Why I'm Leaving Bare Escentuals

With Bare Escentuals Executive Chairman Leslie Blodgett
during her visit to our store in July, 2010 (source / credit: Photolosophys)

Well, my reasons aren't about Bare Escentuals (haha, made ya look ;), but yes, I am leaving the company. My last day will be Monday, September 10thSaturday, September 29.

So why am I leaving then? Well, there are several reasons. So, in no particular order....

I need the time back. I have a lot of things I need and want to work on in my life that require more time than I have now, and reclaiming that precious weeknight and weekend time will make a huge difference. (Reclaiming...see what I did there? ;-)

At the store holiday party, 2009.

I'll have less stress. Quite frankly, though it was my part-time job, it was never really a low-maintenance job. I mean, I always had to be in full dress code, and I always had to be in full makeup--and that all makes sense; but in that way, I always had to kind of "gear up" to go to that job. Plus, on weeknights when I had to work there, I'd have to rush over from the other side of town (where my full-time job is) to be on time. And while I learned to allow leeway, if there was a traffic jam...bam: more stress. Oh and I'd have to get dinner in there somewhere...and I almost always grabbed something at the mall. (I've never been good at that make-food-ahead thing....) Can't tell you how tired I am of the Tuttle Crossing mall's food court selections! Do I even need to mention: I almost never even stopped at home between jobs?

With Jamie and Naomi on what I call "LB Day" (see top photo above)

Then there's the fact that I cannot do another holiday season. With all due respect for how much business they bring in for the company, holiday seasons are a whole other level of stress. I could say a whole lot more on this topic, but...I'm just gonna leave it at that for now.

With Natália at the store holiday party, 2010

Last, but certainly not least: I didn't want to be there without Jill, our store manager, who's also leaving in a few days. While Val's the store manager who hired me, and I am forever grateful that she did, Jill is the store manager who's been there from the beginning (starting at the Tuttle store as an assistant manager). And I think in many ways, since becoming manager, she has been the heart of the store, keeping it together through all the changes and all the "craziness" that sometimes happened. In case it isn't clear, this been a long time coming for me, but it would not be an exaggeration to say that her leaving now "pushed me over the edge" to leave now too. (Plus, the actual retail holiday season starts...in a few weeks.)

With Jill on LB Day

Having said all that...I have loved this job. In fact I can say without any hesitation that it is the only job I've ever had--so far!--that I've truly, truly loved. I've said this publicly before, and I'll say it again: Working at Bare Escentuals has brought so. much. good. to my life. I will probably dedicate a whole other post to that soon.

So...it has been a great run. I've truly enjoyed it. My leaving will not be without any sadness. But--I feel good about this decision. It's a necessary step in my life.

I will carry my Bare Escentuals experience with me for as long as I live.

With Princess (at her going-away party), Dani, and Jill in 2012