Day 2, random thoughts

[fabrisse]

I don't remember where I picked up this bit of wisdom, but apparently during World War II British women were most likely to buy black market lipstick, French women wanted moisturizer and would use their ration cards to make homemade ones, and American women wanted stockings, or, failing that, leg paint.

Now I'm firmly in the moisturizing camp. The hardest thing about getting ready for surgery was not being able to put on moisturizer (I started using one nightly at 12 when the acne scrub the dermatologist prescribed gave me skin like the Sahara). I asked my sister for it right after my first ice chips when I got to the room.

Being able to paint my mouth crimson has never felt as important, although I do wear lipstick fairly regularly.

As for stockings or leg paint... I just don't know. In the winter, some good thick -- and colorful -- tights are part of my wardrobe, but I don't feel terrible letting my pale legs show in the summertime.


[Poll #1932591]

Comments

[tx-cronopio.livejournal.com]

I clicked on moisturizer, but honestly the thing I longed for in the hospital was chapstick.

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

Trust me, the lip balm went on as soon as I'd finished with the moisturizer. Then I hit the pain killer button and went to sleep. *G*

[gileswench.livejournal.com]

I guess of the three I would have been more drawn to moisturizer than the other two, but I would have spent my black market money on chocolate and real coffee, hands down. I'm just not that big on cosmetics and the last time I wore stockings (as opposed to tights or socks) was close to thirty years ago... and then I only did it because it was part of the uniform for a job. When I ditched the job, I ditched the stockings forever.

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

Essentials were assumed to be taken care of first.

Coffee or other caffeine delivery system would have been high on my list.

[malnpudl.livejournal.com]

See, here's where I wonder if I missed out on some girly gene or other. None of those would occur to me as a priority. I have never used lipstick (or any other cosmetics) aside from very rare and very special occasions -- like, no more than a dozen times? -- and only ever wore pantyhose if it was simply unavoidable (work dress code, that sort of thing). And I know I should probably use moisturizer, but I hate putting any sort of goop on my skin -- even sunscreen requires stringent lectures to self, and I grouse about it the whole time -- so I mostly never get around to it until my skin flat out screams for it, and then it's only short-term intensive care.

I sometimes wonder if there's more to this gender thing than is obvious. I mean, I'm all woman, and pleased to be so. But not even remotely girly, nor ever have been. It's uncomfortable, sometimes, to feel so very, very different.

As for what I'd have gone for on the black market? I'm with Wenchie on this one, I think.

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

I'm sure there were more than a few women who were relieved not to wear cosmetics for a socially acceptable reason.

As I've gotten older I wear less make-up, but much of that is being comfortable in my own skin (thanks to moisturizer! *giggle*).

[lauradi7.livejournal.com]

During WWII, lipstick was considered to be part of the war effort in both the US and I thought in England, to keep up morale at home, so it continued to be available. Fingernail polish went off the market because the solvents were needed,though.
Hard to know what I would want if I had lived then. Now, it would probably be moisturizer, but as mentioned above, lip balm is a regular need as well.

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

In a pinch, moisturizer can be used on the lips to help with chapping, but the other way around doesn't work so well.

The British gave up so many things, and much sooner than we did. I was told by someone who lived through it about the black market in lipstick, but maybe it was just that it was difficult to get the right shade.

[lauradi7.livejournal.com]

I suppose it's possible that even if the goods were around, they were rationed, and therefore possibly hard to come by.

[siderea]

Any chance you're planning on another Marks and Spencer run soon? *waggles eyebrows* /inside-joke

(In reality, we'd totally ditch the hose for a cuppa joe. Because we're addicts like that.)

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I figured foodstuffs were at the top of everyone's list. The other "essentials" were what interested me. *G*