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On-line Vendors

Tera writes,

On the topic of Too Much Fabric. I’m 5’2″, pear shaped, on the smaller side. I ordered a few dresses from eShakti (love!). Two of them have full skirts – and I feel like I’m being swallowed up in all that fabric. Is there anything I can do about that? Can the fabric be taken in somehow?

Dear Tera,
I have been experimenting with various vendors this past year as I transition away from occasionally trying to desperately find something that fits and flatters me in the retail stores to NEVER, EVER shopping in stores.

I have tried Eloqui, eShakti, and Modcloth, all of which have great choices for plus size gals, and the latter two of which allow you to customize your garments. All of them accept returns.

I love Eloqui. Their clothes run a bit snug but they have very sophisticated options and good sales.

I am a fan of ModCloth. Good quality, good customer service.

I am not having good luck with eShakti. They have great customer service but their garments take a long time to arrive since they’re coming from India. The clothing is really lovely and well-made but always seems to have one very ill-fitting feature; say, super tight armholes or an overabundance of fabric in the bust. I, too, have ordered a skirt and a dress which arrived with a far fuller skirt than I could ever make use of (perhaps pillow cases out of the excess fabric?). I have determined that even though the customer can specify her height in the order, the fullness of the garment is the same for a 6′ and a 5’2″ gal. Since many of the cutest eShakti styles are that retro flavor full-skirt look, we short gals are winding up with too much bulk. Yes, by all means get to a tailor and have them take it in.

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Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick

Devoted Pigeon Wil writes that she has has a Bobbi Brown shimmer brick ($44) for years and loves it. She uses the colors judiciously – blending to her day’s needs – rather than blend them all together.

Here’s what Bobbi Brown’s official website says about “How To Use,”
“Sweep the Face Blender Brush (sold separately) through all five shades of the Shimmer Brick Compact and dust lightly on cheekbones after Blush. Focus on applying shimmer on the top of cheekbones—where light naturally hits the face—for the most flattering look.”

A good reminder to you, powder pigeons, that make-up is a MEDIUM and your face is your canvass. You use those products however ya damn well please! Once they’re yours, you can do what you like with them. Use a concealer for contouring. Use blush on your eyelids. Use lipstick as blush. Who cares? The only thing to consider is hygiene, because you wouldn’t want to use mascara to touch up your roots and then use it in your eyes or something like that. Keep your brushes clean and play!

I don’t buy blushing products in strips of color myself because I can’t figure out how to get them onto the kind of fluffy brush I like for blush. I’m hoping Wil might help me figure this out.
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Those Striped Blush Thingies

I got this freebie at Duane Reade drugstore in Union Square. I don’t usually buy make-up that I don’t know to be cruelty-free, but hey, FREEBIE! Why not try it?

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The thing about these blushes that have highlighter built in, so to speak, is that you get the light-reflecting quality anywhere you put the product. This creates either a pleasing glow or a Shiny Face situation. I am undecided. I grabbed some screenshots to check it out. Sorry they’re blurry.

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Oh my god, I’m using air quotes!!

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I am trying some non-robe option for Sunday mornings and a black suit felt right for the Memorial Day service, but the stole looks bad over it. It’s too long and sloppy and I take full responsibility.

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Anyway, the lighting in our sanctuary is not great for the speaker, and some glowy make-up seems to work to bring my skin a bit of vibrancy. I think this Pop product would be better used as a highlighter, though. That’s just me.

You may be wondering how to apply this stuff. Let me tell ya. Don’t even bother with the dumb little brush the manufacturers include with the product. It’s not going to pick up any of the blush because it’s CHEAP. Use a fluffy brush, or (pro tip) if you want to use this as an eyeshadow (which would be real purty, ma’am), just use an eyeshadow brush like the good Lord intended. Sweep whatever brush you’re using over the whole palette. The point of having all the colors is that they blend. Use a light touch when applying — you can always add more, but whenever you use any make-up with iridescence in it, it’s very hard to blot it down too much. Go easy.

This product apparently retails for about $18, which seems insanely overpriced to me.

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PB Reviews Burts Bees Lippy and Pop Beauty Lipstick

MotherBang would like to recommend this product by Burts Bees. She says it works nicely on her mature lips: good moisturizing but also good pigmentation, and lasts fairly long.

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These products, on the other hand, are junky and I would return them if I could. This brand, Pop Beauty, is new to me. I found it at Duane Reade in New York City. MAJOR thumbs down on these products.

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The all-pink tube is a lip stain that doesn’t work very well. It leaves a thin sheer of color that actually did not stain my lips, and the lipstick in Pink Lemonade should be called “lip gloss in no discernible color when it’s actually on your lips.” Waste of money.