to be a consumer

This post is going to be girly. It will be about shopping. And about makeup.

Last night the husband had drinks with friends. I stayed home. The husband had one too many drinks.

This morning I awoke freakishly early and full of energy. I suggested breakfast in Portland, something we never do. Mentally I planned in a trip to Ann Taylor Loft.

A sheepish, sleepy and slow-moving husband agreed.

Breakfast at Screen Door was worth the 45 minutes of driving plus one-hour-and-fifteen-minutes of waiting.

After breakfast we headed to Lloyd Center mall. Wow! It has been a long time since we shopped there.

At Loft I tried on nine pairs of pants -- two colors, three sizes and two styles. In the end I determined that I am indeed petite. Who knew?

Husband waited patiently, hangover and all.

I also bought a t-shirt and a black cardigan (which I've been wanting for about six months). The cashier commented that I had "stocked up on the basics." I'm not really sure what that means, because I don't plan to buy anything less basic.

I think it means my wardrobe is boring.

I'm okay with that.



Later in the day, after I took a nap, and the husband (who did not take a nap) went to work, I popped in to Walgreens for makeup.

The other day, at New Seasons, I picked up a bottle of foundation thinking that maybe I'm ready to switch to a natural makeup. Then I saw the $26 price tag. The second bottle I picked up boasted a $39 sticker.

I love the planet. I don't want my cosmetics to be tested on animals. And I'm not really interested in giving myself cancer from my cover-up. But I simply can't justify spending that much on my cosmetics.

So, I headed to Walgreens with the intent to purchase a bottle of animal-cruel, earth-killing, cancer-causing Cover Girl foundation. Before I snagged the bottle and ran, I thought I'd take a stroll through the store and see what else they had to offer. And what is this?
Physicians Formula Organic Wear

The packaging was remarkably light on plastic and the marketing materials made it seem positive. Yet, I wasn't sure...

It is so easy to get green-washed!

But I figured, it was better than my regular make-up, which I knew was bad. I bought a tube of tinted moisturizer (SPF 15) and a compact of pressed powder each for about $8 (on sale).

Once home, I immediately checked the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database. The site rated my powder of 2 and my moisturizer a 3. My usual makeup rates between 7 and 9 on a 0-10 scale with 0 being low-hazard and 10 being high.

Hooray for not getting green-washed!

After washing off my old make-up, I tried on the new stuff. It's light and seems to work well. I give it two thumbs up!


I spend a whole lot of time trying not to over-consume. I am all about re-using and reducing. I try to focus on my needs rather than my wants. I try to be a low-maintenance kind of gal.

But sometimes it just feels good to shop!