Gettin Fancy With Lancome - Juicy Shaker

Ok so I don't see myself as a professional when it comes to super high end makeup and products of the like. I know that there is often a difference in quality and a bigger one in price. And of course it's the price that makes me think twice. Thinking thrice, this is also not sponsored.

I've always kinda viewed brands like Lancôme, Estée Lauder, etc as the old school brands. Not because they are only for older women but because I remember seeing their signs forever and a day where I didn't hear about MAC or Chanel or Marc Jacobs until I was in college watching YouTube videos.

Now fast forward to now, when I started hearing early reviews for the Lancôme Juice Shaker, I was hooked even before they came out. Then I waited and watched and finally found them! Maybe you've seen them on my Instagram, hint hint. They are an adorable mix of lip oil and pigment to nourish the lips and give some color all while looking like a cocktail shaker. Inside the shaker, are a couple weights that do the mixing while you shake it. Then the lid unscrews to show the cone shaped applicator with the actual product that was shaken onto it.

Now let me give you a little backstory on me and lip products. I don't have small lips. They are actually pretty full and while I've lived with them civilly, I've always been a bit self-conscious because if I wore anything other than a nude color or Chapstick, then that was all people would see. Some women are offended by people looking at their chest all the time whereas I would worry that there was lipstick all over my teeth, which, of course, happens often.

I've had my moments but these babies right here, the clouds opened up and down they floated from Heaven because they are perfect. Granted the matte lip has been the thing for a while now but the season is changing and its time for Spring and Summer to shine. They feel and look a bit glossy but with no stickiness...like at all. Seriously!!! I have 3 of these and they glide on without feeling like a glue trap. They have some really nice color but is a little more on the sheerer side which is great because I can layer it with a matte lip to soften it a tad or another lippie or just wear it by itself and I'm not worried about smearing, feathering, or messing with my teeth.

Personal favorite of the 3, so far, is the Mangoes Wild. There's even a subtle mango scent but its not enough for me to hate or feel overpowered, especially since I'm not a huge mango fruit fan.

I also have Cherry Symphony and Mint To Be, which I've also used quite often. There are more days that I don't wear a lip product other than a lip balm so the blue mint is a nice touch with its subtle shimmer.

Normally $21 for a lip product would make me wanna jump back and say do you remember what happened to your 1st MAC lipstick? (Lost it within a month of buying it on a trip to New York City, flying back to New Mexico and handling life and poof it was gone.) But I've made some major negotiations with myself to know where they are at all times and so far so good. I've been using all 3 for well over a month, or three-ish, and I may talk myself into buying more, who knows? Like I'm grown and a good lip is a grown woman staple like mentioned in this post. 

Having a good lip is important and the nutrients and wonderfulness in the oil has helped my lips so much. They're normally on the drier side as I'm also that person that licks off her lip products, bites her lips, other nervous/life ticks so my lips are very much appreciating the love and are peeling a hellllllllll of a lot less. I feel great in it and for as long as I've used it, I will make this a go-to product. Total win in my book so I thank Ulta for the online shopping options to allow me to get this PDQ, aka Pretty Damn Quick, and have it included in my monthly faves for May.

Have you tried them? Do you love them?

Have you seen my last Tale of the Tank?

http://bit.ly/TOTT50Cal

Too Young? Take a Double Take

I saw this mini post from Fashionista and I couldn’t stay away. There’s apparently a lot of controversy over it and I really wish there was more to the article than there was, but on the other hand, it does leave a lot open for discussion. Oh internet, gotta love it.

Mario Dedivanovic is a celebrity makeup artist, notably for Kim Kardashian but she’s not important. The key words are Celebrity MakeUp Artist. As in he gets paid high dollar for artistic work in the form of makeup. So he does have an idea of what good makeup is. He knows what he's talking about when looking at the picture, which of course, blew up on le Instagram.

Honestly, I can kind of see how this can be taken the wrong way. I attribute that, partially, to living in a conservative part of the country but I’m also from a close traditional Hispanic family. Children are supposed to be innocent and little and I’m all for stalling the adulthood process. However, I don’t have kids and I see this in a different way and from looking at some of the comments, so do a lot of other people.

I started dancing at 5. I did ballet, tap, jazz, my personal favorite being ballet folklorico so any time we had a performance, there my mom was putting on my makeup. Now as a five year old looking at myself in full coverage cakey paint with red marks on my cheeks and my most hated enemy…. the black stuff on my eye lashes that never completely came out until I washed my face a dozen times. And it was expected for it to be weird and eventually annoying because yes, I was a child. But it was so worth it and it came with the gig. As I grew older I got used to it and learned how to do it myself, however comma, that was the only time I was allowed to wear it.

My family is definitely on the old fashioned side. I was lucky when I could shave my legs at the age of twelve and that is because I was so intimidated by everyone in my class who wore shorts and dresses and I honestly only ever wore pants because I wasn't allowed to shave my legs. I pushed some of the boundaries in junior high with some light eye shadow and the only mascara I was allowed to use was a clear one from some tween brand that doesn’t even exist anymore. But 15 was the magic number. Then I could wear makeup on a daily basis, do my eyebrows, date, the possibilities were endless. Did it suck getting there? Of course it did, puberty sucks for everyone.

Bringing it back to this controversial photo, I think that people forget that there are differences between my dance makeup story at five as a regular person who had no idea what the internet was at that time and this child model getting makeup applied by a makeup artist for a professional photo shoot. Now Mario did not do this look on the little model. He posted a picture of artistic work from his industry. This young girl obviously had a real life job to do and she did it fantastically and is looking cute and glamorous and confident, which is probably where the 'future daughter' part comes from.

The argument could be made that it is spreading the idea of over sexualizing girls and they are just getting younger and younger but forced to grow up. There’s the fighting over pageant girls who look like tiny adults but even look that the comparison sample via google images. 

Are their similarities? Yes and why is that? Because they are performing! Whether it be pageants, dance recitals, modeling, or making movies require makeup and when it comes to photos they also require editing. That's just how it is. When someone is getting paid and especially paid well, then they are going to bring out their best work. Whether or not, someone goes overboard on the photoshop is a different can of worms. All that being said, it should be obvious that these kids do not go out every day like this. 

The fact remains that there was a job to be done and that’s how child stars are born. Mario Dedivanovic isn’t saying that all little girls should rock a winged eyeliner with a super cute lip. And honestly, if you think that is what is happening, then reconsider having kids or if you do have kids, then it’s up to you to show them otherwise. There's more than 'face value' so to speak so before you get offended, just think about it a minute before writing up a petition.

Lilly Pulitzer - Who's Shaming Who?

If you hadn’t heard already from the Twitter or on the news, there’s been a new wave of so-called fat shaming when it comes to this brand. But honestly in my opinion, I think there may have a point somewhere that’s missing.

To give a short version of a long and dramatic story, The Cut did a story and took a tour of the Lilly Pulitzer HQ. And snapped these pictures that were hanging in an employee’s cubicle. Cue the internet and cue the metaphorical shiz hitting the ceiling fan that was running on high.

(and obviously I don't own these pics) 

Now I can agree with every fiber of my bean (yes, bean) that these photos are not ok to be in a place of business. Does it reflect bad on the company? Absolutely. These were hung in plain sight and no one thought anything was wrong. And of course, they covered their butt when they said that it was an individual’s ‘decorations’ and don’t reflect the views of the company.

And why would they? They just had a deal with Target to offer plus sizes…online only. They were able to get well known bloggers on board to help with the angry herd that is constantly getting thrown out of stores and into the exclusive online store. I can say that I was pretty stoked for knowing about a line that would be a bit more affordable than some of the over options there, but yea. Online. Another mystery of measurements and size guessing. I don’t even have a local Target, I have to drive a couple hours away to get to one, like I do with the other stores that only offer online plus sizes or just aren’t close enough to me to try things on. Big woop. But the point is that I highly doubt that L.P. would purposely sabotage the projected progress they are trying to make.

Everyone is up in arms about these pictures and while I don’t blame them, I do think everyone needs to take a step back and really think about this situation. Was it pointed towards the plus size community in order to show true colors of the brand? I half way doubt it but honestly that’s just something we may never know for sure and even if that is what the general feels are about the b3 women of the world, what idiot would purposely leave that out? That would be a one way ticket out of that job if it was left up to me because like I said, they are trying to expand, even if it’s only online at Target. They are attempting to take that bungee jump of faith, these pictures essentially snap the line that keeps you alive. Businesses don’t do that on purpose.

I believe in the depths of my heart that a deeper issue lies within the company. Think about it. These are ‘decorations’ in an employee’s cubicle. That employee sees that all day, every day. The bigger issue is that this person is trying to reach out. It could be for help, for attention, for just someone to notice. We don’t know but what you do in your work space speaks volumes about you as a person and an employee. So to that employee, these pictures tell me that you hate yourself and your body. You don’t think you belong there. You don’t love you let alone where you work or what you are doing in life. This is not ok!!!

Any half-assed supervisor or even a cubicle neighbor should have done something. They don’t promote a good message or positive work environment. Just pointing them out to say hey, this isn’t a good idea would have been better than pretending it wasn’t there. Most places have some sort of counseling or guidance and a company as big as L.P. would have somewhere to go or someone to talk to and this employee needs that. This company needs to know what is going on with their employees. This isn’t a train wreck aftermath, this is someone watching someone else stuck on the tracks with the train a few miles out and yet they just set up the lawn chair facing the other direction. Or in plain English, This could have been prevented!

Everyone is up in arms about fat shaming that sometimes we forget that there are other victims out there who are still battling themselves. This person had this toxic message for themselves. How many of us have done that? For a good number of us, our lives were constant messages about how terrible we are for our size and that we should be ashamed. I know I did. I had my voice along with a string of people’s voices saying the worst and it eats you from the inside out. It’s not easy to get out of but it’s possible to get out of that mind set and to learn to love yourself. Isn’t that what our Plus Size Movement is about? Helping us love us for who we are regardless of our size? I think too many of us are missing that in this situation. 

Here’s one article about it that I got the most information from, so read it and maybe you’ll see what I see. And I hope that this troubled person gets some help and realizes that she (probably a she) is worthy of love and should love herself.

 http://www.businessinsider.com/lilly-pulitzer-fat-shaming-cartoons-2015-5

PROOF That Plus Size Women Buy Designer

I've been pretty excited lately, 1. Because it's raining and 2. Because my sister got engaged. She and my future brother-in-law (who I've called my in-law forever anyway) have been together ten years. *Que Charlotte's scream from SATC movie* It's a huge deal. She's the first of the four of us to go into this stage of life.

He proposed while they were taking 10 year anniversary photos in Philly. (because they decided they wanted to leave us out west. lol)

You can't deny that she is beautiful

She shopped and shopped for an outfit, and as a wonderful B3 woman, using her eastern resources to find this gorgeous dress from IGIGI. Anyone who has ever looked at their website knows that this is not a 20 or even a 50 dollar dress. This was a couple hundred dollars. IGIGI is a great brand for B3 style clothing with a designer price tag to go on it. But my sister loves it, rocks it, and is planning on buying more.

It totally contradicts the general notion that Fashionista.com informed the world of. Here's the link to that. (PS she's awesome)

http://fashionista.com/2014/08/plus-size-women-problems

She writes about how so many say that plus size women will generally buy the cheap unflattering clothing or focus on losing weight and just not buying great pieces or clothing that they love. Now I can't say that there are not people like that in the world and my sister and I have had our own moments in our lives where we were in the same place. But there's a myriad of women who are making waves about loving our bodies and my wonderful sister and I are trying to do the same by example. What girl, regardless of size, has ever not loved her body for whatever reason? How long do young girls, especially, have terrible self esteem? To many and too long is the right answer.

I owe a lot to my sister because she is amazingly strong and growing up, that helped me decide that it was ok to have an opinion and that not everyone will be ok with that opinion, but that is their problem. So here we are in the world, going out in public, subject to judgement from everyone and their dog saying "Yes, I'm Big and need bigger clothes but here I am rocking the 200+ dollar dress that many in the fashion industry say I won't buy." Totally making their reasoning for not extending sizes a sad excuse. If you make it, we will try. And if we try and like it, we will buy.