jenny and the art of cosmetic shopping

Gill gets a specially emailed invite every year to the Clarins sale - RSVP, bring your invite, no handbags, cash only.  Last Saturday she went along and they did not ask for her invite and they sent her another email saying that the sale had been extended for 3 more days.  So being the good friend she is, she sent me off with her invite on Monday with no handbag and quite a bit of cash.  What a pleasure.  I spent about an hour there checking on which combinations were the best value.  I ended up buying cleaners and toners, an exfoliating toner, tinted moisturisers, day cream combinations with free sample night creams, eye gels, serums.  They also had about 7 huge boxes of foundations and about 30 different colours in each box.  This was difficult - ultra-firming, perfect touch, light reflecting, extra coverage, long lasting, matte, ultra matte.  I mean really.  They don't make things easy and especially when you have to open up each box to see the colour.  I could not really decide and ended up with every kind in a similar colour (yes Mom and Dalene, I have some for you).  Also bought the boys some beauty products with SPF's.  What a morning but scary how much money you can spend, even when things are really cheap.

Now I have a problem.  Bearing in mind that I usually use Lux soap and Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter on my face at night and Lux soap (always white for those of you who are horrified) and Nivea Soft during the day.  I now have to head to the shops to buy cotton wool so I can use my fancy toners but worst of all it takes me about 10 extra minutes to get into bed at night.  Michael, as only Michael can, let out a "Hells Bells woman how many different tubes are you using on one face?".  10 extra minutes at night and a whole lot longer in the morning because I have all these fancy foundations and I am not sure which one is best, so I use them all (lighter one around the eyes, ultra matte on the nose, extra firming around mouth and wrinkles). It is hard work.

Cleanser and Toner - R100 for both

(but it did not come with cotton wool)

 New arrangement on the dressing table

Extra firming - Anti Rides Lift-Ferme

So if you see me and are amazed at the clarity and matte look of my perfectly polished, light reflecting and exfoliated skin, just give me a knowing wink.  I am not one to draw attention to myself!!!