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If you have any questions, comments, feedback or you have a product you'd like me to review, email me at thefairfae@hotmail.co.uk

Thursday 7 June 2012

Follow up to Urban Decay's Press Release. Q and A

Yes UD, I'm talking about you.
I hate to just copy and paste from another blog, so I won't. Go over to Temptalia for a full Q&A session with Urban Decay. Be warned, fantastic questions asked, and bullshit answers given so you won't learn much other than I'm stroking my chin in wonder about Urban Decay and searching for replacements for their Primer Potion... I think they're being very flaky and I'm not sure I believe anything they're saying right now. I still stand by what I've said before, and I don't agree with their choice to sell in China. I nearly died laughing when they said something about using Social Media to spread their message in China... they clearly don't know that bloggers go to jail in China and bits of Youtube and Google are banned. Freedom of Speech doesn't exist in any form in China.

Epic Fail Urban Decay. EPIC FAIL.
Again...



Read here: http://www.temptalia.com/qa-with-urban-decay-a-follow-up-on-animal-testing-and-entry-into-china

I know I refer to Temptalia a lot, but she's my favourite beauty blogger, and most of the time I can't say it as well as she can!

Wednesday 6 June 2012

Urban Decay Press Statement: Animal Testing and China


From Urban Decay:
Urban Decay is going to sell our products in China. Because of China’s policies on animal testing, we know that this will not be a popular decision with some of our loyal customers. But the decision is a thoughtful one.
For 16 years, we have been committed to two key causes: women’s rights, and the fight against animal testing. Our dedication to those causes will not waver.
For those of you unfamiliar with China’s policies, the sticking point is this: the Chinese government reserves the right to conduct animal testing with cosmetic products before the products are approved for use by Chinese citizens. The government has not told us if they have exercised this right with our products. So, our brand does not test on animals, but the Chinese government might conduct a one-time test using our products. Do we like China’s policies? No…and that is really the point. Going into China was a huge decision for Urban Decay. But, we believe that change cannot and will not happen by outside pressure alone in a closed market. Change can only happen from within. When we enter the Chinese market, we will do our part to help make those changes.
When we were considering expanding into China, a group of marketing consultants told us to remove the section of our company history that describes our crusade against animal testing. “It doesn’t mean anything to the Chinese beauty customer,” they said. Of course, we refused. Our “no animal testing” policy is part of who we are, and has been since day one. The news that animal issues don’t even register with the average Chinese consumer was one of the biggest factors in our decision to go there. During Urban Decay’s infancy, we worked hard to inform consumers about animal rights in the United States and Europe. The battleground for animal rights is now in China, and we want to be there to encourage dialogue and provoke change.
We also hope to shed some light on women’s rights issues in China. As a company that caters to a female customer, this is extremely important to us. For one thing, going into China is a way for us to advance women into important professional positions. We will help grow the cosmetics industry, which primarily employs and creates career paths for women. Although workers’ employment rights are a relatively new concept there, progress has been made partially because of pressure from businesses, consumers, and advocacy groups from other countries. Based on this, our belief is that both an outside force and inside pressure for change can result in helping transform both the importance of women and animal testing policies in China. And more importantly, we hope to influence the perspective of the citizens on both of these issues.
If we don’t go to China, other companies without our beliefs will, and the culture will never change. We want to encourage a culture of consumers who care enough to buy cruelty-free products, and who view professional women as role models who influence their lives on a daily basis.
Yes, we are a for-profit company. And yes, we would eventually like to make money in China. But we don’t stand to turn a profit in China for quite a while, partially because the market isn’t quite ready to sustain an untraditional brand like ours. If it were only about the money, we would wait a few years. But our foray into this market is also about participating in an amazing time of change in China. We don’t like animal testing (and neither do the 13 dogs in our office), but we are trying to change the world… even if it is one eye shadow at a time! Sitting on the sidelines isn’t our style. We understand that you might not like our decision, but we hope you can respect it.
http://www.temptalia.com/
Source for article: http://www.temptalia.com/
For any advocates or Urban Decay fans interested, Urban Decay founding partner Wende Zomnir will host a live chat on urbandecay.com to answer questions about our entry into China.


This post got a bit serious, so I thought it needed more kittens.
Not sure what to think of all that. I'm vehemently against animal testing in cosmetics, but at the same time, Urban Decay makes sense in what they say. Change must happen from within. Sadly, it's neither my place here in the UK or Urban Decay's place in the US to say what happens in China... but then, would they rethink their policies on animal testing in China by people outside the country with-holding products they desire? No. I doubt it. China has different ways of thinking to some of us in the western world, and we have no more right to tell them that they are wrong, than they have to tell us we are wrong. I suppose education is key and Urban Decay can potentially educate from within, then it's China's own choice as to whether they do anything about it or not. I strongly suspect "or not" is the way China will stay though...

Friday 1 June 2012

New MAC releases for June 2012!

Last night I was checking the MAC UK website as I do regularly (I'm so sad, I do keep checking back for new releases as they don't always release things on dates they say they will!!) and what do I spy but Casual Colour and Beth Ditto?!? YAY!

Beth Ditto
We've also now got Perennial Pinks which has been on the US site for ages now, and Extended Play Lash

I'm still too poor to buy anything which makes me a very Sad Panda, but I love the look of the Beth Ditto Shade and Smoke Shadow Liners, as I'm hoping they're like sort of double ended Shadesticks and I looooove my Shadesticks! From the lipsticks, I love the look of Heart Hangover and Dear Diary, but I probably won't actually buy any this time. Powder to the People is so unique, it really intrigues me... I'm not sure how useful it would be from a practical side, but it is gorgeous! Seeing reviews though, I'm not sure I need it in my life! I'm too poor, but I am hankering for the double ended Shadesticks!


Casual Colour
Casual Colour... well the lip and cheek cremes are the focus aren't they? Everything else is just decoration for those! I'd very much like to try those, but I can't really tell which are the best yet. I need Temptalia to do some full swatches to help me. I can't pick anything unless I've seen Christine's swatches! She's getting through them but they're not all up yet. Thanks Christine! <3 So far I like the look of Have a Lovely Day and Evening Stroll. Lilacs and blue based pinks look good on me, so I was gravitating towards those.


Perennial Pinks are nothing new I don't think (I could be wrong) and well... Extended Play Lash is a mascara *shrug* I have mascaras I'm happy with already!


So, what are you lot thinking about the June releases? And the Diamond Jubilee weekend is starting here in the UK! I should probably do some sort of make-up look in honour of that or something. I'm really not a royalist though!

EDITED UPDATE: from what Christine on Temptalia has said about the Shadow and Smoke liners from Beth Ditto, I had to come back and tell you all to read her review if you're considering them. I've been put right off. :\ http://www.temptalia.com/mac-beth-ditto-shade-smoke-shadowliners-review-photos-swatches *sad panda* I'd probably look like a sad panda too had I bought Little Miss Moffet as I planned!