Makeup Discourse

It all began on that September morning of 2013, when we (T and I) visited a beach polluted with plastic bags. We could not wait there for more than five minutes, so to speak. That was not alarming enough.

On a lighter note, I found a movie ticket from 2011 in my old bag, the one I saved with a purpose. All the printed letters have disappeared, it is blank. Trash.

I cannot exactly put my finger on the date it had begun, initially, it was a phase, or so I believed.
I had to sort out my academic stuff, after I finished college. My life needed spring cleaning in the midst of fall. The first step in action was to give up everything I was holding onto. Half-filled journals, pretty boxes saved to store things, newspaper-magazine cutouts and things that are nothing more than a graveyard of pleasant-unpleasant memories. In a way, clutter-free, minimalistic living was what I wanted. As I sat in front of all these things, it just hit me hard with a thought that I am not the only one, who gathers things. In that brief moment, my imagination multiplied it to 10, 1000, million times. It was like growing up in a second. But I see that all my struggles, efforts have failed. I shredded all of it from an analytical perspective before I could even sum up my courage to put this in writing. I wanted this to go live on the Earth's Day, which coincidentally happens to be my birthday but honestly what I was trying to put up? failure?

My initial action towards a minimal and ecological lifestyle included all these measures:

Beauty-wise

1) I gave up face scrubs way back, I almost forgot how they must feel against my skin. The beads can block gills and kill fishes.

2) Recycling jars and containers to store DIY stuff.

3) I stopped using cotton pads, and I bought few microfiber cloths for makeup removal to replace them. For toners, I am thinking of getting the reusable cotton pads. But for now, I am following the serum technique—pat, pat, pat.

4) I gave up Shampoo. I did the math: shampoo and body washes' empty bottles, 6 each for 12 months on an average. I imagined my disturbing lifetime bottle trash. Hence, I switched to shampoo bars, and I am even considering making them on my own. I havenot yet figured out the body washes' alternatives yet. I cannot imagine me and bar soap together. eek!

5) Am I the only one who hates paperboard and full plastic sealed packaging?

6) I do not like sheet face masks. I tried them twice. But logically, it is a serum infused sheet. Just spray-soak your face with a serum/ampoule, you'll save a sheet!

7) I wish every brand start out recycling programs. I would very much prefer glass packaging for everything. Let us just forget the glass packaging as a con for once.

8) No skincare wipes; no blotting papers. I had to be strict with myself for these two things. No sanitising wipes, either, which makes me feel incomplete (or germ-ridden) at times. I think I have one of each for extreme emergencies. I had given up using facial tissues back in 2011; I switched to using cotton kerchiefs.

9) As insignificant as it may sound, but I have started opting for bulkier versions of bottles. So that I do not end up cluttering and adding to the landfill with 3 bottles for 3 months, when I can minimise it to one.

Stationery-wise

I hoard stationery. If I see anything fancy, I pick it up. I collect pens, needless to say I have as many as I can store. Notebooks, journals and diaries too. Currently, I have six blank, sealed ones that I do not know what I would use them for. Hoarding can get crazy at times, my life is a living proof? *sigh*

1) I reflected on the past, only to see how I have misused the mighty pen. I would go through one Pilot Hi-tech for approximately 6 essay answers. For the amount that we had to write, it is disturbing, because I disliked refilling them, as they would leak. I refill them now, and I don't care even if they leak and colour my fingers. I have started liking them, ink-stained fingers! I like to assume that it makes me feel like an artist, writer, to be precise.

2) I stopped scribbling or writing ideas on paper. I stopped journaling or making daily diary entries. I use private blogging, Evernote and Microsoft Word now.

3) I cannot decide between wooden pencils and mechanical pencils. FAIL!   

4) I do not opt for ATM receipts.

5) I have stopped using post-its for trivial things. I use reminders on the phone instead.

6) For all things related to writing, I cannot find easy alternatives. I simply write using pencil and erase and reuse the paper.

7) Ebook is such a heavy-heart choice for printed word lovers. I try my best, to  avoid "that" fancy  limited cover page edition.

Lifestyle-wise

1) Sanitary napkins, No, thank you! There are eco-friendly alternatives to suit every woman.

2) Water bottles. FAIL. Glass bottles/metal bottles turn out too heavy to carry (I only use glass bottles now).

3) I have killed my desire to get those PVC neon bags for the monsoon. No PVC anything.

4) For all that is perishable, compost for the plants.

5) I plant my own herbs.

6) Vegan ways for ecological balance.

7) No more food-coffee takeaways. Major FAIL!

Why did I fail?

1) I cannot stop my lazy self from buying things online to save time and effort, which has its own ecological disadvantages: packaging, airbags and plastic packaging.

2) Some days, I consciously contribute to non-ecofriendly ways like an old habit.

3) Some days minimalistic approaches do not seem to work. And there is so much more than I think I should be doing.


On the brightest side, I have turned into this secretly unapologetic eco-spiritual woman on a mission.
There are days, I drift away and seriously fail to adhere to any one mentioned thing. Takeaway coffee. I think I should give it up.

Dusty Mauve: this colour has to be my current fixation!




I think, I accidentally ordered Rose Dawson instead of Holly Golightly. Holly is one of my favourite literary characters. I don't even remember who I had on my mind, Holly or Rose. I have had this crayon for quite sometime now, but the colour was not my preference then. It turned out brighter than I anticipated. I like the fact that the undertone makes my grey contacts look blue. As funny as it may seem, it is summer and I always turn towards my brights. *wink*



I contacted Sugar Cosmetics for their official statement with regards to being Cruelty-free. Here's what they replied.


Certified CF? I am unsure of how I feel about their stance.

captured in the afternoon light

Colour

Texture

This sets into powder-matte finish and is quite drying. Doubtlessly, this one goes well on well-prepped and hydrated lips. For desert dry lips, a heavy duty balm underneath will save them. For the kind of restless talker I am, this one moves quite a lot and then mysteriously disappears, where? I have no clue. Maybe, the heavy lip balm underneath eats it :D

Longevity

Quite average. I have been wearing this to work, and I believe in keeping myself hydrated. It does transfer a lot on drinking. No wonder, the mouth of my water bottles have lipstick stains/residue. Like all other lipsticks, I blot this too and layer to prolong the longevity. To add, it does settle into the lines, which is only thing I dislike about powder mattes.

Captured indoors. Blotted one million times!

I think I will stick to this combination till I have to switch back to clear contacts.

There is something about the colour red...

L.A.Colors Pout Lipgloss Matte in Lusty

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Amsterdam

Essence XXXL Longlasting Lipgloss Matt Effect in Silky Red