The Chanel Ratonas Off-topic Thread

[Anneri]

Hello lovely Ratonas! Thank you for all your birthday wishes!

Indeed, the weekend flew by! I came hoe Friday evening to a wonderful 'birthday table' my bf set up for me - presents, flowers, lovely little cupcakes, candles... The whole package! I'm so spoilt. I could tell last week was really exhausting - we both fell asleep later on the couch while watching a DVD...
The Saturday was packed with all kinds of appointmens plus shopping - I needed a black 'business' trouser suit, and it took me ages to find one - in most cases, either the trousers or the jacket didn't fit! I feel like wearing a costume while wearing it anyway - I'm more of a jeans kind of girl...

Yesterday I moved into the shady house. It still is shady, and I had the worst nightmares tonight. But I keep telling myself it's only for three weeks - I'll manage.

The job is super stressful. It can be fun and interesting, but at the moment I rather doubt I want to pursue a career in the cosmetics industry!!!

 

[LMD84]

Hello lovely Ratonas! Thank you for all your birthday wishes!

Indeed, the weekend flew by! I came hoe Friday evening to a wonderful 'birthday table' my bf set up for me - presents, flowers, lovely little cupcakes, candles... The whole package! I'm so spoilt. I could tell last week was really exhausting - we both fell asleep later on the couch while watching a DVD...
The Saturday was packed with all kinds of appointmens plus shopping - I needed a black 'business' trouser suit, and it took me ages to find one - in most cases, either the trousers or the jacket didn't fit! I feel like wearing a costume while wearing it anyway - I'm more of a jeans kind of girl...

Yesterday I moved into the shady house. It still is shady, and I had the worst nightmares tonight. But I keep telling myself it's only for three weeks - I'll manage.

The job is super stressful. It can be fun and interesting, but at the moment I rather doubt I want to pursue a career in the cosmetics industry!!!

Oh it sounds like your boyfriend sorted a lovely weekend for you both! shame you fell asleep during the movie though!

 

[katred]

I will snap some photos later for you for comparison to the Chanel quads - color-wise, no, and texture/payoff-wise, no comparison!! The YSL have a luminescence, if I can put it that way, that I don't get from other shadows, except maybe the Armani ETKI. 05 was the one I originally wanted - I can't resist pinks and greys/blacks!!

Speaking of the ETKI, has anyone seen/tried the L'Oreal version (Color Infallible Eye Shadow)? I am so anxious for them to get here - I want to try the black one and maybe one or two others - they're only available internationally atm, so I'm hopeful we'll see them in the US soon!

I haven't double checked this, but I read in a magazine that those YSL quads, which are $48 in the USA, if I'm not mistaken, are priced at $74 in Canada.

I can honestly say that, since I read that, I haven't spent more than about 30 seconds at an YSL counter. Unless they're packing the Canadian quads with cocaine, there is NO excuse for that.

 

[Bonitinha]

Katred -- Yikes, that is a ridiculous amount for the YSL quad there in Canada -- I would boycott, too!

Can I just tell all you ladies how much I love this makeup look on Sandra Bullock:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/02/sandra-bullock-the-change-up-premiere_n_915701.html

That is the perfect pink blush and lippie -- I am dying to know what she is wearing! I know she mostly uses Chanel makeup, but I can't find a breakdown of it anywhere. It is at the premier of The Change Up in case any of you come across it.

I'm going to have a movie night with my girls -- we're going to watch Soul Surfer. Now they all want to move to Hawaii LOL

 

[Miss QQ]

^^ Yup, gorgeous! Even the eye makeup looks good. I want that lipstick! Thanks, I make on note on Angelos.

Katred - I would boycott ysl too if they mark up the price. I saw that each cost S$102 at my local dutyfree shop so I think they are marked up too! I hope that it will be tax free and cheap if someone helps me to pick it up at the airport.

 

[Shypo]

That pricing is just totally nuts!!! Why would they do that? Stupid!

If anyone wants me to pick something up, just let me know -

 

[Shypo]

I ordered the new Givenchy blush prism tonight - Lune Rosee I think is the name of the color. It sort of reminds me of Guerlain' Blush G, but I'm hoping it's different. I saw it featured in this month's Allure. Sephora has it and the new shadow palettes up. I'm hoping the new Guerlain palettes won't be available for awhile. My wallet hid from me haha.

 

[Almus]

*Waiting for the review on that gorgeous Givenchy blush*

 

[Shypo]

I will definitely let you know what I think

.

 

[Bonitinha]

^^ I went and checked it out on Sephora.com -- oh my, gorgeous!!

 

[stv578]

Hey ladies!

Glad to see everyone is chatting away here still. I haven't had the time really to come on too often. And I have also gotten a lot better these past few months with resisting the urge to buy make-up, and truth be told, it is easier sticking to that when I don't see all your posts about new goodies! After the Chanel fall collection, I will be taking a break, which for once I think may work since life has gotten too rushed for me to really spend the time I'd like to in the mornings and have kept things really simple in terms of make-up.

I've also been focusing a lot on decorating lately, little bits and pieces here and there because I need to add life to our house now. It's almost been a year, so no more excuses for the bare walls and furniture! If anyone wants to discuss home stuff, I'm all ears!

Michelle, my daughter started junion kindergarten last year, which was only every other day, but she starts a new full-time kindergarten program this September, which for me will be a lot harder knowing she's in school every day. So we can cry together!

 

[Bonitinha]

Hi Nora ~ I love decorating stuff, too -- and we've been talking about new paint in our family room. I want to get new throw pillows and a few things to spruce things up. I have been trying to get my hubby to put in crown moulding and high baseboards in the master for years . . . LOL
It will be hard to have our babies in Kindergarten!! My little one is soooo excited to go. But the first day will be a tough one!!
Good for you for not buying as much makeup! At least this last Chanel collection I didn't buy anything from!!

 

[Shypo]

I have to say that I'm getting into the same boat - I'm putting myself on a no-buy for awhile - so I may also be scarce as it's easier to stick to it when, as Nora says, we're not talking about all the new goodies

. I'm going to concentrate on the vast collection I already have, and maybe as a treat, or motivational reward, I'll look into the Chanel Holiday collection. I've pretty much decided I'm going to return triscuit and Grey Exquise - but I'm going to keep Pink Cloud as I think I will love it as a highlight.

With my younger son going off to college, I think I'm going to invest in myself and learn a new language - sign language perhaps. My brother learned it many years ago, but I don't know if he is still 'fluent'. I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with it, but it's something that intrigues me.

I'm also going to be getting said son's room re-done - painting and redecorating of sorts, so that will be my creative outlet for awhile. I'll need to keep my hands and mind busy, and I think doing that will potentially be a little easier on my bank account......but that could be debatable!

So, I'm not signing off or anything, but I may turn into a periodic lurker.

 

[Bonitinha]

Cheryl -- I bet you will love learning sign language. My sister took classes for a while -- she has a few friends who are interpreters.
Have fun re-decorating your sons room -- that will be fun. I have a few rooms that I want to change up a little also. Keep us posted on what you do!

 

[User38]

^ totally agree C!.. a no buy is good as a mental cleanse too.. to step back and look at what you already have and what you may need or want. None of us probably needs anything.. except what our emotions tell us we need. Do I need another lipstick.. hell no. Not unless it delivers new fluffy flocked lips.. and that is still a few years away.
How many cheeks do I need to have before I run out of blusher.. no way to even quantify, but several thouand applications are in my possession al ready. So, as you can all see... I have already been on a semi no buy -- just because I don't find anything really inspiring or a product that makes me want to buy it even though I have similar ones in my stash. This is just me.

and then there is the world situation.. no matter where you are, no matter what you do, this world financial mess is going to get worse before it gets better.. it may take several years.. this is a very dangerous situation and no matter how safe and secure we feel, it may affect us... so as much as we all love and adore our mu, maybe now is a good time to cut down a bit and as much as we all love and are able to Enable.. maybe now is the time for us to enable each other to use our own products or to find great ones or substitues.. and to remind each other that mu is not edible.

I know it's the economist in me speaking now.. but this is what Greenspan once called "Irrational Exhuberance"... I don't know. Maybe it's just my body rebelling to the meds I am taking, or to my family situation.. but nothing seems clear enough now that we can party like it's 1999.

saying hi, happy birthdays, happy family days.. and happy everything to everyone.. I have not been able to read all posts and will be gone again on business and family issues until September.. but my prayers and hugs go to all of you... may all your wishes come true!

i.

 

[stv578]

Michelle, I was just at PB today to get throw pillows! Naturally, when I got them home, one of the colours didn't really look right with everything, so I'll be back there again tomorrow to exchange them! I had a feeling that would happen, but I just loved them, so common sense didn't prevail! Also got a table runner from Williams Sonoma that went perfectly in our dining room, only to see that it had a small defect, so I have to exchange that too! I was disappointed to see that WS only carried one width for their tablecloths, which is just too big for our table, which bites because they really have some pretty designs.

Cheryl, I've found that focusing on the home has really helped me from making impulsive mu purchases. The little time I have to browse online, I try to get decorating ideas, get a feel for what I like and what will work. I find if I don't browse the usual websites with new product info, I don't go out of my way to visit the counters. And like you said, I look forward to treating myself once in a while, and actually feel like I earned it! While I intend to pick up a few items from Chanel fall, I really thought about which items I would actually use as opposed to just nice to have.

 

[Miss QQ]

HG - you paint a bleak picture of the economy, but that is true. It's a call for me to spend my money more wisely now. On your family situation, hugs to you and be strong. Nora - Come buy here to talk about other things besides makeup. decorating is fun! I push back my plans to paint my room. it has to wait till a later time. Cheryl - enjoy your pink cloud! Let us know if you learn sign language and the fun or challenges when learning. Continue to drop by here, it won't be the same without all the first generation Ratonas. This is not a new topic but I'm curious. When did all of you start wearing your makeup and what was it? I started late, at 19 with lipstick, then mascara and blush not long later. Before that I only tried tinted lip balm and nail polishes, if they count. Now that Sephora opened, I see lots of young girls buying and trying makeup. I feel happy for them and they are fortunate. Before sephora there was only drugstore makeup consisting of Revlon, Loreal and Maybelline, and most of them didn't have testers. So I didn't have the opportunity to play with makeup until a later age.

 

[Anneri]

I hope you all continue to drop in - specktra wouldn't be the same without you! And, after all, in this thread we don't talk *that* much about MU, do we? ;-)

For me, it's very strange to work now in the industry - and it makes me somehow less interested in MU as a hobby as it was before. It's also a bit sad... MU used to be relaxing for me, and now it's work-related and less fun somehow. It also takes the'glamour', the 'awesomeness' (I don't find the appropriate word here) out of it, I think, when you handle this stuff every day of the week. I don't know really if that's going to continue, it's been only two weeks now!
It has its peaks, of course - I come home nearly every day with something new - not brands I've previously purchased, but nice anyway. All in all, it makes me buy less. And honestly, we all have enough MU to last us two lifetimes!

To answer Miss QQ's question - my mother used to work for Lancome ages ago, and there was always a lot of MU in the house. When I was maybe fourteen, I started to use it - mascara, eyeliner, e/s, and my mother showed me how to apply it. I remember sitting at my desk with a mirror in front of me and practising to get it right. Of course, I never bought the right foundation shade at the beginning (much too dark!), but my mother always encouraged me just to try things and practice. MU was always a 'normal' thing at my home. Only my father often mocked me for my nail polish - I always used unusual colours and he mocked me for my blue or green polishes and asked me if I had bruised my fingers!

 

[Miss QQ]

^^ thanks for sharing. It must be fun to practise and experiment with makeup at home. You have the genes of your mum then! My mum now still find unusual nail polish colour on me weird. Lol. She doesn't wear makeup at all, only lipstick once in a couple of years, so there is no makeup at home. I can understand what you mean by saying now makeup is less fun for you. It is something I thought about because I contemplated learning professional makeup artistry or do something in the industry but I feel it may take away makeup as a hobby for me. If it is a job I would feel stressful. Give yourself sometime to adjust and settle in, since it is only two short weeks. And getting new products to try is fantastic!

 

[User38]

Good Sunday morning Ratonas!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

msqq.. yes, I think the world economy, not just the US is in a disarray of proportions we have not seen to date.. possibly since the last world depression. It will take great innovative leaders and great ideas with some pain and suffering for the global economy to get out of this... that does not mean, I won't be buying any new mu, I just don't leap at every new collection from lines which I like. I am also well leveraged financially so I am not worried personally, but I do like to express my concerns to all.

annieri.. I am glad you are enjoying your new job.. and do definitely commiserate.. I have been working in the industry for over 30 years... lol. I am jaded and something has to really make my mouth drop in order for me to get excited.. plus, as you now know, you might be handling products which are not yet marketed so your "expectations" of current ongoing collections have gone up diametrically. But relax and enjoy -- it's a wonderful (but catty!) industry. Best of luck!

I am only planning to get the new Velvets.. and only because I need to test out the new formula -- if it is indeed a new formula!

C!... learning sign language, or any language, getting into line dancing and even taking courses for art, jewelry making, etc have become my goal now. I already took up knitting.. lol, and I have a long scarf to show for it (It will never be used cause it is really ugly!!)