May 13, 2020

Are You Ready to Shop Beauty in Stores?

I was on Insta today and noticed people posting images of their local TJ and Home Goods being open. I also saw a few folks posting pics of Bath and Body Works as being open. Most of the stores that have reopened are limiting the amount of people who can come in. I’m not sure about TJ and Home Goods but one person said the line to get in was huge and she left because the line to check out was crazy. Bath and Body Works appears to be limiting shops to 15 people.

I gotta admit I miss Home Goods. Guilty as charged. Actually I miss life. Going out to eat, seeing a movie, heading to the park, seeing my friends. I also just miss the routine of strolling down the aisles at Target or the local Whole Foods. I miss Trader Joe!!!!!!!!!!! I keep seeing all these “new” Trader Joe hauls and I’m so jelly.

We have a lot of adjusting to do when things do begin to re-open. You might be a lucky state, city, or country who is in the process of re-opening. In New York we aren’t quite there yet. And that’s ok. I’m in no rush because we really got the brunt of the disease here and the slower we take things the better it will be for us all. On May 15th we are opening up for construction workers and manufacturing. After that we’ll have a two week break and they’ll analyze where we are at and proceed forward with other openings. I’m not sure what those openings will be. Maybe stores? I saw LA County might extend their stay at home through July. LA peeps is that true?

Am I ready for stores is the question? Most importantly am I ready to shop beauty in stores?

I’m not.

I’m actually not ready for any shopping in stores yet especially beauty. Being in a confined space with people right now scares me. But beauty? That’s even more scary. I HOPE they took down testers. I hope they keep testers off shelves. Testers are gross period but with COVID well, it’s not only gross now but unsafe. Ironically, I know they’ll be some people in store still drying on lipstick and eyeshadow like it’s a ok.

Ulta has re-opened certain locations including hair salons in store. They have removed testers as per a mass e-mail they sent out and are requiring their employees to wear face masks! And will provide hand sanitizers throughout the store. I’m pretty sure this will be how all larger department store counters and mass beauty retailers will handle makeup and beauty going forward.

As for me? Am I ready to venture in store to shop makeup?

I think it’s online shopping for me until there’s a vaccine.

Are you ready to shop beauty in stores?

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Jane

    No, I don’t think so. Unless they invest in UV lights that are used every 15 minutes or whatever, but…. things are going to be different. I think cosmetics companies are going to have to begin selling more sample sizes/trial portions because I am not going to be blind buying lipsticks, eyeshadows or foundations regularly. For one thing, the pH in my skin is wonky and I turn lipsticks and foundations very strange colors.

    No, I’m not ready. I won’t get political because this is your blog and you don’t go that way, but things are going to be so different for so long. I don’t think a lot of people are thinking about that.

    • Isabella Muse

      Me either. Just not ready for makeup shopping in stores or any shopping in stores. It scares me. I’m just trying to keep things light and not too heavy. I do realize people aren’t thinking of buying makeup right now 🙂 believe me I’ve been really trying hard to blog. It’s a bit difficult to do these posts and act like everything is normal when in fact it is complete chaos 🙁 So don’t think I’m being insensitive. I’m just trying and hoping my posts will give people a minute to take a rest from all the harsher news 🙂

      • Jane

        Oh no, I don’t think you’re insensitive at all; I’ve been reading you for years and you’re obviously a good, decent, kind person. I find myself doing a LOT of online makeup cart filling, but buying next to nothing. My favorite thing in the world is lipstick – it is my joy, my armor, my way of saying who I am, and how I’m feeling – and that’s been stripped from me, at least as a public exercise. I make art (I’m tinylavenderlabel on Instagram) and I agree – just acting normal feels difficult, trite, radical and… completely necessary.

        I guess this is what “keep calm and carry on”� is about. So thank you for keeping calm and carrying on. It helps.

        • Isabella Muse

          that’s a relief to hear because I feel like I sound like a complete ahole sometimes trying to sound all jolly about buying makeup when in reality I just wanna hide under a blanket lol! thank you! thank you very much! I promise I am a decent human 🙂 I’m gonna go check your insta!!!!!! I love makeup, def lipstick, but yeah, I just feel like the joy has been completely drained from it all at the moment. I’m trying. I’m trying really hard for normal but it’s really hard right now. Thank you dear! 😀 As they say this to shall come to pass we just gotta hang in there until it does! <3! Much love!

          • Hollie

            Muse, your long time readers and the vast majority of the newbies here would know that you are a stellar human being <3 You've created a happy place!

          • Isabella Muse

            thank you Hollie you’ve no idea how much that means to me! I hope you think of it as a safe, happy home away from home 😀 <3!

          • Eraser

            I think it’s good to be jolly about something right now!

          • Isabella Muse

            we need a little something to smile about right?! 😀

  • Hollie

    I am in Tennessee. We are open and we aren’t lucky, we are the lambs on the altar of the economy. I will not be going out unless absolutely necessary until the medical professionals and scientists think it’s a good plan.

    Last weekend I had to do a curbside pick up at Target. No one wearing masks, line to get in Home Goods. Not ok.

    • Isabella Muse

      Good plan Hollie! Good plan! I’ve experienced the same here. We take a little drive at night just to clear our heads and get out and about. We happened past home depot and target and there were literally thousands of people online. They were not six feet apart, half weren’t wearing masks, some had children with them. We just sat in the car shaking our heads. I mean danger, danger, danger.

  • Daphne B

    I think you are absolutely right, Isabella. I think when we see Sephora open, I bet we see them pull all the testers, and I hope this is permanent, because it was never really a good idea. I imagine you will have to ask an employee, and even then I hope just cleaning lipstick with alcohol won’ t cut it anymore. I bet it will be limited to the items that they can put in a tiny sample tube and give to you, but certain things, like lipstick and eyeshadow probably will not be able to be sampled anymore. I worry about products that do not have safety seals, and anyone can open them and stick their fingers in them and you might never know they have been contaminated. This could completely change the way makeup is displayed in stores. It is kind of scary!

    • Isabella Muse

      I have to agree. I like testers but I also hate them. They just aren’t a good idea simply because don’t know how to use them in a hygienic way. Too true too true! I mean I’ve purchased makeup at the drugstore several times only to get it home and realize it has been tested or I’ve even purchased wax strips or biore nose strips get home and several are missing. Things have to change sadly 🙁

  • rina

    I think Sephora is over as we knew it. I can’t see them bringing back testers or samples ever again. So, they’ll be just like Ulta in the sample sense. Pity, it was their edge.

  • Robin Hawkins

    No,I am not ready. I have had so much fun swatching if there was a tester available.I would always see that someone had opened a lipstick etc. if there wasn’t a tester. Sometimes,I would like to test a new eye palette before buying to see if the pigmentation was good. All of this is out the window right now. During the shutdown,I have purchased what I’ve needed online and I’ll wait awhile before heading into Sephora and Ulta.

  • kjh

    This C19 is truly a watershed event, on a par with 9/11. Shopping, ESPECIALLY cosmetics shopping will change radically. CA isn’t starting to open until the end of July. Cal State Us aren’t going on campus in the fall. Many of us already are online makeup shopping mostly, and this is just the push to make it online only. Will I miss it? Yes. But despite store precautions, it’s still risky, even in the long run. Seriously doubt I’ll ever venture into Walmart (the valley of the shadow…) again. My local is scary at 7 A on an ordinary day. There is an online source for almost everything. We look to you for your memes, gifs, humor, and grace, as well as your knowledge and opinions. And have great appreciation of you in these confusing and frightening times.

    • Marybeth Micciulla

      other areas in CA will start to reopen sooner than LA – they will be confined the longest

  • Sakura

    I’m with you! No way! I figured out how to buy almost everything that I need online! When I’m in a store to get some food items I feel super nervous. I don’t know how I’m going to survive when we actually have to go back to work in Philly. Stay safe!

    • Isabella Muse

      oh god. I’m so scared to go back to work. don’t say that out loud haha!

  • SJanet

    Yes it’s true about LA. It’s all over ever major news station here today. My son is at Stanford and they are on lock down through the end of May, but they are weighing to extend that as well.

    Stay safe!

    • Isabella Muse

      Wow! I suspect we’ll be in until June here but right now people are being ballsy AF. I saw a video of tons and tons of people at Domino Park lounging around not social distancing and many without masks. It’s gonna be hard to keep people locked in for that long a time but hopefully everyone tries to stay safe. You stay safe too and I hope your son will be ok too!

  • Lily H.

    Good. Grief. NO. The way I need (and yes it is a need) to test makeup before I purchase just does NOT bode well while we’re in the absolute thick of this pandemic.

    I always like to swatch what I intend to purchase, because at the end of the day, I want to be sure it works with my skin, ON my skin, in the right texture and finish that I want. If it doesn’t work for me, I do NOT wish to waste money on items that look/feel so different from what they do in person. I have quite a few lipsticks I purchased online from years back that I ended up decluttering because the beautiful range of rosey mauves I thought I was getting turned into muddy browns and way too bright pinks. Never again. I’m purchasing this stuff to USE. If I can’t see if I will fully be able to use it, not worth it.

    With all that said, safety first and foremost. This isn’t going to end just because things are “normalizing”. I can hold off until I can ‘safely’ swatch again.

  • Ryou

    Yeah, absolutely not. I’m immunocompromised and so is my spouse, so we REALLY can’t risk being out there until there’s a vaccine, unfortunately.

    Being in an enclosed space with someone with active infection is bad news even if you have PPE and are standing 6 feet away from them, so uh, yeah, no.

    I read a tweet today about how the willingness to go out to shops, restaurants, etc during a pandemic should be framed less as one’s willingness to risk their own safety, but especially their willingness to risk the lives of the vulnerable people around them — And I think that really hits the nail on the head.

  • Dee

    I’m with you, Muse. I miss Home Goods and I really miss Target. But I’m not ready to go shopping yet. Things are going to be so very different for such a long time and not just with cosmetics. Can you imagine shopping for clothes if stores do open up? Would you try anything on in store? I think life as we’ve known it is over for several years.

    It really does brighten my day to see a new post from you! I read your reply to Jane below about how hard it is sometimes to post and act like everything is perfectly normal. I hope you know how much your blog is appreciated. Please take care of you! xoxox

    • Isabella Muse

      Hey Dee! Me too and I feel the same. Just the idea of trying on clothes scares me. I mean the news keeps urging everyone That’s a weird feeling as I’m a gutsy girl! I’m not typically scared or anxious of anything but I swear this has changed my personality dramatically and I feel like I’m always looking over my shoulder. I think part of stems from the fact that a lot of people do not respect the 6 feet guidelines. At least not here in NY. People are RIGHT on top of me when I am brave enough to venture out for stuff I need. It’s really hard. I sound all jolly and carefree in my posts but honestly, I’m struggling hard talking about makeup at the moment. I do it because I love seeing all your comments and it feels like a nice escape from all the crazy <3! You take care too! Be well and stay well!

  • Swoozy

    No, not ready. Shopping like that is so touch-focused – picking things up to smell, swatch, or feel the casing – and I’m not there. I can do the quick hits to run into a store where I know what I need, can run in, and run out, but even grocery shopping gives me vague feelings of panic because of how C19 has changed the experience.

    • Isabella Muse

      You know, I was at Barney’s during the Holidays and one of the fragrance girl’s at the counter said how disgusting she thought it was that people picked up bottles and placed them near their nose to smell. I do this. I never consciously thought about it. It’s just something you sort of do ya know? You pick it up and smell it from the bottle. But she totally changed how I smell fragrance now. She was like, “Don’t smell from the bottle! hundreds of people are doing that and sometimes it is touching their nose! Spray it on a strip and try it!” And she’s right! Moral of the story I think we’ll be really caution and safe from now on when we do get out there to stores. I panic too going to the grocery store. I went with my BF earlier in April when we started running low on stuff and we couldn’t get delivery as instacart, amazon, etc just had all their spots filled. I got out of the car, I got to the door, and I wimped out. I ended up going back to the car while he went inside to get stuff. I just couldn’t handle it. It was a NEW experience for me. Never have I felt like that before. Covid is def changing how we live our lives! It’s a weird feeling!

    • Isabella Muse

      I’d say 95% of mine was done in the past too. But I still liked going to store to browse etc..! I’ll miss that!

  • Linda

    When I was a little girl, my grandma sold Avon. Instead of testers, Avon ladies were given mini samples of skin care and makeup to pass out to customers. Tiny little lipsticks. Foil packets of skin care. Tiny little blushes. It was like makeup for dolls!! It worked and it was sanitary. Perhaps this is what’s next for make up and skin care brands

    • Isabella Muse

      totally remember that. I was in love with the itty bitty tiny little lipsticks my mom used to bring home from the avon lady! That would be a smart move!

  • Jadene Pierce

    I’m in California in an area that is trying to open starting today. Bigger companies that respect the state ordinance will not be opening. I think you’re lucky to be in an area that is staying closed, because at this time, I think early opening with be fairly synonymous with a spike in cases. But I will with going in beauty stores as much as grocery stores. I never wanted to mess with the testers. I never wanted anyone’s flu as much as I don’t want covid.

  • Mary Brenner

    I’m ready to go into a store I’m sick of being locked down and I think it’s time for the fear and panic to stop. People need to realize this isn’t going away and we are just going to have to function with it. Use common sense and take precautions to protect yourself of course but we cannot live in a bubble forever. And in regards to a vaccine….from a nurses point of view you couldn’t pay me to get that shot. The vaccine is being rushed to market and there is no way it’s going to be fully effective.

    • Eraser

      I agree. I’m in Pennsylvania, in a county that’s finally going to start being open on the 15th, and I can’t wait. So many people have suffered from being locked down, especially small businesses and sole proprietors who weren’t allowed to compete with the big box stores that were never closed. So many of them have lost their livelihoods and closed for good. Our governor had the nerve to call them cowards for wanting to earn a living and open in defiance of his order. He and a number of the others have been taking advantage of this crisis for political gain and their own lust for power, and they don’t care one bit about the people of their states.

      I live in Pittsburgh, a major medical center with some of the finest doctors in the world, and several have been making public statements that actually make sense – that it really is possible to reopen safely and has been for a while. The University of Pittsburgh has developed a vaccine that was successful in animal trials. I’m not a medical person but I would take the vaccine if my doctor advises it.

      As for cosmetic testers, I agree that they’ve always been less than sanitary but the Chinese virus, like the flu and the common cold, isn’t transmitted through skin contact. How many of us kept using testers after AIDS appeared? I’ve seen people slapping on lipstick from testers when it became known that was transmitted through mucous membranes. In any event, some clever cosmetic company could develop a tester system that would dispense a single amount at a time without contact. Even now, there could be a way to secure perfume bottles so people couldn’t hold it to their noses.

      Personally, I like the old Avon lady system, especially those dinky little lipsticks!

    • Jaimie

      I couldn’t agree more! I’m in Missouri and our state is finally starting to open up. I’ve seen people outside walking their dogs with their family and kids; laughing and just being human. It’s so wonderful to see people living again. It’s my hope and prayer that as a people, as a nation, we never take for granted all that we have blessed with. You don’t know you have till you lose it.

      • Eraser

        Your post reminded me of what it was like right after 9/11. I remember that my father was scheduled to go to Italy that December and my mother didn’t want him to go. I’ll always remember what he said : “If I don’t go, then they’ve won.” He went on to explain that if we became so fearful that we stopped living our lives, then the enemy would win the war. Of course today the particular enemy is microscopic, without a brain or a will like human terrorists, but the real enemies are also human. There are far too many in the media and parts of the government who have a vested interest in scaring the populace.

        Don’t get me wrong : I don’t buy into conspiracy theories and I’m careful about following the necessary guidelines, but I also believe that it’s time to start moving on. It can be done safely and carefully.

    • Rachel

      I agree! I’m ready to shop. I rarely used testers before, and only on the back of my hand.
      Shutting down was never meant to stop or eliminate this virus, it was meant to keep the health care system from getting overwhelmed.
      There are many people right now bleeding invisible blood. I’m happy for those who can stay home and still make a living, but many of us can’t. I implore anyone reading this to do your due diligence and investigate this virus, instead of taking what you’re hearing as the truth. And of course, the elderly, all those who are afraid or have health issues should absolutely stay home, but the rest of us need to make a living. There are no easy answers, but we need to find a compromise, and be gentle with one another and understanding. Blessings to you all! ❤️

  • Brenda

    I’m in Canada in one of the city’s that is being hit hard and I’m high risk, so going out to a store for me won’t be until there is a vaccine or until this virus is almost non-existent. We just travelled to Vancouver, B.C. as my mother’s house just sold and we had to sign the papers. It’s a lot different out there, they haven’t been hit as hard as us and to see people walking into stores without masks was alarming to me. They were still practising social distancing but this gives me something to look forward to that some day we will be back to some kind of normalcy. For now shopping on line is safe for me.

  • N

    I’m not ready either. I hate shopping online so much as I hate dealing with the boxes, but unless the shopping trip is for strictly essential items I’d rather not venture out for unnecessary things. Ain’t no blush or candle worth getting COVID over. Working as a nurse has been enough and I don’t need to risk exposure to the virus from a beauty store too. I got an email from Ulta yesterday with what they are planning and it can be found on their website too. Evidently they will have testers for viewing, but they don’t want you to use them. I don’t know how they will stop people unless they put physical barriers over them, because you know there are some clueless (sorry that seems jaded, but it’s true) people that will be rubbing that stuff all over their faces, eyes, and lips regardless.
    Besides the recent Sephora sale and a few things I bought during the Neiman Marcus sale I don’t plan on buying beauty until at least the fall. I miss wandering through Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods too. They are about 25 minutes from me and I haven’t gone since mid-March. I still go to the local grocery store, but it is one trip per week and as quickly as I can get in and out with my protective mask, gloves, and hand sanitizer at the ready…not fun. I never thought I’d be wearing PPE for the grocery store before. But I have been cooking like never before, which is good as eating home cooked meal are healthier.

    • Isabella Muse

      Preach! Retail therapy right now is not worth risking COVID. I got the email too, seems they are removing testers from what I read. Didn’t see anything about viewing them? Have to reread! I miss WF and TJ too! I do love a TJ run 🙁 I’ve been cooking too which is odd for me! It’s been fun though! I’ve been watching youTube and Tiktok cooking vids and they are quite helpful with creating new dishes 😀

  • Mary

    Ulta send out an email saying that they are removing all testers and are beginning to open up a number of stores. Like you Isabella, I am in New York and have been keeping my outings few and far between. Just the supermarket and Dunkin Donuts lol. Stay safe all.

    • Isabella Muse

      yeah i know I mentioned that in my post 🙂 I’ve def been limiting myself too! Just essential runs! I think I’ve been out like twice or three times and both times were awful 🙁

  • Christina

    I’m not scared to shop in stores because I wasn’t really one to play and swatch testers prior, so it doesn’t make a difference to me. Going into Ulta/Sephora to pick up a blush isn’t any different than going to Target to pick up a blush next time I’m there for necessities if I never swatched in both stores to begin with (I’m a germaphobe). Same with skincare. I do prefer to see colours in person, even if it’s just to see what it looks like in the pan as opposed to online, where pictures are altered to be saturated and appear more vibrant than they really are.

    That being said, I’ve been suffering from makeup burnout lately and haven’t really purchased a whole lot of anything this past year. I’ll maybe pick up something for collection purpose, but that’s about it. So it doesn’t really matter to me.

  • Jill

    Reading these comments makes me sad.

    Our history has shown us that we are strong, we are adaptable, and we persevere. We get through shit. Life is not easy, and we’ve all had our own individual crises and heartaches we’ve had to survive. Together, we will survive this as well.

    We will change the way we do things. We will learn new ways. We will adapt. But we cannot be afraid and WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS TO CHANGE WHO WE ARE. We cannot hide in fear of it. We have to continue to live, continue to laugh, continue to play. If we can’t do it the “old”� way, find a new way. Spray the perfume on the tester strip, invent a little bitty lipstick instead of a tester. Be innovative. Find a new way, get on with life, do not let this beat you down.

    We are better than that.

    Love to all (especially Isabella),
    Jill in Florida

  • Randi Macdonald

    Sigh, LA county extended their stay at home orders until end of July. I don’t see how shopping in Home Goods or TJ Maxx is any different than strolling around walmart or target.

    • Eraser

      Exactly. Call me jaded but I wonder how much those big boxes lobbied our governors…

  • Eraser

    I agree. I’m in Pennsylvania, in a county that’s finally going to start being open on the 15th, and I can’t wait. So many people have suffered from being locked down, especially small businesses and sole proprietors who weren’t allowed to compete with the big box stores that were never closed. So many of them have lost their livelihoods and closed for good. Our governor had the nerve to call them cowards for wanting to earn a living and open in defiance of his order. He and a number of the others have been taking advantage of this crisis for political gain and their own lust for power, and they don’t care one bit about the people of their states.

    I live in Pittsburgh, a major medical center with some of the finest doctors in the world, and several have been making public statements that actually make sense – that it really is possible to reopen safely and has been for a while. The University of Pittsburgh has developed a vaccine that was successful in animal trials. I’m not a medical person but I would take the vaccine if my doctor advises it.

    As for cosmetic testers, I agree that they’ve always been less than sanitary but the Chinese virus, like the flu and the common cold, isn’t transmitted through skin contact. How many of us kept using testers after AIDS appeared? I’ve seen people slapping on lipstick from testers when it became known that was transmitted through mucous membranes. In any event, some clever cosmetic company could develop a tester system that would dispense a single amount at a time without contact. Even now, there could be a way to secure perfume bottles so people couldn’t hold it to their noses.

    Personally, I like the old Avon lady system, especially those dinky little lipsticks!

  • Eraser

    I’m not afraid. I know I’m in the minority but I’m tired of all the fear mongering. That’s not to say that I’m reckless – I wear my mask and observe distancing, but as this has worn on, I’ve become skeptical to a degree. Politicians, like our governor, and the media have a stake in keeping the populace scared. Here in Pittsburgh, a major medical center, several specialists at UPMC have been saying that it’s possible to reopen safely.

    As I mentioned before, this is an opportunity for the beauty companies to develop some kind of touch free testing, like a system that dispenses a single amount at a time. Or take a page from the old Avon book and give out sealed samples and dinky little lipsticks!

  • Mikki

    While I do want things to go back to normal, I’m totally trying to not go out, especially for makeup. But I’ve been more an online buyer so perhaps it just bothers me less than others that need to physically see products. Plus we have youtube/insta to help research products before buying it. And to comment about other beauty store changes, I work in a dept store and as far as I know I think we’re removing all testers as well but not 100% sure since I have yet to come back after being furloughed.

    But as for re-opening, I think it’s a double-edged sword right now. I get people are antsy, even myself who is a major homebody, but it seems to be the wrong time. Not to get political of course, I want to say I live in Texas and we have really poor testing despite reopening and would not be surprised if we see spikes in a few weeks. It’s one thing to reopen if your state is truly prepared, but many are not. I love Texas, but it feels like a big misstep. And so many people don’t want to wear masks either!

    Idk, a lot is going on and I’m thankful there’s people like you who are still positive but remains nuanced about this situation!

    • Isabella Muse

      Honestly, I’m the same way. 90-95% of what I buy be it makeup or clothes or even food it’s typically online. I think I do miss stores a bit though! There’s a certain joy walking down the aisles at Target or heading to Trader Joe to see what’s new! But I’m not really SUPER cracked up over it ;-D I can survive doing online orders. God I hope not Mikki! A spike would be a very bad thing 🙁 New York is being very very caution at this point and things are slowly progressing. Our stores may not even be reopen at the end of the month the way things are going and I’m ok with that because it’s a bit scary! aw thank you <3!

  • Julia

    I’m totally ready to shop in stores! We can’t live in fear forever. Those who want to keep quarantined, can do so, but a lot of people want to go back out into the the world and people need to get back to work. I hope this hasn’t drastically changed things. One of the perks of shopping at ulta and sephora was the testers. I never put them on my eyes or lips, but they were helpful picking out shades. Again, if someone isn’t comfortable using them, then they shouldn’t use them. I’m currently visiting Texas and ulta is open here. I’m probably going to swing by during my stay.

  • MDW

    The beauty and fashion industry could play a large role in providing laypersons products for managing the pandemic. Perfumeries could shift towards making nice smelling sanitizers. I thought cloth mask fashion was going to take off more than it did. Maybe it’s still too early. Where I live, people have been more polite, but ya, I notice they are getting exasperated.

  • Julie

    I am not ready to go out, and I generally love to shop. Unfortunately I live in a southern state where people are just going out to restaurants and other places without masks or trying to social distance. On the plus side I have so much makeup that I still have an Hourglass palate and 2 Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks that I bought months ago and never opened. Thank goodness for your blog! I work in healthcare and coming to your blog helps me de-stress in the evenings.

    • Isabella Muse

      No offense but some of these people in the south are crazeeee! I’ve seen instagrams of people all out and about in really close spaces having a fun socail-fest but lord, the germs people the germs! It makes me scared for my life and theirs. Aw Julie that means so much to me I’m glad that I could help! and shopping your own collection rocks!

  • Vivianne

    I share the same sentiments Muse. I’m also not ready to shop at places like Ulta or Sephora. I will miss browsing and admiring at all the beautiful products, but safety and health is number 1. Not just for me but for others as well. Currently I live in Charlotte, NC and it’s one of the cities in the state deemed higher risk. It’s hard to feel safe when I see a majority of the people not wearing masks especially at places like grocery stores. There are stores where it is optional for employees to wear masks, in addition, there is not enough testing either….. As an Asian American, let’s just say these times haven’t been the most funnest either. I’m absolutely paranoid someone will attack me even for some basic grocery shopping. Even though I was born and raised here my whole entire life, this virus has made my ethnicity into an enemy of the world 🙁 Regardless, I hope we can all get through these tough times with courage, love, and support. Stay safe and healthy Muse. Thank you for you wonderful posts and positive energy. We all love you <3

    • Isabella Muse

      Me either girl me either. Fact of the matter is the virus stays in the air for 8 whole minutes. That means you can walk into a cloud of someone else’s germs without even knowing it. A face mask protects you and if you sneeze or cough you’re protecting others by wearing one. If someone isn’t wearing one I’d say that’s a really unsafe and selfish thing to do. If they don’t want to protect themselves fine but protect others especially elder people are I do see out and about still! I AM SO freaking sorry you feel that way. My heart hurts for you! That is unfair and wrong on so many damn levels for you to feel that way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO ONE should ever have to feel that way. This is not an “Asian virus” or a “Chinese virus” anyone who thinks differently is an absolute idiot. In NY the virus came from Europe so the joke is on the racist idiots calling it a Chinese virus. You should never feel that way I am DEEPLY sorry you do. I am so angry reading this right now. 🙁 I hope things return to normal soon Vivianne. Please be so so safe and remember not everyone is like that. I LOVE you back! I love you all so very much! Please know you have my support always and if I can shed a tiny bit of positivity on this for you that means the world to me!!!!!!!!

      • Eraser

        Let me say from the outset that discriminating against Asian Americans and Asian individuals is very, very wrong. They are in no way to blame for the situation just because the virus originated in China. And yes, it did originate in China. That is a fact. So by the same token, I am not, as you say, a horrible bigoted person because I referred to it as the Chinese flu in one of my earlier posts. I understand that you and many others are emotional right now but that doesn’t excuse labeling other people because they don’t think quite the same way.

        Let me share a cautionary tale about what happens when people get caught up too far in worrying about nomenclature, appearances and the like. Italy has suffered terribly from the virus, far out of proportion to its population, and that is because the authorities were more concerned about appearing to be racists than the safety of their own citizens. Instead of quarantining cruise ship passengers and closing the borders early on, they wavered until it was almost too late. Even worse, that attitude was fueled by a political party with a vested interest in causing chaos in order to gain power. This is the report straight from my friends and relatives there who saw it happen.

        I enjoy your blog and I didn’t mean to go off on a tangent or bring up politics, but I do resent being called a bigot when I’m not.

        • Isabella Muse

          It’s disgusting behavior to discriminate against anyone. I personally find calling it “the Chinese virus” offensive. I’m not Chinese but I find this term fuels racism. I just don’t think we need to label the virus as “Chinese” no matter where it originated from. I apologize for that because you’ve been a long time reader and I know you are neither a bigot nor an idiot. However, in my opinion, we probably should refrain from labeling it the Chinese virus and go forward with the official COVID-19 name. That’s just my opinion as well! You def don’t have to agree with me on any level! This is a safe place where we can all feel and say what we want I’ve always endorsed Musings of a Muse as being that space where you can express yourself without judgement.

          • MDW

            I’m impressed by how Taiwan is managing the pandemic. Also, I thought things would be worse in southeast Florida. Protest demonstrations are starting in my city (with few wearing masks) and the hospitals are preparing for once again increase cases.

            I’m ready to shop for large scarves. And big sunglasses.

        • Jane

          It is an offensive term to use, as well as being incorrect. The disease is covid-19.

          The bald fact is that had America not bungled its response, both before and after the pandemic started, it would not be the pandemic virus that it is.

      • Eraser

        Muse, let me state from the outset that discriminating against Asian Americans and Asian individuals is very, very wrong. They are not to blame for this and they deserve to be respected as every other person in this country.

        However, the fact is that the virus originated in China. That stands even if it arrived in New York via Europe. There are also serious concerns about the role of the Chinese government in this crisis. Therefore, it is accurate to refer to it as the Chinese virus although the scientifically accurate term COVID 19 is used most often.

        I assure you that I am neither a bigot nor an idiot as you suggest because I used that term in one of my posts. I have friends and relatives in Italy who have seen their homeland devastated because the authorities worried more about their PC image than protecting their own people. If they had quarantined the Chinese cruise ship passengers right away and closed the borders immediately, thousands of Italian lives would have been saved. Instead they wavered and caved in to a certain political party bent on wreaking havoc under the guise of an anti racism campaign.

        It’s perfectly understandable that you and a lot of people are emotional right now, but it’s not right for you to make assumptions about people who might think differently. I enjoy your blog and I don’t want to dwell on politics, etc., but I couldn’t let this one pass.

  • Tigerlaf

    Meh, I’m sick and tired from all the fear mongering and freaking out when someone walks by on the street. I won’t live the rest of my life hiding in a bubble, so as soon as stores are open I’m going to visit and spend money to support businesses.

    • Julia

      Me too! I’m currently in Texas and everything feels so normal here. No one runs away when you walk by and no one glares daggers if you aren’t wearing a mask. The restaurants are open and people are out on the beach. It’s glorious!

  • Vivianne

    Oh gosh, I did not mean to inflict any conflict on your blog Muse. I’m so sorry about this. I wasn’t trying to have anyone called out or bring up politics. I just felt it was uncomfortable to shop because of my ethnicity and because there are people not wearing masks or practicing social distancing in grocery stores or shops in general. I’m going to keep my shut about this… ^_^ Thank you for your heartfelt words and kindness <3

    • Isabella Muse

      Oh my gosh you didn’t at all! Eraser is a good person! She’s been a reader for years 🙂 I’m positive we can all be friends by agreeing to disagree! We’re adults ;-D And we’re all friends here no matter our opinions! It’s ok to have different opinions on different topics! It makes the world more interesting! 🙂 I bet it is uncomfortable. I’ve been reading so many horror stories from ricefeed on Instagram and it hurts my heart. No one should be treated like that because of a virus. WTH is wrong with people 🙁 Just be safe out there! And keep talking never shut up always say what you feel 🙂 xoxoxoxoxoxoxooooooooooooo!

      • Eraser

        Thanks – you are a truly good person too! I’ve said it before in different contexts but I’m always impressed with the way you handle sensitive topics and maintain respect for everyone. This situation is just bad on many levels and too many people are suffering in all sorts of ways.

        OK, back to talking about eyeshadow…

        • Isabella Muse

          Vivianne was worried that she was causing conflict between us but I just commented that you’ve been a reader for a long time and I knew we’d remain friends whether we agreed or not. Again, I am sorry of the way I worded that because I know you are NOT an idiot nor a racist! <3! I know you're a good person too <3! Thank you! I try to be as adult as possible but as you can see in my comments today I got emotional 🙂 But that's ok, we're all emotional right now! Agreed! Everyone is really struggling right now. Back to eyeshadow...! LOL 🙂 Love ya!

      • Vivianne

        Some of the stories are indeed awful especially from the ones on ricefeed 🙁 I have to take a breather from the news at times because it’s just too much. Sometimes I think, what has the world come to??? But there are a lot of really good people too. I have been a silent reader for a number of years but your recent posts has opened this introvert’s heart. Keep them coming lol !

        • Isabella Muse

          I’ve literally blocked ricefeed from my feed for a time because I was raging at the content. It was so awful and made me so upset to see. 🙁 it’s awful! I hate to think there are crappy humans around like this. The news is just chaotic. I really need to step back from it a lot lately. Awwww <3! Thank you for reading so long and thank you for coming out to comment. It means SO much to me <3! Keep strong! <3!

          • Eraser

            Good idea. I can’t stand the news any more. A long time ago, a psychologist told me that one of the best ways to handle anxiety and depression is to just stop watching the news.

          • Isabella Muse

            I put my phone in “jail” a few hours a day to avoid fb, news, etc…FB is particularly toxic with people posting all sorts of crazy. I’m not an active FB person but I do use it for Musings and many people who follows me are readers and I end up seeing their posts and just feeling paranoid!

    • Eraser

      Vivianne, you didn’t do anything! You have to remember that Isabella and I are Mediterranean and we get a little carried away sometimes. In fact, Ive been wondering about my dear colleague from Korea and how she’s dealing with this. It’s just a bad situation all the way around. I hope you understand and that you stay safe and healthy!

      • Isabella Muse

        every always carried away here ;-D hehe guilty as charged! Thank you for reassuring Vivianne! <3! See Vivianne? We can all fight and bicker and disagree with each but we're still all sisters here!

  • Eraser

    I’m very sorry for posting twice. Please remove my second comment.

    • Isabella Muse

      oh no worries it went through but not a problem!!!!!!

  • Vivianne

    Okay my last comment on this post, I love the community here! It’s so positive and uplifting. I agree with you Eraser, it’s just a terrible situation all around. I’m sending out positive energy and love to everyone <3 <3

    • Isabella Muse

      <3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) I feel all warm and fuzzy inside to hear that :)

    • Eraser

      Vivianne, it’s one of the best blogs & beauty resources you’ll ever find, especially for that reason. No attitude, no cattiness, no insane overdone makeup looks… Glad you’re here!

      • Isabella Muse

        <3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • jill

    isabella, how come you don’t publish my posts? did i do something wrong?

    • Isabella Muse

      Oh my god not at all! I just have 755 of them I’m trying hard to get through! I’m sorry I didn’t get to yours yet <3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Typically the first ones that appear are the newest and I try to work myself down from those. I'm actually doing my best to reply to a few a day but sometimes I get crazy busy! I promise I'll look them up and reply!

  • Frozendiva

    Yes and no. I do need some skincare stuff – I have started to use some GWP and other stuff I somehow managed to accumulate over the past year or two – deluxe samples of cleanser and such items. My moisturizers are also starting to run out – had bought them before the holidays. Those are pretty safe to buy.

    Department stores with dedicated staff are a bit more promising in terms of testers. I would think they would be cleaned/disinfected a couple of times per day. Places like drug stores and Sephora? Not so much. Rarely used testers at Sephora – too many grubby fingers in the pies, so to speak.

    I have a bunch of Bath and Body Works hand sanitizers and prefer them to using what the stores have. I also tend to wash my hands well before I leave the house and it’s only a short drive to the grocery store.

    Did order some stuff from the Bay before the store closed in March. Any clothing since then has been Joe Fresh, available at the grocery store. Some lounge pants and a tank top or two.

    Have seen some of the images from the US TJ Maxx (on Twitter) and was horrified at how crowded the store was.

    • Isabella Muse

      just butting in to say I’ve seen photos and videos of TJ Maxx too with lines around the entire store and I was like oh no, oh no!

  • Tracy

    Ton of comments already here so what I am about to say may have already been said by someone else, but really the only reason I go to an actual Ulta or Sephora is to see the products and swatch them on my hand. So if there aren’t testers any more then my purchases will likely go down, or else I’m going to end up returning A TON more stuff than I used to because I can’t tell till I get home if the color is going to work on me or not. Or maybe a combo of both those things.

  • OliveUnicorn

    I live in a state thats reopening but I’m still ordering online for my beauty supplies . I feel the risk is too high in my area . Plus most of the makeup I order is online exclusive . I do miss shopping but I would rather play it safe , I live very close to my fiance’s grandpa and sometimes help out with things for him . So its just better for me to stay home .