Well well well, look who made it to their fifth birthday!  Five years ago today I introduced the Makeup Museum, and I must say I'm a little shocked I stuck with it as long as I have.  While there have been posting gaps here and there for good reasons (wedding planning) and bad (crippling running injury) for the most part I've been pretty consistent. 

Let's take a look back with some stats.

Number of posts to date:  708.

Number of exhibitions: 16.

Number of times I've mentioned the coffee table book, website overhaul and physical space for the Museum:  approximately 3,000.

Number of times I've made progress on any of the above:  zero.

Number of staff members added since the Museum started:  nine.

Now for some collection highlights.  I picked 5 of my favorite pieces/collections from the past 5 years.  These aren't ALL of my favorites by any means but I just chose five in keeping with the 5-year theme.  :)  Here they are in chronological order.

Shu Uemura Tokyo Kamon Girls cleansing oils (2009):

Dior  Tailleur Bar palette (2010):

Chanel Byzantine palette (2011):

Paul & Joe Meow! collection (2012):

NARS Andy Warhol collection (2012):

Happy blogiversary to the Makeup Museum!  Here's to another five years (or more) of talking to myself.  :P 

p.s. The fun isn't over yet – I'll be doing a giveaway to further celebrate, so stay tuned for details.  😉

Can you guess where I was earlier this week?  Yup, the American Alliance of Museums 2013 annual meeting!  I had been wanting to attend one for years, but when I saw that the 2013 conference would be right here in Baltimore I decided to pony up the dough and go. 

I felt oh-so-important picking up the official conference program and name badge:

I attended a few sessions that I thought might be useful for the Makeup Museum, including these:

And hit up the expo:

I visited the bookstore on the last day, it was pretty picked clean by that point.  Oh well.

All in all, while I didn't find it tremendously helpful (due to the fact that the Makeup Museum isn't quite a "real" museum like the others that were represented at the conference) most of the sessions I attended were at least interesting and did give me some ideas.  I probably won't attend again though until the Museum is an actual organization.  What would be awesome is if there were a conference just for burgeoning museums that would have sessions with step-by-step instructions on how to start your own museum.  I also wish I could have taken my Communications Director with me because he could do the difficult task of networking, but I thought it would look a little strange.  😉

If you've been following the Museum for a while you know how much I despise New Year's.  I find it depressing and awful for numerous reasons, and I NEVER make resolutions or set goals because I feel horrible when I inevitably don't meet them.  That said, I do enjoy exploring what I would like to see happen in the coming year for the Makeup Museum – aspirations rather than resolutions.  And while I know you're probably sick of seeing end-of-year blog entries, I do want to take a quick look back on 2012 at the Museum and see if any of the aspirations I listed last year came to fruition.

What I aspired to do last year:

"Research pop-up museums and see if something like that would be doable."  I did research them, but still didn't have any idea how to make it happen.  I think I might abandon the idea for now unless someone makes it incredibly easy for me – i.e., approaches me with an appropriate space rather than me having to hunt for one.

"Continue making exhibitions a little more 'museum-y' by adding accompanying labels."  Done and done, and I must thank the husband for laying them out, printing them, and helping me select the paper.

"Unveil a series of special exhibitions."  Check!  Only two special exhibitions appeared in 2012, but I think a total of six exhibitions per year (including the four seasonal ones) is pretty good for a fledgling museum.

"Make some progress on the long-talked-about coffee table book."  Okay, completely dropped the ball on this.  Oops.

"Be more organized
about blogging so that I actually write posts on time (gasp!) rather
than writing a bunch and back-dating them all.  It's a very bad habit."  I was doing really well with this until I had a major career upheaval in May.  I tried to get back on track but in the end, was still fairly tardy in posting things on the day they were supposed to be posted.  Still, I managed to write 202 posts, a significant increase over 2011's 121 posts.

"Do a couple of giveaways."  Yay, did this!  One in January and one in November.

"Most importantly,
research social media to see how to get more people interested in the
Museum and following the blog.  A corollary aspiration to this is to not
get too down when I still get no substantial increase in
interest/followers, and continue posting as if people actually read this
blog.  I've been basically talking to myself since the Museum's
inception, but I'll keep doing so because I believe in what I'm doing."  Well, I did really try to get more interest and it sort of worked.  Subscribers in Google Reader more than doubled in 2012.  It's still a tiny number, but it's an improvement.  I also got over 100 followers on Twitter.  To those of you whose followers are in the thousands, this is definitely small potatoes, but it's a lot to me.  Finally, I got several very nice emails inquiring how to make an appointment for a Museum tour.  While I had to explain that the Museum only exists online at the moment, I was still tickled that people wanted to visit in person.  One of the inquirers was a professor from the UK who asked if she could take her class on a tour!

One thing I didn't set out to do was create new blog series.  In 2012 I came up with two:  MM Musings and Color Connections.  They're nice additions…maybe not groundbreaking, but I think they definitely make the idea of a Makeup Museum more cohesive.

As for 2013, I hope to continue making progress in all areas.  Specifically:

– Overhaul the website to make it more of an online museum and less of a blog.  I'd still be blogging away, of course, but I definitely want the website to look more like these examples.  I also would love to add a searchable inventory/database of all the objects in the collection.

– Related to this would be to take better pics of the objects.  I think this will involve buying a new, fancy camera (my current one is 5 years old and is a very basic model) as well as lessons on how to use it. 

– Both a website overhaul and a new camera will be expensive, so if I find that I can't afford one (or both), I want to at least be able to keep up with writing and posting on time.

– Get more into collecting vintage items.  I have a couple of collector's guides on the way to me from Amazon, so I hope with their help I'll get some quality pieces that also somehow won't break the bank.  It will be tricky to buy vintage items because I already spend quite a bit on contemporary pieces, but I think going forward it will be important to have at least a couple vintage pieces in the Museum's collection.

– Continue doing special exhibitions in addition to the seasonal ones.

– Make some damn progress on the coffee table book already!  Even just one paragraph would be good.

– Lastly, this is a total pipe dream that I'm not going to pursue, but I'd love to create a sort of sister site to the Museum that would be a traditional beauty blog with product reviews and swatches – no collectibles.  I am primarily a collector of makeup, but I also buy a ton of it to actually use, and since my stash is so big I could do lots of helpful shade comparisons.  Ah, if only I could quit my day job and blog full time!

So that concludes what I want to achieve on the Museum front in 2013.  What do you hope to accomplish, personally and/or professionally?

Now
that Christmas is over, it's time to reflect on the past year and start gearing
up for 2013.  As I did last year, I want to take some time to look back at
my three favorite and least favorite collections/items from the year. 

We'll
start with my top three.

1. 
Paul & Joe Meow collection.

Sophie
Albou knows how to properly celebrate 10-year anniversaries!  In honor of
their beauty line turning 10,  Paul
& Joe released an extensive collection filled with wonderful little
details.  Three words:  Cat-shaped blushes.

2.
Mamechiyo for Shu Uemura.

Kimono designer Mamechiyo created some truly beautiful and representative designs for Shu Uemura's best-selling cleansing oils.

3.  Andy Warhol and NARS.

Come
on, it’s no surprise how much I adored this collection!  I devoted two lengthy blog posts to it, one
giveaway and one special exhibition. 
I do hope NARS has more art collaborations up their sleeve for 2013.

And
now for my pans for this year.

1.  Guerlain
Cruel Gardenia highlighter.

So
boring – this was basically a replica of Laura Mercier’s previously released
Rose Rendezvous palette, both in color and design.  How about some originality?

2.  Estée Lauder Mad Men collection.

This
wasn’t really very much of a collection – only 2 pieces, and both were quite
lackluster in terms of the great inspiration the company had to work with.  While it wasn’t totally awful (see the last item in this list for that), it wasn’t all that creative.  I was pretty disappointed.

3.  YSL Facebook palette.

My
scorn for this abomination knows no bounds, and I think I’d still feel that way
even if I didn’t hate Facebook as much as I do.  I won’t repeat my issues with this palette now, but you can
read the full rant here if you’re so inclined.

What
were your favorite 2012 collections/items?  And your least favorite?  Take a spin through the archives and let me know!

Fall 2012 collections have been looking a little familiar.  I've covered the biggest offenders:  the couture houses.   YSL and Chanel came out with palettes nearly identical to previous releases, while Dior recycled not one but two palette designs this season.  And there are still more repeats from other brands! 

First is E.L.F.'s (Eyes Lips Face, for those of you unfamiliar with the brand) Disney Villains collection, featuring three of the same characters from MAC's 2010 Venemous Villains collection.  While the illustrations are different, the concept is undeniably the same.

(images from eyeslipsface.com/my own pics)

Then there's the little matter of Guerlain's fall 2012 bronzer, which features the same pattern that appeared on the outer case of their 2011 Terra Inca collection bronzer.

(images from nordstrom.com and temptalia.com)

I don't know about you, but I'm not crazy about the repetition in these pieces.  Especially the couture houses – with such rich fashion histories surely they could have come up with new designs.  There's simply no excuse for it!

I was so flattered when the very intelligent and creative Jenn at Literature Couture asked if she could interview me!  If you don't already follow Literature Couture, you need to – it's an amazingly unique look at beauty and makeup, and many posts are inspired by Jenn's background in literary studies. 

She asked some really thought-provoking questions, and I hope I answered them in a satisfactory manner.  You can also check it out at her blog here.

How long has your site been live?  Since August of 2008, so nearly 4 years now.

Can you provide a brief explanation of the concept behind the site?  It’s a place where people can visit and explore makeup from a more artistic perspective.  I wanted people to see makeup as art, as something that can be displayed rather than actually used.  I also like to discuss how makeup can relate to certain artists’ work or movements and have other people see the connections.

Which theorists (philosophers, sociologists, critical theorists, feminist theorists, etc.) do you think have influenced the site and why?  That’s something I’m still wrestling with!  I can’t think of anyone in particular right now, but I guess fashion theorists have been a big influence since makeup and fashion are so connected.

How does your feminism influence the site?   I try to bring it up whenever I see an item or ad that I think may be positive or negative for women.

What do you think cosmetics as art objects can tell us about the culture in which we live?  I think it tells us that consumers are expecting more design-wise from everyday objects.  They’re getting more savvy and realizing that some objects don’t have to be strictly utilitarian – they can be pretty to look at as well.  I think this is true of a lot of household goods, but makeup in particular has been upping its packaging and design in the past decade or so because the market is getting so saturated.  So many brands are competing for consumers’ attention (and cash) so I think they feel they have to make their products stand out by making the packaging visually interesting.

How many exhibitions a year do you create?  At the minimum, 4 – holiday/winter, spring, summer and fall.  This year I’ve started launching some special exhibitions in between the regular seasonal ones.

How do you go about planning and executing an exhibition?   The seasonal ones are pretty easy to plan.  I basically take the new releases for that season and incorporate them with some older pieces from seasons past.  The special exhibitions require a bit more thought since they revolve around a particular theme.  Once I recognize patterns or trends in makeup design and packaging, they become special exhibitions.  This can take a year or more.

How do you store all your objects? How much space do they require, do they need climate control, etc.?  I store them in my “makeup room” (a.k.a. our master closet) in my home.  Since makeup items are small they don’t take up much room, but in the past year I’ve had to transfer some to another closet at home.  Since I store them at home I can control the temperature so that’s not really an issue, and they’re in drawers to shield them from light.

What is the shelf life of an object you buy for the museum? Do you ever have to deaccession an item because it’s gotten moldy, etc.?  I haven’t had to deaccession an item yet.  Most of them are powder-based products, which can last for decades.  The cream-based products are a bit more worrisome, but as long as they’re stored properly they can last a pretty long time as well.  The only thing I worry about is color fading.  Over time I imagine the pigments would leach out due to light exposure, but since they’re only exposed to light when I photograph them for exhibitions, it’s not much of a problem right now.  If the museum existed as a physical space, where the objects would be on display 24/7, that would be something for which I’d have to come up with a solution – putting UV-resistant clear plastic on top of them or something.

Which existing physical museums do you use as models for the MM?  I look mostly to fashion and perfume museums/exhibitions.  I find the Shoe Museum in Toronto very inspiring, along with the Museum of Bags and Purses (Amsterdam), the 2010 Perfume Diaries exhibition at Harrod’s in London, and the Amore Pacific Museum in Korea.

What is your philosophy of curation?  Hmm, no formal philosophy – I try to collect things that I think people will have an interest in or that I think are important to preserve from a historical perspective.

What makes an item worthy of display in the museum?  It has to be very rare, interesting to look at, or have some kind of historical component to it (i.e., it represents the company’s heritage in some way).  Sometimes though, as in the case with Stila, I display certain objects just because I find them cute or fun.

Where do you see the MM in 5 years?  I hope that it occupies a physical space in some way.  If not a permanent space, maybe a temporary exhibition at a local gallery or a pop-up museum (I wish one of these big makeup companies would sponsor it!)  If it doesn’t occupy a physical space, I hope that the website would be overhauled to make it more of a virtual gallery/exhibition space with less emphasis on the blog aspect.

What do you do when you’re not blogging, or is this a full-time gig?  Sadly this is not full-time.  I work a regular full-time day job and manage the Museum on weekends or before/after work during the week.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?  Just that I would like to have more of a dialogue with Museum visitors – anyone who drops by, please leave comments and feedback.  I want to hear from you!

Just a quick post to say Happy International Museum Day!  This year's theme is "Museums in a Changing World:  New Challenges, New Inspirations", the description for which reads as follows at the IMD website:

"Today, the world is changing faster than ever. New technology delivers new ideas, gigabytes of information, news of an increasingly unstable climate, all shared by social media. Modern museums must compete for an audible voice against the furious pace of this background." (I'll say!)

"Museums in a Changing World is recognition that institutions are faced with interpreting, and existing in, a field that is becoming increasingly fluid. Each may face a unique set of goals, interests and audiences."

It's an interesting theme and something I will be exploring in a future installment of MM Musings.  How does something traditionally so static as a museum keep up with today's breakneck pace? 

It's a topic for another day, but for now, let's celebrate the existence of museums and their contributions to society.  I would be lost without them!

I am far behind with some posts I wanted to put up last week and over the weekend, but I have a good reason (for us beauty junkies, anyway) – I'm dealing with a beauty crisis of epic proportions.  EPIC!!  I have just discovered that a favorite fragrance of mine had been phased out of production a few years ago, so I have spent the past 48 hours on a literal worldwide search for even a few precious drops.  This perfume has proven to be exceedingly difficult to track down and the search has sapped my mental energy, as it's extremely upsetting that I might not be able to procure any more.  (Yes, I realize this isn't a true emergency.  Nevertheless it is disheartening.)

With makeup, if something gets discontinued I get a little bummed but I know something as good as, if not better than, the product I liked is right around the corner and will work for me.  Fragrance, however, is an entirely different animal.  The Curator's body chemistry is absolutely wonky and few perfumes actually work well on me, so when I find one that does, I cling to it for years and stock up if I know it's limited edition.  Had I known this particular beloved scent was discontinued I would have stockpiled several bottles years ago, but I really thought it was permanent and so only have a little left, which is quite distressing!

I know you all understand!  ;)  I'll be back as soon as I can resolve this one way or another.

I've been on Pinterest a long time for my own personal use but was on the fence as to whether I wanted to create an account for the Museum.  I decided it would be a good way to keep track of exhibition ideas and other things so I took the plunge.  Not much is up there yet (still trying to figure out how I want to organize everything) but my boards will be chock full eventually!