£11.99 in Boots
I haven’t worn mascara during the day (except while having my photo taken for the paper) for years.
I can’t remember why I stopped – it was around when I had Kitty. I think it was something to do with it feeling heavy and annoying on my lashes during the day and then a pain to take off at night. Or I was too tired to take it off at night and didn’t want it all over my pillow.
Anyway it was for broadly the same reasons that I wore only stretchy clothes and ate Crunchy Nut Cornflakes for lunch at 4pm.
And it turns out that mascaras have come an awfully long way in five years. I, quite randomly, tried this Max Factor mascara the other day and have found myself putting it on every morning since. It doesn’t really feel like you’ve got anything on, it dries quickly so none of those black spots on your brow bone and it seems to come off reasonably easily at night, too.
I doubt that this is the very best mascara available – it’s just a mascara. But it, randomly, suits my needs completely.
Similarly I have very little time for foundation, unless I’m in the middle of a particularly traumatising breakout. Elizabeth Arden’s CC cream Daywear is about as far as I’ll go – but I do like a blurring primer. This Dermalogica one came my way and it’s very good at… well.. blurring things. You just have to make sure your moisturiser is definitely on before you apply this over the top otherwise you get some sort of mad chemical reaction between the two.
About £38 most places
I see they’ve also got an anti-redness one, which is of great interest to me, being a ruddy-cheeked farmer’s niece.
O, my Uncle. He died this weekend. He was ill for a long time and so this is not a surprise but, god almighty, it is sad for us. He was always kind but he was also a farmer – a proper one. He got up at 4am to sort out the cows and probably had to kill things occasionally. You know what I’m saying, he was a toughie. And bore such an unsettling resemblance to my mother. That’s truly uncanny – your mother as a man.
His dog, Sam, a border collie was my first true love. God I loved that dog. Sam limped a little from an accident I can’t remember exactly what. “He exaggerates that limp,” my Uncle used to say. “When he wants sympathy.” Then he would cackle and whistle Sam to heel (without even putting his fingers in his mouth: skillz) and stamp off up the lane.
If you have not given to charity in a while and are toying with the idea, The Alzheimer’s Society does great things.
Another recently ish bereaved niece here to say sorry for your loss. Too much Death around at the moment. More cheerfully that Dermalogica stuff kicks ass.
I’m sorry to hear about your uncle.
re: mascara: have you tried Blinc? It makes little tubes around your eyelashes that can’t smudge and only require water + pressure to slide off. If you accidentally forget to take it off and sleep in it, it will come off in the shower the next morning. No more raccoon eyes ever.
Sorry to hear about your uncle. My late Welsh uncle was a farmer too (with a beautiful sheepdog). He looked as tough as old boots but turned out he wasn’t in the end. Love to you and your family x
Sorry about your uncle, just lost my aunt. Aunts and uncles are great things…always on the side lines being lovely and they are the makers of great childhood memories. As for mascara thanks for the tip, I too haven’t worn for 9 years since the small one arrived as I’m always rubbing tired eyes and it doesn’t make for a good look. But think it’s time to re enter the world of glamour and make a bit more effort so will try it.
Well, recently I had my make-up done at the charlotte tilbury counter by a lovely male make – up artist (who weirdly looked a lot a scouse version of John Galliano) and he said it was POINTLESS spending loads of money on mascara. After 6 weeks it gets old / stale anyway (air and grime and stuff makes it’s way in) rendering it useless. He said the cheaper ones are best and the one he advised was a boots no. 7 one called HD (or something). So there you go. If you’ve found an excellent inexpensive Max Factor one that’s great. Will give it a go & thanks for the tip!
Sorry about your uncle, he sounds like a great guy.
Am very sorry to hear about your uncle. He sounds like a great character xxx
So so sorry to hear about your uncle. My uncle has just died – out of the blue. Have been discussing with my mum better to go with no warning for loved ones or to have longer but everyone has time to prepare and think about why an individual was so valued. Horrid any which way. So sympathetic. Uncles are always great characters, mine was a well travelled scientist.
That is a cool uncle to have, no doubt.