Wow, I'm just a little bit late on a round-up of links from the summer months. But, as I always say, it's my blog and I do as I please. 🙂 Enjoy!
– I was very pleasantly surprised to see the Museum's feature on knee makeup mentioned in this article. Also very happy to see this podcast interview with the wonderful World Wide Aura.
– As with malls, it seems as though department store beauty counters are sadly going extinct. But there's still hope for in-person beauty shopping through partnerships with other stores, i.e. Ulta and Target and Sephora and Kohl's. Still, I'm puzzled by the latter as Sephora previously had a presence in J.C. Penney.
– Speaking of Sephora, it seems they are actually putting their money where their mouth is in terms of fulfilling the DEI pledges they made last year, particularly with respect to Black customers and Black-owned brands. I'm still wary, however.
– Sometimes I think, "the kids are all right". Then I see stories like this and wonder what the hell is wrong with the youth of today. Skincare is BORING, Gen Z'ers! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going fetch my cane and yell at some kids to get off my lawn.
– Also, young'uns, don't be taken in by the genius of clean beauty marketing.
– I bet you're just dying to hear about the go-to products used by a mortuary makeup artist. (I'll be here all day, folks.)
– I always despise saying goodbye to summer, so here's a fond look back at some highlights from 10 years ago. How time flies!
The random:
– Even if you're not into Bob Ross, the documentary about him is a must-watch.
– A new meme museum has opened in Hong Kong. Of course, despite what the press says, it is not the first; Chicago beat them to it last year. Side note: I'd love to know why people are so eager to claim to be first at any given endeavor.
– In '90s nostalgia, the baby from the iconic cover of Nirvana's Nevermind album is suing on sexual exploitation charges; a gender-swapped remake of 1999's She's All That has arrived, and I really wish Vice would call me to be on their Dark Side of the '90s series – you know I can talk about makeup from that decade for days.
– Finally, I had some good eats this summer (that were definitely not this new mac and cheese ice cream…that sounds barf-tastic). I made my annual peach pie and the plushies said it was the best one I had ever made. I am very bad at taking food photos but it really was delish!
We also invested in some great kitchen tools. Well, not tools so much as novelty snack servers.
The plushies have named them Bill and Ted. Ted is the T. rex, obvs.
How was the rest of your summer? Name one thing you bought or did to treat yourself!
Links for the lovely long days of June.
– Unlike most other digital makeup, this actually seems fun.
– Move over, rainbow makeup. Here's a little piece on the importance of glitter for the LGBTQ+ community.
– In makeup history, L'Officiel had a fairly accurate, concise history of contouring.
– The acne positivity movement is gaining traction.
– Two predictions I made earlier are coming true: lipstick sales (and cosmetics sales in general) are taking off as the pandemic eases and makeup experimentation is continuing to rise.
– Do you remember the woman who got Gorilla Glue stuck to her scalp? I'm pleased to report she found a way to monetize the incident. With what she went through I'm glad she's making some money off it.
– Estée Lauder is getting into the men's makeup game.
This is why I don't trust the bulk of online reviews.
– Talk about a multi-use product.
The random:
– My former favorite band released yet another bad album. Admittedly I only listened to two songs from it, but that was more than enough for me. I feel so lost without them. 🙁
– On a happier note, how adorable was the winner of the Westminster Kennel Club show? Wasabi is a Pekingnese, not a pug, but still precious.
– Loved this roundup of vintage mermaid illustrations.
– Not traveling any time soon, but if I were it would be to New York to see this exhibition of sparkly jewelry animals and to London to see a show on Bridget Riley.
– I asked Museum staff to make a rainbow for Pride Month in exchange for some cookies. They were pretty happy to oblige, especially since I made their favorite summery cookies: lime sea-salt chocolate chunk.
How's your summer going?
Once again my schedule got completely off track. There's a lot going on behind the scenes and we'll just have to wait and see if neglecting the blog pays off. Anyway, here are some very late links.
– May was AAPI month, so familiarize yourself with these historic Asian beauty rituals before you partake in them and consider how racism towards Asians plays a part in beauty trends. It's true – I could write an entire book on the fetishization/othering of Asian women and culture in beauty campaigns.
– Allure has a good piece on the lack of fat representation in the beauty industry – a reminder that diversity and inclusion don't refer only to skintone or gender, but size as well. (I also think the industry is still doing a crappy job when it comes to regularly featuring anyone over the age of 35.)
– Now that the pandemic is on its way out (hopefully!), a lot of industry folks are looking into their crystal ball to see what post-COVID beauty trends might look like. Thankfully, it seems that color cosmetics will make a full recovery. This is confirmed by the spate of new brands sprouting up. Fashion aficionados will get both high and low-end fixes for their makeup cravings from Valentino's and Zara's new lines, while film company A24 (the one behind some of the creepiest horror films ever) is developing a line based on the hit show Euphoria. Also, former baseball player Alex Rodriguez debuted a men's makeup line.
– Speaking of which, the lovely Shybiker thoughtfully sent me a hard copy of this New York Times article on men wearing makeup. I can't say I agreed with everything, but it's a good summary of the current men's beauty landscape (manscape?).
– Wish I could see this installation sponsored partially by Chantecaille, who partnered with a UK-based charity to launch a public artwork project called Co-Existence. Over 100 elephant sculptures were made by indigenous communities in Southern India and transported to London, where they will roam throughout the city through the end of July. At the end of the project the elephants will be auctioned off and the proceeds will go local, community-focused conservation and land protection programs in South Asia. Corporate philanthropy is often bullshit, but Chantecaille seems to be doing it right.
– "Blue beauty" sounds about as legitimate as green beauty, but I'm happy to buy anything that is less harmful to mermaids.
– The Museum doesn't cover fragrance, but I do wear and enjoy perfume. One of my all-time favorites turned 20 years old this year. I had nearly forgotten about it since it's long discontinued, but fortunately I Need This Unicorn had the entire history of every Escada summer fragrance ever released. It was such a great trip down memory lane and extremely useful for those researching perfume!
The random:
– Utterly thrilled to see that the spirit of riot grrrl lives on in a new generation.
– In '90s nostalgia, a lock of Kurt Cobain's hair fetched over $14,000 at auction, while Friends finally got around to a reunion.
– The Nation had a thought-provoking exploration of the movement to abolish museums. I'm still confused as to how that would work in real life, but it's an interesting concept regardless.
– In addition to the mermaid obsession, when I was little I also was endlessly fascinated by jellyfish. But I didn't know until now that there's a species can live basically forever.
How was the month of May for you? Are you excited for summer? I'm not because I probably have to go back to the office soon, but at least I got fully vaccinated and was able to hug my parents for the first time in over a year.
The April 2021 rewind.
– I forgot to include this in the March edition of Curator's Corner, so here's my interview with antique jewelry boutique Lillicoco. I was so honored!
– A Sephora within walking distance is going to be fun but also very bad news for my wallet.
– This year's Oscars marked the first time Black women won the awards for Best Makeup Artist and Hairstyling. Allure unpacks why, despite this victory, more needs to be done when it comes to diversity in Hollywood.
– Attention makeup history fans! "Makeup: A Glamorous History" has aired in the UK and getting very good reviews. I can't wait till we're able to watch it in the States.
– Here are a couple of updates on men in makeup.
– Cover Girl will be featuring my favorite '90s model in an upcoming campaign. I'm so happy to see Niki Taylor's gorgeous face again, I feel like she had quietly faded into obscurity while the other "supers" still had a good amount of visibility.
– Another one bites the dust. Farewell, Rodin Olio Lusso. I will always fondly remember you as the creator of one of the best mermaid makeup collections ever.
– So sweet: an elderly gent learns how to apply makeup for his wife, whose vision is failing. (Remember this lovely man, too?)
– It was National Unicorn Day on April 9, so here's the Museum's current collection of unicorn-themed goodies.
The random:
– Another holiday this past month was Easter, and I'm still scratching my head over Peeps soda.
– I'd love to take a dive into the world's biggest collection of magazines!
– Adored this photo series of Black merfolk.
– New documentary to add to my Netflix queue.
How was April in your neck of the woods?
Late links as usual…I get so frustrated at not being able to stick to even the most basic of schedules. But as I'm demanding more of the Museum these days it's hard to keep up. 😉
– The Curator's favorite publication turned 30 this month, and I was so pleased to add a copy of their very first issue to the Museum's collection a while back. For some reason though they started celebrating back in February, but I'm including a link to their 30th anniversary content anyway.
– The beauty industry has a renewed focus on fighting racism against the AAPI community, which is long overdue.
-Beauty enthusiasts have been making this argument for ages, but it's always worth repeating.
– The U.S.'s ever-shrinking middle class is still buying beauty products, but their habits are different now. One word: masstige.
– On the one hand, it's good that this website is available for domestic violence victims; on the other hand, as with roofie-detecting nail polish, I feel like it shouldn't exist.
– I'm baffled as to why Hourglass's new vegan red lipstick getting so much buzz, considering that there's no shortage of vegan red lipsticks on the market. Obviously, not killing insects to make lipstick is a good thing, but I'm not sure what the breakthrough is here.
– Also not wowed by the removal of the word "normal" from Unilever's products. I understand shifting language is necessary for social change, but "normal" when referring to skin type isn't really offensive or exclusionary despite the company's market research. ("Normal" hair type and body weight…now those are different stories.) Thank goodness for r/skincareaddiction telling it like it is.
– Astrology-themed beauty is still going strong, perhaps even more so due to the pandemic.
– Sad that I missed this oh so spicy collab before it sold out for the second year in a row.
The random:
In 90s nostalgia, HBO will feature a documentary on actress Brittany Murphy (Clueless, Girl Interrupted) and Netflix has released a documentary on the last Blockbuster video store (the irony). Also, while it doesn't take place in the '90s, Moxie is apparently brimming with Riot Grrrl vibes. I need to see it, obviously!
– How adorable is this mini art gallery?
– I enjoyed this article on the work of fashion illustrator Marcel Vertes, who also created ads for a number of perfumes and cosmetics.
– If you ask me, mermaidcore is always trending.
How did March treat you? Generally speaking I hate it so I was glad to see it go. Here's to longer days and warm weather!
Links for a busy February.
– It was Black History month, so that means major companies (Ulta, Sephora and Nordstrom, among others) are rolling out new diversity and inclusion initiatives. Time will tell whether they're in earnest or just crossing some items off their lists for Black History month.
– Other anti-racism agendas within the industry include speaking out against anti-Asian racism and skin whitening.
– The Washington Post reports on the serious side of a viral TikTok beauty mishap. (Turmeric face mask staining is funny though.) Overall, I still hate TikTok but this was also an interesting read.
– Other things besides TikTok making me feel ancient: Chanel's new lip scanner and Clubhouse.
– I'm still wary of anything claiming to be "green," but refillable luxury packaging is something I can get behind.
– So sad to see Becca go. But Burberry's cool star makeup helped take the edge off, along with this adorable palette ring.
– Another reminder for me to update my post on faux freckles.
– This new book about the history of men's facial hair and grooming is on my wishlist.
– I had lots of new Museum acquisitions for the various celebrations in February, so here are some Instagram highlights.
Lunar New Year picks:
Mary Quant crayons in honor of her birthday:
Valentine's Day picks:
Twiggy lashes for National Lash Day:
The random:
– It was '90s week at Jezebel so you know I was all over that. My favorite article involved the mystery of the oversized yet flattering suits worn by X-Files' Dana Scully.
– Some reflections on Linda Nochlin's groundbreaking essay "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?", which turns 50 this year.
– HBO has an interesting-looking documentary on influencer culture.
– On the local front, I must thank my friend Ally for alerting me to these painted salt boxes in Baltimore. I wish there were some in our neighborhood!
How have you been? Are you looking forward to spring?
Links for one of the most miserable months of the year. Good riddance, January!
– Sephora unveiled an action plan to eliminate racial bias in their stores. Let's hope they keep the public informed on their progress. Ditto for L'oreal's new partnership with the NAACP and a ban on animal testing in the EU.
– In accessibility news, here are some new makeup brushes designed for people with vision and motor impairments.
– You know I'm obsessed with vintage makeup ads and can spend hours dissecting the harmful messages they embodied, so I'm loving these reimagined ones featuring diverse models.
– Refinery29 had an interesting piece on the meaning of tacky makeup for fat women.
– The future is here: more developments are on the horizon for AI and AR in beauty.
– Not sure how I feel about my favorite magazine opening a store in NY. Guess I'll have to check it out and see if/when the pandemic ever ends.
– Undereye circles, both exaggerated versions of natural circles and wildly colorful ones, are making the rounds on TikTok. (BTW, the Museum has a Tiktok account but no clue what to post…I'm open to suggestions.) Not all are enthusiastic about the trend, however.
– You knew "regencycore" makeup only a matter of time thanks to Bridgerton.
– Vogue has an ode to a '90s cosmetics staple. Can you believe I didn't own a Caboodles? If I recall correctly it's because even when I was a teenager I hoarded collected makeup and I knew it wouldn't all fit.
– Inaugural beauty: the always fashionable former First Lady Michelle Obama wore Fenty and Pat McGrath makeup to President Biden's inauguration, and a makeup artist turned the Bernie meme into lip art.
– It was Christian Dior's birthday on January 21, so to celebrate I took a picture of nearly all the Museum's 5-Couleurs eyeshadow palettes. Of course I managed to forget one. Oh well. They still look pretty. 🙂
The random:
– In '90s nostalgia, Silence of the Lambs turned 30, and for some reason one hit wonders New Radicals performed, well, their one hit at the inauguration.
– Museums' new purposes apparently include serving as vaccination centers and sites for Bernie memes (yes, I had to mention the memes a second time.) Still, I'd take those over "for-profit experiential art centers", which in my opinion are not actually museums.
– Who came up with this monstrosity? I love candy and I love Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese, but the two together sound positively putrid.
– At least this made me laugh. The resemblance is uncanny!
How was the first month of 2021 for you?
I was too tired and sad to do a 2020 version of Curator's Picks and Pans, so I'm skipping straight to Curator's Corner for December.
– Mother has become a Dame! Huge congratulations are in order for Pat McGrath, who became the first makeup artist to receive damehood from the queen. I remember when she got the MBE in late 2013, so I was thrilled to see this.
– I was also really pleased to see Allure's digital feature on accessible beauty. Just wish it was in their print version.
– I was not, however, happy to see that the president of Japanese brand DHC is under fire for some racist remarks. The really sad part is that instead of making an attempt at any sort of apology he just shrugged it off, but I guess that's to be expected as he has a history of doing this.
– Interesting piece on beauty and makeup as instruments of political power over at Teen Vogue, the author of which will be releasing a whole book on the subject. I only hope the fable about Elizabeth Arden handing out lipsticks to suffragettes doesn't make it in there, as no one has been able to produce solid proof.
– Wallpaper had an article about the new marketing and branding for Shiseido. How nice that the company they hired gets access to their archives for "guidance" and "inspiration" but researchers like me are repeatedly shut out.
– While I'm being a cranky old lady, I must confess that new tech advances like digital makeup printing and Google's virtual makeup try-on service seem rather stupid. There's also Moi lipstick, which I grudgingly admit sounds somewhat interesting in terms of being able to match basically any color in the world, and I understand the need for reducing makeup packaging waste…but it also reeks of a futuristic dystopia.
– Sad news from happi.com (the irony): Benefit co-founder Jane Ford passed away. I imagine it was tough to go on without her co-founder and twin sister Jean, who died in January 2019. Flori Roberts, founder of her eponymous line that catered to Black women as well as Dermablend, also passed away. More to come on Roberts as I have mixed feelings about her.
– And because I'm lazy and various news outlets have covered them already, I'm linking to some articles on beauty in 2020 and what's in store for 2021. In 2020, the biggest trends I saw were the rise of TikTok, a slew of celebrity lines, an emphasis on skincare, experimental and "ugly" makeup, and video game/makeup and beauty crossovers, whether that meant a collaboration with a video game or beauty brands making an appearance in Animal Crossing and the like. Of course, the impact of Black Lives Matter and other calls for diversity and inclusion in the industry cannot be ignored; however, I refuse to see it as a passing trend that was unique to 2020. Both companies and consumers need to keep up the momentum.
The random:
– I love grey and yellow together, as evidenced by my wedding colors and some beloved Museum staff members, so I'm very in favor of Pantone's picks for 2021.
– "A virtual experience of high quality is not just second prize to being there in person, it may offer fresh revelations." Great piece on why digital museum exhibitions should become standard accompaniments to real-life ones.
– If Reservation Dogs is half as funny as What We Do in the Shadows, it will be hilarious.
– Memes were one of the few things that helped keep me somewhat sane in 2020.
Are you looking forward to the new year? I have to admit I'm not feeling optimistic, not just about the pandemic nightmare but the Museum and my family. It was more of a slow burn of trauma and grief in 2020 rather than the sudden, unexpected events that took place in 2019…and I'm not sure which was worse. I hope 2021 will be better but based on these past two years the outlook is bleak. :(
The November rewind.
– Tooting my own horn, again…this time I was interviewed for a short video segment on makeup during the pandemic. If you want to see what I sort of look like – I swear I'm not quite as hideous in real life – keep your eyes peeled around the 1:20 mark. Alas, they only included a tiny snippet of what I was saying so it doesn't make much sense, but my answers were better in the full context.
– In makeup history, be sure to check out this lovely post (complete with sources!) on '50s beauty tips from Hollywood stars over at Mermaidens blog. I also enjoyed this interview with Beauty Blender founder Rea Ann Silva. (BTW, they have the cutest zodiac-themed sponges available now so clearly I need to add them to the Museum's zodiac collection.)
– Move over '90s, y2k has taken over as beauty nostalgia's new muse. I plan on having a little bit of this era in the epilogue of my 90s book. 😉
– Makeup sales are falling, yet beauty overall is still set to reach nearly $130 billion by 2030. I'm guessing the rising demand for "personal care" items is making up for the losses in color cosmetic sales.
– Target is one of those stores that I could spend all day in. If I ever feel safe enough to go into a store that's not a necessity (i.e. a supermarket) I suspect my Target runs will be even longer due to Ulta setting up shop.
The random:
– In '90s nostalgia, Toy Story turns 25 (a film I still haven't seen because I think it'll make me cry) and one author tries to explain the appeal of the "butt cut" for guys.
– On the art front, I've got two words for you: underwater Impressionism. I'm also really enjoying this blog by a museum professional – she's given me so many things to think about!
– Finally, Thanksgiving was sad again this year, but at least the plushies kept us company. They were very eager for the desserts I was making (candy cane brownies, pumpkin cupcakes with caramel filling and frosting, and coffee heath bar ice cream) so to get them out of my hair for a bit I allowed them to play with some of the Museum's objects. Colourpop released the cutest Candy Land collection complete with a board game, and I finally got around to snagging Revlon's $64,000 Question game from the '50s. So they had a nice little game night.
No pics of the desserts I made because we ate them all too fast, but they were pretty good!
If you celebrated, how was your Thanksgiving? Are you ready for the holidays?
I was hoping to do a history of Day of the Dead makeup in addition to Curator's Corner, but as usual I wanted to tackle a very in-depth topic that I lacked the time to cover, so here are some links instead.
– Just gonna toot my own horn, again – I was interviewed for not one but two publications, both of which happened to be in German. I hope nothing was lost in translation! Here's a link to an article on medieval makeup in the Swiss edition of Fokus magazine, and photos are below for the October 2020 issue of Madame magazine. The journalist never made good on her promise to send a copy (as a matter of fact, never followed up at all) and it's not available online, so I had to enlist the help of a very kind Instagram follower in Germany to send it to me.
I got a whole big quote!
– Bobbi Brown in 1993, two years after starting her original brand: "I don't like women to look like they're wearing makeup." Bobbi Brown on her new line, Jones Road: "I honestly think people look better with less makeup…[Jones Road] is the ultimate no-makeup makeup." I mean, it's great she's sticking to her minimal aesthetic, I just find it funny that she's essentially starting the same line she did the first time around, despite her claims that it's completely different. (Also, everyone needs to stop with the "clean" jargon already!)
– Having said that, sustainable ingredients and beauty waste are real issues, as proved by some disappointing news on ecoglitter and sheet masks.
– We're all in the throes of Election Day anxiety (I guess Election Week at this point), so here's a timely article on how beauty brands were pushing voting more than ever.
– Beauty Matter had an interesting piece on the rise of the anti-haul. Believe it or not, there are some things I actively choose not to buy…would you like to see a Museum anti-haul?
– Why aren't more retailers doing this??
The random:
– In '90s nostalgia, here's a look back at 1994's Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Meanwhile, Oasis's What's the Story Morning Glory and Smashing Pumpkins' Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness turned 25 on October 2 and October 23, respectively.
– Always hate to see a museum close, but I'm so curious to know how much a gun disguised as a lipstick would sell for. Also, check out the world's most haunted museums.
– I need to watch the mermaid episode of Hulu's Monsterland ASAP.
Finally, here are some of the Museum's staff in their Halloween finery. And candy, of course!
How are you? Did you have a nice Halloween despite the pandemic?