Max Factor's Electrafying Mess-Up

Nikki D — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:46:59 -0700

As part of some sort of Max Factor legacy, I take this opportunity to ask questions and more importantly complain about this terrible campaign that's running rampant through the pages of my favorite magazines.

A Little Slice of History and of My Mind

As an immigrant to the United States my late grandfather, Diego de Ayora, went from working in a lamp factory to becoming the vice president of Max Factor cosmetics. I have certainly inherited his eye for all things beauty and makeup. Flipping through this month’s Elle magazine, I came to a screeching halt when I set eyes on this Max Factor flop-of-a-campaign.

This wild Native American number mismatches flawlessly with the sonic colors of Carmen Electra's eye shadow. I suppose that this look could be to promote shades for the universal women, as though no matter what you’re wearing, these neon lids will match perfectly. Yikes! Gross! Wrong! I can’t imagine just who this look would appeal to, but I’m dying to find out.

I'm not sure if Electra's stylist was in the Bahamas the day of the shoot, or if the power was cut to her dressing room, but this is just frightening.

The Factors of this Max Factor Mess:

MAXeye Shadow in Serengeti:

Maybe Carmen Electra and her Max Factor cosmetics crew are misunderstanding earthy tones with their Native American threads and Northern Tanzanian palette names.

Carmel Icing MAXwear Lip Color: This reminds me of those soccer moms that were always dressed a little too sexy for the games.

MAXeye Liner Night Club (black): Around the world we continue to travel with this look that appears to span hemispheres and time. These luscious eyelines a la Amy Winehouse may be the cherry atop this confusing sundae, but also may be the only thing that I would attempt to mimic on myself.

What do you all think? Am I being too harsh? Maybe, not hard enough! Let me know what you think of this Max Factor hot mess:

Day-Glo: electro-cute or shock-and-awful?

didifraioli — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 11:55:41 -0700

Rihanna's acid color trip

Rihanna needs a new umbrella. Because the one she's been using can't seem to shield her from that neon light storm she keeps getting caught in.

Like it or not, Day-Glo is back.

Ok, so maybe I was hasty in blaming Rihanna's umbrella. No, instead it looks like she decided to fully adopt, nay, embrace, the neon trend that lit up the runways in spring 2008 collections — which for some gawd-forsaken reason seems to resurrect every decade since the '60s. Only this go-round, we probably can't blame it on any psychedelics. Looks like we need a priest to kill this trend for good.

Yes, I'm being harsh. I know. Maybe I'm cranky because my office failed to pay homage to National Donut Day during our usual bagel Friday this morning. But sugar and trans fat deprivation aside, with the exception of toenail polish, I find this neon trend completely gauche.

I mean, c'mon, let's be honest. Rihanna is drop dead gorgeous, so she can pull off any trend and still look good. And she's a performer.

She can get away with super, over-the-top, costumey makeup. On someone who either isn't as fortunate in the appearance department, or isn’t a teenager, we'd all think she looked like she's been chewing on a pink highlighter.

And I'm going to piss off a lot of neon aficionados, but if you’re not a Rihanna-caliber celebrity or a high school girl, stay away from the Day-Glo makeup unless you want to look like a Times Square hooker or East Village drag queen. Actually, I take that back. That’s an insult to Times Square hookers and East Village drag queens — they’ve come a long way.

My take: The '80s called. Even they don't want their Day-Glo back.

But . . . Day-Glo and neon-colored toenails look fun and fresh on just about everyone.

It’s flip flop season, and bright-colored toenails are perfectly on-trend, and make women of all ages look stylish and youthful. Here are two new collections to try:

Essie Neon Collection

The highly anticipated Chanel Robertson Boulevard Colour Collection, which makes its debut in July.

bright colors