'That is not me I tells ya!'

Some of you may have seen it.  But I genuinely wish you haven't.  If you haven't seen it, then let the ugly truth roll out.  Myself, along with a few of my fellow favourite fashion bloggers are in Grazia this week.  For those of you that don't know the mag, it's basically a guilty pleasure weekly glossy that most ppl scathe openly but secretly love.  I was unfortunately chosen to front the article with Grazia arranging a photoshoot, shot at Start (notice the lovely oranges/reds going on in the background....) quite a while ago.

I did doth protest to the make-up artist that I have a bit of a make-up phobia, yet on piled the slap.  Perhaps my eyes were so heavy with eyeshadow and mascara, I failed to catch sight of myself in the mirror (see pic to the left...I had to sleep on the tube to allow my eyes to rest...).  Perhaps the early morning shoot start caused my mind to lapse a bit.  Perhaps I didn't notice the make-up artist touching up my cheeks with yet more blusher.  Well....you can see the result for yourself.... to say that it was a bit of a shock this morning when I flipped open the magazine would be an understatement...

The truth is... I just don't look like myself which I suppose is a blessing in disguise as I guess if I'm sitting, facing someone on the tube reading Grazia, they probably won't twig that that make-up laden girl (who might I add doesn't even look Chinese!) and the mousy, bare-faced me who looks 16 as opposed to 30 (I feel I may need to scan in my birth certificate here just to prove to people that I AM 23 because some may not think if they have seen the Grazia article....), are the same person. 

This is by no means a dig at Grazia, the photographer or the make-up artist who were all lovely and perfectly nice.  Perhaps I just have a very different idea of what i look like in my head and then when I'm faced with a picture which I find so alien to me, it is extremely disconcerting... made more alien by the fact that my boyfriend, friends have said it doesn't look anything like me.  May I remind you that me and make-up aren't exactly on the best of terms as shown below.  The point I just want to hone in is if regular Style Bubble readers have seen this issue's Grazia and are a little shocked.....  that REALLY isn't ME!  See pics below for a truer, less 'Grazia' version of me.... i.e. the person you're likely to see about town...

Then again, in a magazine like Grazia, you're proposing some sort of an ideal, something a bit alien....not mussed-up hair and kid-like bare-faced-ness.... though I know which I'd prefer.   

I honestly didn't know whether to laugh or cry and predictably I got a little irrationally upset about it and with my track record with insecurity in looks, let's just say a mini-panic-attack ensued.  I have calmed down a bit now and the bright side of it is that it is a feature in Grazia with a nice bit of text to go with it and it also features some of my favourite bloggers (Fashionologie and Kingdom of Style - scan here!) and the photoshoot was a ton of fun despite the results of it freaking me out to no end.

Comments

[Mary]

It's really not looking like you... still looking good, in some way... but not like you. too adult, I'd say ;-)

[megan]

yep, that looks nothing like you. i have a theory about makeup artists that they are often insecure and think if they dont graffitti your face to the max no one will know they did their job. your hair is *very* nice and shiny tho, on the upside ;)

[Stella]

I must confess that I prefer the other more candid shots of you, but, I'll be darned if your hair doesn't look amazing in the Grazia shot...*sighs* Why did I cut off my hair? Why?

I agree with megan's comment though. Make-up artists apparently have some sort of...quota? Of trowel-applied make-up that they must do.

[Mental-Fashion]

That is really cool ..you being in the magazine..but people looking at what im buying would be beyond creepy

[Miss Shoo]

I'm not a regular commenter BUT I hope you know I mean every single word to follow in the most sincerest way.

I think you look beautiful, and while no it may not look exactly like you, it's you, one can tell. The first thing I said was "wow her hair looks absolutely fab!" - and it does!

I loathe photo taking, but love taking them, so I understand your protesting, but know I still think you shine through and through in that foto, extra make-up or not, and we all have moments where fotos don't tell the truth, but just tell a part of our truth - that's how I view the fotos in Grazia of you.

Oh and by the way I think it's beautiful that others can see what you're buying

Be well + Continued success.

[sw00t_princezz]

were they trying to make you look like Anna Sui......But congrats, I'm glad you are getting even more recognized. I love your site~

[d]

i think you look fabulous

[Winnie]

I'm suprised at how different you look, you do look a lot older, and a bit severe even! It must be the ultra polished hair and make up. I think all your readers know that is not really 'you', as we've seen countless photos of you as 'everyday' susie rather than the 'photoshoot' susie.

Still, it's pretty fantastic that you made it into grazia! Well done!

[d]

you look great.

[j]

I like to dress for the part. I always find it fascinating that I can look so different depending on what I am dressing for. Of course it's always me, just different facets of me. So this too is you Bubble, you just didn't know your Grazia glamor side (or did you?)

[meg]

how exciting that you're in Grazia which I openly love as they do quite interesting fashion shoots. However, I think it would have been a lot more fresh if they had let you be you!

[Chic Looks]

I think the picture looks really nice especially your hair.

[Jenny_H]

It's always fun to play dress-up, but the natural candids are the more beautiful pics. People read this blog for the REAL person posting her thoughts and ideas, not some phony glammed-up pseudo Susie Bubble.

[Lou]

I had to do a double take when I saw the article in grazia. Once I read you name I squealed with excitement!
The photo is fine but you look much better without makeup [few can say that!]
Congratulations on the feature.

[Dustcakeboy (Male-Mode)]

You look simply breathtaking(you know I mean this in the most positive sense)in both pix.

DCB.

[Samantha]

I've just seen your feature in Grazia. Firstly I think it's great that good bloggers are getting recognised as I often find them so much more interesting than many magazines - so Well Done!! secondly I think having your photograph taken is a really scary thing, i recently had my photo taken for an art project I was doing and I just went straight past the page in the paper, it wasn't until my boyfriend said I think you just flicked past it that I started to weep!! I felt better soon after as everyone just said it was the bad lighting!!

Well done again! Sam.

[joyce]

Ohh my..
YOUR FAMOUS GIRL!

[Michele]

Susie, I think you look great! Well done!x

[Drusilla]

I think it's great that the mainstream media is noticing bloggers, but I do get the reason behind the post too- the final photograph is much glossier and more severe than you've (probably) ever looked in your life.
Can't see what you're wearing too well, though- even if the boots are fabulous.

[Drusilla]

And PS: we prefer the mussed-up actual Susie, even if the photogs/makeup artist thought we didn't!

[Elise]

You still look pretty in the Grazia picture, but you're obviously much more beautiful without all the plaster.
This sort of bothers me though. You're obviously a 'natural girl' when it comes to make-up, so why did they feel the need to change you into something you're not? :|

[Thom Wong]

It's too bad that they didn't just let you be who you are - isn't that what the article was about anyway?

[Stella Mayfair]

Susie, you don't look like your own super fab self – but you DO look great in Grazia, too. Would never have recognized you from the pic though, it's totally different from the Susie Bubble I know from tfs :-)

[Stella Mayfair]

Susie, you don't look like your own super fab self – but you DO look great in Grazia, too. Would never have recognized you from the pic though, it's totally different from the Susie Bubble I know from tfs :-)

[Caitlin]

I think the pictures at the bottom are so adorable! You definitely look better without make-up, which is something that many girls would kill for.
In my experience... a lot of make up artists don't really know how to "do" Asian faces. They don't understand that the techniques they use for most people won't translate well to Asians, who have smaller eyes, small or non-existent eyelids, and different skin tones. The result is that it usually ends up looking way over done. That's why I avoid make up counters here (Canada) like the plague.
But that being said, even though you may not look like yourself in the magazine picture, it's still a cute picture!

[elbow]

half of the appeal is that youre a bit quirky with your paler complexion and growing obsession with black shiny things such as pvc that removes you from the brain dead fashion-led (and by that i mean that thay actually have to be told what to wear) wags that read grazia.

its a bit odd that they insisted on plastering you in makeup as it makes you look too done up and doesnt carry your typical style as well because it looks as though you have put a lot of concious effort into preening yourself for the media which undermines your ideal of dressing for yourself only (this made a lot more sense in my head). i much prefer the natural susie!

[Drusilla]

My only complaint with the whole thing is that you didn't look quite yourself- I understand why they felt they had to do it, but you still look great, if not quite like a Shirley Manson fan.

[DJM]

The makeup artist sure did a number on you! You have perfect skin as it is, so it's a shame when they cover what's already lovely but that's what they do - they can't help themselves. I've been on the business end of a blusher brush myself so I know. But you still look super cute, just a more grown up cute!

[rita]

OMG LOLOL you look like an oriental donnatela versace!!!! ahah that's nothing like you, i wouldn't recognize you there, so..no worries ;) bisous and keep up the good posting

[selina]

how fab! can't skip the fact that you're in a national magazine- amazing!!
maybe they were trying to make you look like a super sleek, forever wearing perfect makeup kinda girl, because that's what it's like in a magazine office? maybe they don't realise that the attraction of reading blogs is that the writers are just normal people like us, and i know i'm often in my pjs looking extra rough when i write posts!

[Dee]

Aiiee! Susie, what have they done to you!! You must have been so glad to take all that slap off. It must have taken you hours.

[miss woo]

I was reading the mag today and was super happy to discover the fashion blog section, you look lovely with and without make up!

[janet]

i get really excited whenever i see you wear my tshirt! (at least, i think that's what you're wearing) haha i'm such a dork.

you look different, but not bad. i think us asians look better sans maquillage anyway...

[annie]

Just wondering, how tall are you?
You look so much better without all the makeup.

[Ruth]

I thought it was a great surprise to find you inside grazia , I understand your not being comfortable but honestly I think you look wonderful.

[Ruth]

ps. as you live in London and (are the best of the bloggers :P) that will be why Grazia did the shoot the way they did !

[Gem]

Wow you're famous!! You look lovely. You should be seriously proud. I'm buying it tomorrow. Grazia is my guilty pleasure.
Congratulationsss xxx

[emily]

Don't be so tough on the picture- you look glammed up and adorable! And good choice wearing the V. Secret boots- great for sitting and looking fab, but not so easy for walking in my experience! Congrats on the coverage- you make your readers feel so in-the-know!

[brooksie]

It's you, just a different you than you're used to seeing. It's how someone else saw you. IMHO, you look great regardless.

[Isabel]

Oh Gosh, you look much cuter in the polaroid.

[Dave]

Hey, don't sweat it! You've got style for miles and 99.9% of the population don't have that.

[Corona]

I love that polaroid picture of you...You look absolutely adorable!!!

[maya]

aww- the candid natural pictures of you are so beautiful!

You don't look like the Grazia version. They have all that lighting and make up e.t.c so anything they produce will feel like a shock!

However both look absolutely fine =)

you should take some pride in that the real you is more beautiful then a photoshoot image.

[Carla]

I actually think it's very fun to look different to your normal self. I wear wigs when I go out sometimes just to keep people guessing if they know me. It's my attempt to be 'mysterious'! haha.

In any case, I really want your long dark hair, says she with short blonde hair.

[bun2bon]

Maybe it's the Asian face type (I'm Chinese by the way) but from what I know, I much prefer a more neutral/natural look on Asian faces than super made-up. It's prettier, cleaner, less trying-to-be-someone-else-I'm-not.

[gilda]

oh wow what was the make up artist thinking. i hate when people are "traditionally trained" and decide that asian faces should be done in a certain way. don't worry honey, we all know you're fab. <3

[Saskia]

first of all Susie: you're getting famous and i know you don't wanna hear about that. ;)

well, i perfectly know what you're talking about. it's one of the most difficult things in photography - let someone look like the person he *is*. to transport one's spirit in a picture.
so i also believe that this girl on the picture is not really you, you're right. but i can see what they were trying to express. weird!

[blosson]

Make up artists and stylists always say the same stuff: "don't worry, the heavy make up won't show in the pictures due to the flashes!" In your case, it did show. Your hair and clothese look great. Regardless, it's cool to see your work being appreciated and you might be pouched by some magazine or fashion house soon and get more money. Good luck.

[sarah]

ugh, blue eyeshadow and excessive blush? that make-up artist needs to be re-evaluated. :| plus you look so much more gorgeous without those extra colors.

i tend to disagree with people about them thinking make-up does nothing for them though... obviously that specific make-up style doesn't work for you but you would look stunning in a teensy bit of really light, natural make-up.

[Katie M]

Susie, the article is fab, you look gorgeous and sooo stylish. You should be proud all your fashion efforts and experimentation is finally getting noticed! you deserve it! x