Update

Wow, so my blog has been sitting here, acquiring views, followers, comments, and who knows what, completely unmonitored for the past month and a half. I'm terribly sorry for not responding, or posting anything new, but the MCAT must be foremost. I put off the MCAT since my last post, and will definitely be taking it on May 7th, six days from now. After that, look forward to responses, and more posting!


Best!


H

Soothe the Soul with Ikebe Shakedown

Just showing some love . . .

Because it's official, my good friends in Ikebe Shakedown just got signed to Ubiquity, and will be joining the likes of Orgone in brining the heat. "The Prisoner" is the B-side of Ikebe Shakedown's first single, and is one of my personal favorites. My friend wrote this song when he was obsessively watching the classic television show of the same name, which was gifted to him by his mom for christmas. True story.

Watch out for Ikebe Shakedown. Big love and congratulations, gentlemen.

Rouge Bunny Rouge Color Burst Lipstick in Word of Mouth

Likened to a balm by many a blogger, it's safe to say that Rouge Bunny Rouge makes one moisturizing lipstick. Quite some time ago, I ordered one of the Color Burst Lipsticks from Zuneta, which was obviously prompted by all the rave reviews of the formula. It was sort of challenging to select a color, because the swatches on the Zuneta website aren't the greatest. But the color description for Word of Mouth goes as follows: "Creamy, shiny finish cool cherry syrup (**the little black dress of lipsticks, very pretty and feminine)" How could I resist? Ordering  cosmetics on the internet is always a huge pain, but you sure as hell can't go wrong with a description like that. And I'd say it was pretty accurate. As you can see in the photos, the color is sort of a pink toned plummy red, or a reddish plum, depending on how you want to look at it.

After wearing this lipstick around for the past however many months, I can say that the moisturizing properties really are worth the fuss. It's definitely the most comfortable full coverage lipstick that I own. I generally like the feel of thinner lipsticks better (think YSL Rouge Pur Shine), but when it's particularly cold out, and my lips are feeling exposed and malnourished, this is the lipstick I reach for. I would recommend lining the lips, because like so many of it's emollient brethren, the Color Burst Lipstick formula seems to be prone to feathering. But I really don't mind a little liner. 

I would probably wear this lipstick all day every day if the color suited me slightly better. Although the color description on the Zuneta website was pretty accurate, this sort of plumb red color is hard for me to make casual. It looks simultaneously dramatic and geriatric on me, if I'm not careful. Maybe it's my skint tone. One of my oldest and bestest friends has the most beautiful head of red hair, and this sort of color looks incredible on her. I'm a brunette. So there you have it.

Next time I place an order with Zuneta (in other words, when another coupon code becomes available) I'll be getting the Color Burst Lipstick in the "Screen Siren" red Raw Silence. Those sorts of colors are always easy for me to wear, and the formula is definitely worth the further exploration of the line.

X- Your Phone's Off the Hook, but You're Not

X makes my top ten. This is quite possibly one of the best punk songs ever recorded. 

Smith- Baby It's You

This song was written by semi-obscure people (Burt Bacharach, Luther Dixon, and Mack David), was recored by the Beatles, then covered by Smith and many others. I personally like this version the best. Bow down to the superior vocal abilities of Gayle McCormick! 

Also, isn't the audio quality ridiculously good for a youtube video? Hats off to the guy who recorded it.

Paul & Joe Cosmetic Pouch for the Spring 2011 Collection Sparkles

This should be a relatively short post, since the pictures speak for themselves. The newest Paul & Joe pouch for Spring 2011 has the most beautiful and charming print, and I had to share it. The larger kiss lock pouch comes with a mini bag tucked away in the internal pocket. There have been plenty of P&J prints that haven't taken my fancy, but the moment I saw the promotional pictures for the spring collection, I knew I had to have this one. 

I noticed right away that the pouch's colors are a bit more vibrant in person than in the promotion. The fabric is a satiny synthetic, a polyester of some type, and the kiss lock clasp makes for a secure closure. The mini pouch that comes inside is also super convenient, because I can put my jewelry in it. I wear a lot of jewelry day to day, so I always have to travel with a receptacle for my rings and bracelets, particular when there are metal detectors involved. The overall size of the kiss lock pouch is good also; it's the perfect size to hold all of the makeup that I like to carry around for the day.

Definitely steeply priced at $40 dollars, I'm sure this isn't a must have item for everyone, but I'm glad that I made the purchase. 

Paul & Joe Face Color for the Spring 2011 Collection Sparkles, Swatches and Review

Sorry I've been absent from the blog so long. I'm literally drowning in my studies. I'm taking the MCAT in about five and a half weeks, so I've basically turned into a nervous wreck. Plus I'm starting a new and huge project at work, where I'll be looking at my samples using a brand new Scanning Electron Microscope. Very exciting.

Anyway, let me continue with the rest of the Paul & Joe Spring 2011 collection review that I promised two weeks ago. Today I bring you the Facecolor in 072 Taffeta. Since all three of the face colors released for this collection have the same packaging, I decided to settle on one to buy out of the lot. I didn't see these in person, even though I could have easily gone to Bergdorf's to check them out, but as I mentioned above, the MCAT has kept me indoors during the weekends for the past several months. So I ordered the "safe" choice: the bronze and pink combination. I've never been able to say no a bronze. The mauve and blue looked very nice too, but those aren't as a guaranteed to be a success for me. 

Of course, 072 Taffeta did not disappoint. The packaging is lovely, and the quality of the facecolor is high as always. The finish is definitely on the frosty end of the spectrum, but I would say that this is sparkly, while still remaining very tasteful. I had a hard time photographing the swatches, since the lighter of the two shades essentially disappeared into my skin. In person it gives a very flattering natural sheen to the lid, but the sparkliness just didn't translate to the picture. As for the bronze shade, it's pretty much to die for. Definitely not an original color, but neutrals aren't there to blow our minds with originality. Bronze is one of the colors that I collect, and for all those collectors out there, I highly recommend this color. 

From Left to Right: Beige Pink alone, Bronze alone, Combined

I also like that this is a multitasking product. You get three colors for the price of one, since you can apply each separately, or combine the two. The pan is a little on the small side, so a large brush wouldn't be able to pick up one color over the other, but when using a precision brush, or a finger, it's easy. Unfortunately the little applicator that comes with Taffeta is pretty useless. Although I did use it to make the swatches, so at least they served that purpose!

NYC & Snow

The view out my window last week. New york, and as I understand it, most of the country, is getting hammered with all this snow. Fo' serious.

Chris Clark- Love's Gone Bad

White girl got pipes!

Paul & Joe Lipsticks for the Spring 2011 Parasol Collection Sparkles, Swatches and Review

So Paul & Joe has hit another out of the park. The new Collection Sparkles, entitled Parasol, could not be more spring appropriate. The three new lipsticks in the always adorable printed tagboard packaging are a gradation of pinks. Of course the formula is consistently the best. Plushy, glossy, and moisturizing. And at that magical medium on the sheer to opaque spectrum that flatters so well. The colors probably aren't the most original, but I honestly don't know how anyone could pass on them. At $22 each, the price is right, and the packaging is totally charming and unique. So I guess I'll mostly let the pictures speak for themselves in this post. There's really not much to say other than that Paul & Joe has once again knocked my socks off. 

From bottom to top: 070 Chantilly, 071 Afternoon Delight, 069 Alfresco

The lightest out of the trio is 069 Alfresco, which is a sort of "baby" pink. Excuse my language, I hate that descriptor. But that's probably the best way of describing such a delicate blue toned color.

The mid range color is 070 Chantilly. This is my favorite out of the three, and as you can see, I couldn't wait for last weekend's photo shoot to start wearing it. This is a slightly coral toned color that's a similar albeit pinker version of Chanel 77 Jersey Rose. Suffice it to say that both this color and the chanel have been in heavy rotation lately.

The darkest color is 071 Afternoon Delight. This is really a beautiful sheer fuschia pink that gives nice definition to the lips. I've been going eyeshadow free a lot lately, since I've been so enamored with the "fresh face" of spring, and this is a good product for that look because it adds a bit of healthy color.

 From left to right: 070 Chantilly, 071 Afternoon Delight, 069 Alfresco

Same order as above

So in summary, these lipsticks are not to be missed. Go forth and purchase, you won't be disappointed. Clearly Paul & Joe have produced yet another spring collection to be reckoned with. I bought a couple other items from Parasol as well, so look for more posts to come.

Another Pretty Face- All The Boys Love Carrie

A little morsel of new wave for you all. 

Edward Bess Lipgloss

I really don't want to be writing this. Because it's a bad review of something I really want to love, coming from a source that I adore. But I feel it's important to be honest. And not give Edward Bess uniformly stellar reviews just because he has a good reputation. 


*** Before I continue, I would like to point out that these are my personal opinions, and are based on what's essentially hearsay, so please treat it as such. I haven't spoken to Edward Bess himself and confirmed any of his manufacturing practices. ***

Anyway, almost three months ago I bought three lipglosses, French Lace, Amor, and First Kiss. Honestly, I was seduced by the presentation. I mean, look at that bow?!? And the colors are capital A-amazing, with not a single glitter particle in sight. Everything down to the names of the colors were enchanting. At $75 for three glosses, the price was really good too, so I was sold.

I tried them on the back of my hand before buying, and obviously didn't scrutinize the formula closely enough. Once I got them home and tried them on the lips, I found the formula lacking. I gave them the best shot I could. But when it really came down to it, I found these so low quality as to be not worth wearing. Especially when I have so many other glosses that I like. These lipglosses embodied everything that I hate about lip products. They were very sticky and sheer. I had to dip the applicator in five six seven times to get enough for my lips, and my lips are not dark to begin with. The instant I went outside and experienced a slight breeze, or even if I turned my head too quickly, my hair stuck to my lips and spread the ooey gooey honey like gloss all over my face. Not to mention the sticky damage done to my tresses. Think mac lipgloss, only WORSE. The horror, right?

So this came as a huge shock. Everything I've ever tried from Edward Bess has been high quality and worth raving about. So I thought on it. And did a little investigating. And unfortunately realized the hard truth: Edward Bess is moving production to Taiwan. Manufacturing in Taiwan is not a bad thing in and of itself, but the unfortunate consequence of moving production means that the formulas are inevitably changed, and most likely changed to a lower quality. Up to this point, most of the line was manufactured in the U.S. Which is really win win from a consumer's perspective. It means that the country of origin of the brand is one and the same with the country of operation. In other words, jobs for Americans, and a closer relationship between the brand owner and the manufacturer. Maybe it wouldn't come as such a blow if he were moving production to, say, France, or Canada. Partially because I feel that the labor laws and practices in those countries are probably a little better. But what it really comes down to is that Dolce & Gabbana is made in Italy, MAC is made in Canada, Dior is made in France, Paul & Joe is made in Japan, and so on. The moral? Keep it close to home. 


And you can't tell me that the bottom line isn't profit here. A big reason why production is ever moved overseas is to reduce production costs. For example, I notice that Edward Bess will be changing the packaging of his lipsticks from a metal case to a plastic one. That's got to be a budget cut right there. 


I really like Edward Bess, both what his brand stands for, and as a person, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe there are a lot of good reasons to move production to Taiwan, I don't know. But the ultimate consequence is the same. Unless the brand is Taiwanese, I just can't justify paying top dollar for something made there, I'm sorry.


Now I feel guilty. I'm going to have to reach back into my stash for my beloved Edward Bess Eyeshadows and write them a rave review. . . 

The Heavy- How You Like Me Now?

Obviously this is right up my alley. Garage-punk-soul. How detroit. Based in Bath, England, The Heavy released The House that Dirt Built in 2009 on Counter Records. This song has apparently been featured in the opening montage of the The Fighter, so these guys are getting some well deserved attention. The Heavy is classified as "neo-soul" by the folks at allmusic.com. I don't know about you, but that is a label that makes me sit up and take notice. Check it out!