There ain't no sin and there ain't no virtue

Credit: Sephora.com

"Before I knowed it, I was sayin' out loud, 'The hell with it! There ain't no sin and there ain't no virtue. There's just stuff people do. It's all part of the same thing.'"
 - John Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath

Sephora finally has in stock Urban Decay's Primer Potion in Eden! Sephora describes the eyeshadow base as having a "matte-finish, tawny hue" that imparts "a stunning 'no makeup' look when worn alone." Eden is preceded by the Original Primer Potion and Sin, a pink-champagne metallic shimmer. I love the juxtaposition of the names Sin and Eden, but when I swatched Eden, I saw no visions of unclad, careless frolicking in the lush greens that I imagine Eden to be... I instead saw the barren Dust Bowl of The Grapes of Wrath. Urban Decay's Eden is dry and yellow like parched grass. It is quite pigmented; as you can see in the pictures below, a dot of Eden provides a lot more coverage than the same amount of Too Faced Shadow Insurance or Lumene's eye primer. Eden may work for some, but I imagine it would look dastardly on those with cool skin tones.

Pictured (L to R): Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Lumene Eye Primer

"Houses were shut tight, and cloth wedged around doors and windows, but the dust came in so thinly that it could not be seen in the air, and it settled like pollen on the chairs and tables, on the dishes."

- John Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath

Pictured (top to bottom): Lumene, Too Faced, UDPP

 

Disclosure: Eden was sampled at a local Sephora. All other products mentioned were purchased.

Life in plastic... it's fantastic

The NY Times published an article titled "Cult of the Living Doll in Tokyo," which discussed the Tokyo beauty trend for girls to look as doll-like as possible:

The Ageha, or swallowtail butterfly, girls, began to appear in 2008... Their aim is to look as much as possible like the blow-up figurines men buy online, only with flamboyant makeup.
...
Naoko Kamijyo, 19, who lives to buy cosmetics, clothes and hairpieces, says: “I’m no great beauty, but I love to be made up. I want to change myself, to be unrecognizable. Who wants to go through life just being themselves?”
...
“I get bored if I'm not made up,” said Naoko. She gets up at 5 a.m. and spends at least two hours applying false eyelashes, false hair extensions, layers of foundation and other complicated makeup procedures.
...
But it’s not just the cosmetics that make the look. The clothes matter too.

“I like it when everything about me feels artificial,” said Kiyomi, 23, who likes to buy her clothes at Jesus Diamante, a boutique specializing in the Ageha look.

Kiyomi claimed she never leaves home unless she is wearing mules decorated with rose buds, her yellow-dyed hair in rococo coils framing her face and her chest enhanced by thick gel pads stashed inside her bra.
...
At Jesus Diamante, where lacey lingerie is laid out atop a pink bed, photo-taking of anything, including the extravagantly made-up sales staff, is taboo.

“It makes sense,” said Kiyomi. “Dolls shouldn’t need to talk, much less explain anything.”

 

Pictured: An Ageha girl

Credit: bellasugar.com

I understand how makeup can be an art form and a creative outlet, and I appreciate the transformative nature of makeup. I am always in awe at the makeup artists who can deftly use a set of brushes and a rainbow palette to create a myriad of flawless looks, ranging from a natural look that magnifies a person's innate beauty to a more imaginative look that expresses a person's creative flair. In both cases, however, makeup is used as an outward expression of individuality; a celebration of personality. For Ageha girls Kiyomi and Naoko, I get the sense that they use makeup as a means of masking their individuality.

Of course, we all enjoy extreme dolling up once in a while-- on Halloween, for example. But when you say, "I like it when everything about me feels artificial" ... what a shame. The article made me immeasurably sad.

Pictured: Koakuma Ageha magazine cover, a publication dedicated to pursuing the Ageha style

Credit: vanillagirl.over-blog.com

For the full New York Times article, click here.

Eraser Shavings: Dr. Jart's PORE-X Peeling Gel

A trip to Takashimaya resulted in a BB cream purchase (to be discussed soon!) and a boatload of generous samples. The one pictured above is PORE-X Peeling Gel, which I tested out for a week. According to the Dr. Jart brochure, the gel "effectively removes dead cells without irritation making the skin texture smooth" and "achieve[s] smooth skin by removal of dead cells and skin wastes." The sales associate described the gel as a gentle exfoliator.

I followed the instructions to "massage then wash off with warm water."

As I rubbed the gel onto my face, the only thing I could think of was silicone overload, as if I'd applied a dollop too much of Smashbox's Photo Finish Foundation Primer. We all know the dreaded result: the silicone balls up as we begin applying foundation. It pills like the elbow of a wool sweater and slides off our face like eraser shavings on paper.

We frantically try to brush the silicone balls away, but inevitably, we scramble to the sink to wash our faces. We have to start over with our makeup. This always seems to happen when we are already late for an important appointment.

Dr. Jart apparently thought this frustrating phenomenom was worth capitalizing on, in the form of an "exfoliator." I am no fool... those shavings that are falling off my face are not "dead cells and skin wastes"... just too much silicone.

Love, Loss, & What I Wore

 "Once you wear Eileen Fisher, it's like you've said, 'I've given up.'"

- "Love, Loss, & What I Wore"

I went and saw the off-Broadway show "Love, Loss, & What I Wore." It is a collection of short monologues and dialogues among five women, all dressed in black (because, as one character says during the play, "Sometimes I buy something that isn't black, and I put it on and I am sooo sorry!"). The show was lighthearted and enjoyable. The NY Times described it well:

"The show is a scrapbook of stories about unfortunate prom dresses, the traumatic lighting in fitting rooms, high heels, short skirts and the existential state of having nothing to wear. Accessorizing these tales — which are mostly comic but often sad or sentimental too — are the mothers who disapprove, the men who disappear, the sisters who’ve got your back.

If there are chick flicks and chick lit — derogatory though some might find those terms to be — 'Love, Loss, and What I Wore' should clearly be classified as chick legit."

Indeed, there was maybe one or two brave guys in the entire packed theatre (I should also note that they seemed to have been dragged there by their significant others).

During the show, I was especially drawn to one actress, who was just hilarious. It was not until afterwards that I heard the news: the actress was Tracee Ellis Ross, Diana Ross's daughter, and Diana herself was in the audience. Apparently, Diana was the first person to jump up and give a standing ovation. I am sad I missed seeing her. She is such an icon!

All of this made me think... Does anyone remember Diana's makeup collection for MAC? I think it debuted in 2005.

Pictured: Diana & Tracee Ross

Credit: Essence, diana-web.com

Pictured: MAC's Diana Ross Beauty Icon Collection

Credit: colorstorycollections.blogspot.com

Oddities from Hong Kong Fashion Week 2010

In my everlasting search for beauty inspirations, I was browsing Getty Images for Hong Kong Fashion Week photos.  I enjoyed Guo Pei's collection (the blog entry is here), but the only trend that I spotted was a very odd one: hiding models' faces. As a makeup addict, I find that inclination utterly inexplicable. Below, the offending designers and my guess on their inspiration.

1. Designer: Michael Lau // Inspiration: V for Vendetta

Credit: Victor Fraile, Getty Images

2. Designer: Andreas Kronthaler // Inspiration: Andy Warhol (the lipstick in this picture reminds me of a matte version of Lancome's Piha Black & Piha Red lip glosses from last year!)

Credit: ChinaFotoPress, Getty Images

3. Designer: Li Yi-Hui // Inspiration: SARS, or the avian flu (not that either are a laughing matter)

Credit: Mike Clarke, AFP, Getty Images

4. Designer: Vivienne Westwood // Inspiration: Zorro

Credit: Victor Fraile, Getty Images

5. Designer: William Tang // Inspiration: I should probably not say Little Red Riding Hood or something, and I'm sure Tang did not mean for any such association, but really, this reminds me of a certain revolting group whose members wear white hoods...

Credit: Victor Fraile, Getty Images

Edward Bess is Prince Charming

Pictured: Edward and Jennifer at the Bergdorf Goodman counter

Annie from Blogdorf Goodman has been responsible for many of my lemmings, with Edward Bess lipstick on the top of the list. I finally checked it out this weekend. I am counting my lucky stars because Edward Bess happened to be there. The stories are true: he is awfully charming (he complimented me on having "great, supple skin." I stood there and blinked a few times, perplexed. He is the one with the perfect complexion!), and he is as strikingly good looking in person as in photos. Why he ever stopped modeling is beyond me, but the makeup world is all the better for it!

As for the goods, I can only echo Blogdorf Goodman and others here. The lipsticks are so creamy and saturated with rich, moist color. I am always afraid of parched prune lips after wearing drying lipsticks, so I tested out the lipstick throughout the day, with only a dab of the lipgloss on top. The combination stood up admirably against the harsh New York winter, and I will even venture to say that my lips felt conditioned when I arrived home to take off the makeup.

For those that are Edward Bess fans, he said that they are coming out with pencil eyeliners in black and brown in two weeks. I told him that he needs a navy eyeliner! And I would certainly not object to more lipstick colors.

Although I left the counter empty-handed (not an easy task, but I had spent a mini-fortune at Takashimaya right before stopping at Bergdorf), a certain something has been disturbing my dreams. Surprisingly, it is not one of Edward's lipsticks, but rather, his All Over Seduction highlighter in Sunlight. It is a slick, cream highlighter that, in Edward's words, gives a "J. Lo glow." I have been looking for a subtle highlighter with warmer tones. This may be the one. I am kicking myself right now for not buying it. I reasoned that my wallet could not take any more after my Takashimaya shopping spree, but... sometimes you need to let your heart win over your brain.

Pictured: Edward Bess display at Bergdorf Goodman

Pictured: Susan, Edward, and Jennifer. Susan and Jennifer are really helpful and sweet!

Disclosure: all products mentioned in the post were tested at Bergdorf Goodman.

Such is the field of karma

Pictured: Karma Organic's display at Henri Bendel

"As she has planted, so does she harvest; such is the field of karma."
- Sri Guru Granth Sahib

As I wandered around Henri Bendel this weekend, a tall man dressed casually in a knitted sweater and dark khakis-- an unusual sight on pretentious 5th Avenue-- handed me a bottle of liquid, mentioned something about organic nail care that I didn't quite catch, and asked me to smell the liquid while repeatedly assuring me, "You don't have to buy anything, I promise!"

He had an eagerness in his manner that was unlike the glib lilt that many sales associates adopt. I watched as he persistently asked each passerby whether she was interested in organic nail care, his enthusiasm unbridled.

I took a whiff out of the bottle. It smelled like a bouquet of fresh-picked lavender. I handled the bottle back to him, thinking that it was cuticle oil.

It was actually nail polish remover. A nail polish remover without the offensive smell? Now I was curious.

Turns out, I was talking to celebrity manicurist and Karma Organic founder Nausil Zaheer. The remover comes in three varieties: unscented, lavender, or tea tree. All of them smell like pure goodness. As Nausil remarked to a young girl shopping with her mother, "You can use this in the kitchen, and your dad won't care at all!" The ingredient list is short with only two ingredients listed, although the unscented version does contain a third ingredient, Vitamin E (the full ingredient list is here). One gentle swipe took off all the color and left my nails with a nice sheen.

The line is currently available online, at Henri Bendel's, or in select Whole Foods stores in New Jersey. Nausil says Bergdorf Goodman will also be carrying the line soon.

Pictured: Nausil and his Karma Organic line at Henri Bendel

Pictured: Current Henri Bendel window

Disclosure: all products mentioned in this post were tested at Henri Bendel

If you are in New Jersey, Nausil has a Karma Organic spa there. If you go, let me know how it is!