Don't know how others feel, but to me, one rule for the chic - a working woman (repeat after me) always wears makeup in the office. I know, I know…Some of you may hate makeup coz it takes so much of your time to put it on in the morning and leceh to re-apply after solat, etc, kan? But if you have the glowing, flawless, blemish free skin of a newborn babe, then perhaps you can get away with wearing no makeup (and if you are so blessed, please, please, please share your invaluable beauty secrets here with us readers, the less fortunate beings that we are). Most of us, however, are realistically (whether we want to face it or not) just not blessed with the ageless appearance of a goddess, so we must do a little extra to get that polished look that’s simple, quick and office-ready. Especially at this age, no make up at all makes you look quite pale and not so presentable, yes? Also, keep in mind: even if you are enjoying refreshment from a seemingly eternal fountain of youth, younger looking women often look intern-young when they go bare-faced to the office but still.... makeup can add sophistication to your look :)
Many women suffer from serious fatigue because we juggle so much – we’re not only working professionals/non-professionals, but we take on countless other roles at home apart from the office. Nevertheless, to remain successful in our careers, we have to have enough energy to drag our bumbums out of our beds and to our desks each morning..... *arrrggghh!*
While many of you definitely have legitimate reasons for being utterly exhausted (we know we do), appearances still matter in the workplace. You do not want to bump into your boss first thing in the morning, looking like you just got hit by a freakin’ truck, rather, you want to look excited to be arriving at the office (even if you’re not) and ready to take on the next high-profile assignment (EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT), because your mood determines your spirit at work and hence better performance, yes? No? Thank goodness, makeup can help you in the looking-excited-and-ready-to-work department even on days when your mind has checked out and your body is longing to golek-golek in bed.
Now, ladies, don’t get me wrong. I am by no means telling you to cake layer upon layer of brightly hued makeup onto your faces, showing up at work looking like a clown. In my opinion... MINE only ehh, other's are welcome here anytime, the best office look is a natural look (however, Forbes Woman says bold makeup can be office-appropriate if you know how to work it. But I just don’t trust myself with the bold look for the office hehehe... silap-silap jadi rupa Hantu Kak Limah!).
If you’re not sure how to achieve the best natural look for you, get to your nearest department store where you can seek consultation at your preferred makeup counter. But heyyy! My makeup artist friend (well, Aeen... you know I mean YOU!) is able to give you consultation (free ke tak??) should you need makeup tips. Hmmm Aeen should 'reward' me for posting this....... *thinking* ...
So once you’ve got the right makeup in your bag, please try to find time in your hectic day to touch up. Smudged eyeliner, smeared lipstick and greasy skin do NOT convey energy and enthusiasm, my dear friends.
I am actually interested in knowing your daily makeup essentials. My must-haves are:
(1) a good concealer to hide those flaws;
(2) a compact blotting powder to cover those shine;
(3) a tinted lipgloss (preferably, as I don't quite favour wearing lipsticks), but a soft coloured lipstick does fine, which complements your look and your skin tone without looking goth, vampish, or punk-rockish;
(4) a warm toned eye shadow to accentuate the eyes and make it look fresh a lil bit after staring at the computer for hours;
(5) eye liner to keep the eyes looking wide awake (even if they're not) - although I seldom use an eye liner as I prefer a bare-eyed look during most of the day - but at night events yes.. I do put on some eyeliner;
(6) mascara to give the eyelashes a lift and eyes a pop - this one is a MUST for me... never leave home without it; and
(7) blusher, or bronzer.
There. I don't think applying those takes you forever, does it? 5 minit je tu, all for the sake of looking glowingly fresh. And to top them all up, spray generously your favourite perfume to give yourself a boost, especially on those Mondays hehehe! But I'm wondering if those stuff make your makeup bag bulge. Well, bottomline is... get a bigger handbag lah macam ni. Haha! ;)
So let's try and be a girl again, and start dolling up ourselves (jangan lebih-lebih nanti jadi Kak Limah!) for a fresh start of the day to the office. But not forgetting, kat rumah pun janganlah selebet ya, my lovely friends ;)
And, last but not least, thanks to my dear friend Aeen for inspiring me to write this entry about office makeup! xoxo
