Liz Asks: Would you ever buy fake designer bags knowingly?
Last Christmas, I was thinking of treating myself to a Louis Vuitton Neverfull tote (or a Goyard but I couldn't find any). I loved that it has a classic design, something I can wear for decades to come. It's roomy, light, and hey, it's LV! I asked a friend of mine if I should invest in that bag. She voted against it. She said people would always wonder if it's fake, and frankly, I don't want to deal with that if I'm going to blow almost P50,000 for a bag!
I mean, don't you do that too? You look at an LV and wonder if the person carrying it could actually afford it. You might even take it a step further if you know designer bags and check for signs that it could be fake. Harsh, yeah, but that's one of the reasons people buy designer things anyway. Aesthetics and quality aside, people tote a crazy expensive bag as a status symbol. You're pretty much asking to be judged. If you have the symbol but don't really have the status then it's not going to be judgment you want to hear.
Which brings me to the question: Would you ever buy fake designer bags knowingly? I saw this online store on Instagram the other day selling P1,800 Balenciaga knock-offs. I was like, seriously? Who would buy that? Apparently, a lot of people do. The seller posts pictures of her clients with their fake bags! If, by some weird twist of fate, I end up publicly carrying a knock-off designer item knowingly, I'd wear a paper bag over my head.
But that's just me. Maybe the buyers just really love the design but can only afford a copy. Perhaps that's a valid reason - almost everything in fashion is just a copy of something that came before.
Liz Asks: How do you tip in salons?
This was actually a Reader Question that I decided to turn into a question for everybody instead. Why? Because many of us aren't sure about the standard tipping rate in the beauty industry, or that there is such a thing to begin with. The best way to find out is to ask everyone and hopefully find a general guide for best practices in tipping in salons.
The tipping culture here in the Philippines is a bit weird. It's not like in Western countries where service personnel expect and even often demand a 10-20% tip, or in Japan where giving a tip is considered an insult. Here, there seem to be tiers in giving tips, depending on how swanky a place is. We tip very minimally in say, neighborhood salons, but tip more in high-end places. But it's unusual to tip the salon owner as we feel he or she might be insulted, or worse, that we didn't give enough.
Should we give tips, even though there is a service charge included in the price or even if the personnel already receive a salary?
In my opinion, giving a tip is a way for me to say thank you to the person I just spent an hour or two of my life with.
Liz Asks: What do you think of the Asian puffy eye or eye bag trend?
Hi folks! I read about the Asian eye bag trend last year and thought that it's just one of those passing fancies Koreans get themselves into. But apparently it's still going strong, even in Japan! Wait, what is it anyway? Here's an informative photo collage from Sasa:
Why anyone would want to give themselves eye bags on purpose might be baffling, but the explanation kinda makes sense. The older we get the more put together we look - obviously, we obsesses more about hiding our perceived flaws, and we have the means to fix them with cosmetics or surgery. Some mature women also experience "sunken" eyes due to the loss of collagen over time. That feature can make them look more aged and tired.
Liz Asks: What makeup look do you think isn't for you?
Isn't it unfair that you're the only one who gets to ask questions? Kidding aside I love how Project Vanity readers comment on the blog. Most of you are eloquent and intelligent, which means that I learn something new everyday. In fact, many readers here are scientists, lawyers, doctors, and PhD holders (for serious). That explains the quality of the comments!
That's you!
I want us to have lively discussions even if I don't get to reply as much as I would like. I read every single comment though, and sometimes if I have a few minutes I directly email commenters instead of replying on the website - I know, bad, but it's easier to email via phone versus loading everything! Anyway! Here's the first Liz Asks topic:
What makeup look do you think isn't for you? Why?
I'm sure there's one makeup product or look that you think looks terrible on your face. Before, I really didn't like mascara and matte lipsticks - they felt weird and uncomfortable. Sometimes though it's good to crawl out of our comfort zones to explore little things like new makeup or a new look.