long drawers.
Standing is easier for me to open any of the drawers without worrying about snagging panty hose etc.
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 3:22 pm
I agree! Opening drawers is easier without bumping my legs and knees into them when I’m standing, because I can step out of the way. I think I mentioned I didn’t want the stool when I bought mine, but they weren’t going to deduct the cost so being “kiasu” i took the stool anyway
lolz….usually they wont give discount nor deduct the cost if you don’t want the chair BUT they do charge if you request for one when none is provided! hahahaha
Twitter: paris_b
May 24, 2012 at 11:24 am
Yup! These furniture people sure know how to make money off us!
i sit because it takes me about an hour to do up my skincare and makeup in the mornings, plus my study room table doubles up as my dressing table. if it was even possible i wish i could lie down to do my makeup cos i’m always so sleepy, heh. someone should invent a gravity defying horizontal dressing table!
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Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:28 pm
An hour! Gosh, that’s having luxury of time
I breeze through my routine in under half an hour, including dressing and making breakfast hehe…
I stand too cos its easier to look at the products I have and decide what to use..I also tend to carry a 2 way mirror to stand under the fan to apply mascara cos the weather here in sg is just too hot lol
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:29 pm
Actually that makes sense. An aerial view helps me decide what I want to use for the day too although sometimes, I look and look and can’t see what I want, then realize its right under my nose all the while. Ever had that happen? Always happens when I’m in a hurry
I sit on a stool on my vanity.
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:31 pm
Sounds so elegant!
Twitter: niaizu
May 22, 2012 at 9:55 am
wow, never knew so many people stand despite having dressing tables with stools! lol
i also join the standee group because i don’t own a dressing table or any table for that matter in my “walk-in-wardrobe” ;P
i dream of having a dressing table, but seems lots of you ladies don’t end up using it, i might have to scratch off that idea cuz i’m also short-sighted
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:32 pm
I know right? I thought I’d be one of the odd ones because most dressing tables do come with stools. I do have a dressing table, and I love having all my daily stuff around me. But at the rate I’m expanding, a cupboard would be more useful LOL!
I stand too coz I do everything (apply skincare, blow dry my hair, etc) in the bathroom hehe..
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Ahh… that makes sense
I do mine in my bed room… and still stand!
Haha Paris, I am like you! I have a dressing table with a stool but I have been standing doing my makeup and skincare routine since I lived in my present home 13 years ago!
It’s funny I didn’t think about this until I read your post today!
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Made ya think!
Its one of those things that we just don’t think about right? I mean we have a nice serviceable stool and yet there we are standing. I think if I were forced to do my makeup or skincare sitting down, I wouldn’t know how
LOL high five~
Just habit. Find it more comfortable standing though
My dressing table is mainly for displaying perfume bottles
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:35 pm
yay *high5* So you are a perfume collector? Which is your fave?
LOL Nope. I ain’t a perfume collector
I have Miss Dior, Chanel Chance Eau Tendre and Victoria’s Secret Tease EDP on my dressing table. Don’t like the scent of VS’s Tease but the atomizer bottle is beautiful
My fave is Chanel Chance!
Twitter: paris_b
May 24, 2012 at 11:49 am
I remember smelling Chanel Chance and its a very pretty scent! A bit too pretty for me though
I love Miss Dior Cherie though
LOL high five~
Miss Dior Cherie that is! On my dressing table
Me love it too
yay yay~ yay yay~
I stand and walk around. I’m just too fidgety! LOL! I will never be able to carry off the way those sexy starlets of ye olde days sat on on their vanity stools puffing and powdering away.
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Sigh… I know right? I’d love to sit with my slinky feather boa and puff away at my face but reality means I’m standing, slapping everything on as quickly as I can before the heat melts it all right off again
I prefer to stand ,,ha ha more comfortable
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:36 pm
How interesting! I never knew so many of us prefer to stand !
Twitter: sher88
May 22, 2012 at 10:39 am
Same like u. Prefer to stand to get close to the mirror. I only sit when I’m doing my hair.
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:37 pm
I don’t even sit for my hair LOL! But yeah, I need to get close to the mirror for my liner and mascara and to make sure my eye colours look just right. Can’t seem to look right from afar
Twitter: sher88
May 22, 2012 at 5:46 pm
Serious? So tiring leh to blow dry my hair. lol. I use the big hairdryers! Wonderful for blowing my hair straight quickly without using much heat
BUT it’s heavy~
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 6:04 pm
Yup! I only blow my hair at night and I use the salon hairdryers too. Those buggers are heavy! But sooo good for hair! I don’t need to blow my hair in the mornings because I have been blessed with obedient hair so its just a bit of a comb and I’m done
Twitter: midnight_plue
May 22, 2012 at 11:06 am
i stand while doing both makeup and skincare routine. I usually do a bit of leg stretching while i’m at it hehe
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Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:38 pm
Wah you manage to exercise too! The only exercise I do is lifting my arms to apply stuff on my face haha
Twitter: stacey_1805
May 22, 2012 at 11:31 am
I do my skincare and makeup standing up because I placed a huge mirror (all the way to my ceiling) in my bathroom toilet and installed drawers beneath my sink and counter top to house all my makeup / skincare. I find it more convenient to leave the drawer open while i do my makeup so everything is like laid out in the drawer. There’s no space for me to put a chair in the master bedroom toilet as well…
a couple of weeks ago, i left the drawer open and for some reason i took a step backwards and knocked onto the edge of the drawer. it left an ugly bruise at the back of my calf.
so yah… maybe it’s safer for me to sit. haha
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:39 pm
Wow sounds like you have a lovely bathroom!
I don’t keep stuff in my bathroom except shower and face washes because I’m afraid of the heat and humidity. But I guess if you have a nice airy bathroom then that’s great
Twitter: giddytigress
May 22, 2012 at 11:38 am
I stand, and I don’t know why. I tried the sitting position for a while, but didn’t like it, because, like most people here, I want to see my face up close. Maybe it’s because if I sit, all the stuff on dressing table will cover up half my face! LOL
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Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:40 pm
Haha! Sounds like my table then
Can’t see my face over the stuff all over it
I think in general most ladies stand, coz we get a closer view of our faces with the mirror. I stand as well, and I inch REALLY close towards the mirror when i’m doing my eye makeup esp when it comes to the eyeliner. Dont think I’ll even be able to draw a straight line if i were to sit down.
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Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:42 pm
I think so too. We are always there peering at our faces to see if there’s a spot to pick too!
After reading some reader’s comments I figured that my habit stems from being short sighted. If I didn’t stand and get close to the mirror, I’d never be able to see anything!
I stand most of the time. I have this large mirror and my dressing wardrobe over which I have no space for any stool to sit. Thus, I don’t feel comfortable to paint my eyes so far away from the mirror.
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:44 pm
A large mirror sounds nice!
I think those of us with wide dressers will tend to stand so we can get closer to the mirror while those who have shallower tables with a space for their legs will likely sit
I sit when doing my skincare and stand when applying makeup, hihi…. I stand when applying makeup so I am close to the mirror and I can see better that way because of the light coming from the window..
Twitter: paris_b
May 22, 2012 at 5:49 pm
Technically, that would make sense because there is no precision needed for skincare
I have piled so many things on my stool I don’t think I can find it anymore LOL!
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