Beauty Blogs Backstage for May 2011: Phyrra

I interviewed Phyrra back in September, and now I'm neatly bookending the year by interviewing her again this month :D She's just passed her third blogiversary, and is a finalist in BeautyStat's Spring Hairstyle Contest. Drop by and check out her product reviews, stunning looks, and commentary!

1. You introduced me to NYX (specifically the round lipsticks, in your lipstick swatchfest post), and you've got more experience than I - even dabbling - with drugstore makeup brands. Got any recommendations for substitute brands for NYX?
   I would say give Wet n' Wild a try. They've really stepped up their game. Also, I'd say maybe Ulta's brand line. So far I've tried 2 things by Ulta brand and liked both (an eye shadow and brow pencil).

read more

Beauty Blogs Backstage for April 2011: Dominique of Aijuswhanakno

In the past four months she's taken steps toward becoming part of an international makeup artist service group, relocated from Okinawa to Southern California, found a job (and in this economy that's saying something!!), unpacked an entire household...and unless I'm mistaken, she's done most of that on her own, while her husband was deployed. Dominique of Aijuswhanakno showcases an amazing range of looks from not-quite-subdued to whimsical to colorful and vivid. She was so busy with the trans-Pacific crossing that she missed her first blogiversary (January 2) - so everyone mark the date and we can all remind her next year :D Here's my Beauty Blogs Backstage interview with Dominique!

1. Have you finally gotten all of your stuff from The Great Trans-Pacific Move? What beauty item that you unpacked, had you missed the most (and maybe not realized it)?
   I have finally gotten all my furniture and everything back, and in perfect condition. I wasn't missing any of my beauty products though cuz uh......I refused to part with them. ALL of my makeup, except for my kit foundations and eyelashes, went into a medium sized suitcase and onto the plane with me. As HEAVY as that suitcase was, it was still miraculously somehow under the weight limit. I barely used any of it in transit though. Trying to find one specific thing in that suitcase was a herculean feat.

read more

News Roundup for week 11, 2011

Week in Review

Just a collection of interesting stuff I read / heard of / found out this past week. Some weeks this may be chock full of stuff, other weeks I may have tumbleweeds blowing across the screen. But I'd like to summarize things that I find interesting and share them on a regular basis. I know several times I've surfed through several successive sidebar links, made a comment on a blog I'd never visited before...and then promptly forget the blog's URL or even its name! (This is what happens when you have far too many browser windows open at a time.) Hopefully by keeping a running weekly log of these sites I find I can find myself some new regular reads as well...

read more

Beauty bloggers!! Got a black cat (or dog)?

The other day I noticed three beauty bloggers on Twitter, posting pics of their black cats. I commented, and three more folks stood up to be counted. So I started thinking…

Halloween is coming up!! While some folks’ blackfurbabies may tolerate being painted and primped and costumed, trying such things would be hazardous to the physical integrity of other pet owners - but we can all post pics of ourselves with our black cats or dogs (or ferrets, or rabbits, or what have you.) On October 31, post a photo of you and your blackfurbabies (you in your Halloween best, them in…whatever they’ll tolerate). Then tweet the photo using the hashtag #blackcatbeautybabes (or #blackdogbeautybabes or #blackfurkidbeautybabes). Just for fun and grins and sharing. No prizes, no awards, no competition…just us showing off and saying hi to each other, admiring each others’ creativity and cooing over adorable animals.

Beauty Blogs Backstage for September: Interviewing Phyrra

For this months' Beauty Blogs Backstage, I got to interview Phyrra! She's been reviewing beauty products (mostly, but not exclusively, indie makeup) for several years, and is a self-described "gamer, writer, Standard poodle lover, makeup lover." She's a gamer geek girl with a flair for rich color, and a diverse range of interests...and she's a Lexxian (you people haven't ever watched Lexx? You need to. Yes, it's silly. But that's part of the point. But I digress.) I hope to get a chance to meet her at Dragon*Con next year!!

Below are my questions and Phyrra's answers. You'll be able to read her interview of me over at her site.

1. Do you remember how you got into makeup?
   I remember starting to wear makeup in 7th or 8th grade because I was in Drama club. It started me towards wearing heavy foundation that I applied with a sponge to make myself look really pale, and dark purple or red eye shadow.

read more