Project: Safe Indie

Good Saturday to everyone!

I wanted to give you just a quick update here to inform you of a new venture that a few other bloggers and I will be taking on in an effort to have information at the ready for your perusal. I'll reveal my partners shortly, but the genius behind this idea has been Tina from Dark Heart Designs. As a MMU indie company herself, she's set aside time from her own busy schedule of formulating, creating, and running her business to make sure this venture gets off the ground.

The gist?

We're going to compile a central location of indie mineral makeup companies for everyone who wants to shop. Granted, we probably won't get every last one that's out there, but our aim is to have as many as we can.

This is something I think is long overdue, and in light of recent situations, we feel is necessary in order to keep you- the consumers- aware of the product you're purchasing from a company.

Our goal is to keep it fun and informative! We're still currently in the tossing around ideas phase right now as far as eligibility and requirements for companies to submit in order to be added to the list.

I just wanted to let you know!

I'm in the midst of dying my hair again... And I must go rinse now! Half black, half my typical bright red... I need to get different bulbs for my lamps so you can be impressed with the redness that my hair is... (When it's not grown out... LOL)

xoxoxo ~*Snarky P

Pretty Pink Konadicure for Spring

So yeah... I painted my nails at least 8 days ago, and I'm just now getting around to posting it! Ha ha ha! Yesterday I had two small chips- one on my thumb, and another on one of my middle fingers (how appropriate, right?!) and today I chipped a big piece off my pinkie finger.

But that's not what this is about.... The awesomeness that was my manicure:

First, Lippman Collection's base coat went on

I used Sally Hansen's Beyond Perfect  29 Pink Lilac as a base color

The patterns are from Konad Image Plate m57

The fishnet pattern was stamped using Sally Hansen's Insta-Dry in 02 Winterland White. I love the fact that it looks like fishnet, or lattice... There's so many different looks I have in store for this image I tell ya!

The flowers were stamped using Sally Hansen's Insta-Dry in 220 Flashy Fuchsia. Instead of using the flowers pattern all at once (like show on the plate) I used the largest flower on my thumb through ring finger. The medium flower went on all fingers, and the smallest one was on my pinkies.

Taa-daaa!

These are the nails I've been sportin' for well over a week! I loved how it brought in a little spring for me....

For a little extra "sparklie" effect, I picked up a very old bottle of Sinful Colors polish in iridescent-glitter and applied it just over the flowers. When I say old, I mean somewhere along the lines of almost turning 15. I have no idea how this thing hasn't dried up and gooped in the bottle. I kind of think it's hilarious, and I'll remember to snap a pic and show it to you! This thing is in their old packaging- it's 203 Agaci !! I completed everything with a good ol' coat of Seche Vite.

But now, since they've chipped.... I'm gonna take 'em off and get another design figured out! And I promise... I won't wait a week to share! LOL

Spring wishes and glittery nails to all!

x0x0x0 ~*Snarky P

LOTD/EOTD - BH Cosmetics Peacock Eyes

Ok, well... I've decided to go ahead and show you my most recent EOTD/LOTD instead of the two older ones I did, considering the fact that I can tell you (sort of) what colors I've used for this one.

Peacock Eyes.

Everyone seems to love them. Blues, Greens and Purples tend to be a popular look for many, as the colors  together really do tend to compliment every complexion. It doesn't matter if you're super-pale (like me, thanks to my ancestors) have medium, or even dark skin. It's flattering for everyone.

Just before Valentine's Day, I won the BH Cosmetics 1st Edition 120 Color Palette, and I've been dumbfounded as to how to use the colors. Not because I don't want to combine them and create... But because they're so vibrant, the combination's are literally endless, and... Well, this is stupid. And funny. But you know when you get new makeup and it has that really nice textured top from being pressed? Yeah. I feel like I'm desecrating a color when I swipe my brush across the pan, forever removing that pattern the color was delivered to me in. (LOL, you're supposed to!)

I just need to suck it up and get over it.

Do any of you have the same quirk?? Please tell me so... I don't want to be the only one!

So here's a look at the set itself- both layers can be removed from the sturdy plastic case if you wanted to keep it tucked in a drawer somewhere safe. But if you're like me, I just keep it on my dresser... And they stay nice and protected that way. Dang kitties like to climb. The top tray I've put onto the lid of the case so I can actually show you what colors I've used.

1. The sky blue went into the inside corner of my eyes, and I swiped a bit on my bottom lid. Because this is such a light blue, it's also acting to a degree as a highlighter as well.

2. Next up was a medium blue which is quite striking in person. Don't be fooled- much of the dimension in the pictures of the colors just aren't as complex as they compared to actually looking at them. This color was blended into the edge of the light blue, applied to the middle portion of the lid only.

3. Bright purple! Yes, it is bright. No, my pictures don't show it. Yes, I love it. This went on the outer third of my lid, and I blended lightly with the blue in step 2.

4. This was a shimmery blue-purple, which I applied right over the area where the colors from steps 2 and 3. met, and blended the three together. It created a nice gradient of color, and a hint of sparkle without being obvious.

5. I used this color to highlight under my brow, and pulled the color downwards a little towards my crease. It's not a stark white, so it was perfect for this look as a highlighter. I also applied a little to the inside corner of my eyes.

6. This gray I applied to my crease only, and used a blending brush to blend the color upwards and outwards. I also blended it lightly where it met the colors on my lid, so everything transitioned nicely. Once blended, I added a little more of this color to my crease in the outer third of my eyes just to give a little more depth and definition.

7. This green was applied on my bottom lid, under my lashes, to the outer 2/3 of my eyes

8. This pretty shimmery green was applied to the inside 1/3 of my lower lid, and also patted over the black liner I put on my waterline.

9. I tightlined my upper lid (applied black kohl liner to underneath my upper lashes), then took an angled eyeliner brush and lined my upper eye lid with Wet 'N Wild's MegaEyes Gel Eyeliner in Black. From the BH Palette, I took the blackest black and put it over the liner to set.

I curled my lashes, applied mascara... And that's the look!

My cheeks have a Physician's Formula Illuminating Blush applied- I've had it forever, and decided to use it. Otherwise... My face has my normal PF Organics: Mineral Foundation on.

Yes, I know what you're thinking. Snarky P is using makeup that isn't mineral. Yep. I sure am. I never said I didn't "like" regular makeup- I just prefer the more natural mineral stuff. However, if you had this palette sitting right in front of you, blinding you with all that neon goodness... Can you tell me honestly you'd resist?!

That's what I thought!

Hope you like this mini-illustrated tutorial, and the pictures!

Are you going to try something similar now??

x0x0x0 ~*Snarky P

The Last I'll Say On The Matter of Orglamix

Good Sunday to everyone... I hope your weekend has been a bit better than mine.

This is the last post I will write in regards to Orglamix.

No further words need be spoken, as I believe enough has been said already. This is both through my words here, from other bloggers, and most importantly the loudest voice of all- the selective and absolute silence from Cheri herself. It deeply saddens me, as I had hoped things wouldn't have turned out this way at all. As some could say, "ignorance is bliss". Indeed.

According to some others in the blogosphere universe around here, those who write what is perceived to be "negative reviews" or "critical critiques" of Orglamix's products are served with Cease and Desist orders. I don't know if this will be the road taken in this instance, but I'm sure time will tell. Perhaps it will make people think twice about supporting some businesses, and making sure you're well read and informed before you  make a purchase. Also, at this time I still have not received any contact or response from Cheri.

Let me be clear and state it again- Orglamix products are safe- that much is known. I haven't indicated or said otherwise that I think this product is unsafe, or would cause harm to anyone who has or will use them. I truly don't believe  in my heart Cheri would knowingly distribute anything which would be dangerous to any one of us. The cosmetics line in question, Candy Glam, has already been addressed, apologized for, and resolved. Finished.

It's unfortunate as well to have noticed (and it's not just me observing this) over the past few days, time has been spent deleting comments and legitimate questions from concerned customers on her FB page who just want an answer to their inquiry/inquiries. Only an Administrator on the page has the ability to remove  those comments, unless the user decides to go back and remove their post. People are noticing  and following this. Taking screen shots. They're ending up on Flikr, and shared with friends... Who share with friends... And so goes the circle, getting bigger and bigger. The more you ignore, the more oxygen gets fed to the flames, the hotter the fire is going to get. It's strange that replies are being given to those who are still praising the cosmetics (which I still think are fabulous and personally will continue to use) and who will still support this business. That's entirely your own choice should you want to purchase from Orglamix.

It's not  what I'm upset about. It's not what many others are upset about. Personally, for me, money is not the issue. Whether I spent ten bucks or a thousand on her products, I would still be asking the questions I am. I would still have the same opinion I do now- read above, in purple text. I would still have done the research and posted the public information I have found. The issue at hand is the lack of disclosure and transparency, contradicting statements, as well as half answers given to dodge the real issue(s) at hand. Legitimate questions have been raised in a non-confrontational, curious, yet firm way by customers. Multiple times. Each time, the  ones perceived as negative are being deleted. None of the users are deleting their posts. What's going on? Those who dare ask, or inquire a second time, have been banned from the page.  Is that fair? Is that good business practice? A status update indicated Cheri was away in LA, returning Monday, and that's why there haven't been posts. Yet... There has been activity away from the page. Items re-stocked on Etsy. What's going on with the missing posts, questions, people, and pictures? 

What's that old saying.... You'll gather more bees using honey instead of vinegar. Yeah, that kind of thing.

A problem isn't going to just "go away" because it's being deleted or ignored. It's guaranteed at that point those same people are going to get upset or mad, and they're going to rant as they're allowed to. People are going to see it. And it's the guaranteed way to raise red flags with other folks who then go "What the hell is going on?!". They do research. They'll find the bad, right along with the good. Is that a risk that's worth gambling on, especially when it comes to your business? Your livelihood?

I'm interested to see what Cheri shares about Orglamix. I honestly, truly am. No BS, no lies, I'm not being snarky (as my name lends most to believe), I'm genuinely interested. I want to see the lab where she creates her products, with her ingredients and supplies at hand. I'll even say I'm eager for her to prove me, and the others who now share my doubts, wrong. I want to see stickerfests and labeling the jars. I want to see smiling employees, and I sure as heck hope someone takes her up on her offer to swing by the lab tomorrow. I'd like to see pictures from someone other than Cheri (or one of her employees, or close family/friends) to corroborate. Pictures from "just another customer" like I was. Like some still are, and will continue to be. Show me the business in action!

Last but not least, I'd like to implore you to not give up on purchasing makeup from other small businesses. There are many other hard working owners crafting, creating, testing, literally living and breathing life into their ventures who end up suffering the backlash when something like this happens. Yes, it does make us think twice, or even more, before making a purchase from a small indie business.

My suggestion is simply: Do your research.

Look at the companies who share with absolute transparency what they're doing. Are their photographs stock images? Or are they professionally taken and well presented? Do they use pictures of their customers to advertise too? Do the photos represent the product you're purchasing in true form? How many people do they show, either on their blogs/shops/social networking sites or elsewhere, wearing their cosmetics?

How many customers are posting pictures of themselves wearing the product? And what's the diversity of people posting? Is it the same 5 or 10 people? Sure, maybe at first! But if the business is successful, that number should start to mushroom pretty quickly. Word of mouth referral holds a lot of power- if we find a product we like, we recommend it. It's no secret we rave about products we love... As I've certainly done so!

Do we see their stock room or workspace/lab? Is it clean? Are things well organized and displayed nicely? This will influence your decision, won't it? If an area is well kept and organized- then the way the material is packaged and presented has a high possibility it's also going to arrive at your doorstep in the same nice way. It's reassuring. And it's a near guarantee there will be repeat business and new customers to boot.

What you see, or more importantly don't see, in a company will ultimately steer you as to whether or not you'll purchase their products. Trust your guts. If you have an off feeling- don't be afraid to ask questions. If they're not answered to your satisfaction, it's totally up to you at that point where you go from there. Whether or not you purchase, or move on and try to find another company to suit what you're looking for.

I think at this point, things just need to pan out and come to fruition.

Most importantly- thank you my readers. You have offered support in such an immense way since this "scandal" has spread like wildfire. I'm overwhelmed and so thankful for what you have been able to do by way of attempting to keep those people who misquote or only take snippets of what I've said and shown and use it in a way that I did not intend. I'm not perpetuating lies, I'm not writing crap, and I'm not doing this out of malice. I took cold, hard, public internet web pages and copied them. I shared them. You've read what I've presented. You'll make up your own mind. Eventually, the entire story will be revealed.

Thank you my online friends. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around the enormous amount of support I've had from all of you so far, and in such a short amount of time. I'm sure the others, my good friends I've met through our mutual addiction love of playing with cosmetics, who are in the same boat as me right now, also appreciate the outpouring of support as well.

~*Snarky P

A Long Tale of Orglamix Organic Ending With Unexpected Big Bang

Update 03/06/2011

I've made a few changes to the wording in my blog here, as I realize some of it was much too harsh and left no room for interpretation. I wanted this post to be as objective as possible, and I think to a certain extent I succeeded. There were just a few things I needed to change.

Thanks for your support everyone.

~*Snarky P

Update 03/05/2011

This is not a smear campaign.
I am not doing this maliciously.

I've tried to contact Cheri in regards to some labeling questions I had, and during the time I've been waiting for her to respond... I've done some research. I had no idea she was in LA, all we knew is that she went from posting frequently... To not a peep. But there's a flurry today in response to what I've been able to compile.

I'm heartbroken and sad at the amount of information and what I have found- but if you do not believe me (which is your right) then you can do some simple google searches as well and can readily find the same information I did. It's not lies. The internet caches pages for a reason.

If there is an explanation as to why these things appear the way they do, and is indeed a huge coincidence- by all means.... Show me Cheri. Show me your workspace. Show me the bags or large containers your bulk purchased mineral foundations, colors, micas, and other organic material is delivered to you in. Show me your empty jars with no labels before the minerals are packaged. Show me you and your employees having a sticker fest and labeling the handmade colors. I will be glad to remove this post and apologize profusely once I've seen beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am wrong with information I have found.

As many of you know, I've been a die-hard fan of Orglamix for a LONG time. This has not been easy for me to write or share. Look at my tag cloud- how many Orglamix looks have I created? How many times have I used the product? Would I compose this if I didn't have serious doubts as to how this company is run? No.

Do I believe Cheri is selling us unsafe makeup?

No. I don't. The product itself is wonderful.

Do I believe the product is subject to a deeper peek due to some labeling issues which have come up?

Yes. That's all I did. And I've shared what I've been able to find.

As a response to those currently who are asking more questions on Orglamix's Facebook Page as to whether or not the business is legitimate... It's coming to light comments and questions are being removed, and those who dare ask or question are being banned from the page.

I mean... When you start reading my introduction below... It's positive, isn't it?!

Does that sound like someone who would invest hundreds of dollars into a company, promote and refer friends, family and strangers to support Cheri as well... Just so I can turn around and write "lies" and "be mean"?

Seriously?

Think about it.

~*Snarky P

**************************************************
 

Post Composition Started 03/03/2011

This is a very long post. There is a lot of information I've found and compiled, and I feel is necessary to share. If you want to skip the top, that's fine... Just take a look at the bottom few pictures of the blog to get the jist of where I'm going with this tale.

You all know I've been a fan of Orglamix. I have been since October of 2009, which was when I first discovered mineral makeup. Looking at this particular shop, I was intrigued because of the fact that Cheri had no preservatives or extra "fluff and stuff" in her cosmetics. No fillers, nothing bad for my skin... So what the heck? I gave it a go. I loved the pictures, but really wondered if they would be true to color when I received them. I ordered a few, and I can tell you immediately I was in love with the pigments when they arrived, the way they applied, and the many ways I could mix-and-match to get different looks. As I researched, I found Cheri and her company was really starting to take off.

When I first started purchasing the colors, I picked up a Twilight Glampire Bella Collection for $19.99. It included 1g of product in a 3g jar. This set contained a foundation, blush, bronzer, and three eye shadow colors. It evens out to about $3.33 a jar plus shipping. They were clear jars, with sifters, and had the Orglamix logo printed on the lids. The stickers on the bottom had the company website, and the name of the color. They tended to wear off quickly, so I stored them upside down. There are conflicting reports that the jars may in fact have been 5g jars with 1g product. Either which way, the pricing and product couldn't go wrong.

Next purchase were gifts for Christmas, and colors I thought would compliment my Mom and Sister's skin well. Of course, I kept some as well! The shadows were increased to $3.99 a jar, and although the listing states that the product was 1g of product in a 3g jar, I received them all in an 8g jar at 1.5g of product. Considerably larger. I was happy. Especially with a few extra shades tucked into my package which I didn't order- score! The only "gripe" I had at the time is why not combine shipping? The makeup can clearly fit into priority mail boxes for a flat rate. Adding more and more makeup to my orders ended up increasing the shipping price so it had exceeded what it would have been for a small/medium/large priority box. Otherwise, shipping was fast and efficient. If it wasn't- I typically had contact from Cheri in regards to being a little behind with the orders and catching up- so that was fine. I didn't mind.

Continuing on, more orders of course. I couldn't get enough of this makeup. The price had now increased to $4.99 a jar, which I really didn't mind due to the fact that the 8g jars were considerably larger than the 3g ones. Officially an addict at this point, my purchases kept somehow depleting my savings. How could that happen?! Regardless... The jars were sometimes different. Now when they arrived, all had clear bottoms. But now I had some with shiny black caps, with stickers on the bottom with the color name. The other ones were some really pretty printed logo caps. And now some had clear caps with a black ring around the outside, so I could look right in and see the sifter and color I was picking up. I loved this. But I'm also very precise. I store all my colors upside down, so I can see all the labels.

Now skip to just before or after (I can't remember which, my apologies) Christmas of 2010, and the prices of the makeup all of a sudden goes up to $6.50 for single shades, and collections/XL containers increasing with this margin as well... No warning. This really isn't a "complaint" per-se, but... At the time I didn't know I had won the huge makeup contest, and was planning on purchasing a few more colors. An extra buck-fifty for me is a huge difference to me and my non-existent budget. (I'm unemployed, trying to get on disability for a back injury sustained from a horrible car accident in 2007... No worries about me, I'm slowly getting better...) Instead of maybe grabbing up 5 or 6 colors... It now limits me to maybe 3 when I'm able to squirrel away some extra dollars. However- it's loads more affordable than some other mineral makeup brands.

The verdict? I love Orglamix makeup. This is my own opinion, and in no way am I encouraging you to have to like it as well. It's helped clear up my skin, and I love the variety of colors I've been able to combine to create some pretty amazing looks. The makeup literally glides on effortlessly, and it's a dream to blend. Wearing multiple eye shadows together creates one of a kind colors. Wet them, and the color is that much more intense, or use it as eyeliner. The sheer amount of possibilities this makeup has is incredible bounds, far beyond what some regular shadows are capable of performing as. My personal opinion about this makeup is that it's one of my favorites.

Continuing on objectively with information I've found online:

Unfortunately, there's a bit of a "scandal" (if that's the word you want to use) coming about with the revelation that Cheri had another makeup line known as Candy Glam which she had sold. This past October, she ran a promo where extra of this stock was put up for sale as a limited edition collection- and being loyal customers, many of the girls jumped at the chance to get their hands on these colors. I wanted them. I really wanted a set, but I just didn't have the money to purchase them. If you want to read about the whole story, more information is posted here.

There are loads of articles and interviews done with Cheri, which praise her and her handmade, organic, cruelty-free mineral makeup line. You can check out a few here, here, here and definitely here which is where I think there's a great supply of information. There's plenty of other reviews to be found online as well. Some aren't so great, as this posting, but it's par for the course- sometimes makeup just doesn't work for certain people. We are all entitled to our own opinions. That's the beauty of it- our opinions are not fact. They're personal feelings- and if makeup impresses you, great! If not, move on! Don't linger and dwell on a negative if you love/hate a product and someone with an opposite opinion tries to engage you. Rise about it. Eventually, people will see what's going on and will draw their own conclusions. Cheri has built quite an online presence as her line grows, including professional networking, and The Indie Beauty Network- search the page for Haute Beauty Brands. I'd venture to say that up until now, and still continuing, she has a bit of a "cult following" for her products. (for the record, that is a compliment)

Since writing that article, I've been able to delve a little deeper. I've done some research  using Google and a few keywords, since one of my readers was kind enough to leave me a link which coincidentally matches a lot of those strange ID numbers some of us have found underneath an Orglamix sticker on the bottom of our shadows/blushes. I then remembered another site a fellow blogger had made reference to in a post comment somewhere in this mish-mash of information now coming out. (My apologies, if it was you... Please take credit below) Does this mean the product is re-packaged? No. It just makes us question where it's coming from. Why would you purchase empty jars that have stickers on the bottom, with names, ID's and ingredients? What company would send you jars with stickers like that? Or go even further... Why would someone print stickers that look like they match private label re-sellers online, slap them on their handmade shadows... And then put their corrected sticker over it? See... Questions only.

So I'll have you take a quick gander here at this site CPL: Cosmetics Private Label and Smile Jars.

They both look honest enough, right? It's mineral makeup. Eye Shadows, Foundations, Blushes, and even Brushes. All sorts of jars, other stock makeup products and accessories. Sounds like a great place to stock up on needed containers and micas, and the prices are even decent. Now, I did look at both these sites briefly at first, since I did notice the packaging was similar to what is used for Orglamix's line, but I didn't put two and two together... The ID's I was looking for was as they're shown below.on the sticker itself. It never occurred to me to hyphenate the identifying numbers. Even a partial search, for some reason, didn't turn anything up for me. Alright, that's good news... Right?

Remember, my collection of Orglamix colors now consists of about 150 eye shadow colors. 15 were "double-stickered". It's 10% of my hoarded treasure...Er, products. (joke ladies, laugh!) Out of my list of double-stickered colors which I pulled off my jars, I now am browsing casually through CPL & Smile Jars and comparing the two sites. It suddenly hits me. They both are identical in numbering and mineral shades. In fact, the only thing that seems different about the two sites are their names. Interesting. It doesn't mean the colors are re-packaged.

So I continue to look, pulling the ID's I have on my own jars and comparing them to what's listed on these sites to see if anything is close, matching, or absolutely off. I'm curious at this point... Nothing more.

The first line states the Orglamix color, and next to it the Color and ID number of  what I'm calling "The Rogue Sticker". This is what I found:

Ambre has a sticker which says Amber SP088 Pure Mineral Eye

Sites indicates L-SP088 Goldish ... Is it the same color?
To me, maybe. It looks a bit darker than Ambre.

Green Tea has a sticker that says Green Tea 78 Shimmer Powder

Sites indicates L-SP078 Autumn ... Do we have a match?
Maybe? It seems there's a lot more gold undertones.

Fog is Fog SPSP149 Pure Mineral Eye

Sites indicates L-SP149 Fog ... Look familiar?
Because I use this color often, to me it does.

Lilly Pilly is Lilly Pilly SP026 Pure Mineral Eye

Sites indicates L-SP026 Creme de Violet ... Not the Lilly Pilly I know.
LP in my stash is much pinker, and brighter.

Neroli is Neroli LSP-129 Shimmer Powder

Sites indicates L-SP129 SOUL ... Clearly not the same!
Neroli is similar to Lilly Pilly, a little more purple. This is blue!

Brimstone is Brimstone SP157 Pure Mineral Eye

Sites indicates L-SP157 is not in their color line.


 Sesame is Sesame SP043 Pure Mineral Eye

Sites indicates L-SP043 Silver ... Possible, but not probable.

This color is very dark. I don't think so.

Champagne Toast is SP003 The Bride Pure Mineral Color

Sites indicates L-SP003 Champaigne ... It might be?
I think there's too much pink to be CT.

Marshmallow is Marshmallow SP101 Pure Mineral Eye

Sites indicates L-SP101 CREAN ... Hard to tell.
This has a bluish tint, Orglamix's color is pure white.

Watermelon is Watermelon LSP-141

Sites indicates L-SP141 Pumpkin ... Too dark to be Watermelon!
The one I have is pink and shimmery- much lighter.

Pineapple is Pineapple SP125 Pure Mineral Eye

Sites indicates L-SP125 Desert Sun ... Clearly not Pineapple!
It's pretty though.

Citron is Citron 36 Shimmer Powder

Sites indicates L-SP036 Banana ... Looks like it could match.

Saffron is Saffron 133 Shimmer Powder

Sites indicates L-SP133 is TEMP ...Possibly the same color.
Very close, but not exact. I'm not sure.

Yes, some are very similar. Some look spot on. Some aren't even remotely close.... Since when is Pineapple blue?! Does it "prove" beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is a simple repackaging of CPL's product renamed as Orglamix? Not necessarily. Also, these are just my personal "rogue stickers" in my collection. Other customers have colors that have been double-stickered that are different from mine.

But here's something interesting you might recognize:

This looks a lot like... Primer. On both CPL and SJ sites it is. Simply called "EP Eye Primer". Checking out the ingredients list... It's totally not organic. So... This appears to (my eye) be the same jar of "stay put primer". Appearances aren't everything... Keep that in mind. According to Cheri, her Magnetism Eye Primer formula is 100% organic. No synthetics. I'm not saying this is the primer is we purchase from Orglamix. I just find it a very strange coincidence it's housed in the same small jar, clear bottom and shiny black cap. They appear to look the same to me.

I'm unsure of what to say.

Additionally, these companies will custom label jars of stock ordered with your very own personal logo on it. So an MUA wants a cosmetic line, and potentially sell it to clients? Purchase stock. Submit a logo... And CPL/SJ will either slap on a sticker or heat transfer a logo to the top lid of your jar. It's great for anyone wanting to break into the business and have professional looking stock almost right off the bat.

The nagging at the back of my brain right now is sending me a flag saying "look closely at the jars..."

I'd venture to say these jars have a high probability of being the stock Cheri uses to house her cosmetics. The heat imprinting of the logo does make sense- her pretty flowery logo with her name on the lid. The pull tabs of the clear stickers over the sifters appear to my eye to be identical., as shown in the picture below. The jars even match (with the exception of the white lidded one) ones that I've personally received. Does it mean they've been purchased from either of these two sites? No. I don't know where she gets them. There's a number of suppliers who I'm sure will sell cosmetics jars... Probably thousands. But the fact stands that as I've illustrated above, comparing the stock ID number on the "rogue-labels", having some colors look awful similar and some that don't, and then seeing these jars as packaging options.... I'll let you draw your own conclusion.

Does this automatically damn her for purchasing jars? No! Not even close. She needs something to store the minerals in, right?! Right! We don't want to receive packages of powder now, do we?

The question I'm putting forth is simple... With the similarity of colors shown, with some possible matches, and the jars looking like they're exactly the same as the ones we receive our product in... What's the probability of purchasing x amount of color(s) from CPL/SJ, in a stamped jar, with Orglamix's logo on it?

What do you think?

At this time, I have not heard back from Cheri.



Updated and Discovered 03/04/2011

Now. I tried a few more google searches. Different keywords. These are all screenshots of public information I've found online. Nothing was purchased to "get information", no underhanded sneaky way of finding stuff.

Just.
A.
Simple.
Google.
Search.

Take a look here, and make up your own mind. Draw your own conclusions.
Click the pictures for better, bigger images.

How many different Companies does Cheri Rychlee Tracy actually run... Er, I mean... Supervise? Outsource? Help me out here. I don't think I'm finding the right words. I'm so upset, I can't find the right ones.

This one's hers too... Beauty of a Site, and even more interesting... Help wanted: net profits: want to hand a project to a freelancer but don't know where to start? The internet can help

How many hours in a day, and running what companies exactly? As a mom, we know she has to take care of her kids... And they're time consuming, even as a SAHM. How do you run a full blown beauty site, an Amazon account, create mineral makeup, package all cosmetics, print, pull and pack these hundreds of orders, have a TAT of about 2 days, keep up with new listings and re-listings on Etsy,  answer (most) email or convo inquiries within 24-48 hours, Twitter all day, and update and interact with Facebook Fans throughout each day... And still have time to do anything? I'd be completely frazzled. But that's just me. I guess one of my big questions is... When do you eat?! Is it one meal a day, or three? There is just so much going on- how much help do you need to do this? I don't know. I'm not a small business owner. How many employees are needed? I don't know.

Still Googling around... Wait a sec... Take a very close look... This one was found by accident.

 

 

Selling private label cosmetics already... And wants to semi-customize the line? No mention of Orglamix, but her name isn't exactly common like Jones or Smith. Someone pretending to be Cheri? I don't know. I just look at the information on the screen. Orglamix was launched in July 2009.

Personally, I'm shocked. Stunned. Betrayed. Hurt. Pissed off. Really, really pissed off. I've spent hundreds of dollars on what I believe are potentially re-packaged cosmetics and left positive feedback for Cheri. My Mom has spent a fair share on these for me. I've given her information to strangers on the street who have stopped me to compliment my eye makeup- look cha-ching! Another customer! You and me have helped this business grow exponentially... And now we find all this out...

Has it all been a lie??

I honestly don't know. I don't know.

And what is it about her leaving positive feedback on Etsy? Most of the time, when someone purchases from your shop it's a "Awesome customer, glad to do business. Thank you for coming by and supporting me, hope to see you back soon!"

Each and every one of her feedback "Thank You's" are plugs to "Go the Orglamix way", and "Stop by facebook for exclusive offers". It's a pet peeve of mine. Maybe we should start plugging our own products in feedback left for her?

You can reference other posts for more information if you'd like, in case I haven't presented enough:
Seriously Orglamix, Seriously?
Orglamix
OMG - More Orglamix 


My personal opinion at this time is this entire business is dishonest. Not one more dime, not a penny, nothing from my purse will ever go to this company ever again. Had this information been disclosed prior, it would be a different story and I would still support Cheri in this business venture of hers. I hope you ladies  will take the time to draw your own conclusions and come to your own decisions about whether or not you'll invest in helping this business grow any further. I'd like to say save your cents and use them on honest companies, but ultimately- that decision is yours.




No x0x0x0's this time gals, it makes me sad...

~*Snarky P



***All stock images are from CPL Cosmetics***

This Way, That Way... Which Way? What's going on with Orglamix?

As some of you beauty bloggers have noticed, in the past couple of days there has been an absolute explosion and exposure of information regarding Orglamix Cosmetics. I am neither attacking nor defending this company at this time- simply putting facts, questions, and answers here. Please keep in mind that I am not personally biased in writing this. Many of you know I do prefer to use this makeup in many of my looks, and I am not being compensated in any way, shape or form for composing this article.

The first and foremost damming issue at hand is the fact that Cheri sold re-packaged, unsafe makeup. Colorlicious stickers were printed out and slapped the on her jars with Cheri's company name, logo, and reputation now stuck onto the jars for all the world to see.

Until, that is, a sticker is peeled off.

And upon closer inspection... What do we find....

I've copied and put screenshots below so you can see how responses are answered or dodged, depending on your views at this point. Don't get me wrong- I'm just as upset as the rest of the 'Glamix Girls in this discovery, but I feel it necessary to go for the core information and facts first before totally damming Cheri as a liar and someone who intentionally wants to hurt her customers. If you've been on Orglamix's Facebook Page, you can see these posts. I've blocked out names for privacy reasons in comments Cheri has responded to, and only left first names for a comment I also decided to post.

The products caught up in this hot debate are the Colorlicious Candy Glam colors sold  as a promo in October 2010. (Or somewhere around that time frame... If I'm wrong, please someone comment and let me know below)

This is a copy of one customer's invoice of the text from her Etsy receipt of sale, copied and pasted to FB:

While I'm glad and grateful this information has been revealed as to the safety and dangers of the product sold, I personally feel it should have come from Orglamix and Cheri herself. I think if she had disclosed this information herself before one of us had discovered it, a lot of disappointed and once loyal customers would have a much better feeling about this entire ordeal in general, instead of leaving us with a bitter taste in our mouths. This is her initial response to this blog post from (Not) Making It Up:

Note: While it's been stated the unsafe pigments were only in some of her her Candy Glam Line of cosmetics, how is it we can completely trust that the Orglamix line also isn't compromised? Read on. Again, if you want to see these in chronological order, simply stop on by the Orglamix Facebook Page to read the comments, questions, and responses from customers and responses from Cheri herself:

Unfortunately, to the comment above, it completely contradicts the invoice shown further up this post. Cheri did not indicate in any way, shape or form that the colors were in fact pre-packaged and sold from another company. Now, depending on where you look, you'll find she didn't know certain colors weren't approved for eye use. Or it came to light that she had, and sold it anyways. Or that she didn't check. Or a multitude of other excuses.

Where there is cause for some real concern is that it revealed some contents of certain pigments were not safe for eye and/or lip use- what the hell was she doing selling them in October 2010?? That's my question that still stands outright- and still bothers me. If this was left over stock from a prior line, which was sold as handmade (way before Orglamix came into being) and in fact wasn't, it did indeed violate Etsy's TOS. Eventually, someone would have figured it out. So... Cheri stopped Candy Glam. And so born was Orglamix. Still the question to me rings- why sell makeup that's been sitting around from 2007-2008? Or 2008-2009, which was in a comment above. Which year were they purchased??
(personally, even if I had a ton of this crappy stock left over, I'd have made it into nail polish... Or just simply chucked it, chalking it up to lack of experience in the industry and in the best interest of my customers to keeping it away from them)

The other dishonest part is that the product was manufactured and sold from a different company, Lady Burd. She simply attached her stickers to the bottom of the jars, and sold them in a Colorlicious promo.

But- have you looked at the different listings for eye colors, blushes, foundations and bronzers? The point I'm trying to make here is that each listing is pretty much a template. The first few paragraphs gives a short description of a color, or product, and the rest is a standard template. It may have been that Cheri simply didn't change this template to reflect that the Candy Glam cosmetics she was selling were not handmade by her. Did she purposely do this? And if so, why? Or does it make more sense that it was simply overlooked?

Yes, Cheri made a huge mistake in not disclosing the fact that she did not make these colors, and they were manufactured by a different company and re-sold as hers. Keep reading:

On a more positive note... Do you see something here that is unusual?
Unsure?
Look at what has happened. This has turned into a discussion, very publicly, quite bluntly, on her company's Facebook Page. Cheri has apologized- and continued to do so- throughout that evening. She has admitted she's done  something very wrong, and gone as far as offering refunds for those who purchased the Candy Glam Colorlicious products. She didn't have to do this. She didn't have to do anything. Cheri simply could have deleted the post, and ignored this issue, and really suffered a huge hit as an indie company. It says a lot more than the recently scandalized Glittersniffers- who were recently unveiled as being completely unsanitary, unsafe, and causing actual eye damage to her customers from the use of soap dyes, and minerals which weren't approved for eye use. What has that woman done? Ignored her customers. Disregarded complaints. Not responded to anyone, or done so with a flippant "I-could-care-less" attitude. It's seems as if she believes that ignoring the problem will make it go away- but instead, it gets worse.

Cheri hasn't. She's there, taking the heat, knowing she's done something very, very wrong. Look how many times she has apologized- even to someone who didn't even purchase the Candy Glam products and was quite fervently grilling her for answers! Cheri has responded professionally, and without trying to cover up the fact that she screwed up. According to the first comment above, she's even made the initiative to contact  by email any of those customers who made the Candy Glam purchase. The yellow star- good for her trying to keep some of us... Um... Zealous, anxious, and worried girls from becoming outright rude and mean to each other. Keep it civil.

How quickly it seems we forget the little, or lots, of extras which have been included in orders. Personally myself, I've always received a hand written letter thanking me for my purchase. Scented petals in my package. Extra eye shadows included... Just because. Cheri goes above and beyond what many other businesses practice.

Wise words from my Father:
1) Admit you made the mistake (Cheri has)
2) Fix it (Cheri's actively working on it)
3) Get on with it. (Does she really deserve to be crucified over this?)

Now comes another issue. I've noticed it. I've separated the stickers off others on the bottom of my jars... Yes, that's right. Multiple stickies on my jars. Other girls mentioned the same thing. What's the problem?

Well... Why are there multiple stickers?

In my collection of roughly 150 colors, this is my list of double stickered" colors:

**Fantasmagoria was known as Truffle
**Mistletoe was known as Cypress
Red Currant was Vanilla (which, duh, is a totally different color!)
Ambre has a sticker which says Amber SP088 Pure Mineral Eye
Green Tea is Green Tea 78 Shimmer Powder
Fog is Fog SPSP149 Pure Mineral Eye
Lilly Pilly is Lilly Pilly SP026 Pure Mineral Eye
Neroli is Neroli LSP-129 Shimmer Powder
Brimstone is Brimstone SP157 Pure Mineral Eye
Sesame is Sesame SP043 Pure Mineral Eye
Champagne Toast is SP003 The Bride Pure Mineral Color
Marshmallow is Marshmallow SP101 Pure Mineral Eye
Watermelon is Watermelon LSP-141
Pineapple is Pineapple SP125 Pure Mineral Eye
Citron is Citron 36 Shimmer Powder
Saffron is Saffron 133 Shimmer Powder
(I'll post pictures of mine shortly)

Cheri's most explanatory answer as to the "re-stickering" is here:

Well, it's mostly an answer. I didn't find any spelling mistakes on my jars. It does concern me that the description and colors of bases here at Smile Jars is strikingly similar, when searching by the color number and the product which turns up... None are the same. *whew* I don't think a company would print a different ID code with a color it doesn't associate with. That just does not make sense.

A google search also turned up little by the way of matching those "ID Numbers" to any certain company, so this leads me to believe that this is not just simply a case of re-packaging materials. I would like to know why those stickers are on the bottom of some of the jars though, and not others. Be reassured though, in my recent shipment of makeup- all of my jars have one sticker identifying the colors. And they all are Orglamix stickers. As a side note- these "underneath stickers" have a short list of ingredients:

Mica. May Contain: Carmine, Titanium Dioxide.

On all these labels as such, it says "may contain". This doesn't mean a color in fact does have carmine in it, but it might. The listings on Orglamix for colors which contain carmine do in fact state whether or not it does- and personally that's what I look for. It does not bother me if it contains carmine in a pigment, but that's my personal preference.

For the ** marked colors, you'll note in Cheri's explanation that she had intended to make both "Truffle" and "Cypress" core colors in the Orglamix line... But instead decided to sell them as "Limited Edition" colors- hence the double sticker as "Fantasmagoria" and "Mistletoe" respectively. That statement satisfies my curiosity as to why they were re-named.

And finally, to finish this post, I'll share my personal feelings about Cheri, Orglamix, and the future.

This is an email I sent to Cheri Monday, Feb 28 when this whole thing emerged. I'm very straightforward, blunt and asked the questions I did for a reason.

And this is her response:

As you can see... Not all my questions were answered, but I think I've managed to collect enough information now to make decisions as to whether or not I'll continue to recommend or purchase Orglamix Cosmetics. My initial email states quite bluntly my opinion about how some fellow girls and bloggers have reacted, and I want to make it clear that I do not disrespect any of them or their concerns. They're completely valid. Jumping so quickly on the bandwagon though, and perhaps not having all the facts, may or may not have happened. I wanted to blanket statement address the issue.

I discovered this company in October of 2009. Since then, I've made quite a few purchases, as received some colors as gifts, and received a lot of colors from a huge contest I won.

We're human. I believe Cheri made a huge mistake.

I believe she'll have to work hard to win back many of us who are, or were, fans of her cosmetics line. The best way I can see for recovering from this mess would be to continue what she's doing- don't hide or shy away from questions. Don't gloss them over. Explain to the most minute detail possible questions which are asked. I'd also suggest somewhere there be a complete list of ingredients contained in each product. Be it a resource online, or a paper tucked into an order, I think this would help greatly ease the conscience of us who are now wary of purchasing the products. While it's great she includes what's not in her minerals, I'd also like to know what is in them.

As for me... I'll still continue to purchase from Cheri, though I will think twice before doing so. If I see improvements going forward, it will encourage me all the more to still collect her products. I don't think Cheri is the kind of person who would intentionally hurt us, her customers, just to make a buck. We're the one that supports her- without us, she wouldn't have a successful business.

x0x0x0 ~*Snarky P