Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Lipstick Therapy

Over a coffee two of my girlfriends were discussing the effectiveness of lipstick therapy, ie. going and buying a nice lipstick to make yourself feel better.  And later that week I ran across a normally very sporty looking adult tap-student of mine wearing a pretty blouse and some bright lipstick, who explained to me that being in Italy for the Christmas holidays had inspired her to make an effort with her appearance.  She'd never owned a lipstick before but her friend (a real signora, she said) took her out to buy one and she described how much fun it was.

I'm not really a lipstick wearer as such (I always feel you can't kiss anyone when you're wearing it) but I am completely addicted to lip-balm and have it stashed everywhere so that I never have dry lips: one in either door of the car (so I can drive or be driven and still have ready access to lip-balm), one for my tap-bag, one by my bed, and of course a couple in the handbag.  Actually, I'm not really a make-up wearer at all, apart from the compulsory mascara for the short fair lashes, and when I thought about it some more, I realised that most of the lipsticks and indeed all other types of make-up I own, with the exception of the compulsory mascara, are hand-me-downs. My Mum or my sister will get something in a gift bag free with a moisturiser, or buy a promising looking lipstick and then decide it isn't quite their shade, and ask me if I'd like it.  Of course I always say ooh yes, that looks nice, and then only actually wear it about 3 times.

But what with one thing and another, I have been feeling a bit down and out, so I have been trying various treat-based therapies.  On Friday I took myself to see The King's Speech which I thought was magnificent, possibly my favourite movie ever actually, and today I had one of those Chinese massages in a shopping-mall which was very beneficial.  And a couple of days ago I was in a discount chemist shop purchasing an iron supplement when my conversation with friends came back to me.  I did run my eyes over the lipstick section but was almost immediately distracted by some purple eyeshadow and a purple eyeliner. And it seemed a shame to leave them in the shop on their own.


I've been wearing eye make-up every day since! I'm so fancy. It has been quite fun, mucking around with make-up. And you know what they say: a little bit of what you like will do you good. Seems to be working so far, anyway.

15 comments:

  1. I LOVE mucking about with makeup, didn't start until my late 30s but I've been having a ball since. It's a quick, relatively cheap little bit of shopping therapy too, as you say :)

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  2. I love this post, and that photo of your eyes is gorgeous. Nice choice!

    I also love "The King's Speech".

    The other day I was walking through the David Jones cosmetics floor and a sweet young man behind the Tom Ford counter smiled and asked it I wanted to try some lipsticks. So I did... being very upfront and telling him beforehand that they were beyond my price range, but he didn't mind. It cheered me up no end, especially with the Colin Firth/Tom Ford connection in the film "A Single Man."

    That's it, commentbox finished.

    E x

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  3. Blimey! You've gone and growed up and stuff!

    I, too, adored the King’s Speech. It strikes me as every bit the treat movie.

    Hope all those one thing and anothers sort 'emselves out and go take a hike over the nearest mountain.

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  4. Dear C

    Blogger won't let me comment but as a girl who owns but never wears makeup I thought your choice of shadow and liner very pretty...your choice of movie sublime..how I loved it..

    And that whatever is bothering you buggers off soon...

    Xxxx
    Mary

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  5. I haven't worn makeup for about the last ten years either but I'm totally with you on the lip balm. I have one in my pocket religiously.

    You can imagine my surprise when a girlfriend bought me an eyeshadow kit for christmas... it's unopened.
    Looking at your pretty eyeshadow might actually motivate me to use it!

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  6. I'm 41 or maybe 42 not sure. I have never ever learnt to wear make-up. I never progressed from the black lipstick ....but it is a skill I feel I am sorely missing
    Frankly Miss C - the whole thing terrifies me...

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  7. My Mum's the full make-up wearing type. "I'll just get my face on!" but apart from a couple of goes at it as a teenager, I've really done without it.
    Weirdly, after my Dad died, I popped on a bit of eye liner and lippy and felt a LOT better. I'm still doing it. Just a little touch each day. So I kind of get it, I think

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  8. I started wearing make-up every day after I had ME a few years ago - I love it! I like colour, too, not many neutrals for me. So I love your purple - your eyes look fab.

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  9. Your eyes are beautiful and purple is supposed to make you happy-good choice! I don't wear make-up well, but there's something about the process that lives deep within us. (Picturing Cleopatra and her eye makeup! LOL)

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  10. Lovely!! Often I wear lipstick but have not yet moved beyond lipsticks that are basically the same colour as my lips. I definitely need some make-up assistance :-)

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  11. Lipstick addict here, not much else except sunscreen!
    Such lovely eyes you have, Stomper.

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  12. You have beautiful eyes!
    I look very drab without makeup, and my skin is awful (courtesy of growing up in the tropics), so it's the full catastrophe. Foundation, eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara and lipstick.

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  13. I love that purple on you!

    I wear eyeliner and mascara all.the.time but hardly ever remember to put on lipstick.

    On a whim, I bought a glittery gold eyeliner last Christmas - primarily as part of dress-up costume, but I like the effect so much I wore it for days. It felt 'festive'!

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  14. Beautiful eyes. And brows. My brows seem to have faded into nothingness these days.

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  15. I LOVE the purple. It really is your color... in everything. You are soulmates, purple and Stompergirl. I love lip balm. I have to keep buying more, because Abby steals mine. I rarely leave the house without mascara. I look tired without it.

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