Smackdown Updates III: Fishnets, Eye Makeup & Expired Shampoo

The updates keep rolling in! Hopefully you guys aren’t getting too sick of these yet — I naturally find them interesting, but then again, I find joy in the weird shapes my dryer lint sometimes forms. If you still want to send in an update, note that I hold them until I get a good cluster of three or four to publish, so I’m guessing these columns should get more sporadic from now on. But by all means, update us! I know there are still a few dangling plot holes out there from some of the more popular columns, so whatever, whenever. You guys are the best. Mwa.
Original column linked in title header, my comments in italics, yadda yadda hammertime.
UPDATE ON: How to Wear Fishnet Stockings
I wrote to you early in November (I think) about how to wear fishnets with out looking like a hooker. Your rules on wearing them, and the advice contributed by other readers have helped tremendously. Unfortunately, the pair I had was still too hard core (seams up the back only work at Halloween) so I bought some that were easier to wear everyday. I then proceeded to wear them on a regular basis. My favorite way to wear them ended up being with tall boots and a skirt that hits a couple inches above the knees. You can see a couple inches of fishnet, but I don’t feel self conscious or skanky. I still want to try wearing them over colored tights, but its too hot now. Hopefully next fall.
Thank you!!!
Deanna
Hooray! An update on one of my personal most-favorite columns. You nailed the proper look down to a tee. Or to a boot. I don’t know. Either way, I’ll have you know that your question inspired me to rock the fishnets all last winter too, and I loved it.
But perhaps I should add another rule to that list: Ladies, there is a reason they don’t make maternity fishnets. Or at least, I hope they don’t make maternity fishnets. First person who links to maternity fishnets gets banned for life, I JUST DON’T WANT TO KNOW.
UPDATE ON: Perfume Sensitivities & Real-World Eye Make-up Looks
Hi, Amy,
I hope it’s not too late to send you an e-mail about a Smackdown Update…
You answered two of my questions (perfume and pictures of your eye make-up routine). The Amazing Grace has been the only thing that doesn’t kill me or annoy me. I think I’ve perfected the eye make-up and I’ve attached a couple before and after pictures. You can share them with readers, it’s up to you. I’m warning you, though, my eyebrows are quite scary but I’m getting them waxed in two days. I used Clinique shadow and liner and some Lancome mascara but I used your technique that you outlined in photos. They really cleared up a lot of confusion I had about how to do it. Thank you for answering those questions!
Also, I just wanted to say that I’ve gotten a lot of help from the answers to other peoples’ questions. I tried Curel and loved it. I switched to Cetaphil soap for my grumpy-ass dry skin. I learned how to blow-dry my hair better. Stressing the importance of using good skin care, especially SPF, because, as you said, you’ll wear your face forever. I also appreciated you ignoring some of my other questions because it forced me to get professional help and I couldn’t be happier with the results.
Thanks for the help, both directly and indirectly! I love your column and your pregnancy calendar. Congrats on your pregnancy! I’m excited to read the calendar, especially since I’m about 10 weeks behind you.
Take care and thank you again!
-Jae
Before:

After:

Wow, can I just say that your eyelashes are a thing of absolute envy? The column-reader has officially surpassed the columnist, not like that was very hard to do. Yesterday I went to apply mascara and somehow missed my eye completely and ended up painting my cheek. Even my toddler knew enough to laugh at me.
UPDATE ON: When Shampoo Goes Bad
Hi Amy –
A few weeks ago you answered my question about shampoo going bad.
While my shampoo lacked any of the signs you gave for bad shampoo (separated, runny, smelly, etc.), other than the fact that it didn’t lather as much as my other shampoo, but I can’t ever remember if it did, so it just flat out wasn’t working.
I hadn’t thought of the fact that since I cut off all of my perfectly lovely hair (which I am now growing back out – funny how that always happens), I had started using more product and maybe just needed to go find a better shampoo that was up to the challenge of washing all of it out. I did scoop up a regular-sized bottle of the Wella Volumizing shampoo and also a trial size bottle of super cleansing Paul Mitchell. They’re both fine. I haven’t noticed a huge difference in them other than they are just flat out better than the ISO that I was using, but I’ve also cut back on the styling products that I’ve been using. I don’t see the Wella giving me any more body than my basic Suave cleansing shampoo, but I have noticed that my highlights are a lot less faded than before (they’re almost still as bright when I left the salon about 4 weeks ago) with other shampoos, so I’ve started using the Wella with the color preserve in it as a daily shampoo, if for nothing but to keep my highlights looking bright.
Thanks again Amy!
Erin
Well, I’m glad to hear the Wella is indeed preserving your color, although I’m sorry to hear it’s not working on the volumizing front. There’s always a limit to how useful advice based on one person’s experience can be, unless we’re talking Philosophy skincare. I don’t think a week goes by without a gushing IT CHANGED MAH LIFE email from a happy convert. Whew! I don’t entirely suck at this, despite having no credentials whatsoever.
One more note on expired products: I recently got an email from a reader who purchased a Smashbox tinted moisturizer from Ulta, only to have it separate and become unusable a couple months later, long before she got a chance to use most of it. Upon closer inspection she realized the expiration date was a mere THREE MONTHS after she bought it, which frankly, is wrong and insane, since tinted moisturizer should have a post-purchase shelf life of about 12 months. Add on to this the time I bought some Smashbox Photo Finish primer from Ulta, but realized when I got home that the actual bottle had been SMASHED to smithereens inside the box. Smashbox! Not so great on a literal level!
So our Big Lesson for the day: check expiration dates no matter where you’re buying from, open boxes, inspect packaging, unscrew caps and examine the actual product whenever possible.