Links from this week and last…I failed to post a Curator's Corner last weekend as I must have gotten distracted by my b-day. 😉
– Buyer beware: the author of Collecting Vintage Compacts warns about unscrupulous sellers who glue on embellishments in attempt to inflate the prices of their wares.
– NARS is opening a new boutique in Soho, which I'm happy about since 1. their current NYC boutique is nowhere near as nice as the one they opened in LA last fall, and 2. I tend to stay in Soho when I visit NYC so that's pretty convenient for me. 🙂
– Yet another MAC/Disney collab come spring. I can't help but feel this is going to be very similar to their previous Venemous Villains collection.
– But what is on my radar from MAC is their "Hautecore" matte black lipstick, which will be available, fittingly, on Black Friday. I just hope I remember to order around the stroke of midnight this year rather than passing out and having the husband order it for me like I did with their Grey Friday lipstick last year.
– Trendwise, the big product craze now is hair chalk. This temporary, colorful hair makeup allows one to color just a few sections of hair rather than having to dye it all over – perfect for a fun night out, since a shampoo will rinse it right out. Bumble and Bumble debuted their hair chalk product at Sephora a month or two ago, and L'Oreal is following suit.
РThis is a little troubling РEst̩e Lauder in apparently "in talks" about buying nail polish line Butter London. The reason I worry is because in general I'm always a fan of smaller, more indie lines and I don't want to see Butter London lose any of its original oh-so-British cheekiness, and also because there's not a great track record for Est̩e purchases Рmy beloved Stila went downhill after it was bought by Est̩e.
– Check out this very illuminating interview with a cosmetic chemist over at XO Vain.
– Best Things in Beauty takes on the myth of beauty product expiration dates and shuts. it. down.
The random:
– One of my favorite Tumblrs, My Vintage Vogue, turned 5 this week. Hooray!
– Oh come on, Wall Street Journal, not ALL runners are self-important douchebags. I mention my running here, but it's not to brag – it's to remind myself that even though I'm so incredibly unathletic I can still exercise. In fact, I'm so self-conscious about how slow I run I register for races under an alias.
– So excited for Tim Gunn's new show! He is the best part about Project Runway, in my opinion. Well, him and Nina Garcia's hair.
– How is Baltimore one of America's "most hipster cities"?? I'm genuinely puzzled. Maybe it's all the crazy MICA kids.
– Mmm…world's most expensive pizza. I certainly don't think it's worth over 4 grand though. (via Serious Eats)
– And lastly, speaking of food, is everyone getting ready for Turkey Day? I'm in charge of mashed potatoes and dessert. This year I'm making apple pie, pumpkin cheesecake, chocolate orange mousse and cookie butter blondies.
(image from someecards.com)
If you're in the U.S., what are you doing for Thanksgiving? And if you're outside the U.S., what fun plans do you have for the week?
Links for the week.
-Would love to see this exhibition on Van Cleef & Arpels, which features some gorgeous vanity cases in addition to jewelry. I'm also totally jealous of whoever organized this exhibition on Dior's first fragrance, Miss Dior.
– The Muse rounds up some truly adorable makeup-themed Christmas tree ornaments.
– After a public outcry, Kat Von D. mercifully decided to retire her incredibly ill-named "Celebutard" lipstick from her cosmetics line. As with the Illamasqua campaign last year that featured a model in black face, I'm dumbfounded by companies that still use such horribly offensive tactics. It's 2013, people! There's just no excuse for being that clueless.
– Pur Minerals released an "Untamed Glamour" collection that will allow customers achieve the perfect cat eye. The leopard-spotted compact is cute, but what's really great is that the collection was a partnership with National Geographic for their "Big Cat Week" TV series. A portion of the proceeds will go their Big Cat Initiative that works to halt the decline of big cats in the wild.
– Speaking of saving animals, Jane at British Beauty Blogger gives us the lowdown on the new animal testing ban in China. We're getting there!
– New (old) beauty blog on the block – meet Beauty Shy, which focuses on helping "readers cut through all the advertising and figure out how makeup fits into their lives." I think beauty newbies and those of us who are intimidated and/or confused by cosmetics marketing claims will benefit most from this blog, but it's a great read regardless.
– Check out some beautiful mid 20th century Italian silver enameled pieces and their history at Collecting Vintage Compacts.
The random:
– Splitsider had an interview with Loren Bouchard, creator of Bob's Burgers. In contrast to Splitsider's previous interview with H. Jon Benjamin, there's actually some mention of my favorite series from Bouchard and one of my favorite shows ever, Home Movies. (If you enjoy Bob's Burgers or H. Jon Benjamin you REALLY need to check out Home Movies, as he played two of what I consider his best characters.)
– I love me some Lululemon, but Chip Wilson needs to STFU already.
– On the local front, we've had Berger cookie milkshakes for a while, but is Baltimore ready for Berger cookie beer? I know I am!
– Finally, saw some good stuff on my 18-miler this morning. First I spotted this adorable little kitteh! I don't think she was a stray – given her size she seemed well fed and she didn't run off when I approached, so I think she was a house cat that managed to wander outside and enjoy the fall sun.
Also saw this chick rocking a Domo backpack. So cute!
What were you up to this week?
Links from the week.
– Friday was the start of the holiday season (!) so it's not too early for me to go hunting for delicious holiday scents. I've been looking for a good eggnog perfume for years (every one I've tried usually goes too spicy on me), and fortunately Demeter is offering one this year. Can't wait to try it out!
– Speaking of the holidays, I've settled on a theme for the Makeup Museum's holiday/winter exhibition. I think this beautiful gold highlighter would fit perfectly, although I'm not sure I want to shell out that much for shipping from the UK.
– How gorgeous is this L'Artisan Parfumeur gift set? If they had one for one of my two all-time favorite scents (Ananas Fizz) I'd be all over it.
– Something not so gorgeous: cockroaches in your makeup.
– While the holiday season has only just begun, we're already getting glimpses of some spring collections. I've got my eye on Dior and Paul & Joe.
– Are you ready for the big VIB Sephora 20% off sale that starts November 7? My shopping cart is stocked.
The random:
– A well-designed typographic spin on each episode of The Wire.
– New funny museum Tumblr.
– Are you watching American Horror Story? This is the first season I've joined in and I'm hooked. If you're enjoying it as well be sure to check out this tour of the New Orleans house where the young witches are schooled, along with this excellent, concise history of witches courtesy of Meli at Wild Beauty.
– In '90s nostalgia, Bitch Flicks takes on feminism and masculinity in The Big Lebowski, while another one of my very favorite albums turns 20.
How was your week?
Links from this week and last, plus a recap of my first marathon. :)
– If I ever re-do the Sweet Tooth exhibition I'll have to steal this idea of using candy alongside its analogous makeup.
– This Jezebel article on makeup's meaning is sort of bad news for people like me, who enjoy wearing lots of makeup in dramatic shades. Sorry, but the minimalist bare-faced look just isn't for me.
- Metallic makeup isn't just shiny and pretty to look at. Apparently it can also control various electronics.
– Face bras? Seriously?
– I love when '90s nostalgia collides with beauty. Relive the best 5 beauty scenes from Clueless with XO Vain, and find out what fragrance Mrs. Mia Wallace would wear over at Beauty Blogging Junkie.
And now, I will post a recap of my very first marathon!!
You may remember last year I ran the half marathon at the Baltimore Running Festival and hoping that this year I would be one of the people with the "full" sign on their back. Many miles later, with a lot of blood and sweat along the way, it happened. (I do have photographic evidence of the blood and sweat but decided to spare you and not post it.) Interestingly, I also ended up wearing the same shirt I wore to the half last year.
I was so nervous I ended up running faster than I normally do, but I had no idea until I checked the Runkeeper app on my phone around mile 6. I thought it was wrong and just ignored it. But when I got to the halfway point I saw the husband (and the great sign he made for me!) and he told me I had in fact been going faster than usual. I was so happy to see him.
That photo was taken through the sign he made for me – in the shape of Jeero, Museum Advisory Committee member and my official coach.
The next half was rough…lots of hills and I got really tired around mile 16. Fortunately the last 3 miles or so are mostly downhill or flat. Here I am heading towards the sweet sweet finish line.
I was so happy my parents and mother-in-law came to see me cross the finish line! My mom kept saying she couldn't believe I did it. I understood since I couldn't believe it either! Plus, my mom remembers all those years of me struggling through gym class and her having to call the gym teachers to beg them not to give me a failing grade…and now I run marathons.
I have to admit, I was kind of terrified for the next 24 hours or so. I was really nervous before the race and fine during it, but once I finished I was afraid I would keel over from exhaustion, that I had pushed myself too hard, that my body couldn't handle a full marathon and that my heart would just stop. I was more or less on the verge of a panic attack till the next day, when I figured that if I had made it through the night I was probably in the clear. Odd, but I guess if you're as wound up as I am it made sense to worry about such a thing. I wouldn't be me if I didn't worry about everything in the whole wide world!
Some observations and fun facts:
Best sign I saw while running (besides the husband's, of course): "Run, Omar's comin'!" So perfect for Baltimore.
Craziest thing I saw: a guy in a Dunkin' Donuts costume who was also running the full marathon. I have absolutely no idea how he managed to run the entire time being dressed as an enormous coffee cup.
Number of people wearing Lululemon, including me: 5.
Number of people wearing Under Armour: 26,995 (there were about 27,000 runners total.)
Worst stretch: between miles 16 and 19, where it was pretty much all uphill. I ended up walking most of those 3 miles.
Best stretch: Besides the few yards to the finish line, the best part was around miles 5 and 6 because a. it was downhill and b. part of my regular training route. Running along a familiar street helped ease the nerves.
Post-race meal(s) – slice of pepperoni pizza about 2 hours after I got back from the race; then a cheeseburger with bacon and a fried egg, french fries and an ice cream sundae with bananas (need that potassium!) and peanut butter sauce. Then the next morning I went to brunch, which included migas, home fries and 2 mimosas. It's safe to say I ate back all the calories I burned and many more. Oops.
Despite the drizzly, humid weather I had a good time. I was pleasantly surprised that there were still so many spectators out on the course by the time I finished, and like last year the race was well-organized with plenty of volunteers. Also, I had a super secret time goal and I beat it by 4 minutes, so I was really happy with that (dare I say I was proud of it?). Finally, for all the kids who made fun of me in gym class, the teachers who berated me for being weak and slow and uncoordinated, to them I say:
EAT IT WITH A FORK!!
I'm still slow and uncoordinated, but I've got enough stamina and just enough coordination to put one foot in front of the other for 26.2 miles. So they can take their stupid jock worship and silly Presidential Fitness tests and stick 'em where the sun don't shine.
Barring injury, I plan on running more marathons…just 1 or 2 per year and definitely no ultras, but I want to run more and get faster.
What were you up to this week? And do you run?
Links are a little tardy this week…trying to get the fall exhibition up!
– Proenza Schouler will be designing a collection for MAC in the spring. Wouldn't it be cute if there was a palette with a PS1 bag on it, a la Dior's Lady Dior palette?
– Loved this round-up of vintage celebrity beauty ads at XO Vain, especially the last one.
– "If you have a double chin or superfluous flesh, rub vigorously to wear away the fat by friction!" – as quoted in a beauty book from 1910. Ha! Check out more Edwardian beauty advice via Glamour Daze.
– Beautylish discusses an interesting religious corollary to Inglot's "breathable" nail polish.
The random:
– My favorite ode to fall (which I also posted last year) now has a mug to accompany it.
– Some people, unfortunately, aren't feeling the love for decorative gourd season. To them I say: long live the PSL!
– Splitsider talks to H. Jon Benjamin, the voice behind Bob Belcher of Bob's Burgers. Too bad he doesn't discuss my favorite character he played (Coach McGirk of Home Movies), but it's still a worthwhile read if you're a fan.
What's been up with you this week?
Links from this week and last.
– Finally we have a sneak peek and some information on NARS' collaboration with fashion photographer Guy Bourdin. I have to say the packaging isn't wowing me the way the first glimpse of the Warhol collection did last year, but we'll see.
– Autumn at The Beheld shares some great insights on beauty and grooming, courtesy of her awesome-sounding grandmother.
- Men in the U.S. aren't ready for cosmetics? Gee, you don't say.
– I thought Demeter had the market cornered on odd fragrances, but there's another company that's giving them a run for their money with a new toast-scented perfume. I'm incredibly curious to know if it actually does smell like toast and how it would work with my body chemistry.
– Yikes! Glad we've done away with radiation-infused bath salts and other lethal beauty products. Then again, nowadays some people (myself included) are having a botulism-based substance injected into their faces…which I'm sure in another few decades will seem completely insane.
The random:
– Vindication! I've always known afternoon naps are completely necessary!
– Google turned 15 yesterday. In related news, I am ancient.
– Oooh, an exhibition devoted to pizza!
– Finally, we welcomed another addition to our treasured plushie family.
At first the others were a little afraid, then realized he wasn't spooky at all – just another cuddly ball of fluff who also loves cookies!
How was your week?
No posts for me for this week, but I was still trying to keep up with the interwebz. Here are some links from this week and last.
– Most holiday 2013 collections aren't out yet, but we're already seeing spring 2014 makeup trends via NY Fashion Week. I'm excited because the season is shaping up to be very mermaid-inspired, as evidenced by the beauty looks at Badgely Mischka and Ohne Titel.
– Snail slime has made an appearance in some beauty products before, but now the trend is going a step further with the snail facial (ugh!). In other odd beauty ingredient news, for something slightly less gross but possibly painful, a new bee venom-based skincare line is set to debut at Sephora.
– Rouge Deluxe gives us a sneak peek of LUSH Christmas goodies. I can't wait for the penguin bubble bars!!
– If I had money to burn I'd totally buy this new beauty history book by L'Oreal. Too bad it's currently only available in France and costs approximately $372.
The random:
– In '90s nostalgia, Swagger New York crossed classic cartoon characters from the decade with collections from NYFW, ending up with such remarkable creations as Lisa Simpson in Marc Jacobs and Beavis and Butthead in Jeremy Scott. Personally, I would have loved to have seen Dr. Katz rocking some Thom Browne (which would be especially fitting given Browne's "asylum" theme for his women's collection.) (via Refinery29)
– Exciting news in the art world: not only was a new Van Gogh discovered, a previously unknown newspaper article about the infamous ear-slicing was unearthed. What's most interesting to me is that it references Van Gogh's attachment to his depictions of sunflowers, as the article reports he told Gauguin, "The sunflower is mine." I've always felt the same way regarding sunflowers. 😉
– The Awl/Hairpin had articles on two of my favorite (unrelated) topics: Riot Grrrl and jellyfish.
– Finally, the pumpkin spice trend is taking over the world. And since I gulp down Pumpkin Spice lattes pretty much non-stop every fall, I couldn't be happier.
What were you reading/interested in this week?
And just like that, summer is over. :( There's so much to look forward to in the fall/winter months – Pumpkin Fest 2013, Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes (which are already back!), MM fall and holiday 2013 exhibitions, my b-day (ha!), and the holiday season, but I'm still going to the miss the hell out of these long summer days, as I do every year. Anyway, here are this week's links.
– I'm making this the first entry for this Curator's Corner because I am so freakin' excited I can hardly stand it. Murakami is teaming up with Shu Uemura for a spectacular holiday collection!! You might recall that last December I remarked how cool it would be to have a Murakami makeup collection, so I'm stoked it's coming to fruition. Rouge Deluxe has the full scoop – you can see official photos here and pics from the grand press event here.
– Oooh, Paul & Joe is coming out with a bath and body line. It's beautifully packaged, of course. And we got a sneak peek of their cat-tastic holiday collection.
– Olivia at the Unknown Beauty Blog shares a fairly disturbing "press-on face" designed by a Parsons grad. Creepy.
– But this is way worse. Facebook-themed nail polish? No. Just no.
– On a positive note, let's hear it for Obsessive-Compulsive Cosmetics, whose ad for their fall collection features a guy in full makeup – a rarity in beauty advertising. Granted it's totally theatrical, but it's good to see nevertheless.
– '90s revival lipsticks are definitely something I can get behind.
– Late to the party but I almost died laughing at this Benefit video for their They're Real! mascara. Bonus: it has Vinny from Jersey Shore. Well played, Benefit, well played.
– The 7th annual Elements Showcase just wrapped up. This perfume expo features outstandingly gorgeous bottles from around the world.
– Apparently the average woman wastes about $8,000 on the wrong shades of makeup during her lifetime. Such a shame! But perhaps being a beauty addict who has a ton of makeup evens out – I may buy more than the average woman, but I almost always pick the correct shade. (via Beauty High)
The random:
– Via a comment at this XO Jane article on social media, I found a truly fascinating piece from 2011 on "Generation Catalano", i.e. people who don't neatly fall under Gen X but who can't accurately be described as Milennials either, like me.
– In more '90s nostalgia, now that I've fully caught up on almost all
the sketch comedies (Mr. Show, The State, Upright Citizens Brigade;
still need to check out Kids in the Hall) I've moved on to the great
animated series of the decade – currently alternating between Ren & Stimpy (love the Log commercials!) and
Dr. Katz.
– If you follow me on Twitter you know I've been training for my first marathon. Stupid Under Armor has abandoned the Baltimore Running Festival for sponsorship and while there's been no chatter about canceling the race, I'm still a little wary.
– Still anxiously awaiting the Uglydoll beauty line, but in the meantime I've been admiring these adorable prints by Thumbtack Press. I think this one is my favorite:
What caught your eye this week? Are you looking forward to fall?
Links for the week.
– Been hearing a lot of buzz for Armani's new Rouge Ecstasy lipstick – the first CC ("color and care") lipstick on the market, which is apparently an "incomparable skincare lipstick that combines high-impact color with the ultimate comfort of a moisturizing balm." Not sure if I believe the hype as it sounds like a fancier version of tinted lip balm, but I'm willing to try a few shades. 😉
– Enjoy this slideshow of art history-inspired nail art.
– A reminder not to steal from Sephora – not only will you be arrested, you make the rest of us beauty junkies look bad! Still, it's somewhat impressive this woman almost managed to abscond with nearly $3,000 worth of stuff. Even if I wanted to shoplift from Sephora, I could never get that many products into my hands without the salespeople noticing – every 5 seconds a different one asks if I need help.
– Beloved '90s brand Jane Cosmetics is back. Surprisingly, this one of the few things from that decade that I can't recall.
– This is cool: a multi-faceted exhibition that combines fashion and perfume.
The random:
– Feast your eyes on these butter sculptures. I also got a kick out of these muffin top cupcake molds.
– Another Basquiat collaboration.
– In mermaid news, the statue of The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen turns 100.
– I always link to an interview with one of my idols…can't wait for the new album.
– And, of course, I always link to Glossed Over's annual Vogue live blog. Great insights expressed with truly hilarious snark – it's a must-read.
What were you up to this week?
This week's links.
– Oooh, new Eye Paint from NARS – can't wait to try these out.
– Apparently reusable cotton pads are the next big thing for "green" beauty. I'm intrigued but also a bit concerned they might be terribly scratchy – anyone tried them?
– The first images for Cover Girl's Hunger Games collection have been released. Look for the collection in October.
– I'm weeping at the fact that I will most likely not be able to get my hands on this amazing holiday creation from Marcel Wanders for Cosme Decorte.
– On the nail front, CVS will now be requiring IDs for those buying nail polish remover in an attempt to prevent its use in making meth. I find that to be kinda sad.
– What might be even sadder, though, is when nail art goes horribly wrong.
– Move over, UV rays – science has determined that sugar can be almost as damaging for your skin
as the sun. I knew there had to be a reason I look older than I
should! I've been diligently wearing sunscreen every
day since I was 17 (and spent little time in the sun up to that point
anyway), so I was puzzled as to why I look older than my similarly-aged
peers. My raging sweet tooth must be to blame. Sigh.
The random:
– Despite my fine lines I will not be giving up my addiction to sweets, especially to ones that are as adorable as these animal face doughnuts.
– Yay, Tina Fey will have a new TV show!
– XO Jane asks how many stuffed animals is too many for an adult. As evidenced by the Makeup Museum staff page, I'm of the opinion that you can never have too many. 😉
– Uniqlo always has the cutest t-shirts and designer collabs, and this latest collection created by legendary type foundry House Industries is no exception. (Thanks to the husband for passing this along!)
What have you been eyeing this week?
