Now on my business card: Chirky, B.E.
August 10, 2006
When I was younger, I begrudgingly went shopping with my mom at yard sales. I likened it to hell because of the hot, burning sun boring down on the roof of the car, in which I undeniably slumped my body and crossed my arms in protest. I would stare out the window, watching my mother, hoping she would see how miserable and pathetic I was. I secretly hoped she would come to my rescue and say, "You don't want to do this, honey? Let's go to the movies instead!"
Rather, she would come to the window, knock on it, and crouch down to tell me in a sweet, motherly tone that I should at least roll the window down so I would have fresh air. She would invite me to come look around if only to get out of the hot car – had I known that was a ploy of hers to get me shopping, I certainly wouldn't have done it – and I would undoubtedly find a couple books or a skirt or some decorative item for my room.
When I was little, I hated those days. Now that I'm older, I cherish my memories of them. I still (albeit rarely) go yard sale hopping with my mom and I love watching her milling around, looking at someone else's belongings, whittling the price of a Pottery Barn mirror (great condition, original tag still affixed on the back of it: $69) down from the marked price of $10 to a mere $4.
From my mother, I learned the skill of bargaining. She is the reason that I prefer to shop the sale racks at the mall: if I only have $100 to spend, wouldn't I rather have 3 shirts, a new skirt and a couple pairs of slacks from the racks in preference to the one pair of jeans I could buy otherwise?
A couple weeks ago I submitted my name and home address over the internet and in exchange I am supposed to receive beauty product samples for free. This particular form not only requested my full name and home address, which will probably be sold to "affiliates" who will cram my mailbox with junk, but also asked if I was a "Beauty Editor." I thought about the question: Um, I like beauty products. I have opinions about some of them. And even though I made Bianca look like a prostitute when I practiced doing makeup on her, that was, like, five years ago. I bet I could totally do a better job now." So I checked "yes" and instantly catapulted myself to another world. I became a beauty editor.
This coming from someone who, just this morning in the shower, began conditioning her hair and realized afterward that she had forgotten to wash it first. And didn't care. I just went about my business, thinking about the day ahead of me.
Last night, when I checked the mail I found that two companies had sent me beauty products to test and review. And test I shall, because woe is me: I am officially a Beauty Editor.
Technorati tags: beauty, beauty products, free, shopping
Comments
awesome! yeah, if your hair isn't really super oily, it's easy to break the washing thing. me? I am a grease spot with some limbs.
Posted by: julianna | August 10, 2006 10:46 AM
Oh Julianna, I feel your pain. My hair is greasy by the end of the day. I can skip conditioner, but never shampoo.
Posted by: Ang | August 10, 2006 11:09 AM
How do I sign up for that? Nice going, Jes.
My problem w/ the free stuff is that it's always in colors that don't look good on me.
Posted by: Heather | August 10, 2006 12:43 PM
can i tell you that i thoroughly enjoyed trying to figure out what B.E. stood for as I read through this post
Posted by: Katie, the original | August 10, 2006 12:52 PM
Congrats on your new title! I love free stuff. Especially beauty products, for some reason, which is strange since I barely wear any makeup. I am oddly obsessed with lip gloss in particular.
I remember *hosting* yard sales. People would show up at the buttcrack of dawn and immediately start trying to bargain you down to 25 cents for something you had priced for a dollar. I always felt like I made a ton of money, though. Good times.
Posted by: Lawyerish | August 10, 2006 12:53 PM
Beauty editor, eh? That would be such an awesome job. I wish I could have Stacey's job from What Not to Wear. That would be awesome.
I can't believe Miss Zoot doesn't use shampoo! When I got my hair cut last week, the hairdresser told me that we curly-headed people should wash our hair every 3 days or so (I do every other. I go to the gym. I can't handle any less.). She said if we go a month without using shampoo and just using conditioner, it improves your hair's elasticity and something else.
Anyway, it sounded cool, but not cool enough to try. And I don't think she was suggesting it -- just sharing. Maybe I'll try it someday. But probably not.
Posted by: my life is brilliant | August 10, 2006 01:07 PM
Not bad for a career change, Jes. Something to do with your oodles of spare time. Free stuff is always a good thing.
Posted by: Lia | August 10, 2006 01:28 PM
Define Beauty Editor.
I have never heard of a Beauty Editor... but then I don't read beauty magazines. Based one the words "Beauty" and "Editor" I thought it was an editor for a beauty magazine... but now I am not so sure.
Posted by: Ben | August 10, 2006 02:40 PM
Of course, you're a beauty editor. You just published something about beauty, didn't you?
Posted by: Donna | August 10, 2006 02:50 PM
I've signed up for a few free things and have been pretty impressed. Even got a giant container of diaper rash ointment along with a product review questionnaire. Unfortunately, that required too much work so they never got my review, though Isabella's hiney did like the ointment.
My mother is a pro yard sale shopper. I'm in awe of her talent.
Posted by: Jenn | August 10, 2006 05:17 PM
I totally read this HOURS ago and I forgot to comment because my boss, who is awesome, came in and I haven't seen him in a couple of days because he as been busy and I was like, "HEY BOSS!" the same way that little dog used to run around "Spike" and be like, "What's up Spike, How's it going Spike?" Okay, my boss is way smaller than me so that isn't the best analogy, but that is how I feel when I am around him. All the guys on my team are so nice that we are fast becoming a family. Do girls get that way around girls that they really look up to?
Posted by: eddo | August 10, 2006 05:34 PM
God I practically have to wash my hair twice a day. The misery of fine, oily everything.
Beauty editor! I love this.
Posted by: jonniker | August 10, 2006 10:29 PM
Love it!!! I want to be a beauty editor too!!!
Posted by: Jayleigh | August 12, 2006 07:35 AM
Wow! A beauty expert! Where do I sign up?
Posted by: megan | August 12, 2006 10:15 AM
Ditto Katie - I kept thinking you would reveal that it stood for "Bargain-hunter Extraordinaire"!
Free is good. Beauty products for free - even better!
Posted by: mothergoosemouse | August 13, 2006 12:17 PM
Well I am back in blogging with a new address and layout. This time I don't think I am going anywhere :)
Beauty editor, definitely a title that I think I qualify for too. I mean aren't we all majors of beauty in some way or another? That should completely qualify for loads of free stuff!
Posted by: Ms Thang | August 14, 2006 03:03 AM
Great score! I'm not particularly concerned about being made up all the time either, but that sounds like too tempting an offer to pass up.
Posted by: Caryn | August 14, 2006 08:28 PM