Outfits for Living Room Rock Stars

I used to be a professional video game tester. It sounds like a dream job, right? Except for the part where I rarely play video games. I get frustrated fairly easily, and I also get really stressed out by things trying to kill me. (I think that's understandable.)

What I do have, however, is a fairly good sense of rhythm and the ability to hit a note properly. Therefore, it's no surprise that some of the video games I love best are the music games. My all-time favorite is UmJammer Lammy, the sequel to Parappa the Rapper, where you hit your PSone (yeah, old school!) buttons in time to play the guitar.

Needless to say, there's been a lot of changing and improving since '99 (was it really that long ago??). Now we've got full-on plastic instrument peripherals for Guitar Hero, plug-in microphones for Karaoke Revolution... and, of course, Rock Band's full band kit, with guitar, microphone, and drum kit.

For more on Rock Band, check out this podcast on real musicians, including Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney, playing Rock Band and talking about how even though it's not the same as really getting up there on stage and playing true music, it's still a lot of fun for the casual gamer/music fan. (Which is me!)

So, since Rock Band is meant to be played in a group and there's nothing better than having a full performance, I poked around Polyvore and made up some outfits for the four parts of Rock Band -- drums, guitar, bass, and vocals.

Drums:



I picked flats for easier use of the bass pedal, decided a no-go on bracelets because you'll be busy with your drumsticks and don't need bangles crashing around, and a cute yellow watch to keep time for you. Plus a Blondie t-shirt because female rockers need to rep-re-sent! (Seriously, there are far too few female-vocal songs on Rock Band.)

Guitar:



The guitarist, on the other hand, gets the awesome bracelets and heeled slouchy boots. Also, sequins. And naturally, our favorite colored tights.

Bass:



Like drums, the bassist has a watch to keep the beat, but is also more laidback with jeans and a loose tunic top, plus a headband to keep hair out of her eyes. Again, sequins, but this time on the shoes.

Vocals:



But ah, vocals! This is usually what I wind up playing if I'm in a group, although lately I've been going for drums. I originally went for more of a diva gold glam look, but realized it wasn't really rocker enough. Even this is on the girly side, but the pyramid bangles are a lot of fun (seriously, I want some) and I love the feathered headband. Plus, since everyone's going to be watching your lips, the original Viva Glam is obviously the red lipstick of choice. And, once more with feeling, there are sequins.

Honestly, I'm much more likely to play Rock Band in my pajamas than anything else, but it's fun to have the rock star dream, isn't it?

images from polyvore.com

It's my party and I'll Give Stuff Away if I want to!

Updated 5/1: I've extended this out to next Friday, May 9! Thank you so much to everyone who's entered so far!!

(Excuse me while I borrow Kati's tiara.)

Happy birthday to me!! My birthday wish? For you to please go vote in the mascara poll -- we've still got a couple of days left before I go buy myself some brand-new mascara and face three straight months of SCIENCE. (Updated 5/1: The next mascara test subject is L'Oreal Voluminous with 50% of the votes! Thanks for voting!)

I've been planning on doing a blog giveaway for a while, and it occurred to me around, oh, January? that I should do it for my birthday. I figured it was a nice deadline that I couldn't forget, and even though it's not the blog's birthday, a Blog Birthday Present package would be an awesome thing to put together and give out to a reader. Yay! Unfortunately, it will not be booze. (But if you are over 21 and in the San Francisco area/I am visiting your area, I will totally treat you to a drink some time if you are a reader!)

So I've been gathering things while I've been purchasing them for myself, and I've put together a package that has some of the blogosphere's favorite things, including lots that we love here at Periodic Style. All of these are brand-new and unopened in package unless otherwise mentioned, and all are personally purchased by me (with the exception of the samples, which came free! with things I personally purchased).

Thus! Here we go! THE GOODS.

- LUSH "Ghost" body wash is limited edition from last fall; I've been hanging onto this one for some time! It's shimmery white and smells like lilies -- I've got a bottle for myself and I'm a fan.
- MAC Eyeshadow in "Parrot" has been legendary for years, and when it was re-released with the Originals collection this past December, I picked up an extra one "for the blog". Kati's also referenced this lovely shadow in her colored smoky eye post. Definitely a rockstar.
- MAC Kohl Power Pencil in "Feline" was my number one pick for black liner way back in October; they have since all disappeared from MACCosmetics.com. Sad! I love this pencil. I think you will too.
- Christopher Kane Juicy Tubes World Tour in "Peach Mochi" is a sheer sweet pink with a lovely design on it. I mean, come on, you guys, you name any beauty product anything related to Japan and I'm going to pick it up, right? Also, mochi is delicious. As are Juicy Tubes.
- Hard Candy nail polish in "Sky" made Blogdorf Goodman's Beauty Cult Icon list along with Parrot this past March; I was inspired to pick it up again since yeah, I totally wore pale blue nail polish many a year ago. I wore this on my nails when the weather was lookin' springy a while back. This one certainly's nostalgic for me.
- The Hard Candy "Workout Mix" may not be a mix tape made by Kati, but it is a cute little palette of neutral colors. (I don't really wear make-up to the gym, but you might?)
- Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Salon in "Arabian Nights"... yeah, I'm not proud of having stalked two separate Longs Drugs for this collection, but I did all of the legwork for someone who's getting this very cool and very desired nail polish.
- I have three Demeter cologne splashes in "Chamomile", "Daphne", and "Cherry Blossom". All of these have been opened once to sniff, and, in the case of "Daphne", tested for the daphne perfume comparison. The winner gets to choose which one they'd prefer!
- I have a ton of samples that I've been hanging onto, and so I'll be throwing some of these into the package as well. These include Product Body samples -- remember, it was a sample I sent to Kati that got Crush on You on our 2007 Faves list. I also have a gazillion perfume and such samples from Sephora and Beauty.com and so forth, so if you're the winner, I'll email you with a full list and you can pick and choose what you do or don't want.
- Finally, Winner's Choice. I will pick something out and buy it specifically for the winner. I'm going to limit this to (hopefully?) $20 or under, but I'd prefer if it's, you know, less than that, so "your favorite Chanel perfume" and such is off the list. It can be something like "Jeanne's favorite red nail polish" or "best polish for summer toes" or "the coolest hair clips you find at Maker Faire's Bazaar Bizarre" or "something delicious, hilarious, or both". Things like "I don't have pierced ears" and "I'm allergic to chocolate" (in both situations, I'm really sorry) are also useful.

So how do you enter? You need to comment to this post with what you'd want me to pick up for you if you are the winner (if you don't and you win, I will pick something for you!). For an extra entry, you can also tell us what one of your favorite Periodic Style posts from the archives is (doesn't have to be written by me, Science Fairs and Total Beauty round-ups don't count!). I will put the names in a hat and draw the winner before witnesses.

I'm going to pick a winner at 4:30 PM PACIFIC THIS NEXT FRIDAY (MAY 2 9), because I'm going to Maker Faire on Saturday and so if I have to buy a Maker Faire goodie for the winner, I would like to know that before I go! (UPDATED 5/1: I'm going to go ahead and buy some Maker Faire goodies anyway!)

So again, leave a comment and you will be entered to win! I'm so excited to hear from you and share some of my favorite things!

image from periodicstyle.blogspot.com

Science Fair for April 21st-27th

In my job, I do a lot of news monitoring of conflict and weapons-related issues. I come across a lot of material that it not only upsetting, but rather tragic. Apart from those, there is a certain cohort of news stories and links that are amusing and informative. So, in the spirit of sharing, I present to you a rather bellicose festival of links entirely unrelated to Jeanne's birthday! Happy birthday anyway, Miss Jeanne!

-More convicted felons and petty criminals are being allowed to join the U.S. Armed Forces. This story has been all over the news lately - I find it both fascinating and depressing for the future of our military.

-From The Onion, possibly one of my most favorite stories they've ever made up - a new chemical gas causing a distinct feeling of ennui! I love it.

-Ladies, ladies, ladies, come and get your guns! The NRA wants to create a whole generation of Annie Oakleys and encourage sporting use of firearms. I don't know about that. What do you think?

-"Apart from the smell, the only indications that you're standing in a room full of drugs are the large bongs in the entryway."

And now for something a little more light-hearted from the BAFTA red carpet! Check out Keeley Hawes and Tamsin Outhwaite!
Has anyone else been watching the first seasons of The Fixer and Ashes to Ashes? I thought Tamsin Outhwaite was pretty good in the delightfully dishy Hotel Babylon, the lady can certainly rock a suit and heels. If you are a fan of action-y shoot-'em-ups like I am, you'll enjoy her new show on ITV, The Fixer.

-Speaking of women, this is big news for those of you who remember, or know, the thalidomide babies phenomenon: thalidomide is back on the market, now to treat cancer symptoms.

-But there's good news out of the UK, you can go get your fertility treatments AND a sandwich soon, ladies! Go have some IVF and a coffee during your lunchbreak.

For the more dainty among us, a little high tea-themed section for a beautiful, sunny Sunday (which I hope it was somewhere in the world).
-Why flowers have lost their scent: Is it related to the bees disappearing?

-Imagine a teaspoonless future, with self-stirring coffee and agricultural by-product cake plates.

-Pranksters plant a yard full of plastic forks while the victims are away on their honeymoon. Better than TPing their house, for sure!

Have a great week, everyone, I'm going to keep on trucking in the dismal April showers we're experiencing in NYC right now!

This Week in Total Beauty: April 25th

Friday at last! Has this week been extremely long for anybody else? All I want to do this weekend is sleep, but somehow I don't think that's going to happen -- I'm not slowing down any time soon!

Check out what's going on around the Total Beauty blogs this week:

The Muse shares her first impressions of MAC DressCamp with Product Photos and Swatches of this sold out Collection!

Laurie at Beauty's Spot gets an amazing massage and energy healing session from a San Francisco-based massage therapist and healer.

Monique at beauty girl musings shares how to save your hair from everyday heat styling.

Girl Gloss finds a great new lipstick from the new Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Cosmetics line

Tink at Casual Lavish talks about At home remedies for whitening your fingernails.

Beauty Anonymous invites you to the springtime nail colors of OPI 2008 Beyond Chic Collection .

Beauty411 shares her review of Klean Bath + Body's Blue Hawaii Sugar Body Polish, which smells like a tropical island and exfoliates your skin, too!

Forget virgin daiquiris, The Beauty of Life is all about the gorgeous polishes from the new Extra Virgin Collection from Dashing Diva!

Periodic Style's Jeanne goes back to school at Sephora University!

Toya of The Life of A Ladybug asks "What's your 'thing' right now?"

Find out which organic shower gel, leaves Christine's hubby in a woodsy lather...at Beauty in Real Life.

Answering the complicated question, "What does organic mean?", A Mom in Red High Heels helps clear away the confusion.

Budget Beauty Love takes a look at the new Sally Hansen Natural Beauty foundation and primer and isn’t too thrilled.

Makeup Junkie finds a new best friend in Chi's Pink Flat Iron!

Kitiya of Mischo Beauty has a reader who shares her favorite organic conditioner!

Bugs in my blush?! Veggie-friendly cosmetics picks for Earth Day

Thank goodness, there are no actual physical bugs crawling around in any of my beauty products. But we all know that carmine, the red coloring that's used a lot in food as well as cosmetics, comes from little bugs, right? (That's them right there. Sorry.)

And while I'm not vegetarian or vegan, I'm definitely interested in learning more about make-up that doesn't require bugs as an ingredient. (I'm really interested in experimenting with dye-quality cochineal for fabric, though... but that's fabric, not my face.) Because even though I do use regular non-veg cosmetics, it's still pretty gross to stop and think about it.

So, because it's Earth Day and living a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle is every day, here are some lines that let us know what's in (and, more importantly, what's NOT in) their products.

If you're looking for a soft natural look with your cosmetics, there are several lines you can try out. Ecco Bella is sold at natural food stores like Whole Foods, Wild Oats, and some drug stores (!). They address what products aren't vegan in their FAQ, so you can know what products have carmine or beeswax and avoid purchasing them.

Did you know that Origins is veggie-friendly as well? They say that the only animal products they use are cruelty-free beeswax and honey. I'd recommend going and checking out the products in person if you're looking to avoid beeswax and honey, since the ingredients are listed on the packaging but not on the website. (Booo! List your ingredients on the website!)

So while the soft, natural, pretty "office-ready" look is all well and good, it's not the only thing you can do with veggie make-up. Some of us like a little more color and sass, and it's awesome to know that there are animal product-free choices for bright colors as well.

Both Urban Decay and Hard Candy have made shopping lists and face charts available for vegan shoppers. I'm glad to see a lot of my favorites (a lot of the eyeshadows, most of the 24/7 pencils, lots of lip products) are veg*n, so I can recommend those whole-heartedly. (I am, however, dismayed that Primer Potion isn't on the list! What's in it?? In looking at Sephora, it's beeswax.) In addition, all Urban Decay brushes are made of taklon fibers and are cruelty-free.

If you'd rather shop a little more indie than hitting up Sephora or Macy's for your cosmetics, I've heard really good things about Fyrinnae cosmetics from the various make-up forums I haunt. I haven't tried any of their products, but with over 130 colors of eyeshadow (!!) at $5.25 or under each (!!!!), it's certainly tempting! (Check out their Steampunk eyeshadow -- gorgeous!) Alas, no lip products that I can see, but the variety in loose pigments (some of which are lip-safe) makes up for it.

In Googling around, I found another company that I think would be fun to try out if you like bright primary colors: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics specializes in airbrush and effects make-up that's completely vegan and says so right off the bat in their FAQ. While most of the products are for airbrush and professional make-up, they do offer loose pigments for eyes and body in a variety of bright bright colors.

And for bonus, they also offer vegan nail polish in a whole bunch of colors, including several reds and pinks, royal blue, dark grey, black, and "wasabi" (neat!). And if they're as quick-drying as they claim, I'm all for it.

This is just a jumping-off point for all of the cool veggie-friendly cosmetics lines out there -- I'm sure there are plenty more I haven't heard of!

Do you take ingredients like carmine and beeswax into consideration when you buy your products? Are you a vegetarian or vegan beauty addict? What lines or products do you like most, and what are you curious to try?

images from aurorasilk.com and urbandecay.com