Your 2011 VMA Recap

Last night marked the 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards, and if you weren’t tuned in to the latest hurricane coverage, preseason football or an especially emotional Extreme Home Makeover (we had to keep switching in between commercial breaks), you might have missed it. Never fear, we’ve got your bite-sized recap right here—from the night’s biggest winners to the best dressed and more.

The Biggest Winners
Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Adele were the night’s biggest winners. In addition to Video of the Year (for “Firework”), Perry shared two awards with Kanye West for their “E.T.” collaboration. Gaga’s “Born This Way” earned the eclectic performer Best Female Video and Best Video with a Message, while Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” racked up a trio of tech-y and dance awards.

The Best Dressed
Two words: Selena Gomez. The 19-year-old Disney star stepped things up with a breathtaking Julien MacDonald gown that brought it all—black lace, filigreed frills and a hip-hugging, full-length train. At an event known for being flashy, Gomez brought a classic elegance more befitting an Oscar or Grammy appearance. Way to keep it classy!

The Big News
If you haven’t heard already, yes, Beyoncé is expecting. The “Run the World (Girls)” singer showed off her baby bump on the red carpet with hubby Jay-Z and during her live performance of “Love on Top,” where she dazzled (literally) in a purple sequined tuxedo.

What was your favorite VMA moment?
Share it with us below.

What’s ‘The Situation’ with Abercrombie?

It seems chiseled abs and no shame for flashing them to a camera are not enough to keep ‘The Situation’ from Jersey Shore in Abercrombie & Fitch’s good graces. The fist-pumping, super tanned, party boy from the MTV show was offered an anti-endorsement deal. Abercrombie & Fitch announced in a press release they are willing to make a "’substantial payment’ to Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino or any cast member who stops wearing its clothing on the popular MTV reality show." Ouch!

Sorrentino has been seen on the show and out-and-about wearing Abercrombie & Fitch, but it wasn’t until the brand’s CEO, Mike Jeffries, was told Sorrentino wore neon green AF-label sweat pants in a recent episode that Jeffries offered to pay Sorrentino to refrain from wearing Abercrombie & Fitch on the show. You would think a brand that markets itself with buff, half naked models in-store and racy catalogs could handle ‘The Situation’, but the Jersey boy’s rough, foul-mouthed, partying ways are apparently "contrary to the aspirational nature of the brand."

How does Sorrentino feel about all this? Well, he Twittered a link to CNN, reporting the clothing company’s stock went down 9% yesterday, and he so eloquently retorted “Looks like Abercrombie got themself into a Situation!”

Mannequin Makeovers

Clothing retailers are investing more into their store design, specifically their mannequins. It’s not the first thing you notice when visiting a fashion boutique, but think about all the different types you see on display at varying shops. From body shape to facial feature design, there are many ways to show-off the latest fashions in a store. Mannequins are becoming more than just an human-shaped hanger, especially now that online shopping is at an all time high. There is more pressure on stores to create a customized environment that speaks to their target audiences.

A mannequin maker in Colorado is helping revolutionize the retail world with customized, more life-like mannequins. Some of them even move, which encourages the shopper to interact with the merchandise. These life-like displays are supposed to resemble the people who shop in these stores, or at least look the way shoppers imagine themselves.

I have to say, I like this idea. I know displays need to have a fit physique, but sometimes it gets a bit ridiculous. I hate it when I see a blouse on the mannequin that I think looks hot, and then realize the garment does not fit at all like the display because the shirt had to be draped and pinned onto a frail, tiny figure. Interactive, relatable marketing is getting bigger and bigger, and details that were once store design afterthoughts now need to evolve to make the shopping experience more personal.

All-American Beauty

July 4th is just three days away, and as we gear up for a weekend of cookouts, parades and celebrations, we take pride in all the things that bring us together.

Here at Pür Minerals, we’re proud of our all-American roots. Founded in Atlanta, our pioneering spirit helped us create a groundbreaking pressed mineral makeup line that not only offers an authentic, uncompromising style, but also creates thousands of American jobs. From manufacturing to product development and beyond, we know the value of American craftsmanship and innovation to product quality and to the greater economic recovery.

From our family to yours, have a happy and safe 4th of July. Whatever your plans are, we hope they’re fun-filled and proud—pür and simple.

Stayin’ Alive with Ken Jeong

Actor and comedian Ken Jeong made us laugh out loud in The Hangover II and last season’s Community. Here, the funnyman and physician (Google it if you don’t believe us) shows his chops in a wickedly funny video on how to perform hands-only CPR to the beat of Stayin’ Alive.

 

Want more Jeong? Check out this behind-the-scenes video.

Go Red Event Raises over $300,000 with Star Jones

Yesterday, Pür representatives, along with celebrities, business leaders and health advocates helped raise over $300,000 at a Go Red For Women® event in Atlanta’s ultrachic St. Regis Hotel.

Coordinated by JuE Wong, CEO of Pür’s parent company, Astral Brands, the fundraiser was hosted by Emmy Award-winning news anchor Brenda Wood with a keynote address by TV celebrity Star Jones. In her speech, the former View co-host shared how her 2010 open-heart surgery gave her a new lease on life and inspired her to promote women’s heart health. As a contestant on the 2011 season of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice, Jones played on behalf of the American Heart Association.

According to Wong, contributions from the event will help fund research, awareness and solutions to treat heart disease—the no. 1 killer of women in the United States. “What is even more exciting is the knowledge that we could very possibly accomplish this in our lifetimes through science, health and empowerment programs,” she says.

Wong’s passion for heart health stems from her own story of loss. In September 2009, she lost her husband Bob to a heart attack. Since then, she has championed Go Red in the hope that others might learn from her story and take action before it’s too late.

“No one should have to live with the guilt of reducing their loved one to a memory,” she says, “especially when something is within our power to make a difference.”

To hear JuE’s story, click here.

Summer Blues

Denim is a durable and comfortable fashion friend to many of us, but our much loved yet underappreciated  jeans will no longer play second fiddle to stunning blouses and tops.  Denim is getting a turn in the spotlight this spring and summer. Blue jeans are a classic must-have for any wardrobe, but on the runway, denim is currently being used for dresses, jumpsuits, jackets, blazers and pretty much any other piece you can imagine. Chunky, box-shapes with simple lines make a great contrast with feminine buttons, shoes and bags. Natural, medium blue denim is what’s hip right now, and lately, dip dyed denim (Denim dipped in a bleach mixture to fade the fabric from blue to white.) is getting popular with designers.

If you have a pair of jeans or an old denim piece that needs a modernized makeover, there’s no need to trash it and buy brand new stuff. Dip dying old pieces can give them a trendy, light look that will tie nicely into summer fashion. Here’s what you’ll need:

Jeans or shorts
Plastic gloves (Safety first!)
A plastic bucket (at least 2 gallons)
A yard stick or a couple rulers
Bleach
Distilled white vinegar

Here’s how to do it:

1. Mix two parts water to one part bleach in your bucket.
2. Thread your yard stick/rulers through the belt loops of your jeans.
3. Dip your denim into the solution to the desired depth, resting the rulers/yard stick on the bucket. Keep in mind the bleach may bleed upwards, so allow an inch of leeway for the effect.
4. Let the denim sit in the bleach solution for thirty minutes.
5. Once your denim has reached the white shade you desire (Whiter whites may require more than one dipping session.), remove the fabric and soak them in a mixture of two parts water and one part vinegar to stop the bleaching.
6. Let your denim air dry completely. Wash and dry your new masterpiece alone for the first two washes.
   
   

 

See a Video. Save a Life.

Did you know that in the amount of time it takes to apply your 4-in-1 Makeup, you can learn how to save a life with hands-only CPR? In recognition of CPR Awareness Week, we at Pür Minerals urge you to watch this short video by the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women® movement. Remember, the life you save could be a loved one.

 

To view in Spanish, click here.

Wedding Cake? How About Royal Pizza Pie?

It seems as the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton draws near, enthusiasts are getting crazier and more creative. Papa John’s jumped on the royal wedding bandwagon last week, having a food artist in the UK create a portrait of the lovebirds out of pizza! "Royal Wedding fever is sweeping the world so we couldn't resist having some fun and creating our very own pizza portrait of Kate and William to celebrate their forthcoming marriage," said Andrew Varga, Papa John's chief marketing officer.

At least we know Kate’s dress designer in this case! Her pizza gown is made of delicious cheese, and her veil is a cascading blanket of mushrooms. William's suit is made out of salami and peppers. I must say, this is fashion at its yummiest, fanaticism at its finest and nothing short of delectable artistry! Don’t they just look good enough to eat?

Pür-ly Bizarre: Kate Middleton’s Face on a Jellybean

It’s official. Royal wedding mania has reached a fever pitch. And it’s all thanks to a jellybean. (Yes, you read that correctly.)

Wesley Hosie, a 25-year-old accountant from Somerset, England claims to have found royal bride-to-be Kate Middleton’s likeness on a jellybean. Hosie and girlfriend Jessica White found the delicious doppelganger hidden inside a 1.5-pound jar from the Jelly Bean Factory.

"As Jessica opened the jar, I saw her immediately,” Hosie told news sources. “She was literally lying there staring back at me.”

Thanks to a spark in online interest, Candy Kate can expect to join an exclusive club of edible apparitions once reserved for religious icons. Concerning the curious confection’s fate, Hosie had this to say:

"Given that the royal wedding is only a few weeks away, we hope to make a few pounds out of it by selling it on the internet to a collector."

According to various news sources, the couple has put the mango-flavored Middleton lookalike on eBay, with bids starting between $800 and $1,000. And with royal hysteria growing more each day, the pair could expect a pretty sweet payoff.

Do you see a resemblance? Tell us what you think.