QPmag FASHION MAGAZINE - December 2018 - Volume 1

QP DECEMBER 2018

VOLUME 01

KRISTINA SHEITER

by ALESSANDRA FIORINI

www.nialynncollection.com

TEAM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JOSE-MARIA JIMENEZ CREATIVE DIRECTOR ROBERT STEINKEN ART DIRECTOR & STEPHANE MARQUET LAYOUT DESIGNER

FASHION EDITORS

BEAUTY EDITORS SENIOR EDITOR

FASHION STYLISTS ORETTA CORBELLI MICHELLE WU BEAUTY EDITORS FRANCESCA LOPRESTI NATALIA VOYTOVA AMIA SERRANO CONTRIBUTING EDITORS ERVINA TOPALLI

ASHLEY FITOUSSI NATALIA VOYTOVA TEAL DRUDA LYNN VENTURELLA

AMANDA ROBINSON NOVA KAPLAN ANDREW MACPHERSON VANESSA MAPES VALENTINA SOLCI RYLAND SHELTON

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Hi there, At QP, we continue celebrating the opportunity of working with such talented professionals from the fashion industry, who help us learn more and more, and contribute to our own growth.

We often get asked: “Are you print, guys?”, with our short answer being; “Yes, we are digital and print on demand”.

The long answer would be: “Yes, we were print since we launched our first magazine back in 2010, but we were able to see the immense opportunities of being digital, as well as print on demand”. The slogan ANYTIME, ANYWHERE perfectly applies to magazines like ours. The possibility of reading fashion magazines on your phone, tablet, computer,… was only matched by one of the terms we have heard so much in the last 15 years: SHARING. You can just copy and paste a link, and your friends will be reading the same issue as you. You can screenshot, comment, share on social media,…

We are seeing this same movement happening in the movie industry (don´t miss our Hollywood section). We all love going to the movies, as well as we do going thru the pages of a print magazine. But what consumers are telling us thru their behavior is different. And this is not a disaster at all, we just need to adapt. The competition between traditional movie productions and streaming services will only make both business models evolve and improve. Just recently, Paramount signed a deal with Netflix, to produce movies that will premier first or exclusively on streaming.

Talking about partnerships and celebrations, we are extremely happy to announce our partnership with BELLO MEDIA GROUP, who already produce beautiful magazines like BELLO mag, VULKAN, TILTED,… And with this partnership comes the opportunity of releasing more issues and with great collaborations, which means that we will be releasing 2 issues per month, thanks to the incredible participation from photographers, wardrobe stylists, makeup artists,…This December issue, Volume 1, with this beautiful cover shot by Alessandra Fiorini, serves as a token of appreciation to all of them.

Without beautiful stories, there is no QP.

Thanks so much!

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JOSE-MARIA JIMENEZ Editor-in-chief QPmag 4

COVER

Jumpsuit SETA APPAREL Vest GUESS Jewelry Vintage Stylist Own

PHOTOGRAPHER: ALESSANDRA FIORINI @alessandrafioriniphotography MODEL: KRISTINA SHEITER @kristinasheiter AGENCY: ELITE MODEL MANAGEMENT MIAMI @elitemiami FASHION STYLIST: FRANCESCA LOPRESTI @francesca_lopresti_ MAKEUP ARTIST: NINA ALCANTARA @ninaalcantaramakeup HAIR STYLIST: SHANI GOTTLIEB @shani.gottlieb 5

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IN THIS ISSUE 8-21 | EDITORIAL: AND YOU´LL NEVER HAVE ME AGAIN 22-23 | SHOPPING GUIDE: A NIGHT IN PARIS 24-37 | COVER: KRISTINA SHEITER 38-41 | STREET STYLE: BEVERLY HILLS 42-55 | EDITORIAL: DESERT ROSE 56-63 | INTERVIEW: TOMMY MARTINEZ 64-75 | EDITORIAL: LOVE IS THE DRUG 76-77 | BEAUTY: SUBSCRIBED TO BEAUTY BOXES 78-89 | EDITORIAL: THERE´S SOMETHING ABOUT YOU, GIRL 90-91 | CUE MUSIC: GET COZY 92-93 | THE HOLLYWOOD CONSPIRATOR: IT´S ALL ABOUT OSCAR

SUBMISSIONS www.kavyar.com/QP-magazine PUBLISHER @BELLOmediaGroup 6404 Wilshire Blvd. #500 / Los Angeles CA 90048 IMAGE NATION STUDIO L.L.C. California, USA INSTAGRAM @BELLOmediagroup www.qpmag.com hello@qpmag.

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BELLO MEDIA GROUP

White Turtle Neck ZARA White Wide Leg Pants ZARA

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AND YOU'LL NEVER HAVE ME AGAIN PHOTOGRAPHER: REX YU @rex.shooter MODEL: MALIE BOOH @maliebooh AGENCY: HOLLYWOOD MODEL MANAGEMENT @hollywoodmodelmanagement FASHION STYLIST: TAWNI NICOLE @tawninicoleco MAKEUP ARTIST: SUSANA SALAZAR @mua.susie HAIR STYLIST: LISA-MARIE @sheardeath SPECIAL THANKS: THE GRACELAND INN 9

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Lingerie Set SATURDAY THE LABEL

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Sequin Sweater ZARA Spandex Shorts HONEY BIRDETTE Red Thigh Boots ALDO 12

Blue Dress Vintage Collection

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Oversized Zebra Jacquard Blazer ZARA Arielle Heel SAM EDELMAN 15

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Military Coat ZARA Black Pumps STEVE MADDEN

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Velvet Presley Gown MICHAEL COSTELLO Black Pumps STEVE MADDEN

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Military Coat ZARA Black Pumps STEVE MADDEN 19

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White Turtle Neck ZARA White Wide Leg Pants ZARA 21

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SHOPPING GUIDE

A NIGHT IN PARIS

BY ASHLEY FITOUSSI @LAPETITESTYLISTE

GUCCI Broadway Crystal-Embellished Velvet Shoulder Bag $1,590

AMINA MUADDI Gilda Swarovski Crystal-Embellished Suede Sandals $915

ALEXANDRE VAUTHIER Off-The-Shoulder Velvet Mini Dress $2,059

GUCCI Silver-Plated Crystal Earrings $980

SAINT LAURENT Opyum Sandal With Black Patent Leather Heel

KSUBI

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A2b Textured Patent-Leather Jacket $600

OFF-WHITE Croc-Effect Leather Wide-Leg Pants $2,300

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DOLCE & GABBANA

SAINT LAURENT

Lace-Up Satin Straight-Leg Pants $2,195

Classic Monogram Belt Bag In Patent Leather With Multicolor Crystals $1,650

KENNETH JAY LANE Silver-Tone Crystal Hair Slides $95

MAGDA BUTRYM China Crystal-Embellished Suede Mules $1,325

CUSHNIE Asymmetric Lace-Trimmed Silk-Satin Wrap Midi Dress $1,395

STAUD

Hakasan Printed Tulle-Trimmed Crepe Top $165

ALESSANDRA RICH

Embellished Open-Back Ruched Satin Mini Dress $1,530

ORSEUND IRIS Night Out Ruched Satin Blouse $540

MIU MIU Faux Pearl-Embellished Suede Slingback Pumps $990 23

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KRISTINA SHEITER

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Bra FLEUR DU MAL Jacket MAURO GRIFONI Pants SETA APPAREL Shoes PAUL ANDREW Jewelry Vintage Stylist Own

PHOTOGRAPHER: ALESSANDRA FIORINI @alessandrafioriniphotography MODEL: KRISTINA SHEITER @kristinasheiter AGENCY: ELITE MODEL MANAGEMENT MIAMI @elitemiami FASHION STYLIST: FRANCESCA LOPRESTI @francesca_lopresti_ MAKEUP ARTIST: NINA ALCANTARA @ninaalcantaramakeup HAIR STYLIST: SHANI GOTTLIEB @shani.gottlieb

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Bra DOLCE & GABBANA Shirt SETA APPAREL Pants ATM ANTHONY TOMAS MELILLO Shoes PAUL ANDREW Jewelry Vintage Stylist Own

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Coat PARKER Stockings WOLFORD Necklace Vintage Stylist Own

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Jumpsuit SETA APPAREL Vest GUESS Jewelry Vintage Stylist Own

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Sweater GUESS Skirt T BY ALEXANDER WANG Stockings WOLFORD Jewelry Vintage Stylist Own 31

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Jumpsuit SETA APPAREL Vest GUESS Jewelry Vintage Stylist Own

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Bodysuit WOLFORD Scarf CHAN LUU

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Dress GUESS Stockings WOLFORD Shoes STUART WEITZMAN Backpack ALL SAINTS Jewelry Vintage Stylist Own

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Dress GUESS Belt SETA APPAREL Gloves BORSALINO Shoes SERGIO ROSSI

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STREET STYLE BEVERLY HILLS

UPSCALE

YOUR LOOK

by Natalia Voytova @natalia_vvv

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Photographer: NADI MOSS @nadimossphoto 38

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Blazer and Skirt ELISABETTA FRANCHINI | Clutch and Cuff CHANEL Belt KAUFMAN FRANCO | Sunglasses LINDA FARROW

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Medor Clutch HERMÈS

Dress NATASHA ZINKO 41

Boots BALENCIAGA

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DESERT

ROSE

PHOTOGRAPHER: THOMAS LOUVAGNY @thomaslouvagny MODEL: GIGI PARIS @msgigiparis AGENCY: ELITE MODEL MANAGEMENT MIAMI @elitemiami FASHION STYLIST: AMIA SERRANO @amiaserrano MAKEUP ARTIST: TEAL DRUDA @tealmuah HAIR STYLIST: ROLANDO AQUI @aquirolando

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Bodycon Dress WOW COUTURE Velvet Booties DE BLOSSOM COLLECTION

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Bodycon Dress WOW COUTURE Velvet Booties DE BLOSSOM COLLECTION

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Sequin Top High & Waist Bottoms CHARLES & RON Cropped Turtleneck Sweater WOW COUTURE Strap heels EGO Ashland Earrings EKLEXIC

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Sequin Top High & Waist Bottoms CHARLES & RON Cropped Turtleneck Sweater WOW COUTURE Strap heels EGO Ashland Earrings EKLEXIC

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Dolphin Print Blouse Dolphin Print Skirt Belt Bag Feather Jacket CHARLES & RON Ankle Boots DE BLOSSOM COLLECTION

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Blue Floral Print Jacket with Fringe OTT Black Bandage Embroidered Bikini Bottoms WOW COUTURE Black High Heel Boots CHARLES & RON Clip-on Earrings (Stylist's own)

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Faux Fur Collar Attachment ARATTA Mirror Circles Shorts OTT Yarned Strapless Top PREM Silver Pumps EGO Gold Large Domed Cuff EKLEXIC Rhodium Large Domed Cuff EKLEXIC

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Red Bomber HELENA LEGEND Gold Plated Malachite Clip Earrings IRIS TRENDS Strapless Dress ELLE ZEITOUNE Black Strap Heels EGO 52

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Get Waisted Swim Bottoms WE ARE HAH Faux Fur Jacket ARATTA Floral Bodysuit ALPHA BE Silver Strap Heels EGO Earrings (Stylist's own) 55

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TOMMY

MARTINEZ Photographs & interview Andrew Macpherson @andrewmacphersonofficial Styling Lisa @ Tyler.J @lisaandtylerj Hair Robert Steinken @robertsteinken1 makeup Helen Roberston @helenroberstonhmu

Thanks for spending the day with us here at QP, and bringing your awesome bike too. So what made you want to be an actor?

I’ve always admired how actors portray characters and the way they make you feel, whether it’s putting butter ies in your stomach, making you cry or feeling love and hate. Becoming a character in such a compelling way that we believe they are real is so powerful. I never thought of it as a career until I was asked to be in a short lm in college. On the rst day of shooting it was as if a huge bell rung deep inside me, and I just knew that this was what I was meant to do. All my life I’d felt kinda lost, but in that moment I found myself and my life path.

What was your journey to becoming a working actor?

TM: After that I thought about doing the BFA acting program at Florida State University but that would mean doing another three years. As I’d just completed a three year course and really wanted to be out in the world, I decided to move back home.

I got a job at the Home Depot, on the customer service desk, and did a few modeling jobs in Miami while I gured out my next move. I knew it had to be either New York, LA or Atlanta, but

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eventually I decided on LA. When I got here in 2016 it was modeling that paid the rent, but acting was my goal. I took acting lessons until I felt con dent enough to look for an agent. Robin Shockley at Aperture Talent Agency signed me as a complete unknown because she believed my passion for the craft was genuine. I really can’t that her enough for that.

That’s a ballsy move on both your parts, bravo! So what was your rst formal role, the rst gig you got paid for?

My first audition was for SHAMELESS. It was just a one liner in a single episode, but still I was totally freaked. I got to the Warner Bros lot, which was already intimidating, and when I walked into the audition it was packed!

John Levy was there with Iain MacDonald, the director, and a bunch of the writers. John glared at me and said, “Hi, this is Rachel, she’s going to be reading the lines with you.” “Lines? But I only have one line, my line is, ‘850, right?” ey all stared back at me in silence. Trembling on the inside I asked, “I’m going up for the role of Scott, right?” just to be sure I had right part.

“Yeah, come on, just read the line.”

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“I´ve always loved Harley´s”

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Vintage LANGLITZ Jacket, Catwalk Fairfax Jeans ALL SAINTS

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Who’s your favorite musician or band, or if you could play any song what would it be?

If I could learn any song, it would be Little Wing

by Stevie Ray Vaughan. at song just gets me, or e Marshall Tucker Band’s Can’t You See? I love blasting it and singing along at the top of my lungs on my road trips.

It was the open roads that made me move to America.

Yes, I love road trips. Back in college my friends had a business converting old school buses into party buses. We turned one into an RV and drove across the country in it for three months with two Great Danes, a Moluccan cockatoo, and the most ridiculous costumes. I’d drive the bus in a captain’s hat with the cockatoo on my shoulder which would get great looks from anyone passing us. at’s what really gave me the travel bug.

What brought motorcycles into your life?

I’ve always really liked bikes. My brother had one, a sport bike, a Suzuki Katana but I’ve always loved Harleys.

What was your first bike?

So a climbing movie might be in your future?

Hell, yes, I would love that, absolutely. Sign me up.

I look forward to seeing it! So what do you really love about living in LA?

“Good Trouble deals with bisexuality, homosexuality, politics, racism…”

Coming from Florida the landscape is the main thing. California is just incredible, you have the mountains, the beach, the desert and the best weather. Florida is so oppresively hot and humid, being in this weather is just amazing. I like the organized chaos too. I grew up in a suburb town where everybody knew everybody, so being in the middle of a huge city like this feels like a whole new world for me. So I pretended to knock on a wall and said, “850, right?” “Okay, thank

A Harley Sportster Iron 883. I had that for four months but I got really used to the power and needed an upgrade, so I got the 1200 Sportster 72.

you, next!” at was it. I got up and left sure I’d totally blown it, but two days later I heard I’d got the role.

So it’s only your second bike?

Tell us about the show you’re working on now.

Yes, but I’ll de nitely be getting some more in the future.

It’s called Good Trouble and it’s a spin o from e Fosters which was on ABC Family. Our series follows Callie and Mariana Foster who’ve moved out of their parents’ home into a communal loft living space with a bunch of other people. I’m one of the seven main characters and we’re all dealing with our own issues. e show has a lot of social and political undercurrents. It deals with bisexuality, homosexuality, politics, racism and the darkness that surrounds us. It’s a serious attempt to open minds and perspectives, which

How did you get into rock climbing? Florida’s not exactly a rocky place.

True. I love going to the national parks, and on a road trip to Ban National Park in Alberta I was so awestruck by the mountains that I wanted to climb them. I went to the local REI (Recreational Equipment Incorporated) and asked

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about climbing. Since it was mid-winter they recommended nding a climbing gym when I got back to LA. Two weeks later I was on the wall at Hollywood Boulders, which is now my climbing gym. I’ve been climbing for a year and a half now and it’s addicting. I’m completely obsessed with it, and I try to go whenever I can. It’s like a puzzle and everyone is trying to solve it in all these di erent ways.

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Sunglasses TOM FORD

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to sink my teeth into something deep and dark like Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler as it’s the complete opposite of who I am.

What’s your favorite kind of food?

What’s your favorite restaurant here?

That’s a hard question. I’ve been eating a lot of pizza lately. Mozza Pizzeria on Highland and Melrose. eir personal pies are really incredible.

I’m such a fat kid at heart, I’m just like, “I’ve gotta have it. Give it to me!”

What places, bars, music places do you love?

I like Good Times at Davey Wayne’s. ey play a lot of ‘70s music and it’s always super packed, but I like that. It reminds me of the concerts I used to go to back in Florida, where everyone’s just bouncing around to the rhythm of the music. You’re shoulder to shoulder with everybody, but it’s all just a good time, hence, Good Times at Davey Wayne’s. Mama Shelter is really nice for relaxing. It’s super vibrating, retro colored, rooftop bar where you see the whole city downtown. ey’ve got these Boujee fries too which are so good.

I love them too and that gives us all we need, thanks so much for coming to spend a day with us here at QP.

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LOVE IS THE DRUG

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Striped Suit Set CHARLES & RON

PHOTOGRAPHER: KEVIN MARTIN @kvn.mrtn MODEL: MEGAN SAMPERI @megan_samperi AGENCY: NO TIES MANAGEMENT @notiesmodels CREATIVE DIRECTOR: ROBERT STEINKEN @robertsteinken1 FASHION STYLIST: HALEY HANCOCK @_labyrinth_ MAKEUP ARTIST: TEAL DRUDA @tealmuah HAIR STYLIST: ROBERT STEINKEN @robertsteinken1 LOCATION: THE WILLOW - LUXURY HOME @thewillowglenla 65

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White Jumpsuit VINTAGE GUNNE SAX Gold Shoes BOOHOO Scarf and Bangles Vintage

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White Jumpsuit VINTAGE GUNNE SAX Sunnies, Scarf and Bangles Vintage

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Red Dress SANDRA DACCACHE Necklace Vintage Painted Glass Piece

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Striped Suit Set CHARLES & RON Shoes DEANDRI 71

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Champagne Dress WOW COUTURE

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Striped Suit Set CHARLES & RON

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Champagne Dress WOW COUTURE Shoes DE BLOSSOM COLLECTION

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BEAUTY

#SUBSCRIBE TO

BEAUTY BOXES

By Nova Kaplan @novakaplan

We all know about Ipsy, Glossybox, and Birchbox, but little did you know there are tons of epic glam boxes right under our noses! Subscription glam is great for keeping up with the latest beauty trends if you don’t have the time for all the research and aisle perusing necessary to keep up with the must-haves in this fast-paced market! With the holidays right around the corner, a beauty subscription is perfect for someone you want to spoil all year long (even if that someone is you)! I whittled it down to six boxes that I’m excited to share with you!

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DECK OF SCARLET ($29.95/mo) Why I love it? If you already have the perfect foundation and skincare routine, this box gives you seasonal trend inspired color to take it up a notch. This palette subscription gives you everything you need to create looks for any occasion. The bi-monthly sub sends a lip, cheek, and eye palette all in one beautifully illustrated compact. Bonus: They even replenish that one item that always seems to run out or disappear: liquid liner! I received the October/ November deck, and it is right up my alley

JOAH BOX ($33/mo) K-Beauty’s recent rise is no surprise. Korean women begin taking care of their skin at a very young age, and more importance is placed on skin quality than on how to cover it up. Korean beauty pours more resources into research and development than in the US, utilizing many ingredients not typically found in products here. JOAH BOX sent me 3 different boxes so I could see the range of goodies they include, and I was not disappointed. Each box is heavy in skincare with the latest technology but includes a subtle pop like a pair of lashes or a cute lip. I’m a sucker for a sheet mask and every single box had at least one! This is definitely a subscription I’ll keep, as navigating international beauty is best left to the regional experts.

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THE DETOX MARKET

($49.95/mo)

This beauty box ranges from, hair to makeup to skincare. They mix up the monthly curation based not on the specific products, but on the ingredients. They only ship beauty with green ingredients.

As the green beauty experts, they deliver pure products without toxins. The box I reviewed was hair centric featuring a collaboration with the brand Innersense. I received 5 FULL-SIZE hair care products that nourished and cleansed leaving my damaged hair softer than ever!

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VEGAN CUTS

(Makeup box $39.95/qtr - Beauty Box $22.95/mo)

Why I love it? If you already have the perfect foundation and skincare I love options and VEGAN CUTS gives them in spades!

I reviewed the Makeup Box and the Beauty Box, but they also offer a Snack Box for the truly dedicated Vegan! The best part is there’s no overlap in products on the makeup and beauty boxes, so you can subscribe to both without fear of the dreaded dupes. VEGAN CUTS has a full team researching the latest and greatest of vegan brands online, at festivals, in stores - you name it! The Beauty Box is curated with a fun mix of vegan skincare and color makeup, and the makeup box is 100% vegan makeup. If you’re tired of all the skincare invading your beauty subscriptions the VEGAN CUTS Makeup Box is one of the (very) few boxes out there that are fully stocked with only makeup. With more and more insight on how beauty impacts the environment and our furry friends, Vegan Cuts does the research for you and delivers high-quality beauty for the socially conscious babe.

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ORGLAMIX

NOURISH BEAUTY BOX

mo)

($45 or $29.95/

It’s all in the title! Everything in the box is organic, vegan, gluten-free and of course cruelty-free. We are savvier than ever about what we are willing to put in and on our bodies. NOURISH BEAUTY BOX alleviates the guesswork and sends you products that pass their strict guidelines. This box is great if you want a wide range of products.

I received 4 full sized products: A nail polish, a pigment that can double for eyes and highlight, an intoxicating body oil and a plant butter that targets scarring and pigmentation. This is the perfect box to add to an existing beauty collection, as the products can easily be worked in with existing faves.

($29/mo)

ORGLAMIX is a beauty brand that started out with one product on Etsy and grew to an entire line. Understanding the desire for beauty boxes they offered the ORGLAMIX brand in a monthly curated box. They produce in small batches with minimal ingredients to ensure care and quality in every product. I received the celestial box which was all about the glow. For makeup, it came with a muted metallic pigment, a dry cream shimmer stick, and an addictive minty gloss. It also came with hyaluronic acid skincare: a luxurious body scrub and a body lotion spray to lock in moisture. Oh, and did I mention it’s all full size?

Thank you to My Subscription Addiction for providing an easy to explore website with honest reviews that helped in the selection of these epic boxes.

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THERE'S

SOMETHING

ABOUT YOU, GIRL PHOTOGRAPHER: SHANNA FISHER @shannafisher MODEL: LINDSAY BELANGER @lindsaybelle AGENCY: HOLLYWOOD MODEL MANAGEMENT @hollywoodmodelmanagement CREATIVE DIRECTOR: ROBERT STEINKEN @robertsteinken1 FASHION STYLIST: NATALIA VOYTOVA @natalia_vvv MAKEUP ARTIST: TEAL DRUDA @tealmuah HAIR STYLIST: ROBERT STEINKEN @robertsteinken1 LOCATION: SUNSET PLAZA HUB @sunsetplazahub SPECIAL THANKS MAISON PRIVEE PR AND POP PR

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Silver Mini Skirt - ANDREW MAJTENYI Blue Furry Jacket - MALAN BRETON

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Blue Metallic Dress - PAM HOGG Burgundy Boties with Pearl Heel - S. NOVIO Necklace and Gloves - Stylist´s Own

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Burgundy Leather Jacket - MALAN BRETON Burgundy Booties - S. NOVIO Denim Shorts - ALEXANDER WANG

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Bodysuit - WOW COUTURE OTK Boots - CHARLES & RON Gloves - Stylist´s Own

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CUE MUSIC

GET COZY

by Ryland Shelton @rswissarmyknife

5. Tom Misch, Geography A blanket of flawless instrumentalism and long-play, bassy jazz-injected R&B tracks rolls out under the late-night smoky vocals of Misch and guests to create an album that is essentially the perfect low-light soundtrack.

I

f there’s one thing I love about this time of year as the days get shorter and shorter, it’s that the nights get longer and longer. I mean, c’mon! Nothing can dull that for me - not the traffic, not the constant mental list-building of perfect (or, face it, just plain adequate) gifts to buy, not the emotional boot camp in preparation for the inevitable moment family conversations turn political… No, winter nights are the refuge of the winter-weary. Go ahead, spend those daylight hours traipsing around town melting your radio with nonstop Christmas tunes. Winter nights are for holing up at home and getting cozy.

And don’t get me wrong, those holiday favorites are great… the first 76 times. But boy oh boy, #77 falls on your ears like a cinnamon-spiced velociraptor screech. Save Mariah for the office karaoke party. Your ears and sanity will thank you, even if your coworkers don’t…

4. Troye Sivan, Bloom The latest full-length album from the Australian dreamboat popstar is a sweeping, synthy, sexy collection of tracks, flowing over with honest melodies and heart-pumping lyrics. Pepper these into your date night playlist as the fire gently winds down… to wind you right back up.

You can feed your fix of Fa-la-la-la-la on trips to the mall - try decking your own halls with these new albums that jingle all the right bells. These are the albums that are the perfect underscoring to executing those marathon recipes you’ve been dying to try (if that winter veg soup doesn’t have 27 ingredients, aren’t you just opening a can?), to building a fire that would earn you a Scout badge, and to making the most of time under the blanket with someone special in front of that fire. Like I said, it’s time to get cozy.

So whether the weather outside is frightful, or the fire is just tooooo delightful, my best advice this holiday season is to make the most of the time you have. You can start with tonight. Happy Holidays, everyone.

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3. J_ust, B_ye

1. Shakey Graves, Can’t Wake Up

This South Korean acoustic singer-songwriter paints a reflective, cloudy-day picture with shaft-of-light vocals and sweet, plaintive guitar that promises to slow down the stress beat of the season and breathes in like pure, crisp winter air.

His unmistakable voice burns like charcoal embers lifting through smoky, nostalgic song work, and it’s clear this release from earlier this year is cult favorite Austinite Shakey Graves’ most complete, present and evocative work to date. The heavy, full-course-meal vibes of these tracks are brilliantly and deftly executed, distilling the complexity of the music into a soundscape that swallows you whole.

2. Kaveh Rastegar, Light of Love Dipping into the darker side of the night, the new album from bass guitarist Kaveh Rastegar is driving and symphonic, but smooth enough to make you warm all over. Knockout collaborations such as those with Gaby Moreno, David Garza, and Becca Stevens round out the vocals; not one track disappoints.

s u n o B k c a Tr

Foxes & Lions, Foxes & Lions, Pt. 1 The rich, perfectly blended vocal harmonies and solid, fresh Americana arrangement of Los Angeles up-and-comers Foxes & Lions’ latest EP is so adaptable and satisfying, you’ll find yourself putting this six-shooter on repeat. It’s the perfect fire-watching soundtrack on a “hot toddies and long-johns” kind of night… and I have it on good authority it doubles as a great audio running-buddy to take along while you jog off that last slice of pie. So eat up.

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THE HOLLYWOOD CONSPIRATOR

IT’S ALL ABOUT

OSCAR

By LYNN VENTURELLA @lynnventurella Edited by Leigh Keene TREES ARE LIGHTED, FEASTS ARE PLANNED AND THE SHOPS ARE FULL WITH CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS. THE HOLIDAY SEASON HAS BEGUN. BUT IN LOS ANGELES, IT IS ALSO TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE FILM INDUSTRY’S MOST IMPORTANT NIGHT - THE OSCARS. TRADITIONALLY, THE STUDIOS WAIT TO RELEASE MANY OF THEIR STRONGEST CONTENDERS UNTIL THE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER HOLIDAY SEASON. The holidays are definitely a time when more people go to the movies. That’s good for the box office, but more importantly, it is considered the perfect time to gain the most momentum to influence the Oscar nominating voters who cast their votes in the beginning of January. November starts the crucial rush for the studios to get their best movies out and gain the most attention possible.

With all these great movies being released, this also means that it’s a wonderful time to spend your nights cuddled up in the warmth of a movie theater enjoying the best Hollywood has to offer.

Some worthy releases for November were:

December releases to watch for are:

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY A PRIVATE WAR THE FRONT RUNNER FANTASTIC BEASTS WIDOWS GREEN BOOK THE FAVOURITE SPEED KILLS

VICE THE MULE MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS BEN IS BACK These movies are all expected to do really well. Not all will end up being Oscar worthy but they are definitely worth seeing.

For a movie to be qualified to win the Best Picture Oscar it must be released in a movie theater in Los Angeles, be open for seven consecutive days with three showings a day, and it cannot have run anywhere else first, except for festivals. This means that movies made by streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, however good they are, cannot be considered for the movie industry’s biggest award and will never gain the recognition and respect that an Oscar brings.

This year, however, Netflix, who is known for upping the game and changing the rules, is making a move to change that dynamic and to gain the recognition that their original movies deserve. For the first time, Netflix also has three November releases that will open in theaters before they are available on Netflix, making them eligible for the Oscars. Watch for these releases in Los Angeles, New York, and Mexico City. They are definitely the ticket to get if you can. These will not be traditional releases. Look for these movies in the smaller, more indie theaters.

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Netflix’s Oscar contenders and November releases were: ROMA BIRD BOX THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS In Netflix’s continual push to reach new and surprising heights, I was also excited to see that they just signed a multi-picture deal with Paramount Pictures. This deal shows me that their Oscar bid this year is just the beginning and we should expect to see amazing and creative collaborations between these two powerhouses.

I look forward to being surprised and impressed with Netflix as they continue to build and grow. They are truly a company that knows no limits and has no fear to fight the force.

I admit that I have become lazy and often say to myself that I will “wait for it to come out on TV”. But this holiday season there are so many great movies to see, that it’s time to get back into the spirit and get off the couch and remember the joy of going out and enjoying a great movie with a special friend and some warm buttery popcorn.

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QP DECEMBER 2018

VOLUME 01