January is probably my most despised month, but at least it's over now! Here are some noteworthy links (late as usual since I'm not feeling great, and as you'll see, very cranky).
– I was saddened to hear about the death of two beauty visionaries during January.
– But there's good news – the industry is slowing moving towards inclusivity not just for cosmetics but also for skincare.
– I had long suspected the story of Elizabeth Arden handing out lipsticks to suffragettes wasn't true, so I was pleased that historian Lucy Jane Santos definitively put that myth to rest.
– Must make a trip up to NYC to see Mother's new beauty pop-up in Bergdorf Goodman and Chanel's beauty atelier.
– I'm not really sure what CVS's non-photoshopped ads are supposed to achieve. I mean, great, but consumers are also aware of the difference makeup and good lighting makes in photos, not to mention these are photos of women who are gorgeous to begin with anyway.
– Finally, someone says it: effective skincare is a wealthy person's game. I don't know about you, but I'm fed up with the usual advice of drinking plenty of water, wearing sunscreen and using various products and getting no results – I've discovered that the secret to good skin actually lies in much more expensive professional treatments (unless you are genetically blessed and don't require any heavy-duty intervention). I guess the public doesn't want to read about skincare that's out of their reach, but I do think there needs to be more transparency and lowered expectations as to what a healthy lifestyle and over the counter products can do for your skin.
– While I'm on a tear, here's a piece highlighting the hypocrisy of "Janu-hairy". Not all body hair is created equal, er, acceptable.
– Can we just let the athleisure beauty trend die already?
– I'm all for being organized and making sure one's makeup stash gets weeded out regularly, and Marie Kondo's methods seem harmless enough, but they fail to answer the question of what collectors are supposed to do with all their precious items.
– I'll believe it when I see it. (Has anyone had any success using more than 1 code? Because I sure haven't).
The random:
– In '90s nostalgia, The Blair Witch Project debuted 20 years ago on January, while the star of She's All That comments on the film's problematic nature on its 20th anniversary. Meanwhile, one of my idols got her original '90s band back together – too bad I couldn't get tickets as they sold out in literally a fraction of a second.
– Speaking of music, I am over the moon that we can be expecting a new album from my favorite band this year.
– As a sort of follow-up to my Ramses compact post, the restoration of King Tut's tomb has been completed.
– This story of an 80-something self-taught artist presenting his first solo exhibition gave me hope that it's never too late to do what you want. Well, not really, I'm still pretty hopeless. But it was nice to see.
– Bad kitty!
What's up with you? How did the first month of 2019 treat you?