Monthly Archives: May 2009

A few months ago I wrote a post about Everyday Minerals, a great Austin based cosmetics company.  However the constant jarring of the containers (bicycles and Houston streets make for a very bumpy ride) caused their lids to knock loose, spilling the contents throughout my purse and make up bag.  It’s wasteful and messy and not remotely bicycle friendly.

Decidedly a pressed powder is the way to go.  Having heard wonderful things about Aveda, I visited the store in the mall.  I explained to the sales clerk, whose vapidity I naively took as “zen-ness”,  that  I was looking for a make up free of phthalates and parabens.  She proceeded to tell me about their wonderful products and how everything Aveda make is so “natural” (oh the ubiquitous word natural).  And I, having not done research for myself, going on hersay was drawn into the idea of a happier make up.  She rang up my purchase and handed it to me.  It was only after I got home and read the packaging that I realized that I’d been greenwashed.  My foundation contained parabens.

I called Aveda corporate customer service and expressed my disatisfaction.  Either the sales girl was uneducated about her products or she was more concerned about making the sale, than she was about customer service.  Aveda apologized for the “misunderstanding” and proceeded to tell me that they plan to remove parabens from all of their products in the future.  While this is a move in the right direction, I feel that she overstated the difficulty of reformulating their products without parabens.  I have since learned that multiple cosmetic companies, such as Origins, Tarte, and even Almay, are making their products without pthalates.

However, Everyday Minerals is now carrying a pressed powder.  I guess supporting a semi-local little guy is by far the best option.  Especially when that little guy has a transparent website with all their ingredients listed.

I’m a sucker for HGTV.  Particularly the shows that have to work miracles on tiny little budgets.  The shows where the designers have 10’s of thousands of dollars to spend on one room are cool and all, but the “we have to fix up this whole house for under 1k” shows drag me in the most, because I relate to that budget better.  I need the ideas of how to stretch my money though out my entire place.

The major tools these designers employ seem to be pretty basic.  Space, color, texture, and light come to mind.  Space plays an important role in how the furniture and other accents are arranged.  This can be how the furniture causes a room to flow or how that vase balances with those books, and should I put those floating shelves there?  Rearranging furniture is a big part of these “shoe string design” shows because it costs nothing and makes a big impact.

Color is also big part of these shows.  Frequently the “design” begins with the designer popping open the lids of paint cans, while the home owner gasps in horror or delight.  It gives those designers a canvas with which to work.  It is a big part of the room’s identity.  At $15 to $50 dollars a gallon, paint can be an inexpensive way to change the feeling of a room or a piece of furniture.

Texture ties with color in the running as my favorite design element because it means I get to play with fabric.  Texture can be as simple to incorporate as new curtains or cushions.  Texture can completely alter the identity of a room, giving it a feeling of continuity or disjointedness.

Light is something that is frequently overlooked by home owners, who see it as something purely utilitarian.  But it, too, can be used to drastically change the way a room is perceived.  Too little light and a space feels small.  Too much light, and a space feels harsh.

In the next few weeks I will be utilizing these elements, to improve the overall appearance and feeling of my home.  I’m giving us a budget of $1000 dollars.  So join me over the next 8 weeks for the $1000 Apartment Makeover.