Vodou flags from Haiti - http://www.galerielakaye.com
Sorry Otis Clay, but Patti Drew nails it and we can’t cope with your lisp.
KD’s Top 5 Cosmetics
1.) Face - Yves Saint Laurent Touché Éclat in color 01 - My first piece of make up that I bought when I was in the 7th grade wasn’t anything exciting like a fancy brown lipstick (hey, it was the 90s) or white frosted glitter eyeliner (you know you had some), sadly, it was concealer for my under eye circles, which I’ve had since about birth. Maybe it’s bad genetics, or maybe it’s just shadows cast by my huge anime eyes, but I ALWAYS will reach for something for my under eyes before anything else, you can keep your desert island mascara, thank you. I have tried all sorts of brands and manifestations of concealer and for me this one is simply the best. Technically it’s a highlighter, but that’s what makes its great for my sad ol eyes, plus I find that it’s a much lighter formula than other “concealers” which means it is much less prone to creasing. It makes me look instantly healthier, well-rested, and makes my eyes pop. Maybe it is a little expensive but it is absolutely not over hyped.
2.) Lips - Guerlain Rouge Automatique in color 166 - A few years ago everyone started coming out with all these lipbalm-lipstick types which was great for me because A. I’m addicted to lip balm and 2. I have chapped lips. A few from other brands were drying or highlighted lip cracks and dry skin where as this actually is moisturising and balm like, has great even, buildable color, and looks pretty flashy in the one hand application gold tube.
3.) Face - Chanel Vitalumiere Éclat - This is like the Rols Royce of foundation powders. Absorbs oil, never ever makes my skin look dry or cakey, great light to medium coverage, and it basically feels like silk, thanks to jasmine and lavender wax. It has a very subtle rose scent which I think adds to the luxury. Always looks fresh and natural, a real pleasure to wear!
4.) Face - NARS Blush in Gilda - Wow this lasts forever. I think the mortician will be applying this to my sunken cheeks when I die because a little really goes a seriously long way. This is a great warm toned coral shade, which is kind of like a two in one blush because it makes you look glowy and sun-kissed. I love a good blush to subtly brighten up my pale complexion without looking fake, like bronzer can sometimes do.
5.) Eyes - Bourjois Pinceau 16h Liquid Liner - A fantastic drug store liquid eyeliner. What makes it so good? It doesn’t have one of those crayola felt tip applicators that I loathe- there is an actual brush! I really don’t feel spendy when it comes to eyeliner/ mascara, I think DS brands can offer you he same quality here if you know where to look. Really easy to control, doesn’t crack or flake and goes on blacker than your soul/ morning coffee, whichever you prefer.
1. Face - REN Mayblossom T-zone Control Gel: REN are great for skincare that is effective yet free of bad-for-you-shit like parabens. This cleanser is gentle on my sometimes sensitive (aka princess) skin and removes everyday make up easily (for mascara or dark lipstick you might want to use a make up remover first). It makes my skin feel super clean but never tight or dry. Bonus; REN are very generous with their samples!
2. Face -Mario Badescu Glycolic Cleansing Lotion: To me this is a toner, not a lotion, but w/e MB I’m not a beauty chemistry expert, no harm no foul. I get clogged pores very easily and this gives me gentle everyday exfoliation to keep em’ clean. It also helps even skin tone and reduce dark marks from acne. Ideally one should use a combo of salicylic acid (beta) and glycolic acid (alpha) for the best effects.
3. Face - Avibon: This is a pomade-like balm used by French ladies and in-the-know international beauties (which makes it unfortunate that Gwyneth Paltrow wrote about it on her blog). Sold at pharmacies in France, it’s simple packaging is matched by simple ingredients - just vitamin A, lanolin and petroleum jelly with rose fragrance. The vitamin A gives the same effects as retinol, anti ageing and improving discolouration and collagen production, but without the associated redness and peeling. While the formula might seem super thick, the molecules from lanolin and petroleum are actually too big to clog pores and just help make your face moisturised, smooth and baby soft! Oh and it’s suuuuper cheap.
4. Body - Roger et Gallet Rose Soap: If you want feel like a fancy ass French bitch, buy this. It smells ultra feminine without being over powering or granny-like. I think they invented the round soap. Sold at pharmacies everywhere in France.
5. Hair - Lush Blousey Shampoo: It kind of looks like baby poop, but if you’re not easily deterred then this is something you may want to consider. It smells great - kind of herbaly floraly, inspired by British hedges, and is moisturising which is great for my long hair. I really look forward to washing my hair with this guy.
Laramie’s Top 5 Beauty Products:
1) Liquid Brow Pen. I cannot stress how much better this is than any other brow product. I first used it in Japan and then found this company’s american version. so easy to get the perfect shape and it looks natural - just make sure you get the right color for your skintone.
2) L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Blackest Black. The makeup artist’s secret. This drugstore mascara beats anything else out there - as long as what you’re looking for is thick, long lashes - good for people who have length but want more volume.
3) Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curler. My desert island product (well, this and cocoa butter chapstick - seriously, it is the best.). It is completely pointless to me to use mascara if you don’t curl your eyelashes. This opens the eyes, looks flirty, and makes everyone look more feminine. My #1 beauty product!
4) Lip & Cheek Tint. For a makeup artist, I am super lazy relaxed when it comes to making up my own face. I prefer a 2-in-1 product in a gorgeous color over 15 different products that give a relatively similar finish. Sweep this on your cheeks and lips and add a shiny lip balm or gloss and you’re all set.
5) Maybelline BB Cream. This is important - the Maybelline BB Cream, not just any ol’ BB Cream. Usually the BB creams have a greyish cast (no matter what they say they “oxidize” to), and while it may look kinda-okay in person, it will make you look like a dead no-dimension corpse in photos. The Maybelline one, however, is skin-tone correct, is relatively cheap, and does a great job covering unevenness while not looking shiny.
It’s not what you think.
In honor of 4/20, dreamfleaux is rounding up our top 20 beauty go-to’s in 4 parts — kd and my top 5 skincare products and top 5 makeup products each. We hope our very academic research helps in any way.
Laramie’s Top 5 Skin & Body Care Products:
1) Face: Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Serum. I use this morning and night - it makes my very dry skin perfectly moisturized, not overly shiny, and it’s a moisturizer and serum in one - no layering necessary. Now if only it came in a spray bottle for the ultra lazy …
2) Face: Dr. Dennis Gross’s Alpha Beta Face Peel Pads - I truly believe exfoliating is the key to beautiful skin - and you should be exfoliating at least once a week or so. Physical/granule exfoliators work for about a day on me, but this chemical exfoliator keeps my skin looking young for at least a week. Pricey but worth it.
3) Face: Coffee Eye Butter. A friend turned me on to makeupartistschoice.com and I love it. Cheap and useful products and they send samples, too. I chose this to combat undereye darkness and puffiness - I keep it in the fridge for extra efficacy.
4) Body: Queen Helene’s Cocoa Butter Body Lotion. I am a moisturizer freak and use this on the days when I don’t have time for the oil to absorb into my skin.
5) Body: Sandalwood and Vanilla Body Oil. Preferably homemade, I bought mine at an arts and festivals fair in New Hope, PA that was basically a showcase for shitty art for lesbians, but whatever, I got a good body oil so IDGAF. Go to etsy if there’s no lez-fairs near you. I put way too much on this after I shower but my mom says I have the softest skin ever, so I guess it works.
but I want black magic…
gospel: we love your soul, your earnestness, and your feeling. as for church - we’ll take it or leave it. but goddamn we love the music.
a perfect playlist for sunday afternoon cookin: go here.
and sister rosetta tharpe - is there a cooler chick in the history of music? such a pioneer in so many ways … fuck black history MONTH, we celebrate this woman year-round!
(photos: top row - sister rosetta tharpe, row 2 - sister rosetta tharpe, row 3 - rev. julius cheeks, marion williams, row 4 - the fabulous mahalia jackson (those hats!!), row 5 - bessie griffin, the sensational nightingales)
A news paper article about my Dad and Uncle Mike that landed them a gig playing with the Manhattans at Club Harlem in Atlantic City.
(Source: mpdrolet, via buttondownmoda)
Bondage Nail Inspiration for KD: lines lines lines.
