Skin Makers Challenge! for Tonight Live

Dear Reader,

I have really really high standards when it comes to my skin in SL. One being I love good detail and good shading, and another I love hair base! thank goodness more skin designers are doing that.

Now being on TV in SL as I am, on my Tonight Live show, means I need to have some skins with more make-up particularly around the eyes, and lips. Just like in RL TV, SL TV can make you look a bit strange if you don’t have strong lip color and strong eye color. I have, (like a lot of SL woman) a lot! of skins…and I buy a LOT of fat packs…I have my favorites of course, and they are the ones that when I wear them make my eyes and lips look as close to my RL ones as possible…well… as close to what they used to look like when I was 25 when I was also shiny and young. But I also like lighter weight skins at other times too. I also love the skins with painted on lashes, so I don’t have to wear Prim lashes.

Im now 47 going on 48 this week actually. And I don’t look too bad for my age, in RL, good genes and good diet, good lifestyle, and I’ve always kept reasonably fit, sometimes very fit, lately not so much…I’m a walker not a Gym girl anymore. But I actually don’t mind my wrinkles at 47, I could do without the turkey neck that I get when I’m thin, and the fat chin I get when I’m a little bigger…but “shruggs..can’t have everything” Im also very open about my real life persona Leonie Smith, the Jazz Singer, my RL photos are up every where, there’s no hiding what I really look like.

I chose to represent myself in SL as being reasonably close to my real life appearance, I never did have a desire to present as a Neko or dog or cat or a Stripper..So I spent hours and hours tweaking my avatar to have my RL prominent chin, my prominent nose and my average height average weight body to look like…me!. But try as I might I have never seen a skin that represents my age. And I’m really really sick of looking 25 in SL!. In RL I would not go back to 25 if I could!, Of course the skin and figure would be nice, but like a lot of girls, I had no idea at 25 how gorgeous I was, I only concentrated on every little flaw!!!! now of course I look back and I am so disappointed I wasted so much time on worrying about things that only made me more distinctive, they weren’t flaws… If I could talk to my 25 year old self, I think I’d give her a whack across the head! and tell her to get on with life and don’t worry so much? ah the benefit of hindsight…No Doubt when Im 70 I’ll look back at pics of me at 47 and feel the same way…

I feel that my RL age lines tell the world, that I have experience, that you can’t mess with me, I’ve been around, of course sometimes they tell people (incorrectly) that you are a certain age, and therefor could not be hip to computers or Music devices, so I have to be very sure to dispel that vibe quick smart! Which is why I usually look for a sales person around my age or older, as they usually treat me with a little more respect…I’ve had a really full life, a life with plenty of ups and downs, and I feel I’ve earned the right to show my wrinkles and be proud of what they represent!

I just watched a lovely film with Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and Joan Allen, called Bonneville, and I know that some of them have had a little “work” but they haven’t erased their lines completely at all! and you know what? they look lovely! different “lovely” to a 25 year old of course, but kinda like a delicate beautiful flower that is sort of crushed just a little…The essence of their beauty is still there, even Kathy Bates (never considered a great beauty) who has the most attractive smile!

So I went searching for skins last night, with lines, basically…and all I found, that, was wearable to me, was the 2nd one below my shiny 25 year old skin Pic…Its a reasonable skin, but its only one, and very light on make up..I also saw far more and better aged skins for men…?

Shiny 25 year old skin

older skin

What I’m thinking… is how much trouble would it be for a skin designer to,.. after creating a new skin, alter it slightly with a few “attractive” lines (without going overboard and making the person look like an aging heroine addict…which is what I saw out there…) A lot of woman who use make-up after 45 DO use concealer under their eyes, and blush, and good shading around their eyes…we want to look our age, not like a corpse..or sick…is this doable? I wonder how many people would buy these skins if they were made available…and were done well..and attractively. Also don’t get the idea we want peach colors only after 45…we do want color and choice!

I’d like to see a day when you buy a great skin in SL where a skin designer also offers a 45 year old version and a 65 or something… but easy on the bags and the hollowed out eyes please!… Think more Glamourous 45 not haggard 45…more Andie McDowal or Terry Hatcher…

Now I change skins with every outfit, there is barely a time when I don’t, unless the next outfit has a similar color tone…So finding one skin that looks reasonable in SL is just not going to cut it. I’m going to set up a challenge, and its probably not a fair one, as I’m going to be the judge seeing as I’m so fussy I would like any skin designer reading this, to submit to me a skin…it can be demo if they wish, that looks about 45 – 50 yrs in age…something that follows the guidelines I’ve set out above. Be kind but be real. Keep in consideration the same attitude you have with the skins you allready make, that, if the person wants to look pretty, your skin will certainly enhance that. The Skin Designer or Designers that are chosen in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will be invited to come on Tonight Live to talk about their work and present the final results.

Yes this is a way for me to get the skins I want! most definitely, and of course once done I will pay for them. But I’m also hoping that other women or men who want to look like woman over 40 might benefit from this also! Can we do this??? Help us to celebrate our age!