Why I won't read your post about the latest releases (& Why I won't write one, either)

*WARNING* This post may (will) offend. Don't @ me.

I have an extensive make up collection compared to my non-blogger/non-make-up-lover friends, but probably a modest collection compared to other bloggers. I am proud to say I use almost all of my make up but I know a lot of small to medium bloggers don't. Why do we have SO much more than the average consumer?

Because we are constantly writing and reading posts about new releases. Constantly buying that new Charlotte Tilbury lipstick in a nude pretty damn similar to several we already own because we KNOW it is guaranteed to take a good picture that will rake in the likes.  Or feeling shit because we haven't bought the eye shadow palette that the whole of Youtube is taking about. Or even worse - buying the new releases (every fucking shade of a range of lipstick including the green and purple that you KNOW you will never wear) just to write a swatches post/first impressions and never touch them again. Desperate to get on that PR list.

It's too easy to get sucked into the world of must-haves and wants that you don't need, trying to keep up with everyone else, or even worse trying to keep up appearances of a person that you are not with products you don't want or use.

Most bloggers, myself included, are not practicing make up artists and a lot a lot a lot of people don't do much more than a browny/reddy/bronzy smokey eye, moving into the pinky peach tones when they became trendy. (Not this gal, gimme a neon green halo eye). What purpose does owning 23598 eye shadow palettes serve? Not to mention a Z-palette full of MAC, ABH and MUG singles of the exact same shades we have amongst our collection of palettes.

I'm not here to judge believe it or not, because I am as guilty as impulse buying a product that everyone is talking about as the next gal, but I now make sure I'm doing it for the right reasons. It's a learning curve.

Because I want that palette because I don't have those colours. Because that lipstick line is my favourite formula and I don't mind another nude in the perfect formula. Even because that perfume bottle will look lovely on your dressing table and it will make you smile. Or because you are a collector and you just want to own it.

Please can we have less of because it would make a good Tati Westbrook style WTF post. Or because that jumpsuit fits our Instagram theme. Or to be ahead of the curve and review every colour while people are still interested (knowing full well you won't use that navy liquid lipstick after you swatch and review it). Let's stop having oodles of make up collecting dust and going bad - especially when animals are suffering for a great deal of it. But that's another argument.

I wanna read posts about your old favourite palettes and why you love them and what you do with them. I don't care if the boots in your #ootd are this season or 4 years ago - I wanna see your personal style. And I want to read genuine reviews about products you have picked up because you were interested, not because every other bugger is reviewing them because, lets be honest, in a sea of the exact same posts swooning over pigment and blendability the majority of posts unfortunately get lost to the big bloggers. Be different. Don't follow the trends. Break the "good blogger" rules. Let me read about what floats YOUR boat, not what's floating the rest of the world's.

Back with a bang: a new me and an un-polished blog

So I haven't blogged in ten million years.

Hi. I think I'm back.

I moved house and furnished said dwelling on a shoe string, had no fucking money to buy anything to write about, started a PhD, went on a few holidays, had a tough time with my mental health and just fell sincerely out of love with blogging: writing and reading.

Because I couldn't compare against the editorial style bloggers with their brightly lit rooms and pretty trays on their white unwrinkled bedsheets with peonies next to their toast. And their perfectly composed low shot of a gold lipstick (probably Charlotte Tilbury) with flowers and ribbons in the background, or resting on a hardback book (Probably Alexa Chung or Girl Boss).

I couldn't compete with the tall, slim, perfect fashion bloggers with their vogue poses and London street and blossom tree backgrounds. I look like a lil slug, feel like a wally posing and smizing at the camera and Martin is a SHITE photographer.

So - WELCOME TO MY UNPERFECT, UNPOLISHED BLOG. Here, my friends, we don't go for posh brunch every afternoon. We eat cornflakes and soy milk before work. We don't keep up with the latest releases because a girl is concerned about waste and consumerism and, realistically, bills gotta get paid and cats gotta get fed yaknow.