Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Icon: John Waters & The Mighty Divine


I have been wanting to write a post about John Waters for a while now. Because he is vile and creepy and I love him. I went through a major John Waters phase a bit ago when I watched all the movies I could get a hold of and read all of his published works. I highly recommend Role Models. It's crude, rude and extremely inspiring.

Waters is the king of pulp and cult. And he is still living up to it today. I could go on and on about his genius, but this is a beauty blog so let me get right to the point.

It is not just Waters himself that inspires me. It is his constant cast of outcasts called the Dreamlanders. And the fairest of them all is the queen of the most awesome of awesomeness, Divine.



Those eyes. That hair. Those brows! It might be my love of over the top glamourdom, but there is just something so grotesquely majestic about him. Divine was a constant muse and best friend to Waters and stood by the crazy son of gun until Divine's untimely death in 1988.


Although best known for his roles as an exaggerated drag queen, Divine considered himself (according to Wiki) to be a character actor and performed roles as men just as much as his more famous female characters. But it is his over the top righteousness that has me on my knees, praying to the Queen of Drag.


Now, I'm not sure if this product was around when Divine was in all his glory, but I after brainstorming all the products I could list to help emulate these mighty fine looks, I decided to go with the ultimate all-in-one makeup kit that every makeup artist totes around as their go-to fix - MAKE UP FOR EVER's 12 Flash Color Case.

This thing is AWESOME. You can literally do your entire face with just a few of these colors, including concealer, lip color and eyeliner. Amazing. I am sure Divine would have had a ball (or two) with this kit.

I know Divine's look is out of control. But I truly feel there is inspiration here, teases. Tomorrow, just highlight your brows like crazy and leave the rest of your face minimal. Or rock some sky blue eyeshadow highlighted with canary yellow. Whatever you do, just own it.

Fan Favorite: Billionaire Boyfriend

I have been looking for a new fragrance and discovered one recently I think I will stick with for a while. Billionaire Boyfriend, endorsed by the actress Kate Walsh.

Sephora's site says it best: 

"Private jets, superyachts, diamonds and roulette. It’s a dream of wealth and glamour where every whim is indulged. This floral-oriental fragrance opens with succulent fruit notes, including bergamot and tangerine wrapped in lush green leaves. The scent intoxicates as it blooms into a provocative blend of black jasmine, velvet orchid, gardenia, and a touch of patchouli flower. As the fragrance dries down, it exudes an addictive, sensual, warmth and a sense of wealth with hints of vetiver, cistus, sandalwood, and golden amber."

Simply put, it smells like your wearing your boyfriend's work shirt the morning after mixed with some sweet flowery shower gel and sex musk. Yeah, put that one in your pipe and smoke it. Or don't because that sounds dangerous. Anyway, I like this scent. I have gotten some compliments and the boy toy seems likes it which is definitely important.

I tend to favor heavier, sexy oriental scents over flirty and lighter smells but it is hard to find one that mixes well with my body's natural chemistry. I will probably switch to something a little lighter as summer gets closer but for right now, I am left completely satisfied.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Classic: Nude Nails

I go through many phases when it comes to my beauty obsessions - bright cheeks during the cold winter months, smudged black liner when I'm feeling feisty - but the one constant in my life has always been nude nails. As I was brainstorming my Valentine's Day look the other day, I was confident that I already knew what color would adorn my nails - OPI's Malaysian Mist.

This color is oh so very sexy. It does not wash out the skin tone like some other nudes. It has a slight peachy-pink hue to it that really makes it stand out. This is definitely my top choice. But don't feel limited to just this one. OPI has some amazing nude hues that would work for anyone. Sheck 'em out below.


There are some really great ones for Valentine's Day - Sweet Heart, Bubble Bath, Samoan Sand . . . Uh, well you get the point.

I can't do a nail post without also mentioning nail polish powerhouse Essie. She has got some amazing colors definitely worth trying. Don't be afraid to experiment until you find the right shade just for you. Just as with that bulky sweater dress on the hanger, a shade can look totally different when it's on.

Nude nails, y'all! Guaranteed to get you nude. Need I say more?

Friday, February 3, 2012

Fan Favorite: Start the year right with Kat Von D, Falsies and More!

Well, hey there good-lookin'. Hope your holidays were quiet, relaxing and quick as shit.

The end of 2011 found me in my new old hometown of Nashville (more on this later) celebrating with great friends and a greater man. Not. Too. Shabby.

You know what else is not too shabby? Receiving a gift card to Sephora for Christmas. And then spending it all at once in a disgusting flurry of sweaty samples and gross consumerism. No one said looking pretty was pretty. I will take you off your pins and needles now and share with you a few of my favorite discoveries for the beginning of 2012. It's going to be one sexy year, y'all.

Kat Von D's Foiled Love Lipstick. Specifically Adora.


This is not a picture of it but it is the closest I could find. The color is this beautiful deep magenta red with a hint of gold that makes an amazing day time crimson lip. And it stays on like a lovelorn bitch. No joke. I am excited to try some of her nudes next. I don't think they will disappoint. The Kat Von D brand is actually owned by Sephora, so I am not surprised I love this so much. As you all surely know by now, I think the Sephora brand itself is quite awesome.

Next up is Benefit's Confessions of a Concealaholic. Yeah, I totally fell for the packaging on this one.


It's just so damn cute. The other and more logical reason why I decided to go this route instead of the basic cream coverup I tend to gravitate towards is because it offered an all-in-one pack with every one of my concealer needs met. And they all actually work! I love the Lemon Aid (for under eye circles) and the Eye Bright (a pale pink I use as a lazy eye shadow). The two Boi-ing colors mix very well together to match my skin exactly and stay put. With primer and Benefit's famous Erase Paste included, I would say it is totally worth the $36.

OK, this next fav of mine might come as a surprise. Because it totally goes against one of my previous posts outlining my all-time classic mascara, L'Oreal's beloved Voluminous. I have discovered another mascara that I (gasp!) LOVE. And it is still of the drugstore variety. Maybelline's new mascara, The Falsies, is great.


The brush is curved and allows for a good amount of product to stay on the tip. I use two coats of it in the morning and add another one later on if I plan on going out for the night. My eyelashes look thick, dark and defined. While doing some research, I found this lovely lady's review at All Things Makeup. She loves Voluminous too so I trust her. Check out her before/after photo. I would say it makes a pretty good case for at least trying it out. At around $7, what do you have to lose?


Saturday, November 12, 2011

Icon: Catherine O'Hara in Beetlejuice


For those of you who know me personally, you are probably very aware of my various fashion muses by now - Ms. Page, vintage boudoir babes, and NYC art teachers from the 80s. I credit this last one for my complete and utter fascination with Catherine O'Hara's genius character Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice.


Hello stark black eyeliner with ferocious red lips. Hello all-black asymmetrical ensembles that would make any 1988 art professor drool into their acrylics. Hello LEATHER GLOVE HEAD WRAP!


P.S. Who wouldn't want to rock those earrings?!

I watch this movie at least once a month and never get tired of seeing Delia in her art-obsessed, self-centered bitch glory. Also, this scene cracks me up every damn time, stoned or stone-cold sober. And anyone who can deliver this line with such direct intensity is a GD hero in my book.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Classic: Make Up Forever's Aqua Black

I was fortunate enough to attend a Make Up Forever event at the W in Austin several weeks ago. Fortunate for two specific reasons - I got to see the very accomplished makeup artist James Vincent work his magic with a live demo and I found my new desert island must-have . . .

Make Up Forever's Aqua Black, now my go to eyeliner.


This stuff is hardcore and not for the faint of heart. But for eyeliner junkies like myself, I say bring it on. I understand that this product is a staple in thousands upon thousands of make up kits already but I am just now discovering it. Don't tease me. Haha, get it? Tease? Shit. Moving on.

Use an angle brush to apply this to the top of the lid, on the bottom and top eye membranes, and bottom line if you're going for an uber dramatic look. Once dried, this stuff does not move so apply slowly and carefully. I always keep a cotton swab dipped in make up remover handy. I use this product for all different kinds of looks. Most of the time, I go all out and put this over most of my top lid. Other times, for my "day time" look, I just lightly line close to the lashes to make them appear more lush.

Confession time. I have washed my face at night, avoiding the eye area and worn the liner to bed, only to layer some more on the next morning. I call it my "Yeah, I went out the night before and looked fabulous and woke up looking just as fabulous this morning with crazier hair" look. Trust me, it works.

Do yourself a favor and go out and get this stuff. Then come hang at my place so we can try out all different kinds of looks and inspirations. I will provide the brushes, you bring the champagne.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Fan Favorite: nails inc. Magnetic Polish

I first read about this crazy cool new nail polish in last month's Vogue and have been obsessed with the idea ever since. Any nail polish that gets its own feature story in a top fashion mag has got to be worth it, so my product-infatuated brain told me.

The British nail emporium, nails, inc., recently released a magnetic polish. Yes. That's right. A magnetic polish. And it looks like this:


How freakin' metallic sexy is that? Here's how it works - clean and file your nails, then apply a base coat and let dry. Next, apply the desired magnetic color and immediately hold the special cap over the nail for a few seconds to create the swirly, whirly goodness. Finish with a shiny top coat.

After I read last month's Vogue feature, I received a serendipitous email from my personal makeup mecca, Sephora, announcing they now carry nails, inc., including this fresh and fabulous polish. Sephora also created an easy to follow video so you can check out the polish at work.

See it, believe it, then run out and get it. This is going to be THE nail polish to wear this fall.