An Objective Opinion
I was informed yesterday after my review was posted that there has been some hoopla concerning Beauty Avatar and Minnu’s skins (DMCAs filed, suspicions arising, etc). While I read about said hoopla on Gogolita’s blog several weeks ago, I was under the impression that it had been resolved considering the comment made by Miabella Foxley, a Minnu representative I believe.
Now, I have actually never purchased a skin by Minnu Palen — however, out of my own curiosity, I did stop by this morning to pick up a demo and do a little comparison of my own. What can I say… I’m naturally inquisitive. Here are my results and an objective opinion on a sheet of controversy.
We’ll begin with the most obvious starting point: the face. Both skins will be compared in their natural makeup option, both in the tan skin tone available (Beauty Avatar’s will be Nemesis in Bronzed and Minnu’s will be Gen4 in Tan). Click on the shots to view the larger pictures, if you like!
My avatar has always had a rather “distinct” face. It changes, dramatically, 90% of the time, whenever I wear a new skin – as I’m sure most do. But rather than do a split screen comparison, I’d rather post a full composite of both faces, side by side, to demonstrate the obvious difference of each:
Aside from the (in my opinion, obvious) difference in faces, there are also subtle details to consider when comparing these two skins. For example, the philtrum (again, thanks, Winter!) on Minnu’s skins is almost the reverse of the one on BA’s skins … Minnu’s is notably narrower at the ends where BA’s is notably wider. The detail shading and highlighting I believe speaks for itself here, as well as on the bridges of the nose where BA’s extends further towards the forehead. The eyelid crease is only slightly higher on the BA skins, and the lip shading and detail — clearly different. The only real similarity to the face that I can see clearly is the painted on eyelashes — which could easily be a free-for-all photoshop brush (considering I have several of my own which I use for photography). To be perfectly honest and objective here, I believe the lips is where these kinds of suspicions arise — if I am not mistaken, Minnu was one of, if not the, first to have such pronounced and defined lips, dating all the way back to her Gen1 line. I can think of several designers whom have adopted this characteristic since then, and each time I see it I can’t help but wonder how many people’s eyebrows perk up at the thought that a scandal may have been born. Let’s continue to the rest of the skin though, shall we?
Here is another view point of the face and head, with the ears clearly in view (and notably different from each other).
The only similarity I can note in the upper abdomen and breasts is the muscle group shading, which is hardly grounds for suspicion. I myself have photoshop brushes that I’ve created with similar abdomen shading, which I use to add details to clothing that I make. Same goes for the shading under the breasts. The nipples are clearly not the same though both are obviously photosourced; the collar bone is much more pronounced in Minnu’s skins than it is with BA’s, and overall the BA skin is much smoother.
The abdomen, again clearly different from each other. The navel on the Beauty Avatar skins is larger and softer with a tiny beauty mark to the upper right side whereas Minnu’s is the traditional supermodel small-as-a-button navel. I do not believe the genital area needs any comparison, as you can probably see for yourself that they are clearly different.
The knees and legs — the knees at first glance look similar in their shading. However, upon further investigation (and I am sorry that I didn’t take the time to make an animated gif) by placing each pair of legs on top of each other and comparing them that way, I’ve found that Minnu’s knees are actually positioned differently on the legs — they are much further inward than are Beauty Avatar’s. Another subtle difference is on the Beauty Avatar knees — there are small muscle shade lines on the outside sides of each knee cap, which are not seen on the Minnu skins. The feet and toes — obviously different.
Another striking difference I noted was the elbows seen above — Beauty Avatar has virtually no elbow detail, whereas Minnu has a clearly defined skin patch of elbow detail.
Last, but not least — the entire backside. As we can see, Minnu’s shading and details are much more pronounced where as Beauty Avatar’s skins are softer and smoother. The bum highlighting is further up on Minnu’s bottom whereas BA’s highlights are more centralized. Both bum details appear to be photosourced in my opinion, however BA’s deeper shading appears to be focused more towards the lower half of the crack, whereas Minnu’s is much more pronounced in the center.
After reviewing both skins, I really must say — I just don’t believe that they are similar enough to raise suspicions, or even to support the claim that they are Minnu “inspired” (inspiration has many names — photosourcing alone, in my opinion, counts as “inspiration”, and as everyone has seen — nearly all skin designers do that). If I had to make a claim that Beauty Avatar’s skins were inspired by anything, my first judgment would be based on the feet and genital areas alone and would point to Eloh Eliot’s PSD files, which is, if it is true, perfectly acceptable. God is in the details, and using Eloh’s skins as a jumping off point to begin creation is fine for any creator, as is clearly stated on her blog.
No, what I think we have here is a new skin designer who has entered an already tense world of content creation. The good comes with the bad, I guess. But as Miabella stated on Gogo’s blog, people will shop based on quality — and I will gladly be visiting Beauty Avatar again.
/endopinionatedpointofview
Beauty Avatar, Take Two: I Think I Saw God
Did you read the post title? If you haven’t… read it. It’s completely true.
I’m sure most of you that are reading this now have also read my previous review on Beauty Avatar’s (SLURL) skins. Well, I’m about to eat virtually every word I said in terms of what improvements were needed… sure, the Nefertiti skin needed some adjustments. But… what I’m about to show you makes up for all of them.
The newest line, Nemesis, released only a week and a half ago on April 17th, has got to be one of the most beautiful, soft, delicate and simply ~glowing~ skins I’ve seen in all my skin-reviewing tenure. Before I get into the details of the skin, I’m going to give you one, indisputable reason to head over to Beauty Avatar, right now, and at the very least try on a demo: I have officially made this my new skin. Without even consulting my friends (something I NEVER do). Anyone that knows me will vouch that I am a DEVOUT Vogue Skins girl… and my faith has been shattered. I have found my new God. Yes. They are *THAT* good.
Now, for the good stuff…
Creator: Sita Loire
Shop Location: Miami Island (SLURL)
Price: $1400L per skin / $24,000L per fatpack (22 skins)
Other Notes: None are needed. This review will speak for itself.
I was informed by the lovely Omnia Oh, after she read my most recent review on the Nefertiti skin, that the Nemesis line was released a short while back. It took me a couple of days, but I headed to Beauty Avatar and picked up demos — and immediately fell in love. Can you blame me? Not only has everything I mentioned on my Nefertiti review been fixed, but this skin is an improvement, times ten. Not one… single seam. And I LOOKED. BELIEVE me. Exquisite lips, an enchanting array of makeup possibilities… including a subtle and glittery eyeshadow in my favorite, and oh so hard to find, color… YELLOW!!! I swear, it’s like these skins were created for me. *sighs happily*
The face is just beautiful, as you can see above. The lips and makeup — no more is the 8-hour-workday lipliner. No more catlike corners on the lips. No more overpronounced philtrum (thanks, Winter!). Just… gorgeousness begging to be photographed.
The entire backside of this skin is Fantastic with a captital F. I especially love the smoothness of it… that’s what I really can’t get over about this skin. It’s just so SOFT. The bum is beautifully done just as it was on Nefertiti. The back and shoulder blades are strong yet delicate with just the right amount of shadow and highlight.
The nipples are strikingly realistic – likely photosourced as most are, but again so soft and supple. The shading beneath the nipple itself ads the perfect amount of “3d effect”, a detail I always love especially when photographing nudes. The highlighting is not too harsh but soft and even. These boobs make me want to press my arms together, just so I can see them squiiiiish!
Like the back, the entire abdomen is beautiful, carved from the clay itself. I LOVE the belly button, a cute little outie. The detail on the belly button is really fantastic, I can’t even begin to explain my love for it really — I much prefer the outies to the innies, and this is one of the best outies I’ve ever seen! Woo, try saying that ten times fast, chief! The abdomen muscles aren’t over shaded, which is nice – six packs just… don’t appeal to me on female skins. I don’t know what it is. No, this skin is… what’s the word, ladies? Smoooooooth. It’s like butter, baby.
The nibblebits (jolly parts, geneticulars… I’m going to think of so many names for this before I’m done) are great, with a small landing strip of soft hair. Something I find a little strange about them though is that… it’s small. I know I said in my Nefertiti review that I LIKE that and I DO… but this is a little… TOO small. If that’s possible. It was in no way a big enough problem to make me not want to convert to a Beauty Avatar lover, oh no… but it was something that struck me as odd was all. Excellent work, none the less. But — I do so wish there were a Brazilian option! *le sigh* A future development, perhaps?! *sending hopeful thoughts*
Nothing remarkable about the hands and palms really — soft skin, little detail, but likely able to be polished or prim nailed with minimal effort, so that’s a plus. I wonder, maybe some skin designers could start offering their own sets of gloves to wear over their skins for prim nails… gloves of the hand skin, sans nail detail. Wouldn’t that make life a tad bit easier for us prim nail girlies? Hmmm… Just a thought.
The feet are exquisite, as they were on Nefertiti and the knees are equally well done with the perfect shading and highlighting going on, as well as the ideal size for the leg. No small kneecaps here! The ears, while still suffering from “pasted on” syndrome (something I’ve all but resigned myself to… it happens — I should just deal :P), at least match the skin tone very well this time ’round. Excellent.
Yes, I must say… this newest development by the lovely Sita Loire has blown me through the roof. You don’t have to agree with me that they’re just fantastic, no, no you don’t… I know that makeup is a matter of taste, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but please… you be the judge — head on over to Beauty Avatar (SLURL) and try on a demo of the fantastic Nemesis skins. Who knows… you may just convert, too!
Arcane Skins: The Next Big Thing
I had the pleasure of working with Truth Hawks of Truth (SLURL, Blog) recently and happily met his good friend, Ignite Nightfire of Arcane (SLURL, Blog). As circumstances would have it, I ended up with not one, not two, but THREE of the four makeup fat packs currently available for Ignite’s FANTASTIC skins. And being the skin whore I am, albeit a late one now (sorry, Ignite!) I just HAD to write a review on them. Because… well… mmm mmm MMM!
I have to start this post out by saying that these skins have the best boobage I’ve ever seen. Bar none. And I’m not just saying that because I think Truth and Ignite are awesometasticscrumbdiddleyumpcious people either. I’m saying it because, as a booby-booty girl, it’s true.
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty!
Creator: Ignite Nightfire
Shop Location: Truth Island (SLURL)
Price: $1100L per skin / $4000L per makeup fatpack (5 skins)
Other Notes: Let me state first and foremost that these skins are a STEAL for everything you’ll be purchasing with them which includes: the skin itself, a shape, prim hair (by Truth), eyelashes and a facelight. For $1100L you can go from newbie to “I just whipped the koala’s ass,” in 30 seconds.
While the skins are not transferable, there ARE gift cards available in denominations of $500L, $1000L, $2500L and $5000L! I wonder if it would be possible to change these denominations to something more like, $1100L, $2200L, $3300L, and $4000L… maybe? Just to better accommodate the purchase of a single skin, two skins, a fat pack, etc. */endpondering*
Skin tones available range from very light to tan and are very yummily named… Ghost, Creme, Fudge, Latte, and Caramel. All skins are available in four different makeup styles – Smoked, Vivids, Colors and Galaxy. My personal favorite – Smoked Sheer in Caramel – is what you will be seeing this morning!
One of the things I am most emphatically pleased with about this skin is the skin texture itself. It is very good in that it gives the illusion of pores on the skin without obstructing the skin “flow” itself. Know what I mean? It all blends together very nicely, especially on the legs and chest. Brilliant work! As I’ve stated so many times before, I am always so very happy when content creators throw in these extra little details that just add so much to the product.
Now, as I stated earlier, the boobs on this skin are FANTASTIC… I mean, I have honestly never seen more perfectly blended nipples on any other skin in game, and believe me when I say I’ve looked at a LOT of skins (zomg, you should see my skin demos folder… it’s redonk). The highlighting and shading is not too harsh, not too subtle, it’s actually just right… very photo realistic. The caramel skin tone almost looks fresh out of a tanning bed!
The booty is also superbly shaded and definitely passes “Ryker’s Ass Test”, as I’ve begun calling it. Unfortunately, I forgot to get a closeup, but I feel rather comfortable going on record as saying that it is, “bootylicious”. That’s right, I said it! Bootylicious.
Another thing I don’t think I’ve ever diliberately pointed out on a skin before that I am CRAZY HAPPY about on this one… the navel. Belly button. The spring break shot glass. It’s beautiful and lickable all at the same time, something that I’m sure many of you girls out there will enjoy come time for those intimate moments with your favorite honey. And while we’re on the topic of intimate moments… the “nether regions” are rather yumtastic too. Sporting a tiny landing strip, which I find incredibly cute, and the pussy itself isn’t ULTRA LONG… so it doesn’t blend into your butt crack when you bend over like it does on some skins I’ve seen, which I think is nice… LOL! I’m sure all of you know by now that I’m a Brazilian girl (not the country, the pubic hair preference), but this landing strip is actually a happy compromise to that crazy preference o’mine.
The knees are also superbly shaded and highlighted, not too small or too big. That’s one thing that ALWAYS drives me crazy about some skins… the knees are so tiny and knobby that it’s just ridiculous. Thankfully there are a few skin creators out there that have found the perfect balance of knee-to-leg ratio and have run with it, making for a happy Ryker.
The hands are lovely on this skin, and the toes and feet are, as usual, as good as toes and feet in SL are going to get… I’ve pretty much resigned myself to the fact that feet in SL are horrendous, and they’re just not going to get better (this is why God invented socks). But if I could throw out a recommendation here, if you’re a skin creator in Second Life and looking for a good foot template to work off of, I would highly recommend downloading Eloh Eliot’s PSD files and using her toe and toe nail shading. Hers are, by far, the best feet I’ve EVER seen in SL (Ever. EVER! Fucking EVER)… I would even go as far as to say that they’re as perfect as feet are ever going to get… but I would LOVE to see someone prove me wrong! Go feet creators, go!
The only, only, only, ONLY problem I see with this skin, and it’s a minor one at that, are the ears. They kinda look just… pasted on? I don’t know. But a little blending work there, and voila.. perfection. Considering this skin is virtually flawless (I didn’t even see a single seam… I looked… hard!), I didn’t notice the ears until someone pointed them out to me. A minor set back to a 99% perfect skin!
As first timers go, I have to say that Ignite is on his way to the gold. I don’t even think he COULD “get better”, because it’s obvious that this guy has his digital skin painting skills nailed down to a science. I am truly excited to see next generations, and this is only the FIRST. With the minor improvements he could make on these skins, they’ll undoubtedly be pinky-and-the-braining it all over the grid in no time.
What are you waiting for?! Head over to Truth (SLURL) and pick up some of these Arcane skins by Ignite Nightfire (Blog)! If nothing else, try on a demo. Your avi will thank you for it! And congratulations, Ignite, on your AWESOME skin launch! You’re a rockstar!
PS: While you’re at it, make sure to hit the hair section in Truth’s shop and pick up one of his latest hair releases! My absolute favorite is definitely his new, sculpted “Emma” ‘do (top left in the picture below), which I must admit looks smashing on my pretty little avi. I’m sure it would on yours too!
Review Submissions, Anyone?
Just a very quick note…
I have created a page of “guidelines” (more like “requests”) for those of you that wish to submit review copies of your products to me in game. Hopefully this will clear up some questions I’ve been asked!
View the Review Submissions page here!
Thank you! :)
Digit Darkes Clothing: Mash It Up!
Boy, have I got one for you guys today!
Digit Darkes (SLURL, OnRez) recently released a whole slew of new goodies and I am delighted to have the opportunity to tell you about just a few of them. Are you ready for some shopping, Rykerized style? Cuz I am!
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Digit Darkes at the ASpiRE! Magazine Radio launch, where I got to see her new line in action. A fashion show didn’t do it justice… it only made me want more! Sultry, sexy, fabulous designs that are sure to please and are delightfully girlie. Wonderful store manager, Sasy Scarborough, quickly asked me if I would like the opportunity to do a review for Digit, and obviously… I jumped right on it! What an honor!
Among Digit’s many creations are some seriously fabulous dresses, gorgeous latex tops, and mock chaps that are just to die for. However, my most favorited item has quickly become the Diversity Pants in Pewter, a shiny number with some fantastic detailing. As you can see, by the picture to your right… those pants are well integrated into my current wardrobe! My only complaint (and believe me, this isn’t enough to stop me wearing them!) is a seam issue… the designs on the pants don’t really meet up seamlessly from the front to the back. However… the lovely design itself more than makes up for that. God, I love these PANTS! *drool*
One thing I especially like about all of Digit’s stuff is how diverse it is… and for those of us that love “mash ups”, you know how important it is for a piece to integrate well with other pieces from your inventory. Well everything I’ve seen of DD’s can accomodate even the most finicky of mashers, and this is a BIG plus in my book. Full outfits, tops, accessories, shoes, hair… there is no end to the magnificence you can create with Digit’s products.
I have to say, that after trying on the shopping bag full of goodies, that I am rather impressed by the detail on the chaps I received. It’s hard to get a good “leather” texture in SL, and this one is actually very nicely done. The shading is quite lovely, and I can almost HEAR the squeal of the leather as I walk. Paired with the chaps is an awesome black mesh crop (I’m telling you… diversity!) and a cute liquid black latex top. The belt, spike bracers, and gloves (from the Addicted Gloves pack) only take this outfit to the maximum badass level. What a treat! Look out Midian!
Now, I have this really bad habit of wearing some dresses the way I’m actually not supposed to… with the skirts too low. Because I’m such a petite little thing (it’s fucking tragic, I tell ya), 99% of the time, skirts don’t usually fit me properly. So I tend to give them my little Ryker touch and adjust them, as you’ll notice with the “Dia Dress” in Electric Punk. This fantastic purple and yellow get-up looks splendid with or without a little tweaking.
Speaking of dresses, I received two more to try on, one of which I could just DIE for… the Kasbah in Silver. If I ever wore a dress that made me want to go Salsa dancing, this would be it. With its perfectly detailed, flowing skirt and cute little coin belt… it’s just something you don’t always see. And I love it. Originality is no stranger to Digit Darkes! The other dress I received is the cutest little thing, Petals in Powder Pink. While I think this dress needs a little more shading around the boobage area, I think the skirt ruffles are fantastic. Kick those floppy prim skirts to the curb girls… ruffles are in!
Speaking of ruffles, have you worn yourself a shrug lately? Well, now’s your chance to pick one up! Shoulder ruffles galore and several different colors, you can wear this jacket layer with any shirt you like!
And finally, for those girls out there that like their lingerie, I am happy to announce that DD is very, very good at the lace. Femme in Black is a sexy embodiment of black satin and lace, which I really enjoyed trying on. You can be sure that this outfit will be staying with me for a long while to come… a girl can never have too much sexy lingerie!
Overall, I am very pleased with the products that Digit Darkes has provided, and this tiny review doesn’t even begin to scratch surface of the breadth to this woman’s talent. Hair, shoes, accessories… anything you can think of! Check out Digit Darkes in world or on OnRez and see for yourself! And get those damn pants… because omg. *drools again*
Diversity Hair: Versatility at it’s Finest
No girl I know is a stranger to Diversity Hair (SLURL, OnRez) which is why I’m so happy and flattered to be doing this review. I’ve been a long time fan of this particular hair shop, and considering that they’ve just redone a good chunk of their textures, I’m even more psyched.
I was asked by delightful store manager Sasy Scarborough to take a look at a few styles and offer my feedback (this was over two weeks ago now.. I am SO SORRY it’s taken so long!), and I was so thrilled when I got my review copies that I almost died. The hairs are FANTASTIC, and are available in a multitude of colors and styles. Styles are sold in shade packs for $175 (for four variations of one color) to $300 (for six to nine specialty shades).
I’ll start out by saying that you CAN have demos sent to your avatar through the OnRez storefront. Go shopping and enjoy a lag free experience whilst you decide which hair you must, must, must buy! Lord knows I love convenience… and I think this is why sites like OnRez and SLEX are so brilliant. Lag free shopping?! Sign me up!
Now on with the hair…
I received five styles to review: Alexi, Jasmine, Laura, Penelope and Sydney. Of the five I’d have to say that my favorite is, hands DOWN, Penelope – a flirty little messy side bun that accentuates my avi-face beautifully. If you’ve seen me in game lately, you’ve likely seen me sportin’ this style with some serious attitude. What’s nice about this ‘do is that it’s casual enough to wear with my ratty jeans, but elegant enough to wear with a cute little summer dress. I just love that kind of diversity… no pun intended. ;)
Jasmine is a perfect little braid that drops off to the left of the face, with a cute little color changing hair tie. What I like about this style is the bangs: they’re so beautifully wispy and chic and don’t fall flat down on your forehead. For some reason, I feel like THOSE types of bangs make me look goofy… but I love the bangs that have a little “style” to them. These definitely accomplish that.
Laura, a beautifully elegant bun, would look perfect with damn near any evening gown or cocktail dress your inventory can produce. It also sports the same wispy bangs, and many tendrils of curl that shape the face beautifully. The bun is perfectly round and sits atop the head nicely, and is actually larger than most bun up-dos I’ve seen that weren’t beehives. No matter the occassion, this style is sure to draw stares, not to mention requests for landmarks!
Sydney is a positively ADORABLE bob with stunningly detailed flexi hair accentuating its cut. This has quickly become one of my favorite hair styles for my casual little tomboy looks. The color changing side-barret is a cute little addition to a fantastic style.
Now, the only style I didn’t really like a whole lot was Alexi… and not because it’s not well done, but because I don’t feel that it shapes my avi’s head very well. It could just be the shape of my head! But I sort of think it makes me look a little … “egg headed”. I LOVE the side detail, and the back, but the front just doesn’t suit my palette when it comes to the way I look for hair to accent my face. KnowwhatImean? But regardless, give the demo a try!
Diversity (SLURL, OnRez) is FULL of many, MANY styles, and these are just five of the spectacular product they have to offer. If you’ve never seen their store, what’s wrong with you?! Get yer butt over there! If you HAVE… then drop by again, because between new releases, new textures, and overall quality at $175L per shade pack (four color variations!)… you just need to have this. And girls, you know what I’m talkin’ about… you can never have enough hair!
DLicious Skins: Mr. Mayo, I Am Impressed
Is it wrong that I ALMOST started singing the Mean Mr. Mustard song while I was writing this review??? LOL!!! *twiddles thumbs and sings, Mean Mr. Mustard, sleeps in the park…*
So here we are again, another day, another review! Muah muah muah!
As I settle down here at my desk, in my cozy little apartment, eating some much needed dinner (omfg, I’m starving!), I am happy to be going over the shots of this skin again, after having a week of reflection upon them. I think you guys are in for a treat.
The Technicalities:
Creator: Doofus Mayo (love that name, btw)
Shop Location: Shop on Sui Generis (SLURL)
Price: $600L per skin / $2000L for 4 makeups (4 skins)
Other Notes: Collection also includes eight shapes with 3 skin tones per shape, 4 makeups per skin tone, resulting in 96 total skins (if you were to buy the whole collection). I know this piece is a little confusing… it confused me a tad too! :P
Overall, this particular skin is very well done, save for a few problem areas that could use some work (which all skins have, really, so don’t fret).
I know this is a strange thing to start out with, but I just had to mention… I think the ears on this skin are fantastic. Their tone is not hugely different from the rest of the skin (big points) and I think the detail on them is beautiful. Just … had to throw that out there. *coughs* Moving right along!
I received three skins and three shapes in the package of review info from Mr. Mayo. I’ll be showing you the skins … you’ll need to head on out to Mr. Mayo’s shop to take a look at the shapes! They’re really seen much better in person anyway, I think. BUT… let’s talk about these magnificent skins! Most of the pictures I took are centered around the tan skin (Annalise is the package it came in, and unfortunately it is marked with “demo” unlike the darker and lighter versions of the skins), however I do provide a shot or two of the darker tone (Johari) and the lighter tone (Katsumi).
I am a rather big fan of the nipples on this skin. Albeit a little blurry, they’re actually quite nice in both size and color, on all three of the skins I received (I’m actually curious what Kitty would think of the nipples on the lighter version!). Highlighting on the breasts is top notch, lending just enough white light to just the right areas, giving them a very nice “smooth” feel.
My favorite part, the BOOTY, is VERY nice on this skin. Honestly, I think the shading and highlighting is perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing… and coming from me, the Ass Queen of the Universe, that’s saying a lot. I especially like the shading of the ass on the darker skin tone. The rest of the back is also very nicely detailed, showing a few spinal discs on the lower back, as well as distinctly shaded shoulder muscles. I do, however, think the shoulder blades could be a little more defined, but then again, that’s true with most skins I see… no love for the shoulder blades, I tell ya!
The abdomen of this skin is SUPERBLY shaded, with very intricate detail of all of the ab muscles. Always wanted well-defined abs? Now you can have ‘em! Just slap on this skin and you’re ready to go! An area of note, however, is that the bottom half of the abs (where the belly button meets the pubic area) the shading and detail just kind of… falls off. Almost to a flat color. An oversight, perhaps?
ANOTHER aspect of this skin that I really like is the knees and, surprisingly, the back of the knees. Their texture is EXCELLENT. Very realistic shading and the crease detail on the back of the knees is simply to DIE for. If I can see tendons, that’s freaking incredible. I don’t know why, but for some reason I feel like these little details mean so much, and Mr. Mayo has captured these areas beautifully. Such small things, that mean so much!
The feet and hands on these skins all come with painted nails, which, honestly, is a big breaking point for me. Clear nail polish all the way for this girl. However, I DO think it would be a good idea to sell various nail polishes (i.e. Naughty Designs). For those of us that don’t really like to have our nails painted odd colors (or who just like to be sure our nails will always match our clothes), this can be a real issue! Even if they were (are they?) tintable, that would be a considerable improvement in my book. However, the feet are lovely as far as SL feet go, and the detail on the inside of the hands is great, though the detail on the top of the hands needs a little more work. Think knuckles! :)
The pussy is tiny (are you guys ever gonna get tired of seeing closeups of mah snatch? *rofl*), and there is a very distinguishable clitoris hanging out down there beneath a tan-lined hood (there is no tan line on the darker skin version that I received, however, there is a small landing strip!). Despite that it is a little blurry, and the smudges that join the ass to the puss are a little harsh (and really, this is a hard thing to overcome, so I am quite impressed), I am actually quite satisfied with this detail. The thigh smearing is very minimal, and with a little sharpening, the tasty-bits would be excellent.
One tiny thing that bugged me about all three skins: the collar bone detail is a little… strange. Maybe a little too detailed? Is that even POSSIBLE? I don’t rightly know. But for some reason the collar bones gives me that “little old lady with unfortunate turkey neck” feel rather than the “sexy middle-ager sportin’ the moisturizer” feel. Am I wrong? Maybe I’m just looking too hard? I have been staring at these a lot… *loves the skins*!
Next stop: makeup. Like I noted earlier, I did get a tan, dark, and light version of the skins, all with their own distinct makeup flavors. I do believe I like the tan one the best, but I also think that the others, even the lighter version’s eye and lip makeup, are fantastic. I do not, however, like the eyebrows on any of the skins… they look a little too obvious in the “drawn on” way. This doesn’t necessarily make them bad, just… not realistic. However, I would like to point out that the detail on the lips is quite beautiful with just enough gloss to make me want to blot them. All things considered, if I could change one thing about the makeup and face detail, it would probably be the upper eyelids and eyebrows, something I kind of feel never gets enough attention to detail. When they’re good, they’re very good. When they’re not, I kind of feel that they can literally make or break a sale.
One more thing I’d like to point out, mostly for the creator’s sake, is the barely noticeable seam lines located on the skin’s body: the inner elbows (which are ALSO superbly detailed, I might mention), both outer thigh seams (left and right), and both outer elbows. The average buyer may or may not even notice, or even be LOOKING for, these lines, however, for the sake of an objective review, I thought I would throw them in here. Constructive criticism can only serve to help all of us, right?!
Now, there you have it! Mr. Mayo has provided us with some fantastic skins for $600L a pop (damn, now THAT’S a deal). And as I said with my last post, the holidays are coming up! Do you know someone who needs a skin upgrade? I bet you do! Why not treat them to one of this fantastic line? For $600L (or $2000L for the makeup pack!) you can beautify SL even further, one avi at a time. Head on over to the shop and pick up some demos, or grab a few in your favorite flavor. I am sure you won’t be disappointed.
CJ (Claudine Jewell) Hair Review
Anyone that knows me, knows one of two things: the first, I change my clothes. A LOT. My wardrobe is ridiculous, and if you catch me in game, I will often change 3 or 4 times before settling on an outfit to wear. You also know that even if I DO settle on an outfit, there’s no guarantee that I’ll remain satisfied with said outfit — which often results in my changing AGAIN… and the cycle goes on.
The second thing you will inevitably know about me, especially if you know the first, is I like hair. I have what seems like a bazillion different hairstyles, in black alone (my color of choice). Which brings me to my post for today. My very first review! On … dun dun dun … hair!!! CJ Hair to be more specific.
I’ve seen this particular little shop circulating the blogosphere once or twice, so I decided to stop in and check the place out, as I’ve never been there (omg) and we all know that I just NEED MORE HAIR! So, I made the conscious decision that I was going to stop in, buy the best two styles I saw, and that was IT, because dammit I gotta stop SOMEWHERE… *fat chance*.
I’ll start out by saying that it is a quaint little store, tucked away in a surprisingly lagless little shopping district. The store is sparsely furnished (thank god — prim heavy shopping districts REALLY suck) and nicely laid out. There are only about eleven styles total in the shop, which is unfortunate, because they’re all so lovely… however, a store’s gotta start somewhere, right? So, without further ado, lets get down to the nitty gritty.
I’ve been looking for up-dos a lot lately, so the first thing I noticed when I walked in were the few she has available. I immediately purchased the demo of “Belle” and tried it on. With a little tweaking, I must admit, it looks beautiful atop my rather oddly shaped head. Being rather satisfied with this style, I decided on the purchase… for $85L!!! A steal. *buy*
The texture, while a little dark, is pretty decent, along with the highlights it sports. The black shade that I purchased could do with a tiny, tiny bit more highlighting (the blond demo I tried on was lovely), but other than that, really nice work. And, as with all designers, we all get better with time — so I imagine the best is yet to come! I should also probably mention that all styles come in a “large” and “regular” size, I imagine to better fit the shapes of our heads. Hahahaha. Brilliant thinking like that.
Moving right along to the longer hairs — three caught my eye in particular: “Grace“, “Summer“, and “Kia” (see? I’m already breaking my two-styles-only rule). I immediately purchased the demos, naturally, and busted them out. Grace’s and Kia’s demos came in a lovely java chip brown color and looked very flattering on my skin tone. Grace is a lovely longer style, wispy and beautiful while Kia is a fantastic long ponytail with a color changing headband. Summer’s came in a ginger red (very natural looking, I might add). All three designs are beautiful and elegant. Because of my three style rule, I actually decided on purchasing “Summer” in my favorite shade of black, which I’m happy to say looks STUNNING… it must just be the up-dos that need a tiny bit more highlighting. Because the longer hairs are FANTASTIC in their flexibility and texture-y goodness.
After patrolling the hairstyles on the wall, I took another quick peek around the store to find a couple of jewelry sets, and yet ANOTHER hairstyle that I REALLY WANTED……… but I must remain true to my two styles rule this week… *waits anxiously for next weekend* I can’t help it. I just have to have it. It’s THAT good. It’s called “Xtina” and is, what I can only imagine to be, a hairstyle inspired by Christina Aguliera. But it’s wonderfully done (as you can see) and only comes in one color — blond/black. Fantastic. Love it. Beautiful. *j’adore* In a nut shell, I am really looking forward to more of what this designer, Claudine Jewell, will produce in the future. I fully encourage all of my fellow hair-fiends to run out and visit CJ’s store. At $85L a color, you just can’t go wrong!
