clueless beauty pageant.

when it comes to make-up, i am utterly clueless. when flipping through glossies, i skip the pages where make-up tips are given and, therefore, look basically the same every day. my face is not my canvas, to say the least.

here's my arsenal of make-up. really. all of it.


(oops, my pressed powder is not present, but in my purse...)

there are a few good reasons behind my reluctance to experiment with cosmetics:

first, and foremost, i have (really) oily skin which is prone to breakouts. because of that, i cannot really wear foundation without it starting to "float" on my skin in a few hours. the same reason prevents the use of dark eye-shadows. finding a mascara that does not venture up on my browbone is a nightmare: i used kanebo38 for a while but my eyes got teary, moved onto diorshow, but at the moment am happy with mac zoom lash. every powdery product i must buy at least a shade lighter than i want it because the color will darken in a matter of hours because of oil. i have not found a base that would prevent the oiliness, so i deal with doing without multiple basic beauty products.

second, i have sensitive skin and have been known to develop random allergies to products i've used for years. therefore, cosmetics with added fragrances are a big no-no and brands i am unfamiliar with i approach with skepticism.

third, i have a, whatshouldyacallit, unusual face (hah, euphemism of the day!) which does not easily transform to different looks. it does not take much make-up to turn me into ronn moss...

so why am i writing about this? i realized that i am thirty-two (yeah, i kinda realized it before, but this time the revelation arrived with a mirror...) and i've never owned a skin-highlighter pen or any other product supposedly everyone over 25 should have. although i have felt infantile pride over being such a low maintenance kind of a chick, i could use some upkeep from time to time. and, naturally, i'd love to look as dewy and pretty as possible and i do have to admit that at this age having next to nothing on your face does not translate into just-out-of-the-shower freshness but rather a lack of sleep.

for some reason all the tips women with vivacious sebaceous glands seem to get from magazines are for skin care and acne prevention. i've got my buffing down put and my pimples in check, but it does not translate to my face lacking shine and my makeup staying on where it's supposed to. when i visit cosmetics counters the salespeople never seem to take me seriously: i am offered a base product after another until i tell them i've pretty much tried them all. the most common completely useless suggestion i constantly get is the recommendation to use waterproof products; correct me if i'm wrong, but is it h2o oozing from my pores? what is the substance used for waterproof make-up removal? correct answer to both questions: oil, and you do the math...

i'm sure i am not the only butter-face with these problems although it seems my blogging colleagues only suffer from perfect skin or, in some cases, overly dry complexions. in other words, i would love to receive your tried-and-tested make-up and base tips for oily skin. (ja saa kommentoida ja vinkata suomeksi, jos tuntuu, ettei englanti taivu...)