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Win a 10-Man Raid eyeshadow set from Geek Chic Cosmetics!
If you've ever looked at your class's nameplate color and thought, "I sure wish I could decorate my face with this," then do we have a contest for you. We're proud to team up with Geek Chic Cosmetics (recently profiled in our 15 Minutes of Fame feature), purveyors of fine geek-themed makeup, to offer one lucky winner a full 10-Man Raid eyeshadow set (worth $49). To enter, all you have to do is comment on this post between now and Friday, Aug. 20 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. We'll randomly choose a winner once the contest ends. There are some official rules, though! For example: you can enter only once. The contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. Make sure your email address is up to date in your commenting profile, because that's how we'll be getting hold of you if you win. Also? It'd be really cool if you liked makeup. That's not a rule, though. More of a request.
Keepin' it real fake: iPhone hits discount retailers as an eyeshadow palette
Now, these may have been around for ages, we can't really be sure because, truth be told, it's pretty rare for us to troll the aisles of Kohl's makeup section looking for KIRFs. Regardless, a helpful, hawk-eyed reader snapped this shot of an eyeshadow palette -- called eyemobile -- that's got the distinct iPhone aura going on, though we're 100 percent certain this is an unauthorized use case. It's hard to say from the photo, but it also looks like there's a lip gloss palette in the background (which we assume is called lipmobile), and that, friends, we would pay money for. Lots of money. [Thanks, Bill]
Augmented reality mirror picks makeup for the ladies (video)
Ladies and rockers alike enjoy spending time testing different makeup, but their tag-along boyfriends? Not so much. Luckily for Japanese couples, cosmetic giant Shiseido has finally rolled out its Digital Cosmetic Mirrors in Tokyo malls to help speed things up. The machine is able to recommend products for the user's skin type, while allowing them to view it applied via an augmented reality effect. When all is done, the machine prints out a shopping list along with before and after mugshots to make you spend more money feel good about your selections. Good luck with matching the picture though -- the cosmetics aren't going to apply themselves. Video demonstration after the break.
Imobile phoneV588 makes calls, could hold your foundation
Not that we haven't seen compact-themed cellphones before, but we'd argue that the Imobile phoneV588 is about as suggestive as it gets. This dual-band GSM "handset" looks more like the next big thing from Cover Girl than your next mobile, with a circular form factor, pop-up lid, a built-in mirror and a design that would've totally worked in Princess Diaries. If you're curious about hard specs, you'll find a 2.6-inch LCD, an integrated MP3 / MP4 player, speakers and USB connectivity. Oh, and your guess is as good as ours on the whole "dialing / texting" aspect. Freshen up your social life for just $119.99.[Via PMP Today]
GC: If you're OOM, tell your guildies to get out of the fire
Ghostcrawler did battle with the forumites this weekend, and the topic of discussion was the recent mana changes. Players are saying that the changes (including the BoW and Mana Spring change last week) are basically forcing them to bring more healers along to larger raids, and GC in return expounds on the raid balance that Blizzard is aiming for lately. Interestingly, it's not the 5 healers / 5 tanks / 15 DPS that you might think it would be -- Ghostcrawler says that if they aimed for that makeup, bringing more healers would often make the fights inconsequential.He goes on to say that the way the fights are designed, you aren't supposed to run out of mana, as long as you're dodging the AoE and are geared up correctly. Making mistakes in gameplay digs into your mana reserves, and so when Blizzard nerfs mana regen, they aren't just trying to make things harder, they're trying to take away that extra breathing room that you get around errors. They don't want healers just healing through damage -- they want people trying to avoid it in the first place.And, if guildies won't get out of the fire, and your healers keep running out of mana because of it, it's time to weed out the ranks a bit. Finally, GC adds what we've heard before: those looking for a tough battle in Ulduar likely won't find it right away -- the instance is designed to be only a little harder than Naxx. But the hard modes are where the difficulty will really ramp up. If short, says GC, if you don't have enough mana on the easy modes, it's not Blizzard's design: it's the way you and your guildies are geared and playing.
LG's SH490 'Make-Up Phone' has something to do with makeup, we guess
Guess who the SH490 "Make-Up Phone" is looking to sell? If you said "men who wear no makeup," deduct three points and take a nap. Yeah, this Korean domestic flip from LG is pretty glitzy, and as the name implies, fashion is the first priority -- sure, the lid can flash any of 18 emoticons with its LED array, but we wouldn't exactly peg that as a high-tech feature, if you know what we mean. It features video calling and a 3-megapixel cam in your choice of Smoky Red, Deep Blue, and Pearl White, and if you absolutely must have it, expect to pay about 500,000 won ($384) on SK Telecom.
HD cosmetics bleeding into civilian realm
It was inevitable, really. Whatever the evening news anchor does, so must everyone else, right? Regardless of the answer to that inquiry, a new report has found that cosmetics once reserved for making on-screen celebrities look their best in high-definition are now finding their way into caboodles of everyday Earthlings. Even generic makeup outlets such as Sephora are now offering up a variety of HD makeup to folks who will never, ever see their face on the tube. HD makeup, which stands out by including particles that reflect light rather than absorb it, seems to be the latest trend in the highly volatile makeup industry, though some experts are questioning the need for Sam and Sally to go to such extremes. Pish-posh, we say -- they're just preparing for their big break on Super Hi-Vision.
Este Lauder, Lancme to launch vibrating mascaras
First came makeup designed to shield talking heads from looking too realistic while on HDTV. Now, we've got makeup that does half of the work for you. In the coming months, both Estée Lauder and Lancôme are planning to launch vibrating mascaras (stock image used), both of which require batteries and promise to cover way more ground than your unstable hand ever could. The former company will be introducing the TurboLash All Effects Motion Mascara, which will retail for $30 at Saks Fifth Avenue and buzz along at 125 micropulses-per-second; the latter will be churning out the cleverly named Ôscillation, which aims to provide "a 360-degree coat around each and every lash" when it launches this fall. We know -- we just got way too kit 'n kaboodle for most of y'all, but your lady friend(s) would appreciate the gesture.[Via CNET]
Dan Read Cosmetics barrels into HDTV makeup arena
In what is quite possibly the most exclamation point-laden press release of 2008 thus far, Dan Read Cosmetics is introducing its triumphant entry into the world of HD cosmetics. Contrary to DRC's proclamation, however, its Silver Screen Series actually isn't the "first" makeup designed for HDTV, but it will hide facial flaws from the discerning eye of the high-definition camera. Unfortunately, there's entirely more hype than actual details about this stuff, but we are told to expect the lineup on QVC sometime this year!
HD makeup seeks to conceal on-screen blemishes
Sure, we've heard just how little talking heads enjoy being positioned squarely in front of a high-definition camera, but now it looks like relief is on the way from a few big names in the cosmetics industry. Reportedly, over a dozen brands have either recently launched or are planning to introduce lines of makeup aimed at making you look stellar whenever your face gets captured on an HD camera / camcorder. Believe it or not, even the likes of Cargo and Dior are getting in on the fun with their blu-ray Collection and High Definition Serum Foundation, respectively. Granted, even analysts in the biz admit that a good chunk of this stuff is simply marketing hoopla, but you know increased resolution is having an impact on society when "HD Liquid Crystal Pigments" start showing up in foundation.[Via Pocket-lint]
DS makeup game defies mockery with sales potential
We were all set to make fun of Cosmetic Paradise, but then we thought about it and realized that a makeup game on the DS will probably be something of a hit in Japan. Here's our reasoning: All people in Japan have at least one DS-- including little girls. This may be marketed as a "training" game for cosmetics, and the word "training" opens the sales floodgates. Using the stylus to apply makeup is probably a lot of fun for people who like dolls and stuff. We admit, then, that this game is a good idea, from a business perspective, at least. And it does seem to have some adventure game elements, which we support. What do you think? Are there any little DS fans in your family that would enjoy this kind of thing?
Breakfast topic: And yet, it worked
There is nothing more lame than getting stuck in a group that just isn't going to work. If you're a warrior, and you get put in a group that has a feral druid, two rogues, and a warlock, odds are that you're in for a rough night. I'm not saying it won't work-- maybe the druid has crazy healing gear, and the rogues are a few levels high for the instance, and the warlock is really good at doing all the things they can do. But if the group's not there, it's not going to happen.But sometimes, you can get a really amazing group from what doesn't seem like the right makeup. I once ran a group with three shaman (me as a resto, and two elemental), a mage and a druid, and lo and behold, we actually finished Stratholme easily (we were all 60, before the expansion). And I've always wanted to run a group of all shaman-- two resto, two elemental, and an enhancement, through one of the 5 mans. I'm sure that if we had the gear and the know-how, we could make it work.So what's the wackiest group you've ever been in, where you thought you were just plain doomed-- and yet, it worked? I'm no good at the math, but with eight nine classes (told you I was bad at math) in five spots, that's a whole lot of different groups out there. What is the craziest one you've had that works?
Japanese department stores trialing virtual makeover machines
Although some women do indeed prefer an in-store (human) professional when looking for a new lineup of cosmetics to try, those independent ladies who'd rather take things solo just might prefer this method. Mitsukoshi, Shiseido, and Fujitsu have teamed up to bring a virtual, real-time makeover machine into Japanese department stores in order to give women a chance to test out a smorgasbord of shades on their virtual face before throwing down their hard earned loot. Sure, we've seen hypothetical approaches before, but this rendition lacks the mess and time requirements of previous methods by allowing customers to snap an image of their face, and then scan electronic tags of interesting looking makeup in order to dash their on-screen persona with whatever they please. The system allows the user to test endless combinations of products without causing a mess, using up samples, or demanding extra help, and the "before and after" feature should do a number on same-store sales. While there's no details about a mass rollout, the system is being tested right now in the Mitsukoshi store in Ginza, so fellas, steer your ladies clear of this one if you value your bank account.[Via PlasticBamboo]
Some celebrities shying away from HD cameras
It's all but unanimous that sports programming looks entirely more appealing in high definition than in SD, but for folks on the other side of the cameras, adding all that detail can be intimidating, if not embarrassing. While the "grain structure of film allows for a softness" that lends a hand in covering up the not-so-attractive signs of aging, HD cameras tend to capture that raw, unassailable truth that some celebrities are less than fond of. Diane Sawyer, the 61-year old host of ABC's Good Morning America, reportedly acknowledged that the puffiness under her eyes could no long be covered up, as viewers looking on in HD "could see every flaw." To combat the newfangled "problem" posed to many on-camera stars, makeup firms are devising new "airbrushing" techniques to add glamor and remove blemishes without looking like a shot of Botox gone horribly awry. Interestingly, reports indicated that viewers tended to enjoy the rough, disclosing look on men, but would rather see dames looking their best through those pixel-packed lenses. Nevertheless, HD cameras are making flaws more and more noticeable, and apparently causing quite the ruckus from overly concerned celebrities all the same, but hey, that's the price you pay for being in the (1080i) limelight.
Leo Burnett's rain-sensitive cosmetic billboard
Advertising agencies are trying everything from window shopping to fiber-optic cement walls to LEDs outlining a building in order to catch the ever-wandering eye of the consumer. The Leo Burnett agency, a graphical genius of sorts, has its latest breakthrough concept plastered on a Max Factor cosmetic billboard. The pictured woman sports finely groomed eyelashes when kept dry, but rainy weather creates black runs akin to real life scenarios to presumably suggest that ladies should make haste in picking up the run-resistant flavor of makeup. So if you're trying to focus on important things like pedestrians and oncoming traffic while cruising through a torrential downpour, just make sure to not point and stare too awfully long.[Via Core77]
Rocket develops "paper battery" for use with RFID, cosmetics
Nearly a year after NEC rolled out its paper-thin ORB batteries, Korean battery manufacturer Rocket is launching (ahem) its own uber-thin battery. While juicy, scientific details aren't readily available, we do know that the "paper battery" won't include any toxic chemicals, is "flexible and thin," and molds together the companies "thin film technologies" with its battery knowledge. The company hopes to entice heavy RFID users, smart card manufacturers, and "cosmetic / drug delivery system" providers to utilize the paper battery in powering the already-miniscule devices. Oddly, Rocket also envisions its new creation being used in "teeth whitening, anti-aging, and wrinkle care," though we're not exactly sure how electrifying a tooth will brighten your smile. Nevertheless, the company hopes to have its newfangled power source attached to crates and body parts real soon, and confidently assures us that it "doesn't cause explosions or fires." Phew. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]
Is Lost challenging My Name is Earl for king of the easter eggs?
While we were watching last weeks Earl for Easter Eggs (I didn't notice any), maybe we should have been checking another one of our favorite high definition shows more closely, Lost. Luckily TV Squad is more than willing to dissect each frame looking for clues about the survivors, the mysterious island they are on and the Dharma Initiative. After careful (re)viewing they noticed a date in the future on an X-ray shown during Jack's flashback. A mistake/red herring or something more? Additionally, during that episode some viewers could see the makeup covering Jack's tattoo, wonder why that is. Maybe they should have called our friends at Numeric Proof or they wanted us to notice. I can't call it, but rest assured, I'll be going over Grey's Anatomy tonight with a fine toothed comb.
Actors and Actresses rejoice
Finally. I mean gosh, what do we have to do in order to make these actresses look like they did in SDTV; 'cause when their respective shows went to HDTV, WOW. We all knew that the stars put makeup on before going in front of the camera but in high definition, you can see that it is caked on. One solution is to have the stuff airbrushed on. The other is to get it from Numeric Proof. (french)They have developed the stuff from two years of research and is specifically made for the digital medium. It allows the skin to breath and remain natural for the images.Truthfully folks, I know nothing about makeup but I have seen the need for this and am glad that someone that does know about makeup noticed as well.
