Chatter

Sigma 3DHD Kabuki

by

Currently, I only own one brush from cruelty-free brand Sigma, maybe you’ve heard of it? The highly-highly touted F80 Flat-Top Kabuki is raved about on blogs and on YouTube alike because it is a GREAT tool. The design is such that many other brands have launched similar brushes, and that there are a lot of counterfeits on the market.

I creep on Sigma’s site every so often to see if they’re running any sales or have anything intriguing – even when I’m not trying to expand my collection of makeup, I am always up to try new brushes and tools.

It was during one such visit that I came across this, the Sigma 3DHD Kabuki:

Sigma 3DHD KabukiThe Sigma 3DHD Kabuki Brush

This densely-packed, chisel-tipped kabuki brush is unlike any cosmetic (or paint, for that matter) brush I’ve ever seen. Though it comes to a defined point in the center, either side is flat and ought to be effective for buffing product in.

Read more

Vice LTD from Urban Decay

by

Hark! Another Vice palette. Yes, really. Vice LTD.

Urban Decay Vice LTDUrban Decay Vice LTD

I had other content scheduled to go live today, but I wanted to talk about this while it is relevant, so…here we go! Vice LTD makes Urban Decay’s fourth Vice mega-palette, following Vice, Vice 2, and Holiday 2014’s Vice 3.

Edit: I’m an idiot, this has been out for almost two months BUT my point is the same.

Which is…they released it entirely too close to Vice 3.

Frankly, even as a fan of Urban Decay products (I may or may not have just picked up Naked2 Basics for myself, more on that later this week), I can’t help but raise my eyes and sigh a little. It isn’t a unique offering for them. Sure, the shadows in Vice LTD aren’t identical to those in its predecessors, they’re so similar; unless you’re a collector, it is pretty well pointless to get all four.

I’m having a little trouble finding, “stock,” manufacturer photos from the first three and I don’t want to jack a photo from someone else’s work, but if you search Google Images for the Urban Decay Vice, Urban Decay Vice 2, and Urban Decay Vice 3 – compare it to what you see above; you’ll see what I mean.

Read more

Do NOT use Baking Soda on your Face

by
Do Not Use Baking Soda on Your FaceThis is a household cleaner – NOT a beauty product.
Do not use baking soda on your face!

Many moons ago, before I bothered to look at the ingredients of products or or bothered to learn how they worked before slapping them onto my face without abandon, I was guilty of a major beauty no-no (to be childish about it, anyway). Sometimes, if I was out of the also-not-ideal very popular apricot scrub, I’d reach in my cabinet for a fine white substance that serves multiple household purposes. It can deodorize. It can clean bathrooms (including toilets), kitchens. It can help refresh your carpet. The fine grit of baking soda on your face will deliver a satisfying exfoliation, whisking away pesky dead skin…right?

Technically, sure. It will remove dead skin. But that doesn’t mean that you should be using baking soda on your face!

It’s cheap – less than a dollar a box – and does more than just scrub your skin! It’s fragrance- and dye-free…and therefore (supposedly) non-irritant! The grit is not jagged and harsh like walnut shells. It has to be fine, right?

Wrong. No, you aren’t making tiny cuts in your skin, but you are tampering with the pH of your skin in a big way and are positioning yourself to cause more harm than help.

Read more

Beauty Fails of 2014

by

Last week, I shared my favorites of 2014 – so why not do a fails of 2014, too?

Beauty Fails of 2014Beauty product fails of 2014

Benefit they’re Real! Push-Up Liner – I feel like I’ve talked about this product a lot. In reality, this product isn’t a total fail – the applicator truly is brilliant, but the gel liner inside makes me sad. No one wants wings that flake off. Here’s hoping Benefit improves their formula.

Elma & Sana Argan Oil – Admittedly, I wanted to believe I was just paying for a name with my Josie oils. I shelled out for a far less expensive variety and really got what I paid for. On top of that, the (English) label was written by someone who is not familiar with the language…and apparently there was no proofing or editing before being sent off to print. Unprofessional presentation, sub-par product. After the dropper-cap started acting up, I tossed it out of exasperation. I won’t even link to them or their product because it was so disappointing.

Glambot – Initially, I was impressed and thrilled. But when I found out that they don’t bother to check batches of received items to make sure they aren’t expired or nearly-expired, I was miffed. When I then brought that to the attention of their management, no effort was made to ensure my satisfaction as a customer. You can check them out if you’re dying to try something for less than retail but be warned: it may be expired.

More details after the jump…

Read more

MAC Marketing is Weird, Sometimes

by

Question:

If you saw the following photo in a retailer’s catalog or on their site without context, what would you imagine they were selling you?

MAC Marketing is Weird

Tartan plaid, maybe? Shirtless, kilt-and-boot-wearing long-haired men? Going barefoot in a dress with a portrait neckline?

I really wasn’t sure to think. After I looked at it for a few minutes, I decided that sometimes images used to sell fragrance are weird like this sometimes. Let’s set up a weird photoshoot with a couple mdels, dress them weird/fancy/whatever, instruct the models to put on a smoldering gaze and toss their hair around carelessly. Somehow, that is supposed to translate into, “This is the imagery this scent inspires!” Tartan Mystique, let’s call it.

Maybe it’s just trying to say, “This scent is so awesome that this is what you’ll feel like while wearing it. Off with you! Get your dress, your tartan, your random rocks and a watercolor backdrop!”

Weird.

As it turns out, however, this is not trying to sell you fragrance.

Read more

Revlon Lawsuit

by

Revlon Lawsuit

If you keep an eye on beauty industry news, you’ve probably already seen that Revlon is facing a lawsuit from a former employee, scientist Alan Meyers.

You can read the original article regarding the Revlon lawsuit from the New York Post here.

The situation came onto my radar this evening when Revlon tweeted the following:

Well okay. I bit.

The piece starts off with,

Alan Meyer’s lawsuit is a completely meritless attack by a former employee who is trying to distract from his own failed performance with false, sensational, and offensive allegations…

Whoa, damn. You can read the rest of the statement regarding the Revlon Lawsuit here, if you are so inclined.

Basically, the former employee cites not only mistreatment by the company’s CEO and shady behavior (Meyers was concerned about regulatory things with respect to a Spanish company they acquired; Delpani (CEO) said, “Shh, we want plausible deniability!”) but also alleges flatly racist, anti-American, and anti-Jewish sentiments from the same. Talk about a hostile work environment. The official response to the Revlon lawsuit is rubbing a lot of people, myself included, the wrong way – if you’re already publicly under fire for due to a very touchy matter, it is probably best to proceed with kid gloves. You know, instead of folding your arms, stomping your feet and going, “YEAH, well, that guy sucked at his job and that’s why he’s doing this. SO THERE.”

It is understandable that the brand is on the defensive after such allegations have been made – and granted, no brand is going to come out and say, “Oh yeah, I guess you’re right, our CEO is kind of a racist jerk…” but their published response is acrid and beyond unprofessional. They don’t need to be happy about it, but I can’t imagine that the scathing response issued regarding the Revlon Lawsuit is going to help their case.

What the hell, Revlon, don’t you have a legal and/or PR team? Didn’t they caution you against publishing that? If they didn’t, it isn’t just the CEO’s position who should be in question.

EDIT 11:00PM: Actually, no, it won’t just be a, “refrain until we learn more.” The more I’ve thought about this, the angrier it has made me. Without the statement, it was an ugly situation. With the statement, it is beyond clear that, well, Delpani and his lackeys suck. Most of the board sucks. Their PR and legal teams are fools for not strongly advising against this, and frankly, for not resigning when they went ahead anyway (assuming that’s the case). You know what looks really good on a resume, though? Having, “Revlon PR,” with dates inclusive of this Revlon Lawsuit statement.

I will not buy any more Revlon products until Delpani, at minimum, is ousted from his role. Yes, this includes my beloved Revlon Colorstay Lip Butter in Pink Truffle that I use almost daily, and the two Super Lustrous glosses that are regulars in my rotation.

Here’s the old paragraph from before the edit, before I went into full-anger mode. I was trying to be objective; I can’t.

I will repurchase one tube of Revlon Colorstay Lip Butter in Pink Truffle (ideally on sale & with a coupon) because I don’t have the time or money to waste on finding a new day-to-day, go-to lipcolor right this second (uh, yeah, it was just Christmas). After that, I will refrain from purchasing brands within Revlon’s umbrella until we learn more. I won’t threaten, “NEVER AGAIN,” because the reality is that we don’t have all the details at the moment…but right now I can tell you I’m not impressed with either the situation itself or its public handling.

 

How do you feel about the Revlon Lawsuit?