I must admit I do absolutely stuff-all with my hair.  I sometimes wash it, I sometimes dye it, but most of the time I pretty much let it take care of itself.

I do like the "grunge look" in hair - which mainly consists of not washing it very often and letting it get a bit of character buildup.  At least, I think that's what you call it.

So I went off for a quick trim at the hairdressers last week and the hairdresser washed my hair.  Big deal, I thought, shampoo and conditioner don't really do much.  However a strange transformation occurred within the space of about 5-10 minutes.

I went from this:

(Minus the zombie eyeshadow!)


To this:

To be honest, it was a little disconcerting, looking like a L'Oreal ad all of a sudden.  I liked it though, and I'll probably get some more of this stuff to use when I can be bothered washing my hair.

My hair has gone grunge again, by the way, in case you were wondering.

I believe you may have to use it more than once!

technorati tags: matrix total results, hair care, shampoo, conditioner, salon, grunge hair, shiny hair

I don't live in the US but if I did, and even though I don't, I want humans to be safe from guns.

And that means stopping other humans from having guns. Sorry but it does.

You can't legislate against people snapping or being secretly off tap. The US Government needs to stop the madness and get guns under control. THEN maybe we can start working on the humans. Not the other way around.


The "Right to bear arms" (2nd amendment) was passed in December 15, 1791.

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."


So, in the spirit of the time, here are some wacky and fun facts from the 1700s:

• Lynch mobs were commonplace
• It was not particularly frowned upon to kill native Americans.
• You could take part in a duel... and die.
• It was ok to own another human as a "slave". (slaves were considered "property" until the 13th amendment was passed.)
• Public executions were family events
• Many doctors believed bathing was "unhealthy"

It's 2013.  Sign the petition here:

 Gun Control Petition


 Take the Gun Control survey (US readers only)

technorati tags: gun control, 2nd amendment, second amendment, right to bear arms, US policy

Garnier BB Cream - Oil Free

For me, this is the holy grail of skin products.  It goes on matte but not cakey, turns out dewy and stays looking natural and glowy all day.  

Garnier BB Cream Oil Free has all the benefits of the original Garnier BB Cream but without the slide-off factor.  The coverage is better than the original and the consistency is just right.  

This is my pick of the BB creams, foundations and tinted moisturisers.  It stays on, looks natural, provides great coverage and is good for your skin.  Perfect.

technorati tags: garnier, bb, bb cream, tinted moisturiser, makeup, cosmetics, beauty, mineral makeup, mineral pigment, spf 15

Garnier BB Cream - Original

BB creams are growing in popularity over foundation.  The craze started in Korea and has finally made its way over here.  The BB creams moisturize, provide coverage with mineral pigments, give SPF 15 sun protection while also providing nutrients for the skin such as vitamin C.

I tend to prefer these over tinted moisturisers simply because the coverage is better.  Also, tinted moisturisers tend to get oily during the day and coverage tends to thin out.

The Garnier BB cream is great, it does get a tad oily though for those with oily/combination skin.  The medium shade is best for those with olive and medium skin tones and looks quite natural.  The shades seem darker than they actually are on the skin.  The colour is not flat, it looks multi-toned and extremely natural, like a "no makeup" look.  You can layer a bit for extra coverage if you need more in certain areas.

In summer, it may not be the best choice, but for the colder months it will hydrate and create a "dewy" look.

A little bit goes a long way so the bottle lasts for ages and ages.  Overall, the coverage is very good and if you tend to have drier skin, this will probably be a great all-in-one skin treatment.

technorati tags: garnier, bb, bb cream, tinted moisturiser, makeup, cosmetics, beauty, mineral makeup, mineral pigment, spf 15

Grunge is back. My inbox is stuffed with "new" Grunge "fashions", ready made for clueless, unsuspecting consumers. One slight problem. Grunge wasn't (and isn't) even Grunge.

Most people (and we are talking about musicians here) who have been categorised as "Grunge" in the past, don't even agree with the term.

It was a cynical attempt to make a music scene into a mass-produced, saleable commodity. Which, when you think about it, is what happens to anything that's actually good.

So, the powers that be turned an ANTI-FASHION movement into fashion. Impressive, huh?

And now I have to put up with items calling themselves "Grunge" flooding my inbox when Grunge doesn't even exist and the clothes didn't come from a second-hand store so they don't count anyway.

"Grunge" and "Punk" share common difficulties.

When the Sex Pistols broke, they didn't look like the version of punk we know today. So if they played at a punk pub with a strict "fashion" code today, and some dullard didn't recognise them, they wouldn't even be let in the door.

Here's a picture of the Sex Pistols in 1977:

They wore what was around. They held things together with safety pins because their clothes were falling apart, not because they wanted to make a statement.

The idea behind punk, before it was bastardised, was that anyone could be part of it.

If you were an outcast, a working class person, black, white, whatever, a person who didn't fit in anywhere else, you could go somewhere and actually feel like you belonged.

It didn't matter if you were wearing a sheet with two holes in it or a balaclava on your head and a dress, it really was, for a time, "come as you are".


Here is the multi-billion dollar fashion industry's version of punk:

"Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?"

John Lydon (Johnny Rotten)

A lot of people who call themselves punks have strict rules. Is your Mohawk long enough? Is it the right colour?  Do you have one chain or two coming from your jeans?  How many studs on your jacket?  Fail any one of these tests and you might find yourself an outcast.

.....And this, ironically, makes you the punk of the group.

Do you see what I'm getting at?

Like my partner once said, "When you can buy it at Sportsgirl, it's no longer punk".



PUNK:

Pussy Riot

NOT PUNK:

Avril Lavigne

Notice how it's not about the clothing?

And get stuffed if you disagree with me.  That's punk too.



So, too we see the problem with "fashionising" Grunge. I know what Grunge fashion is, if you must call it that, it's what I'm wearing right now.  Docs with holes in them (because I have owned them for 12 years and I haven't got new ones yet), jeans, a jumper.

Big deal right?

Because it's not about the clothes.

It's about music.

And you can't pass off a whole movement, philosophy, happening, etc, into a McGrunge franchise.

Sorry but you can't.

So here's an interpretation of Grunge fashion from the runway.  It's a symphony of flannel!!

If you really want to make a fashion movement out of it, get it right, at least.

Try this out, I'm sure it will sell really well.

Yeah, didn't think so.  So why even try?



Labels,
Labels,
We are surrounded by labels!....


As Kierkegaard (and Wayne Campbell from Wayne's World) said:

"Once you label me, you negate me".


Fads/Elitism/generationism/ageism, racism, sexism, and fashionism (yes, I just made up a word) adds up to buying into the corporate machine that started the whole mess.  Do you really want to be a part of that?

"Punk", and "Grunge" (maybe they're the same thing) is about expressing yourself.  Showing the world who and what you are no matter what others might think.

So....  Fine.  It's ok to buy "Grunge wear" if you want.  (I cringed even typing that)  But try to remember that these are invented concepts by the fashion industry and essentially mean absolutely nothing.



“Punk is musical freedom. It's saying, doing and playing what you want. In Webster's terms, 'nirvana' means freedom from pain, suffering and the external world, and that's pretty close to my definition of Punk Rock.”

 Kurt Cobain

technorati tags: Grunge, punk, johnny rotten, john lydon, kurt cobain, Nirvana, Pussy Riot, Avril Lavigne, tartan, grunge fashion, punk fashion, doc martens