tales from a genius: perfume ed.

Over the weekend I managed to accomplish my weeks-long goal of coming up with a better organizational system for my makeup. And yes-- I actually make goals like this. And I thrill in accomplishing them. What's it to you?

Anyway. Suffice it to say that the makeup storage system I've been using for the last 7 years was NOT sufficient anymore. Back then I probably owned like...6 cosmetics. And half of them were hand-me-downs from my mom or sister. Theseadays my collection is a bit more...extensive, you could say. Also: expensive. But that's neither here nor there. Our bathroom has very limited cabinet space (and NO drawers), and so I've been doing the best I can, but it was definitely time to re-think things.

This was the approximate state of things last week. Naturally, it all stays in the cabinets during the day, but when I'm trying to get ready...things get messy quickly. All of the various small items (compacts, liners, tubes) go in the box, I have a cup where I stand up all of my brushes, and all of the palettes just get stacked on top. It was precarious...like an expensive and beautiful game of Jenga.

Then, much to my delight, my 31st birthday brought some new makeup friends into the fold:

Namely, an amazing collection of Tarte LipSurgences (and I can no longer find the exact set on Ulta's webpage?) and NAKED3 which is mind-blowing and makes me weep every time I pull it out. Good weeping.

Anyway, these new editions did me in: I needed a new organization system. So I spent some time at Target on Saturday and came home with a great new plan (and a few more of my favorite storage boxes). A delightful hour of sorting, tossing, and organizing later, I had a WAY happier and more effective makeup storage solution.

Weird aerial view, sorry.

For the record, 90% of my lip products are stored elsewhere (*ahem*inmypurse*)...lest you think I'm somehow a minimalist in that department. I'm not. And all of my brushes are still in the pretty cup. But this is pretty much it.

ANYWAY. In the midst of my organizational frenzy, I threw out a lot of old stuff and/or stuff I just don't use anymore. And I also discovered, buried deep beneath half-used bronzers and mascaras, some long-forgotten tiny things that had fallen to the bottom of the heap. Like those little fragrance samples that Sephora throws in your bags/boxes. I moved them to my counter top, right in plain view, so that I'd remember to use them.

So this morning, I finish getting dressed and dolled up. I'm about to call it quits on the bathroom when I notice the perfumes. Oh! Today is my office Christmas party. I should wear some perfume! What a nice touch that will be, I thought to myself. 

I grab the first one I see and give my arms a spritz. Rubbing my forearms together, I turn off the bathroom lights and head towards the kitchen.

Halfway through my bedroom I notice something strange. A smell. I pull my wrist up to my nose and take a whiff.

Yeah. Yup. Definitely MEN'S COLOGNE. 

All over me.

Crap.

I mean, I'm dressed. Hair done (relatively speaking), makeup set, clothes on...and we have 10 minutes til we leave the house. This really isn't the time to be, say, COVERED IN MEN'S COLOGNE. What a genius move.

In my flusteredness, I call out to Matt. He comes in as I explain my conundrum. He comes closer. He busts out laughing. "Ummm...yeah...you pretty much smell like a man." Well...thanks. 

What do you do, people??! I didn't have time to shower, or change clothes, or even Google! Somewhere in the back of my mind I had this idea that rubbing alcohol might help, but sad for us all-- I couldn't find any in the house. So I scrubbed my arms with handsoap and water and hoped that Tom Ford Noir would not prove to be a particularly long-lasting cologne.

That about brings us to present. I'm here at work, cute makeup and dress, smelling like a man. GOOD TIMES!! I'm thinking that if I don't say anything (not likely, I'm more the type to blurt out "I ACCIDENTALLY PUT ON MEN'S COLOGNE THIS MORNING HAHAHAHAAHA!!!" to everyone I see) maybe people will just assume Matt and I spent some time making out in the car before we came in to work today and his cologne smell rubbed off on me? That seems likely. So anyway. Have a delightfully man-scented Tuesday.