Bi-Weekly WTF :: Vol 13 – Kat von D and Vaccines

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Kat von D and Vaccines

On Wednesday, I said I was going to take today off. I decided against it because I feel passionately about this topic; instead, I’ll take Monday off.

Recently, Kat von D shared that she intends to forego vaccines for her yet-to-be-born child. An uproar ensued regarding this opinion. The anti-vax stance is a radical one. Like many other customers, I will be foregoing purchase of Kat von D products in the future – even if it kills me because I love this damned lipstick.

Why Boycott Kat von D?

On the other hand, some argue that Kat is entitled to her opinion and has the right to parent as she pleases. In general, I agree with this approach…when it does not infringe on the health and safety of others. Choosing not to vaccinate for non-medical reasons, however, does both of those things.

I feel strongly about this and I will be acerbic:

The right to be an idiot does not imbue you with the right to endanger public safety. Full stop.

Vaccines are effective at eradicating disease when they are used en masse due to the principle of herd immunity. Some individuals legitimately cannot be vaccinated due to allergies or health conditions and they will therefore remain at risk to condition X. Those people are kept safe by the rest of us maintaining immunity…which we do through vaccination.

I find it tragic that yet another child will face the risk of debilitating illness that we had all-but-eliminated. It breaks my heart that others are at risk as a result.

The Bottom Line

This is not reactive, reflexive, or knee-jerk. I have rescinded support for other brands whose leadership’s decisions pose a dilemma to me (Revlon, for instance, who I have resumed purchase of in light of their problematic CEO’s departure). In this case, I don’t just dislike this decision. It is literally dangerous, and not just for Kat’s family.

Do you have an opinion on the matter? Debate is welcome in the comments.

Lorac Pro 2 Review

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This legacy post has been given a facelift! Content was edited for clarity and ease-of-reading with 2018 updates marked in-line.

On Sunday, June 15 (2014), the Lorac PRO 2 came available for sale. Because I own (and dearly love) the Lorac Pro, I had to get a look as soon as I could. I placed an order and anxiously awaited their arrival. Because Ulta and UPS must have shipping wizards in their ranks, I received it on Wednesday. I was so excited to check out these shades and anxious to confirm that they are the same awesome formula as the Lorac Pro. You’re anxious too, so let’s tear ‘er open!

Packaging

The outer retail packaging is very similar to that of the Lorac Pro Palette (Original). Like the original, it comes with a small tube of their Behind the Scenes Primer, which you can see in the window on the right.

Lorac Pro 2 Retail Packaging - Front

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Worth it? Covergirl Clump Crusher

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Covergirl Clump CrusherCovergirl Clump Crusher, $8

A while back, I managed to hit the coupon/sale/rebate lottery and get a pair of Covergirl mascaras for free (actually, I ended up making a tiny bit after the rebate). One of the two was a tube of cult-favorite Covergirl Clump Crusher. When this mascara launched several years ago, the response was passionate and rabid all at once. Who could blame people for being excited about a (purportedly) well-performing drugstore mascara?

But I never tried it until now. Back then, I was still trying to hold onto my love of bareMinerals Flawless Definition. Then, I found that L’Oreal Telescopic Carbon Black is a reasonable facsimile and aside from trying deluxe samples here and there, I never really looked back.

Packaging

Although I like Clump Crusher overall, it isn’t free from criticisms. I find the packaging bulky and unnecessary; why is the tube such thick plastic? It reminds me of the oversized crayons they give todders who have yet to develop fine motor skills and dexterity. Aside from the ergonomics of it, it really takes up a LOT of room in a makeup bag. I’d really love this formula to come in a narrower tube.

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May 2018 Favorites

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May 2018 Favorites

May 2018 Favorites
1. ChomChom Roller, $24 / 2. BlueSky Planner Galaxy 5×8, $15 /
3. Clarins Glow Booster, $32 / 4. Covergirl Clump Crusher, $8 /
5. BlueCross Cuticle Remover, $6 / 6. Ole Henriksen Truth Serum, $42

Click through for details on what I love about my May 2018 Favorites.

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Esqido Lashes – A Lash Named Desire

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First things first: I received a free pair of lashes courtesy of Esqido for the purpose of a review and a before-and-after photo. Otherwise, I did not receive any compensation or incentive to write this content, and as always, all opinions are my own.

I’ve only worn false lashes once, ever. This time-ish last year, in fact. That’s right – I didn’t even bother for my wedding. I don’t have anything against lashes; they just don’t fit into my day-to-day, and my life isn’t rife with special occasions, either. As a result, I haven’t tried many – so when Esqido reached out, I figured, “What the hell, let’s do it!”

I had the opportunity to select my pair of lashes. I decided to go with a medium volume pair and ultimately landed on Lash Named Desire:

Esqido Lashes - A Lash Named DesireEsqido Lashes – Lash Named Desire, $29

Along with it, they sent a tube of their lash glue:

Esqido Lashes - Lash GlueEsqido Companion Lash Glue, $10

First Impressions

Esqido Lashes come in a pretty damn nice magnetic-closure box. I popped that open and gingerly retrieved the lashes to see how they compare to my actual eye. Given my limited experience, I had never worked with mink lashes before and was surprised how soft they were. I’ve seen a thousand-and-one YouTubers gush about their luxurious, fluffy mink lashes (from Esqido and other brands), but I assumed they were just putting one on. So, no – they’re surprisingly plush.

Giving ‘Em a Go

“Whoa, this band is huge,” was my first thought upon removing them from their packaging. I’m not sure whose eyes these are made for, but they were drastically longer than my upper lashline. I started by trimming off the innermost section on each lash, then retested; nope. I then trimmed the outer-most section – viola, a passable length.

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Bi-Weekly WTF :: Vol 12 – Sunless Tanner Smell

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Sunless Tanning Myths

This is a legacy post that was given a facelift. Here’s why: With a gift card, I recently purchased a facial sunless tanning serum that I can mix in with my normal moisturizer (yes, it is awesome, yes more is coming on that). While researching which one to purchase, I came across a few rather acrimonious reviews on one such product (not the one I purchased). The reviewers were somewhat-justifiably upset because the product claimed to be free of smells. Well, sure – the product is fragrance free. That doesn’t mean it won’t cause a smell, however.

It really blows my mind that SO MANY people, including self-described self-tan aficionados, have no idea what actually causes the telltale sunless tanner smell.

I’ve talked about sunless tanners (my favorite is Million Dollar Tan) quite a bit before. Many posts mention, but do not focus on sunless tanner smell, however; the occasionally annoying odor that follow sunless tanning product usage. It isn’t limited to lotions: spray tans and even tanning bed (boo, do not use these) products are affected.

How Do Sunless Tanners Work?

There are three kinds of sunless tanners. Some products only temporarily deposit color that is washed away in 1-3 showers. Other products are intended to develop color over time; in those, the main, active ingredient in sunless tanners is DHA (dihydroxyacetone). The third type does a bit of both.

DHA & Melanin

When applied, DHA prompts your skin to produce melanin. Melanin is what gives our skin its color; people with darker skin tones naturally have more of it regardless of sun or DHA exposure. For lighter skin tones, stimulating melanin production causes us to appear tan.

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