Ekilem Melodie – Kittywitchin'

(I’m still playing catch-up on the blog, but I have to be honest, I’m not surprised. See, I’m not the kind of girl to write a few lines about something, attach a quick-snap and leave it at that. I like to waffle and write a bit more than you’ll perhaps see on some other Second Life blogs, so I’m not going to give myself a hard time about being behind)

I really enjoyed the last Cosmetics Fair, so I’m stoked that there is a Summer Edition running until June 30^th. I LOVE cosmetics in SL, something I’ve mentioned countless times so I won’t rant on again and again about how awesome they are. But they are.

The Summer Edition is full of vibrant juicy colours and this time also includes LOADS of nail appliers for the Slink hands. It’s incredibly hard to visit on a budget, so don’t even try, but I do recommend looking out for freebies and dollarbies that are available. I think the prices are more reasonable this round in general actually.

I had a bijou gander and really struggled to rez everything on display, but once I had I was really impressed by the selection of cosmetics on offer this round. If I’m honest, I preferred it to the last selection. I hope it’s going to become a seasonal event because it’s really great to see what the creators come up with each time.

As you know I’m all about the eyeliner, and this time I wasn’t disappointed at all. I fell in love with two brands in particular at this event.

First of all ‘Pekka’, and for L$180 you can purchase a rather fab Dark make-up pack which I absolutely love. Black lipstick and eyeliner is bold and brash and doesn’t always work , but this set sure does. The shape of the lips and the eyeliner are just perfect, and the make-up can be worn as a complete face or as separate eyeliner/lip.

Another new brand that I discovered at Cosmetics Fair are cStar Limited. I absolutely drooled when I saw the imaginative Cat Liner make-ups, and it was bloody hard to pick just one, so I settled for the aptly titled ‘Hardcore Cat’ liner, at a very reasonable L$75. I paired it with some very hot lips, in fact this gloss that I’m wearing, no. 68, is part of a pack called ‘OMG Hot Lips’ which includes matte and gloss versions of ten fresh and funky shades, including purples, blues, oranges and reds. An absolute must have if you ask me, and again cheap at the price at just L$80.

Had I the moolah I would’ve bought everything on display, but alas I don’t. But the fair is open until the end of the month so I’ve plenty of time to pop back if any extra lindens float my way. Well done to Ekilem Melodie for bringing this very welcome event to the grid, I hope we see many more Cosmetics Fairs in the future!

(Note: When wearing make-up layers always try demos first, and always make sure you are wearing the best base skin that you have in your inventory for best effect. In these shots I’m wearing Belleza skin)

Wanna go and see all the gorgeous colours and make-ups for yourself?

Click HERE to visit!

So far my virtual 2013 has been all about two things: tattoo-layer cosmetics and mesh legwarmers ( more on those another time!)

My look has really changed in recent months (for the better I hope) and I attribute this to a number of things, but I think the main influences upon my recent style have been the continued emergence of quality mesh clothing and the development of excellent tattoo layer and mesh cosmetics.

We all know that uber- quality skins are not cheap. Nor should they be; they take a lot of hard work to create. Of course, there is huge discrepancy on skin-pricing across the grid, and when you find your perfect skin forking out for a fat-pack that includes all the make-ups can be an eye-watering prospect. Fortunately, tattoo-layer cosmetics can help.

Recently I’ve become somewhat obsessed with eyeliner. I don’t know why I like it so much. As a child I was a little bit besotted with Siouxsie Sioux and Toyah, so it’s probably a throwback to those days. Problem is you need to be expert at applying it in real life to pull it off, and I’m just useless at it. My attempts at cat-eye/ winged liner in real life tend towards a spidery scrawl, and I can never get the darned flourishes at the edge of the eyelid to match. Thank goodness the same doesn’t apply to Second Life!

For a relatively small outlay you can spice up your base skin and become the best looking avatar on the grid bar none. It’s like having your very own virtual Girl’s World; it is so much fun trying out different combinations of skins and tattoo layers and eventually you could end up with a look that is totally unique to you. Save your creations as outfits and you’ll have a legion of glorious looks to quickly change in and out of. (Plus in real life heavy eyeliner is a pisser to get right, and when it comes to taking it off you need industrial cleanser and a rainforest of tissue before you’ve even penetrated the ruddy stuff. No mess Second Life wins again!)

The Cosmetics Fair 2013 finishes soon (April 30th) and it’s definitely worth a visit if you haven’t dropped by yet. It’s not a huge event by comparison to other recent occasions but it’s as equally rewarding and I’m confident you’ll spend more than a few happy hours lusting after the products on display. Ekilim Melodie, the event organiser, has brought together some of the very best cosmetic creators that the grid has to offer and you’ll find everything you could possibly need .

The event is sponsored by Action, BOOM, Glam Affair, *LpD*, PIDIDDLE and Pink Acid and features orgasmic creations from the sponsors and guests. Cam around the location and you’ll spy fabulous eye make-up, luscious lipsticks and glosses, natty nails and even some make-ups exclusively for the chaps. From the avant-garde to the more mundane, it’s all available here. There’s just so much to enjoy! Discover amazing patterns to adorn lips and lids, as well as practical devices such as a bum-cleavage layer that hides your builders bum crack, cheek definition and nose contour. It’s a must-visit.

You can demo a lot of items and I strongly suggest that you do just that before you buy. Tattoo-layer cosmetics are cheaper than skins, but they can still be pricey items, so you must ensure you’re happy with your prospective purchases before you indulge.

So what can you do with them I hear you cry? Well, for the picture above I wanted to wear a strong eye-make up to compliment the One Bad Pixel Cheongsam that I’m wearing. (Note: this is a complete fib because there isn’t a single bad pixel on this dress, it’s outstanding.) At the moment I’m completely besotted with Izzie’s Asia skinline. The skin I’m wearing in this shot is a medium tone from that range with dark brows. Izzie Button really is a talented wee minx, and is also incredibly obliging because she already includes excellent eyeliners, lipsticks and eyeshadows as part of her range, but I wanted something that would really stand out from the crowd. Thank goodness for the ability to layer then. I wore my regular skin, with Izzie’s own green eye-shadow and raspberry lipstick to which I then added my first purchase from the Cosmetic Fair, the Blacklace Beauty Exotica V.2 shadows and liners. These are an absolute bargain at L$99 for the package, which includes 11 sensational colourways. Once that layer was applied I was close to achieving the look I wanted, and finished by adding prim lashes and stunning Ikon eyes.

The finished look is a bit of a corker isn’t it?

Here’s a second demonstration of how fabulous tattoo-layers can be. I’m still wearing the dress, but fancied a change of hair and make up. This time I’ve switched to the Izzie’s Rose lipstick, and I’ve complimented it with eye make-up from Shakeup! Cosmetics. This is the Danielle range, and you get 8 colours in the range for L$150. I like the sparkle on this, and how the water-line of the eye is coloured too. Scrumptious don’t you think?

So what really got me excited at the show? Well if you’re looking for eye designs you’d be foolish to neglect Mons. For me, Mons really leads the way when it comes to tattoo-layer make-up, because they’re consistently brilliant and always look divine. The alternative-styled avatars out there will find extremely precise, gothic liners and brows at Nuuna, and if you’re looking for killer lips check out Pink Acid for the glossiest gob on the grid. Every vendor is a winner and you’re sure to find yourself laden with goodies when you leave the sim.

Before I close this post I must mention Mons again, and insist that you check out the eyeliner I discovered from them at this month’s Zodiac event. It’s called ‘Burning Eyeshadow’ and it is a total winner. I’m wearing it with a dress that I spied there too from Valentina E, called ‘Le Matadora’ and by heck it’s good. I knew I had to have it as soon as I laid eyes upon it! The name of the dress immediately identifies with Taurus, the subject of Zodiac this month, and it’s a beautiful mesh frock with a fabulous pattern and matching scarf. This is a really elegant couture number that’s available in a selection of colours and is exclusive to the event. I detest bull-fighting but I’m completely in love with this!