Ok, there’s this infernal construction work going on outside my office window that makes me want to stab someone. Does this explain why I’ve been tardy with blog posts? Erm…. can it? LOL!
I’m just about all caught up with my emails (if I owe you one, I should have replied. If I didn’t, I didn’t get it) and I’m also all caught up with the comments (whew!) and I’ve just had some stuff going on, so I’m taking it slow and easy (read: I’m scrabbling around racking my brains trying to find something to blog about).
Rambling and excuses aside, I saw this rather interesting tag at Lily’s blog and it looked like fun. If you are studying psychology, you could well psycho-analyse me like the “burning house” question eh? 😀 But me aside, I’d love to hear what YOUR answers are too! 😀 So here we go – “What if…”
You have to get rid of all of your foundations and only keep one high-end and one drugstore, which do you keep?
My first reaction – YES! New foundations! heh… But seriously, my one high-end would be Lunasol Skin Modeling foundation. Yes, I’d pick this over the other higher end Cle de Peau Radiant Fluid Foundation, because despite loving the latter, Lunasol is just better for me.
My drugstore pick would be Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation (I’d have said Healthy Mix but I hear that’s discontinued/reformulated and I’m not familiar with the new formula). I did label that my desert island foundation after all 😀
You go for an interview and the lady interviewing you has lipstick on her teeth. Do you approach the subject or ignore it completely?
I suppose it will depend on how the interview is going. If it’s going well, and she’s pleasant I might mention it, woman to woman, which would likely embarrass her and get me the job… or not. But if it’s not very promising, I might still mention it …. just before I head out the door 😀
You’re not feeling yourself and you need a pick-me-up lipstick, which do you go for?
Something bright, usually red or rose. See how the bright colours perk up my look? Trust me, it’ll perk you up too (Tine talked about this on her blog and I have something in my drafts on the same lines that I’m not sure if I want to blog about, so erm… tell me if I should? 😛 ) No specific brand of lipstick, but I’d definitely do a bright colour.
You go back in time for a day to your teenage years, how would you do your hair or makeup differently?
Can I just escape my teenage years? I’d probably have been at school, extra classes or mugging away at my books. No time nor inclination to care about hair or makeup, only grades, so I never did (Yes, I’m your typical Asian stereotype kid 😀 ). If I were to do one thing differently, it would be to chop off my long hair I had at one stage in school. It did nothing for me.
You ask your hairdresser for a shoulder length Pixie Lott hair cut but they hear wrong and give you a pixie cut, what do you do?
A) Smile, say thank you, call your mum and cry hysterically
B) Cry in the chair and things get awkward
C) Complain to the manager and demand a refund
Confession time – Pixie Lott who? 😛 But if I got a pixie cut, I’d be very pleased about it so D) None of the above. The day I was brave enough to tell my hair dresser to chop my hair off was the day I felt most liberated. I realised that I could pull off short hair, after years of thinking I couldn’t, and that the trick is to find a good hairdresser who knows how to work with your hair, whatever style you want it to be.
Your friend surprises you with a 4 day city break and you have one hour to pack, which ‘Do It All’ palette do you pack in your makeup bag?
Hang the makeup! Who is this wonderful friend and where can I find him/her?! 😀
As for a palette, I don’t have one. I’d just pack a foundation/BB cream, powder, blush, brow pencil and a bright lipstick. In fact, my makeup bag would look something like this one. Packed in 10 minutes flat or less 🙂 I’d spend more time agonizing over which handbag I should be bringing, and whether I’d just go casual with a Le Pliage or with a nicer leather bag 😀
Your house has been robbed, don’t worry everyone is safe, but your beauty stash has been raided. What’s the product you really hope is safe?
My Guerlain Meteorites, because those are the only makeup-y things I collect. That said, anyone who’d steal makeup must be really really desperate, or a makeup addict. Hands off my balls! 😛
Your friend borrows makeup and returns it in an awful condition. Do you:
A) Pretend you haven’t noticed
B) Ask them to re-purchase it
C) Secretly do it back to their makeup
A moot point really, since I don’t share makeup (sorry, friends!) but if it did happen, then it would be B. I take care of my things and I expect anyone sharing my things to similarly take care of them too. If they didn’t, then they should replace it. Simple. If they didn’t, we’re no longer friends. Incidentally, I’m more pissed about this happening with books. I no longer lend my books out because the last time I did, with some precious Terry Pratchett (RIP 🙁 ) books, to introduce the wonders of Discworld to a friend, I never got them back. Needless to say, in my book, we’re no longer friends, and I repurchased my lost books.
How would you deal with these scenarios?
So folks, that’s me and how I’d deal with the situations posed. But more interestingly, what would YOU do? 😀 Go on, it’s fun! Just copy this in the comment box and share your answers. Or just pick one.
I’d love to hear how differently or similarly we may approach these situations.
- You have to get rid of all of your foundations and only keep one high-end and one drugstore, which do you keep?
- You go for an interview and the lady interviewing you has lipstick on her teeth. Do you approach the subject or ignore it completely?
- You’re not feeling yourself and you need a pick-me-up lipstick, which do you go for?
- You go back in time for a day to your teenage years, how would you do your hair or makeup differently?
- You ask your hairdresser for a shoulder length Pixie Lott hair cut but they hear wrong and give you a pixie cut, what do you do? A) Smile, say thank you, call your mum and cry hysterically B) Cry in the chair and things get awkward C) Complain to the manager and demand a refund
- Your friend surprises you with a 4 day city break and you have one hour to pack, which ‘Do It All’ palette do you pack in your makeup bag?
- Your house has been robbed, don’t worry everyone is safe, but your beauty stash has been raided. What’s the product you really hope is safe?
- Your friend borrows makeup and returns it in an awful condition. Do you: A) Pretend you haven’t noticed B) Ask them to re-purchase it C) Secretly do it back to their makeup
Or if you blog, then feel free to nick this. After all, I did 😉
Paris B
p/s If you’re wondering where that 1st picture came from, it’s from back in 2012 when I prepared my most ambitious review post ever. I haven’t been touched by the creative spark since! LOL! 😀
Ting says
Book!! Yesss!!! Coincidentally, I just asked back my books from a cousin yesterday whom I lent some books to. It’s funny people don’t return things when they no longer need them for very obvious reason. I hope the books are still in good condition because I even made notes on them!!! Can’t get these back if I re-purchase them. 🙁
Apart from this, I enjoy reading this post. In no particular order, I go for a bright lipstick too. 😀 AND mood-enhancing perfume. 😀
Paris B says
Oh yikes, if it’s a book that really matters e.g. note taking etc then yes, they are priceless. For me, it’s mostly storybooks but heck, they’re mine! And unless I specifically give them, I expect them to be returned, in the same condition I lent them out 😛 Perfume! now I didn’t think about that – I haven’t been wearing perfume for a while *smelly* hehe…
Summer says
I agree on the books… I hate it when my books are 1) not returned to me for ages until I ask for them and 2) they ruined the spine of the book or god forbid, dog-eared the pages! So now I only lend my books to my sister. If my friends ask for suggestion of a good book, I’ll just mention the titles and let them go buy it themselves. 😛
Paris B says
I know! Some people just don’t have the same reverence we have for books right? I rarely lend books out anymore. If it’s a good enough book to recommend, I’d do the same you do and just share the title. Thankfully, few people ask to borrow my books now 😀
Tine says
Hahaha yay for doing this tag! I totally agree with you on the bit about lending books. To be honest, I don’t really care if someone breaks my makeup (I care if that person breaks it but pretends nothing happened). It’s just makeup; I have lots more. BUT woe betide him/her who damages any of books because there will be hell to pay. I no longer lend any of my old books to anyone because if anything happens to them, I can’t find them again (not even on Amazon, eBay, etc).
PS: Do the bright lipstick post! 😀
Paris B says
It looks like a lot of us feel strongly about our books! I like that 🙂 Ok, I’ll go finish that draft on bright lipstick then. But it’s very same-same la 😛
Lily says
Lol you did the tag! It’s so much fun reading your answers 🙂
Paris B says
Haha yeah, I thought it was highly amusing! 😀
Robert C. says
I am definitely nicking this tag haha, seem like fun!
Anyways, I agree with y’all about the book part. Books are very personal to me and I don’t even lend them to my sister in fear that she’ll destroy its pristine quality (as you can tell, I love books). I don’t know, I just find that every book is your own little world that you have imagined yourself in or imagined about while reading, thus making it very very personal with emotional attachments (maybe?). Well, that’s my theory. Are we being selfish (shellfish haha)? yes. But it’s all for a good cause! ha
Paris B says
Do it Robert, it’s pretty fun 😀 I totally understand you about books coz I’m a bookworm too and they’re my escape. Also fuels my vivid imagination but there you go! What’s life without a bit of escapism and imagination yes? 😉
Ayu says
Lol cute!
If you are taking suggestions for blog topics… Several months ago I asked about the Ecotools dupe of the Shiseido perfect foundation brush, and you mentioned that you repurposed it for something else. Care to talk about it? 😉
Ayu says
By the way, Terry Pratchett is my favorite author. I was so upset to hear he passed away recently, and there will never be a new Discworld book to read T.T (Apart from the YA one coming out this summer)
Paris B says
ME TOO! I am gutted because I felt that the last couple of books (Raising Steam and Snuff) weren’t quite up to regular TP standard and wit, but I put it down to his illness. It’s so sad right? But I’m glad he gave us so many Discworld books. They are invaluable for hours of amusement and wit!
Paris B says
Ooh did I actually say that about the Ecotools brush? Goodness, I can’t even remember! >.< But thank you for your suggestion. Now let me find that brush and figure out what I repurposed it for (so sorry I totally forgot about it!)
Beauty Box says
Very fun post! I enjoyed reading this. Love the Vera lipstick on you 🙂
Paris B says
Thank you! 😀 Glad you enjoyed this coz I enjoyed it too!
rage says
If you make me give up all of my makeup except for one high-end and one drugstore item,I would say:
1) Cellulerose By Terry Bludh Glace in Frozen Petal
2) Rimmel Stay Blushed in Sunkisses Cherry (004).
See a pattern here? *Wink wink*
Paris B says
Haha you must be a blush fiend like me! 😀 The Blush Glace is really nice isn’t it? I don’t use it enough but everytime I do, I love how it looks. I don’t own the Rimmel one, and since they’ve disappeared from here I have no more access to them, but it’s always nice to have a drugstore brand to turn back to (also nice for the wallet! 😉 )
lisa says
I’m cringing as i read the part on books and some of the comments here. I don’t think i ever understand how anyone will have no regards for something so precious that is lent out? I was really enthusiastic about sharing books before. Now, I’m selective and super naggy when i do. The procedure: First, make eye contact. I make sure the person i’m lending to is looking at me… into my eyes… and listening intently as to what i have to say next as I’m holding on to my book…not letting go yet. “Please make sure you take good care of my books?” “These are really precious to me.” “I’m lending you of all people because YOU are trusty. (Alongside with piercing looks at the person NOT to break this trust.)” …And i might rattle off a list of how they should care for my book or what i really mean about taking good care.
Usually, when i finally do handover the book…there are a few scenarios:
1. the friend returning an incredulous look that i’m going to such length over a book. (the “read now and then” “bochap (singlish)” reader)
2. those who get it exactly knows what i mean and returning me with an assuring “I know exactly what you mean coz’ i feel the same” look complete with nods (book lovers)
3. one who is smiling at me AND thinking likely “I never should pick up reading and i should never borrow a single book from you again.” (one book one lifetime reader)
4. Rolling eyes at me. (the repeat borrower)
😉
As a foundation junkie, I am obliged 😉 to attempt answering the foundation question above:
1. Burberry Sheer Foundation (I’m on my third bottle and have backup as it seems to have been discontinued recently. Works every time and just right moisturizing formula for my dry skin yet doesn’t turn me into a grease ball in our weather. )
2. Maybelline Pure Eraser Mineral Foundation (sheer yet provide nice coverage, non cakey, non drying formula on my usually somewhat dry skin. I turn to this when i’m short of time. I can skip the powdering step since it has a semi matt finish and it holds up the humid day well. Reliable surprise buy.)
Paris B says
Your thoughts about books echo mine Lisa. In fact, I don’t understand how people who borrow things don’t treat them well. Don’t they realise it belongs to someone else and therefore should be cared for, even if they don’t care for their own stuff? As for foundation, I’m not much a fan of Burberry’s but I’m curious about Maybelline! I’ll have to check it out the next time I’m at a pharmacy. Usually mineral foundation tend to be drying, but if you say it works for your dry skin, I’m intrigued! 😀
pondsandleaves says
Hi PB,
First, when I was midst of reading the first question about the foundation, my mind screamed Lunasol Skin Modeling Foundation and before that even ended, your sentence auto completed the term in my thought. Drug store range, I have healthy mix too but it oxidizes on me and I look more haggard and uneven by mid day. I would go for Hada Labo Air BB Cream, only started using it this year after Chanel Aqua Foundation totally failed on me when I bit the bullet in Jan this year, it has been my holy grail (Hada Labo) everyday (not night I haven’t been out at night this year now I think of it) I use makeup!
Secondly, you have covered so much and shared so much with readers for so many years and your reviews have been an honest compass for many of us in our shopping guide. If you have come to a dead end on what to blog about, I’d really wish you could start a chapter on tutorials! Guessing you would probably die a martyr for foundations and blushes, as a foundation & blush junkie, (my guess) you are particular and technical in applications. You have attended numerous workshops and you do share your applications on foundations reviews and stuff, with your creative writing skills and great photographs, you can easily share and teach us on foundation and blush techniques, or basically anything you’d enjoy doing a tutorial on? Especially you have exposures from western and japanese gurus and you are a guru on your own rights!
Sorry if I came off assumptous but I really love your passion and your honesty and how evidently you enjoy applying makeup on each time. If you were one of my girlies in real life I could just indulge in hours just talking about how to layer on sunscreen/foundations etc 😀
Paris B says
Hiya! Yay for Lunasol 😀 It’s definitely one I don’t mind purchasing over and over. So sorry to hear about your experience with Bourjois but Hada Labo Air BB is a good option. I haven’t been wearing a lot of foundation/BB cream on weekends, preferring to just go barefaced so my BB creams have been quite neglected. I’m going to dig this out to use tomorrow! I think my skin is good enough hehe…
And thank you for your kind words and trust! Gosh, as much as I’d like to share tutorials, the honest truth is that I’m just not good enough coz when it comes to makeup, I’m quite slap dash. If it looks ok on me, I’m out the door. So basically, I’m not like your regular makeup guru who ensures perfection or has special techniques. I’m a very girl next door – literally! >.< I know, weird right? For foundation, ever since I learned that trick that I shared a tutorial on, about drawing lines on your face and then blending it out, it's the only way I apply foundation now. Haven't changed since, hence no new tricks nor tutorial to share. Similarly blush. No real science to how I apply my makeup, which I know is probably not what you want to hear >.< But it is always fun to talk about beauty so I will - will just find different ways to, and if I come across interesting nuggets of information, you bet I'll share! 😀
pondsandleaves says
PB please don’t apologize I was being assumptuous you don’t have to live up to virtual readers’ expectations! Techniques or not I still super dig you genuinely enjoy putting on makeup, its the artistry in you that I admire and that’s what keeps me coming. So yes, keep sharing!
LeGeeque says
1. High end -Helena Rubenstein Prodigy Powercell. It’s my never fail and it far surpasses Armani’s range. I picked this up in Japan because an Australian brand will never do well in Australia 😛 Drug store- Can’t go far from Bourjois. Like you, I’m picking Healthy Mix Serum. Also never fails me.
2. Ignore but on the way out, tell the receptionist to pass the message on pleading with him/her not to give you away 😛
3. Tom Ford Cherry Lush. I pulled it out from my stash again recently and remembered why there’s only a tiny bit left in the tube. Possible repurchase. Can you believe it? A lipstick that’s repurchased! 🙂
4. I had long hair for as long as I could remember but I chopped it off not long after I turned 14 into a little bob. IT WAS LIBERATING. I’d tell myself to always grow and chop hair as an adult because of how liberating it is. I had zero makeup and I won’t change it. I won’t even change how little makeup I used when I had adult acne between 18-20.
5. WHO? Probably none of the above. I THINK I can carry off a pixie cut if done right. I’d get him/her to fix it till I like it but still make it known that it was a mistake and I should be compensated somehow.
6. I don’t have a do it all palette 😛 But I can pack my makeup in 5 mins 😛 La Roche-Posay BB cream in light, NARS radiant concealer in Vanilla, La Mer loose powder and Guerlain Angelic ballzy blush with NARS Yachiyo brush. Also, do I get to pick which city? I want a Scandanavian city to catch the Northern Lights and drink beer in an ice bar. 😛
7. Really? Raid my beauty stash? It’s boring as a white wall. Dumbass thief, there’s a special place in hell for you 😛 I’d say my HR foundation. Everything else can be easily replaced 😛 Even then, I can pick it up from Singapore if I needed to. But, touch my bags, shoes, scarves and jewelry and you DIE. I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE NO FUTURE GENERATIONS. Oops. That thought escaped 😛
8. B. Probably won’t happen to me to be honest. My friends take care of their stash well and I don’t really share makeup. I steal Tine’s but we’re both certified to be cooties-free.
Your friend borrows makeup and returns it in an awful condition. Do you: A) Pretend you haven’t noticed B) Ask them to re-purchase it C) Secretly do it back to their makeup
Paris B says
You got me damn curious about the Helena Rubenstein foundation! Next trip to SG I’ll have to remember to check it out. We don’t hear a lot about that brand, it’s so easy to overlook! Oh and I have Cherry Lush! I just have to a) find it and b) wear it 😛 Man, I”m really slipping you know.
Oh and I hear ya. Steal my damn beauty stash if you have to but touch my bags and said robber probably won’t live to tell the tale.
Melanie says
1.) I only have one of each foundation so I get to keep both! I have Shiseido The Makeup stick and Maybelline FitMe stick (assuming this doesn’t include powder foundations as I have a matching powder for each foundation stick…).
2.) Ignore it completely. Not my business!
3.) Givenchy Gelee D’Interdit lip jelly since I’m not too fond of lipsticks, and lipsticks usually don’t really match my sporty outfits 😀
4.) Be less heavy-handed on the foundation and use blotting powder/shine minimizing products to cut on oil instead. Also lighter hand in applying products and using black eyeliner instead of purple 😀
5.) It’d be my fault if that were to happen since nobody is expected to know that “Pixie Lott” is actually a person/what her hair looks like, and I didn’t bring a photo as reference. I don’t expect to make that sort of mistake but if that happened I’d accept it and try to lose weight to look better with it… XD
6.) I don’t have a multipurpose palette. If I could only bring 1 item it’d be either a Givenchy Gelee D’Interdit lip jelly or one of my 2 foundation sticks (see #1) depending on if I have perfect skin or need spot coverage at the time.
7.) Assuming my macbook and iPhone aren’t in my room, my makeup stash would actually be the most expensive thing at my place (I live in 1 room place for college)! I’d hope that my Dior rosy glow items (nail glow, rosy glow blush, lip glow) are safe because they are my most recent purchases, great quality, barely used, and EXPENSIVE.
8.) I’ve never lent out makeup since that sounds like a ridiculous thing to do but I give makeup that doesn’t work for me or is not needed to friends a lot. If a friend asks to borrow (as in take away for an extended period of time) a makeup item I actually really like/care about – if I am neutral about them I’ll say no, if I’m really close to them them I’ll give it to them 🙂
Paris B says
Ok, I see Givenchy Gelee appearing twice, so I’m thinking it’s something I have to check out!
Melanie says
My interests change too quickly b/c just a few days later I lost interest in glitter/shimmer lip glosses… <.< Now my favorite is Dior Addict Lip Addict gloss 😀
Mel says
My favourite pick me up lipstick is definitely one in purple! I don’t understand how anyone can be sad while rocking purple lipstick 😀 😛
Paris B says
Purple lipstick is a really cool colour! Takes guts to pull off 😀