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· July 28, 2007 1:41 AM by
Colleen Shirazi
· July 28, 2007 10:02 AM by
Audrey_H
· July 29, 2007 12:12 PM by
Colleen Shirazi
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Beauty Notes: A Guide to Minimalism (politicized rant)
Beauty Notes: A Guide to Minimalism (politicized rant)
Posted by Dain, Saturday, July 28, 2007 1:19 AM (Eastern)
AudreyH has an excellent point. I was only interested in showing my stash contents, but how exactly does one go about the process of making the cut? Which pretty much amounts to asking, how does one implement minimalism? I'm afraid my answer to Audrey's question wasn't particularly good (I had to rush off to work), so let me attempt a better one.
To be honest, I'd never thought about how, because I'm not naturally inclined to clutter (except with books). I'm the sort that packs for a five-day trip using a huge handbag. I'm an avid beauty junkie, it's true, but I'm of the philosophy that the more you own, the more you owe (would it surprise you if I told you I was Buddhist?). But I've never really thought about how I do it, just what the theory was.
I have one cardinal rule when it comes to buying products: I had better love it. If I try a lipstick and think, "pretty", that's not good enough. Once the novelty of a "pretty" product wears off, I often find that it starts collecting dust. Only a wow!-worthy-of-a-cult-of-one response is sufficient (this is love, after all =P). I know this seems very simpleminded, but like the best mathematical theorems, it is really an elegant universal approach. I have found that it cuts down drastically on unnecessary purchases. This way, you're not tempted to buy a product simply because it's cheap (a major pitfall, especially with clothes) or suffer an inferior substitute (again, particularly useful with clothes, the wrong size, for example). You also experience fewer regrets—the impulse buy that got away, settling for less, the issue of appropriateness or a proper match (if you love it, no worries)—though it is not a fail-safe method. In time, however, your ability to evaluate (worthy vs. unworthy products) improves, i.e. your taste and discretion will really sharpen, and that is the most valuable of all, the true essence of style. A woman who is impeccably put together does not become that way by a mere accumulation of stuff: she knows what suits her and how to wear it (easy enough to do, when you already love it).
Women love to shop. I think there's a certain thrill to losing money in a ritualistic manner that makes one feel more alive, empowered even, though that feeling is illusory. In a strange way, I think shopaholics are a bit like gamblers. This is largely why expensive products are so much more gratifying, even if the product itself isn't (Crème de la Mer, anyone?). And when the sparkle of sheer novelty begins to fade... well, well. Eventually, I noticed that I reach for the same products every day, nearly without thinking, and I think the same tends to be true for most women, though some are of course constantly experimental (in which case, I laud you). For example, NARS Cleo is positively magnificient—sweep the aqua as a sheer wash, layer the teal-flecked charcoal over a smudge of gilt MAC Powersurge—but I never actually use it. Still, I would never throw it out, it is too precious.
At this point, I have realized two things. One, that the ideal size of one's stash is limited by necessity (actual use), which is why I have favored Teddy over Powersurge—invariably, I reach for the former "just to line", while the latter is usually "in conjunction with eyeshadow". Two, that the the hardest part of minimalism is not watching what you buy, but dealing with what you already own. I would not really miss Cleo, but I can't bear to get rid of it. [grins weakly] Ah, we women, we are such nesters.
I am reminded of this joke by Chris Rock (I paraphrase), "What do women want!? It's easy to figure out what men want: sex, dinner, and ESPN. But what do women want? You know what the answer is? Everything! Women want everything." Men want women, women want stuff, men get stuff to get women (has been so for millenia), except now thanks to feminism women have careers and can get stuff on their own sweet salary it's called security thank you very much, much to the bemusement of the majority of men who no longer quite understand their role supposing they recognize that their role has changed (if the males of my generation are to be any guide). What is obvious to me, so far as I can tell, are silly, shallow women who think they're cool because they have lots of expensive nesting materials (i.e. Sex and the City, Lucky magazine), and a small lot of very, very rich men who have profited from the combined consumer cash cow of salaried women. Ever look at a fashion magazine these days? From Vogue (except Italia, still legitimately an art magazine) to Seventeen, models are growing ever younger and thinner, an increasingly standard by which any normal human being is bound to feel insecure, combined with the visual stimulus of a product catalog (I can't remember the last time I actually learned something from a fashion magazine, just what to buy to make me feel young and thin and therefore desirable)—ahh, you see it now, my friend? They are one and the same. The more you own, the more you owe.
I wonder, is this really progress?* Debatable.
To all this, the solution is far less elegant. It is actually somewhat brutal, if you are attached to your products. Ultimately, you cannot avoid the fact that you simply have to get rid of stuff, in some form or another. But here are some tips to make it easier, and help you organize your stash.
- Figure out what you need, and this is not necessarily what you need every day. Some products are obvious basics, like concealer or cleanser. Others are highly recommended for all, like mascara and the perfect blush. And yet others are entirely individual specific, like a lilac eyeshadow or a raspberry-red lipstick. I find this is mostly a process of trial and error, but there are certain things I think everyone's stash ought to have (perhaps I ought to give a more detailed guide of each in later articles):
CLEANSER
EXFOLIANT
MOISTURIZER
LIP BALM
CONCEALER
THE PERFECT BLUSH
MASCARA
DARK EYECOLOR FOR DEFINITION (liner: defines the shape of the eye and intensifies lashes)
MEDIUM EYECOLOR FOR DEPTH (shadows: creases, wedges, softening a dark liner for a smoky eye)
LIGHT EYECOLOR FOR LIGHT (highlight: erases fatigue, opens up the eye, for a sparkle and glow)
KEVYN AUCOIN THE PRECISION BROW PENCIL (err... imo, there is no other)
YLBB LIPCOLOR
SHAMPOO
CONDITIONER
BODY WASH
BODY MOISTURIZER
SUNSCREEN
BLUSH BRUSH
LARGE FLUFFY EYESHADOW BRUSH
SMALL DENSE EYESHADOW BRUSH
LINER BRUSH
EYELASH CURLER
TWEEZERS
RAZOR
Everything else is up to you! Only you know what other colors you favor, needs you have, and so forth. Here are mine, for specific or special circumstances:
TREATMENT FOR SENSITIVE AND DRY SKIN (mine doubles as eye cream)
SUMMERWEIGHT MOISTURIZER
EYE MAKEUP REMOVER (tugging=bad)
POWDER
CREAMY, INTENSE BLACK EYELINER FOR INNER RIM LINING
LILAC EYECOLOR (not so staid as grey, but still soft and ethereal)
RASPBERRY RED LIPCOLOR (hee! this looks fantastic!)
PERFUMES (varies too widely from person to person, so I leave it your discretion) - Divide everything else into "dismiss" and "consider" piles, but make sure the "consider" pile is smaller than the "dismiss" pile, as if you are a genuine packrat, you know you'll try to avoid actually getting rid of stuff by keeping it all safe in the "consider" pile. A good rule: for every product you wish to "consider", "dismiss" two.
- Remember, you've already determined that it's a superfluous product, so the "consider" pile is for products that might grow on you (some of the products I really love have been slow to show their true worth). If, at the end, you are unsure, get rid of it. Gotta love it.
- I find that a tray is very useful for containing makeup (I put my brushes and pencils in a giant water goblet). It prevents products from rolling around willy nilly, allows for easy access, and again, limits the size of your stash. I also own a smaller "treasure" or jewelry box (let your imagination run wild), in which I place products I don't often reach for, such as the aforementioned Cleo.
- Good luck!
Labels: beauty notes, minimalism
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July 28, 2007 1:41 AM,
Hmmm...it's much easier for me, because I live in California.
I will go out on a limb and say we Californians, and people in New York City, were the first large groups of Americans to conclude that less is more.
Why? because our space costs so !@#$ing much.
If we actually bought all those cheap, or relatively cheap, goods we're surrounded by all the time...we would be clogging up our expensive space with cheap goods. The space is worth more than the goods.
It doesn't bother me to throw stuff out. But the solution of course is to buy judiciously to begin with.
The real problem is that women get paid less than men. Once that problem has been solved, you'd be amazed how quickly all the other problems magically disappear.
July 28, 2007 10:02 AM,
I get sad when I hear that so many women consider shopping a hobby. Women's magazines, tv shows etc expect women to love shopping for the sake of shopping. It feels rather shallow. I like shopping if there is something I want to check out, look at, or purchase, but I would never EVER consider shopping a *hobby*. Ten-twelve years ago, when I moved away from home and worked, I bought all kinds of stuff, things for my flat, clothes, cheap makeup etv. Nowadays I have to love something before buying it. I already have what I need, and living and owning an apartment in the big city doesn't allow a lot of new stuff, believe me :) No extra space, not that much money to spend after paying the bills. But it doesn't feel like I'm giving anything up, quite the opposite. I love what I already own. Purchasing something now feels so much better, because I know that I will enjoy my purchase in a totally different way than I used to. Plus, I can buy more expensive things since I don't spend a lot of money on trash. Buying a really nice (and a little expensive) leather bag in Florence, which will last for years and years, is ten thousand times better than buying ten fake bags at H&M (which together are half the price of my Florence bag - doesn't matter)
That said - when it comes to makeup, it varies. Sometimes, I don't buy any makeup at all for half a year. Then I buy six new lipsticks in one month and am really excited about them. Then I don't buy anything for a year. Etc :) Same with perfumes - there are so many perfumes I love and own, and want to own. I don't really see any point in limiting myself on that area, because my perfumes give me so much joy.
I've been writing a lot about this in my blog. I think it's important to cut the consumption now. I just heard on the news that people in my country have been shopping more this summer than ever, because of the bad weather. It's crazy. We don't need more stuff. And, if we do need something new, it is so much more fun planning it and doing some research before buying. If not, there is a big chance that the item won't be used => clutter. Also, having access to cheaper clothes (like H&M) means we don't have to fix them if something breaks, which usually happens with cheap clothes - because buying something new is so much easier... It makes me sad!
I think everyone should be a lot more critical to what they're actually spending their money on. Buying cheaper isn't necessarily that much cheaper after all.
July 29, 2007 12:12 PM,
I noticed some years ago that much of what women can do for recreation, outside the home, seems to involve shopping.
Perhaps it's a consequence of modern living, but we don't have bath-houses, for example...in the U.S. we don't have pubs. We have bars, which don't really serve food, and they have a bad reputation for being pick-up scenes.
Shopping...it's a place women can go outside of the house, that doesn't involve guys hitting on them.
I dislike the idea that that tends to be it, as far as female recreation...
I like shopping when you really want to shop, or have some small time to kill. The ritualistic aspect of it though, eh...I'd rather write some code. hides
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