Hi, I'm Elle.
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Tweets
- Refused pain meds because they make me feel like I'm on an alien spaceship and also I want to drink so much wine I forget this all happened
- I have a fractured foot and a badly sprained ankle! HAHAHAHAHAH KILL ME.
- When is my phone going to learn the word "fucktard?"
- Don't climb a tree during Bay to Breakers. You will fall and you will break your ankle (if you're me).
- I'm going to be drunk all day today, so I just want to apologize right now to everyone.
- I changed my profile photo to a picture of me stuffing my face because I feel like I do that way more than I smile.May 18, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- If one more person tells me what Facebook is currently trading at, I swear to dog I will vomit up a crowbar and take it to their knees.May 18, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- I think I'll literally be dead before I can set my location as "not Chicago" on all the services I subscribe to online.May 18, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
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Posts
I’ve read this interview about eight times since seeing it yesterday. I’ve also sent it to several friends and my 22 year-old brother, because it’s just one of the most practical interviews about money I’ve ever seen. I like how she’s simultaneously insightful, realistic, and sympathetic to the plight of young, underemployed people.
A couple of my favorite parts:
“The only reason you should care about money is options. If you don’t have money, you don’t have options—you don’t get to exercise free will, and if you don’t have free will, you’re a slave. A lot of young people freelance and have low-paid jobs, so a lot of this isn’t realistic. Like if you’re making $17,000 a year as a fact checker, this isn’t realistic right now. But there are also things you have to invest in for your life. If you’re a radio reporter you need equipment, if you’re a photographer, you need cameras. Having that judgment about what is frivolous or what is necessary is a lifelong process.”
“The idea of living within your means is something that our society has been missing for decades and decades. It should be a comfort to young and middle-aged people that people die never figuring this stuff out. It’s hard. But to know you need to figure things out is an awesome place to start, and that’s a form of wisdom that it takes people years to get to. I think it’s valuable to hit bottom. It teaches you that it really sucks to be in that position—it’s like aversion therapy.”
There’s a lot more there that’s valuable as well. Recommended reading.
Milo Greene - 1957
I’m going to see these guys play tomorrow night with Kayla, because she is awesome and has an extra ticket (and excellent taste in music). I can’t stop listening to this song. Do yourself a favor and give it a listen.
- The state of online media
This morning, Alex and I were talking about this ridiculously inane op-ed piece in the WSJ on Wrigley Field (ragestroke forthcoming), which morphed into a discussion about how print newspapers need to die already.
Seriously, can you think of a single, wide-focused, global news organization that does good online work right now? I can’t. I’m racking my brain and I can’t. And I used to create business partnerships with online media organizations for a living.
Why is this so difficult? Why can’t pubs like the NYT and WSJ just fucking man up, use their influence, traffic, and giant staff of world-class writers to monetize effectively and produce quality work online?
To be fair, there are a few publications doing this right, but they don’t cover global news. The Verge is one that comes to mind. They’re doing excellent work everyday — their site is innovative, interesting, and ever-evolving — but they cater to a niche market and still don’t have a clear long-term monetization strategy. The big, broad-focus online “news” publications we do have are a complete joke: think Huffington Post and Business Insider.
Clinging to the old ad-supported revenue model clearly isn’t cutting it. Too many publications STILL view online media as an afterthought (I know this from many, many meetings with online editors at my previous job), which is batshit insane. At this point, print should be an afterthought.
There’s such demand for a good, online-only publication that covers global news. I’d gladly pay a monthly subscription for it. It’s 2012, and I’m still waiting. I get most of my daily news from random people on Twitter. There’s something wrong with that.
tattoo of a qr code that redirects to a picture of a cooler tattoo you saw on someone else.
Someone come over and
- Two really weird apps I use for San Francisco things that you wouldn't really need anywhere else.
1. San Francisco bike route planner
If you ride a bike here, you need to figure out where you’re going before you start, or you’ll get stuck on a stupidly large hill, sweating and crying. This guy made an awesome, simple website that allows you to plan your route and select a maximum grade for the hills on the route. There’s a mobile version, too.
This app tells you the weather by neighborhood. Most of these neighborhoods displayed here are less than a mile apart from each other. Yes, this is necessary here. No, I don’t know, either.
Of Monsters and Men - Mountain Sound
Happy gorgeous Friday. Chris is visiting this weekend. We’ve got plans to go to a beach party tomorrow north of San Francisco and generally putz around town and enjoy the perfect weather. Personally, I’m excited for all the sweet photos he’s going to take. Oh yeah, and to see him, too.
Alex took this screenshot while we were gchatting and said he wants to get 1,000 stickers made out of it. I ordered 100 of them.
- Tumblr, help
My brother (my only sibling) is graduating college tomorrow and I don’t know what to get him. I’m usually really good at finding gifts for him for birthday and Christmas, but I feel like a graduation gift is different. I need advice!
Some info about him: We have very similar interests — he loves music, video games, technology, reading, cars, etc. He’s not into clothes, though. I want to get him something that’s sort of relevant to the whole “moving into a different phase of your life” thing, but also something he’ll enjoy and also get some use out of.
Don’t worry about cost, I’m open to all suggestions. What do you think?
ETA: Thanks for all your helpful suggestions! I’m putting them here in case anyone else is in a similar predicament.
angrygirlfrienddiaries answered: How about a watch? That’s a grown up thing!
atumblratrandom answered: money clip. something engraved. cuff links. a sweet tie
anniehinton said: Beside money, the only thing I think graduates need is a fun experience, a story to tell. So basically, book a day shooting guns or something. Yes, that sounds crazy, I know.
marksteffen answered: Plane ticket. Or a set amount towards a plane ticket. Encourage him to go somewhere, even just a weekend to a new place w/ friends.
messily answered: J Crew has a gorgeous leather work bag for men.
dancingkitchen answered: it was so lame when i got it but man do i appreciate it now but one of those nice leather resume holders. also graduating now? i’m OLD.
talesfromthecrypt answered: Expensive booze
kristinwilliamson answered: Cold. Hard. Cash. Or a Krueig coffeemaker.
alexophile answered: saddlebackleather.com
nogreatillusion answered: concert tickets or a plane ticket somewhere he’s always wanted to visit?
vbtwns answered: Stuff for an apartment? Briefcase/nice quality laptop bag? Stock?!
lifelibertysilliness answered: I got my brother a nice leather briefcase type bag when he graduated so he’s get rid of his ancient timbuk2. Think he still uses it!
scenes-from-my-hood answered: i always think a good grown up leather work bag is a solid grad gift. but maybe i’m everyone’s lame aunt. ((i am nobody’s aunt in real life))
thesuperrare answered: this might sound lame but, and itunes gift card? New album for a new life or it can be a part of a basket filled with stuff he will like/need
thelifeandtimesofenc said: check out coolmaterial.com. it has a TON of awesome gifts for guys.
elledeau said: I bought my brother baseball game tickets…does he like any kind of live sports?
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York said, ‘No American president has ever supported a major expansion of civil rights that has not ultimately been adopted by the American people, and I have no doubt that this will be no exception.’
To anyone who was saying yesterday that Obama’s announcement on same-sex marriage was too little, too late: This is the point that really matters. He might have taken the cowardly route and taken far too long to do it, but the fact that he did say what he said is an extremely important step in the path to the widespread acceptance of gay rights. Don’t forget that part. It’s important.It’s like you’re giving birth to yourself, and instead of your vagina being ravaged, it’s your emotions.
Elle sums up what the fuck is wrong with me in the best possible way. (via icarntspell)
Sometimes I give advice.
- I'm not saying I just made myself a margarita at my desk or anything
But yeah, I totally just did that.
- You know what I was thinking about the other day
There’s going to be this huge wave of asshole kids who were born in the 2000s and when you tell them your birthday, they’ll say things like “Oh my god, you were born in the 1900s? You are so old.”
I hate those kids already.
- Those bracelets are from etsy seller screwords! Definitely getting my hands on the 'fuck' one.
Oh my god thank you.
Answering this publicly so anyone else who wants one/them can purchase them as well.
LCD Soundsystem - You Wanted a Hit (Soulwax Remix)
I heard a mix similar to this in a club before seeing Washed Out this weekend and it blew my mind. You Wanted a Hit is one of my favorite LCD songs, and this remix borrows the baseline from Air’s Sexy Boy. Dig it.
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Posts
- I'm going to be in a wedding in Jan. It's a glamorous/hollywood oldey time themed extravaganza. I need to do bright, bright vintage-inspired lips that will stay on for 8 hours. Any suggestions?! (maybe that lipstick you let me borrow when I exploded in red from that weird shrimp allergy) (and then we kissed) (I don't know what I'm saying).
Fortunately, I answered this question via text message last night, because this wedding happens to be tomorrow! I thought I’d share the wealth with the rest of you, though.
My absolute favorite red lipstick is called Ruby Woo and it’s made by (you guessed it) MAC Cosmetics. I think anyone who wants a red-red (as in, not orange or pink) lipstick should try this. It looks good on almost everyone — plus it’s matte, and it stays on forever.
Have fun at the wedding!
- Hi everyone!
I just wanted to let you all know that I’m not dead. I just moved across the country from Chicago to San Francisco, so I’ve been a bit preoccupied with all that. Once I settle in to my new home here, I’ll be back to writing regular posts, answering your questions, and making videos.
Feel free to submit a question in the meantime. I promise I will get to it.
Thanks!
- Drugstore products I love right now
I’m all for a makeup or skincare splurge every now and then, and there are some products that I’ll gladly shell out more money for because I know they’re worth it. But for everyday makeup or experimentation, there’s no better place for me to buy products than the CVS across the street from my apartment. Not only is it more convenient and cheaper, but I constantly have $5 off or 25% coupons from them since I buy a lot of other household items there as well. It’s a win-win.
So here are some of my favorite bargain items right now:
L’Oreal Extreme Volume Mascara, $5-10
This is the best mascara I’ve ever used that wasn’t over $20 per tube. My favorite mascara of all time is Estee Lauder, but I’m not going to spend that kind of money on a regular basis for mascara, which goes bad quickly and typically all looks the same to the onlooker. This comes in a couple shades of black, plumps your lashes and lengthens them, and I’ve seen it for as little as $5 at Target. Bonus: Did you know L’Oreal is the same exact brand as Lancôme? It basically is. Don’t buy Lancôme, just buy L’Oreal! Same company, way cheaper.
Sally Hansen nail polish, $2-$8
I love Deborah Lippmann colors as much as the next person, but sometimes I want a bright color that I’ll use three times in my life, and I don’t want to pay $18 a bottle for it. Sally Hansen has two lines that I love: the Xtreme Wear line and the Complete Salon Manicure line. I’ve seen Xtreme Wear colors on sale for 2 for $4 at Walgreens. They last just as long as Essie or OPI and are extremely opaque, so you don’t have to apply a million coats. The Complete Salon Manicure line lasts longer than any polish I’ve ever worn in my life, and is usually about $8 a bottle. They also make my favorite color right now, Black Platinum.
Rimmel Fix & Perfect Foundation Primer, $6-7
I talk a lot about Mac’s and Urban Decay’s primers, but I’m a big fan of this primer as well. It’s under $10, available everywhere, and feels velvety going on your face. It cuts down on oil and acts as a smoothing base for powder, foundation, or tinted moisturizer.
Nivea Hydrating Lip Care SPF 4, $2-3
Have I ever told you how much I hate Chapstick? I hate Chapstick. It doesn’t work, at all. Carmex is also the devil. Carmex contains addictive properties — your lips actually get addicted to Carmex and will continue to get drier and drier unless you keep applying more Carmex. It’s truly the worst. I much prefer Nivea lip care over Chapstick, and it’s around the same price for a larger tube. I see them a lot in 2-packs on sale at the store as well.
Burt’s Bees Nourishing Baby Oil, $6-8
So, I’m not a baby. Nor do I have a baby. But I really like this stuff. In the winter, I add it to my baths to seriously moisturize my skin. In the summer, I use it as moisturizer on my legs instead of lotion. It gives you a nice glow and smells wonderful. That’s all.
Maybelline Eyeshadow Duo (not what you think), I don’t know, it’s like basically free
DON’T USE THIS AS EYESHADOW. As eyeshadow, it’s awful. I could probably make a better eyeshadow than Maybelline. I mean, my god. It’s like they didn’t even try. You’re probably wondering why I put this on here. I’m getting to that.
You know that eyebrow brand, Anastasia? Well, that stuff is a big scam. To me, anyway. I’m very fair and have light hair and eyebrows, so I don’t need serious eyebrow pencils or kits. What I do instead is use this terrible eyeshadow duo from Maybelline with a stiff eyebrow brush to fill in and shape my brow. And it works wonders. When I want an everyday look, I use only the lighter color. When I’m going for a more dramatic look, I mix in the darker brown. It looks natural and cost me about zero dollars.
Also, once you buy this, do yourself a favor and throw away the crappy applicator that comes with it. Those things should be illegal.
Suave Dry Shampoo, $3 or something ridiculous
There are a lot of expensive dry shampoos out there, and some of them earned their price, but most didn’t. However — and I can’t speak for all of us here — but when I’m skipping a wash, the last thing I’m thinking about is being fancy. That’s why I like this dirt (ha HA, puns!) cheap dry shampoo spray. The last can I bought lasted me two months and I use it probably 3 days per week. That’s like a .000001 cent cost per use rate right there. It smells decent, and works better than the John Frieda equivalent, which is about 4 times the price.
So there you have it. Go forth and spend as little money as you possibly can. Don’t forget your coupons!
- Lip service
I’ve received a couple questions about lipstick lately, so I’m here to answer them.
You too can look like Anne! Ok, maybe not. But your lips can.
ilikeitinmymouth asked: “I’m starting to get back into lipstick. My main issue with lipstick is that it’s not as easy to take off as say, eye makeup is. Any product/method suggestions?”
Good news! It is just as easy to take off as eye makeup is. Just use eye makeup remover. Yes, I’m serious. Take a cotton ball, put a small amount of eye makeup remover on it (don’t forget to shake it first), and swipe over your lips. Rinse it off with water before you lick your lips again. Don’t forget to put on a balm or healing ointment after you take it off, before you go to bed. Lipstick is very drying. Which leads me to our next question…
oldtobegin asked: “i’m finally coming around to lipstick. so many colors! so many finishes! but now that i’m putting product on my lips more regularly i notice that my lips are drier than they used to be - also it’s that time of year. i’ve heard people talk about “conditioning” their lips or otherwise caring for them so that mattes look matte, frosts don’t clump, and all the little lines in your lips disappear. what’s the process for this?”
Here’s what I suggest:
Use lip balm, lip conditioner, or healing ointment whenever you can. I like Nivea for lip balm, Mac for lip conditioner (bonus: it kind of looks like lipstick anyway!), and Aquaphor for healing ointment. If your lips are well-conditioned when you’re not wearing lipstick, lipstick will go on much more evenly.
Exfoliate your lips before putting on lipstick. It will help remove any dry skin and even out your skin so the lipstick will go on more smoothly. I really like C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Buffer and Befine BeLips Lip Exfoliator.
Use a lip primer. Can you guys tell I really like using primer for things? That’s because it works really well. Mac Prep + Prime Lip is incredible. I used it the other day before applying Mac Ruby Woo (my absolute favorite red-red matte lipstick) and not only did the matte texture stay matte, the color went on evenly, and lasted all night.
Finally, use lip liner. Make sure to use something that matches the color well, and isn’t too dark. I’m not vey picky about lip liners — I think drugstore brands are fine — but it really makes a difference. Try Cover Girl or Rimmel to save some money here. Lip liner will define your lip line and ensure the color extends all the way to the edges of your lips, which will make everything look smoother.
Ask a question about makeup, beauty, or skincare here.
- Weekend project: Wash your makeup brushes
I asked on Twitter a few minutes ago: “Serious question: When was the last time you washed your makeup brushes?”
Most of the responses sounded something like “never”.
I’m not surprised. In the realm of household chores, washing my makeup brushes usually falls somewhere in between dusting my baseboards and mopping the area under my couch. It’s just not something you think about all that often.
Regardless of how often you think about it, it’s really a very easy task to do, and doesn’t take very much time. So, in honor of the long weekend we have, you should do the following this weekend:
- Take out all your makeup brushes (powder, concealer, eyeliner, blush, bronzer, ALL) and lay them on your bathroom counter.
- Grab the mildest shampoo you own from your shower.
- Start with any brush you’d like. Run it under moderately warm water and then rub a small amount of shampoo into the brush. Lather it up a bit and rinse the shampoo out. Don’t rub it too hard or you might lose some bristles. Repeat with every brush.
- Lay the brushes on the edge of your sink (brush side facing the inside of the sink, handle resting on the counter) to dry overnight.
This should take under five minutes, and in the morning, you’ll have dry, clean brushes! Your face will thank you. You might even notice less breakouts, too. And you’ll feel more like an adult human in no time.
This is not my video — it is Jane Marie’s of The Hairpin — but I had to post it here because it really is quite genius.
It’s a quick, no-bullshit, can’t-mess-up tutorial of how to do a thick cat eye with liquid eyeliner. I love the idea and you can’t argue with the end results, but I do want to point out a couple of things:
1. You will waste eyeliner doing this. If you’re ok with that, go for it.
2. Be careful with pulling/peeling things off your eyelids too often. This will cause some serious wrinkles, and for some people, it could also cause irritation.
I’d say reserve this for times when you want your makeup to look absolutely perfect and you don’t want any margin of error. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
- My face is dry. I just keep putting lotion on it and it just keeps you know, getting flakier and flakier and what am I doing wrong and how can I fix it? PS. I do not want to go to the doctor! HELP.
I am going to start this by stating, very emphatically, that I AM NOT A DOCTOR. I am not a replacement for a doctor. I hold no medical degree, and have no expertise in any sort of official capacity for this sort of thing. All I have is personal experience.
Before we move forward, I’d like you all to take this quiz:
Elle, that weirdo who writes Skin Is In, is (select one):- A doctor
- A dermatologist
- A replacement for a doctor or dermatologist
- A medical expert in the field of skincare
- Just a person who likes to read about makeup and cleansers and has been to some dermatologists in her life and they have helped her so she thought she’d write about it only for fun and not to be sued by anyone reading who thinks this is official medical advice
If you answered #5, congratulations! You can now move on. If you answered 1-4, I hate you, and please never procreate.
So, our skin tends to freak out at this time of the year. The humidity is gone from the air and the temperature is dropping, both of which are a recipe for disaster, face-wise. This time last year I went through a complete overhaul of my skincare routine with my dermatologist because my skin was so dry it was painful to take a shower. Yeah.
Anyway, here are some things you can do:
Sleep with a humidifier. You can find a decent humidifier at Target for about $25-30, and they will help you. Put it next your bed and run it the whole time you’re asleep. You’ll only need to refill it once per day.
Use only dermatologist-recommended products on your face. Yesterday, I wrote about basic skincare and talked a lot about Cera Ve lotion and face wash. These things seriously saved me last year. They are mild, noncomedogenic, and fragrance-free. Try using these for 2-3 weeks without using other products and see if that helps. You might want to only wash your face at night with cleanser, and in the morning, splash some water on it instead of washing it.
Take shorter showers and try to run less-hot water. I know, this sounds horrible. I’m not here to deprive you of a hot shower. But water dries out your skin (I know, right? What?) so the less contact you have with it while you’re trying to fix your face, the better.
A lot of people get dry and flaky around their lips as well, so I suggest Aquaphor healing ointment for that. My doctor had me switch to using only this last year (no chapstick, no lip gloss, no lipstick) and it helped, immensely.
Wherever possible, switch to fragrance-free products. Fragrances can irritate your skin, and they’re in almost everything. Switch your laundry detergent, dryer sheets, fabric softener and and anything else that touches something that touches your face. Also, keep in mind that unscented =/= fragrance free.
If you are still having problems after overhauling some of your products, you might want to try oil-based cleansers. There is a lot of information online about using castor oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, and even olive oil to help cleanse and moisturize. In the winter months, I take baths with Burt’s Bees Apricot Baby Oil and water, and it softens my skin and calms down eczema like no other bath/shower product I’ve used. It sounds strange to “clean” your face with oil, but a lot of people swear by it.
Keep in mind, you don’t have to do this stuff forever — the idea is to get your skin back to normal so you can start using your regular products again. And please don’t forget that if you are still having problems after several weeks of making a serious effort, visit a dermatologist. A good one will know exactly what to do, and it can save you a lot of discomfort in the end.
- Basic skincare steps
I’ve received a couple questions recently about basic skincare routines and products. Obviously, everyone’s skin is very different, but there are a few tips that can apply to the masses. Here are the questions from icarntspell and thefrivolouskeptic:
icarntspell asked: “I suck at taking care of my face- f’real. Are there any multipurpose products you can recommend that won’t also cost a bunch? I’m talkin’ all-purpose here, I need to take baby steps into a skincare routine… “
thefrivolouskeptic asked: “I was wondering which products you personally think that a person should use everyday. What is your daily routine to keep your skin nice and healthy right now and for years to come? With so many products out there, it’s hard for me to decipher which ones that I should use. I also am a person on a budget, so I get discouraged when product is too expensive. Thanks so much for your time and input!”
I know keeping simplicity up and cost down are important factors to almost everyone out there. So here are the four steps I say you should absolutely do on a regular basis, along with product recommendations:
1. Wash your face twice a day (and always take off your makeup before bed). This is the most important step in any skincare routine. For a few years when I was younger (and stupider), I used to convince myself that I didn’t need to wash my face at night because I never broke out and my skin was very dry already. WRONG. Regardless of your skin type, you need to wash your face before you go to bed. You can skip the morning wash if you’d like and just use water instead, but you need to wash away impurities from the environment and the products you put on your face during the day. Even if you don’t wear makeup, you still need to cleanse before you go to bed. Just trust me on this. Your skin will be happier.
Products to use:
- Cheap: Cera Ve Hydrating Cleanser. This is my favorite face wash, hands down. It cleanses without over-drying, and it’s noncomedogenic so it doesn’t clog your pores. It comes in a large bottle that lasts forever, and a little bit goes a long way. It won’t take off your eye makeup, though, so grab a generic oil-free makeup remover and swipe that over your eyes first. If you’re prone to breakouts, use the foaming cleanser instead.
- Cheaper: Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser. Neutrogena has long been known as the “acne wash” company, so I haven’t used their cleansers much in the past. But I like this natural line from them — it’s milder, smells nice, and available in every drugstore I’ve been in.
- Mid-range: Philosophy Purity One-Step Facial Cleanser. Yes, it’s more than the other two recommendations up here, but with good reason — a tiny amount will seriously cleanse your face. Plus, and this is a big plus, it acts as a makeup remover and a toner in addition to being a cleanser. This is a bit drying for me to use twice a day, but if you want something that gets your face squeaky-clean in one step, there’s nothing better. You can even use it on your eye makeup.
2. Use toner on your face after cleansing. Toner is cheap, and it helps minimize your pores and even out skin tone. Use one without alcohol to avoid over-drying. I find toner really refreshes my face and it also grabs any excess makeup left over by your cleanser.
Products to use:
- Cheap: Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner. It’s cheap, mild, and easily accessible.
- Cheaper: Witch Hazel. Witch hazel is a natural toner, contains no harsh chemicals, and is dirt cheap.
- Mid-range: Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner. I like that this is in a spray bottle, which eliminates the need for cotton balls. It also smells fantastic, and I’ve found that it’s the least drying out of any toner I’ve used.
3. Moisturize. You need to moisturize your face after cleansing, no matter what. This is most important at night, because your skin will absorb the moisturizer as you sleep. Depending on your breakout level, you might want just a light lotion, or you might want to go with a heavier cream. As you get older, your skin gets drier, so you’ll want to use heavier moisturizer as time goes by (morbid!).
Products to use:
- Cheap: Cera Ve Moisturizing Lotion. This is dermatologist-recommended lotion that you can use on your body and your face. I do both, and it seriously improved my skin last year when I was having dry skin problems. It’s fragrance-free and noncomedogenic as well.
- Cheaper: Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer. This comes in several types, including ones for sensitive and combination skin, so it’s a great all-around option. If you’re using it during the day, be sure to pick one up with SPF.
- Mid-range: Lumene Vitamin C+ Pure Radiance Night Cream. Slightly heavier than a regular lotion, this is a good option if you are not prone to breaking out. There’s also an equivalent day cream from this same line with SPF.
4. Last but not least: Use an eye cream. This might seem frivolous in a “basic” skincare routine, but it will really improve the health of the skin around your eyes as you age. Our eyes move a lot during the day, and pick up a lot of wrinkles as a result.
Products to use:
- Cheap: Olay Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream. If you’re in your twenties, it might seem insane to use a product that has “anti-wrinkle” or “anti-aging” in the name. It will pay off in the end, however. Might as well get a jump start now.
- Cheaper: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Eye Cream. Oh look, Neutrogena again! When we’re talking about quality products on a budget, Neutrogena is a clear winner. They’re not good for everything, but they are good for the basics.
- Mid-range: Lumene Excellent Future Deep Repairing Eye Cream. This stuff seriously hydrates, and for some reason, is always on sale at CVS.
So now you have a novel on basic skincare. Some other steps to throw in if you’re feeling feisty: Use a scrub twice per week (St. Ives is nice and cheap), and use a serum in between toner and moisturizer to soften your skin. You’ll be “GLOWING” and “RADIANT” in no time! Aren’t beauty marketing terms the worst?
- i want to rage all weekend but i dont want to look like i did. how do i keep my eye make up looking tip top till 4 in the morning?
Ooh gurl, I feel ya. Halloween makeup is especially important. Here are a few things you should do before and after putting your makeup on:
Makeup primer: I’ve mentioned this a few times before, but I am a huge fan of Mac Prep + Prime. This will seriously help you keep your makeup in place. Put it on the areas of your face that usually get oily, like your chin, your nose, and your forehead. You need less than a dime-sized amount to cover your whole face. You can also get a sample of this from a Mac counter.
Eye makeup primer: I love Urban Decay’s line of eye primers (primer potions). I use the nude-colored one underneath my eyes to make sure my concealer stays in place, and the “Original”/sheer one on my eyelids before I put on my eyeshadow and eyeliner. It prevents oil from destroying the product you put around your eyes.
Makeup setting spray: If you only do one step, I’d do this. Both Mac (ask at a counter) and Urban Decay make a setting spray. Spray it on your entire face after you’re completely finished doing your makeup.
Hopefully these will help you out. I really think Urban Decay and Mac are the kings of primers and setting sprays, as you can see.
veronicalovesarchie asked: can you recommend any facial things that will peel off the top layer of my skin and reveal baby soft layers. i’ve heard something about alpha hydroxy somethings. basically i wanna go further than a wimpy scrub, but just shy of “omgyou’vebeencaughtinafire” GIVE ME YOUTHFUL SKIN, ELLE. xx
You don’t want no scrubs? Ok, I’ve got some recommendations for you. Here are the links to the three products I mention in the video:
Try this combo: Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner + Skin Smoothing Cream
Every time I go to visit my uncle, he gives me some kind of product. The man loves his skincare but also has very sensitive skin, especially on his face. This is where I reap the rewards.
He happens to live next to a Dermalogica retail store, which I’ve walked past a thousand times but never actually tried. When I was packing my things to come home this time around, he gave me these two products because they made his rosacea flare up. I’ve been using the toner and the cream for the past week or so, and my face feels fantastic.
I enjoy the toner because it’s a spray so it’s extremely refreshing — plus I don’t need to waste yet another cotton ball to put it on. I use the toner after cleansing or after I put on serum at night, but you could really spray it on your face anytime you want to feel refreshed or less oily.
The skin-smoothing cream is perfect. It’s not too light, not too heavy, and I really think it’s the best “between-seasons” moisturizer I’ve used. It’s great for giving me extra moisture while the earth dries out, but it’s not January yet, so it’s not overkill.
Both items have this heavenly, fresh, just-out-of-the-shower unisex scent that is exactly what I look for in all my beauty products nowadays. They also make travel sizes of almost all their products, so you can sample things in 1-2 ounce sizes without a high price commitment. But judging by the rave reviews I see all over the Internet, I think you’ll be hooked like I am.
Try it out:
What it is: Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner and Skin Smoothing Cream
Get it: Online (links above), in a Dermalogica retail store
When to apply: Toner in the morning and at night, after cleansing or after applying serum. Cream after toner.
Bonus: Try their Oil-Control Lotion instead of the cream if your skin is oily or you are prone to breakouts.
- A poll
First of all, WELCOME new followers! I love you so. I’ve got a lot of good stuff coming up for you, including reviews, Q&A posts, and videos, so get ready.
Second, I’d like to ask: if I started a Twitter account for this blog so I can answer questions and give quick tips and coupons, would you follow it? I’ve already registered the account, but I want to know — would that be useful for you?
ilikeitinmymouth asked: “Drunk video request: consume GIN and show me how to use that ‘get bent’ brush.”
Have a video with your Monday morning coffee! And no, I don’t know why I’m making T-Rex hands in the preview for this. THANKS, VIMEO.
ljm asked: “For the love of God, please teach me how to line the inner rim of my lids without all of the product migrating onto my actual eyeball in the process.”
I made you a video that is a) long overdue, b) sort of dark, c) sort of long, and d) maybe unhelpful. But I tried! I hope you like.
I keep saying this is going to be a skincare-focused blog, but here I go again, posting about hair. It’s ok, it’s worth it.
I stayed with a friend last night in Boston (hi, Abbie!) and she had this shampoo and conditioner in her shower. I brought my own shampoo, but I recognized the label and really wanted to try this brand because I’ve heard such good things. And hey, she said I could use anything I wanted (again, hi Abbie)!
This stuff is amazing. I feel pretty ambivalent about shampoos and conditioners. I think at any given price point, they’re all basically the same. The anti-frizz ones, the color-protecting ones, the “body booster” ones, they all seem the same to me.
But I am seriously in awe of how great my hair feels, looks, and smells right now. Since I have naturally curly/frizzy hair, I end up spending a lot of time and heat to get it smooth, which results in breakage and split ends. Usually, unless there’s a lot of product in my hair, it will look somewhat dry and frizzy.
This shampoo and conditioner made my hair so soft and smooth, I cannot rave about it enough. I have also heard great things about their hair masks. Carol’s Daughter products are regularly featured in Birchbox and are highly recommended by Sephora staff as well.
Get it:
- Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner
- Available: Online (links above), or at Sephora
- Price: $18-20
- Bonus: Try the Monoi Repairing Mask, too (get a sample at Sephora if you want to try it first!)
“We were inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night,” said @narsissist’s James Kaliardos of the makeup. “The eye is a beautiful rounded shape with several eye products: Dark Rite shadow pencil (out spring), Night Flight Eyeshadow, and Rue Bonaparte eyeliner. On lips, we have Penny Lane cream blush, Nana gloss, and Pearl Beach cream eyeshadow, for a lavender effect.”
For hair, Odile Gilbert used Kerastase hairspray aplenty to create a “sweet sixteen” inspired roll.
If you’re at all interested in runway beauty, head to Eva Chen’s Tumblr, as she’s doing excellent behind-the-scenes coverage of the New York Fashion Week makeup and beauty looks. Eva is Teen Vogue’s beauty editor, by the way.
Yesterday I had a revelation backstage at Dannijo with the geniuses at Sally Hershberger Downtown. Temporary dip-dye hair is possible - even on dark hair. I mean, hallelujah. Here’s the step by step:
This is so cool, and will work insanely well on my blunt-cut, blonde hair. But it really looks like it could work on anyone. Click through for the full post.
surawesome asked: I wash my face with Cetaphil, and use Neutrogena combination skin lotion (i have dry/oily skin) because that’s all I understand when I shop at Walgreens. For a lazy fuck like me, am I making the right decisions?
Mystery! Intrigue! Wine! Answers!
Allsome of these things await you in this video I made!
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Recent Tracks
- Maps by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Lines by Elsinore
- There, There by Radiohead
- While You Wait for the Others by Grizzly Bear
- Murder in the City by The Avett Brothers
- Broadripple Is Burning by Margot & The Nuclear So And So's
- Lay of the Last Survivor by Okkervil River
- The Grand Optimist by City and Colour
- Train Song by Feist + Ben Gibbard
- Reckoner by Radiohead
RadioheadFlorence + the MachineLana Del ReyLCD SoundsystemYellow OstrichMiike SnowMargot & The Nuclear So And So'sM83Delta SpiritCultsBeach HouseOkkervil RiverElsinoreOf Monsters and MenGrizzly BearAmy WinehouseSpoonFeist + Ben GibbardThe Avett BrothersSt. VincentJames BlakeWashed OutJusticeSharon van EttenElliott SmithAndrew BirdThe Black KeysMassive AttackThievery CorporationCity and ColourOh LandThe DecemberistsMilo GreeneDaft PunkLittle DragonShe & HimPhantogramElectric GuestThe AntlersAlabama ShakesHot ChipThe Long LostCakeVampire WeekendMitch HedbergThe Long WintersWidowspeakFour TetBonoboMetric- 56 plays
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- Midnight City by M8314 plays
