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Whats your Lemming?

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Since its the holiday season and all, I don’t think many people are online so instead of talking about products, I’m going to investigate this term “lemming” that I used to know as a noun and which is now a verb.

I used to know of “lemmings” as small rodent type creatures that popular myth had us believe would every so often run off a cliff and plunge to their deaths.

When I started reading makeup forums online, “lemmings” became the euphemism for “wants”. I never quite understood why the term “lemming” is used unless someone has an explanation for it 🙂

Could “lemming” have stemmed from the fact that the hype whipped up by the wants and online egging on made everyone follow the other in a huge mass group until you fell over the cliff i.e. bought the item you were “lemming”?

Or could it have stemmed from the term that had people following the popular opinion unquestioningly with unhappy consequences e.g. wanting something so badly because everyone else likes it and then finding it does not work for you.

Either way, it appears that “lemmings” are here to stay.

So, what are you lemming this year end? 🙂

Paris B

30 Insightful comments ... Read or JOIN THE DISCUSSION

30 comments ... Read or JOIN THE DISCUSSION

  2. Excellent post! I agree with the first definition although the second seems accurate but I don’t think it applies to everyone. hmm…. no more lemmings for the rest of the year!

    Reply

  3. I agree with the first definition too!! 😀

    The top items in my lemmings are the MAC Blush Ombres set to release in Feb next year. They look absolutely stunning!!! 😀

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  4. I think your explanation for ‘lemming’ is probably as close as it gets – everyone gets caught up in the bandwagon wanting the same hyped-up item that they collectively fall into the “lemming mentality” of following the crowd? :p

    but that said, no more “leemings” for me for a while…I just got my credit card bill, and am just about to hurl! LOL…

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  5. LOL! I never knew of the myth behind the “lemmings”.

    Ok, as for the forum version of “lemmings”… … Actually I am quite satisfied with what I have right now. And am not lemming for anything in particular. Maybe because I currently have a stockpile of items that I predict will take 2-3 years to finish using… … hahaha.

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  6. what a superbly ingenious post! i never really found whats this “lemming” word means but kinda get a hint that it was something which is wanted so badly.

    i think i would go with your first theory of lemming XD

    Reply

  9. At first glance, I was lemming spring collections: Dior, BB (the new stripe shadow palettes), and even EL. But the more I stare, the more I realize that they are all repeats of the same colors & combinations. I’m lemming Givenchy, Illamasqua, NARS spring, and can’t wait to see the sheer Shiseido spring lipsticks, or anything that’s really different. It’s not spring yet, and I’m so over pretty corals and pinks.

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  11. ahahahahaha… oh PB… you made me laugh out loud when I saw the cute cute lemming picture… *wink*

    I am trying to keep my lemmings to a minimum but ignoring them. 😛

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  12. I would like to have the Esprique Precious Symphonic Fit Eyes palette in purple and pink. Tried the neutral one when I bought it in Tokyo and fell in love with the quality. Very nice. Regret that I didn’t get the one I actually like but got neutral coz I thot I would use it more (for work days).

    But since it hasn’t come to Singapore, I’ll just hang on and hope that this lemming evaporates. 😀

    Yes. My daily intake of online ads and beauty blogs create lemmings. 😀

    Reply

    • Hi Shay

      I must agree with you. My lemmings grow because of reading blogs LOL… I haven’t seen the Esprique palette you mentioned but it must be pretty for you to want more colours!

      Reply

      • Oh, it was out just maybe 3 weeks ago? Perhaps its released after you came back from Japan. Its awesomely blendable for the netural palette I tried. Quite sheer too (as always for Japanese e/s), but I like it this way.

        Some people comment that they didn’t realise I put on e/s as it is very near my skin colour until they catch the reflects from lightings.

        I like my makeup natural and nude looking for work. Kinda like the polished look. 😀

        Reply

  13. I always thought the term ‘lemming’ came from the game hahaha XD *shrugs* I don’t know of any other lemming 😀

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  14. I, unfortunately, have MANY lemmings. Most of which comes next year. So yea, I can hold out until then. *GRIN*

    Jenn: MORE blush??? o.0 (2010 seems to be kicking off as blush central! LOL)

    Reply

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