I spotted this crazy makeup set over at Musings of a Muse and immediately burst out laughing! I don't know why but I found the notion of a palette and lipstick tucked away in a high-heeled shoe to be rather hilarious.
I can't believe the mirrored heel detaches to reveal a lipstick inside. That's pretty next level since it makes for a unique heel but also a great lipstick case.
(images from gooddealer.com)
There is actually a story behind this bizarre creation. British shoe designer Sophia Webster collaborated with Maquillage to celebrate the brand's 10th anniversary for their holiday collection. You might know Webster from her playful (and in some cases, completely impractical) shoe designs, particularly the famous Evangeline winged heels, which you get a glimpse of in the Maquillage promo.
I have to admit, I wouldn't mind owning these in silver.
Her designs remind me quite a bit of Charlotte Olympia's in that they're both more strange yet fun art objects rather than shoes. I'd have significant trouble figuring out how to wear some of Webster's styles.
Except for these, from the spring/summer 2014 collection – every '90s woman NEEDS these in her shoe wardrobe, especially me since it's one of my favorite songs from the decade. Too bad I had no idea they existed and now they're gone.
(images from sophiawebster.com and creativeobservations.tumblr.com)
Anyway, I couldn't identify the shoe that the Maquillage palette is based on. It looks sort of similar to the Amanda style, but it's not an exact match.
The slide-out palette in the toe of the Maquillage shoe looks a little childish (sort of reminds me of Polly Pockets) but the overall piece is just so weird and goofy I can't help but smile when I see it. Plus, obviously it would make a great display item for the Museum. Therefore I think I may have to order it shortly. 😉
What do you think of Webster's style and the Maquillage design?
I meant to post about this back in August when it debuted, but am just catching up now. The Lilumia makeup brush washing machine was introduced with much fanfare earlier this year as being one of the most innovative beauty devices to date, eliminating the need to hand-wash makeup brushes. It's certainly a useful idea, especially for makeup artists whose brush-washing needs are greater than those of the average makeup consumer. The Lilumia can wash up to 12 brushes at once in 15 minutes flat.
You do have to wipe down the "cleaning surface" after each use and empty the reservoir tray, but I imagine overall it's still faster than manual washing. I definitely see the value of this machine, however, I must say I'm confused by the advertising. What exactly are they selling again?
I mean, sex sells – it's a marketing tactic as old as time – but in this case it seems weird. I'm not offended by the advertising going on here, just puzzled. Lingerie, perfume, even makeup itself – I understand the use of "sexy" advertising for these. But there's nothing remotely alluring about cleaning your makeup brushes, it's simply a necessary chore. Unless teenage boys are the majority of Lilumia's target demographic, and I don't think they are, I'm betting the sexy strategy will prove to be fairly ineffective. And the device itself…well, it resembles some kind of weird alien pod. To my eye, it's about as seductive as a toothbrush. So what's up with the ads? As it turns out, Lilumia was founded by former lingerie model Fierra Cruz, so I guess she's sticking to what she knows.
(images from lilumia.com)
Still, if she really wants your average makeup consumer/artist to buy Lilumia, maybe she should try a marketing technique that would appeal to as many of them as possible. People who use their makeup brushes regularly are going to be more interested in seeing whether the thing is worth their hard-earned cash than in scantily-clad models. I'd suggest Lilumia tone down the sexy angle and play up user reviews, demonstrations, etc. For me, seeing fellow beauty bloggers (not magazine editors) using Lilumia and giving it a positive review would make me much more likely to buy it than photos of young women in sexy underwear.
In any case, I personally like to "baby" my brushes, and since I have so many I don't necessarily have to wash them after each use – I just use a fresh brush. And I honestly don't mind hand-washing my brushes, as I find it somewhat relaxing. So I have no need for this machine. I'd also be curious to see how it stacks up next to the Brush Pearl, which received a less-than-stellar review.
Are you interested in trying Lilumia? How about a #sexyceo t-shirt? 😉
Today I thought I'd bring you some very interesting green beauty innovations courtesy of one of my favorite design and architecture blogs, Dezeen. First up is this hairdryer made out of bamboo, which was designed by Samy Rio and won top prize at the 2015 Design Parade competition. It's sleek, minimal and looks like something you'd find in a high-end eco-friendly salon or spa.
(images from dezeen.com)
From an aesthetic perspective, the design is fantastic – it would look so pretty sitting on my vanity. But from a practical perspective, I'm curious to know how a simple material like bamboo stacks up next to our fancy ionic hairdryers made of metal and plastic. Would my hair be as smooth as with a regular dryer? How loud is it? How does the drying time compare? Bamboo is a recyclable, renewable resource and I would love to see it used more in beauty gadgets, but if it doesn't perform well, forget it.
Next up are these false eyelashes fashioned from blades of grass and pine needles, while the glue is made from eggs and water. Kingston University student Mary Graham designed these eyelashes to highlight the fact that while many cosmetic companies slap the "natural" label on their products, many of them contain ingredients that have been treated with artificial chemicals. Plus, only 1% of the product actually has to be natural to be earn the label.
(images from dezeen.com)
While I don't think these lashes are practical for most people (especially those of us with grass allergies) and certainly not intended for everyday wear, Graham believes that they would eventually win over cosmetic aficionados. "With the ever-growing DIY culture infiltrating cosmetics I do believe that these lashes could catch on as a trend…people are now encouraged to go into their gardens and gather plants and mud to make face masks, so why not eyelashes?" Given how time-consuming it must be to make them and the fact that one can't re-use them as they wilt within 24 hours, I'm not sure how the average person would actually construct their own false lashes from plants. But I could definitely see them working for magazine editorials and couture shows, especially since the materials change with the seasons. "I want to create these lashes again but in the autumn so that I could use beautiful oranges and reds. These lashes have seasons and would appear differently depending on the time of year. Almost like fashion trends, they are always changing and never constant," Graham says. She also hopes to expand beyond lashes to form a full-fledged, all-natural beauty line that would feature lipsticks made from beetroot and mixtures of sand and chalk for a fake tanning solution.
Would you try out either of these new beauty innovations? I'd definitely try out the hair dryer but I'm iffy on the eyelashes. Not because I don't love how they look, but my eyes are super sensitive and might react poorly to the materials, natural though they may be.
I came across this concept for a DIY cosmetics setup via The Fox Is Black a few weeks ago and I can't get it out of my head! London-based designer Lauren Davies came up with a "collection of analog tools for the production of natural cosmetics at home, inspired by beautiful ancient rituals and the transformative powers of alchemy."
(images from heka-lab.com)
Here's the concept: "The palette of copper and maple wood are chosen for their traditional and folkloric symbolism respectively. Cork is used for its insulating properties, borosilicate glass for its heat resistance and stainless steel for strength. All components are fabricated in collaboration with London-based craftsmen. Together, the tools form a statement piece; reigniting a dialogue about our relationship with nature and the materials we use…The tools I’ve designed will enable women to forge a stronger connection to their personal beauty rituals and a more magical relationship with nature’s intricate mysteries." I love this description. Since I'm not too familiar with DIY beauty recipes and can barely figure out our French press, the video really helped me see how everything works.
The idea of mixing one's own lotions and potions is not new; in fact, up until the late 19th century most women concoted their own beauty treatments. Says Kathy Peiss in her excellent book Hope in a Jar: The Making of American's Beauty Culture: "Nineteenth century American women inherited a tradition of cosmetic preparation, which freely borrowed from a variety of sources and reached back through the centuries…like household hints and cooking recipes, cosmetic knowledge spread by word of mouth, within families and between neighbors. Women often compiled their own recipe books and passed them on to their daughters…women's access to information about cosmetics expanded even more with the publishing boom of the 1840s and 1850s." (p.12-14) You can even find these recipes today.
The Alchemist's Dressing Table works in these age-old traditions as well as the tools used, but modernizes everything to create a sleek, streamlined design. The ancient Egyptians used a combination of a lead-based mineral and soot to make black eye kohl, and Davies provides a rather elegant way to produce soot that can be used in a recipe for eye liner. Additionally, you can see the similarity between the ancient kohl applicator/mixing tool shown in these images from the British Museum and the one Davies designed. (And look! You can buy an entire book on cosmetic sets in early Britain!)
(images from britishmuseum.org)
I also liked how Davies modified an alembic to distill ingredients for beauty treatments, but still uses the traditional materials: copper, glass and sometimes cork. Here's a reproduction of a traditional copper alembic and some 19th century alembics for comparison.
(image from coppermasters.com)
(images from mhs.ox.ac.uk)
As for practicality, I personally can't see any use for the Alchemist's Dressing Table myself as I'm a disaster at both cooking and science experiments. The only value for me would be the packaging of the end product. I'm envisioning putting everything into pretty little jars I found on Etsy with vintage-inspired labeling, and frankly, I can buy pre-made products that have that packaging. Purchasing them would eliminate the risk of setting my kitchen on fire, which would no doubt be the end result of my attempt to distill some lavender. I also imagine this set would be a rather pricey investment for consumers if it were put into production. Having said all that, I certainly recognize the value of such a setup for those that need or want chemical-free, all-natural beauty products. If, for example, a vegan and/or gluten-free lifestyle is a necessity, making your own products from start to finish is a way to be 100% sure the products you're using comply with your needs. You control the entire process. Indeed, Davies states, "I believe this could be the future of cosmetics for the modern woman who has a desire to be more in control of what she uses on her skin and the impact they have on our environment." You don't even have to buy, say, rosewater since you can now make your own. I suppose there are ways to make your own products without this carefully designed ensemble, but these are such beautiful pieces it makes mixing a homemade cream in your old soup pot – you know, the cheap one you got in college that's now scratched to hell – seem downright sad.
The bottom line is that objectively speaking, this is simply gorgeous. It's not just the beauty-obsessed among us that appreciates this work – the Alchemist's Dressing Table was nominated for the 2014 Design of the Year Award at London's Design Museum. I would dearly love to get my hands on it…especially if I had a physical Makeup Museum. I'd have a whole room with this as the centerpiece and people could make appointments to come in and make whatever they want.
What do you think? Do you mix your own products and if so, would you use something like this?
Ah, humble tweezers. Where would our brows be without them? While this beauty tool is a must for most women, its appearance, not to mention the actual work of tweezing, tends to be rather drab. To combat the tedium associated with shaping one's brows, over the years Tweezerman, the go-to company for this implement, has introduced many designs intended to up the tweezer ante.
Tweezerman was founded in 1980 by entrepreneur Dal LaMagna, who quickly realized that tweezers had a much bigger market in beauty rather than health (i.e., promoting tweezers to remove eyebrow hair rather than splinters). How did he come up with the company name? "One day he walked into an account with his Dal LaMagna Grooming
products (that was the name of his company originally) and the
receptionist yelled out, 'Hey, everybody, the Tweezerman is here!' And
the rest, as they say, is history." Part of the brand's success was due to catchy advertising such as billboards proclaiming, "We aim
to tweeze". Free tweezer sharpening is an excellent strategy as well.
More recently, Tweezerman has stayed competitive through the development of eye-catching designs that go beyond a range of colors. There's a plethora of prints, from animals to graffiti and pop art to holiday themes:
(images from peoplestylewatch.com, echemist.co.uk and selfridges.com)
(images from amazon.com and 6pm.com)
(images from tweezerman.com and realsimple.com)
There's also tons of shiny bling:
(images from tweezerman.com)
And a limited edition design in honor of the brand's 30th anniversary back in 2010:
(image from refinery29.com)
Tweezerman has also gotten into the designer-collaboration game. The first such partnership occurred in 2009 with Agatha Luiz de la Prada, known for her avant-garde prints.
(image from coolhunting.com)
Next up in 2010 was the always delightfully kooky Betsey Johnson:
(image from makeupatga.com)
2011 saw a collaboration with Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers line.
(image from shefinds.com)
Cynthia Rowley continued the Designer Series in 2012.
(image from vanityfair.com)
I wonder what's up Tweezerman's sleeve for 2013! In any case, I always love seeing mundane objects taken to the next level through interesting and colorful designs – it makes dull tasks slightly less painful, and in turn, you feel a little special when you put the object to use. It may be silly, but I always feel a bit stylish and less boring when using my green croc print tweezers. 🙂
Which one of these is your favorite? Do you own any limited-edition Tweezermans?
I have no idea why I didn't know about Steamcream until years after it had been on the market – very much like how I missed cutting-edge nail polish line Laqa & Co. And also like Laqa & Co., Steamcream has a huge line of beautifully designed pieces, some of which are the result of artist collaborations.
What exactly is Steamcream? According to the website, it's an all-over moisturizer (meaning it can be used on the face as well as body). Natural ingredients like almond oil, orange flower water and cocoa butter are fused with steam. "It’s Steamcream’s unique steam process that makes our cream much more effective on the
skin. The force of the steam fuses the ingredients instantly – holding
them together in a very gentle and loose emulsion. When it touches your
skin, the naturally moisturising ingredients and pure, calming essential
oils are released from the light emulsion so they can sink past the
surface reaching the areas they are needed fast." Interesting concept, but what intrigues me most is the packaging. There are at least 50 designs in the line and I could see nearly every single one in a Museum exhibition, especially the holiday-themed ones (I did pick up two for the most recent holiday/winter exhibition).
Here are a few of my favorites.
Arles, inspired by Van Gogh's Sunflowers, and Gaudy, with a proud colorful peacock:
Amani Na Upendo, which was designed by African artist Mustapha, and Planetarium:
These Hawaii-themed tins are adorable as well:
Some of the newer ones include Shé, in honor of the Year of the Snake:
And two with the theme "fabric of Japan", based on traditional kimono designs.
(images from steamcream.co.uk)
That concludes this very brief overview of Steamcream, but I will be posting about individual tins as I continue collecting them. 🙂
Between the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics, to say that 2012 is a big year for London would be an understatement. Beauty companies were quick to capitalize on these important events by releasing a plethora of British-themed products (in addition to Stila's Lovely in London palette, which we saw previously).
Some companies used the beautiful London skyline and buildings in their packaging.
- Jo Malone fragrance gift boxes
- Benefit "That Gal" special edition primer
- Bond No. 9 Diamond Jubilee perfume
- Paperself London Skyline eye lashes
But the overwhelming majority of products incorporated the iconic Union Jack.
(Click to enlarge)
- Estée Lauder Jewelled Flag of Britain solid perfume compact
- Rimmel London Glam Eyes HD eye shadow in True Union Jack
- 17 Instant Glow Union Jack Bronzer
- Union Jack Chapstick
- Yves Saint Laurent Swarovski Union Jack palette
- Union Jack Vaseline pouch
- Provoke Cosmetics Pro Pan eye shadow palette (via British Beauty Blogger)
- Pop Beauty Brit Pop eye shadow palette
While all of these 2012 releases would certainly quench anyone's thirst for London-inspired products, I think my favorite is still Chanel's London Madness palette from 2009. (I'm now beginning to wonder where the hell I was in the spring of 2009 – first I missed Guerlain's shell bronzer and just realized I missed this Chanel palette!) Not sure why, I just feel as though it made the best use of the Union Jack.
(image from temptalia.com)
So from this dizzying array of items devoted to London, which one is your favorite?
For the past few years I've been mildly obsessed with visiting the desert. Not so much the far-flung deserts of Africa but more the American Southwest. I have this urge to wander through cacti, canyons and feel the dry heat and intense sun. Perhaps my yearning has been encouraged by desert-inspired collections, like Smashbox's Desert Chic (2008), Armani's Sienna Minerals palette (2009), Paul & Joe's Sahara collection (2010), Laura Mercier's Canyon Sunset collection (2011) and Maybelline's Summer Glow bronzers and Bobbi Brown's Desert Twilight collection this year. And that's only the tip of the iceberg (canyon?). So many products take their design cue from the desert's sun-drenched, wind-swept sands or the patterns in rock formations.
(Click to enlarge)
(image sources contained in links)
- Vanessa Blake Desert Storm Pressed Powders
- Laura Mercier Bronzed Pressed Powder
- Lancôme Star Bronzer
- Stephanie Johnson Palm Desert makeup bag
- Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Moisturizing Bronzing Powder
- Pupa Desert Bronzing Powder
- Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Powder
- Stila Sahara Sand makeup set
- Estée Lauder Illuminating Powder Gelee
- Rimmel Match Perfection bronzer
If I were doing a real-life exhibition, I'd include all of these objects. I'd also try to get some of the amazing photographs by David Benjamin Sherry from his 2012 Astral Desert series on loan. 🙂
Breaking Blue Dune Walls, Arizona:
Sand v (Citrine, California):
Sand xii (Violet, New Mexico):
Tangerine Sweep, Death Valley:
(images from davidbenjaminsherry.com)
Wouldn't these look great next to all those desert-y compacts?
I thought this eye shadow quartet from Clarins' summer collection would be a good follow-up to yesterday's post on Chanel's Indian-inspired palette. I didn't purchase this because I didn't think it was quite up to Museum standards, nor do I see it fitting in to any upcoming exhibitions just yet, but it's worth a mention.
The outer case has a delicately dotted pattern along the left and a large circular one on the right. The same shapes appear on each eye shadow.
(images from nordstrom.com)
I'm not sure about the teardrop-shaped design, but I'm fairly certain the circular pattern is a variation on a mandala, a motif in Buddhist and Hindu art. According to mandalaproject.org, "the word 'mandala' is from the classical Indian language of Sanskrit. Loosely translated to mean 'circle,' a mandala is far more than a simple shape. It represents wholeness, and can be seen as a model for the organizational structure of life itself–a cosmic diagram that reminds us of our relation to the infinite, the world that extends both beyond and within our bodies and minds."
Here are some examples on a temple ceiling in Madurai, South India.
(image from travel.yahoo.com)
Here's a more detailed shot of the ceiling:
And a mandala on the floor:
(images from kitchenoperas.com)
However, I'm inclined to think the Clarins design looks less authentic than the mandalas you'd find in temples – it looks more like this henna tattoo drawing:
(image from tattoodonkey.com)
What do you think?
I was browsing the Metropolitan Museum of Art's ancient cosmetic collection and I couldn't help but notice how similar the design of some of the pieces were to today's makeup. Sure, the ingredients have vastly improved and technology has advanced, but the basic design for some objects remains the same. I thought I'd share a few examples.
1. Swivel containers
Overall I prefer makeup in more traditional compacts that open bottom to top, but swivel palettes add a luxurious touch. Who knew they may have been rooted in ancient Egpytian cosmetic containers? The top row in this picture contains pivoting containers from roughly 1500-300 B.C. The blue one (middle) is in the shape of a column capital and has several compartments, while the one on the right is made of ivory and was most likely used to store powder or blush. (You can read more about the last two here and here). The bottom row shows what I think are some contemporary counterparts: Dior Cristal Boreal lip gloss pendant from 2009, Le Métier de Beauté Kaleidoscope eye shadows, and Hourglass Cosmetics Illume Creme-To-Powder Bronzer Duo.
(top row images from metmuseum.org, bottom row images from newjuless.blogspot.com, nordstrom.com and sephora.com)
2. Cosmetic boxes with drawers
I always thought palettes with sliding drawers were pretty cool – they're like jewelry boxes but with makeup. These boxes in the top row of the picture below (all Egyptian) are made of wood and have compartments for storing various cosmetics. The middle one is from the tomb of an artist and dates from 1279-1213 B.C., while the more elaborate one on the right dates from 1814–1805 B.C. and was found with a mirror and 4 ointment jars. Today, we have Lorac's Private Affair palette, Urban Decay's Book of Shadows, and Bobbi Brown's Holiday 2011 palette, all of which feature drawers reminiscent of their ancestors.
(top row images from metmuseum.org, bottom row images from sephora.com, ragingrouge.com and bobbibrowncosmetics.com)
3. Makeup bags
The Met also has an ancient leather pouch meant to store cosmetic implements. While most makeup bags today are rarely made of leather, (companies tend to opt for nylon or plastic), some brands employ faux leather to give a more luxe feel. Case in point: Bobbi Brown's Chrome brush kit from 2009.
(images from metmuseum.org and amazon.com)
I find it so interesting that certain design principles for cosmetic tools from thousands of years ago still exist today, albeit in more technologically advanced ways.
Which item from the Met shown here is your favorite?