Keeping it Personal...

When it comes to makeup/skincare shopping - heck, any kind of shopping, except groceries - I am an 'in person where possible' shopper. A bit of a challenge, living in the middle of nowhere (if you're interested, Google 'Roma, Qld', then put yourself 3 hours of bad road SW - that's me - nothing here but 'roo & red dust).

A 'good' section of red dirt... even the locals drive out only when they absolutely have to.

The proliferation of beauty retailers, blogs and YouTubers has, theoretically, made purchasing sight-unseen (or unfelt) easier; you can log in, check out what others have to say about  a product, and shop around the globe for the best price. But I am still not convinced. No-one out there has my skin, and even I, who live in it 24/7/365, can't always predict how things will go.

Environmental factors play a HUGE part in how my skin behaves. Cold weather - drier skin. Heat and dust - breakouts (I really need to get on top of that this summer, if we don't get a Wet Season). Humidity - my skin is generally fine, but my hair goes to Hades. The internal environment also plays havoc: sudden high stress means big, sore whiteheads on my chin and nose. Sustained stress means my skin will start to look 'tired' quickly.

I also like the personal touch - talking to an actual person. Having a chance to read their body language; I want to deal with someone who gives a damn. And I want them to see my skin. I know most SAs aren't trained cosmeticians or beauticians, but they will have brand knowledge. Which, combined with my knowledge of my skin, lifestyle and preferences should see us getting it close to right.

The same applies to makeup; I do not like glitter or lots of sparkle. A light shimmer is fine. And while swatches can give an idea of these factors and the colour (is that swatch 1 swipe, or 3?), there's no skin-feel, or hint of lasting-power, and what works on someone pale won't work on me. Heck, what works on my sister often won't work on me!

 Way too glittery for me...

So I like to shop in person as much as I can. My idea of heaven would be a week in a Melbourne or Sydney (with unlimited funds, and equal amounts of storage space at home), hitting Sephora (only in Sydney I think), David Jones & Myer. And anywhere else that sold skincare and makeup; chemists, supermarkets, specialist shops. Testing products, collecting samples and just playing generally.