Safe Brands (Pt 2: Tentative - Mainstream Brands)

Part one here.

Mainstream/bigger brands are harder to figure out.

Obviously any company gobbled up by Lauder and L'Oreal, is now instantly out of the question.
NYX? Gross. MAC? I love you, but no. Stila? Cute but not worth it.
Clinique? Bai bai. Michael Kors? Nice 'fume but I can find a dupe.
The Body Shop? Turrah.  

Technically irrelevant; I thought this was funny. From here

(The more I read about Mr Lauder's double-edged political activism, the more my tube of GWP Sumptuous mascara begins to resemble a missile.)

 But for brands under LVMH? Well their associations are less clear. For instance, I have yet to read something as incriminating as this, about LVMH:
"L'Oreal has also awarded a $100,000 "lifetime achievement" award to a scientist at Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science in July 2008. The Weizmann Institute has been a major centre for clandestine research and development of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons on behalf of Israel's military with which it has close ties."


After reading as much as I could find about Japanese/Korean brands owned by KAO/AmorePacific/etc, I figured they're all clean of blood and shoved 'em all onto the list.
This be unknown territory for many buut usually they come out with the purdiest packaging, and innovations (like tubing 'scaras) that the rest of the world takes a while to catch up on. Here is a good post detailing some good Asian brands and products.

I'd be grateful, if anyone would ascertain whether these brands are absolutely not associated with Zionist proponents. Or if something doth/dothn't belong here, please do leave a comment.
Really, the only method I employed to get this out was hours of internet research fueled by soy milk coffee (a foul concoction indeed).

Highlighted are those brands which don't engage in animal testing either.

• Addiction link
• Annabelle link
• Barry M link
• Bare Escentuals link
• Boots No 7 link
• Cargo Cosmetics link
• Cover FX link
• Elizabeth Arden link
• Etude link
• GOSH Cosmetics link
• Guerlain link
• Givenchy
• Hakansson link (for US) link (for Canada)
• Inglot link
• Jemma Kidd link
• Julie Hewett link
• Kanebo link
• Kryolan link  link
• Laneige link
• Laura Mercier link
• Lavshuca link 
• Lipstick Queen link
• Lise Watier link
• Lunasol link
• LUSH link
• Make Up For Ever link
• Makeup Revolution link
• Marcelle link
• NARS link
• Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics link
• Paula’s Choice link
• PUPA Milano link
• purMinerals link
• RMK Beauty link
• Rouge Bunny Rouge link
• Shiseido link
• Sleek Makeup link
• SUQQU link
• Tarina Tarantino link
• Tarte Cosmetics link
• theBalm link
• THREE link
• Too Faced link
• Vasanti link

--
News: The missiles Israel is launching (link about how they just hit a hospital), apparently contain radioactive uranium (illegal) - confirmed by Palestinian Interior Ministry - the air gets polluted with it, and the survivors breathe it in -- so indirectly, they die still, just years later, from cancer. Bravo. Are they going to deny it as they did the phosphorus bombs? You betcha.
--
Ground invasion of Gaza has begun. Soldiers in tanks, against civilians. This is how war is conducted now. 

2013 Beauty Favourites

Trumpets! Unfurl the flags! Confetti! Parading horses! It's time...

Following are some beauty favourites from the past year. Not necessarily the most used items, just ones that make my heart flutter.

Hopefully, it is useful. In any case I had fun compiling it.

 L-R: Elizabeth Arden Poppy Cream Color Intrigue lipstick, Anna Sui 701, Elizabeth Arden Cassis Ceramide lipstick, Anna Sui 303, Elizabeth Arden Neoclassical Coral - Center: Cargo 'South Beach' lipgloss quad/wheel/thingamajigger

Poppy Cream: The red to surpass all reds. The formula was creamy, superb.
It has been replaced with "Power Red" in the Beautiful Colour line. Out of sheer obstinacy, I will not be purchasing that one, although I have swatched it to compare, it has NOTHING on Poppy Cream.

Anna Sui 701: My perfect nude lips. More on the honey side of nudes, than pinky/beige. Formula: feels sheer, but opaque. I use Lizzy Arden's Sugared Kiss lipliner beneath it, if I can be arsed.

Cassis: I love berries, I love plums, and this is the best one of my collection. The ceramide lipsticks have an amazing formula, smooth, not too creamy, it actually imparts a lot of moisture and colour to dry lips. Fine shimmer, nothing frosty. Understated compared to other berries/plums that I have, but not in a boring way. Luxurious, slightly weighty, golden packaging.

Anna Sui 303: A fun pink, the closest to "bubblegum pink" I can pull off on my skintone.

Cargo South beach lipgloss quad: I can't stand gloopy gloss, this is an extremely soft, like, softer than butter, formula. It is also quite moisturizing, like a soft, creamy balm. Doesn't feel heavy/sticky/gloopy andn gloppy.
Pigmented enough to be stand-alone lip colours.

Lypsyl, Dior Rose balm

Lypsyl: Cherry flavour reeks, plan to get the basic, unscented one, once this is fini. Dunno what's so special about it. The ingredients seem straightforward enough. Still, it's a little miracle. Weightless feeling on the lips, sinks in well, just need to apply a couple of times a day. It isn't one of those "addictive" balms which do more harm than good, and dry out lips over time so that you have to constantly reapply.

Dior balm: Feels very thick and "protective." Imparts the slightest bit of pale pink colour. Need very little, but still, as you can see, I've hit pan.

TOP L-R: Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, MAC Typographic, Annabelle Smudgepot gel liner, LUSH Sophisticated cream shadow, Pupa Luminys Silk 701
MIDDLE: Revlon Naturally Glamourous palette, Fyrinnae Snow Leopard, Electric Stardust (discontinued), Immortality, Estee Lauder Cream Shadow Mochachino, Benefit Strut cream shadow.
LAST: Lise Watier Eye Shine in Fauve, Anna Sui pen eyeliner in 500, Elizabeth Arden Smoky Eyes Powder pencil, Artist of Makeup 9-pan eyeshadow palette, Benefit Big Beautiful eyes palette.

Fyrinnae Stuffffs: Pixie Epoxy-great little base to help glittery eyeshadows stay on instead of scattering onto your cheek (the cheek!). I use it as an eyeshadow primer, too. It works well with loose e/s. Snow leopard eyeshadow is a gleaming taupe. Electric Stardust is a colour-changing mint-green. Immortality is a basic black with multi-coloured glitter.

Eyeliners:
Annabelle smudgepot gel liner: I find it better than Bobbi Brown, etc. Also better than the more inexpensive Maybelline/Essence/WetnWild gel liners. It is very creamy, but a tiny bit spreads out across the whole eye, so it's not as cakey as some others can be, esp if they are built up. Easy to manouvre or build up, dries perfectly opaque, crisp blackest of blacks, and doesn't hurt when used in the waterline.
Lise Watier Fauve: Lavender taupe. Smooth, no tugging necessary. Je use it for the lower lashline, it gives the perfect amount of defining shadow, but the subtle shine/shimmer also makes the eyes look a bit bigger and shinier than if it were an opaque colour. Stays on all day, but you have a little window to smudge it out across the lid if you please.
Anna Sui pen eyeliner in 500: This is amazingggggg. It's a rich brown with a golden sheen running through it, soooo pretty. It is a great liquid eyeliner formula, in a felt tip pen form. The felt tip is fine, precise, but flexible, and can be turned on its side, so you can get a thinner line inwards, and thicken it outwards in ONE FELL SWOOP! You turn the end once, and you get enough 'liquid' for both eyes (unlike other twisty-pen liners where you have to turn again and again).
Elizabeth Arden Smoky Eyes powder pencil in black: You get a hazy line, so it looks instantly smokey. It is a sophisticated, smudged-out sort of look, and it lasts all day for me. It is pigmented, but not overly so (not like those overly-creamy, newfangled 'gel liners' which I don't like).

Eyeshadows:
MAC Typographic: Tis the divine Matte2 formula, smooth, rich pigment, blends well. A basic almost-black. You can build it up to black. Very versatile. It gives that powder kohl look, without hassle of fallout. I love it for outer V or to soften the edge of eyeliner... Everyone should have this.
LUSH Sophisticated: Gleaming lavender taupe, exact match for Lise Watier's Fauve. Cream shadow that you apply with a sponge applicator, great formula. it works well as a base for any taupe looks, or alone blended at the crease.
Pupa Luminys Silk 401: MY VERY FIRST TAUPE. Baked eyeshadow, it is actually more massive than in the pic (I have used it so much that the round dome shape has flattened, and I've hit pan). Shimmery pale brownish taupe. Lasts allllll day without primer.
Estee Lauder Mochachino: A cream shadow which never creases, yet not too thick and annoyingly paint-like. My fave cream shadow formula, better than Shiseido, etc, imo. Colour is a taupe with a bluish shimmer, builds up to a darkish cool brown.
Benefit Strut: Stands alone (although I have used it with other colours) as an all-over lid colour, with black liner (in waterline too).. A bluish-greyish, shimmery, Young Hollywood, smokey eye look for the masses! ( Caveat: needs some sort of eye primer.

Palettes:
Revlon Naturally Glamourous: Inexpensive, assortment of brown eyeshadows with a taupe thrown in for good measure. Good quality, except for the white-ish shadow (comes out as a dirty muddy pale...something. Not pigmented).
Artist of Makeup palette: Good formula! Addictively beautiful colours! The 9-palette is very useful! Magnetized! Have used it nonstop since acquisition! A closer look:

L-R: St Tropez, Hush, Espresso, Hollywood, Marrakech, Bare Canvas, Cocoa, Brazen, Nutmeg

Benefit Big Beautiful Eyes: A no-brainer, basic neutral look, the concealer isn't bad (I use it to clean up edges or define the eyebrow half the time). Comes with useful little brushes.

Skincare:
Neostrata Toning Solution Level 2: Keeps my skin smooth, clear (not this week though as I've been too lazy to use it), and seems to brighten it a bit. AHA, BHA? Am covered.
Saeed Ghani Rosewater mist: I use it every day, under moisturizer, over makeup, last thing at night... Was misting it in Little Love's face yesterday, to his delight... Here is his testimonial: "gah goo ba ba da mmm mmm." I like it very much, it's a hoot and a half!
Bioderma Hydrabio Riche moisturizer: Perfect for sensitive, dry skin. Superbly moisturizing, yet light texture, sinks in. Gives a nice boing to the skin, or maybe I imagine it. Has niacinamide not too far down the ingredients list, so here's hoping it's contributing some brightening effect.
Burt's Bees Radiance Night Cream: Just a good night cream, that, of the many ones I've tried, doesn't irritate or break out my skin. Rich and moisturizing, absorbs well on top of freshly misted skin, so long as I am cognizant of using only the teensiest amount. Downside: scent isn't the best,, but JE NE GIVE A DAMN PAS!

Didn't photograph: my fave body skincare, perfume, bronzer, blush, foundation. You need something to anticipate, don't you?

Feline Flick

And following on the heels of the previous post, here we have a-friggin-nother! (Adding friggin to every friggin word is totes friggin cool. Friggin do it. Won't come across as a friggin poser. Serioufrigsly.)

Okay so let's talk about what I think encapsulates the prettiest, most flattering little look that ever existed. You may already know it. You may already do it. If so, pat on the back and have a cupcake. Have two.

"The Feline Flick" AKA cat eyes. What all the elegant desi aunties were in on, back in the day, before they started going manic with the falsies, OTT jewels and saris. Of course, they went manic with the braids and beehives then, so it's all a matter of perspective.

Way better than red lips (not ghoulish + you can drink coffee, and leave the mug unmolested by icky red stains).
Of course, you can swipe on a red lippie too, which is why this look is so genius. Whatever you do with the rest of your face, hair, outfit, it always works, falls into place, never jarring.

It's a Charlotte Tilbury video.

 She's a makeup artist whose work I have long admired/followed without actively trying. It is...everywhere. Most ad campaigns, catwalk looks, and editorials in which the makeup is To Die For, turns out she was the creator.

 Besides, she like, made up Kate Moss' face, like, loads of times darling, and did you know, loads of people, plus Kate Moss who is after all, simply divine, really...Okay. Point taken. Shut up, me! She's quite the name-dropper but why not, after all. Revel in thy success, Mossy's posse.

Je suis BOSS. Je m'appelle Moss.

Here 'tis: the easiest route to understated glam ever.

Good products for this look: Physician's Formula eye booster pen in Ultra Black. (Don't get mere "Black"--that one comes out a watery grey). Best liquid liner ever, fine-pointed felt tip, precise, very very black, inexpensive. 11 dollars at SDM right now, wot.

 Essence Midnight in Paris gel liner or (bit pricier, not much) Annabelle Smudgepot in Black...both are just as good as the expensive gel liners, and better than some.

Brushes: The Bobbi Brown fine liner brush mentioned, or Sonia Kashuk's fine angled liner brush (Target). Actually, the brush that comes with the Maybelline Gel liner is my favourite of the lot.

Makeup remover: She says to use a moisturizer but Bioderma Crealine or any other cleansing water (La Roche Posay...Avene...even Garnier) is way way better. Won't smudge the way a moisturizer can.

 

A Realistic Tan (aka how to piss off South Asian Aunties)

Perhaps you are South Asian. Perhaps not.

(Then again, perhaps you are naught but shadows and dust in the cobwebs of my mind. But let's not go there eh.)

As a South Asian (or possibly Asian in general?), you may well be aware of the vehement furor and snobbish disdain that a tan ensures in our lovely community.

Said tan may be quite, quite natural.

In fact, like my baby son, your tan may be part of your genetic makeup. THIS DOES NOT LET YOU OFF THE HOOK. YOU HAVE COMMITTED THE CRIME OF ALL CRIMES AND YOU SHALL PAY! Let's see how thick your skin really is, eh?

A tan is a revelation. It shows JUST HOW STRONGLY one's social standing relies on looks.

Not with everyone, of course, but definitely among some foul-hearted beeshes prominent in our community. Vile comments abound!

I mean, hello! How could anyone tolerate skin so glowing as to make supermodels jealous? Cover that horrifically healthy colour up! Use bleach, Fair & Lovely, baby powder! Hurry, chop chop! My eyes are burning!

 Yes, even if the offensive tan belongs to a pure, innocent little baby boy with eyes like melting chocolate kisses. (Is my bitterness showing?)

Just recently I was at a Shiseido counter getting colour matched, for their glorious Perfect Refining Foundation. Lady matches me to 020. Then she eyes me up and down, noting my desi-ness. "Of course," she says crisply, "You'd prefer a few shades lighter, right?"

Only desis are so accommodating as to be racist against themselves.

Anyway, having witnessed many variations of the above, enduring ridiculous conversations about--what else--skin colour....I decided enough was enough. I wanted to piss off those superficial, pathetic aunty figures, and really rub it in.

So I went the self-tanner route. It was a necessity before big parties.

That became too hard to maintain, although it was worth it to see certain aunties flinch at my tan. After that, I went for liquid bronzers, gels and creams.

I also kind of like seeing myself 'tan' when I stay indoors most days. Psychological gratification, and all that. So after loads of bronzing gels and the like, I have finally found my HOLY GRAIL of realistic bronzer.... The Guerlain Terracotta Tinted Moisturizer! *cue trumpets*

The quick rundown: it's long lasting, looks dewy-fresh, not greasy--important!--the colour (brunettes) is perfect for mixing a drop into foundation to darken it, matches my natural tan perfectly--works very well as a gel bronzer (applied with fingers or brush)...ensures compliments on my "gorgeous skin" from strangers! C'est vraiment MAGNIFIQUE!

Here is a pic with me wearing it (center of face has vichy dermablend mixed with a drop of the guerlain tm).

(eyes: Fyrinnae Immortality, the lightest shade of Annabelle Java quad)

   It looks so natural!! It blends effortlessly, smells beautiful, and no breakouts in over a week of using it. Perfect product and will definitely ensure a few nasty glances from certain...aunties. What more could you ask for?

Alternative to Chanel Notorious

For those of you who missed out on Chanel Notorious (or came, saw, and passed up for a Glossimer instead), have I got a dupe for you!

Try Annabelle Haute Chocolate eyeshadow trio! Yes, an eyeshadow trio, available only in Canada, land of moose cake and beaver pie.

So. Ahem. Completely ignore the darker, glimmery shade.
What you want to use are the two lighter, matte shades, with any angled contour brush.

 It takes just a dab, right where your cheek hollow IS (or would be), and then blend a smidgen--boom! Cheekbones! Egad! C'est ne pas possible!

But if you went heavy-handed by accident because you were busy fuming about how fast you finished that box of Lindt Chocolates which were SUPPOSED to last a month....well, just take a bit of your regular face powder or a bronzer and blend it out!

Jaadoo.

Now, were I a proper, dedicated blogger, this would be accompanied with high quality pictures, a nice before & after.

But because my sister has my camera, you get...nothing.

 Just trust me.

Annabelle trios are like, what, seven dollars? Maybe less? And if it doesn't work on your face (though I bet my dwarf pony it will), it makes for a beautiful look on the eyes.
I just LOVE LOVE LOVE it. It also happens to be praised to the skies on Makeupalley, and you know how discerning those gals are.

In other news, Guerlain Meteorites perles primer is THE SHIZZLE. FO DIZZLE MA GIRLIZZLES..
I used to hate this thing on myself (young, proud, noble bearing). "I get the same result mixing Benefit High Beam with aloe vera!"

Howver, I did love it on my mom, whose makeup I often do under the pretense of giving her a "facial" (yes, skincare is involved. But when she, unsuspecting, has relaxed sufficiently, on goes the makeup...heh). Her skin looked less parched, more fairy princess. (Same thing goes for the Guerlain Ballz...suit her to a T!)

Now that His Royal Plumpness occupies most of my attention, day and night, I can't do without it. With the scarcity of sleep  comes the need for illuminating products. And this is top-notch, because it 1. smells good (brain happy. soul sucking Dementors, not so much), 2. helps makeup last longer, probably, 3. lends the glow that used to be under monopoly of pretty Russian supermodels.

Plus there is something so satisfying about pushing the pump and ruthlessly crushing the tiny little balls into a luscious, sparkly gel  (someone could make a joke out of that, fit for less prissy company than mine and thine, n'est-ce pas?). Kinda like bubble wrap for grownups...I mean PRINCESSES.

 No 7 instant radiance éclat, MAC strobe cream, those are functional, sure, but are they pretty?

Do they blatantly resemble the little round candies that are usually suspended in layers of cupcake frosting? Do they have a swirly logo engraved on them?

My point is that the ostentatious and obnoxiously overpriced stuff is usually, definitely, absolutely worth it.


In other news, lemme share a bit of coolness from my Facebook feed...
A genius named Hubert Duprat supplied these caddisfly larvae with gold and precious stones. They built these blinged-out, protective cocoons!