The Makeup Trap

via thejrexperiment.com

Labor day is a day for rambling. As such, I've chosen to ramble about a subject that troubles and confuses me to no end.

How do we select our makeup?

This question may sound banal, but let's ponder it for a second.

When faced with a wide variety of choices from Lancome to Bobbi Brown to L'Oreal, it's a wonder we actually succeed at making some kind of conclusive decision to purchase one over the other. 

And then begs the question: do I go to Sephora and opt for higher end brands or just buy the drugstore brands? Some would say, drugstore brands are better and that the high end makeup is simply more expensive due to the name and marketing that comes with it. Others would beg to differ.

Which camp do you fall under?

Several months ago, I wrote a post about makeup loyalty (see here) that demanded the same question about choice based on a wide variety of makeup brands. 

My conclusion: Whether or not we are loyal to one brand is not the actual question. The real question is why.

Why that M.A.C lipstick?

Why the Diorshow Mascara?

Who choose that L'Oreal liquid liner?

Is it really about price or are we drawn to the brand for other subconscious reasons?

My theory is that there is a combination of marketing, function, and reliability. If Lancome's Definicils makes our itty bitty lashes look longer, why wouldn't we buy it again? Besides, Alber Elbaz collaborated with the brand and that makes it instantly cooler, right? 

What about M.A.C? 

Are we simply drawn to the brand because of all the celebrity collaborations?

Do we read too many magazines?

Do we choose our makeup brand based on our celebrity icons' makeup choices?

How do we even know that's what they actually use?

I may have no answers to these questions, but I do believe it is worth thinking about. Perhaps you have a certain image of yourself that you think your makeup projects. But then again, the only one in your makeup case is you.

Ponder That,

Bella

What's In A Name? Tis Everything.

Dearest reader,

I'd like to wish you a happy second day of Winter and hope that you've had a lovely weekend. Regrettably, I found myself quite preoccupied on Saturday to such a degree that I was unable to post an intriguing piece of work for my beloved readers to ponder with their morning coffee. For that, I offer my deepest apologies. I am uncertain as to why I've adopted a rather archaic tone of voice, but let's "just go with it", shall we?

What is on the agenda for this evening, you may ask? Today, I have decided to address an issue which ails us all due to our constant need to assert our importance within the grander society. I am referring to the human obsession with the latest coveted item on the rack comprising a conspicuously well-established label.

Alas, we are all victims of brand addiction. You and I, along with the lady down the street, have stumbled into the brand trap, never to escape it. As we are all aware, status is everything, and thus, exposing one's wealth or a simulation of one's wealth is crucial to being admitted into the fashion elite. Whether tis a Michael Kors Hamilton Bag or Hermes Birkin, the ownership of one of these accessories places one in a higher class of human being. This is a well-established fact. Must we love the design and craftsmanship? It is not the priority. Rather, if all the ladies in your social surroundings have one, it is undeniable that it shall be an excellent purchase. One simply DOES NOT carry a brand-less handbag, for she would be the talk of the town and gossip runs rampant in these parts. It simply CANNOT be done.

Seeing as your attire indicates your classification in the social sphere, I advise you not to neglect it. Is it necessary to spend an extra few hundred dollars on a Burberry trend coat? Not particularly. However, you do not want to find yourself in the lower echelons of society, now do you? What's a few hundred dollars if it implies immediate status recognition?

Sincerely,

Bella