Listen, there are three gals out there who are really plucking my last nerve, and it's time I brought it out in the open. I don't like to bottle this stuff up.
I read a lot of websites, blogs, what have you. Three of my very, very favorites who blog about makeup are Makeup & Beauty Blog, Musings of a Muse, and The Next Best Thing to Going Shopping Yourself. The blogs are well-written and fun to read. You really get a picture of what the bloggers are "about". The women themselves are beautiful, smart, funny, successful, and they're inspirational women.
I hate them.
Yes, it's a love-hate relationship to the nth degree. Don't get me wrong: they're really nice lassies. Very sweet. I love chatting with them on Twitter (Karen: @KarenMBB; Musey: @Musings of a Muse; Karla: @KarlaSugar) and hope to meet all of them soon.
But here's the thing: these girls secretly want me to be broke perpetually. I don't really understand what kind of "friends" they think they are. I mean really.
Exhibit A: Karen - Makeup & Beauty Blog
Not only does she tempt you with beautiful pictures of life in general (girl has a great eye!) but she also visits Hawaii a lot and taunts you with her trips. Amusing stories reference a very tolerant husband, El Hub (the man must have patience to deal with all of that makeup talk!).
And then there's That Cat. The official mascot of Makeup & Beauty Blog and international supermodel, Tabs (shown right in a recent work). He's really who runs the show, I believe.
Oh- and then there's the spectacular give-aways! Did I mention those? So I can be sad twice: once when she shows me something I don't own, and then again when I don't win it.
And on top of that there's the amazingly persuasive writing that's always paired with great pictures of products (plus swatches). And the looks she creates are always a great blend of Sassy-Sophisticated-Beachy. Somehow. I don't know how she does it. But she makes me want to buy way too many products. Recent evidence includes...
- Two Faced Perfect Lips Liner Loves Lips in the Nude
In which I feel I must track down this lipliner. Warming Up to MAC Pret-a-Papier
In which I now want the whole damn collection.
NARS Sin Blush: BFF to Purple Glosses Everywhere
In which I want to go get this blush even though I already own it. Dammit!
I Could Kiss Benefit for Bringing the Ultra Shines Lip Shine Glosses into the World
More great lippies I now NEED.
Do you see what I mean?! And The Really Bad Thing is that I nearly always agree with her opinions once I've had the opportunity to try a product myself. That's the worst.
Exhibit B: The Muse - Musings of a MuseI don't even really know where to start with this girl. She's one of those New Yorkers who has access to everything. Pile on an obsession with Asian brands, concealer, unusual products, and great bath & body goodies and you've got the recipe for disaster. I love seeing what she's recently found! No brand is safe from her reach. Musey (I can call her that 'cause we're tight; you can call her "The Muse".) nearly always pairs her makeup reviews with an example of how the product looks incorporated into "A Look". Show-off.
We have some mutual obsessions, which doesn't help her case. I think she waits to see what I like, then she immediately starts posting items that I'll want. She's an evil mastermind. Shared loves: Lush, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Bath & Body Works, and products for the fairest of skins. See? EVIL MASTERMIND.
By the way, she just revamped her website and made navigation even easier, incorporated a Daily Photo feature, and added a fab Submit Your Own Review area where you can... well... submit a review.
I'm not really down with her "Doctor Who thing" but she may not understand my obsession with skeletons. Kindred spirits can still agree to disagree from time to time. Though, clearly she hates me. Evidence...
- The Muse's Makeup Stashed Into One Tiny Cabinet
I need storage solutions. This one is expensive. I still "need" it.
- Makeup Porn: TokiDoki Cromatico Eyeshadow Palette Bastardino and Tokidoki Cromatico Eyeshadow Palette Adios
I think TokiDoki is adorable. I mean "tough". I mean Punk. I mean adorable. Now that Musey has shown these pics, I'm dying to possess them all!
- Cute Makeup Find: Jelly Pong Pong Cherry Pie Palette Review and Swatches
Here's a brilliant example of why I know she hates me. Do I need to know about brands like Jelly Pong Pong? Brands that inspire lemmings but that are not easily accessible (meaning: in a store in my mall)?
- Philosophy Apricots and Cream Body Spritz Review
Right, then, Musey, let me run out and get all of the damn Body Spritzes because you make it sound so logical and heavenly. GROWL
You see what I'm saying, right?
Exhibit C: KarlaSugar - The Next Best Thing to Going Shopping YourselfShe of the arm that all beauty lovers will recognize! She started her blog as a way to show some friends products that they couldn't see locally. Quickly, she built a reputation as Excellent Swatcher and has managed to swatch just about every single product ever created (an estimate).
She's fun, she's matter-of-fact about products, and she's succinct. Her blog is a joy to read and her pictures are always lovely. I enjoy, too, that she describes her view of a shade, since I find companies are sometimes a little too clever with providing a color assignation. Since she's touched every product in the universe, she also can compare x to y, which is helpful if you already own y!
She's also really getting into give-aways, which is fun but since I never win I am bitter.
What kills me are her Armani swatches (see image to the right). I try to pretend the brand doesn't exist, because I love everything they make but can't swing the cash to hoard it. KarlaSugar does not care.
Recent evidence that she hates me...
- Guerlain Summer 2010
I dare you not to want those shadows and Kiss Kiss glosses and lipsticks. I mean... all of them.
- Sneak Peek: MAC Digi-Pops
Did I need to know about the MAC collection for Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale? In a word: NO. An array of lippies (new lipstick formula! more Dazzleglasses!) and shadows and brush sets and ...
- Korres Mango Butter Lipstick
Every time I see these, I pick them up, look at them, then put them back. Now that I've seen the swatches, I suspect my next trip to Sephora will be ending differently. And it's all KarlaSugar's fault!
- Zoya Flash and Sparkle
Yeah, that's right. She swatches polishes, too. Now I've got The Nail Ninja breathing down my neck wanting more nail lacquers, too. Thanks a lot.
What's with these girls? Why can't they just play nice?
What do you think of these bloggers? Do they hate you, too?
xoxo
*jen