IN MY SKIVVIES AT THE BEACH

So I sneaked off one last time to the beach before it gets cold. I was trying on pieces from Finesmith's flowery new September gift set, while doing a pinup pose lying on an old rowboat. 

And I was thinking Deep Thoughts about my latest skin obsession, Inka Mexicola's "Essences" skins. I read a skin review the other day by Arica Storaro over at one of my fave newer blogs, The Blogging Elf. Overall she gave a very positive review of Ms. Mexicola's "Cho" skins, but she pointed out the skin's imperfections honestly.

Reading her article made me think about what I expect from these skins. On the plus side, they suit my taste: they have these adorable tip-tilted noses that go just right with my eccentric little shape. The bodies are softer and don't make me look like a weightlifter. I think they hit just the right balance between hand drawn and photo real, neither too smoothly stylized nor too photographic in details. But some of my needs are probably different from some of yours ... As a blogger I like to show lots of skin options, but I rarely ask for review packs. So I look for bargains from the best skin makers. I go to the Dressing Room, the Arcade, the Chapter Four, etc. When I am paying between zero and a couple hundred lindens, I expect I am getting the equivalent of a Beta skin, which may have a couple of very small imperfections. But when I buy full-price skins (L$1000 or more), I expect higher quality: I think a body without visible seams is a perfectly reasonable expectation.

What can I say but ALWAYS TRY ON THE DEMO? Take a close look before you buy. The skin in the picture above came out of the L$100 gacha machine at the Chapter Four. At a moderate distance, I don't see anything wrong with it. But if you click on the photo to go look at the skin close up, there are a couple of artifacts along the seam line running horizontally a couple inches below the bellybutton. A couple more along the sides of the hips. But do I feel cheated? NO! Normally I am fully dressed, in front of a photo studio taking pictures, or teleporting around the grid. Maybe when she has had more time to work on her body template, I will buy some full-price skins :D  ... Love your work Inka!

Flower Accessories: Finesmith "September" (this month's group gift)
Undies: Plastik "Valerian"
Hair: Exile "Just A Reason 10 - Wildcards" (at the Arcade Gacha)
Skin: Essences "Amaterasu 05" (Gacha at the Chapter Four)
Eyes: Ikon "Ardent"

Love,
Serene