I’m working hard (*I’m texting it all in) on a brand new holiday 2019 beauty trends guide and considering this place might as well contain virtual cobwebs–perhaps a refresher on just how FUN-TASTIC my beauty trend pieces can be!
Have a look at my FOXY FALL BEAUTY GUIDE from 2017, was too busy scraping myself off of the cement floor that was the hellscape of 2018 to bother producing one.
Here’s some preview sundries to tie you over until my opus is ready.
*Click on each photo to get a closer lewk.
There will be the latest and greatest, tips and trends and a healthy dissertation on Pat Benatar’s contributions to the art of the punk/water lined eye–a huge trend for fall 2019.
That’s right byatches. The genius of P Benatar is going to be all up in this MUTHER, so STAY TUNED.
There’s an old adage that goes something like this;
“When America sneezes the whole world gets a cold…”
The same approach could be applied to the every move Kim Kardashian + co. make—vis-à-vis their international influence in the trendsphere.
*Using vis-à-vis in a sentence makes me sound super douche-rocket-y, I concur!
Cases in point—in 2017 both Kim Kardashian and her youngest mega entrepreneurial sister Kylie Jenner started to sport silver/grey hair. By all noted accounts Kim had dyedher hair and Kylie was wearing a wig← another beauty hack she’s become famous for!
Naturally, I was rapt with wonder on how I too couldachieve this enigmatic hair trend of LE MOMENT.
Enter Kelly Betty; ambassador colorist for L’Oreal Canada and senior colourist at TAZ salon in Toronto, ON.
I first approached Kelly because I saw photos of her grey/silver hair work on Instagram and I LOVED the way she added in a darker and deeper root shadow at both the roots and on the side temples. The addition of a darker root adds a realism and dimension to this trend!
“My approach to the shadow root trend is to create a look that best accents my clients hair cut and skin tone,” says Betty adding that “shadow roots are very soft at the moment.”
Colour by Kelly Betty
Colour by Kelly Betty
Colour By Kelly Betty
While I and others refer to this ethereal look as the Grey Hair trend, Betty calls it ‘pastel blonde or silver/grey blonde’ and because she is the pro here, I adapt my language accordingly. In my ignorance I also assumed that one could go straight →to silver/grey out of the gate—no matter ones hair colour, and again I was mistaken. You can’t go straight to grey or silver…you have to go white blond 1st and then to silver, grey or yes…‘pastel blonde.’
As with any new pursuit, one need to set the table properly and that means strong and healthy hair as a base. This of course automatically disqualifies me, considering I am the official president of the weak hair club. “Pastel blondes are the strongest of the chemical services,” i.e.; (HARDEST ON THE HAIR) and they require commitment to the upkeep to keep them beautiful and as healthy as possible. This is a 3-step process if a shadow root or ghosting is done, and expect to stay at the salon for on average 3-4 hours,” says Betty.
The Ghosting trend is the latest amalgam of the grey or silver hair trend ↑ Photos courtesy of Narcity Media.
“The Ghosting trend is actually quite beautiful [on pastel blondes] adding subtle pops of shading in pale lavenders and silvery greys,” says Betty
Grey/Silver Hair on Celebrities
From Top *I believe its Ashley Olsen but it could be Mary-Kate too, hard to tell with these millionaires hobbits?!, singer Billie Eilish, Model/Actress MACTRESS Cara Delevingne, Blac Chyna + Keyshia Ka’oir, and lastly even Adam Levine took the grey hair trend for a spin recently.
But what prey tell is there for the rest of us, whose locks simply can’t survive the chemical process of the grey/silver hair trend? Why should we be left out on the sidelines while everyone else gets to have all the hair fun? Well my lover heads, I haven’t forgotten about you!
…And while we all can’t have Kylie Jenner’s custom wigmaker extraordinaire Tokyo Stylez at our beckon call, I have the next best thing for you and your hair needs my lovelies! I’ve partnered with the #1 online wig provider of top name brand wigs of human hair, lace front and synthetic wigs, Wigs.com!
I’ve sourced a couple of the grey/silver hair styles for your convenience below and as a very special offer for my readers you will get a 25% discount on these or any of the incredible offerings of wigs on Wigs.com by using the coupon code #SILVERPOP, so shop away to your hearts content friendsicles!
There are advantages to both synthetic and human hair wigs, so do your research as both can be cut, and some synthetic wigs can be styled using heat tools up to a certain temperature!
And that’s it kids! The moody and poeticIT GIRL hair colour of LE MOMENT is waiting for you, now go out and get your GREY/SILVER on this weekend!
*Post is very content heavy, give it a minute to fully load all media…you won’t regret it!
Greetings gorgeous foxes!
I’m back with my annual juicy listicle of all the latest beauty trends and products, to get you front-of-the-line ready for fall 2017.
You rememberfalldon’t you?!
But first, a histrionic confessional on the ‘challenges’ of maintaining ones FOXY-ness with age.
*Shouldn’t every fall beauty guide have one?
Cue Beethoven’s spring sonata
Voice Over: “Le aging is like a melty ice cream cone in summers dead heat…”
((((RECORD SCRATCH)))))
Cue the Darth Vader theme followed by a random death knell
“…You’re licking up the drip on one side while there’s two other streams on the opposite end already sticky-ing up your new mani?! It’s a NEVER-ENDING dance of attempting to contain THE DRIP, and, AND! with each passing year the pace of THE DRIP is faster and less resistant to licks, serviettes or say, overnight retinols?!
(BDB: Big Deep Breath)
…Like a game of carnival whack-a-mole, I am constantly trying to beat Le Aging into submission until a skeevy-looking carnie gives me a stuffed Pokémon doll, but the elation of winning doesn’t last, NO IT NEVER DOES, cause there’s a hole in the side of that stuffed Pokémon doll and now your car is filled with 1000 tiny plastic pellet balls forcing you to start the whole process over again, and, AND! can I tell you, that lately? I’ve started losing tinkle-control? and soon I’m going to have to get myself a pair of old age-y ‘signature’ glasses, and I just can’t keep up this maddening CHARADE ANY LONGERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!?!?!?”
Old Age-y ‘Signature’ Glasses
*Clears throat nervously
“And so…FALL BEAUTY! (takes in a dramatic big inhale, letting out a breathy yogi exhale…)
…quite the view, isn’t it?”
SKIN CARE I’m an absolute fanatic when it comes to skin care. I mean, If the canvas ain’t flawless, no-ones going to be able to appreciate the artwork on top, am I right honey? I’m constantly on the hunt for new products and procedures to keep my skin as foxy as possible—and this falls bounty does not disappoint!
Glossier Glossier is a highly affordable NY skin care and makeup line with prices ranging from $12 – $35 currently disrupting the online beauty market. Created by Emily Weiss a former fashion assistant at W and Vogue, Glossier offers a simple, yet effective skin care line that promotes a fresh and dewy glow buoyed by its mission statement of “skin first, make up second.” If the long lineups outside its Manhattan flag-ship don’t convince you, nor their throngs of celebrity fans like Kate Bosworth and Alexa Chung— trying the products first hand will!
I ‘glowingly’ recommend their Milky Jelly Cleanser $22, Soothing Face Mist $22, Priming Moisturizer $27, their Super Glow Vitamin C Serum $35, and their Mega Greens Galaxy Pack Mask $27
Caudalie
Natural skin care doyens Caudalie, are celebrating their 20th year in the beauty biz by launching a limited-edition gold accented bottle of their bestselling face mist Beauty Elixir $59. Spokesmodel Rosie Huntington-Whitley, likes to spray the elixir after she cleanses her face or to set her make up—leaving her skin toned and radiant. Check out my incredible Caudalie giveaway at the end of this beauty guide!
NuFACE
While I’ve never had a weight problem, my Achilles heel since forevs has been my jaw line or my SAGGING JOWELS. Specifically, the fact that they have always been slack in nature unless I’m beaming from ear to smiling ear, which let’s face it is exhausting. I’ve tried everything non-invasive to pull those suckers up from filler to collagen facials, but the results were temporary with LE GRAVITY always winning out.
The solution?
Daily, at-home microcurrent courtesy of NuFACE technology. While you may have seen similar devices on late night infomercials, NuFACE is the first and only FDA cleared, multi-solution handheld device. Known as the “5-minute facial lift” The NuFACE Trinity® $325 improves, skin tone, facial contour (i.e. lifts those suckers!) and reduces wrinkles on an ongoing, cumulative basis.
I like to think of them as adorable Despicable Me minions that make my face foxy.
But my absolute favourite, is their Trinity Ele attachment ↑ $149 which, among others feats of magic, lifts! lifts! LIFTS a hooded brow! I’ve been doing Botox for years, mainly for the lifting effect because my brow area is like a Parisian café awning. Alas→ ‘BO no more, ‘Bo No ‘Mo!
Honourable Non-Endorsing Mention: MDMA SKIN
Yup, Madonna’s skin care line MDMA Skin previously only available in Japan, is now available as of last Tuesday, September 26th at Barneys.com
Always cognizant of staying relevant with ‘the cool kids,’ Madonna shot a promo vid with The Fat Jewish, whose millennial audience—let’s be clear, won’t be able to afford her gimmicky $600 magnet removing mask?! No offense but no sooner would I endorse a celebrity’s skin care line, than I would purchase any of their perfume lines?! And while I’m certain Madge’s skin is space age perfection, she needs to back the EFF up on that filler needle, as she’s lookin’ exactly like my childhood Cabbage Patch doll preemie as of lates!
↑Spot the difference?
Hey Madonna, I love you to infinity, but you need to get Jane Fonda’s derm + co. on your speed dial. Whoever her team is, they are performing Le Aging skin sorcery, sans Cabbage Patch cheeks!
MAKE UP Everyone knows I’m a devout follower of the church of ARMANI foundations, but choosing their products every year would be lazy, mais non? So, while I firmly believe no one will ever do a better job at make up coverage, texture and their diaphanous finishes (their sheer fluids are heavenly)—the marketplace is still brimming with contenders who are making their very best attempts to compete.
Milk makeup recently launched their 1st full-coverage foundation after their famed blur stick and skin tint became a cult favourite with top beauty bloggers. The new matte oil and silicone-free formula comes in 16 shades and will run you around $50. Rihanna’s new line Fenty Beautyis for women of all shades, cultures and races and is disrupting the beauty space in a huge way. Her Pro Filtr Soft Matte Longwear Foundation $34 comes in 40 shades, ushering in a new era of beauty inclusivity for all.
CONCEALER
Besides my sagging jowls, another beauty malady of mine are dark circles under my eyes. No matter how much sleep I get (and let’s face it, I’m a professional napêur) I still can’t get rid of the bags under mes yeux. To date, the best undereye cover up I’ve ever tried is Bye Bye Undereye from it cosmetics, a line that originally started on QVC, eventually bought by L’Oréal , and just recently starting selling at Sephora’s worldwide. Promising 8 hours of sleep in a tube, their magic potion costs $32 and covers like a dream.
*Don’t even pretend you haven’t ordered Cindy Crawford’s Meaningful Beauty backed by Dr. Sebag’s (pronounced Se-BAHH) proven melon extract found ***ONLY*** in France during a late-night infomercial coup!
EYES
It gets considerably more difficult to reinvent the wheel when it comes to fall eye makeup, but the following runway looks managed to do just that for fall 2017.
Best in Show: Alberta Ferretti
I was full-on mesmerized with Alberta Ferreti’s fall 2017 eye makeup when I wrote about thered eyeshadow trendback in the spring. Makeup artist Tom Pecheux created a baroque eye that combined a pop of red in combination with black shadow and liner, finishing off the look gold highlighter in the corners of these unknown models eyes below. Amateurs, Pfffft!
Best in Show: La Perla
Makeup artist Erin Parsons created an exotic fairy-maiden look on an array of brunette models from refreshingly diverse backgrounds. This sultry + glossy burgundy eye was paired with a metallic pink that brought out the model’s darker eyes and prominent bushy brows. The lips highlighted the au courant floating lip liner trend which you can read about in the lips section below. All in all, it was a highly covetable, gorgeous eye that also deserves a Best in Show nod.
Get the glossy effect courtesy ofKevin Aucoin’sThe Exotique Diamond Eye Gloss $46
Get in Line…
Lining the eye CREASE in inventive ways is a mammoth trend for fall 2017. Theirry Mugler displayed a variety of preciously-thin graphic lines that added a striking, futuristic modernity to his runway show.
…And a half-moon line directly in the crease was shown at Tome + Emilio De La Morena.
*Spot the floating lip liner on the Emilio De La Morena model ↓
I personally prefer the usage of a liquid liner and highly recommend the spanking new smudge proof Beauté Couture Liquid Eye Liners by YSL $38.00
They come in 8 amazing shades (I love the green!) and in 3 different finishes matte, satin or shimmer for a bevy of different looks.If your preference is a pencil liner, just make sure the tip is HELLA sharp, and remember practice makes purrrfect foxy kittens!
Powdery Blue Lilac
Powdery, bluish lilacs placed in unexpected nooks of eye real estate is all the rage for fall 2017 as seen at Derek Lam, Prada and Mary Katarantzou
If you want to replicate this fall trend I highly recommend Pat McGrath Labs Mothership I Subliminal Palette $125. Mix up the 2 right bottom and top shades for an intoxicating blue lilac eye wash.
Monochromatic Metallics
Sizzlingmonochromatic metallic eyes are everywhere for fall 2017. Whether you choose to use a cream or shadow appliqué, just make sure that no one dares to dim your sparkle!
Whether your contouring, highlighting, strobing or just wanna get glowing, the ever-competitive landscape of the contour/highlight space has never been so beautifully abundant!
The biggest news out of the fall 2017 beauty cognoscenti was makeup artist Mark Carrasquilo’s purple/pink mixture of two $5.00 lipsticks (Manic + Triangle by LA Matte Flat Velvet Lipstick) that looked incredible on every model.
Inspired by the gorge purple hue, here are my top picks for fall 2017 that unfortunately aren’t as affordable as the H&M “big win,” but are IMHO worth every cent!
Tom Ford
Nobody and I mean N.O.B.O.D.Y performs lipstick magician-ship like Tom Ford Beauty. His collections always bring to mind a slow drip of sexuality and new monied lamé. Standouts from his new GIRLS collection in ultra rich + sheer colours are Georgie, Isamaya (so fun to say!) Loulou & Nico $44
Pat McGrath
Pat McGath’sMatteTrance™is a richly pigmented formulation that adorns the lips in a lightweight veil of opaque colour $38. Favourites are Magenta Violet & Deep Void—a deep blacked purple.
Pat McGath’s MatteTrance™ is a richly pigmented formulation that adorns the lips in a lightweight veil of opaque colour $38. Favourites are Magenta Violet & Deep Void (a deep blacked purple)
Steal This Lip↓
Montreal make up artist Leslie-Ann Thomson recently performed this maquillage opus on model Diane Chiu, and I’ve got the insider intel on how to get this covetable grape lip!
Line the lips with Dirty Mind Velvet Matte Lip Pencil from Nars $27 and then fill in the lips, add Burgundy Lip Mix Mac $19 with a lip brush and highlight with Fenty Beauty Killawatt in Trophy Wife $42
Now strut you FOXY thing!
Best in Show: Floating Lip Liner
Another trend that seemed to permeate fall 2017 beauty was the nomenclature of ‘floating lip liner.’ Roughly translated, it means some rando beauty editor created a highly clickable moniker for the very antiquated usage of pencil and highlighter in the outer corners and rebranded it as a bona fide THANG. The cupids bow and top of the lip has always been a hot bed for perfectly placed highlight, but this fall, the look was paired with a finger blotted or barely-there lip with some interesting icy white accents.
From L to R:Erin Featherstone (first 2) + Emilio De La Morena
Gradient Lipstick
A similar looking trend that has been all the rage in Korea for the last 2 years is the The Gradient Lip (aka the ombré or two-toned lip)
The can be performed DIY style with either foundation or a highlighter (or combo of both!) all over the lips, drawing the lip colour on the top and bottom innerlip and blend/blot with finger tips ↓
Laneige pronounced ‘La Neige” like snow in French, is a south Korean beauty brand sold at Sephora. Their two toned lipstick $35 combinations are incredible but availability may differ from store to store, and some Sephora’s are fazing out the lipstick line—so if you want them all, you’ll have to go to the direct source!
NAILS
While I normallyget the crux of my nail art inspo from Korea, this year I’ve focussed mainly on the work of expat Jin Soon Choi, owner of 3 nail salons in New York and the famed polish line Jin Soon.
From the Prabal Gurung runway, nail maestro Choi, was inspired by the idea of nails dipped in paint using the new colour “Toff” $18. It’s a great transitional shade and I’m a big fan of the French Mani done with colour as you can get an extra week of grow out!
Prabal Gurung
Julie Kandalec for Essie created a twist on the modern French manicure at Tanya Taylor using colours “Go Overboard,” “Bahama Mama” + “Smokin’ Hot.”
Tanya Taylor
Tanya Taylor
Choialso dida smoky teal nail at Phillip Lim with her nail colour “Charade,” but I also love “Beau” and “Heirloom” as alternates.
Phillip Lim
Charade
Beau
Heirloom
And lastly, I have no idea who makes either of these colours, but I find this caramel hue to be deliciously inspiring and quite apropos for fall. If you have any clue what either of these colours are, or something similar, do reach out lover heads! Rhianna’s nails were done by celebrity nail artist Maria Salandra @redhotnails but my request for colour intel went ignored.
And there you have it my foxy lovelies, fall beauty à la LONG READ. I don’t begrudge you if you needed to use the facilities for 2-3 tinkle breaks during this extensive list. As for myself I took 100-127 tinkle breaks writing this.
In fact I’m tinkling right now…
Wait…did somebody say CONTEST ALERT?
I’m giving away a Caudalie gift package worth aprox $300.00 In fact the following goodies are spokesmodel Rosie Huntington-Whitley’s must have, can’t live without Caudalie products. Who says I don’t get you up close and personal with the STAHHHHHH’s?!
From left to right: Instant Foaming Cleanser, Glycolic Peel, Vinoperfect Radiance Serum, VineActive 3 in 1 Moisturizer, and the 20th anniversary gilded bottle of their famed Beauty Elixir!
Contest Rules
To Enter You Must be 18 Years or older and be a Canadian resident. To repeat this particular contest is for Canadian residents only.
You must follow me on either Twitter @popcultrainman or in Instagram renee@popculturerainman or follow my blog the Pop Culture Rainman popculturerainman.com and if you are not a wordpress user there is a convenient email sign up on the main right hand page. On either Twitter, Instagram or in my blogs comment section you must post “I want to win the Foxy Caudalie Giveaway from” (give me credit) from Twitter → @popcultrainman or Instagram renee@popculturerainman and hashtag #PCRBEAUTY.
1 lucky winner will be randomly chosen by lottery bot Tuesday, October 10th, 2017 at 7pm eastern standard time. The winner will be announced here and on my social media channels.
CONGRATULATIONS BRENDA PENTON from NL, CANADA! 👍🏻 You’ve Won! 🎁
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and comments, and please enter the contest FOXES!
You will never see me wearing it and I haven’t worn red lipstick since the 90’s—despite it pulling together a LBD like nobodies business. But here’s the thing, I also avoid wearing black if I can. Bizarro world, I’m aware.
I do enjoy a matte red poupée blush on cheeks and I’m certainly a fan of the highly wearable clash of red and pink worn together— Nicole Richie really sells the trend setting combination below.
Nicole Richie Wearing House of Harlow 1960
If forced, I definitely gravitate to more of a blue-red or cherry-red, however anything with even the slightest tinge of orange in it, and I’m heading for the hills! I even go as far as avoiding posting anything with red in it on my Instagram when I can help it, and as you guessed it black-anything.
Perhaps this iswhy no one is more surprised than myself to be intrigued by the latest red eye shadow trend I’ve seen scurrying up in my Pinterest feed and in fall 2017 previews?!
I actually REALLY like it. So much so that I would even deign to try it!
But where to begin?
From where I’m standing, I would say that it looks best on brunettes with hazel-to-light green eyes and can be worn matte…
… or glossy
Wanting further insight on how to wear a ‘red eye,’ I prompted Canadian makeup artist Simone Otis for her expert opinion.
“Red eyeshadow and eye liner are super hot right now,” says Otis who sees it as a singular “monochromatic” wear ie; just the eyes and nothing else.
↑A monochromatic wash of red eye shadow, with darker red eye liner on the water line.
That’s not to say that you shouldn’t wear any makeup. A perfect canvas of matte or dewy skin, nuanced by adroit usage of highlighter & gloss can really make this look pop, as do a generous set of eyebrows.
Photo & Makeup Simone Otis
“It’s not a subtle look,” says Otis who recommends it for anyone who likes a “bold or fashion forward look.”
***
What truly got me jazzed about this trend was this photo of Bella Hadid at Alberta Ferretti’s fall 2017 show. Her incredible eye makeup literally stopped me dead in my tracks. I had to perform some “due dilly” and find out who was behind this stunning artistry that would somehow make red eye shadow palpable for me?
Granted, Hadid’s eye balls are kaleidoscope dreamy and would make an appliqué of fresh mud look covetable, but that doesn’t mitigate this make up mastery.
Love This Look. Photo: Alberta Ferretti Fall 2017
After some sleuthing, I discovered that famed make-up artist Tom Pecheux was the great and powerful Oz behind this phenomenal look.
The secret to this head turning red eye makeup is using it in combination with black—and lots of it. Pecheaux traced the waterlines, and blended the top and bottom lashes + the inner/outer lids in black liner leaving the center lids completely bare.
He used Mac Chromecake in Basic Red— a highly pigmented water-activated formula that can also be used for fake tattoos and body painting. He finished off the look with yellow/gold highlighter in the corner of Hadid’s eyes which brought out the yellow specs in her intoxicating ice blue green eyes.
Telling Allure.com back in February, Pecheux explained…
“by having the red eye shadow just in the center of the eyes, it comes as a surprise when you blink or move your head. Because first all you see is black, which always looks great, but then you see a flash of red and you’re like, Ooh!”
***
So what’s your verdict?
Is it an “Ooh” or an “Ew“….
Wearable or emblematic of severe sleep deprivation and/or a hideous eye infection?
One would have to be pop culturally myopic to have not clocked in on the Instagramable boom of unicorn-everything as of late. From #UnicornFood to the stand alone #Unicorn hashtag signifying the originality of someone or something—this trend is currently flying through the digital landscape by the nanosecond.
Humans have long been fascinatedwith themystical & mythical (or is it?) tale of the unicorn dating back to The Bible. As one legend describes it, the fiercely dangerous and exotic hybrid animal could not be caught unless “a virgin held it to its bosom“—which strikes me as rather PERVY?!
Personally, I’m much more inclined to evoke a childhood Hello Kitty/Hello Pony-esque version of the unicorn. I want to go on a Never-Ending-Story ride on one or French braid their hair, even though a straight braid is all I’m capable of. I also like the idea that it could be male or female, or ideally—genderless.
…Also, in my flight of fantasia, unicorns tinkle glitter rainbows and poop FUNFETTI…ummm ’cause they can!
Wait a minute, now that I think about it—I totally need all unicorns to be GIRLS!
#AllUnicornsareGirls #SorryNotSorry
Being a unicorn can simply lend itself to magical thinking, to being undefinable & ageless, to a visual of Drew Barrymore giggling as she sneaks extra popping boba on her cotton candy FROYO ← I mean how presh is that last one?
However you interpret the legend of the unicorn, enjoy this seminal pop culture list of the latest trends and inspo that you can incorporate into the ***magic*** of your everyday life!
UNICORN FOOD
While the “unicorn trend” surfaced back in2016, the culinary #UnicornFood trend has been exclusively a 2017 phenom!
As you can see, the emphasis here is on the sweetest of confections—from macaroons to the Insta famous #UnicornCake to my personal favourite a healthy blue algae #UnicornLatte from The End Brooklyn.
I’m convinced this is what Zsa Zsa Garbor’s orgasms would have looked like through Kirlian photography ↓
*Maybe that last joke was more of a ‘grower and not a show-er?’…”WELL THATS WHAT SHE SAID!” (oh lord help me I cannot be stopped.)
…Serve your unicorn delights with an ‘electroplated’ flatware set courtesy of Urban Outfitters and this party train is just getting started!
UNICORN HAIR
I’ve alwaysbeen super clear thatwhen a trend ends up on theshelves of yourlocal pharmacy—it’s simmering towards oblivion, if not sudden death.
That being said, there’s always the exception to the rule—andthe#UnicornHair colour trend just isn’t letting up.
While I would always recommend a colourist before a DIY job, for those of us on the aging accelerant train towards hair BREAKAGE (totes opposite of a party train!) I would recommend the ease and convenience of a wig!
Wearing a wig these days ain’t no big THANG—think Gwen Stefani, Rhianna and that obscure-unknown Kylie Jenner for modern day touch points.
Unicorn Hair Totally Care…
Plastik Magazine’s Plastik Storehas some super fun versions. Left: The Unicorn (natch!), Top: Cotton Candy & Bottom: Pastel Dream
And, AND…all of the STAHHHH‘s and Hair & Beauty Bloggers swear by UniWigs. They have an enormous assortment of human and synthetic hair wigs, extensions, toppers and pieces that can be easily shipped all over the world.
Their Trendy Wigs selection can give you the unicorn hair of your dreams, plus I love the idea that many of them come with realistic roots + prestyled textures and layers! From L to R: ‘Lucy‘, & ‘Tonya‘.
UNICORN MAKEUP
While there are bounties of unicorn makeup examples on the web here’s some brand new products + a whole ‘lotta inspo to get that ethereal glow.
Anastasia Beverly Hills “Moon Child” kit can be used all over your GORGEOUS selfandTarte Cosmetics just launched their “Unicorn Collection” of playful horned make up brushes, ‘lights’ mascara and highlighter compact.
…These Unicorn Tears products are absolute staples for the worlds hottest beauty bloggers. Too Faced Lip Crème in you guessed it “Unicorn Tears,” Farsali Primer in “Unicorn Essence” and JUST ANNOUNCED Pat McGrath will be launching this “Cyber Clear” eye gloss (also for cheekbones and lips) on April 11tth, 2017 exclusively at PatMcGrath.com
Cyber Clear Eye Gloss Pat McGrath
But truly the Farsali product shot does little to show off the sorcery of what Unicorn Essence can do, so I give you this demo by YouTube juggernaut Isabel Bedoya.
*Please excuse the “Night at the Roxbury” sounding ear-hemorrhoid playing in the background.
And lastly for some full makeup inspiration check out the following examples for next-level incandescence. L: Instagram’s beauty doyens @johannaherrstedth and R: @ohmygeeee (also wearing a Uni Wig!) *Notice the highlight on cupids bow and nose.
UNICORN NAILS
Truthbe told there’s far too many literal translations of #UnicornNails out in the digital ether, and the bulk of examples are painfully tacky. Nails in the shape of stiletto swirling unicorn horns?
…I’d prefer the swallowing of my own vomit, thank you very much.
Instead, I offer up the Spring 2017 nail swatches from Soho New York’s titans of nail art Paint Box Nails with enough INSPO and variety to last you throughout the entire summer!
UNICORN STYLE
Are we there yet?Were just rounding the corner to our last installment, which is Unicorn STYLE.
Again, any lazy hack could point you towards boardwalk tees with iron-on unicorn EVERYTHING, but this is a piece of about tapping into the radiance of your ownimagination.
LITERAL has no place here.
Instead, I do what the best trend spotters in the industry do, make connections and introduce previously untapped ideas.
A huge trendthat istaking shape for Spring 2017 is the HOLOGRAM sneaker. All of these examples conjure up the fantasy and alchemy of the unicorn, and look at YOU SUPERSTAR, YOU’RE SO ON TREND!
Vans Classic Slip Ons in Holographic Silver
MisBehave Holographic Rainbow Lace Urban OG
Converse Paradise Party Hi Top *Sold at Free People
…Should the hologram sparkle not suit your strut, these new Nike Air Max LD-Zero in baby pink should do the trick!
…for summer brides-to-be who see themselves more as a show stopping ingénue, how drop dead G-g-g-g-orgeous is this Marchesa tulle gown? Add on those sparkly Chuck Taylor’s and you’ve got yourself a ‘Unicorn Bride!’
Kimonos are still coasting on a trend high and Montreal expat Rita Ghanimé infused her design expertise & undeniable sensual allure to her custom Made with Love line. This season Ghanimé’s kimonos are inspired by Anäis Nin and moonlight refracting sequins that she will ship from her home base in Los Angeles.
…and lastly accessorize like a boss with these go-big-or-go-home Gucci dazzlers, a suggestive unicorn top-knot bun (the scarf need not be Gucci ladies) and Kate Spade’s Jeff Koonz inspired Unicorn Balloon Clutch!
That’sit for me, now please excuse me as its time to lay down for a ***Unicorn Dream***…which is essentially me frolicking around with Charlie Hunnam in an sea of Lucky Charms marshmallows set to Enya’s “Orinoco Flow…”
Sure, one could certainly make a case that I am ‘technically‘ late on the authoritative timeline for a fall beauty post.
But in my defense a) My entire life’s brand is built around the idea of being LATE as you will come to learn when I launch my 1st book + b) It just became fall in my neck of the woods like 8 seconds ago—so STAND DOWN SOLDIER, STAND DOWN I SAYYYYYY!
*I have no idea where that just came from?
…Soooo Whose ((((excited)))) for some FALL BEAUTY 2016 ??!!!
SKIN
Getting foxy-ready for fall beauty should start to take shape in late August. I’m pretty disciplined with my skin and the state thereof—after all its the canvas that people first notice, amirite darlings?
I always recommend getting a facial that cleanses and relaxes the skin for fall. As for myself, I ventured off to one of my favourite oasis’s in downtown Toronto, the Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie Paris. I enjoyed a decadent VINOSOURCE Treatment that uses fresh grapes, (yup fresh grapes!) + a host of luxurious Caudalie products to cleanse and restore radiance to the skin, followed by a heavenly massage.
I’m thinking of joining a reggae band I’m so relaxed!
Je suis glowing n’est pas?
I would also recommend for women 35 and up a microdermabrasion or laser treatment to get rid of sun damage spots and ruddiness, and of course a sesh with my boyfriend BO—all of which I’ve written about before. It goes without saying that cleansing, an SPF and moisturizer has to be maintained to keep your skin foxy on the daily.
Maybe she’s born with it? Like hell she is.
Maybe she lives in a Kardashian beauty blowtorch dystopia and simply tries her best to keep everything from falling, sinking or sagging!?
And please no letters about how you are au natural and never do a thing?
To that I say, slow golf claps for you, McWrinkles.
My late mother was the rare exception to the rule, but after a certain age, most women are doing something to stave off the sands of time. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look your best, and if you can achieve it with appearing like you’ve done very little (like JLo or Jen Aniston) who believe me have both done A LOT, that is the ideal. I’m not one for curtain pulling on the beauty regimes of others, but its common knowledge that both look fab due to GOOD work, not miracle genetics—although JLO’s are certainly impressive! She’s also stayed farrrr away from the drugs & the drank and that too helps in spades.
Hair
Care Free Curl
Weird Science’s ‘Lisa’s’ 80’s Curl…
Not since the early-to-mid 80’s has curly hair been so fashionable as we saw for the Fall 2016 runway shows. And that’s good news for so many of us who have been flat ironing and blowing out our curls for decades.
FREEDOM!
Dark Brunettes
I do believe it was Kate Winslet’s ‘Rose’ who uttered the memorable line to Leo DiCaprio’s ‘Jack’… “Paint me like one of your Rodarte girls…”
K fyyyyyne, that never happened but the2016 Rodarte gals really are my fall hair inspo foxy supernovas. Brunettes were seen strutting all over the runways, showcasing rich dark chocolate to jet black hair colour.
Rodarte
Stella McCartney
Bang It
Several versions of bangs were also front & centre for fall 2016 to accommodate stick straight or curly hair as you can see ↑ above and here. Honourable mention has to go out to model-of-the-moment Katie Moore’s career changing punk cut with short fringed bangs.
Katie Moore
I decided to put these fall hair trends to the test so with my Rodarte gals saved on my iPhone, I set off to Tony & Guyin downtown Toronto–their only Canadian salon.
London’s famed brand Tony & Guy is all about ‘polished edge,’ and my colourist Nicole took me from my end-of-summer straw-textured brown/blonde vomit colour to a shiny and gorgeous dark chocolate brown.
Next up I was lucky enough to have a private appointment with Chicago celebrity stylist Anthony Cristiano while he was in town for TIFF! Cristiano is model Adriana Lima’s personal stylist and I was honored to get exclusively “banged” by him. Heh, heh.
When all was said and done, professional make up appliqué included—my beau thought I was one face with the late great Suzanne Pleshette but I see more of a Connie Sellecca circa ‘Hotel‘ vibe.
I’ll let you decide…
More Connie Selleca, Barely a Foxy Rodarte Supernova…
While my above make up is a tad heavy, I’m the 1st to admit that I definitely need to wear makeup (at least cover up, mascara & lipstick) before I subject the world to my face. Trust me,I fully admire Alicia Key’s #NoMakeupMovement, it’s just not something I can personally get away with.
Alicia Key’s #NoMakeupMovement
…And that brings us to fall 2016 make up trends! While I’ve written about my ‘staple’ fall faves in the past, I’m going to stick to specifically what caught my eye for fall 2016 and the most wearable trends. After all, what works on the runway doesn’t always translate to “back to life, back to re-al-ity.”
Lips
Dark lips for fall certainly isn’t reinventing the beauty wheel, but there are more options available this season than ever! From dark Bordeaux’s to matte blue/black offerings in glossy and matte versions.
*Click on the photos to see products.
Charlotte Tilbury
Nars
Dior
Another micro trend that surfaced was a gradiant two/three toned ombré lipas was seen at Creatures of the Wind+ San Andres. The idea is to put one lipstick on all over and then build a darker or lighter application of lipstick(s) and gloss in the centre. I LOVE, LOOOVE the Creatures of the Wind blood red effect.
Antonio Marras
Creatures of the Wind
San Andres
Product Faves
I simply adore Tom Ford lipsticks. While they are certainly an investment (*In Canada they are $68.00 each for a full sized tube) I have to say they are absolutely worth the price. The pigments are outstanding, the packaging divine and the lipstick lasts at the very least a full year. And because they are made with such incredible ingredients Brazilian murumuru butter to chamomila flower oil it can last several years.
This fall Tom Ford re-launched their best-seller (*for a limited time only at Holt Renfrew) Black Orchidand introduced a newer pared down version called Velvet Orchid. The Black Orchid doesn’t go on as dark as you would expect and both are simply divine. I am also in love with “Jay” a colour previously launched in 2015.
Another colour that is back in a huge way is the classic red lip. Like the LBD, a red lip truly never goes out of style.
Chanel dedicated their entire fall 2016 collection appropriately titledLE ROUGE COLLECTION N°1with a stand out gorgeous matte red called Rouge Charnel. That’s right the r is intentional, and not a typo—grammar police!
Shiseido also launched their “Rouge Rouge” lipstick collection and YSL offers up bright red Baby Doll lip stain that is both for your lips and cheeks.
And lastly, iconic make up artist Pat McGrath launched her line Pat McGrath Labsline of Lust 004 lip kits online and through Sephora. The line includes 6 incredible high shine lipsticks, a gloss and various loose coloured glitters from gold to crimson red that can be mixed together or used alone. If the entire glitter look is a little much for your tastes, McGrath suggests just using a tiny bit of glitter in the center of your lips for a softer sparkle!
Eyes
While I normally like to focus on trends and products in equal measure, fall eyes weren’t as innovative as I would have liked. Sure there was the “dead in the eyes” smoky look that was all le rage (yawnathon, nothing to see here…) and the dyed eye brow trend might be great for an Oompa Loompa convention, (I’m sure there are several) but I don’t see it translating to a night on the town, never mind the kids drop-off at preschool, ya dig lil’ mamas?
Instead there were a host of intoxicating eyeshadow palette(s)that that are more than worth mentioning.
Royal blues are a definite trend for fall 2016 (Navy/Cobalt/Teal) and I adore the Nars dual intensity eye shadow in ‘Arcturas.’ It ingénue who drips all the sexies—Emily Ratajkowski—was on trend wearing Lorac products for her teal winged eye at the 2016 Emmy’s.
Speaking of celebs who seem to smoulder for a living,VictoriaBeckham launched her new makeup line in collaboration with Estée Lauder. Here’s just a sampling of some of my favourites, that deep forest green shadow and sexy 80’s-siren red lipstick are all kinds of YASSS QUEEN!
A palette that made my knees weak was YSL’slimited edition “Scandal” Full Metal Eyeshadow. The colours (notice the deep blue, the gold, the violet!?!?) the potential combinations, **WET or DRY**—I am having a full blown beauty big-O! Everyone of Tom Ford’s eye palettes are simply divine. Their latest duo palette is from their AW runway line, (Tom thinks FW is way too pedestrian to speak of, so it’s Autumn/Winter at TOM FORD peasants!) + I’m not certain when this last TF quad was launched but I want to warmly straddle it.
And lastly Giorgio Armaniwill only be launching their F/W runway palette (includes luminous sheer pressed powder) in mid Octoberfor a limited time—so who you calling late-to-print-a-fall-beauty-post Willis?
Nails
Nails and nail art are as common as a daily weather and traffic update here at The Pop Culture Rainman. While there were new fall trends-a-plenty, I didn’t fall in love with the majority of them and relied instead on my own broad tastes as CLEARLY, someone isn’t doing their job right at ye old FALL 2016 Trend & Co?!?!
It’s totally a place btw.
Chrome Nails
Chrome Nails are a huge nail trend that started making waves in the late summer that is stillgoing strong for fall 2016.What may appear like simple metallic nail polish, is really the result of a much more detailed process of abase colour, a gel top coat, a nail lamp, loose chrome powder, a sponge tip applicator and Richard Simmons Sweatin’ to the Oldies volumes 1-3 on DVD.
Ok fyyyne, Richard Simmons Sweatin’ to the OLDS isn’t totally necessary, but I do strongly recommend it.
Personally, I think this trend needs to go back to Buck Rogers territory where it belongs. I find it tacky hideousness, but I know many women are loving it so here’s some rando YouTube chrome nail tutorial so you can get the gist.
In terms of Metallic nail art trends I am loving the following combinations of silver and gold…
…And these are my personal picks for French Manicure and Reverse French nail art combo’s with some of my favourite fall colours. Mossy ((deep)) greens are huge for fall 2016!
Lastly strictly plugging nail polishes might seem as mundane as walking into Starbucks to order a regular black coffee (I mean what kind of maniac does that?!?!)—but the colours available this season **feel** like a salted caramel mocha frappuccino with extra whipped cream, so were totes good.
Wait, what?
Polish that has polish…
YSL
Viper
Tout Ensemble
Gris Obscure
Giada
*Click on photos for product info. FYI the Zoya colour is from 2015, but that and another Zoya colour called ‘Hope’ perfectly fit my fall colour schemes.
And that my lovelies, is how you do fall foxy beauty.
I’m dropping Part Deux of my 2015 Year in Review a tad en retard, and on the day of the Golden Globes no less?! I suppose I like to follow that age-old idiom “Blog like No One’s Reading”—it’s so very freeing.
Oh c’mon, there’s AMPLE time to absorb all of the Pop Culture stories you never knew existed last year, before Ricky Gervais makes all the celebrities cry tonight? Speaking of the Globes, I wish they would supersede the yawnathon that is the red carpet Mani Cam for something a little more honest, like a “Show Us Your Pharmaceuticals Cam?”
Pop Goodbyes
There were so many buh-byes that pulled at our heart strings in 2016.
In the television realm, my heart splintered into thousand pieces watching my favorite late night host—David Letterman say goodbye after 33 years. I still find there is a gaping, oozing hole in the wake of his absence that can never truly be filled.
Jon Stewart too said adieu after hosting the Daily Show for 16 years, culminating in what I thought was the coolest close out ever. Bruce Springsteen rocked out to Born to Run as the entire cast and crew rushed the stage and white man danced us out of our own seats. If you did not try this ↑ at home—i.e. danced along as if your life depended on it—I never want to know you.
And lastly, Joel McHale said goodbye to his tenure at The Soup, and I can’t even finish this sentence because I care so very little.
Take Down, Shake Down…
The famed Pont Des Arts bridge in Paris had to have all of its love lockets removed, due to the weighty danger they were imposing, and in not even closely related news, the Seattle ‘gum’ wall had it’s first removal cleaning in over 20 years.
Fare thee well, friends.
We also said goodbye to many pop culture personalities who passed in 2016. Writer Allan Carr, Actor Leonard Nimoy, Actor Al Molinaro, Blues Great BB King, and singer Natalie Cole.
Oh No They Did-Int
The following is a compendium of the very Dumb, the Delusional and the Deplorable.I don’t know about you, but I find it excruciatingly painful to watch friends repeatedly and blindly repost a hoax, or a paranoid thread on Facebook. You can’t simply repost something simply because you saw it on Facebook, without verifying it first?
Back in late Septemberthere wasone such paranoid hoax about Facebook stealing private information, but would stop if you copy and paste something, and most recently one about Mark Zukerberg giving out a million dollars on Facebook, by simply RTing a message?! Here are a couple of clever memes to remind you how naïve dumb you really are to believe such nonsense! (Make no mistake about it, Facebook pretty much owns all of us, and our info…but there’s a difference between that reality and these dumb Facebook hoaxes…spot the difference!)
We are all responsible for our digital footprints and to repost something just because it contained a “as seen on Good Morning America” is, well…this post says it better than I ever could.
I have no idea how this holiday Bloomingdales ad made it to print without someone flagging it, as it HAD to have gone through a couple of departments?!
While you can’t see it here, as it was lost in the spine of the page, this lovely woman is holding a cocktail and the caption reads: Spike Your Best Friends Egg Nog When They’re Not Looking. Umm, creepy DATE RAPE messaging much?! Many boycotted Bloomingdales in utter outrage, despite an apology and retraction from head office.
Delusional
NACCP leader Rachel Dolezal caused quite the stir when it was revealed that she was in fact a Caucasian woman, posing as an African American as was Kanye West for thinking himself a ‘designer’ after his post apocalyptical meets A Chorus Line fashion line launched—gleaned mainly from tan panty hose?! Stick to running shoes, Yeezy.
Deplorable
Walter Palmer and the many of his ilk who think its somehow manly or an accomplishment to shoot a beautiful animal that is already in an enclosed environment should be doused in kerosene and lit on fire. Cecil the Lion didn’t have a gun to defend himself? If you’re not doing it with your own bare hands, there isn’t anything to boast about you COWARDS.
…and finally Martin Shkreli, the infamous vile price gouger of AIDS medication got a taste of his own karma Kool-Aid when he was arrested in late December for securities fraud. The satisfaction of seeing Shkreli ‘get his’was the impetus for the viral hashtag #Shkrelifreude.
Pop Beauty
2015 was without question the year of ‘the wavy bob’, which was welcome news for those of us sick to death of having to pull out our WEAVES on the regular.
On the color front, I wrote about the Tortoise Shell trend seen here on the hideously unfortunate mugs of Giselle and Amber Heard…(I mean how do these ladies face the world looking like THAT?!)
…and I recently discovered the swirly confectionary opal hair color trend
Two mammoth trends for the eyes were a solid color wash liner—even matching it to a manicure, and the aptly titled ‘under eye dot’ which punctuated many a runway show in 2015.
NARS is one of my favorite make up brands, and more than anything this pair of FACE SPANX on Tilda Swinton in their fall 2015 ad ROCKED MY WORLD!
I’m not even kidding, NARS if you read this…please send forth some of your Face Spanx ’cause Chicken Little; Mama’s Face is FALLING!
Cryotherapy was another enormous beauty trend in 2015, boasting claims of weight loss, reduction of cellulite and all over skin tightening. While the practice is far from ‘new’, the three-minute treatment which involves standing in a deep freeze chamber while temps plummet as low as -256 degrees Fahrenheit— has been used by athletes looking to soothe sore muscles for decades, and can be traced back as far as the seventieth century. I sought out dermatologists extraordinaire Dr. Lisa Kellett from DLK on Avenue to weigh in on whether its worth freezing my kibbles and bits off for, in the name of skin tightening beautification. “I think it’s a fad and something that is quite old that is trying too hard to be new,” says Dr. Kellett from her Toronto office. “Frankly, there is little scientific evidence of its effectiveness in rejuvenation, and we know that heat is more effective in the production of new collagen. I wouldn’t waste my time on using it either for myself or for my patients.”
Nail Art always pays the bills around here, so I would be remiss if I didn’t add in the top fads of le SAISON; Sweater Nail Art and the inventive ‘Shattered Glass’ nail art trend that ‘cut through’ in 2015.
…and lastly beauty fads that I refuse to believe were a ‘thang‘…
The redonkulous glitter-in-hair-no-one-cares-or-even-noticed-trend. if you read my part one year in review…that’s just a recipe for finding glitter in ones hoo-hoo until the year 2017. As per the Temporary Freckles trend? Yah, I’m just going to pretend that it was a ruse that NEVER happened.
Pop Nom Nom Nom
I’m alwayson the hunt forfantastic yummy mash up treats with a pop culture bent, and 2015 was no exception. Here in no particular order…
Thefirst Hello!Kitty restaurant opens in Hong Kong and all I can think is “what took so long?!”
New York’s Bruffin‘s —a mash up of a brioche and a muffin, that come in internationally flavored medleys.
This decidedlyCanadian minded Maple Bacon Coffee flavored beer, is actually the mastermind of Boca Raton Florida’s Funky Buddah Brewery.
General Mills heldthe #Lucky10Sweepstakes in 2015, giving away only 10 boxes of all marshmallow Lucky Charms for fans serious about their MALLOWS, and let’s face it—the cereal part is merely a distraction in a sea of MALLOW minnows, yes? (I have no idea what that means…)
Andwhile I was gutted to find out that the Trapped Hans Solo Pop Tart was merely a toy and not the edible branding genius of KELLOG, I was placated by discovering this ADORBS mini pop tart cereal creation from food blogger Caitlin Lee!
Closer to home Uncle Tetsu’s famed Japanese cheese cakes opened up its only North American store in Toronto, which had locals waiting in line for hours at a time, but ultimately boasts heavenly feather light bites…
A family favorite in my house, the sweet and salty mash up of the Bake Shoppe Ruffles Marshmallow bar…(the photo does not do this taste creation much justice).
Sweet Jesus4Life Ice Cream also came into the local melee with over a dozen Pop Culture themed scoops like Crusty The Cone— an ode to the Simpsons character that comes with delicious tufts of cotton candy.
Pop Mags
I’ve always said; covers done well are cover that sell and here’s a snapshot of some of the magazine covers that caught my eye in 2015.
‘It Girl’ Amy Schumer rocked all the magazine covers like a boss in 2015, the GQ cover her ‘idea,’ natch.
The Sobering
Time mag’s Black Lives Matter and New York’s Cosby The Women soberingcovers will be etched in our collective memory for years to come …
Model ‘it gal’ Gigi Hadid rocked 2 memorable magazine covers in 2015, a striking close up on the cover of ADWEEK where her necklace doubles as a pin cushion, and with supermodel sistah Bella on the cover of V.
Celeb Covers
While I’m nota fanof her whole looks-like-she-just-swallowed-her-own-vomit-bitch-face, I just loved the badass punk rock Interview cover with K Stew. I also thought the Esquire cover with Nick Offerman and Chelsea Handler was fantastic, and I loved the whole illusion of an ageless Jane Fonda on the cover of W—the absence of lines, the incredible wig and the saggy, but not sad-saggy embalmed titty cleave.
Record Breaking
And while I hate to give oxygen to anything loosely Kardashian related, I have to give props to the record breaking Vanity Fair cover that introduced the world to Caitlyn.
Pop Feel Good
Let’s face it, 2015 was fully fluent in the Sads and Tragics.
Understandably, were all still a little on edge…
But I’m choosing to focus on all of the beautiful, feel-good moments that 2015 boasted and look forward to a peaceful 2016.
Betty White got to mouth hump Bradley Cooper in 2015, for both the dress rehearsal and live show of SNL’s 4oth anniversary show in The Californians sketch.
Speaking of SNL Tracy Morgan’s return to SNL was doused in feel goods, actually…just staring into the “I’m not impressed” face of his look-alike baby daughter was a flooding of happy feels.
…the pope spread his message of love and peace in Washington D.C. (marred ever so slightly by John Boehner’s ugly cry) Fashion Santa made Xmas more stylish…and Trudeau showed what Canadian kindness and compassion was all about to newly arrived refugees.
…a six year old girl from Canada imparted beyond-her-years life lessons to her divorced mother about losing ones ego and not holding on to grudges…
…and lastly Aretha Franklin’s performance at the year end Kennedy Centre Honors showed how the POWER of music can literally change the molecules in a room….
What a great time to be a male hipster, *my bad*I meana yuccie with superfluous amounts of flowing hair in 2015, amirite guys?
Not since the business in front + the party in the back that was the inimitable MULLET, has the male hair follicle been so wonderfully versatile, so open to experimentation—gender fluid even!
Hipster Beard
Hipster Flower Beard
The Man Bun
What was 2013 if not the year of the Hipster Beard, and summer of 2014 if not the summer of the Hipster Flower Beard? And what was the remainder of 2014 and 2015 if not the year of the MAN BUN a.k.a. THE MUN!?
Style forecasters are now branding the remainder of 2015 to 2016 as the year of…wait for it…THE MAN BRAID!!
Now because it’s a Listicle world and I’m just a blogging squirrel ‘tryin to forage enough nuts for the winter I give you…
6 Ways to Wear a Man Braid
1. The French Braid
On a thicker head of hair, a French Braid looks like a soft & delicious Challah bread that I’m dyyyying to rip apart and gorge on. On thinner hair it looks far more detailed and delicate, truly artful. Either way people need to stop bastardizing the Challah name and learn how to pronounce it properly—especially if you are in the food service industry? It’s pronounced HULLLLLLAH?! You’re Welcome. MOVING ON!
2. Pig Tail/Double Braids
Move over Laura Ingalls, the hotness known as director Cary Fukunaga brought a set of double braids to his 2014 Emmy win in August and we were all changedbecause of it. Fukunaga’s braids were super-thin, part Snoop Dog + part Navajo styles and most importantly, stylishly off-centre. Even McConaughey has grown out his curls so he can sport thisFuegeo while off-roading naked in his Lincoln.
In other news I’ve taken to screaming “FUKUNAGAAAAAAA!!!!!!!” out loud whenever I’m feeling pissy. It’s totally freeing.
3. The Brohawk
While the name is already taken by…wait for it…Bro’s who wear a Mohawk—I’m re-coining it to mean a Braided Mohawk or a braid sectional next to a Mowhawk—see what I just did there?!
*I have no idea what I just did there.
4. Shrimp Tail Mohawk
Perhaps this should also be called a Brohawk but I’m coining it Shrimp Tail Mohawk cause it looks like a yummy little shrimpy and it’s quite obvious I’m FASMISHED right now. No really, its a French Braid Mohawk to be exact (a Frohawk?) but it’s a ferocious mess and you shouldn’t even think it—so were moving on! Suivant!
5. Braid on Braid
What we have here is the braid on braid deluxe5000 and yes, I am absolutely making up these titles as I go along—what gave it away? It’s sleek, it’s modern, it’s the Nicola Formichetti standard of the man braid that can take you from the board room to the…yaaaaaa I can’t…I’m going to go now? More on this NEVER.
6. The Brun
Ok, I’m prettttty sure I did just coin a new pop culture trope with that one.
The Braided Bun—The BRUN is mine,allllll mine—Mua Ahhhh Ahhh Ahhh!
But seriously, the only other title worthy of the following masterpieces would be nothing less than SO MUCH YES!
First up; a pulled back braided BRUN, with check it…a braided bun! It’s a Brun on Brun! How META!!!!!
Variations on a theme; the BRUN in several incarnations ↑
And heartthrob Harry Styles (emphasis on the STYLES) combines a sir-mix-a-lot-esque side braid with a BRUN. Suh-Weet!
So there you have it. 6 Ways to wear the Man Braid…and some pop culture dew drops sprinkled about.
This is a close facsimile to the Barbie I got to play with as a ten-year-old, whenever I went over to my cousins Sherry’s house.
Sherry played with a gorgeous perfect face & hair Barbie, whereas I got handed some sort of busted face version like below—except the tip of her nose and toes were alsochopped off?! Sherry clearly had pent-up rage issues, and was a cruel Machiavellian playmate to my twee Golden Retriever-like innocence.
And guess whose Barbie got felt up by Ken in da club every time?
That’s right, perfect face & hair Barbie! Ken didn’t want to get to know me—busted face Barbie? He saw my mutilated nose and toes and was all—I amOUTon that ugly ratchet bitch.
…Wait, where were we?
Ahh yes (context!)…I *feel* like busted face Barbie every year as summer is ending.
My hair—the texture of straw, is an array of indecipherable shades not found on any color wheel, and my skin is sun damaged despite my best efforts to slap on the SPF.
Also, it’s been a bra-less summer and I’m certain that will cost me somewhere down the road.
The Solution? My annual Rube Goldberg machine beauty overhaul, as I attempt to shoe horn myself into the transitional ether of fall. Ready? Let’s. Do. This.
Clean Up, Aisle Skin!
If you are going to get your fall beauty foxiness on, you have to set the table properly—and that means starting with your skin. No matter how well you have tried to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays, all of us have some degree of damage to contend with as September rolls around.
My first stop is always my fairy godmother skin doyen—Dr. Lisa Kellet from DLK on the Avenue. DLK on the Avenue offers up the perfect solution to end-of-summer skin woes with their latest technology, their *new* 3-in-1 M22 ResurFx treatment. Think of it as the ultimate car wash for your skin and the best bang for your buck as it’s all done in one sitting!
Forget traditional facials; they are picayune offerings in the face (*pun intended) of these medical grade technologies!
Part 1 of the M22 ResurFx is a diamond peel Microdermabrasion treatment removing the dead skin cells on top of the skin.
Part 2 is multiple wavelengths of light, similar to intense pulse light (IPL) that works on the brown spots, redness and pore size—making your overall color more homogenous and less blotchy.
Dr. Kellet performs part 2 of the ResurFx treatment on a client.
Part 3 is a resurfacing treatment that uses an erbium laser to resurface the skin that ablates tissue. This works on texture; acne scars, fine lines and plumps up collagen at the same time. *Recovery time is 24 hours, with some redness and mild flaking.
If you can’tget this incredible treatment done, Dr. Kellet is adamant about employing her “proper trinity” of skin care gospel. At the bare minimum, Dr. Kellet recommends a 30 SPFall year round, a topical Vitamin C for day, and a topical liquid Vitamin A (*Retinol) for nighttime.
For a quick fix up, I’ve long been a fan of the exfoliating wonders of GlamGlow’s YouthMud Tinglexfoliate Treatment. It contains Volcanic Rock, French Sea Clay and Active Green Tea Leaf and gives you instant results in 10 minutes flat! Another trade secret of mine is Celebrity Make Up artist, Charlotte Tilbury’sMagic Cream. It instantly transforms your skin with a dewy glow, and is really the stuff that dreams are made of.
Giorgio Armani has been a permanent staple in my arsenal since they launched their line in 2000. Their Luminous Silk foundation, and Fluid Sheer is my really my North Star of maquillage! Their High Precision Touch Up concealer covers even the toughest dark circles, in ways that astound me and obliterates the competition.
They recently launched their Luminous Silk Compact—a diaphanous powder finish that has had a waiting list since it first debuted in early August.
If you haven’t yet gauged, I am a bona fide make up JUNKIE! I literally get pupils-dilated highhhhh when I see all the new fall colours start to trickle into stores. I can talk gloss, lacquers and shimmer until the cows come home, and my idea of time well spent is getting mindlessly lost in a Sephora for hours upon hours. Oftentimes I look exactly like busted face Barbie’s make up job (*add in multiple swatches of lipstick shades on both hands + every nail painted a different color) when I leave am escorted out by security. Ahhh, such fun!
So…without further ado, I present a crash course of Fall 2015’s hottest Beauty trends.
Bionic Brows
Fall’s brows are not your garden-variety Cara Delevigne eyebrows…they are even more bountiful, bushier and dare I say… Albanian tribal?!
The brows at DKNY were dampened + combed/fanned out, while TIBI kept them dry and groomed.
*I’d be a liar liar pants on fiyah, if I didn’t share that I find they look like terrifying furry caterpillars threatening to eat my face off. No offence.
Liner Notes
Black liner gets an arty upgrade this fall with new designs and accents. First up is a modern new take on the classic cat eye with the illusion of negative space, Suno offers up a spare yet dramatic paint strokes approach, and Imax Tree adds in an eye-catching Aztec motif that says all at once—coolest It Girl in Chelsea or Soho (NY or London) + over the crease lines that boldly go where no liner has gone before. Try: Stila Liquid Eyeliner
Sweet Cheeks
By far one of my favorite trends of fall is the ‘flushed cheeks’ look. Whilst it may be a cardinal sin not to use a brand new blush to achieve this look, I can’t help but still be obsessed with last spring’s offering from Nars—Adoration. As far as I’m concerned, the sun rises and sets with this slutty/naïf blush combo! I love wearing the hot pink alone, or in combination with the powder baby pink on top of it. I use a fluffy brush and adroitly apply in circular motions to the apples of my cheeks, and the peeps from Nars also recommend a wet brush option.
NARS Dual Intensity Blush ADORATION
Goth Lips
Are you afraid of the DARK? Mua Ah Ah Ah AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…
Don’t be.
Marchesa
Ungaro
If you can carry it off i.e.; wear the lipstick and not vice versa—it’s actually quite an accessible trend that can appeal to a substantial variant of women. I love the versatility and options; wearing it matte, splotched or stained. Top: Christian Louboutin’s wearable new lipsticks in Sevillana, Tom Ford’s Black Orchid, Nars Train Bleu + if you so dare…Kat Von D’s Slayer.
Hair Goals
Hair is a very sensitive subject for me as mine is unruly, frizzy, fine and not super abundant. I’m not kidding when I can boast perhaps, seven good hair days a year? Otherwise I’m spending money to get it blown out, or adding in my confidence weave—for length and volume. What is weave if not make-up for your hair, n’est pas?
While T Swift has Squad Goals, I have my very own Hair Goals for fall 2015 (*Gigi Hadid not included—natch)
Consideringthe paltry innovation for fall hair 2015, I instead looked to my style muse Ms. Alexa Chung from now until infinity, for any and all inspiration.
While this is not Ms. Chung’s latest look—because she is so dialed into style and consistently light years ahead of EVERYONE else, her S/S2015 hair is exactly what I want for fall 2015! How exquisite is this rich Ombré from dark brown to GOLD?!?! It also feels criminally irresponsible not to give a nod to her cheek bones…so I too would like to covet those for fall 2015.
**I can actually achieve the illusion with Charlotte Tilbury’s sculpting Filmstar Bronze & Glow + her powder sculpting brush!
Fall Nails
Nail color innovation has ceased to ‘phone it in’ and always has something new on the menu. For fall, I prefer my nails to be extremely short and I have already been wearing the electric blue nail color that is all LE RAGE this season. (*Slide over each photo for credits/click on photo for a closer look)
While Nail Art has taken a bit of a sedative this fall, I am enjoying some of the subtler designs that don’t have to hit you over the head with Bob Fosse-like Glitterati. But should you be craving some Jazz Hands & Bejeweled goodness, Tokyo nail titan Eichi Matsunaga never disappoints! Check out his Instagram here.
To sum up girlfriends, You Have the Right to Remain Foxy—it just may take a little work!
Fallin’ For Beauty,
XOXO,
*Congrats goes out to @spazss who wins a 50 ML bottle of Marc Jacobs new scent Decadence! Enjoy!
Tahhhhhhhhh Dahhhhhhhhhh! Contest Alert My Lover Faces!
Be the 1st of your friendsicles to smell like a seductive provocateur! The Pop Culture Rainman™ is giving away the newest Marc Jacobs fragrance DECADENCE—and believe me the name is worthy of this gorgeous scent!
Unlike any previous perfume Marc Jacobs has created, Decadence is truly an invitation to indulge in luxury! Designed after Marc Jacobs iconic handbags, the unique bottle features an exotically textured python cap, a gold chain and a black silky tassel. The fragrance captivates with sultry top notes of succulent Italian Plum, Golden Saffron and Velvety iris. The heart is abouquet of rich Bulgarian Rose that mingles with Lush Orris and creamy nuances of Jasmine Sambac. Sexy liquid Amber, heady Vetiver and warm Papyrus Woods, dry down to a signature of sophisticated indulgence.
I don’t know how he did it, but Marc Jacobs managed to distill the *feeling* women get all over the world when they think of Charlie Hunnam running naked in *slow motion* in a field of daisies wearing only a pair of black socks!
While that *special* image is only available in MY PERVY MIND, here’s a trifecta of alternative visuals for you to snack on—Grrrrrrrrrrr…
Yes, Decadence drips of mad SEXY. I mean look at what it’s done to a very hot and bothered Adriana Lima?!?! Girlfriend has resorted to eating CHAIN for heaven’s sake?
We’ll Have What She’s Having!
Full Details Coming Tuesday Morning in a new PCR post on Getting Your Fall Foxy Beauty On right here!
But for now, to be eligible please follow me on my Twitter @PopCultRainman + feel free to follow my blog (but it’s not necessary to be eligible for the giveaway) if you are on WordPress, or you can follow via email in my blogs side bar! (If you are not on Twitter, than by all means follow my blog here).
*Must be 18 years old to participate. Open to Canada and US residents only.
**Approx value of 50ml bottle of Marc Jacobs Eau de Parfum is $115.00 in Canadian currency.
The Pop Culture Rainman™ 