Awesome skirts I have in my head, for about two weeks now. Today, come hell, or high water, I will cut them out . This afternoon sew one, tomorrow the other. I’ve got this killer idea for a skirt using industrial zippers.
I’m also about to cave and buy, don’t laugh, a Bedazzler. Why? I like studs and I found a place online that sells butt-loads of studs for the darn thing for cheap. I want studded belts and handbags, using the leather I’m about to purchase. End pieces from a company in bright colors. I can’t wait to make purses out of them. CANNOT WAIT!!! I also have the coolest fake snakeskin from JoAnne’s of all places. I am cutting it into a belt, something else and a purse today. It needs studs. It also needs a lining, but I’ve got that covered. Nothing fancy, no pockets on the inside, just color and fun. This thing has a shimmer to it and is croc embossed. All the fun, without killing a croc. Of course, the croc can kill back, making it a sort of, “Bambi with a Gun.” I think it’s wonderfully ironic.
Still, I will wear somehow leather, but getting away from it more and more as really good substitutes become available. I like the idea of synthetics, although they use oil. I have a lot of bamboo and organic cotton in my stash now. Gentle on the earth, just share with the Pandas.
This post feels so important to me, that I’m posting it on both blogs today. Anyone, who puts two and two together on the name of this company and threatens me, will be reported to their ISP. I’m not 19. I’m almost, gasp ick, forty six and I know the laws when it comes to copyright and defamation. So, put a hat on it. I will turn around and bite people who try to blackmail me and I won’t play along. Ever. It gets my back up and I become belligerent and it’s no fun for anyone. Free speech is just that. Besides, I never name your company. Interested parties can go to Google and type in, “_____ (company name) + repackaged makeup. Very interesting. Take all reviews, good and bad, with a salt lick. Mine too. We all get biased about our favorites.
I don’t know, if you know, or care, but there is what can only be described as an Internet war going on in the indie makeup community. Companies buying pigments from Coastal Scents and TBK Trading, and re-packaging them at an obnoxious price.
Over the last few days, I’ve been both furious at consumer’s for not knowing what goes into their makeup and these companies ripping off people. The key? Even if the current companies straighten up and play right, there will be more companies who take the easy way out. It gives people who work hard to formulate their own colors a bad reputation. No one trusts anyone right now and the people loyal to the brands doing the stealing, are bunch of Internet bullies.
Spamming sites that dare say even the smallest negative, “this lipstick could be creamier,” is a capitol offense and the owners of one company in particular are calling anyone with anything negative to say liars, which is an understatement. Take down notices, defamation of character lawsuits are threatened and opinions squashed. Look, if someone tells you to review their stuff and threaten lawsuit because they don’t like what you have to say, tough.
What’s so wrong with a bad review? One of my books was switched editors on me halfway through. The new editor was someone without a larger worldview who did not like my stories. She did a slip-shod job on it and I got rotten reviews on spelling and sentence structure. Something my editors and the Final Line Editor are supposed to catch. Hell-o, dyslexic writer here and they knew it. At first, I was so pissed that a good story got ad reviews, but it wasn’t the story, it was the editing and a fair cop. I should have been taken to task on it and now I’m bothered that book is not better and want a re-write.
A company should welcome, with grace, a bad review. Stand back, is it fair? If your colors are dupes of someones stuff, or re-packaged there’s nothing wrong with that. TBK makes some of the most gorgeous colors I have ever seen. It’s worth cutting more glimmer, or making matte and pressing for people. Even if you do it, you can tell people and make sales. Some people love the color, but a pigment might not have a good slip, as is, or fade because it needs a product to keep the sun off it (pigments should be stored in low-light conditions). There’s a reason companies add fillers to product. Not to ruin the pigment, but to make it bendable and lasting.
Why does this frost my cookies? Because I’m a cook who can’t cook, because I didn’t get to be 320lbs on restaurant food, it was *MY* cooking. I need a substitute. So, I’m going to formulate my own pressed shadows, blushes and lip glosses (lip stick later on) and sell them. No hard sell, just available online and in person to people who want them. Will I send some out to people on the Internet who can help? I’m no idiot, of course. Do I expect people to gush for more? Cripes no. Tell the truth and I will re-formulate stuff to be better. I don’t want to sell an inferior product.
Mostly, I will sell to friends and family and not worry so much about YouTube. I won’t be selling there, unless someone likes my shadow. Then, go for it.
The problem with Coastal Scents and TBK Trading is they do offer yummy colors that I want to press down and sell. Why? Some people could not be bothered and love the colors. Those colors will not only be clearly marked, but my cost x 2 for work. Which makes them cheaper than anything else out there, except pressing your own and it’s fun to press your own, so the color, fillers and pressing technique I use will be put into videos so you can make them even cheaper than I can. Tops will be closed with tamper-proof sleeves and everyone should feel I’m being fair.
When I come up with my own mixes, and where’s the fun in following someone else’s recipe? To use as a guide, but not dupe, I will say so and they will be a tad more. Why? I’ll be busting my hump in my sterile as can be kitchen (alcohol is your friend, as well as gloves) to make a product that’s pretty unique, but in this industry, it’s all been done before.
One wag said she only bought from high end places (MAC’s prices are fair for their pigments btw. I’m talking really high end) because they never dupe. Really? Black’s pretty much black here people. I’m studying the science carefully. Using it as a learning tool for my boys. Will it get off the ground? Who cares. I can always sell to Bride’s work with, or use in volunteer situations. Sales from this are extra and nice, but won’t be my bread and butter and that’s why I won’t push.
So, be an informed consumer. Go to the TBL Trading site and Coastal Scents. Look at those yummy pigments. Buy them in sample size if you want, but pure pigment gets in my eye and bugs me, so think about recipes. They’re out there. See what a mattyfyer can do to the pigment. Play with your makeup, or at least know what Coastal Scents sells and don’t expect your primer to hold on glitter. That stuff is chunky and needs a binder.
Yours in truth, Nancy
For anyone interested the name of my makeup line is, “Herne’s Folly,” after my autistic son. A very visible part of the proceeds for the formula (still needs tweaking) for his eye shadow will go to Aids Foundations. I’ll post my receipts. I’m going to be darn transparent. For my friends who passed from Viral Breast Cancer, there will be a donation made to a good breast cancer organization, with scanned receipts. Anyone who says they are giving proceeds to charity, if they are a partnership, or an independently owned entity, has to do this, but why hide it? Those sales are for special things. I’m thinking about,”Autism Speaks,” and, “Susan G Koman,” but, SGK does not guarantee where the funds go, so if you have better ideas, please pass them on. I love to cook and this is cooking with gas.
Is there any obligation? No. My best friends don’t read my blogs. They don’t have to. I tell them everything. : )
