My other blog...

I make handbags, accessories and other random things because I am a Schizophrenic artist and I am all over the place. Check it out.  http://platinumhobo.blogspot.com/

Lace-Front Wigs- For Real Life or just for Movies?

Okay so people have been wearing hairpieces since someone could wrangle a horse and most likely before. Today they indeed still have a great popularity. Men and women of all races and background use them for their own purposes from time to time. There are those who are blatant with it using it th have wild colors and textures in fun, fantasy styles. And there are those who want to subtly enhance or embellish their own hair with the wigs and hairpieces.

So that brings me to the topic of lace front wigs. I watched quietly as the boom began. The wigs have been used by people in theater, tv and movies widely for years and years. But once word was put out that celebrities were wearing them, like Japanese girls (and me) on Hello Kitty, fashionistas attacked.

The benefit of the lace front is supposed to be that you can create a realistic hairline by aligning the "lace edged" hairline of the wig with where it would look good and you can trim the access and adhere that hairline to your skin. You can then cover the left over "lace" with makeup to blend more seamlessly. You also feel more secure, referring to the scare some people have about wigs going flying off.  And Voila, you don't have that crazy hairline people have, that insist on wearing wigs without bangs. You know, having the look of a weave "track" going across their forehead or the blunt beginning of the wig. When correctly worn it can look very realistic or just more believable,. That is unless your one of these people I am about to talk about....

A well matched and placed wig.

A pretty currly wig untrimmed.

 

The people that get these considerably more expensive wigs and do not correctly wear them looking shall I say, a fool. 

Ladies Don't Look LikeThis Samarai!

Some common mistakes:
They don't trim the lace correctly leaving all the mesh showing adhered to there face.

Weird straight hairlines.

The hairline is in some crazy place.

Overly shiny obviously fake hair (leave that for Barbie).And you don't have to have human hair to have something that looks believable.

And they have a wig with obviously mismatching scalps. (For example:If your a dark brown lovely don't have a blatantly white scalp it will be obvious on say, your center part.)

No go ladies, no go.

If the point is to create a more realistic look, why do people make these mistakes?  So the jury may still be out on lace front wigs in real life, the Platinum Hobo will be watching...

PLATINUM HOBO's Lip Product Review

I am a gloss junky but can appreciate a good moisturizing lipstick too once in awhile. I get to try or receive free makeup all the time. Here are some notable lipsticks and glosses.

Sephora- Super Shimmer lip gloss I like bronzed beauty.

L'Oreal Paris- Infallible Never Fail Lipcolor-It is like both a lipstick and gloss in one with gloss type application. The first step is the color which is basically super pigments it kind of feels dry so put step 2 on fast. Be very careful about how you apply the color too because they were not joking those pigments are not going anywhere! I have used it washed my face and it still remained; not completely but patchy. If you find a color you love this could be cool. Just be careful about it drying out your lips. It did this to me.



http://www.lorealparisusa.com/_us/_en/default.aspx#/?page=top%7Buserdata//d+d//%7Cdiagnostic%7Cmain:beautyfilter//category+F1_Cosmetics_Lips_LipColor;pageNum+4//%7Cmedia:_blank%7Cnav%7Coverlay:productdetail//objectid+Cos21a_24//%7D

Edited 16 Aug 2010 to say:
Maybelline Colorsensational lipstick is cool too. It is moisturizing, it dry out your lips at all. It has a creamy feel  when applied and lipstick lovers won't be put off by it. They colors are still bold enough.

The happenings...

I started this blog thinking of maybe doing it anonymous and talking of my travels. I think I will show myself.   :) I suck at posting regularly so now I will try to do so, at least semi-regularly and see what happens.

I have not been feeling well this fall/winter and am working with it. Took some time off.

But I worked the launch party for Urbandaddy.com in D.C. this past Friday. It was cool first literally then later as an experience. I did not have my contacts so I was working with blurred vision. Fun. This is the first time I was ever bodypainted. The plates were super heavy we just faked like it was cool. Muscle failure. What a model does!

Tyra's Black is Beautiful Show.

I was here the taping of the Tyra show's Black is Beautiful episode. Celebrating the success of Italian Vogue's Black Out Issue which made history. It is in it's fourth reprint. I can't find a copy but I hear you can get it on Ebay for $95. And when I talk about being a room full of black supermodels from different eras at once, man that is powerful! You go girls! I won't give away the episode but watch out for this Tyra show subject. Don't know when it airs yet.



The only pic I could get since I was working. Look at the entourage!
This link has a video of the outside action. http://www.omg.yahoo.com/videos/black-is-beautiful/4921

Hair types and texture

I forgot all about this until recently. I'd be online and see someone arbitrarily mention that there hair is "4b" or something. And I'd think to myself ,"What? 4b, is that weave, color, an apartment number or something??" So today after another letter number hair description mention I said, "Dammit, I'm looking it up!" 

Type 1: Straight hair

Type 2: Wavy hair

Type 3 "Combo" hair
With sub-groups A,B and C to depict range

Type 4 Kinky coily hair
With sub-groups A,B and C to depict range

This site explains it well:
http://www.curlyhairsalon.com/hairtypes.html

I remember looking at something about this on a hair salon's site in NY. To do this test you have to observe how your hair acts with no products after being washed and air drying. I remember that much. Now I can say the PLATINUM HOBO is either a 3C or 4A or somewhere in between.

Flying tips from the Platinum Hobo

HERE ARE SOME TRAVEL TIPS STRAIGHT FROM THE PLATINUM HOBO (AS OF DEC 09):
(this girl travels a lot.)

Tips for traveling abroad straight from the US gov:    http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/tips_1232.html

All liquids,creams,gel,etc.on your carryons have to be 3oz or less. Not including medicines and baby food/formula. Here's the link for BWI's travel tips so your not holding the line up and you can travel like the PLATINUM HOBO quick and chic. http://www.bwiairport.com/en/security/travel-tips

My personal tips:

1. Pack your carryon a duffle or rolling luggage and a tote bag and your all set for your excursions. You won't have to worry about paying to check your bag or waiting around at the luggage carousel. Nor will you have to worry about the baggage handlers scuffing your Louis Vuitton. Board early or you might have to gate check your bag if it's a full flight. Also another bag thing! What you buy in the airport may count as one of your carryons depending on how full the flight is or your gate agent will depends on if you'll be able to possibly get away with it.

2. Ladies if that time of the month hits you there may be free supplies onboard in your plane's bathroom. I know American Airlines had some. How convenient, especially from JFK to LAX!

3. With Airtran you can upgrade to business class starting at $49 depending on destination once your in the airport if business class is not full. Dress appropriately!

4. Know the rules of the airline your flying with I have seen people buy water or something in the airport and have to throw it out. Or throw out their drink and they could have kept them!

5.  Bring your own headset! Be mindful of the type of connection.How many times are you going to buy and collect these things? And you don't want to see the movie but not hear it, that's annoying. Or just fly business or first class.

6.  You may be able to go online inflight! There is a wireless internet service called Gogo that is on several airlines. http://www.gogoinflight.com/jahia/Jahia/site/gogo/root/participatingairlines Bring an extra battery or your charger and those headphones again! It works great and the price varies $5.95 to $12.95 for flights or you can buy passes.

7. Wear laceless shoes if possible! Flip flops, slides anything you can pop on and off when going through security.