A couple of weeks ago, there was a day of silence in honor of everything that Gay people have to go through on a daily basis. Since I believe that everyone should be equal, I tried to participate. I didn't last the whole day. I didn't even last half.
This is the girl who talks to cheer people up and tell and embarrassing story and even give advice whenever she can. Then put this girl in a room full of other people who are all tired from the morning and upset about being at school. Then give her a math test (when she's 2 grades ahead in math and in honors) and remind her that she can't speak. Needless to say, I was starting to have severe anxiety.
I ended up talking after the math test because I couldn't take it any more ( and also because I forgot). But it made me think about a couple of things. How does being silent help? If you are in a room of teenagers all talking and laughing, who's to notice that you're not saying a word? There weren't enough people participating to make a noticeable impact on any 16 year old. Many people just didn't notice. Someone told me that they were being silent because that's what Gandhi did. Maybe I have my facts wrong, but he wasn't silent, he was nonviolent. He believed in civil disobedience not sitting quietly and hoping someone notices.
And then I thought about it some more. Maybe the silence is symbolic to everything that gay people have to endure, silently. Before they come out, many (most?) feel as if their family is going to abandon them and cast them out. They feel as if their friends will push them away. And that has happened before. There have been extremely conservative families who have disowned their children just for being gay, something that existed even before the bible was written.
That thought brought me on to think about the country I live in, America. We pride ourselves in being free. The bill of rights says we have the right to freedom of religion, and the constitution calls for a separation between church and state, and equality for all. So when did this become a lie? When did "God Bless America" become something written on all of our money? When did religion's idea of gays being blasphemous keep them from getting married? When was the separation between church and state erased?
So now that I sound like a conspiracy theorist, I'm trying to think of how to fix this. All that I can think is " just wait until they're out of office, then the kids of our age who believe in equality can come in and fix our country. I think the saddest part about this epiphany about gays and religion is that I'm starting to think we will be the last of the first world countries to give rights to the people who live in the "land of the free"
04 May 2013
25 March 2013
Staying Cheap
Since I've started buying my own clothes and searching up product reviews I've learned a couple things. The biggest one is to never underestimate 'cheap'. Most people will agree with me on this one. After all, thrifting has come back into style. But many people didn't think about it like I did. If I wanted to buy something and my mum said 'No', I felt guilty for even asking and making her feel bad for not being able to buy me a lot of things. So I came up with ways to work around it.
When I was younger, my parents didn't have a lot of money. Though its not as bad as many people out there, its enough for them to count how much is left in the bank and we only went shopping once every 4-5 months or so. So I grew up loving target. Target was great for me. I could get new clothes that I loved without feeling guilty about how much I was affecting my parents. People would compliment me on my clothes and ask me where I got them. They were always surprised to hear my answer. I've only ever bought one thing from urban outfitters. It was a floral wallet that I ended up throwing in the back of my closet because the clasp annoyed me. I've never walked inside Victoria's Secret. The only thing I own of theirs is a lotion that my friend bought for my birthday. I've never bought anything at MAC. It didn't feel right to spend so much money on my face when I could spend it out with family and friends. But knowing that I've probably just alienated all of the people that read this, it doesn't need to be that extreme. There are simpler ways to stay cheap.
eBay. Everyone knows about it and its no real new thing. Now add it with Wanelo. Wanelo (WAnt NEed LOve) is a site where you can find clothes from everywhere on the Internet, see their price, and save them under different files that you can come back to (ex: my closet, house, accessories). There is a section where you can search for certain products, and there is even a tab that takes you straight to what is trending that day. What I do is I find certain products that I like on Wanelo and I save them in different categories. Then I go through all things I saved and look through them with a very critical eye. I delete all the ones that don't fit and then I only bring up a few of the ones I kept and put them into other tabs. Next, I go onto eBay and type in key words. If something pops up and it is close enough to what I like I put it into my shopping cart. Never click buy now because the different costs of things will add up without you really noticing. Just be picky about what you keep and look at everything with a critical eye. I find that rotating between 'best match' and 'lowest overall' help me to find the cheapest items for what I actually want. I tend to stay away from bids, but that's just a preference of mine. If you happen to find something close and cheap but not in your size (most of the cheap stores are in Asia and will basically only sell sizes 6-10), scroll down to the bottom of the page; there will be similar items that might be more to your taste, cheaper, and in your size.
Mental coaching. I know. People say that when you get an item you're supposed to think 'Do I really need this?' and then decide based on that. That never works for me. What I do is I think about more clothes. I think in my head what it would look amazing with. Which accessories would make it pop? Would it look better with a different pair of shoes? Then, I think to myself 'Do I own any of the things that I would pair it with?' If the answer is 'No' put it back. That little piece of clothing will just get shoved to the back of your closet because you don't own any of the clothes that you want to pair it with. The clothes that I don't wear aren't ugly; I just don't have the extra stuff to make it fantastic.
Out and about with friends. Though this may sound rude, avoid going out with friends with more money. They have a bigger budget and will probably push you into buying more things. Any type of friend can do this though, because who can ignore a top when your bestie says it looks absolutely amazing on you?Instead suggest something that doesn't involve money. Go to the beach, make a home video, go for a jog, make homemade face masks, ride your bikes. And if you do end up shopping, always start at the cheap stores. It is amazing how the exact same item can be in two different stores, so buy the cheaper one!
Falling in love with expensive stuff. You're in a nice shop. You're just browsing around and boom! you've fallen in love with a top. But its so expensive! Though it may sound weird, wait. Come back a week later and see how many they've sold. If its a lot and you really do want it, buy it. If they've barely sold any, wait until they put it on the clearance rack.
Clearance racks. Since style is always changing, there is always something on the sales rack. Go to it first! Pick out a ton of items that are cheaper and then go around the rest of the store. You'll feel like you've got enough and you'll spend less because it costs less!
Men's items and no-brands. Don't be afraid to use men's items. Many of them work the same (if not better) compared to the woman's stuff. Just go for unscented so your perfume can shine through. In fact, don't even bother with perfume, its just as easy to buy body mists that can be sprayed more heavily ( spray them on right after you shower and before you towel dry then pat dry so it goes into your skin) and more often without your scent overpowering anyone withing a 50 mile radius of you. Also go towards no-brands. An example of a no-brand is Target's Up-and-up. Target manufactures it themselves so it costs cheaper (no middle man) and there are many of the same things you could get with a regular brand. For instance, I use pomegranate-mango body wash. I used the SoftSoap one until I realized that Up-and-up did one for 50 cents less. That may now be a big deal, but when you stick with cheap, your savings add up.
Sticking with what you've got. I only have one container full of makeup. I have one foundation, one eyeliner, two mascaras, one primer, one highlighter, one concealer, one color corrector, four lipsticks, two lip tints, one lip gloss, a few chapsticks, and two palettes. My haircare (outside the shower) is one hairspray, one curl mousse, one curl scrunch, and one root booster spray. The most expensive piece of makeup I own is the lip gloss that I bought for $10. My curling iron is a pink one I got at a garage sale for $5. People compliment me on my makeup. I don't own a bronzer. I don't own a blush. My moisturizer is one I got at the dollar store. My body mist is from the dollar store. I don't own a perfume. People have refused to let go of me during a hug because I smell good. I own two pairs of pants, two skirts, two pairs of shorts, and two dresses. I can hold all of my clothes in my arms without even struggling. One of my two zip-up jackets is one I got for my tenth birthday that somehow still fits me and is still in style. People compliment me on my outfits. Don't be fooled. More isn't more. Sometimes more is just self indulgence.
These are most of the ways I save money. I'm not a minimalist by choice. Heck I wouldn't even say I'm a minimalist at all. This is what I do. Hopefully this will help yo save a little so you can spend more time out with friends. If you aren't going to do anything that I do, this might make you feel better about what yo have. For now, I'm rather content where I am. But if I did get more money to spend where I'd like, I would probably stock up on clothes and makeup first. If there are any other ways to save money, comment and let me know!
Have a lovely day!
When I was younger, my parents didn't have a lot of money. Though its not as bad as many people out there, its enough for them to count how much is left in the bank and we only went shopping once every 4-5 months or so. So I grew up loving target. Target was great for me. I could get new clothes that I loved without feeling guilty about how much I was affecting my parents. People would compliment me on my clothes and ask me where I got them. They were always surprised to hear my answer. I've only ever bought one thing from urban outfitters. It was a floral wallet that I ended up throwing in the back of my closet because the clasp annoyed me. I've never walked inside Victoria's Secret. The only thing I own of theirs is a lotion that my friend bought for my birthday. I've never bought anything at MAC. It didn't feel right to spend so much money on my face when I could spend it out with family and friends. But knowing that I've probably just alienated all of the people that read this, it doesn't need to be that extreme. There are simpler ways to stay cheap.
eBay. Everyone knows about it and its no real new thing. Now add it with Wanelo. Wanelo (WAnt NEed LOve) is a site where you can find clothes from everywhere on the Internet, see their price, and save them under different files that you can come back to (ex: my closet, house, accessories). There is a section where you can search for certain products, and there is even a tab that takes you straight to what is trending that day. What I do is I find certain products that I like on Wanelo and I save them in different categories. Then I go through all things I saved and look through them with a very critical eye. I delete all the ones that don't fit and then I only bring up a few of the ones I kept and put them into other tabs. Next, I go onto eBay and type in key words. If something pops up and it is close enough to what I like I put it into my shopping cart. Never click buy now because the different costs of things will add up without you really noticing. Just be picky about what you keep and look at everything with a critical eye. I find that rotating between 'best match' and 'lowest overall' help me to find the cheapest items for what I actually want. I tend to stay away from bids, but that's just a preference of mine. If you happen to find something close and cheap but not in your size (most of the cheap stores are in Asia and will basically only sell sizes 6-10), scroll down to the bottom of the page; there will be similar items that might be more to your taste, cheaper, and in your size.
Mental coaching. I know. People say that when you get an item you're supposed to think 'Do I really need this?' and then decide based on that. That never works for me. What I do is I think about more clothes. I think in my head what it would look amazing with. Which accessories would make it pop? Would it look better with a different pair of shoes? Then, I think to myself 'Do I own any of the things that I would pair it with?' If the answer is 'No' put it back. That little piece of clothing will just get shoved to the back of your closet because you don't own any of the clothes that you want to pair it with. The clothes that I don't wear aren't ugly; I just don't have the extra stuff to make it fantastic.
Out and about with friends. Though this may sound rude, avoid going out with friends with more money. They have a bigger budget and will probably push you into buying more things. Any type of friend can do this though, because who can ignore a top when your bestie says it looks absolutely amazing on you?Instead suggest something that doesn't involve money. Go to the beach, make a home video, go for a jog, make homemade face masks, ride your bikes. And if you do end up shopping, always start at the cheap stores. It is amazing how the exact same item can be in two different stores, so buy the cheaper one!
Falling in love with expensive stuff. You're in a nice shop. You're just browsing around and boom! you've fallen in love with a top. But its so expensive! Though it may sound weird, wait. Come back a week later and see how many they've sold. If its a lot and you really do want it, buy it. If they've barely sold any, wait until they put it on the clearance rack.
Clearance racks. Since style is always changing, there is always something on the sales rack. Go to it first! Pick out a ton of items that are cheaper and then go around the rest of the store. You'll feel like you've got enough and you'll spend less because it costs less!
Men's items and no-brands. Don't be afraid to use men's items. Many of them work the same (if not better) compared to the woman's stuff. Just go for unscented so your perfume can shine through. In fact, don't even bother with perfume, its just as easy to buy body mists that can be sprayed more heavily ( spray them on right after you shower and before you towel dry then pat dry so it goes into your skin) and more often without your scent overpowering anyone withing a 50 mile radius of you. Also go towards no-brands. An example of a no-brand is Target's Up-and-up. Target manufactures it themselves so it costs cheaper (no middle man) and there are many of the same things you could get with a regular brand. For instance, I use pomegranate-mango body wash. I used the SoftSoap one until I realized that Up-and-up did one for 50 cents less. That may now be a big deal, but when you stick with cheap, your savings add up.
Sticking with what you've got. I only have one container full of makeup. I have one foundation, one eyeliner, two mascaras, one primer, one highlighter, one concealer, one color corrector, four lipsticks, two lip tints, one lip gloss, a few chapsticks, and two palettes. My haircare (outside the shower) is one hairspray, one curl mousse, one curl scrunch, and one root booster spray. The most expensive piece of makeup I own is the lip gloss that I bought for $10. My curling iron is a pink one I got at a garage sale for $5. People compliment me on my makeup. I don't own a bronzer. I don't own a blush. My moisturizer is one I got at the dollar store. My body mist is from the dollar store. I don't own a perfume. People have refused to let go of me during a hug because I smell good. I own two pairs of pants, two skirts, two pairs of shorts, and two dresses. I can hold all of my clothes in my arms without even struggling. One of my two zip-up jackets is one I got for my tenth birthday that somehow still fits me and is still in style. People compliment me on my outfits. Don't be fooled. More isn't more. Sometimes more is just self indulgence.
These are most of the ways I save money. I'm not a minimalist by choice. Heck I wouldn't even say I'm a minimalist at all. This is what I do. Hopefully this will help yo save a little so you can spend more time out with friends. If you aren't going to do anything that I do, this might make you feel better about what yo have. For now, I'm rather content where I am. But if I did get more money to spend where I'd like, I would probably stock up on clothes and makeup first. If there are any other ways to save money, comment and let me know!
Have a lovely day!
16 March 2013
Out
Get me out. Let me leave. I don't want to be where I am anymore. School. People. My life. I wish it was a fairy tale. Where's the magic? The fairies? The wands and the cauldrons? I understand why stories are better than life. Because the ones that aren't are ignored. Or you have to think about your own life and reflect. But I don't want to do that. I want to run off into the woods and live with woodland creatures. I want my daydreams to be real. Why can't they be? Its much more fun in my head.
Am I crazy? No. No one makes their fantasy something they wouldn't want. Then it wouldn't be a fantasy. But I assume that most people's fantasies are to get their dream job and dream guy and not to have Doctor Who, Peter Pan, Harry Potter, and every other fiction story be true. I want magic. I want the wonder that comes with magic. I want to be an inventor.
Inventors are the new magicians. They designed the witch's broomstick to fit more people and be more comfortable so they made a plane. They wanted an invisible ghost to protect their house when they were away so they invented the security system. They were sad they couldn't turn one animal into two of the exact same so they invented clones. They didn't like when some people were disabled and left to fend for themselves so they invented bionic arms and legs, ones which are starting to develop a capability to respond simply to the wearer's thought.
I want to be an inventor. I want to create magic that people take for granted. I want to create magic that will have the unfortunate cry with joy. I want to create magic that doesn't do anything except make my favorite books come true.
Holograms. Hover cars. Teleporting. I want to make them. Not for me. Not for the people. For my fantasy. Regeneratable limbs, spiderman, werewolves, fairies. I want to create them. And I have. I've created them in my head and I've made them a story. I might write it down someday, but it isn't good enough yet. Because I'm the one who cries when a stranger sheds a tear, I won't become the mad scientist. I won't force people into cages to test my newest creation. But, oh, the things that I'm just itching to create, to have my monsters become the ones you see in every story. Because someone had to have come up with the werewolf, the vampire, the fairy, the griffin.
Its a wonderful story. I write a new chapter everyday. Its the reason I get no sleep at night. But I'm not sorry. I love this story. I think about how to make it better, how to make it less predictable, how to make it mine. Then I add in a couple more characters and a wistful new scene. I'm my own Doctor Who. If my mind were turned into a TV show, no one would watch. Not even me. Because a flat screen with a few little pixels cannot do justice to the things you can create in your mind. Its not something written on paper to make some money. As long as I keep it in my head, its the best story there will ever be.
Am I crazy? No. No one makes their fantasy something they wouldn't want. Then it wouldn't be a fantasy. But I assume that most people's fantasies are to get their dream job and dream guy and not to have Doctor Who, Peter Pan, Harry Potter, and every other fiction story be true. I want magic. I want the wonder that comes with magic. I want to be an inventor.
Inventors are the new magicians. They designed the witch's broomstick to fit more people and be more comfortable so they made a plane. They wanted an invisible ghost to protect their house when they were away so they invented the security system. They were sad they couldn't turn one animal into two of the exact same so they invented clones. They didn't like when some people were disabled and left to fend for themselves so they invented bionic arms and legs, ones which are starting to develop a capability to respond simply to the wearer's thought.
I want to be an inventor. I want to create magic that people take for granted. I want to create magic that will have the unfortunate cry with joy. I want to create magic that doesn't do anything except make my favorite books come true.
Holograms. Hover cars. Teleporting. I want to make them. Not for me. Not for the people. For my fantasy. Regeneratable limbs, spiderman, werewolves, fairies. I want to create them. And I have. I've created them in my head and I've made them a story. I might write it down someday, but it isn't good enough yet. Because I'm the one who cries when a stranger sheds a tear, I won't become the mad scientist. I won't force people into cages to test my newest creation. But, oh, the things that I'm just itching to create, to have my monsters become the ones you see in every story. Because someone had to have come up with the werewolf, the vampire, the fairy, the griffin.
Its a wonderful story. I write a new chapter everyday. Its the reason I get no sleep at night. But I'm not sorry. I love this story. I think about how to make it better, how to make it less predictable, how to make it mine. Then I add in a couple more characters and a wistful new scene. I'm my own Doctor Who. If my mind were turned into a TV show, no one would watch. Not even me. Because a flat screen with a few little pixels cannot do justice to the things you can create in your mind. Its not something written on paper to make some money. As long as I keep it in my head, its the best story there will ever be.
14 March 2013
Daydreaming
Here's the thing. I daydream. Ow wow, Peachie, really? No one would have guessed from the title of this post! No, really. Only problem? I daydream way to much. I can turn pretty much any activity into the perfect spot to daydream. I daydream watching movies and tv shows, I daydream reading books, talking to friends, doing homework, family dinners, and basically everything. I just daydream.
I know. Who cares? I don't. Except now I do now that I can't even talk about characters in books. I imagine myself into the book so often that I feel like talking about them is like backstabbing a friend. But books are my friend. I can fall into a world where the pain isn't my own, and I don't have to think about tests coming up or how some of my real friends are fighting and trying to get me to pick a side. Its a battle that I can watch from the sidelines. And if I don't like an ending? Well then later that night, when I'm laying in bed, I imagine myself into the story and fix it to how I want it to end. I create my own characters, change the story, change the setting, make a new world, fix the names, add in friends and family, and then I have my own. I have my own story that doesn't even begin to resemble the one it came from. No one would make the connection.
And now I wonder. Is this normal? Do people take their favorite character from a book or show and make a new little story for them? Not like a fan fiction. Or maybe exactly like that. But I don't think that's what I'm doing. I take that piece of clay that became a story and I mold it into something completely new. It isn't a caterpillar into a butterfly. No. Its a bunny into a tiger. Its a table into a chair. The ties they have to each other are not close enough to be a fan fiction, and not nearly as love-story enough. So that makes me wonder... have stories been written in this way?
Stories are imaginations given to others. You see the inner daydream of another. You live through their daily blank stare. So does that mean that daydreams are just the stories we wanted all to ourselves? Does that mean that we are being greedy? I hope not. Because then I'd be the most greedy of them all.
I know. Who cares? I don't. Except now I do now that I can't even talk about characters in books. I imagine myself into the book so often that I feel like talking about them is like backstabbing a friend. But books are my friend. I can fall into a world where the pain isn't my own, and I don't have to think about tests coming up or how some of my real friends are fighting and trying to get me to pick a side. Its a battle that I can watch from the sidelines. And if I don't like an ending? Well then later that night, when I'm laying in bed, I imagine myself into the story and fix it to how I want it to end. I create my own characters, change the story, change the setting, make a new world, fix the names, add in friends and family, and then I have my own. I have my own story that doesn't even begin to resemble the one it came from. No one would make the connection.
And now I wonder. Is this normal? Do people take their favorite character from a book or show and make a new little story for them? Not like a fan fiction. Or maybe exactly like that. But I don't think that's what I'm doing. I take that piece of clay that became a story and I mold it into something completely new. It isn't a caterpillar into a butterfly. No. Its a bunny into a tiger. Its a table into a chair. The ties they have to each other are not close enough to be a fan fiction, and not nearly as love-story enough. So that makes me wonder... have stories been written in this way?
Stories are imaginations given to others. You see the inner daydream of another. You live through their daily blank stare. So does that mean that daydreams are just the stories we wanted all to ourselves? Does that mean that we are being greedy? I hope not. Because then I'd be the most greedy of them all.
09 March 2013
Opinions
Opinions are good. It keeps people from being all the same. No two people have the exact same opinion about everything. There are some differences. And thats what makes the world work. Thats what allows you to find people you love that come from everywhere. Opinions are good.
However, sometimes an opinion can come on too strong. This is how I feel about how I wrote my last blog post. I read it back and it might sound like I'm accusing you all of being stupid. I'm not. I was just trying to get across the point about the power of suggestion. This can change your opinion. Its like when someone says 'aw my nose is really itchy' and suddenly yours is too.
Opinions change the world. They are what create ideas. They are the morals in stories. They are the places that a director most wanted to use as backgrounds. Opinions are good. However my opinion could have been written more kindly so I appologise.
Have a nice day! :)
However, sometimes an opinion can come on too strong. This is how I feel about how I wrote my last blog post. I read it back and it might sound like I'm accusing you all of being stupid. I'm not. I was just trying to get across the point about the power of suggestion. This can change your opinion. Its like when someone says 'aw my nose is really itchy' and suddenly yours is too.
Opinions change the world. They are what create ideas. They are the morals in stories. They are the places that a director most wanted to use as backgrounds. Opinions are good. However my opinion could have been written more kindly so I appologise.
Have a nice day! :)
My Views on Makeup
I wear makeup. Its really a no-brainer for me. Being able to cover up what I don't like about my skin just makes me feel more comfortable. I like to be able to go out with friends and not have to hide every time they go to take a picture. I like being able to put on a smokey eye and suddenly look sultry and hot. I like makeup.
But when does it become too much? When do the prices get too high, when do us girls put too much on and call it a 'subtle ' look? My mum always says that most makeup is a scam. For a long time I didn't agree, but now I kind of get it. Why should I pay those $26 for a Mac compact? Is it 5 times better than the one I got at a drugstore for 4? No. Should I pay that same amount for a lipstick if I can get one in the same color for 80 cents? No. Were all the $50 cleansers, brushes, foundations, and primers worth that much money? No, no, and no.
Maybe you disagree. Maybe I just can't see the difference. Or maybe, just maybe, you're looking to hard to find a tiny justification for why you would spend that much money. Makeup companies give you the price they think you will pay, not the one that its worth. Why? Because that's business. You can't tell me that that powder you got was worth the money because not even the companies think so. When a company raises the price on one of their cosmetics, it isn't because there are flakes of real gold in it; its because they think they can milk you out of a little more money. And they do. And it works.
So I was thinking about everything that my mum said to me about makeup today and thought 'well what if it could be changed? what if girls made those companies realise that their products really aren't worth that much money?' It would be good for us.The prices would go down to where they should be and I wouldn't break the bank when trying to get a new foundation.
There are dupes for those products. Just because it says Chanel does not make it better. Or maybe it does. Maybe if I take a powder from the dollar store and sold it as a Chanel, people would like it better. Does that seem ridiculous? It isn't. There was a study taken (and you can google it if you'd like) where a bunch of people went to a wine tasting. They were given a sample of 'one of the most expensive wines in the world.' Then they were given one that was at a much cheaper price. When asked which was better, the majority said the expensive wine was so much better. However, the wines had been labeled wrong. The expensive wine had been given to them as the cheap one and vice versa. They had liked the cheaper one better purely because they had been told it was more expensive.
Do I do that? Do I look at something with a large price tag and just assume that its better? Granted, sometimes it really is better. Sometimes the price tag is true to what you are receiving. But not a lot. That's why I think makeup is a scam. If you buy a 32 pack of brushes online that cost the same price as one high brand cosmetic one, you get it. Because those brushes are both just some bristles stuck on a stick. If you go into Target and buy the elf brand palettes, you get it. Because I've tried both and I like elf just as much. If you can look past the price and see it for what it is, you get it. Because people reviews of makeup change depending on the price tag. I've seen YouTube videos of girls trying out drugstore foundations. A few times I watched the girl say that she might like the product the same as her high end one. Might. But even with that might in there, there is so much difference in that price. Why spend so much more if you like one that is half the price?
Maybe you just don't see yet. Maybe you do. Money doesn't define how good a product it is. I'd rather spend my money going out with friends, donating to charity, traveling around the world, or even setting up funds for my parents when they get older. But then again, maybe I don't get it. Maybe I haven't tried the right product yet; maybe I haven't used the perfect cosmetic that made my face look like a goddess. Maybe I'm wrong. I could be. But I haven't had a high end product that was worth it for me.
But when does it become too much? When do the prices get too high, when do us girls put too much on and call it a 'subtle ' look? My mum always says that most makeup is a scam. For a long time I didn't agree, but now I kind of get it. Why should I pay those $26 for a Mac compact? Is it 5 times better than the one I got at a drugstore for 4? No. Should I pay that same amount for a lipstick if I can get one in the same color for 80 cents? No. Were all the $50 cleansers, brushes, foundations, and primers worth that much money? No, no, and no.
Maybe you disagree. Maybe I just can't see the difference. Or maybe, just maybe, you're looking to hard to find a tiny justification for why you would spend that much money. Makeup companies give you the price they think you will pay, not the one that its worth. Why? Because that's business. You can't tell me that that powder you got was worth the money because not even the companies think so. When a company raises the price on one of their cosmetics, it isn't because there are flakes of real gold in it; its because they think they can milk you out of a little more money. And they do. And it works.
So I was thinking about everything that my mum said to me about makeup today and thought 'well what if it could be changed? what if girls made those companies realise that their products really aren't worth that much money?' It would be good for us.The prices would go down to where they should be and I wouldn't break the bank when trying to get a new foundation.
There are dupes for those products. Just because it says Chanel does not make it better. Or maybe it does. Maybe if I take a powder from the dollar store and sold it as a Chanel, people would like it better. Does that seem ridiculous? It isn't. There was a study taken (and you can google it if you'd like) where a bunch of people went to a wine tasting. They were given a sample of 'one of the most expensive wines in the world.' Then they were given one that was at a much cheaper price. When asked which was better, the majority said the expensive wine was so much better. However, the wines had been labeled wrong. The expensive wine had been given to them as the cheap one and vice versa. They had liked the cheaper one better purely because they had been told it was more expensive.
Do I do that? Do I look at something with a large price tag and just assume that its better? Granted, sometimes it really is better. Sometimes the price tag is true to what you are receiving. But not a lot. That's why I think makeup is a scam. If you buy a 32 pack of brushes online that cost the same price as one high brand cosmetic one, you get it. Because those brushes are both just some bristles stuck on a stick. If you go into Target and buy the elf brand palettes, you get it. Because I've tried both and I like elf just as much. If you can look past the price and see it for what it is, you get it. Because people reviews of makeup change depending on the price tag. I've seen YouTube videos of girls trying out drugstore foundations. A few times I watched the girl say that she might like the product the same as her high end one. Might. But even with that might in there, there is so much difference in that price. Why spend so much more if you like one that is half the price?
Maybe you just don't see yet. Maybe you do. Money doesn't define how good a product it is. I'd rather spend my money going out with friends, donating to charity, traveling around the world, or even setting up funds for my parents when they get older. But then again, maybe I don't get it. Maybe I haven't tried the right product yet; maybe I haven't used the perfect cosmetic that made my face look like a goddess. Maybe I'm wrong. I could be. But I haven't had a high end product that was worth it for me.
08 March 2013
Blogging?
So its Friday night, March 8th, at 6:01. My first post. I don't really know why I'm starting this. It just feels like the right thing right now. I'm sitting with my lights of, my curtains closed, and my little lanterns casting kaleidoscope cutouts onto my walls, and I want to try something new.
Maybe its silly, maybe its not, but I've wanted to be some sort of blogger since as long as I can remember. I can remember my 6 year old self sitting on my yellow bedspread with a binder specially for the website I was going to make. I was going to call it Faye~Faye. That binder was my life. I organized it with little tabs, I color coded it, drew sketches, wrote outlines for future blog posts, and even went so far as to get my cousin to give me her dream weaver software to make websites. But I didn't go any further.
And then, in 4th grade, it was going to be a video blog. Me and my friend Madison were going to make our own video studio out of my garage. We drew up designs, picked out decorations we liked, came up with names, wrote skits for what we were going to talk about, and even thought we would have to make our own band to make it more exciting. But we didn't go any further.
Then, suddenly, iCarly came out. I remember sitting down and watching it and thinking, I wish that was me! I want my own video blog! So I told my fried that and they showed me YouTube. I absolutely loved it. The people were funny and they held their own individually. However, I went from designing and slowly trying to make my dreams a reality to just watching them and sucking my day away.
Next, in 7th grade, me and my friend Ahleea were going to make our own blog, "just like the one in iCarly, only better!" We spent hours on the Internet putting URLs in to see if they had been taken or not. We drew designs, we wrote terrible skits that I still have in a little folder, and we took lots of snack breaks. This time, I got as far as actually starting to design the website on Dream Weaver. But I didn't get any further.
Another time, I decided that making my own website was a bit of a long shot for me. So I made a blogspot and a tumblr. The blogspot was just me writing some poems and a couple posts about the basketball team I was on at the time, while I immediately submitted to the tumblr way of only posting pictures (which did nothing to stop my desire for a blog). And I used them for a while, both not being what I had hoped for. So I didn't go any further.
Once, I actually managed to reach my goal.... only to be told by my mum that it wasn't a good idea. There was a song that I absolutely loved at the time called 'Fuckarias' even though there was no swearing. I listened to that song so often that I used my webcam to video myself singing it a capella and I actually posted it onto YouTube! However, my mum saw it and told me that it wouldn't be a good thing coming up if someone were to google me (my mum thinks about these things) so I made it private. And so I didn't go any further.
The latest time was September 2012 when I told myself that I would make a YouTube channel. I spent hours working to think of the perfect username, writing down things to talk about, searching what I would need to get starting, reading up on how to use video editing software. And surprisingly, I filmed my first video. I was so relieved. I thought to myself, 'maybe this is the time I actually do what I dream about!' I was so excited. Until I watched the video. I constantly played with my hair, half my head was out of shot, you could barely hear my voice, my dog was barking in the background, and every joke I had said just didn't seem funny anymore. So, blushing and thoroughly embarrassed, I closed the editing software I had opened and tried to block all desire to put up a video.
So here I am. Looking at this all, I think I've realized what my problem was. Planning. The one time I didn't plan it was the one time that I was happy with it. It was spontaneous and fun instead of some big chore that I had to force my way through. And the best thing about me starting this blog is that this it spontaneous. My only other open tab is a YouTube video that I paused half way through because I had officially had enough of beating around the bush. I've waited too long to do something like this! So I'm going to make the very best of this and use all my other failures to know what I shouldn't do. I'm not going to over think, I'm not going to put my full name so it shows up when people google me, and most importantly, I'm going to turn this into something that I can show to people and say proudly "I did this!"
Maybe its silly, maybe its not, but I've wanted to be some sort of blogger since as long as I can remember. I can remember my 6 year old self sitting on my yellow bedspread with a binder specially for the website I was going to make. I was going to call it Faye~Faye. That binder was my life. I organized it with little tabs, I color coded it, drew sketches, wrote outlines for future blog posts, and even went so far as to get my cousin to give me her dream weaver software to make websites. But I didn't go any further.
And then, in 4th grade, it was going to be a video blog. Me and my friend Madison were going to make our own video studio out of my garage. We drew up designs, picked out decorations we liked, came up with names, wrote skits for what we were going to talk about, and even thought we would have to make our own band to make it more exciting. But we didn't go any further.
Then, suddenly, iCarly came out. I remember sitting down and watching it and thinking, I wish that was me! I want my own video blog! So I told my fried that and they showed me YouTube. I absolutely loved it. The people were funny and they held their own individually. However, I went from designing and slowly trying to make my dreams a reality to just watching them and sucking my day away.
Next, in 7th grade, me and my friend Ahleea were going to make our own blog, "just like the one in iCarly, only better!" We spent hours on the Internet putting URLs in to see if they had been taken or not. We drew designs, we wrote terrible skits that I still have in a little folder, and we took lots of snack breaks. This time, I got as far as actually starting to design the website on Dream Weaver. But I didn't get any further.
Another time, I decided that making my own website was a bit of a long shot for me. So I made a blogspot and a tumblr. The blogspot was just me writing some poems and a couple posts about the basketball team I was on at the time, while I immediately submitted to the tumblr way of only posting pictures (which did nothing to stop my desire for a blog). And I used them for a while, both not being what I had hoped for. So I didn't go any further.
Once, I actually managed to reach my goal.... only to be told by my mum that it wasn't a good idea. There was a song that I absolutely loved at the time called 'Fuckarias' even though there was no swearing. I listened to that song so often that I used my webcam to video myself singing it a capella and I actually posted it onto YouTube! However, my mum saw it and told me that it wouldn't be a good thing coming up if someone were to google me (my mum thinks about these things) so I made it private. And so I didn't go any further.
The latest time was September 2012 when I told myself that I would make a YouTube channel. I spent hours working to think of the perfect username, writing down things to talk about, searching what I would need to get starting, reading up on how to use video editing software. And surprisingly, I filmed my first video. I was so relieved. I thought to myself, 'maybe this is the time I actually do what I dream about!' I was so excited. Until I watched the video. I constantly played with my hair, half my head was out of shot, you could barely hear my voice, my dog was barking in the background, and every joke I had said just didn't seem funny anymore. So, blushing and thoroughly embarrassed, I closed the editing software I had opened and tried to block all desire to put up a video.
So here I am. Looking at this all, I think I've realized what my problem was. Planning. The one time I didn't plan it was the one time that I was happy with it. It was spontaneous and fun instead of some big chore that I had to force my way through. And the best thing about me starting this blog is that this it spontaneous. My only other open tab is a YouTube video that I paused half way through because I had officially had enough of beating around the bush. I've waited too long to do something like this! So I'm going to make the very best of this and use all my other failures to know what I shouldn't do. I'm not going to over think, I'm not going to put my full name so it shows up when people google me, and most importantly, I'm going to turn this into something that I can show to people and say proudly "I did this!"
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