Sometimes Yaya

PurpleLab NYC has Your Lip Luvah

When companies create beauty products, there are a lot of factors that go into the creative process. The color, consistency, and look are one thing, but what about the scent and the flavor? Does it have sunscreen in it, or maybe a plumper, how about pheromones and aphrodisiacs? Maybe mint to freshen the wearer’s breath, or should it last longer than the 9-5 and act as a stain? Most of the time, the wrong combo is created and you have a great looking product on paper that smells like animal musk (not in a good way) and sticks to your hair in the wind and your teeth at all other times, and then of course, companies get it right.

Purple Lab‘s Luvah is “… laced with aphrodesiacs, Complex OO (two plumpers), ylang-ylang, and a kissable vanilla/mint fragrance. There are two shades, named after all the types of guys there are to date! Mama’s Boy (rich nude) and Rich Jerk (a pop of berry).” (source)

The compact comes with two colors, a brush applicator, a mirror with the cutest SWAK (Sealed With A Kiss) accent, and the packaging is purple! Not sold?

My favorite feature of the duo is how thick it is. Not on the lips, only on application. I was a bit lazy and used my finger to apply instead of the brush, and was surprised at how little I scooped up with my finger dip. Usually, products like these let my finger dip all the way down to the pan and I end up wasting my money at lightning speed.

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More Clothing…

The stain is a bit lighter than the gloss. The gloss is packed with plenty of shimmer. As mentioned previously, the gloss isn’t uber thick, and is of a comfortable consistency. This has no goopy application that I dread from some of my previous purchases, and won’t hold onto your hair should the wind send it that way.

My favorite part of this gloss is that it smells like a great candy. I don’t think I’ve had anything that is similar to the smell, so I can only call it candy.

I’d recommend purchasing this gloss for the variety of lip looks – a subtle lip stain, a gloss, or if used together, a “3D” lip. The best pro for this compact is the purple packaging. You won’t ever miss the purple square in your handbag, and thus, you’ll always have your Luvah handy!

What’s your lip love?

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Perfect Formula NOTD

Remember the introduction to Perfect Formula nail polish? The bottles are super fabulous with an interesting glass shape and the colors are all sorts of purple and gray fabulous. They look like old school whiskey bottles, and they have a square top for the brush. Solid shapes like these are so easy to use for application, especially for when painting the opposite hand (I’m a righty, so painting my right hand with my left feels like an elephant is learning to write). The two shades I buy on a regular basis, trying to cover every degree of variety there could ever be in the world.

At the time being, I am suffering with a stuffed nose and a questionable throat situation. My nails aren’t feeling the funk either, as they are looking tiny and stubby. I had to pass on the natural nail swatch and used some falsies as the canvas for these nail polish creations.

Avant Gray is a gorgeous gray to look at. There is no shimmer, no hype, no nothing. Just the good gray stuff. From trying these colors out, I’ve found that Perfect Formula likes to approach polish with no nonsense. Just how I like it.

Futurist is a light lilac with a mix of gray in it. Does that make sense? It looks like it has shades of blue in it too. I know you’ve heard it all before, but I mean it this time, the same as I do each time I say it: I don’t have any color like this!

Post Moderne is – okay I’m not going to lie. I feel like I have seen this shade before. Even still, is this necessary to own? I think so.

The overall consistency for the polishes is the same throughout. It takes two to three coats depending on what kind of coverage and application you’re into, but the colors last long and look like melted butter when on. They’re just so smooth!

What are you rocking on your nails right now?

Disclaimer: This product was sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on MOJ remain unbiased and unpaid. For more info, feel free to contact the author.

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Lipstick Queen – Jean Queen

What cosmetics do you wear with jeans? Sometimes we pile everything on, being that denim has become as universally flattering and accepted as the color black has. Poppy King, Founder of Lipstick Queen has been asked which lipstick and gloss matches denim so often that she decided to create a product that did exactly that, the Jean Queen.

The lipstick and lip gloss come separately. Both are a rosy and sheer color with darker undertones. From a glance they seem to be the color that can flatter any skin tone because it is a light wash, and because it has the pink hint that is natural to the human lips.

The pink is meant to offset the blue tones from your jeans, as well as light up your face. The shine in the lipstick and the gloss is also meant to juxtapose the matte nature of most denim.

The roles are reversed, as the lip gloss is of a thicker and a bit darker consistency than the lipstick. For the $18 price tag, if you can’t get both, I’d say it’s smarter to get the lipstick. Just seems like you’d get more wear out of it, thus making your money work harder. The sheer wash of the lipstick can be layered for a bit of a deeper tone, or the two can be paired together.

The lipstick is at the top and the gloss is below. Doesn’t the lipstick look like an adult’s version of a chapstick?

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More Lipstick Queen…

What do you wear with your jeans?

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Grass Is Greener Across the Atlantic

The American men’s collections during fashion week are usually full of casual and sportswear. There is no drama, no flair. Just cute boys and clothes. Guys almost always get a natural look, some ruffled hair (or super quaffed) and bam, enjoy the runway. In Europe? They dress them up in flowing capes, tight cardigans, Chaplin hats, and scarves that verge on being called headpieces. Where’s the love?

Photo Credit: WWD

Majorly impressed with three (notorious for great shows) brands, as well as a new name to my vocabulary, the Parisian men’s shows (Jean Paul Gaultier, Dior Homme, Boris Bidjan, John Galliano) were more than just eye candy. This was real fashion; equal opportunity style.

Which country’s style do you prefer?

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Shopbop Friends and Family

Enjoy while you can (click image or link). The winner from the Shopbop contest will be announced on Monday.

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Victoria’s Secret Fall Face Kit – Review

Victoria’s Secret has been really churning out high numbers of various beauty products. Both of their makeup lines are getting pretty good feedback, and a good amount of money from my pocket. I’m a big fan of the VS lipsticks for their creamy consistency and the color choices, as well as their Beauty Rush lip glosses and shadows.

When I went in for a routine scan of the counters for what I may not need but want, I found the Fall Face Kits. The packaging was yelling at me about the money I can save and the benefit of the kit on the go.

The kit is good at describing the trends and the look you are trying to do for cheap on the back, as well as the descriptions for each product inside the packaging. It comes with three eyeshadow colors, a base, a bright pop of color, and a highlight. Also, there is blush for the cheeks, liner and mascara for the eyes, and gloss for the lips.

My favorite was the face chart. I love face charts for everything, so the packaging premise for this was a 5/5 for me. This of all things is what makes you feel like you’re recreating the runway look featured on the cover.

Once I got to swatching, I found that the products weren’t as pigmented or as strong as I hoped them to be. Pretty, just not strong.

The gloss came in rose pink. A shade that would flatter any skin tone, with enough coral, beige, and shimmer for you to break out the song about how Poppin’ your lipgloss is. The liner was creamy but on the light side. Perfect to smudge around for a slight smokey look, or use on the waterline without severe drama. Mascara? It’s pretty average.

Overall, this is an okay buy. The downturn came at the pigmentation and color payoff of the shadows. You would really need to pack these on, or apply them wet for them to be powerful. I think there are drugstore dupes you can get to pull of this look for the same price. The verdict? This is a cute buy to have for the packaging and the basics, but if you really want to pull off the runway look, I suggest you look elsewhere.
Have you tried this?

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Paul Smith does a Double Wrap

Trending on the streets originates from heavy research and people watching. People invariably end up ruling on which trends they want to appear next, but in cycles. The colors, the fabrics, the shapes, and the accessories; they all get a vote in one way or another, even if you don’t notice your impact.

The Paul Smith collection featured plenty of menswear inspired pieces for women, but most interesting was the use of belts in the show. Gone was the large belt used to suck in a third to half of the female ribcage (and how wonderfully do they do it!), and instead there were two to four belts layered and criss crossed over one another to take up just as much space, but in a new and more interesting way.

Photo Credit: Style.com

Michael Kors, Madewell, LOFT, Charlotte Russe

Belts by Michael Kors
Belts by Asos

If you’re looking to double or triple up on your belts, you can start your internet shopathon searching for “double wrap” belts. These are made in twice the length of a normal belt, and thus you can wrap it around yourself and make it double. Pockets feeling the pinch (or you want to create your own color combo)? Use regular belts (especially mens) and wrap it around and criss cross. Voila!

How do you belt it?

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McQueen Rises

I don’t think any show was as anticipated as the McQueen show. Following the memorial service, the show went off as both a tribute to the designer and a rebirth of sorts for the brand with British designer Sarah Burton at the helm.

Photo Credit: Style.com

The white colors throughout the show reminded me a bit of funerary traditions where attendees wear white to symbolize angels welcoming the passed into heaven. The look and garments had soft factors with interesting embellishments and lots of belts and hardware to accessorize.

As with the past McQueen shows, the ants in your pants are from waiting for what the shoes will look like. Burton’s shoes weren’t claw shoes, but they were interesting enough to get the welcome card. I really like the shoes in the bottom images. Granted, they’re not your everyday shoes, but they don’t look painful to wear, and have a similarity to coral reefs. If I had the extra cash, I’d so get them.
What was your favorite?

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Swatch Throws a Fab Party

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Swatch party to promote their New Gent collection. The watches were released in a variety of bright colors, overall a larger silhouette of the popular Gent model. The event had a great DJ and an electric violin player who could rock your socks playing along to Kid Cudi and Mr. West.

Fabolous and Chris Brown came to support the brand and were rocking the latest New Gents. Fab had a black pair, and I didn’t get a chance to check what color Chris Brown was sporting as I was busy checking out his sneakers and all his tattoos (did I never notice that he had so many on both his arms?).

Yours truly with Fabo. I caught some sniffles and germs so I had a scarf and bag full of Kleenex to keep my sneezes contained.

Can you spy the all black New Gent on his wrist?

Almost all the colors look like jewel tones, so you know I was in love at first sight. The watch band is a smooth rubber and the watch face looks a bit like brushed metal under a plastic top. The face looks like it’s all about business and the band is into play. I can see this working with a blazer and a casual top or just a tee and jeans.

The DJ and the violin power. These girls rocked it all night.

Chris Brown got up in his booth to jam to a super charged performance of the violin. You can see the contrast of outfits between him and Fabolous, and notice that the New Gent works effortlessly with both.

What kind of watch do you sport?

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Alex & Eli SS11

From my not too extensive experience with designers and their collections, I have found that there are two kinds of designers. There is the one who will give you a word or two (if that) in regards to the collection and prefer your emotion and interpretation to take over the collection, rather than theirs. Then there’s the second type. The one who spells it out in black and white to you. I don’t know if I have a preference for either. Sure, it feels good to think that your out there hypothetical story can be the real story of the collection, but sometimes it just feels good to be told something and all you need to do is have an ‘aha’ moment when you realize that the words and the images add up.

Enter Alex & Eli. Inspiration? Jacques Cousteau. Can you see it? Try and say no. What about “deep-sea ocean life, complex structures of transparencies and shades.” That requires a little extra consideration, but not much once you see the lookbook. Check out my faves (and their collection video after the jump):