Chatter

Invisalign Update: Week 10 of Invisalign

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Invisalign Update - Week 10 of Invisalign - More Refinement - Refinement Round Three

Last night, I switched to my tenth Invisalign tray! Since my last update, there hasn’t been much new or different to report.

It’s amazing that I’m already at week 10 of Invisalign- it doesn’t feel like two and a half months have passed.

Attachments at Week 10 of Invisalign

As the orthodontist suggested, the roughness of my attachments has subsided. That said, they aren’t what I’d call smooth; when I eat, food is attracted to them. All the more incentive to quickly address oral hygiene after eating!

Changing Teeth

My teeth have changed a lot! Each week when I change, I compare my newest tray against my first tray and marvel at the changes. My husband notices a difference in my smile already – so do I.

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Why is MAC Basic Bitch Acceptable?

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“Basic,” as an insult has been a thing for several years now. Paired with, “bitch,” for most millennial sorts it conjures certain imagery (UGGs, PSLs?) that some find funny or #relatable.

I’m not a fan of using the word, “bitch,” as a deprecating term of endearment amongst girlfriends. To me, it isn’t cute or clever; it is catty and perhaps trying too hard to be edgy. It’s clear that when we do use such words in those context, others do not understand when and why they should not use those words, too. Bottom line, the term is pejorative. You aren’t taking, “bitch,” back.

MAC Basic Bitch – Wait, What?

So when an e-mail from MAC Cosmetics with the subject line, “Get the Basic Bitch Look! Available In-Store and Online,” landed in my inbox last month, I was surprised. I hardly feel it is appropriate coming from a company!

Here’s a screenshot of the message. The graphic is a gif and would change between what is shown below and another shimmery, light-smoky eye look.

Why is MAC Basic Bitch Acceptable?

Why?!

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Beauty Chatter

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I’m taking today to recharge as much as one can recharge while still going to their day job.

Here’s a quick round-up!

Nix it, NYX!

nyxcakethat

Why does this exist, NYX? I have plenty of black eyeshadows (too damn many) – any and all of them can be used for this same purpose.

A Sense of Community

Sephora launched their new Beauty Community recently. It has a ton of groups and sections, but I haven’t really explored it yet. I’m not sure how I feel about a retailer hosting a community. My knee-jerk reaction is the risk for censorship of critical discussion (of product which Sephora would be in their right to execute, don’t get me wrong); but if that’s a risk, why not go to a less-fettered platform?

Off-Topic

I got the portable washer that I mentioned in a recent post! It’s completely off topic but it is super neat. Like most sane humans, I loathe the laundromat – so its a welcome appliance even if it does take up a wee bit of my tiny apartment’s precious space.

Lighter Hair, Do Care

My balayage appointment was Saturday before last. Overall, I’m happy with my lighter hair but my old colorist left and the new one didn’t really approach balayage as it is intended to be approached; I have one spot on the left that is a bit abrupt (and high up) so it is fairly obvious and odd. It isn’t a crisis, but it does have me reconsidering my approach. Do I keep the same salon but just ask for a different (more experienced) colorist? I didn’t realize I’d have a different person until I was there.

Just… Damn, so Pretty!

Hourglass’ third Ambient Lighting Edit has been released. I’m not sure if this is worth it, but god is it pretty! I probably wouldn’t buy for myself, but I think it would make a great gift.

The Bottom Line

What beauty-related (or, you know, not – like my washer!) stuff have you seen or done lately?

College Humor – Every Beauty Vlogger

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I’ve said before that I don’t find anything wrong with sponsorships – provided, of course, they’re legally compliant and properly disclose. It’s a decency thing.

Every Beauty Vlogger, Ever

I can’t help but laugh at content like this College Humor video, though. The landscape has changed so much in the last five years and unfortunately this seems to be true more often than not.

The comments on Every Beauty Vlogger are a riot, too. There’s tons of commiseration among the commenters; some of their sentiments echo my own.

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Chatter: Trying to be Edgy

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Nobody likes a tryhard, yet so many brands are trying to be edgy lately. I’m not offput by crude humor in the slightest, but I can’t help but feel like brands are desperately grasping more and more for attention via punchy names and claims.

Isn’t it a little tired? Isn’t it enough to have a great product and solid marketing?

Brands

NARS Orgasm has been out for ages and the name makes sense for the color they are suggesting it is inspired by. It doesn’t strike me as tawdry even if the average shopper would feel unnerved asking for it by name in Sephora.

Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara isn’t a particularly nice formula – but oh man, such an edgy name! There are plenty of other products out there that are trying a bit too hard. Some are good, some are clearly banking on their shady name to make sales.

Trying to be Edgy

Oh, marketing. Urban Decay has a history of products with shady names. Okay, it’s one thing to name a color something off-beat. They’ve teased their new Troublemaker mascara which is, allegedly, “sex proof.”

Okay Urban Decay; I know that Wende founded the brand with the aim of going against the grain. With an effortless edginess in mind. But in their tagline, “Beauty with an Edge.” But isn’t marketing, “sex-proof,” mascara trying to be edgy a little (a lot) harder than is necessary?

Urban Decay themselves state on the product site:

Troublemaker holds up in hot and heavy situations and still looks good in the morning. We tested it ourselves, and it lasted through saunas, snowboarding and sex!

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Chatter: Why My No Buy

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why my no buy

Call it what you will: a no buy is just another phrase to describe a spending restriction. This might be in a particular area, like mine is for beauty products, or it might be for everything. It might be out of financial necessity, to encourage savings, or merely to prevent the accumulation of more things/clutter. Since my April blunder, I’ve adhered.

Why my no buy?

My no buy why is a mixed bag.

SPACE. I have drunk deeply of the Marie Kondo kool-aid and although I have yet to Kondo my home, I’m trying to apply some of her school of thought to things I own. Even after paring down, I still own more makeup than I need. Because my tastes are what they are, my collection has a good bit of overlap. I don’t want to add to my collection (okay, I do want to add an Hourglass ALB. And some of those shockingly-good, <$5 WnW palettes); I have extremely finite storage space and am committed to not having that space expand. Period.

I also just need to use up what I have. Every time I buy, say, a new palette I end up giving it priority. Logically, this makes no sense. I don’t dislike my other palettes, damn it. I need to Project Pan something.

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