10 August 2009

How I came to Heart Sephora

A couple weeks ago, I was sitting on the floor in the bedroom looking at my makeup. I realized it was all rather old and I ought to go buy new stuff. This did not excite me in the least, due to the fact I live in the Dirt Hole and the only place to get makeup is Wally Martinos. But I needed mascara desperately and I had an major life event coming up, so I put Basil Dog in her crate and went to Martinos.

Two hours later I emerged. Why did I spent four hours in Walmart?

I decided I wanted red lipstick. This was after I spent twenty minutes debating what sort of mascara to get (I am a Max Factor convert now. I used to only wear Almay. Nope, no more.) I ended up getting a soft black color and a brown for everyday use. On my way out, I decided for my outfit for a major event I wanted to wear red lipstick. I had the red shoes, red lipstick would complete the look. So, there went an hour. Seriously, do you know how many red shades are out there?! I had no idea what would look good on me, so I just sort of guessed. I all ready knew that a bright shade would make me look super pale, so I thought something a little lighter or something.

Least to say when I chose was wrong.

After I spent an hour forging for red lipstick, it suddenly occured to me that I'd need a darker shade for an evening event I had to go to, as red wouldn't jive with the dress. I needed a plum shade.

There went another hour.

And that shade looks a little better, but I still don't like it too well. I felt it was slightly tragic that this lipstick buying had gone so horridly wrong, as I sort of needed it for the coming weekend. I ended up wearing the nude color I usually wear, but I figured I'd find something for the other events in Civilization.

Before going to Civlization, I did some research on Red Lipstick. Casey over at Casey's Elegant Musings did a whole tutorial on red lipsticks. Seeing she's got a pale complextion like me, I figured I'd start with her favorites. I sent to Saphora.com to start my search for MAC.

Sephora doesn't sell MAC. However, Sephora ships for free if your order is over 50. That part was easy, as I needed new makeup brushes for the new eye makeup I had ordered from Etsy. (Orglamix, and while I love the staying power of the eyeshadow and blush, I'm still not sure how to get the color to be as intense as her pictures. But this is due to the fact I am an actual novice when it comes to makeup. I have come to realize that when I wear makeup, no one notices. Which can be a good thing, I guess...I told R my story about trying to find mascara, to which she said, "Do you wear mascara?" and I was like, "I have it on now." She stared at me intently, but I am not sure she noticed it or not.) So, after suring around Sephora's website, I came to the conclusion I needed to actually go to the store.

Fast foward two weeks, and I go into Sephora. I've only been in one maybe twice in my life, both times I was imediately asked if I needed help and given a basket if I had anything in my hands.

I stood in the store for at least ten minutes staring at lipsticks. No one spoke to me. I finally began picking up lipsticks and staring at them closer to my face. The testing tubes of lipstick always freak me out (as do most testing makeup things just open to the public), so I just stared. I finally picked two shades out and then some lip liner. I wandered to find the travel kits for brushes and found them. I stood there for a long while and no one spoke to me. I am not sure why this happens to me. When I desperatly want help, no one offers. When I am perfectly happy not having any help, everyone wants to help. (Similar things happened earlier in the day at Oakley, as I stood there for a long while before a salesperson came to my aid.)

I think I stared at the brushes for about fifteen minutes before I finally picked up a kit and was like, "Okay, I think this is what I want." The one I wanted, of course, had no price listed anywhere for it. I figured it was between maybe 32 and 36, so I went to check out. I just stood there, not really paying attention, then it was my turn and a lady checked me out, offered to sign me up for some club, I declined, then I paid. Later, I found out the brushes wer 44 bucks, and I was like, "Well, oh well. Let's hope they are better than Target brushes."

They are. I am not sure, having only used them once, but they are pretty good. I know they are better than the brush I bought at Kohls a month a go. And they are a lot better at putting on my new eye shadow than the old Target brushes. Though, I wish I had gotten the 36 dollar kit, as it came with more eye brushes. It lacked the angled blush brush, but oh well.

However, why I heart Sephora is not for their brushes. Nope. I heart their lipstick. I got two different shades. They were both the same type of lipstick, the Sephora Glamour Lipstick, which is semi-sheer. I got two different shades, the Romantic Rose and the Red Flirt. The Romantic Rose is the perfect sort of nude shade I need on a daily basis, as it is not so nude as it looks like I didn't put any color on, but its not in your face color. And Red Flirt is PERFECT red for me. It is sheer enough that it is not so in your face red that I feel like a clown. And they last pretty long (even after eating), they smell good (I hate the way L'Oreal lipstick smells, gross) and they feel GREAT on. And while 12 bucks a pop is a little more than I would usually spend, I did spend 30 on Dior Addict lip glass two winters and I never wear it because the "new" coral shade they have is all wrong for me. (This was another example when I wanted help and the lady at the Dior counter was like okay, what do you want? Okay, take it and pay get out of my face. I mean, I was standing there telling her that i used to wear this one shade and I had to toss it because of my eye infection and I was in the market for new makeup. She sort of thrust the new coral at me and lip liner and that was all she was willing to do.)

Anyways, after trying out the red shade, I decided I heart Sephora today. The lip liner I got, without aid, is the exact shade of my lips, go figure. It is a little darker, but it looks great with the Romantic Rose lipstick. I didn't try it with the Red, but I can do that later this week.

Moral of the story: If you are in the market for some lipstick, try Sephora. If you are in the market for good brushes, try Sephora. If you need good lipliner, try Sephora. However, if you're in the market for a long lasting, all natural, mineral eyeshadow, try Orglamix. If you want good customer service at any store, don't actually want any when you walk in.

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