Goddess Granny

"Down the street I'm the girl next door...I'm the fox you've been waiting for!" ("Cherry Bomb" by the Runaways, 1976)

Goddess Granny here to ROCK your world today and I have to tell you that of all the reviews I've done,I probably had the MOST fun thinking about how to present this fabulous product so that you too can feel the beat!

Gonna' set the stage, literally: late 1970's- early1990's (in other words, my personal heyday!) and it's a time in the music-era truly like no other. Band called the "Runaways" in 1976 recorded the song "Cherry Bomb" written for and sung by Cherrie Currie and let me tell you, these girls were SMOKIN' HOT!

Glam-rockers who took no prisoners and made no excuses for their talents, sexuality, and style...a young Joan Jett was also a member.  Without boring you and getting too far into the "history" of it all, know without a doubt that women like these ARE the gold-standard for all that is to follow in the rock n' roll world...I am going to link you to Joan re-doing the song "Cherry Bomb" on her own and I want you to check out her makeup, accessories, swagger, and what she defines:

Joan Jett "Cherry Bomb"

Goddess Granny just back from Las Vegas and boy oh boy,have things changed there! You really have to look HARD to find some of the old glam and glitz and although the shopping and the shows are world-class, the service and presentations have become sort of average...I have always enjoyed the simple fact that most of what you see and feel while visiting Sin City is an illusion and it used to be that you were made to feel you were part of something "special" there. It has changed and I hope those decadent days of glitter will someday be obvious again!

I for one love change...I know it's hard for many to embrace but I will add that when you somewhat rely on something to give you that thrill you crave it's never good to be let down. I still love Las Vegas and even more important,I LOVE when a company that's been around since 1994 is able to make those changes and continue to create cutting edge and fabulous products that ALWAYS deliver in style!

"Modern...versatile...easy to use" Words such as these are almost a constant when you read about the latest products from "Stila" The company was conceived by one of THE best makeup artists ever IMO, the gorgeous and ever so humble Jeanine Lobell in yes, 1994. It's gone through some changes for sure but has been a constant and consistently praised and coveted line of cosmetics since the beginning. I remember reading that back in the day Jeanine refused to use a supermodel or "face" to represent her line: she didn't want ANY woman to feel intimidated by an impossible beauty so the absolutely delightful and oh so pretty hand- drawn characters representing girls of all colors and styles decorate her signature packaging instead! I have a Stila dusting powder on my vanity that HAS to be about 10 years old: it's a chic redhead on a darling tube of "Flaunt" in the scent of "Violet" sparkling body powder and although I think the powder itself is long-gone, I just LOVE the cool color of the packaging and that sassy girl, so I keep it around.

Banana Bliss...Creamy Coconut...German Chocolate Cake...Goddess Granny here feelin' my butt grow bigger just whispering these words! To me, "foody scents" are the stuff of dreams and oh so satisfying without any guilt! I for one am weary of smearing tofu on a carrot and trying to fake myself into thinking it's Carrot Cake with Cream cheese Icing.

I want to smell and smell like things that make my mouth water and that might even be a bit "edible-smelling" to the hot man I'm married to as well! It's been proven time and time again that "foody smells" with vanilla at the top of the list really DO incite those bump n' grind urges in men!

Works for me too: if I can't EAT these yummy tasting treats very often it's all the more reason to indulge in their scents whenever possible, right?

Have you ever heard a song in the am and couldn't get it out of your mind or off your lips for an entire day? "Poker Face" comes to mind for me and of course,the visual of Meg dancing at sister's BBQ shared in a previous post to this tune always makes me smile as well! :)

Goddess Granny here and I think that some things are just SO good that it's really okay to rave about them over and over: I know that as consumers,we are faced with a mind-boggling array of choices when it comes to our glam-jam and I for one do my best to support as many companies as humanly possible! Is it a "sickness" to be constantly searching for "something better" or rather simply the pursuit of those items of quality which not only enhance our looks and well-being but also make our lives easier and thusly BETTER because they are simply so damn good?

I'm gonna' say it again and again: for me and my money, there are few companies out there that rival the genius, creativity, originality, and affordability of "Urban Decay!" If I remember correctly,when I first discovered this line @ 10 years ago,I turned to it for glitter eye-liners and that much-coveted shade of sparkly-champagne shadow NO makeup bag should be without, "Midnight Cowboy!" I've yet to find this shade's rival.

Fast-forward to 2009 and a helluva' lot of cash spent, many hours spent shopping and sampling and NOW, I find I'm scanning their website frequently as my first-choice in just about EVERY category because of what they continue to dream-up and offer! With SO much out there to chose from,you almost cannot FAIL with their cutting-edge colors, pace-setting products, and such interesting packaging and affordable pricing compared to many: add in a "Love it or leave it guarantee" for online-shopping (you can return an item within 45 days for a full refund!) and easy returns and you have what might just be a one stop shop for all that promises to be FABULOUS in the world of beauty products with no mistakes probable or possible! Plus,they offer sales like the recent $30% off which allows us to truly indulge and or justify just a bit more...

New for Fall '09 (along with some AMAZING new makeup colors!) is the "Lip Primer Potion"...I would venture to guess that many have tried and loved the coveted "Eyeshadow Primer Potion" and now there are also two NEW "Face Primer Potions" as well (one that brightens,one that perfects pores) but I'm going to try and focus on the Lip Primer here and now although I am a HUGE fan of the entire clan of Potions !

 
Hi y'all from Goddess Granny who is going back to English 101 today because I love words almost as much as I love products!
They have so much power and when someone knows how to wield their weapons with grace and effectiveness I go weak in the knees.
My word for today here in South Texas would be "swelter": to affect with oppressive heat. Sort of says it all
 
However there's a cousin to this word that I LOVE to use and be personally defined by as well and that is "smolder": to burn slowly without a flame.
 
I think that anyone who has perfected their own form of "smolder" is a RockStar simply because they just KNOW that exact little movement or gesture to use that will relay the heat of their being and promise of their hotness to anyone in their presence! A little raise of an eyebrow,a twist of the lips,a tilt of the chin, (most likely perfected via many hours taking arms-length pictures of one's self for Facebook,LOL!) and the most sensual and seductive method of "smolder" out there is to be found in one's eyes....I can be reduced to a puddle of goo in the middle of  the serenity of Barnes and Noble if the right man "smolders" in my direction. "Smolder" is something you acquire based on experience and that to my way of thinking, can be the hottest thing of all!
 
I am an "eyes" person for many reasons but they are the feature that is the most telling for my purposes.If I am ever close to being stranded on that elusive desert-island we chat about,I'd grab an eyeliner before I went for food! :) I'm right up there with the "greats" in this department: Cleopatra, Sophia Loren, Angelina Jolie in "Wanted",and any of Tim Burton's female characters!!! Give me black...Joan Jett black with lots of staying power and the ability to make me look bad-ass even if I'm in yoga clothes!

I have used some form of cosmetic "smolder" around my eyes ever since I figured out that it almost guaranteed that I didn't look "wholesome and perky!"

I'm not a girl who thrives in sunshine,who delights in fields of daisies,or who would EVER be considered "cute": I'm more of the type who's found in shadowy-corners,who would rather wear black then anything else,and who in spite of my upbeat and positive attitude much of the time,prefers to be called "geeky" rather than "glam" :) I think I'd spontaneously-combust if anyone handed me a white cotton sundress to try on.
 
Can we then chat a bit about Urban Decay? This company is simply AMAZING in my humble opinion! For over 10 years, THIS has been the brand I run to in any store it's carried in! It continues to evolve, suprise, and even sometimes shock me with it's amazing "of the minute" products and ability to stay fresh and current in a market so full of wanna' be's and also-rans.It IS the company that "sets" the trends rather than to simply jump on them and I love this little statement from them which so perfectly defines what they are all about:
 
"It's pretty. Maybe a little twisted. But never prissy. Makeup for your eyes, lips, nails, hair, and skin. It's always beautiful but sometimes unusual. It's makeup for individuals, not for those who want to blend in. Have fun, experiment, toy with a look that borders on dangerous. Shimmer, glitter, sparkle, sheen...use it all and change your face to match your mood. Go from a pixie to a vixen, from a rock star to a starlet. Be who you want to be today, just don't be average."
 
I have NEVER wanted to be "average" (the horror!) my pretties and neither should you! Whether you are 9 or 90, UD will hook you up in style and make you believe you have "smolder" already built-in or really bring it to center-stage with a tiny bit of effort and practice!
 
When I received one of UD's "Ink For Eyes" to try, I knew immediately that "average" it wasn't! I didn't even have to open the amazing container to be in love and already sucked into the dark-goodness of the "Zero" blackness inside: the shape is like no other, a slick and slender silver-toned case etched with a black fine-lined peacock almost anyone who's into "ink" would love to have on them! Flat out sexy without any apologies! Click the case open to find a long mirror and a beauty-tool that if I can't get more of,I will scream: one end has an angled-liner brush that is PERFECT for sweeping on a Sophia-like glam-slash of liner and the other end connects to a smudger like no other...It's firm but soft and allows one to REALLY make a hot-mess of the product if that's the desired effect, to simply soften down a harsh line, or to gently stroke on a bit of accent perfect for anyone who isn't really into the "liner-scene." The "ink" itself is an OMG of perfection! Not quite a gel,not as harsh as a shadow,and not the least bit hard to handle: you can bend this product to your will any which-way and it will NOT let you down!!!  The paraben-free "nylon 12" polymer according to the company,allows for a flawless application with NO flakies or breakies as you apply.You can consider this product as "fool proof" as any cosmetic I've ever seen!There's a generous amount of fabulous product in the case and I WANT EVERY COLOR NOW!!! I haven't let my black "Zero" case out of my sight since it arrived, it's totally portable and instead of "making do" when you feel you need a touch-up, you can pop this out and have your hotness back (in the immortal words of Uma Thurman..) "in two shakes of a lamb's tail!!!" I am never without this item anymore and it has SKYROCKETED to the top of my "Ultimate Holy Grail" of products list!!! It's with me on that desert island if I have to smooch a shark to get to it!