The Dangers of the Cosmetic Counter!

7/12/2012

The Dangers of the Cosmetic Counter!

During a routine visit my doctor noticed the old lady spot on my face that I probably received from years of driving with the sun beating down on an unprotected cheek.  I have never gotten into putting on sunscreen to ride in the car - hence the "spot". Anyway, the doctor says that there is a great camouflage concealer and I can get it at a local high end store.  Shouldn't cost more than $24 or $26 at the most.  Since I knew I was shopping with Stacey on Wednesday, I suggested that we stop in at said high end store and have a look.  That was my FIRST mistake.  

If you know me then you know that my largest cosmetic expense is a new tube of lipstick from WalMart several times of year at a modest cost of oh about $4.00.  A big splurge.  When you enter the cosmetic section of one of these kinds of stores it's like entering a whole new world.  And for me a strange new world.  There are the workers all wearing the likely required uniform of black, their faces painted on with precision and most of them with long and beautifully polished nails.  Very intimidating to me as I stood at the counter in my elastic-waist pants and Birkenstocks on my feet.

I was eventually noticed and I handed over the doctor's note where she had written the name of the manufacturer who makes this "fantastic" concealer that she knew would make my "spot" less noticeable.  Stacey and I are taken over to the appropriate section and are helped by a woman whose face is protected under layers of makeup (paint).  Of course while we were waiting for help, we noticed a big jar of body lotion that was labeled Almond Coconut.  The aroma was enticing - the price not so much.

It's finally time for me to sit in the big chair where these cosmeticians perform their magic.  This was probably my SECOND mistake.  The concealer was applied and close-up I wasn't all that impressed.  To me it made my spot look even darker - but at my age why in blue blazes am I sitting 2 inches away from a mirror anyway.  Definitely not a good thing.  The clerk suggested a foundation  that I could use on my face BEFORE I use the concealer.  Now the concealer was a bargain - everything else was not.

The clerk brought out a few foundation colors to try and in the middle of making me beautiful, asked if she could help ring up another customer.  Ever polite I agreed; but that one customer turned into two and it looked like I had been forgotten.  Perhaps it was the Birkenstocks that suggested I might not be a big spender.  Stacey finished the clerk's work and did a great job.  Stacey applied the foundation with a throw-away sponge (you'll see why that is important later),  applied the foundation and then the concealer.  Even close up I looked pretty good and the "spot" was less noticeable.   From far away I looked fantastic.  I'm sold.  Now where is that clerk?

The clerk returns, loves my face by the way, and seems not the least bit troubled that Stacey had to finish what she had started.  She assure me however that she has selected all the right colors for me - at least for the summer.  I MIGHT need a different color come winter when my skin is paler!  This beauty business is definitely tricky.   I tell her that I will buy the foundation (which I have never used before) as well as the concealer.  Then she brings out the sponges that you MUST use with the foundation.  Not to worry they last forever she says and you can even wash them in the washing machine.  How scary is that?  As for the concealer, that requires a brush, which she just happened to have.   I'm sure you can imagine that by now we're a long way away from $24 or $26 dollars.  I nearly walked away - but my face DID look good.  

The clerk tells me that they are out of the sponges and foundation but they will be shipped to the house free of charge.  Yes I would think so.  She did however fill two tiny little jars of "hold me over" foundation which I can use in the meantime with a disposable sponge!

The clerk allowed Stacey and I to put on some of the aforementioned lotion and I was sold.  Operating under the "in for a penny, in for a pound" theory I decided to buy the body lotion as well, which was not a bargain, but the smell of coconut was wonderful. Stacey and I smelled like the islands all afternoon.  To be fair (and boy do I need to be) the smell of the lotion stays on your skin for HOURS, so it's probably a bargain after all!

So today after getting dressed I will practice using my new found toys (using drug store sponges but I'm sure they're not nearly as nice or effective) to see if I can reproduce yesterday's beauty.  Of course you know that I am now on a mission to find these same products on Ebay for a lot less money.  Wish me luck in my search.

By the way, my followers are up to 9 - I'm so excited.  Don't know what I'll do if I go into double digits!

Thanks for reading and following.

P