Tuesday 18 December 2007

Lipstick on your collar (and halfway up your shirt)

Tangobaby has a good post about makeup, a subject in which she is deeply and passionately expert, and how to get it right so it doesn't look silly, or cause embarrassment by migrating to the wrong part of your face, or someone else's face, or clothes.

Among other things, she says this:

how many times have you been invited to dance with a leader only to see his shoulder covered with foundation, lipstick or mascara? Yuck.
I've been dancing for a year now, and I've never noticed that. I have seen a friend with a kiss of bright pink lipstick half way up his shirt (she was very short and a bit enthusiastic), but I've never noticed gunk on the shoulder.

So why is this? Is it just that American women customarily wear more makeup than we do? Is it that I've never looked carefully? I'm spot-on average height for a British woman - maybe it's something I'd notice if I were little?

I don't really see how I could possibly transfer makeup to my partner's shoulder. You don't rest your face there. But if I were three inches shorter, perhaps it would be different. Any thoughts?

4 comments:

tangobaby said...

I think we do wear more makeup than Europeans, in general. But certain parts of the country tend to load it on more than others, to be sure. And some of us still do Big Hair.

msHedgehog said...

I don't think you outdo the Russians for quantity. But you can certainly do a lot more obvious "grooming" in the USA than you can here without people thinking you look odd.

Oooh, ooh, I have two recommendations about mascara. I'll do a post.

tangobaby said...

Then you haven't been to Dallas (as far as quantity) or certain parts of Florida, for that matter. In West Palm Beach, I am sure I saw makeup that was applied with a trowel.

I will look forward to your mascara thoughts. I should warn you, though, that getting consensus on mascaras is as close to impossible as how to solve the Middle East conflict.

I don't know why it is like that with mascara. Considering that only, like, three companies actually make the stuff. It is just very subjective, at least in Makeup Artist circles where people geek out on stuff like that.

msHedgehog said...

Ok I've done it.

I suppose I can't really say what their absolute qualities are - I can only say how they've worked for me. I suppose it's one of those "Your mileage may vary" things.