Makeup Uniform?

As you know, I love clothes, shoes, makeup, jewelry - well, all that kind of stuff.  However, I do not have the time or the money or even the desire to spend my life in search of something new, better, or prettier all of the time.  Granted, I do buy things, but like most people, my job and our bills get in the way of leading a glamorous, all-leisure life!

In addition, since my surgery, I am still at the point where most things take me a long time to do.  Certainly I am improving in small ways each day, but a week from today, I have to return to work.  I'm not thrilled about it, because my job has become pretty unpleasant ever since our museum affiliated with another local institution.  But it *is* a job, and it will be nice to start getting a paycheck again, since I have been unpaid while on medical leave.

I'd been thinking about all of this, and how my morning routine might need some adjustments, at least for the near future.  Granted, putting on my makeup is not something that takes a long time for me, at least not for every day (I will take my time and make an effort for special occasions), but if other things take longer, I'll need to take that into consideration.  Last week, while reading blogs that I follow on various topics, I came across this post, and decided that having a makeup "uniform" would not be a bad thing.  I spent most of my life wearing uniforms to school, and it was nice to not have to spend time every single morning thinking about/deciding what to wear.  (Though it was daunting to then get to college and suddenly have to think of such things!)

So whereas Tamira was writing her post talking about how she often ends up using the very same things every day, even though she has never consciously decided on a makeup uniform, I have decided this is just the kind of thing I need for my return to work.

I don't wear a *whole* lot of makeup to start with, but I have been known to take way too much time to decide whether or not to wear eyeshadow/eyeliner, and then take even longer to decide which one out of the few choices I have.  My new plan is to have a "uniform" for the week, that does not vary for the most part; I can take the time for choices for special occasions or on days when I am feeling particularly inspired.

I really think - and sincerely hope - this will allow me to go back to work feeling a little bit more polished and confident, without worrying about how long I am taking, and possibly getting to work late as a result.

Because let's face it, "my dog ate my homework" is one type of excuse, but "I had a hard time deciding on eye makeup" is a whole 'nother issue ...

:-)

The Monthly Review

Do you "review" your makeup regularly?  Well I do, every month.  Yep.  Every month, I wash my makeup brushes* and go through my makeup to decide what has or has not worked.  Sometimes I resurrect things I've put away, and other times I add some new things.  At changes of seasons, I do adjust things like lipstick colors - for instance, really dark colors get put away in spring and summer.  It's all part of my desire for organization, and my low-level OCD.

I recently saw a segment on a TV show about a quick way to do everyday makeup that looked polished and natural.  So of course I became obsessed.  I had a gift certificate to Blue Mercury, and so today on my way home from a dr's appointment, I stopped and treated myself to two eyeshadows that - in theory at least - will work for this "look."  The person who waited on me tried it on me as I had described, and I liked the way it highlighted my eyes without making me look like I was loaded down with eye makeup.  Which let's face it, is not a look I want every day at work.

I bought a Bobbi Brown cream eyeshadow in Suede:

and a regular eyeshadow in Slate:

Now - just for the record, it's not that I spend a lot of time on my makeup on any regular day.  But I am, in the end, lazy and as a result, any way it can be even less time, and still look good, works for me.

Whether this will all really work for me, or passes the test of staying for more than a month, who knows?  But I plan to have some fun trying it, that's for sure!

*Yes, I know I should clean them more frequently.  But it's an improvement for me, since I used to just use them until they were really disgusting, and then throw them away.  Baby steps, people ...