Linkily dinks.
– Nice package…and one, no doubt, that wouldn't raise any copyright issues with another brand.
– Here's a great little read on cosmetic chemist Hazel Bishop and the quest to create a truly long-lasting lipstick.
– As a huge Pat McGrath fan I am beside myself for the release of a new permanent collection. I'm not happy about summer ending but this is definitely something to look forward to.
– Even as the organic beauty product market thrives, women of color are still being disproportionately exposed to harmful chemicals in beauty products.
– Speaking of racist beauty standards…seriously? It's 2017. And speaking of harmful ingredients, this is your friendly (er, scary) reminder to buy only from authorized retailers.
– Bath bomb makers are getting more creative by the second.
– LOL. #truth
The random:
– What are your favorite movies from 20 years ago? Check out the AV Club's picks if you need a refresher. In other '90s news, the "trial of the century" is getting a pop-up museum.
– If anyone should have their own official Pantone color, it's Prince.
– Some good art links: an essay on the women of Dada, a new Yayoi Kusama museum, and in honor of the eclipse, this artist profile.
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Links, links, get your links here!
– Loved this history of nail polish over at Racked…and I can't wait for this new book it mentions (I'm currently reading her other one.) This history of the hair dryer was also interesting.
– Think I'll skip the "lobe strobe", but upside down makeup actually seems reasonable.
– Recent beauty fails involve, of all things, a dead fly and a maxi pad.
– There are swatches, and then there is swatch art.
– A teenage makeup artist revisits the '90s on her eyelids, while The Cut reflects briefly on the decade's popular "butt cut" for men.
– Not sure how I feel about these new Sephora stores. On the one hand, they're good for anyone who feels overwhelmed or intimidated by the selection and doesn't fully understand their skin and makeup needs. On the other hand, I feel like it would be super annoying for someone like me, who wants to be left completely alone while shopping – more in-depth services are not what I'm after.
– Also not sure about this debacle. My gut instinct is to tell the Kardashians to back off, but…their logos aren't really similar? I don't know.
The random:
– So much '90s nostalgia! ABC's original TGIF lineup returns to Hulu, both Titanic and this one-hit wonder turn 20, and the stars of the I Love the '90s music tour share their thoughts on the decade. I also came across the history of Good Burger and the rather sad story of the actor in Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" video.
– Nostalgia isn't limited to the '90s, however: early aughts fashion trends are being revived, and there's going to be an exhibition on pop culture of the 2000s (brought to you by the same folks who launched the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding exhibition).
– Smithsonian Magazine briefly discusses how sunbathing became a fad in the 1930s…thought it was a nice little follow up to my post on vintage tanning product ads.
– Made me smile.
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The bi-weekly link roundup.
– Jane at British Beauty Blogger eloquently shuts down the issue of age discrimination in the beauty industry.
– Makeup artists continue vying to be the next social media star with ever more (literally) colorful ideas, between this teen who paints tiny celebrity portraits and this artist who creates masterpieces from stretch marks and other "flaws". (We've seen this before but with glitter.)
– If I spent $13K on neck cream and then found out I'd also need a $15,000 machine to accompany it, I'd probably sue too…but then again, for that amount of money you could have surgery or other treatments, which would be way more efficient than a cream anyway.
– Forget suing, I'd KILL anyone who deliberately destroyed my makeup. Not funny, jerk.
– Also not funny is the fact that Sephora is basically forcing you to use your points. Meh.
– Not sure what the difference is between 4D and holographic hair, but cereal hair looks like fun.
– Another product for your lady parts has been launched…I wouldn't wear it, but I'm glad to see that at least it's not harmful like wasp nests and glitter.
– Please, let it be true!
The random:
– Dying to see this exhibition at Loyola University in Chicago…stay tuned for a Makeup as Muse post on this artist! In other art news, have you tried texting SF MoMA? It's a lot of fun!
– There's been much exciting junk food news, including dark chocolate Twix and and these new Lays flavors.
– On the pop culture front, I'm excited for the return of both Stranger Things and American Horror Story. How about you?
I hope everyone's having a relaxing and enjoyable summer!
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Links…late as usual.
I'm questioning this study that says the average woman will supposedly spend nearly a quarter million dollars on beauty maintenance during her lifetime. I don't think my spending will ever come close to that and I invest way more in beauty products and services than the average woman.
– Still, as pretty privilege is a very real thing, maybe it's true women funnel as much cash as the study claims into trying to look good in order to reap the rewards that being attractive brings. I'm glad this article was written because it always seemed to me that the "beautiful people" have a much easier time in life – turns out it's not my imagination.
– Unless you've been living under a rock you know that NARS (or rather its parent company Shiseido) has decided it will be sold in China, which means it loses its cruelty-free status as China mandates animal testing. It would be hypocritical of me to boycott NARS and get rid of all their products I have in the collection/my personal stash, but I will say just from a business perspective I don't think this is a wise decision. The industry is moving away from animal testing, not towards it – any cosmetics company that wants to remain competitive should be cruelty-free and/or vegan. What's almost as bad is NARS' response (or lack thereof) to the backlash.
– Here's a much happier confluence of animals and makeup to cleanse the palate.
– Macabre though it is, I enjoyed the Smithsonian's history of poisonous makeup. More fun, recent makeup history includes this round-up of the original home pages for online beauty stores.
– Oh, social media, what trends will you come up with next? The past couple weeks have given us sushi salmon hair (not sure how this is different than pink champagne or rose gold hair) and ocean hair. Meanwhile, the 100-layer craze is still making the rounds. We also have a manicure that goes nicely with the Museum's summer exhibition theme.
– Yet another item to add to the growing list of things not to insert into your lady parts. Seriously, WTF??
– I think this new perfume might be even weirder than the cat belly fragrance we saw in the last installment of Curator's Corner.
– Christmas in July: we got the scoop on Shu's holiday collection! I didn't play video games much as a kid, but Super Mario was one I definitely remember.
The random:
– In '90s nostalgia, Lilith Fair celebrated its 20th anniversary and Radiohead's OK Computer also turned 20. Plus, the triumphant return of '90s beverages continues with Zima.
– Loved this Vice piece highlighting a new documentary on professional mermaids. In related news, I was watching this recent episode of Viceland's States of Undress where I learned that Thailand is home to the world's highest rate of gender confirmation surgeries. This fact jogged my memory of reading about a mermaid cafe that had opened there a few weeks ago. Given the significance of mermaids for trans women, I'm not sure it's a coincidence. Pretty interesting, yes?
– I'm embarrassed to admit I still don't fully understand the concept of a podcast, but this new one sounds awesome.
– Play with your food: This pizza bikini is not a good idea for me, since I'd eat it and end up naked (although seriously, who the hell is going to pay $10k for that?!) More my speed are these adorable plushie cakes.
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Whew. As you can imagine it's been pretty busy offline, so I'm hoping to hit the proverbial reset button on this little blog and get back to posting more regularly. In the meantime, here are some links from oh, the past month – I got so far behind, but I think they're still relevant. :)
– I lamented on Twitter about the fact that holographic mascara doesn't exist, but I guess these LED eye lashes are the next best thing.
– A fashion curator explains why some pieces belong in a museum. I think her arguments apply to a cosmetics museum as well, yes?
– As much as the industry tries to be more culturally/socially aware and inclusive, things like this and this still happen. Boggles my mind. Also bummed that two of my favorite blogs have folded.
– When I was in school I worked my ass off to get the highest grades possible so the idea of cheating doesn't sit well with me, but I gotta hand it to this kid for his creativity.
– Fashionista and Racked have some interesting reads on the beauty box subscription trend and the wastefulness of cosmetics packaging, respectively.
– Contrary to popular belief and much to the delight of people like me who love slathering on the makeup, heavy application actually has some skincare benefits.
– The latest wacky beauty products to hit the market include rosé scented deodorant, pizza bath bombs, and perfume that smells like a cat's belly (I guess it's similar to Demeter's Kitten Fur but more specific?) More questionable and possibly harmful are these "treatments" for your nether regions. #newlow
– More beauty craziness: Instagram fads include lip art using toilet paper or bugs, watermelon makeup, and tons of new hair trends from "Starburst" coloring and confetti hair to marbling. Finally, using soft drinks for various beauty purposes seems to be the next big thing.
The random:
– In '90s nostalgia, Alanis Morrisette's hit album Jagged Little Pill is being turned into a musical, Clearly Canadian is back on supermarket shelves, and three hit songs celebrated their 20th birthdays.
– Happy 30th to the gif! The interwebz wouldn't be the same without them.
– Desperately want to check out this museum in Berlin. This one, not so much.
– Anyone else watching the new Twin Peaks? I don't have Showtime but my parents do, so I managed to see the first 3 episodes when I visited them a few weeks ago…but now I'm seriously considering getting a Showtime subscription to continue watching – I'm hooked!
How have you been?
Hello and Happy Mother's Day to all the moms! If you're not a mom I hope you're having a lovely Sunday. Unfortunately I am not…our living situation has not improved so we continue to actively look for new Museum headquarters, my 3rd chemical peel went badly (resulted in scabby, oozing wounds, which didn't occur with the first 2 peels – no idea what happened this time), and work has really picked up and will be busy till the end of June. So things might get a little quiet around here since work stress and house hunting = me having no energy/time left to blog. Anyway, I'll do my best to keep posting. And to stop complaining. 😉
– Here's a nice little read on cosmetics and personal hygiene products in ancient Egypt.
– It's always surprising to me how little the cosmetics industry is regulated, which is why I was intrigued by this new bill.
– And now for the crazy fads from the past 2 weeks: pizza slice, "shine line" and mother-of-pearl hair are having a moment, brow art continues full speed ahead, and I have to say I'm digging this new eye makeup trend, remarkably impractical though it is.
– Racked highlights the growing population of recovering makeup addicts. I can't say I'll ever be a part of their group, but it's good to know they're there. (I was actually aware of the Makeup Rehab reddit previously since the Museum's very first in-person visitor is a member and told me all about it.)
– I've had my issues with Dove's campaigns before, but this is a new level of dumb. Equally stupid is this new lipstick "hack" – an easier, more accurate way to determine what a lipstick will actually look like on your lips (and for you to see whether it's flattering) is swatching it on your fingertips. Finally, when will it end??
The random:
– In '90s nostalgia, the frontman of one of the decade's most prominent bands finished his Ph.D. I was also super excited about the new season of Twin Peaks…until I read this article indicating that at least 3 characters aren't coming back. (Two of these absences are due to the fact that the actors who played them have passed away since the show's original run – so sad!)
– A little art history fun. Also, if this can get funding, surely my museum can.
– Makeup Museum staff's worst nightmare.
– LOL.
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A Curator's Corner on a Tuesday? Sure, why not. I'm usually late with this feature anyway and end up backdating it, but this weekend was terrible – I'll spare you my whining but suffice it to say that Museum headquarters may have to move soon – so I'm posting this link roundup even later. I hope you enjoy regardless of its tardiness. 🙂
– Here's a really interesting piece on makeup hoarding and addiction that identified the difference between a hobby and compulsive buying. I maintain that while I own much more makeup than the average person, I'm not a hoarder since I keep an inventory, regularly clean out my stash and genuinely enjoy everything I buy. Right? Right. #denial
– Racked also had an article on Republic Nail's Frida Kahlo polishes. I was so pleased to see a shout-out to the Museum's post on the topic, but still kinda wished they had interviewed me since, well really, who has more expertise discussing the intersection of makeup and art? Oh well.
– As you know I can't get enough of flash-in-the-pan fads. In the past 2 weeks barbed wire brows have replaced feather brows, geode nails are the new geode highlights, lips take on a marbled look, and for some reason butt glitter has migrated upwards to boob glitter.
– Meanwhile, the unicorn frappuccino mania has spilled over into the beauty sphere, with nails and hair inspired by the limited edition Starbucks drink. The drink may be gone now but the unicorn beauty craze is still going strong – even guys are getting their unicorn magic on.
– Speaking of guys, just when we thought we had reached peak crazy makeup applicator, one girl put part of her boyfriend's nether regions to cosmetic use. (Link NSFW, obviously). It's stunts like these that make me appreciate beauty tutorial parodies all the more.
– Happy (belated) 420.
The random:
– In '90s nostalgia, I greatly enjoyed the oral histories of both Romy and Michele's High School Reunion and Austin Powers, along with this write-up of one of my favorite Yo La Tengo albums. All three turned 20. In related news, I. Am. So. Old.
– I love me some bubbly, but bubbly with glitter is even better.
– More beverage fun: I was initially kind of annoyed about the aforementioned unicorn frappuccino since there was no mermaid frap, but there is! I really really want one, especially since it sounds like it would be way yummier than the unicorn one (it apparently tasted like Sweet Tarts so I definitely wouldn't have liked it) but I hate the thought of annoying the crap out of the barista.
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Happy Sunday and Happy Easter to those celebrating. Here’s your bi-weekly batch of links.
– Smashbox is now a world record holder for the most expensive lip art, ringing in at a whopping $26,500.
– After a similar article published a few weeks ago, I really want to ask this author why she has such a hatred for all fun makeup. This is a topic I’ve explored before, but I believe women are smart enough to know the difference between nostalgia and infantilization.
– The latest trends sweeping Instagram include feather brows, floral eyeliner, holographic hair and leopard print hair. Meanwhile, ice cream flavored lip balm is the newest member of the foody beauty family.
– “I get enough FOMO from social media alone — I don’t need my beloved beauty products making me feel like I’m a loser as well.” Racked offers a good piece on time-saving beauty products.
– In racist/offensive/bad taste beauty news, we have Nivea’s (now pulled) “white purity” ads and a tutorial to recreate United Airlines passenger David Dao’s bloodied mouth. Ugh.
– But at least this is funny.
The random:
– In ’90s nostalgia, here’s a list of little-known facts about my favorite movie and a truly hilarious supercut of Seinfeld bloopers. Also, Tamagotchis are officially back and Hanson’s megahit “Mmmbop”, a.k.a. the most annoying song ever, turned 20 this week.
– On the art/museum front, these are possibly the most unimaginative “art-inspired” bags I’ve ever seen. You know what’s great though? My favorite little egg starring in famous paintings.
– Eggs remind me of Easter, which brought in the usual fun stuff: the Washington City Paper resurrected the Post’s Peeps Diorama contest, while a baker used 1,500 peeps to make a life-size Disney princess. And I’d be curious to check out this new bunny museum. Finally, I’m somewhat ashamed to admit that I’d probably eat both of these pizzas.
Speaking of novelty foods, I’m not sure how I feel about clear coffee but pink pineapples are a total win for me, pineapple fiend that I am.
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Lots o’ links! Enjoy.
– Racked explores the history of makeup perceived as “tricking” men and delves into Sephora’s Beauty Talk online community.
– Current fads include butt glitter (it’s exactly what it sounds like), meme makeup, and on the hair front, geode highlights and rainbow roots are trending. Also, I think we’ve reached peak wacky makeup applicators.
– File these stencils and this nail polish under “completely superfluous but still fun” beauty inventions.
– Things I disagree with: the “fact” that the average woman spends $300,000 on beauty products in her lifetime (I’m a collector and there’s no way I will ever spend even close to that!), a no-makeup cafe, and this rather vitriolic response to unicorn makeup. I might roll my eyes at some of the sillier trends that make the rounds, but at the end of the day I don’t care what crazy thing you’re doing with makeup – no one’s forcing me or anyone else to apply foundation with a hard-boiled egg, you know? So this author needs to back off…especially since she concludes with suggesting that people try, ugh, contouring instead of fun sparkly makeup.
– As a follow up to that piece and also my report on the holographic/iridescent/mythical being makeup craze, I much preferred this in-depth article on the history of the trend. It’s a great read, plus the author, like me, predicts mermaids will replace unicorns as makeup inspiration this year.
– Kudos to Sephora for their new makeup class and the founder of Lipslut for their “Fuck Trump” lipstick.
– Neon strobing proves you can never apply too much highlighter, driver’s license photos be damned.
The random:
– In ’90s nostalgia, here are 10 quintessential movies from the decade as chosen by The A.V. Club staff. Not sure I agree with all of their picks, but at least my top 2 (Pulp Fiction and Clueless) made the cut. Additionally, The Awl rounds up the top ’90s scandals. Juicy!
– “Toys become animal spirits, cuddly receptacles of love, companionship and magic.” Almost cried when I read about this very touching exhibition of stuffed animals. Also, who wants to go to the chocolate museum with me?!
– Just in time for Easter, please enjoy these bunny succulents. And if I didn’t kill every plant I’ve ever owned, I’d get these dolphin ones.
– Finally!
– LOL.
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Happy (almost) spring! Here's your bi-weekly link roundup.
– Three huge beauty news items: 1. MAC will be available at Ulta. Now if they would just come to Sephora I'd be a happy girl. 2. There is an entire '90s inspired makeup line. How perfect would I be to create products for it?! 3. Urban Decay will be launching a Basquiat collection on April 20. I'm glad that the potential issues with this collection were mostly addressed…but I'll be sure to expand on this when I get the whole collection in my greedy little paws!
– Speaking of paws, you can now smell like kitten fur.
– Lipstick is so pretty to look at, even under a microscope.
– This is a great followup to my brief post on makeup packaging recycling.
– In beauty history, Collector's Weekly had an excellent profile of hallowed brand Santa Maria Novella.
– Here's some evidence of what I've known for years (and one of the major reasons I love makeup).
– A friendly reminder not to use LUSH bath bombs as highlighter. File this under WHY?? With the spate of highlighters flooding the market at all price points I have no idea why you'd try to use a bath product as one.
– Again, WHY??
The random:
– In '90s nostalgia, Hanson has announced a tour, while Mental Floss unravels the history of those bizarre Mentos commercials. (I wish they also had a history of the Snapple lady.) Meanwhile, musicians reflect on the legacy of Biggie Smalls in honor of the 20-year anniversary of his passing, while in more upbeat news, I'm celebrating the 20th birthday of one of the many great albums by my favorite band. Birthday wishes are also in order for Buffy the Vampire Slayer (20) and My Cousin Vinny (25).
– Will mermaid-inspired eats replace the unicorn food trend? I hope so.
– This new fashion museum sounds great but I kinda wish Chanel would donate $6 million to my museum – you'd think they'd want their cosmetics line to be preserved along with their clothing, right?
– Yas queen!!
How have you been? Are you excited for spring?
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