Author: Lisa Millar

Skin Fair 2013 – Kitty is entranced by Isabella from Adam and Eve

Skin Fair 2013 – Kitty is entranced by Isabella from Adam and Eve

by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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Less than 48 hours to go..are you excited yet? Well, you flipping well should be! Especially when there are exquisite skins like Isabella ready for the taking!

Isabella is the latest arrival from Adam and Eve. This skin has a HUGE wow factor. I know when I put her on I was just blown away by how beautiful this skin is, and also by how thoughtful Sachi Vixen had been in providing essential elements to the consumer,  like a glove addition for wearing prim nails, and even a dimple layer. The fact that you can add to your base skin with items like these, as well as Tango appliers, adds a whole new dimension to the skin wearing experience.  In fact, the dimple layer is a really unique and joyous addition; it makes the skin feel somewhat Cheryl Cole and because of that I added a posh frock and longer hair than I normally would wear to create this look.

ImageAdam and Eve, or AE, have been a long established skin name on the grid, and when you have attained those levels of success and reputation it would be easy to rest on your laurels, but Sachi  is continuing to push her skillset by creating new skins for our enjoyment.

And enjoyment is the key objective of this skin; it is so totally rewarding to wear. The tone is simply gorgeous as are the make-up options, but it was the face had me at ‘Hello’. It’s just so totally beautiful, delicate even, but strong on features that matter.

I know I’ve wittered on about eyebrows in my last few posts but honestly, they are so important on a skin. I’ve seen so many nice skins utterly ruined by eyebrows that just don’t work that I always zoom in on them first of all when I try a new skin out.

The brows on ‘Isabella’ are just sublime; my favourite so  far. They are perfectly balanced; not too strong yet gifted with enough substance to balance the face without overwhelming it.  You can really see the work that has gone into creating them too; all the delicate strokes and care that Sachi has taken as she built up the look.

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The professional touch is just as perfectly displayed on the eyes and the lips. There’s so much win  on display here. Everything shows consideration, it’s clear that Sachi has ruminated on how individual elements will work as part of the whole, yet the finished work doesn’t feel rushed or over-worked.  There’s some great pigmentation detail across the entire body of the skin, as well as some light-veining. All of this shows careful application and a keen eye for detail, and adds a strong element of realism to the skin.

This skin is perfectly balanced in every way and an absolute joy to wear. I was in a sandbox taking pictures when I was approached by another avatar complimenting me on my look and her first comments were “I love your skin!” This of course made me feel brilliant, but even more so I was delighted for the creator, because the fact that someone had looked closely at my avatar and was impressed by what they had seen has to be the best kind of praise.

Isabella is the kind of skin that will draw a lot of compliments when worn, so if you like having your ego stroked and don’t mind dealing with admiring glances be sure to invest.  I absolutely adore it. 

Kitty wears:

(Final note: I’m wearing mesh ears by Mandala and they were an absolute doddle to skin match with this skin..I highly recommend them!)

Skin Fair 2013 – Cupcakes ‘Emmy’ in Caramel is delicious!

Skin Fair 2013 – Cupcakes ‘Emmy’ in Caramel is delicious!

by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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I had great fun when I tested out the Emmy skin from Cupcakes.

This is one of those skins that creates a perfect template for taking photographs and playing with effects. I think one of the reasons for this is because it has an extremely uniform colour; it’s not overly-processed so it makes an excellent base for make-up and editing effects.

I don’t have access to Photoshop, so I use Picmonkey, and found great results wearing this skin and trying out different filters. It would be extremely effective for modelling and fashion work.  I tested out the various make-ups that the skin line carries, and enjoyed them, especially the metallic eye shadow option, but I wanted to see how it would work with eyeliner, one of my favourite things at the moment.

I have to say it worked extremely well, if I’m honest I actually preferred simple eyeliner and prim lashes on the bare skin rather than the full made-up face, which is pretty unusual for me, as I like my Second Life slap!

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In fact when I added hair I got a serious Kate Bush vibe off this one (something to be very chuffed with, seeing as she’s one of my heroines!) But anyway, back to the skin. Yes, it isn’t as strongly textured as the others I’ve tested thus far but no, that is not a bad thing.

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Despite the uniformity of colour, body detail is not lacking. There is muted highlighting on relevant areas like chest and buttocks, but it’s a gentle smudge of light rather than a full-bright fiesta. The parts that count are all defined well, and I really love the brow and lip shape on this skin. The lips are especially lovely actually; nicely coloured on the base skin and full of shape.

In my opinion, this skin excels because of its inherent simplicity. Complexity on a skin can be a wonder, yet occasionally it can be a distraction. The lack of complication on Emmy is actually a strength;  and I would especially recommend it to avatars that enjoy wearing tattoo layer make up and are looking for the perfect canvas to experiment with.

Emmy will not disappoint, so be sure to demo her at Skin Fair 2013.

Kitty wears:

  • Skin is Cupcakes ‘Emmy’ in Caramel (Brow*black) bare
  • Hair by Elikatira (Sale is STILL ON! Style is ‘Spark’)
  • Prim lashes by Hush
  • Eyes by Ikon (Current Group Gift)
Skin Fair 2013: Kitty Steps Inside Runa

Skin Fair 2013: Kitty Steps Inside Runa

by Lisa Millar ♥ 2 Comments

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As I said previously, one of the best things about Skin Fair is trying skins out by creators that are new to you.  They may be well established on the grid, but for whatever reason you’ve never actually tested one of their skins. This was the case for me and Step inSide.  I’d never worn one of Lany Jun’s skins before today, and now I realise that I’ve missed out. But still, better late than never!

This skin is Runa (in Tan) and is an absolute joy to wear.  I think I’ve found a new favourite for my avatar! (Who am I kidding? They’re ALL  my favourite so far!)

The base skin comes with plenty of options by way of tattoo layers for eye shadow, blush and lips, meaning that you can mix and match your look to your heart’s content. It’s great fun finding combinations that are really striking and then playing dress up with your wardrobe to find the prefect outfit and hair to match.

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This is a skin that you WANT to wear and needs to be seen. The pictures I’ve taken here aren’t touched up in any way (apart from the main shot) so you can see that when wearing Runa in world it looks just as amazing as when photographed and ‘fannied about with’ as we say in these ‘ere parts. Ahem. I think that this is because there’s a crispness and an illumination to this skin that is almost ethereal. The skin is so well-coloured and highlighted that it is practically radiant. It oozes quality and panache, and is very adaptable to a myriad of looks.  Of course the tattoo layers add depth to the skin by way of different colour combinations, but even the base skin, when worn on its own, feels extremely substantial.  Image

It’s hard to put the sensation you get when wearing this skin into words because you’re going to think I am completely mad, but I’m going to give it a shot. To me, as an avatar, a true quality skin has a ‘weighty feel’ to it. It’s a combination of all the excitement you feel from wearing a beautiful skin and the effort and hard work that went into creating it by the skin designer. Runa feels like a heavyweight skin, and would strike out some serious blows in a boxing ring!

But there’s more. Zooming in for detail is satisfying; little touches such as highlight on the inner corner of the eye and gloss on fingernails do not go unnoticed by the wearer.  The ever important  eyebrow isn’t overly plucked, nor is it wild, but neat without being overtly formal. Colour is even across the body, and highlights denote key features satisfactorily.

Picking favourite elements of this skin is tough, but I really like the lips on this skin; they look juicy and moist and even more so when a lip colour is added. But for me the face is just beautiful. I *never* change my face shape in Second Life; I’ve worn the same shape for donkey’s years and sometimes I make myself fatter or thinner depending on mood, so the framework of my virtual chops always stays the same, and this skin ‘hangs’ beautifully upon them.

Runo is a sensation and I have no qualms in recommending Lany Jun’s work to anyone. When Skin Fair 2013 opens, be sure to ‘Step inSide’  and try on a demo. I’m sure that you will be extremely satisfied by the result,  I sure am!

Skin Fair 2013 opens on 14th March

Kitty wears in this post: 

Skin Fair 2013: Olivia From ‘Style By Kira’

Skin Fair 2013: Olivia From ‘Style By Kira’

by Lisa Millar ♥ 2 Comments

ImageStyle by Kira will be showcasing the Olivia skin at the Skin Fair, and it’s a delight.

The first word that sprung into mind when I tried this one on was ‘classy’, and that it is, with a capital ‘C’.  In fact, it struck me while I was playing about with this skin that there was an  almost retro feel to it. I don’t mean that in a detrimental way, but in that there’s a timeless, elegant quality to it.  It will lend itself well to modern looks, but in my opinion it will really be in its element with formal wear and classic designs.

The strong colour-styling on the face makes this skin a real statement piece. The blush isn’t subtle, it’s striking; a bold splash of colour under the cheekbone that works extremely well. The highlighting below the eye diffuses any would-be garishness perfectly.

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The brows are on trend; groomed but not overly styled, giving them a very natural, authentic shape.  The eye colours are exciting, with the blends of colour and strong lashes making the eye area a true focal point. You could wear this skin without adding prim lashes and it would work perfectly well.

The lips are well-defined in shape and stained rather than overtly glossy, meaning that they balance the stronger eye make-ups in the line beautifully. (You can however emphasise them even more by purchasing a lips bundle, which contains some lovely lipstick shades, and also parted lips revealing a touch of teeth! )  Additionally there are slight freckles and pigmentation to the facial area, giving a nice authentic touch.  It’s a lovely skin to photograph and experiment with.

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The body is beautifully finished.  Lighting is key, and liberally applied to areas that would naturally benefit from shading and definition. The breasts are also beautifully done (stop sniggering at the back, details like this are important!) and all the key areas like elbows and stomach are finished professionally.

I think Olivia will be very popular at Skin Fair 2013, and deservedly so.

A final point: I noted when testing combinations of hair with this skin that Olivia works really well with Wasabi Pills hair, as you can see in this photo:

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I’m wearing the style ‘Jamie’ in this shot, in Gingerbread, and as you can see it looks fabulous against this Olivia skin (Olivia 02DV1)

Olivia will be available at Skin Fair 2013 from Thursday. Be sure to try out the demos!

Additional Items in post: