Focus Group

I’m currently involved in a focus group at the company where I work. Getting my supplies for the study was like celebrating my birthday! I got all kinds of stuff. I work in the cosmetics industry so the things I will be testing will hopefully make me appear on the outside to be the glamazon that I am on the inside. 

For the first day of the study I followed the directions to a “t” and applied every single product on my list. I started with my own special kind of facial cleanse that most probably removed every stray germ, loose skin cell and atom of dirt that ever existed on my face by using a bath puffy and Dial soap. I was squeaky clean. I was instructed to apply 3 different moisturizers, which I did even though my face is “moist” enough to polish hundred old wood to a sheen. Next, I was instructed to apply two different powders, which seems sort of backwards to me since I had just applied moisturizer. I followed all of that up with liquid foundation! What the heck??? I was given many color choices of makeup to use so I went to town slathering and dusting, combing and spritzing. 

When everything was all said and done I took a look at myself and about fell over, because I looked so…made up. I looked like a grown up lady! I asked Manchild if it looked like I was wearing 10,000 lbs. of makeup and he didn’t think I did. But I felt like if I scraped my fingernail across my face, all that makeup and powder and moisturizer would just ball up under my nail. I’d be left with a trench in my face where I had scraped away all of the stuff I had just applied.

My method of facial care consists of squirting a dollop of whatever soap is handy onto one of those plastic body scrubbers (or a back brush) and scrubbing the hell out of my skin. That’s it! Once in a blue moon I might apply moisturizer afterwards if there’s any handy. It might be body lotion or heavy cream for cracked heels but hey, it’s moist. So, to use products specifically designated for the care of delicate facial skin is a totally new thing to me. I’m wondering if my face will erupt after receiving delicate products instead of lye soap and 80 grit sandpaper-tough scrubbies. I guess I’ll find out.

 A few hours later I was outside where it was hot and I developed such a sheen, I felt the need to dab my face with a paper towel. When I pulled the towel away it was ORANGE! All that moisturizer and makeup blended together to make a goopy mess. I looked in the mirror and I didn’t look all gloopy but man, that paper towel told a different story.

 Tonight I’ll use all of the fancy cleaning products I was given and see how long it takes to wash away 4 layers of product. I’m going to make the house really quiet to see if I can hear my face suck in oxygen after being smothered for so long. I bet I’ll hear it breathe a sigh of relief!

 I have to do the study for 28 days so I’m really curious to see if all the potions and elixirs fade away my red blotchy skin and if the little wrinkles and over sized pores diminish. The makeup is just a bonus. I can play with that stuff all day long – even if I don’t usually wear as much as the study calls for. If anything, I’ll have some great supplies for Halloween.

 Here’s my “before” picture. I’ll post another in about a month and yall can tell me if there’s any change. Let’s hope I look 20 years younger and fabulously gorgeous.

Photo by Bob Scott