SKIN FAIR 2016: AMARA BEAUTY ‘Kallie’

March 11, 2016August 27, 2016 by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Feast your eyes on this bare-faced beauty! You’re gazing upon the gorgeous ‘Kallie’ from AMARA BEAUTY (formerly known as ZOUL CREATIONS) and as you can see she is absolutely stunning. Shantia Soulstar has embraced the challenge that mesh heads provide for skin creators, and she hasn’t let us down. She has created two beautiful mesh head appliers, both available at SKIN FAIR 2016, for LELUTKA and CATWA mesh heads. In this picture, I’m wearing the LELUTKA mesh head applier on my ‘Stella’ mesh head, and frankly, she’s a revelation.

Shantia has been creating skins for mesh bodies for a while now so has gathered some valuable skin-making experience and she never disappoints when it comes to details. Every anatomical detail is present and correct and beautifully applied. The same skill that she’s honed for her base skins now applies to her mesh head creations too, as I hope this picture clearly demonstrates. Guys, this is a seriously breathtaking face.

The thing that ALWAYS gets me about Shantia’s skins are her brows; in my opinion she creates the best eyebrows in SECOND LIFE. As you can see they arch perfectly and are just the right shape that frames, rather than overpowers, the face. Cheek contour is always subtle but well applied, and as a foundation for mesh-head makeups ‘Kallie’ proves a worthy ally. In fact as a bare canvas, even with the limitations that mesh heads currently provide, you can create some beautiful looks with ‘Kallie’ that will make your avatar look unique.

It’s incredibly gratifying for me as a blogger to see a skin creator that you admire continually develop. I first started wearing Shantia’s skins (back when they were ZOUL CREATIONS) in 2014. That’s not that long ago, but she’s clearly advanced as a skin artist and has a fantastic portfolio which I hope that she is proud of, because each one of her skins are incredibly wearable still.

Personally, I believe AMARA BEAUTY will be one of the success stories of SKIN FAIR 2016. I really hope so, not just because Shantia deserves her success and has worked hard for it, but because it’s high time this range of skins got the full recognition that it deserves.

(A quick shout out to ARISE who are also exhibiting at SKIN FAIR 2016, for this stunning under-bust tattoo that I’m sporting. It’s called ‘Lisa’, so how could I resist? <giggle> (Yes, that’s my real name, hence I just had to have it!) I really love it actually; I do enjoy wearing tattoos in-world but sometimes I prefer something a little more understated rather than an over-the-top number, and this perfectly fits the bill. I’m a huge fan of ARISE and I wasn’t disappointed by their range of body enhancements on show at SKIN FAIR 2016. I don’t think you will be either!)

A final word also for this pose that really caught my eye at POSE FAIR 2016 earlier this evening. I’ve had a very brief shop there and found a couple of tasty poses that I’ll be using in my blog posts over the next few days, but this one in particular, the snappily titled (ahem!) ‘Headshot F #3’ from BLACK TULIP really caught my eye. It’s a real asset to a blogger to have an unusual way to frame a head-shot, and this pose has a real couture-like feel to it, if you get my drift. It feels like a pose that a model would strike on the pages of ‘Vogue’ or some other high-fashion magazine. It’s rather striking and very effective for pictures where the focus isn’t on clothing or hair, and one that I think I’ll get a lot of use out of!

KITTY WEARS:

BODY: Maitreya ‘Lara’ V3.5

HEAD: Lelutka ‘Stella’ 1.3

SKIN: Amara Beauty ‘Beige’ Maitreya applier SKIN FAIR 2016 (Sim 2, booth 10)

HEAD APPLIER: Amara Beauty:’Kallie’ (Beige) SKIN FAIR 2016 (As above)

EYES: IKON ‘Hope’ eyes– ‘Denim’

TATTOO – Arise ‘Lisa’ SKIN FAIR 2016 (Sim 2, booth 45)

SEPTUM PIERCING –Chary ‘Septum Ring’ 7 (RARE)

ENGAGEMENT RING – Cae ‘Cherish’

POSE –Black Tulip – ‘Headshot F#3’ POSE FAIR 2016

SKIN FAIR 2015 – La Malvada Mujer ‘Anna’

March 28, 2015July 13, 2015 by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Now until two seconds ago I had absolutely no idea that LA MALVADA MUJER means ‘The Evil Woman’, but thanks to the wonders of Google Translate I do now:) Faina Cortes is the brains behind the brand that creates skins, make-ups tattoos, poses ‘and garbage’ (her words not mine) in Second Life. And personally, I don’t think she has an evil bone in her body!

First of all this is NOT your regular skin brand, and that’s a strength, not a criticism. These are skins with edge that stick two fingers up at regular Second Life skin standards and veer completely off track. That’s not to say that they’re completely ‘out there’, but they’re the kind of skins that many will avoid because the shading and styling on them is a little too irregular for their tastes. Now, that’s a shame, because they’re missing out on taking a trip with some of the tastiest alternative skin-wear in world, but it also means that if you choose to sport these skins then you’re one hella unique individual indeed, and in a world teeming with ‘unique individuals’ then that’s really saying something!This is a world of twisted tattoos and dramatic eyeshadows and lips. This is a world where cheekbones are so sharp that they will cut you, so perhaps there is some evil to be reckoned with, after all. They’re certainly not skins for the faint of heart.

I went for an oddball 1990’s inspired look when wearing ‘Anna’, the SKIN FAIR 2015 release. Initially I struggled a little with styling, but eventually realised that with this skin, less is more. So I pared back my look removing the tattoos that I normally wear these days and focusing on the skin itself. Now, like all the reviews I’ve done so far I haven’t changed anything about my basic shape at all, yet straight away you can see how different my face looks to normal. This is due to shading and shaping and there is LOTS of it here. Cheeks are super-sharp, eyes well defined and lips acute; think angles and edges rather than softness and sheer shape. That’s not to say that the shading isn’t exceptional, it is, but this skin has a definition that some will not be used to at all. Don’t fear it. As an analogy, this is the kind of skin you would probably see on the most haute-couture of catwalks.

It’s fair to say then that LA MALVADA MUJER skins are not for everyone, and you won’t descend into a virtual club to see it filled with avatars sporting these looks. But that my friends is a bonus; in a world where we can indulge our differences it’s often surprising to me how much we can look the same. Not if you’re wearing these skins. Last but not least if you have the TMP Mesh Body then this is the brand to seek out and try because there’s so much tailored to fit your investment. For the rest of us think regular skin layers to sport, but also colourful alternative bright eyebrows and shadows along with lips to match and freckles that look authentic due to their lack of symmetry. I urge you to give this brand a go guys; it’s very different but a lot of fun.

You’ll find LA MALVADA MUJER on SKIN FAIR 2015 SIM 1, Booth 44

**Kitty wears ANNA Skin Tone 2 NB* ANNA Lipstick N2* ANNA eyebrows violet**

Anna Skin is available at the event 4 skin tones, with separate eyebrows, eye shadows and lipsticks available separately from the skin.

Tantalised by Taryn from Nar Mattaru

May 18, 2014 by Lisa Millar ♥ 2 Comments

When it comes to writing about a new skin, putting the pressures of Skin Fair to one side, I like to really take my time and ‘live’ in the skin for a few days. It’s like anything new; you need time to become accustomed to the changes, to feel the benefits of the change and also to notice any quirks that emerge due to your new appearance.

Over the past few days I’ve been enjoying the latest Nar Mattaru release. Her name is Taryn and oh my word is she special. Guys, I adore her. She is an absolute beauty, with excellent detailing in all the places that matter. There are seven tones to choose from catering to every possible taste; I opted to try ‘Suntan’ and found it to be a rich, caramel shade that really suits my shape. As you can see, I look pretty hot, even if I do say so myself!

The face is the main selling point for me with this skin. To be fair, I guess it’s the same for most skins I wear; if I don’t immediately ‘click’ with the visage on a skin I won’t wear it. I know there’s a trend for unusual faces in-world, and fair-play to those that sport them, but my style has always been tailored towards what I guess you would describe as ‘classically beautiful’. ‘Taryn’ is certainly that. Her face fit onto my shape perfectly and just evoked glamour from the get-go.

Seriously if you covet a beautiful look then ‘Taryn’ is not to be missed. I found her to be adaptable to many styles that I tested her with and wasn’t disappointed in any way, shape or form. Thing is, her make ups are utterly scrumptious. They’re really perfect in the choice of colours and the application; my particular favourite is ‘Canary’ which features the most delectable splash of colour and winged liner to compliment. There’s no end to the fun you can have with the make-ups either, there are 12 lipsticks and 7 eye make-ups to play with. I particularly enjoy wearing the lip gloss with the more avant-garde shades, such as the vibrant blue and punkish black lipstick…it really adds a slick of polish to a very modern look!

The other strength in this skin is her sculpted brows and the options for contouring and blush that are available too, in fact Jade hasn’t missed a trick when it comes to options for Taryn, with appliers for practically everything available separately; Slink, Azz, Wowmeh and Tango.

One thing I particularly love about this skin is that it photographs well. If you enjoy taking photographs of your avatar, the make-ups alone make Taryn a sound investment. She’s getting some excellent press too, and frankly I’m not surprised; there are a lot of bloggers out there who are just as enamoured by her as I am. Willow Zander has waxed lyrical about this skin’s many virtues, as has Elle Avanti, to name-check a few of the blogging celebrities out there currently enjoying this fabulous release.

Playing about withPicmonkey, as well as some of the make-up options, enabled me to create this rather vintage snap above. There’s no denying the beauty of this skin really, is there?

NAR MATTARU was a new name to me until I went to Skin Fair earlier this year, and I had a hunch then that Jade Glazner was a designer to watch. For me Taryn has completely confirmed my judgement, it’s an excellent release and deserves to be worn and enjoyed by many across the grid. The fact that she is so versatile and has so much to offer makes her an absolute must have for any skin addict.

Taryn comes with:

FOUR cleavage options (Small, regular, large and push-up)
FOUR brow options (Blonde, brown, ginger and black)
Make-up pack (Lip-gloss layer plus Eight lipsticks and seven eye shadows)
Tintable moles, blush, contouring and freckles

You get a LOT for your L$1000 making her a very sound investment indeed, and you can purchase additional appliers at the main store as I mentioned before. What’s not to love?

Click HERE for your taxi and if you see Jade, tell her Kitty sent ya!

Skin by NAR MATTARU, Eyes by IKON, Hair by SPELLBOUND.

Lovely In Liliskins (Avatar Blogger Crossfit Challenge (Entry 12 of 30))

June 17, 2013 by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

(Note: I’ve fallen way behind due to RL work, so here’s me starting a mahoosive kitty catch-up! GAH!)

One of the things I absolutely adore about Second Life is the ability to change your appearance on a whim. With a few clicks you can rapidly transform from human to something entirely different; be it a cyborg, an elemental creature or even a cardboard box. The limits are absolutely endless. Second Life is all about transition, change and development, and not just on a techy level.

Which is why for many of us it’s almost ridiculous that whilst we have so much diversity to choose from, we rarely venture from our core identities. Our shape our style of skin, our hair; we opt for variations on a theme and concentrate on polishing our avatar to an iridescent sparkle. We craft them over time; adding tweaks to the shape and finding a signature style that eventually becomes our look.

And Kitty’s look has sure evolved over time. Back when I joined SL in 2006 I had no idea what I wanted her to look like. I plumped for a shape that was too skinny and top-heavy and her style took a while to evolve. As I’ve mentioned many times before, Second Life style blogs were just emerging at that time, and they were already proving their worth, helping me discover brands and be able to distinguish quality content creators from the sea of tat that was already filling the marketplace (or SLX as it was then) and certain corners of the virtual globe.

Like in real life, our image changes over time, but some things stay sacred. For example, in real life I have long locks, and I shudder when it’s time to have even a trim. But in Second Life, it’s very rare that you’ll see Kitty wearing anything longer than a shoulder length style. Bobs are Kitty’s thing, along with eyeliner, lashings of red lipstick, legwarmers, funky tees and jumpers and cats. (Obviously)

But even though Kitty’s core image rarely changes too dramatically, there’s one thing I do like to change almost as frequently as my underwear, and that’s my skin. Skin making in Second Life is nothing short of an art in my eyes, and to be successful at it requires a deft hand and a delicate touch, and if there’s one thing I’m choosy about, it’s the skin that I wear.

My favourite skin designers have grown and changed over the years. I’ve always been a Curio girl at heart, but more recently I’ve tended towards Belleza. LAQ, Adam & Eve, Step Inside and Rockberry. I love them all for different reasons and wear them for different occasions. For example, if I want a skin with a funky make-up then at the moment I’m plumping for my Belleza skins with their perfect eye-shadows. A simpler look that can be dressed up or down with tattoo layers has me reaching for Izzie’s skins. If I’m seeking sheer luminosity and glow, perfect for wearing at a virtual beach, then that has me reaching for Step Inside’s ‘Runa’ line. There’s so much choice out there and I LOVE IT!!

A new brand for my list is Liliskins. Back in my early days of Second Life, before the dominance of brands like ETD and later Truth,my hair was often sourced at Calla. This empire was established by Tigerlily Koi, and she was expert at torturing prims into exotic tresses and created some of the best up-dos that the grid has ever seen. As time passed and my tastes changed I veered towards other makers, but I still have acres of room in my inventory dedicated to Calla, and a few hairstyles I take out of dusty boxes and wear from time to time with a smile on my chops as they trigger happy memories.

Liliskins is Tigerlily’s contribution to the world of Second Life skin, and it’s a welcome addition indeed.

Her store is a reflection of her brand ethos and is elegant and beautifully lit with all her wares easy to see on display and purchase. Not only that, but this is a store for the complete skin experience. Tigerlily’s gone the whole hog, crafting skins, eyes and providing appliers for mesh boobs and slink hands and feet, so is offering a complete skin experience, from head to toe. You can even get dimples too!

When she dropped a parcel upon me of skins to try I was thrilled and enjoyed trying them on and thinking of the looks that could be best worn with them.The skins feature great colour, tone and shading but with a twist of nostalgia thrown in. These skins have an almost ‘traditional’ feel to them, retro if you will, but don’t for an instant think that’s a bad thing. Oh no, far from it. These are skins that are less about complication and distraction yet totally about ease-of-wear and attractiveness. There’s no fuss and frippery, just a quality skin embellished with make-up that you can dress up or down as you see fit, knowing you look the part. Confidence is key, even in a virtual world, and you can be confident wearing these skins for sure.

One of the flourishes that makes these skins different to others are the brows. They’re quite stylised, and almost Cara Delevinge heavy, but they frame the face and work extremely well with the make-ups that are available for the skins.

I mentioned that you could get all the appliers you could possibly want in store to enhance and provide the perfect finish to your look, but you can also add eyes into that equation. The eyes on sale here, at a very reasonable L$150, are well worth your time and Lindens, and feature some really lovely colour combinations. I really recommend the ‘Pale Olive Gold’. And when it comes to make up let me advise that the lipsticks here are just divine, with a pack featuring varying shades of gloss available for L$250. My favourite being ‘Burnished Rose’, just delicious.

Because I said there was a vintage feel to this skin, I’ve dressed it Gatsby-style for the shots. I added hair by TRAM, and a glorious roaring Twentie’s style frock by SENZAFINE to my skin ensemble. Looks the part, don’t you think?

Last but not least, Liliskins is also holding a picture contest, and you have plenty of time to enter. It’s open until June 30^th, and all you need to do is submit your photo to the Liliskins Flickr Group for the chance to win some heftily stocked gift cards to enable you to further expand your Liliskin range. What’s not to love? Whoop!