Aromaleigh "HOT IN THE CITY" Goes Permanent!

Hey hey, dollyheads!

Something you should absolutely check out over at Aromaleigh Mineral Cosmetics (which I've blogged about before - you know how great they are!) is that their awesome "Hot In The City" mineral eyeshadow collection, which was originally a limited edition, is being made a permanent member of the Aromaleigh family! WHOOT!! Here are the details from Miss K's blog, and she just has some truly gorgeous stuff in that bunch. All of their stuff is great, but this is a really fun and bright collection!

Wondering what these fantabulous colors look like? Well, heeeeere they are!

It's all gorgeous stuff, and every once in a while, Miss K makes a limited edition set permanent, so this is indeed a happy day!

Gotta get some sleep, or NO amount of pretty eyeshadow is gonna help me, hee hee!

Smooches, pooches!

Lisa (and as always, the debonair Edison)
XO

All Hail Joan Jett!

Hey booba-doos!

Hope everything's going great, and since tomorrow's Friday, that you're all looking forward to the weekend!

With all the much-deserved anticipation for the new movie "The Runaways", coming out in March, I just recently caught some pictures of Joan Jett out at Sundance, where she's making appearances with Dakota Fanning and Joan's own Mini-Me, Kristen Stewart, the stars of the film (Fanning and Stewart will be playing Cherie Currie and Joan, respectively). Anyway, I saw all these recent pictures of Joan, and holy crap, y'all! She looks amazing! She's 51 yrs. old, and whether or not she's had plastic surgery remains to be seen. But if she did, her surgeon must be a genius, because she's never looked better. This isn't one of the Sundance pictures (because they're all huge, and I don't know how to shrink them!), but here she is from a year or so back.

Amazing, right? And you know, I hate to say this, because it's so sexist and annoying, and when people say it to me, it makes me want to flick them on the nose - but she's so pretty when she smiles! I mean, who knew? I've only ever seen her sneering and scowling since 1982, so I had no idea her face just lights up when she looks happy.

Anyway, out of curiosity about the movie, I was Googling stuff about the Runaways, and it turns out that Joan is a friend of the animals! Yes, the Divine Ms. Jett is a veggie, and is full-on Cruelty Free! Here's the link to a short little interview Peta2 did with her where she talks about being a veggie and living a CF life in general:

http://www.peta2.com/OUTTHERE/o-joanjett.asp

I don't know about you, but frankly, I loved the part where she talks about taking in her four stray and shelter cats, and then having to rescue random lost birds *from* her cats! Hee!

So there you go - one of the legendary bad-asses of the 80s, living a kind and consciously CF life, and looking amazing while doing so! Maybe she hasn't had her face done after all - maybe it's from CF living, or maybe she's just a happy that she kept her cats from being bird killers!

Have a great weekend, luvvies!

Love,

Lisa (and Edison - who sympathizes with Joan's cats...)

XO

Brand Spotlight: Laura Mercier

Baybeeees!

How are you? Groovy? Cool? Awesome? All of the above? Fabulous! Me too!

So with my complete, total disappointment last Friday over Bare Escentuals allowing themselves to be purchased by the horrid, animal-testing Shiseido, I wrapped up my blog by saying that I'd be heading over to the Estee Lauder counter that evening to find a new CF makeup to call my very own.

Well - no offense to Estee Lauder, because they're CF, they own many CF brands, and they just all-around rock my socks, but I didn't quite get that far. My first and only pit stop wound up being at the Laura Mercier counter (http://www.lauramercier.com/store/home.jsp), and I never got any further! They're a wonderful, sophisticated and classy CF brand, and I wound up picking up a few items that I'm truly just loving. Here's what I brought home with me:

1. I never thought, after six years with Bare Escentuals, that you could turn me back onto liquid foundation. Well, I was wrong! LM's Oil Free Foundation is just magical! It gives this great natural looking finish, but still covers flaws and lasts all day. I could never wear many liquid foundations before, because they just slid off my face by lunchtime. This stuff hangs on, but is still easy to get off at night. The shades are a pretty good match - there's about ten of them, and it was really easy for me to get the perfect shade really fast.
2. Secret Concealer - Only three shades to pick from, but wow! Those three shades still manage to have quite a range. Even the lightest shade, #1, looked really kind of dark in the little pot for "Old Paper Face" me! But it wasn't - once you get it on, it really blends in with your skin tone, and covers everything bad! Bonus - you can use it on your lids as a primer, and it just hangs on to your eyeshadow! You may wonder how much mileage you're going to get out of this little pot, but one thing I found out is that the tiniest, most ridiculously little bit goes the longest way.
3. However, my problem with all concealers, be they cream or mineral, is that once I get them on under my eyes, I need to set them with powder. Setting them with powder, however, makes them crack and crease, and I look even older and more tired. Weeelll, not anymore! LM makes this positively unbelievable stuff called Secret Brightening Powder. OMG, you guys - I have truly found a product I can't do without! You can use it anywhere, I suppose, but where this little gem truly works its mojo is setting your concealer, and leaving it with a satiny, crease-free, won't crack finish. In the six days I've been using this, I've not had to touch up my under-eye concealer at all, and I always need to touch up. And it stays smooth, and unwrinkled! This stuff, with the Secret Concealer, has been amazing!
4. Last but certainly not least, to top off the gorgeousness, is LM's Mineral Finishing Powder. You know I love me some mineral makeup. This stuff is so lovely and translucent and airy! It's really, really fine and sheer, they must just mill it to death to get it that air spun. And you know - minerals! Good for your skin!

The brand's not cheap, but it's not outrageously expensive, either - it's in the ballpark of Estee Lauder, Bobbi Brown, around there, price-wise. But it's WORTH IT! I mean, for example, take the Secret Brightening Powder. At $22 for a little tub, it may seem pricey. But if you're only using the tiniest bit of that on a little brush to set your concealer, that's gonna last you forever. Heeey, you won't have to shell out again for it till you have some serious lines to conceal! Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk! (I keep getting funnier with each blog. This I know.)

This is a wonderful CF brand, and though there's plenty out there to love, you should definitely steer yourselves towards their nearest counter or Sephora!

Much love, buttons!

Lisa
XO

This is a total and complete BUMMER!

Oh, babyheads - this sucks!

Have you heard the news? It truly blows - apparently our beloved Bare Escentuals has been purchased by one of the worst animal testers in the biz, Shiseido. Here's the whole gloomy story if you want to see for yourself:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100115/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_shiseido_bare_escentuals

So where does this leave one of the best CF brands out there? My guess is that BE will probably go the route that other non-animal tested brands go when they're acquired by a parent company that tests - namely, BE will probably continue to not test, I'm sure, and will probably be listed just like Kiehl's is with L'Oreal; namely, "a cruelty-free subsidiary of a parent company that tests."

What does that mean for you? Well, as I mentioned in my 4/27/09 blog, I think it all depends on your personal comfort level. I'm sure BE isn't going to suddenly start testing on "Les Bunny Rabbits" just because this dipshit of a company bought them out. So no, I'm sure the makeup itself will continue to be CF. But it's a personal comfort level of whether or not you want to give your money to a brand supported by a parent company that tests.

I'm also kind of disappointed in BE CEO Leslie Blodgett - boy, does that lady not seem like a good match for a brand like Shiseido! Maybe it's just me, but if I were in her position, and I had one of the best natural brands that started off right out of the gate as a CF brand, why the hell would I sell myself out to a company who, in this day and age, refuses to give up this barbaric practice? Are the big bucks that important to her? I'm sure the BE brand was doing just fine on it's own. All you had to do was check out the BE sections at any given Sephora - you couldn't get near the testers for all the women crowded around them. Check out any BE show on QVC - the stuff would sell out before you even knew what happened. Independent BE stores are popping up all over the place. Why give in to a cash cow (pun intended) who doesn't give a crap about how many animals they harm?

Okay, sorry, I know I'm getting all ranty. I loved this brand to bits for six years. So as for my own comfort level, I'm not cool with this. I'm heading straight for the Estee Lauder counter after work tonight!

Have a good weekend, sweeties!

Lisa

YES!!! Yes yes yes YES!!!

Honey bunnies!

Happy 2010, you beauties! How was your holiday? Did Santa bring you lots of CF goodies?

I have the most fantabulous news! News that I, frankly, have been waiting years to hear!

So, you know that one of my arch-enemies, cosmetic brand-wise, was NARS. For years, I'd heard that they tested on animals, they weren't on PETA's "Does Not Test" list, and there was zilch on their website. And yet, secretly... I loved them, but I couldn't use them. It was the love that dare not speak its name, my dirty little secret, and "Dolce Vita" lipgloss was my forbidden love. I could look, but I couldn't touch.

Well, I don't know at what point they got their act together and decided to finally let the public know about their animal testing policy, but I just did another re-check on their website, and found THIS:

"NARS and Animal Testing: NARS Cosmetics does not and never has conducted any animal testing of any kind. Thank you."

Not to be outdone, Edison says:

"Pffft, please. Like she even found this information herself. I'm the one that found it on the internet, not her!"

So that's the awesome scoop for the day! They either were unfairly branded - I forget by who - as animal testers, or something. I mean, it was all over Makeup Alley that they tested, so I dunno what to think, but there's the good news, right from their very own site! WHOOT!

Have a great time dancing through the aisles of Sephora, babies!

Love,

Lisa and Edison

XO

May Your Days Be Furry and Briiight...

Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and many happy wishes no matter how you choose to celebrate!

Since this 'tis the season, I figured a good inspiration in helping our furry friends would be to provide you with a few links for charitable animal donations. You don't even have to give much - any amount will do - these fuzzy little sweeties need our help, however much you can donate.

Here's an idea I got into about 14 years ago. Back at that time, a month after I moved into my first apartment on my own, I had very little money for actual Christmas presents. So I gathered together info from several animal charities I liked - whether they were local or nationwide - and I did a sponsorship donation for one animal for each member of my family in their name. It cost me, honestly, about $25 a pop to sponsor each animal for a year. And for that year, that person would get a picture of their animal, and a quarterly update about how their furry friend was doing. It's a great way to do something in the spirit of giving, it's great for people who are hard to buy for, and even if you're not as broke as I was back then, it's a great additional gift to give with a regular holiday gift. The donation card with that sweet little furry face looking out at you is great as a stocking stuffer, or to tie to the front of a present instead of a gift tag. It's something that gives, it warms your heart, and really makes you feel like you're making a difference. And the recipient won't have to have it dry cleaned ever!

Here are a couple of links to animal charities I love:

The Animal Legal Defense Fund: http://www.aldf.org/index.php. This is probably one of the most important charities I've come across in the past few years. The charity is exactly what it's name implies - striving to enact laws that make animal cruelty a crime, and harsher penalties for anyone who harms an animal. Their slogan is "Harm an Animal - Go To Jail." Here's a little bit about them from their website: "For more than three decades, the Animal Legal Defense Fund has been fighting to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. Founded in 1979 by attorneys active in shaping the emerging field of animal law, ALDF has blazed the trail for stronger enforcement of anti-cruelty laws and more humane treatment of animals in every corner of American life. Today, ALDF’s groundbreaking efforts to push the U.S. legal system to end the suffering of abused animals are supported by hundreds of dedicated attorneys and more than 100,000 members."

Best Friends Animal Society: http://www.bestfriends.org//. Based in Kanab, Utah, this huge sanctuary takes in any kind of animal who needs help, no matter how big or small. They're probably one of the largest no-kill shelters in the country. Animals with missing limbs, missing ears, blind, sick, or simply unwanted - it doesn't matter. These people have opened their doors to furry, feathery and scaly friends of all sorts. Here's a bit more about them from their website: "Best Friends Animal Society is guided by a simple philosophy: kindness to animals builds a better world for all of us. In the late 1980s, when Best Friends was in its early days, roughly 17 million dogs and cats were being killed in shelters every year. Despite the commitment of shelter workers to the animals in their care, the conventional belief was that little could be done to lower that terrible number. Best Friends' No More Homeless Pets campaign created a new vision: A grassroots effort to place dogs and cats who were considered "unadoptable" into good homes, and to reduce the number of unwanted pets through effective spay and neuter programs. Since then, the number of dogs and cats being destroyed in shelters has fallen to approximately 5 million a year. There has been much progress,but there is still much more to do. The next phase of this work – bringing the number down to essentially zero – will take more work and some bold new initiatives. Shelters are crowded with pit bulls, dogs abandoned after being bought from pet stores, stray cats rounded up on the streets and not looking their very best when they’re brought in, and other pets abandoned or neglected. As the flagship of a grassroots network of people and organizations that care about animals, Best Friends continues to lead the way towards this future. And that's why our purpose remains: A better world through kindness to animals."

Another idea if you like the idea of keeping things local - donate to a local charity in your area. Sure, you can send money, but you can also donate your time, or old blankets, towels and pillows to keep the fuzzykins warm and cozy during the winter months till they find a home. Or if you're able to do it - offer them your home! Not just a "Hey, it's Christmas, let's adopt a pet! Nyuk nyuk nyuk!" But if you're truly in a position, both in your heart and in your home, to expand your family by four more legs, it's a truly wonderful thing to do.

Okay then, my lovelies - this is probably the last chance I'll have to type up some "blog-nog" (DORK!) before Christmas actually rolls around. So you'd better watch out, you'd better not cry, you'd better not pout, I'm telling you why - because that's a BUMMER, dude! Cheer up, it's Christmas!

I'd like to leave you with a few thoughts from what is probably one of my favorite Christmas movies of all time - Scrooged, starring Bill Murray (yes, I'm serious!). During the course of the movie, we see Frank Cross go from a man so cruel that he suggests stapling antlers to a Christmas mouse's little noggin at the beginning (perfect for a CF blog! And don't worry - no Christmas door mice were harmed during the making of this movie), to a man who wouldn't hurt a fly by the end of the film. My favorite part, though, is at the end of the film, when a truly reformed Frank Cross addresses his television audience on the joys of helping your fellow man:

"It's Christmas Eve. It's-it's the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, we-we-we smile a little easier, we-w-w-we-we-we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year we are the people that we always hoped we would be."

Even though I love this whole movie, that's the part that gets me. I cry like a baby when he gets to that part about being the kind of people we always hoped we would be. Or as the Ghost of Christmas Past says to him, "Niagara Falls, Frankie Angel." And we can be, you know? Whether you donate your time to a soup kitchen, or give to whatever charity warms your heart, be it animal, human or global, it's all up to us. We're the only ones who can make this planet a truly better place - and not just at Christmas, but all year round!

So to you and yours, have a fabulous, peaceful, healthy, happy holiday! Eat lots of food, stay warm and safe, and spend as much time as you can under the mistletoe with someone you love! Have a happy new year, and remember - I love your asses, you wonderful bunnies, you!

SMOOOOCH!!!

Love,

Lisa (and Edison, the big schmoopy kitten-head!)
XO

It's alive!! IT'S ALLIIIVEE!!!!

I AM alive! Are you shocked? I'm shocked that I finally got off my duff to post! How have you all been?

Work has been bananas, and I'm not loving it, but I am glad to be gainfully employed, even if it's by a bunch of weirdos! I have some pretty happy news, which is that I've decided to further my education, and this winter I'll be taking a paralegal certification course here in the Big Apple ("up against the wall and spread 'em!" Bwahaah!) to hopefully transition into a career instead of just a job! So that's gonna be a ton of work, and may keep me away from this blog even further. Hopefully not, but I figured I'd better stick my noggin up out of this rabbit hole long enough to wish you all Happy Holidays, and to post some fun stuff I just found!

Did you ever go over to PETA's website and realize that in their "Shop" section, they have super-cute tees and stuff that flaunts your CF-status? Well, they do! G'head, check 'em out - here's the link to their tees and such ! I mean, look - I know, PETA can be a mixed bag. There are a lot of mixed emotions out there about their methods, and at times, I feel the same way. But I still stand behind their message - animal cruelty sucks. And there are a few tees in that link that are a little more low-key in case you don't want to get all "HEY! I'M WEARING A PETA TEE SHIRT!" I figure, with the holidays coming, why not take a look at gifts that deal with something close to your heart?

Since we're getting all smooshy about da little animals, let me post a link to a very cool news story that didn't get the attention it deserved. While I've never been a fan of "Grey's Anatomy", it seems actress Katherine Heigl paid $25,000 to fly 25 little Chihuahuas to a chihuahua rescue in New Hampshire. The poor little lovies had been dumped off at a shelter by people who purchased them as accessories instead of pets (I'm looking at YOU, Paris Hilton!), and then no longer wanted them. Ms. Heigl ponied up her own cash to give them a better life, and soon the little dolls were winging their way to the rescue in NH - where, incidentally, the rescue workers think they all have a fabulous shot at getting adopted. They said that you almost never see Chihuahuas in NH, so they have a pretty good shot at happy homes. Hats off to YOU, Ms. Heigl! Job well done!

Well, I'm off to rinse the color out of my hair (yeah, you're just lucky this isn't a video blog, y'all!), so have a great rest of the weekend, and I'll see you soon!

Kiss kiss kiss!

Lisa