on the Kawaii tip. Thanks Dad

From the Hypefiends shoot, where the girls and I exhibited an array of “streetwear parodies”.

Following my last write up (see below), I received a personal email inquiring why we don’t often write about men’s “streetwear” here at The Fresh Fiends. I wasn’t going to acknowledge the subject or even reply to the email, because who am I to knock anyone’s hustle and also because I can’t relate to any certain “scene”, much less a MAN’S scene. But because this is the perfect platform to state my opinions, I’ll oblige my inquirer to the best of my ability. Back in the day, the term “streetwear” was coined to describe aspiring clothing companies who wanted to offer a high quality product (but something you couldn’t find in a department store), while incorporating the inspiration of their surroundings. Most of these companies consisted of surfers, skateboarders, and artists who had strong, legitimate, and influential messages to convey. But in any industry, rising demand and popularity increases the chance for a product to lose its integrity. The quality is compromised, designs get lazy, and the SCENE outgrows the MESSAGE like weeds in a garden. The number one reason we don’t acknowledge most streetwear labels is simple: the influx of the ego. The companies we DO write about are family and brands that we generally respect as human beings: those we admire as ARTISTS. And by nature, we support the ladies in all of their endeavors…that’s a given. But when it comes to the guys nowadays, the common ground for most labels seems to be based on who can “out-cool” who. That is NOT a message. We don’t care who came out first. We don’t care how quick you came up or how big you think your “buzz” is. Our concern is creativity, motivation, integrity, and above all else: the VOICE. This isn’t Hypebeast and if you’re sad about it, I truly apologize. Say something we haven’t heard before and then maybe we’ll CONSIDER writing about it. Until then, best wishes and let us get back to work, thanks!

A few of my favorite shots from “There Will Be Blood”, the latest offering from men’s brand, 5th Column. Photos by Sean Lyles. View the entire campaign HERE.

Congratulations to our friend Gabby Rosales for making the cover of local gem, Java Magazine. The spread also features clothing and accessories from another Phoenix favorite, Butter Toast Boutique. Lookin good Gabby

Thanks to one of our commentators, I was able to find the website belonging to a co-creator of Cosby (see Anyone Home? post below). The visuals on HRSTUDIOPLUS are as stimulating as the line was. I haven’t swooned over anything since The Boobs (AND finding my Jeffrey Campbell knockoff wedges). Much love and thanks to our readers, who are the most helpful little things in the world!

Currently obsessing over Nestle Abuelita drinking chocolate. Rich chocolate tablets (infused with cinnamon) that you melt in hot milk. My dad recently gave me a box and thanks to him, I’m addicted! I’m not a hundred percent sure where you can get it here in Phoenix, so if you’re new to this product like I was, check out Abuelita’s website. For a homemade version of Mexican hot chocolate, visit Recipezaar.com MMM

On March 9th, Capitol Latin/EMI will release “La Leyenda” (”The Legend”) to celebrate the work of the late, great Selena Quintanilla-Perez. Per the press release, “La Leyenda will be available as a 4CD box set, a 2CD deluxe edition, and a single-disc hits collection. The box set includes an exclusive Selena charm and an extensive, bound book with personal messages from Selena’s family, friends and fans, as well as rare photos and art from her family’s collection, and the 2CD deluxe edition features an extensive booklet. All three configurations will also be available for download purchase from all major digital service providers, accompanied by digital booklets with the personal messages, photos and artwork.” Selena made an impact on the lives of young girls EVERYWHERE, particularly here in the Southwest. Latina or NOT, you couldn’t help but be drawn to not only her music, but her beauty and charismatic charm. Had she lived, Selena would celebrate her 39th birthday on April 16th. RIP

BB cream is a skincare item that originated in Germany for people recovering from cosmetic surgery. The public BB cream craze started in Korea after actresses started using it in place of their normal skincare routines. Cosmetics companies ran with it and turned it into a product widely available to the public. It is now extremely popular in almost all Southeast Asian countries.
BB cream AKA Blemish Balm Cream acts as a moisturizer, sunscreen, concealer, and foundation in one. It is also thought to be very beneficial to the skin, with anti-aging properties and ingredients to heal problem skin. BB creams even out the skintone while offering medium coverage and brightening properties. All these benefits while still having the finish of natural skin, Sounds amazing right?

The downside is that currently this product is only made for those with very light skintones. They come in 1 or 2 color choices and I would fit in the darkest color range. This means if you are darker than NC30 in MAC, this product will probably not match your skin. Southeast Asian countries are known for their obsession with pale skin. This probably explains the limited color options. I think if this phenomenon makes its way to the U.S. there would be some additions to the color ranges.

One popular brand of BB Creams is Skinfood. I actually visited a Skinfood Store while I was in Manila and picked up their Mushroom Multi-care BB cream. Check out my random video clip and listen to the song that happened to come on while I was in the store.

Would YOU be interested in using BB cream if it was widely available to you?