Deduction #5--Clothing and Beauty

I'm back...I apologize for the 2nd long hiatus!  I had even more work to do...this time involving bears, pyramids,  a giant flaming metal praying mantis, and some rather suspicious mountain squirrels.

I'm going to do some deductions based on what one can find in a friend, co-worker, teacher, higher-up, or even an interviewer or therapist's home or office.  As always, do this at your own risk.  Don't break into people's houses or anything illegal like that.

Things to Look For

• If you have access to a collection of somebody's clothes (such as a closet, suitcase, or other storage area), observe what sorts of clothes they have.  Do they generally wear pastel, floral patterns in public, but have a lot of dark-colored outfits?  Do they normally dress professionally but have a lot of rugged clothes designed for exercise or other outdoor activities?  Your average subject should have a variety of outfits for different situations, and observing the different styles can tell you about their activities and interests.  This is especially useful if you normally see them wearing a uniform or some other form of professional clothing.  
• Less serious clothes with bright pictures, funny sayings, pop culture references, innovative shapes, and the like suggest a playful side to your subject's personality.  Clothes that are specific to an interest or subculture (such as rock band t-shirts) suggest that they are interested in that.  More serious clothes with solid colors, more traditional shapes, and the like suggest a more serious side to the personality.
• If you have access to a collection of somebody's beauty/self-care products (such as a bathroom, shaving kit, or makeup bag), take note of what they have.  They will probably have the "regular" set of products--in my area, generally a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, hairbrush, and maybe dental floss.  Of course, this varies by location and availability, as certain environments and cultures use different things.
• Shampoos and conditioners for "color protection" and the like suggest that they dye their hair.  This may be obvious (for example, if their hair is neon blue and hot pink), or it may not be obvious (for example, if their hair is a very natural-looking shade of black).
• Scented products (soaps, bubble baths, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, etc.) suggest a desire to smell good as well as be clean.  Unscented products suggest a more pragmatic desire for cleanliness.  Perfumes are definitely used to smell good.
• Makeup products will vary based on skin tone and type.  Special "sensitive skin," "breakout-free," or "oil-free" products are commonly used by people with acne or rash problems.  Moisturizing products are commonly used by people with dry skin, especially in the fall and winter, when the weather dries out skin easily.
• Darker, brighter lipsticks/eyeshadows/eyeliners are generally used by people with darker skin tones or by people with lighter skin tones who want their makeup to stand out a lot.  The same goes for metallic products.  Assuming you are familiar with your subject's skin tone, you can deduce from there whether it is meant to be more or less noticeable.
• Foundations, powders, and other skin products that are in various shades of brown, black, or white are generally meant to even out the skin tone.  If you do not already know their skin tone, this may give you a hint.  However, people with very light or very dark skin may not have a perfectly matching color due to the fact that not all makeup companies make products for those tones.
• Hair products for especially thin, thick, straight, frizzy, wavy, or curly hair will tell you about your subject's hair texture.  Also useful for when you are unfamiliar with their appearance.
• Vitamins, supplements, and medications suggest a concern for one's health.  This is a rather sensitive subject for some people, so I would recommend that you do not ask any prying questions about it.
• Small samples of things suggest that your subject is an avid traveler, as airlines have limits on the amounts of things and it is helpful to pack lightly.  They also may suggest a cautious personality, as some people like to try things in small amounts before they buy large packages.

Other Related Advice

• If you are concerned about anything personal, especially related to health, don't ask straight-out personal questions.  Ask a person how they feel, how they're doing, or something else polite.  If something is seriously wrong, they may tell you.  If they say they're fine, figure they really are fine or just don't want to talk about it and change the subject.
• Skin or hair products incongruous with the person's skin or hair type suggest that the products are versatile, or perhaps that they belong to somebody else.  If they know that you have access to these things, you can ask a general question like, "Hey, I noticed you have some of that new aloe lotion.  Is it any good?"  They'll tell you if it works for them, if it belongs to somebody else, or if they bought it but were dissatisfied.  Keep this information for later, especially their reasons for why it works/doesn't work if the product is theirs.  It may give you insight into other peoples' preferences if they have similar skin or hair types.
• Makeup is often used in the performing arts, such as dance and theatre, and professional quality products (such as special effects makeup) may suggest that career or hobby of theirs.  It will also explain unnatural colors or unusual products.
• This is the perfect example of a deduction in which observation is key.  You probably won't be able to make many precise deductions here, due to the fact that these things don't necessarily say much about personality, but it is good to observe in case an idea comes to you later.

Signing off,
SM