Hands up - I know nothing about beauty, or how to do pretty nail art or what's even a decent top coat these days. I'm the first to admit it doesn't interest me in the slightest.
In the early days of this blog nail varnishes sometimes had a passing mention - I think there's even some individual posts if you care to big deep. Fast forward to today and I don't have that need or the desire for make up or even really splashing out on fancy nail varnishes depending on the in colors for the season. I'm pretty low maintenance, don't get me wrong I like to look ok but I'm more than happy to go the store without a face of make up on - working from home, I go without make up most day. Coating my face in make up doesn't boost my confidence, it makes me feel like I'm hiding from myself even more than normal. This is why you'll rarely, if ever see me talking of my own free will about beauty on Dear Ms Leigh, in fact I rarely read about beauty on any blog. It's just not my thing - each to their own and all.
Then it comes to nails. Rooting in old, damp, dark, dusty basements to sorting through kitchen cupboards and piles of old boxes every week, well that does nothing for your nails I tell you. Gone at the days of having nails that were long, or smooth, or nice. But it goes with my job. Root through a box of vinyl and there'll be a chip and well it gets worse from there. To be honest, it doesn't bother me much, yeah I'm one of those people with chipped varnish. And I don't care but I will spare you from having to see them.
To limit this post being rather negative and not knowing anything really about what's hot in the world of nail varnish, I do feel comfy talking about new uses for vintage things in everyday life, so we'll go with that.
In the early days of this blog nail varnishes sometimes had a passing mention - I think there's even some individual posts if you care to big deep. Fast forward to today and I don't have that need or the desire for make up or even really splashing out on fancy nail varnishes depending on the in colors for the season. I'm pretty low maintenance, don't get me wrong I like to look ok but I'm more than happy to go the store without a face of make up on - working from home, I go without make up most day. Coating my face in make up doesn't boost my confidence, it makes me feel like I'm hiding from myself even more than normal. This is why you'll rarely, if ever see me talking of my own free will about beauty on Dear Ms Leigh, in fact I rarely read about beauty on any blog. It's just not my thing - each to their own and all.
Then it comes to nails. Rooting in old, damp, dark, dusty basements to sorting through kitchen cupboards and piles of old boxes every week, well that does nothing for your nails I tell you. Gone at the days of having nails that were long, or smooth, or nice. But it goes with my job. Root through a box of vinyl and there'll be a chip and well it gets worse from there. To be honest, it doesn't bother me much, yeah I'm one of those people with chipped varnish. And I don't care but I will spare you from having to see them.
To limit this post being rather negative and not knowing anything really about what's hot in the world of nail varnish, I do feel comfy talking about new uses for vintage things in everyday life, so we'll go with that.
Me and acrylic storage don't go well - my plastic drawers for my stock are well hidden under vintage doilies and table cloths, so when it comes to storing my nail varnishes, the ones I have on hand - at least the ones I reach out to the most in any given month are, surprise surprise, displayed in something vintage. Acrylic nail varnish holders and containers may work well for some, but they would never work, nor would they ever fit in with everything else we have and use. So vintage it is. Granted i'm not overly sure about the original purpose of the holder - it may well be a dish, a holder or even an ash tray - but with a good clean it works well for my uses, it sits on one of my stock drawers, piled with varnishes I've considered, used but never lasted long enough from the previous couple of weeks.
Where does beauty fit in your life? What crazy things do you turn to for storage?
This post is the #5 in the 2014bloggerchallenge - yes I missed 4 because I have no interest in high end items
I have a love/hate relationship with nail polish. I love seeing a bit of color on my nails, but I hate how quickly it chips when just going about my normal business of housework! And who exactly has the time or inclination to repaint that often?! I'm currently rocking the low maintenance clear polish look. ; ) As far as makeup goes, I do like it, but mostly keep it to doing up one feature. Most days it would be the eyes: a bit of eyeliner and mascara is really all that's needed.
ReplyDeleteSee that's what i mean - basic everyday house hold chores just seems to tear my polish off yet alone anything that happenings from trawling through old basements. I'm certainly all about the eyeliner - without it I look a little ill to be honest.
DeleteI always want to be on the ball with beauty but when it comes down to it I'm just lazy! xx
ReplyDeleteYeah it feels like an investment to have to know the top brands and read all the reviews and stuff - I can't pretend to be that interested enough to like it.
DeleteI'm a nail polish obsessive and paint my nails at least twice a week. I even try to get fancy with them sometimes. It's my vice. Makeup I can take or leave, I work from home too at the moment, so a whole week will go by with nothing but moisturiser on my face. I don't paint my face up just to go to the supermarket or gym on a night. But I feel naked without nailpolish!
ReplyDeleteSee I use to feel like that about nail varnish especially when I was working in retail and for some reason my varnish seemed to last for days then too. Those were the days!
DeleteI've never prioritised beauty and only wear a 'face' at the weekend as I feel horrible without it. My nails virtually never got painted but I have just got some Seche Vite so that they actually DRY QUICKLY, it's a revelation! x
ReplyDeleteThat Seche Vite stuff is pretty good stuff I will admit!
DeleteI have my nail polishes in an ipad box. It just fits them perfectly.
ReplyDeleteMy nail polish chips so easily, and once I have a chip I peel the rest of the polish off. My favourite polish at the moment is a clear polish with black and white circles in it. So that when you put it over a different colour it makes it kind of look like polkadots. Definitely a low maintenance nail girl. And even though I do go to work every day I hardly ever wear makeup. It's just way too much hassle.
See i'm all for finding new purposes for things. I'm the same though, as soon as there's a chip it's an invitation to start picking and peeling off the rest, I can't just let it sit, so I start picking and peeling. I really don't help myself!
DeleteI basically never wear makeup. I'd rather have the extra 10 minutes in bed to snooze than plaster my face with gunk that I'll only forget to take off again at the end of the day! Even when I go out on the town or to a special event I keep it low key and simple. Maybe I just need someone to show me the ways?!
ReplyDeleteHaha yes give me bed over make up any day of the week!
DeleteI love this! A nice honest account of beauty.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy painting my nails, that actual act of painting them. I find it quite relaxing and have been known to paint them all, let them dry, take it all off and pain again. It's one of my go to things to calm down a little if I'm getting to anxious.
With work it only lasts a day or two and then it's chipped. I'm also one of those people who pick the nail varnish and leave it on the sofa (drives Kris insane!)
:) I do actually like painting my nails and having pretty nails and whatever, it just never lasts long enough for it to be a worth while past time these days. I find computer keyboards eat and chip my varnish more than anything lately. Silly technology!
DeleteOh and yeah, my chipped varnish gets everywhere - floor, rug, sofa ...
I used to hate painting my nails as I did it always turned out looking awful but with age I seem to have made some 180ยบ changes in my life. I started wearing make up on a daily basis at 38 and just a year ago I started painting my nails. I hate having chipped nails so I just use a clear base coat on days or weeks when I don't have the patience to put on some colour.
ReplyDelete