Hook, Line, and …

It’s time to dish the dirt my dears.

Advertising companies aren’t exactly known to be brutally honest. The entire idea of the field is to promote and network brands and clientele to get support and followers. Supporters and followers very often turn into consumers, and if you work hard enough, these consumers may just follow through generations.

How many ladies have said that they love a certain scent because that is what their mother and mother’s mother wore, and that’s why they do as well? Or how many men have admitted to drinking a certain type of alcoholic beverage because that was in accordance with the patriarch drank?

Then there are those shifty commercials. Advertisers are not bound by law to be 100% honest. Then there is the permissible vocabulary that allows them to nearly get away with murder.

For example:

low
sodium = how low? low in comparison to what? low for whom?

on sale= on sale simply means it is lower than the original selling price – this statement would be valid even for a penny less.

Cable and wireless providers have been the worst in this type of false advertising (IMO), and in beauty and fashion I find that the mascara and hair commercials are the worst being that there is always touch up and products used in addition to the one being advertising by itself, and fashion?

When someone tells you you can save up to 80%, don’t you feel crummy when you run into the story and find things 20% off and scratching your head about the 80% off items? The answer to that is easy. These items could’ve already been “sold,” or you my dear dud have not paid attention to the key words “up to.”


Have you fallen for a false claim recently?

Have you seen some really bad/funny ads?

Bring em to MOJ court!

Kermit made me


Hey guys!

Sorry for the delay in posts. I have been busy like a bee working out the deets for the NY Fashion Blogger get together (tell all your NY metro area friends!)

I still want to hear what y’all have to say.

This week’s Talk It Out Topic? What do you do to be more green?

I know that some people haven’t been hit with the “must preserve Mother Earth” bug, but being green is beneficial to each individual as well, being that you remove harmful chemicals and all sorts of other buggers out of the equation.

The top thing I can think of?

3 free nail polishes [as in they don’t contain any of the following infamous musketeers: DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde]. They are popping up everywhere now, so you can’t say green ain’t pretty. What are they? Check it out: Esther’s Nail Center.

Plus! Plenty of companies have taken on the green initiative. From Tarte Cosmetics, to MAC & Stila having earth friendly packaging a la shadow pans as well as MAC‘s Back 2 MAC.

So what’s the Kermit effect doing to you?

Eye Eye Eye

Are y’all loving my cornball uses of words? Trust me when I say this is just the beginning!

This past weekend, to celebrate the Fourth of July, I spent my weekend relaxing in a quiet area, far from the busy NYC streets. And though I had time to witness, curse, and ultimately suffer a million and six mosquito attacks and the injuries that come after, what really caught my attention was something else. My dark circles. Not the polka dots on the shirt, and not the fireworks in the sky. My raccoon looking eyes.

It might’ve been the lighting y’all. It might’ve been my imagination. It might’ve been not enough sleep that night. Regardless, I was standing looking at that mirror like it slapped me in the face. Unkind.

But let’s investigate counselors:

[from Redbook.com]

What Causes Your Under-Eye Circles?

Any or all of the following components can result in under-eye circles, says David E. Bank, a dermatologist in Mt. Kisco, NY (and my personal laser-wielding circle-zapper).

1. Increased melanin. The surface of the skin can become darkened (with a brown hue) due either to sun damage or to genetic predisposition.

2. Dilated blood vessels. A bluish hue underneath the eyes indicates that the vessels there have visibly widened to accommodate increased blood flow. Vasodilators include alcohol, lack of sleep, estrogen, and sun damage (wearing SPF helps!).

3. Thinning of the skin. The reason you can see those vessels so well is that the skin under the eyes is very thin and can become thinner due to — what else? — sun damage!

4. Puffiness. Under-eye fat pads and water retention can create shadows.

check out Redbook.com for product suggestions to brighten your under-eye areas

So now as I head out to research serums, creams, and miracle cures, along with possibly a new sleeping regime (or trying a new sleeping regime), I want to hear it from you.

What trick (or treat) did Mother Nature catch you up with?

Talk About It

Tuesday’s back and the talking will begin!

Last week’s topic was about Beauty with a price, and what y’all were doing to be priceless and not … broke.

I got a tip from the hardworking team at BeautyPress “and scan the kitchen cabinets for ingredients to create fresh, homemade, and even organic beauty solutions” that started me thinking about the next week’s, or rather, this week Talk It Out topic.

Beyond using products for double duty, do you use natural ingredients, or other supplies around the house to aid in you cheap chic lifestyle? Remember – some of these aren’t just cost effective, the all natural ingredients are also kinder to your skin and body – you can even eat the leftovers on occasion!

There are plenty of options out there too:
-making scrubs with brown sugar
-using oil as makeup remover
-using honey on your lips
-baking soda as teeth whitening
-bananas for wrinkle treatments
-cucumbers for eyes
-various fruity/veggie masks
-epsom salt to exfoliate
-petroleum jelly as lip balm

Want some more tips? Check out some of these sites:
Free Beauty Tips & All Natural Beauty

What have you heard of? What do you do?

Talk is Cheap

Hey y’all!

Tuesday is right here and you need to talk it out.

As I started myself on a financial diet yesterday, I wanted to know what you guys were doing to save money – creatively, or just by plain old pinching pennies.

…Or do you still spend money and ball outrageous? 🙂

Here are some of the things I started doing to keep my wallet from anorexia:
-try to use up at least one product before I buy a new one of the same kind (i.e. hair products, lip gloss, etc.)
always search for coupons before shopping
use up products I will not use for other things (hair conditioner as shaving cream, blush as eyeshadow, etc.)
-encourage friends to swap

What about you? Let me know!

Something to talk about


NYMag posted a quote from Beth Ditto on her weight and “fat people” in general:

A piece of clothing can’t talk — it can’t tell you that you can’t have it — so really, you’re just telling yourself that. You make yourself the victim, because if you want clothes that bad, then make them yourself. You have to get creative if you’re fat. I’m really good at turning a belt into a necklace.

So the inspired question for the jury to ponder is:

What rules do you impose on yourself? and since we are all healthy, confident, young men and women – what do you do to smash those rules to smithereens?

I’m always getting myself into a tizzy over not wearing makeup/clothing getting small on me if I put on weight but I look for a looser top to make me feel confident for the off days and I dab on some lip gloss and throw on some diva musssaaack.

It’s nothing but confidence. I did say I’ll be my own judge – I know y’all heard me. 🙂

Photo credit: Curvature

Talk About It

Fashionista recently posted about social networking sites catering specifically to shopaholics and fashionistas.

Many of these new sites serve as forums and online shopping communities for advice and I guess research if you’re having a hard time finding something.

The question of the week is this:

It all comes down to high school. Do you work better alone or in groups (we’re speaking about shopping only)?

I personally am much better alone. Though I don’t mind going out with others, when we’re in a store, I often wander to do my own thing – and the fun part is the Show and Tell at the end.

Do you shop on your own or are you better with a posse?

Better yet, would you be better off shopping along or with a posse?


Wash and Talk

Let’s talk it out blogging beauties!

The editor’s blog at TotalBeauty.com asked their readers if they wash their hair everyday. Now I’m passing on the question to you.

My hair is too dry to wash every day. Plus – for it not to become a fuzzball, I need to put products into it and that all culminates in a heap of time I spend in bed snoozing until I really need to get up.

How about you guys?

Do you forgo sleep to have a good hair day? Would you wash it every day if you could?

Talk it out!

Photocredit: iStockPhoto

Chatty

Fresh on the heels of the Makeup Show, my mind is abuzz with all the new products, tidbits, and posts coming up.

So this week, let’s keep it simple. More of an open forum.

What is new to you now? Is there a new product/line you are excited to see? Did you get something new you can’t wait to try out?

I sure have! The Makeup Show was filled with brands that I was unfamiliar with, and tricks of the trade I was oblivious to. The majority was actually foundations and mineral pigments.

The biggest highlight for me was a makeup stand/case from Nigel’s Beauty Emporium, but alas, my funding could not afford it!

Sadly – I couldn’t find the one from Nigel, so this one pictured is from MakeupArt.Net.

How gorgeous though, right?

Admit Your Guilt

So this Talk It Out Tuesday, is something that I’ve been thinking for a while.

Everyone knows that nothing is forever (oxymoron much?). Especially in terms of fashion and beauty. We are all aware of the expiration dates of cosmetics, and fashion goes in and out.

I have been guilty (and still am) of keeping makeup past the expiration (with concealer & foundation being the exception – those get chucked regularly). I know what’s going on with my lipglosses, etc. and I especially know how much they cost me. Sometimes I will hold on for much longer than I should.

Let it be known that I don’t keep things for decades to the point that they get funky – but I do certainly hold on. The same with clothes – I will definitely part ways with something that is destroyed, or is beyond repair, but if it becomes small, big, or unfashionable, there is nothing saying I won’t keep it… for a little while longer.

Here are the general rules for cosmetic shelf lives:

Blush/Bronzer: 2 years || Powder: 2 years
Concealer: 12-18 months || Foundation: 12 – 18 months
Eyeliner: 2 years || Eyeshadow: 2 years
Mascara: 3 months || Liquid eyeliner: 3-6 months
Lip gloss: 18-24 months || Lip liner: 2 years || Lipstick: 2 years
Nail Color: 1 year


Here are some sites that have the shelf life of cosmetics & other info:


Now tell me – are you just as guilty?