issue 11// vol 45 life & style // no. 13

Four tips for
choosing a good
makeup bag

» Celebrating your beauty

 

Illustration by Cara Seccafien

Naomi Ambrose
Staff Writer

 

Pinas a good makeup bag to buy

can be overwhelming. There are
hundreds of options available in a variety
of designs, colours, and styles. If you feel
overwhelmed with choosing a makeup bag,
the guidelines outlined below can help you
with your decision.

Know your numbers

It is important to consider the number

of makeup items you use. Ifyou use the
main makeup items such as foundation,
concealer, blush, lipstick, eyeshadow, and
mascara, choose a bag that can support
these items. If you use additional products,
your bag should be big enough to carry
them. Also keep in mind makeup brushes.
You might have a brush for applying
foundation, another brush for blush, and
more brushes for applying eyeshadow, so
you now have a few extra items to consider.

Account for the size of your handbag
I’m sure your handbag has your wallet with
your credit cards, gift cards, and dozens of
coins. Perhaps your handbag has a pair of
reading glasses and sunglasses that are in
separate, slightly heavier glasses cases. Your
bag probably also has your phone charger,
maybe a power bank, and headphones.
Considering the weight of these items,
there's a high possibility that you are
carrying at least two pounds on your
shoulders—and now you have to add your
makeup bag too. If you're worried about
carrying all of this around, consider what
the necessities are, or if you would prefer a

Play ‘Magic: The Gathering’
for free with ‘Arena’

» This online ‘Magic’ game offers a lot to all levels of players

Lauren Kelly
Graphics Manager

 

re you interested in playing Magic: The

Gathering? If you are, and you have
a PC, you should download Magic: The
Gathering Arena. Arena has recently left
closed beta, which means that anyone can
download it and give it a try.

Arena is an online version of Magic
that focuses on the current Standard-legal
sets. “Standard” is the format where decks
are built using cards from the newest Magic
sets. The current sets, and those used in
Arena, are “Guilds of Ravnica,” “Core Set
2019,” “Dominaria,” “Ixalan,” and “Rivals of
Ixalan.”

The main form of play is Standard
constructed—constructed meaning that
the decks are created prior to the start of
a game. However, Arena also has drafts
and sealed events, as well as other rotating
formats like pauper—a variant in which
competitors only use commonly found
cards. It has the same gameplay and follows
all the same rules as regular Magic, which
makes it an easy way to learn the game for
new players and a good way to get more
playtime or to try out different decks for
Magic veterans.

The reason Arena is the perfect way for
someone to get into (or back into) Magic
is that it is free to play. When you start, the
game gives you a handful of decks to play
with. All of the cards from these are also
a part of your collection. Playing games
wins you a total of 15 daily rewards of cards

and gold, as well as daily new decks and
less frequent packs of cards. This means
that your collection accumulates quickly
without you needing to spend any real
money—something that I wish I could say
about paper Magic. The game has a wild
card system that also helps keep things

on an even playing field. When you open
boosters, you have a chance to get a wild
card of a varying rarity that you can redeem
for any card in that rarity. You use these to
fill out your decks without having to spend
way more on certain cards like you would
in paper Magic.

Arena has two forms of currency:
Gold, which you
accumulate through
daily wins as well
as through some
tournaments, and
gems, which you
can buy with real
money or win in
tournaments. You can
use both currencies to
enter draft and sealed
tournaments, which
get you three or six
packs’ worth of cards
respectively, as well as
whatever prizes you
win. If you perform
well enough in these,
you can win enough
currency to do another
event or come close
to affording one. This

means that you never have to spend real
money on the game as long as you either do
well enough in events to win a lot of gold
and gems, or if you have the patience to
play basic matches and win daily rewards
for a day or two.

The game itself is very graphically
interesting, with beautiful stages to play
on as well as animations that trigger when
you play many of the cards. For those who
don't like the sound of animated Magic,
don't worry—after the initial animation the
game just shows the cards on the field, and
you can always turn them off. However, I
think the dynamic visuals add a bit more

 

smaller makeup bag with fewer items.

Feel the colour wheel
Think about your colour preference. If you
love items that have a classy, traditional,
chic black colour, you'd probably prefer
a black makeup bag. If you love colour,
a brightly hued makeup bag would be a
delight for you. Also take into account your
colour matching preference. Maybe you'd
want a makeup bag that matches the tones
of your handbag, or perhaps youd love a
makeup bag that has a different colour to
spice it up! If colour is an important factor
for you, I'd suggest setting aside some time
to think it over.

Next, consider the bag’s colour design.
If youre a lover of monochromatic colour
schemes, then you'd probably prefer a bag
with one shade. Or if you love glittery,
multicoloured items, a makeup bag with
different hues, stripes, and a glittery
aesthetic would be ideal for you.

A price that’s right can be a delight

Take some time to think about your budget.
Depending on your budget, consider
whether you want a fancy, expensive, name
brand makeup bag, or whether you'd prefer
a low-cost bag. Whichever side of the price
pendulum you swing to, assessing the price
of the makeup bag will be worthwhile.
How much are you willing to pay to carry
the items that boost your self-esteem?

Finding the right makeup bag should
be a fun and rewarding experience.
Hopefully the above guidelines will help
you choose a good makeup bag that can
ultimately allow you to embrace and
celebrate your beauty.

fun to the game.

Overall, Arena has a ton to offer. It’s
free to play, removing a big barrier for new
players who want to play competitively and
levelling the playing field. It’s also playable
at any time, so players don’t need to wait
for scheduled events. For the shy, it has
limited interaction with opponents, so
people who are worried about interacting
with strangers at game stores have a way to
play comfortably. Arena also has plenty of
fun features and modes that keep things
fresh and interesting. I would recommend
it to any player, new or old, to at least try.

Pia a

“Pan Paes

Image via TCGPlayer.com