ART AND DESIGN: 51st Grammy Awards Posters

I am currently obsessing over these fabulous typography driven portraits created for the 51st Grammy Awards. I particularly love the play with type and the rainbow gradient used. Musicians featured in the artworks such as Rhianna, Lenny Kravitz, and Stevie Wonder, to name a few, were asked to name their favorite songs which were incorporated in the design. These beautiful posters were created by TBWA Chiat/Day.

Lenny Kravitz

Stevie Wonder 

Rhianna

Photo Source: http://www.movieposterdb.com/movie/1366325/The-51st-Annual-Grammy-Awards.html


Noelle

TECHNOLOGY: Apple VS Windows

One of my all time favorite movies is The Pirates of Silicon Valley.

This film is the semi-humorous documentary about the men who made the world of technology what it is today, their struggles during college, the founding of their companies, and the ingenious actions they took to build up the global corporate empires of Apple Computer Corporation and Microsoft Inc. (Source: iMDb.com)

Inspired by true events, this movie represents the evolution and birth of the geniuses behind the gadgets we are using now. The movie also depicted the beginning of a battle between 2 giants, Apple and Microsoft.

We’ve definitely come a long way. The TOUCH technology truly revolutionized the way we use our gadgets.

For years, the two most popular operating systems give us major updates so close to each other, so we couldn't resist throwing them into a cage match together. Everybody has his or her opinion on the great Apple versus Microsoft debate.

Here are the latest Operating Systems these two giants developed. Who knows what’s up their sleeve in the next couple of months!

You be the judge. Your OS. Your choice.

xx

Mica 

BEAUTY: Mascara

Who would have thought that the greatest invention known to man (in my opinion), used by women all over the world for decades and decades, (used by some men too), was invented by a man. Two men to be exact.

What is this super invention? Here are some hints:

1. This substance is contained in a sleek, thin tube that can fit in any small purse.

2. The color of this miracle substance is popularly black, but can be in brown, purple, or blue.

3. To apply this substance you use a wand, which is appropriate since what this substance does is magical.

4. Eyelashes are instantly transformed into weapons that can bring men to their knees with a flutter.

What is it? MASCARA!

A LITTLE HISTORY:

Mascara was originally used by the early Egyptians, men and women alike, to ward off evil spirits from entering their eyes and stealing their souls.

In the 19th century, a chemist named Eugene Rimmel (of Rimmel cosmetics) invented a substance that darkens the eyelashes. A little ways away, at around the same time, T. L. Williams, creator of Maybelline, created the same substance. Both products were still extremely messy until 1957 when the formula was modified and modern mascara was born.

It is amazing to me that this product that I refuse to leave the house without was made by the same gender that thought it’s application was to be smeared all over ones face like a mask!

This black goop consisting of dark pigments, mineral oils, wax, and other substances, with the power of science, defies gravity by curling the straightest lashes upwards. In addition to elongating lashes, it also fattens them, the only part of the body in which I think the fatter the better.

Feminine and flirty. Women have come a long way since the women’s revolution, but we have to admit that it feels good to get men to do what we want. Makeup, imitating the look of the sex as it does, attract men, since men admittedly think of sex majority of the time. How can you flirt without batting those luscious, long, mascara coated lashes? I know what you are thinking though; I don’t put on makeup for a man! Me neither. I put it on because I love it. And I love mascara the most.

The Nitty Gritty:

Even though I use mascara almost every day, I still am messy. Here are some helpful tips on application:

1. Make sure your lashes are clean and dust free.

2. Apply a thin layer of loose powder above and below the lashes. This will provide for easy removal of any smears.

3. If you wish, curl the top lashes. I would refrain from curling after applying mascara because lashes may stick to the curler and get yanked out.

4. To prevent clumping, make sure your mascara wand is not too heavily coated. Start from the base of the lash and swish outwards. 1 to 2 coats should be enough. If you like, apply to the bottom as well.

5. To get the cat eye look, with the mascara wand, drag your top lashes sideways from the inner corner of your eye to the outer corner. Your lashes will take on a fanned effect.

6. Use a cotton bud to wipe off any excess mascara accidentally smeared on the skin. If the mascara proves more difficult to remove, dip the cotton bud in a little moisturizer, and it should come right off.

7. If you find that your mascara is drying out, add 1 to 2 drops of any generic eye drop medicine in the tube, close the mascara, and rub it in between your palms the way you would do if you were kindling a fire with a stick. This will moisten the mascara and application will be smoother. Sorry to all you fiber mascara users out there, this only works with non-fiber mascaras.

You can use expensive eye make removers if you want, but I use Johnson and Johnson baby oil. It is much gentler than the other makeup removers I have used, and it smells nice. Just apply a few drops to a cotton square and rub lightly,

I have used many, many brands in my 15 years of mascara applications, and I think I have come close to finding the one. Here are a few of my favorites:

Cheap: Nichido waterproof mascara. Note that the waterproof aspect of this absolutely sucks. I know from beach experience. However, the pigment and consistency of this mascara is as good as Benefit Cosmetic’s Bad Gal! So if you are strapped for cash but still want pin-up girl peepers, opt for the 80 peso or so Nichido waterproof mascara.

Midrange: Maybelline Great Lash in Blackest Black. Its creator invented mascara so how can it go wrong? If anything, use it for the hot pink tube.

Expensive: Shu Uemura’s Precision Length mascara. This is the only fiber mascara that has worked with my lashes and it is heavenly. Literally, my lashes get so long they can reach the heavens!

This ends my little rave about my favorite product. The only thing better is to finish it with a swoosh of sexy cat eye liner. Or sultry smokey shadow. But lets leave that for another time.

Go forth, apply and reapply!

Signing off,

Bernadette