color

Aromaleigh Make-Up

admin — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:55:00 +0000

When Bette Davis was entering her later years, she said something to the effect of, “I will not retire while I’ve still got my legs and my make-up box.” Bette, like a lot of us gals, knew the importance of quality make-up and what role it can play in our everyday lives. I savor my ten minute make-up sessions because it’s one of a few moments each day that I can actually be alone with my thoughts and prepare myself for what may come. Plus, experimenting with different looks and playing with bright colors and textures make me happy.

After receiving my sample package from Aromaleigh, I woke up every morning with a newfound sense of adventure and wonder because I not only got to have my alone time, but I also gained a chance to feel different everyday. They create, in essence, the make-up of my dreams because of their dedication to distinctive, desirable products. I’ve tried all kinds of make-up over the years, everything from the likes of Wet ‘n’ Wild to Estee Lauder, and I’ve never come across a company like Aromaleigh that speaks so directly to feminine creativity and expression. It’s honestly the best make-up I’ve ever put on my face.

Aromaleigh is a web-based, woman-run company from South Carolina. Their vast catalog consists of foundation, blush, lipstick, perfume, eyeliner, many different kinds of eye shadow, and more. As part of the mineral make-up revolution, Aromaleigh also knows how important it is to concoct their delightful delicacies with the finest, most eco-friendly ingredients available. None of their products are tested on animals, and you can read the ingredient lists online. Not only that, but their colorful baubles just feel good to wear. The “Divine Intervention” eye shadow sang symphonies off my face and never faded throughout my twelve-hour day.

I first discovered the company when a wonderful friend gave me samples of their vivacious silver frost “lily pad” eye shadow and rockin’ sonic coral “shadow of love.” Despite having very sensitive skin, all of Aromaleigh’s products work well with my complexion, and they don’t really fade or smudge. Thus far, I’ve tried items from their Bete Noir, Eyes Lustre, and Gothic Lolita collections. I honestly can’t articulate how many different colors, sparkles, and shades Aromaleigh boasts. They wield all the colors of the rainbow throughout their various collections and possess fun, frisky names like “Lush Memoir” (Gothic Lolita collection), “Darcelle” (Bete Noir collection), and “Space Oddity” (Sonic Cosmetic Collection). They mix and match colors like nobody’s business, and their new limited edition Orchid collection is practically mouth-watering. For eye shadows, they have mattes, frosts, sparkles, and all-encompassing combinations. The brightest of yellows and whites are at your disposal as are the darkest of blues, purples, and blacks. I’ve only tried lip products from the Gothic Lolita collection, but out of the four I tried (Melancholia, Pinafore, Wallflower, and Lollipop), none of them felt sticky or heavy and provided deep, lasting shades that “popped” off my fair skin.

At the risk of sounding like an infomercial, the best part about Aromaleigh is their reasonable prices. Most of their eye shadows range in price from $6-8, and you can buy samples (which last a long, long time) of many of their products for under $1.50. Like a lot of independent companies, Aromaleigh seems to rely on steady customers to keep their company afloat. Therefore, they offer weekly coupons and deals on select products. Plus, there’s free shipping for all sample orders, and they even throw in three random samples with every sale so you can try different things from different collections.

Above all, Aromaleigh truly cares about what they’re peddling. There’s a lot of craft, caress, and chutzpah placed in every treasured stroke of color and spark of glitter. You’ll get a lot for your money and feel marvelous while doing it. Whether you’re Bette Davis with blue eye shadow and brown mascara or someone like me who enjoys sparkling like a holiday with lilac purple and sea foam green, I’m sure Aromaleigh has a cosmetic soul mate in store for you.

Written by: Sara Freeman, May 3rd 2009

When She Was White: The True Story of a Family Divided By Race

admin — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:27:00 +0000

By Judith Stone

Hyperion

It would be hard to find a story more inherently dramatic than that of Sandra Laing, one that can show in a more complete and complex manner the ramifications of South Africa’s apartheid regime. With coloring distinctly different from that of her white family, Sandra Laing was expelled from her white school in 1965 and reclassified as “coloured” (of mixed-race descent), then, after her family engaged in legal battle, was made ‘white” once again; in the throes of this conflict, at the age of fifteen, Laing fell in love and ran away with a black man, with whom she had several children. Finding herself more comfortable with her lover’s family, she applied, once more, for racial reclassification. In the meantime, she lived with the inevitable hardships that came with being classified as “black” in South Africa while remaining the object of international journalism, gained and lost contact with members of her white family, and tried, as best she could, to ignore larger political structures and the pain they had caused her.

In the delicately titled When She Was White, Judith Stone skillfully limns the high drama of Sandra Laing’s story. Stone spent several years working in South Africa, interviewing Laing and many other individuals connected to the story, as well as researching the alarming intricacies of the apartheid government. The result is a thoughtful, moving book. Although Stone occasionally veers into the sanctimonious when describing the plight of black people under apartheid, she portrays the character of Sandra Laing, and the drastic psychological ramifications of her early life, with a delicate, skillful eye. As is often the case in a far-reaching biography, the events of Laing’s later life cannot quite match the drama of her childhood and adolescence, but by including occasional interludes into her own analysis of Laing’s current character Stone successfully keeps the book compelling.

Particularly for readers not well-versed in modern South African history, Judith Stone’s thoughtful biography is valuable. It tells an intense story without overwhelming readers with intensity, delves into interesting aspects of both South African apartheid and racism itself, explores the complex nature of memory, and introduces its audience to a woman, a character, more complex than the news bite drama of her tale appears.

Written by: Gemma Cooper-Novack, June 10th 2008

Devine Color: When Color Sings

admin — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 23:55:00 +0000

By Gretchen Schauffler

Inkwater Press

What do you do when the taupe couch you loved in the store looks green when you combine it with the other furnishings in your living room? Before you return the couch to the store, read Devine Color: When Color Sings by Gretchen Schauffler.

In Devine Color, Schauffler educates readers about color and the effects it has on home décor. Her goal is to help her readers appreciate the beauty of their surroundings. She tackles common color myths, discusses color combinations and explains color associations.

Schauffler explains that every color in your home can fit into the six color categories (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple). Another color problem that is discussed is neutral color. She also claims that neutrals are not really colors on their own. Rather, neutrals often pick up the colors around them and can end up looking quite different than what was expected in the paint store.

Furthermore, Schauffler encourages readers to be proactive about color, put the items in their homes into color categories, and then to try new paint colors that enhance their surroundings. She maintains a friendly and helpful tone throughout and provides plenty of tips and tricks for enhancing home décor with items that are already present in the home. Schauffler makes readers feel like they can go out and pick the right colors for their home. The advice in Devine Color can be applied to home décor, as well as art and fashion.

Written by: Rekesha Spellman, June 7th 2007