I’ve been wearing the Lumi skin from Glam Affair since it was released back in March. In real life time, that’s not very long at all. In Second Life time, though, it feels like ages ago. But does time even matter when you like a skin? You could probably wear the same skin for years and never feel dated, especially with the current state of Second Life. Until LeLutka releases the new PURE mesh heads, most of us are still wearing EvoX heads, and skin designers continue to create beautiful 2048 skins with the same level of skill and quality. There is really no rush to change your look unless you want to.
Glam Affair – Alix skin | w/ Tattoo Layers added to soften the pores/freckles
That said, in Gogo time, four months feels like a long time. I spend an embarrassing amount of time staring at my own face, after all. So today, even though it seems like Glam Affair releases dozens of skins every month, I finally found a new face. The new Alix skin from Glam Affair is available at Equal10. I like most Glam Affair skins, but if I’m going to call something my face, it has to feel instantly familiar. It’s that little moment of, “Ah, there you are,” when I put it on. That’s exactly how I felt with Alix, even though I already knew I would be reaching for Izzie’s to remove the freckles and pores. As you can see, I did just that, and I love the result. The original version is beautiful too, and honestly, a lot of skins in Second Life are released looking more like my edited version. People then use Izzie’s or other tattoo layers to add freckles, pores, highlights, and other details back in. I sometimes go in the opposite direction and remove those details instead. The fact that we can customize skins so easily now is one of my favorite things about Second Life.
ISON recently had a 40% off sale, so I picked up something I do not normally wear, a leather outfit. Paired with the new Truth Verse hairstyle, the whole look reminds me of an anime baddie, and I am kind of obsessed with it. Maybe I need to stop wearing pastel pink and white all the time and lean into dark leather. Then again, let’s not get carried away.
A little late posting this one, but for the Fourth of July, I remembered the one song that should probably be the theme song for the USA: William Shatner singing “She’s Miss United States” in Miss Congeniality.
I needed something that screamed patriotic pageant, and I remembered I had the Magnolia Gown from Just Because. Since it comes with a fatpack HUD, I was able to put together the perfect red, white, and blue look.
I’m also wearing the new Odyssey hairstyle from Truth. It has that soft, windswept look that’s perfect for outdoor photos.
Hope everyone is having a happy long holiday weekend!
I remember when Hair Fair was the event to look forward to every summer in Second Life. These days, with shopping events happening every month, it doesn’t quite have the same sense of anticipation. Back then, by the time Hair Fair rolled around, everyone was absolutely starving for new hairstyles.
You can join the Hair Fair Demo Group (secondlife:///app/group/2e30d166-f3e5-e2de-ff72-b3da2d06ded2/about) and have all the demos delivered to you, but I actually prefer walking the event and visiting each store. I like browsing the booths, collecting demos manually, and discovering the gifts along the way. One thing I also appreciate is being able to see exactly how much each hairstyle is donating. Every participating hair contributes a percentage to the charity, but some creators go even further and donate 50% or even 100% of their sales.
There are a lot of charity events in Second Life throughout the year, and I think it’s wonderful when communities come together to support a good cause. At the same time, I think residents should pay attention to where their donations are going and how transparent an event is about its fundraising. That’s one of the reasons I’ve always appreciated Hair Fair. The event’s relationship with Wigs for Kids is publicly acknowledged by the charity itself, and every year Hair Fair posts the donation receipt and thank-you letter after the event concludes. I like that level of transparency. It allows residents and designers alike to see the impact their generosity is making, and you can feel confident that your shopping is supporting a real-world cause.
Kuni – Manu
Exile – Never the Same
I was excited to see some of my favorite brands participating this year, including Truth, Kuni, and Exile. It was also interesting to see Truth represented solely by hairstyles and accessories created by Litterbug. I noticed fellow Truth Collective creator Wasabi at the event as well. One thing I like about collaborations such as Truth Collective is that the individual creators are acknowledged for their work. There are plenty of brands in Second Life that describe themselves as a team, but you never really know who created what. I like following creators and recognizing their individual styles, even when they’re creating under a larger brand.
I also can’t leave Hair Fair without mentioning the Bandana Booth. I picked up this adorable bandana by Alaskametro, and there are several other prints available as well. Pretty much everything Alaskametro makes is beautifully textured. If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time, you already know I’m a fan.
Alaskametro – “Bling” Bandana for Hair Fair
Another new addition this year is Linden Lab’s contribution to the fundraiser. Residents can purchase three exclusive last names: Style, Strand, and Salon, with proceeds benefiting the charity. If I wasn’t already having an identity crisis with my avatar, I’d probably be changing my last name to Style immediately.
Linden Lab will also be auctioning off Premium Lifetime memberships during the event, with more details coming soon. If you’re someone who gets a lot of value from Premium benefits and plans to stick around Second Life for the long haul, it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Every couple of months, Belle Epoque gives out a L$500 store credit. It’s generous, but also smart marketing, because it doesn’t just bring traffic back to the main store, it gets people posting on social media too. I always rush to spend mine the second I get it because I’m paranoid I’ll forget and it’ll expire, assuming it even does.
I picked up the Floria dress from Belle Epoque in Beige. I normally never wear beige or brown tones, but something about this screamed Montana-inspired look to me.
And yes, I used AI to edit the photos. I’m shameless about it now. But the photo didn’t magically appear out of nowhere either. Every item I’m wearing was still created in Second Life.
I normally don’t edit my photos much at all and usually just post raw SL screenshots, but part of me wanted to push back against the anti-AI stance from the vocal minority. You really can’t tell other residents what they can or can’t do in this game, especially when it isn’t against TOS.
I’m still amused watching Second Life residents argue endlessly about AI while brands quietly use it all over their advertising and profit from it. If people want to lecture residents about using AI, maybe start by asking your favorite brands to stop using it too.
I went to Elope Expo a couple weeks ago and ever since then I couldn’t stop thinking about doing a wedding look in SL. The problem is I didn’t feel like hunting down the perfect chapel backdrop just to take one photo, so I just added one with AI instead. I think enhancing SL photos with AI is fun, and clearly a lot of other residents do too because I see it everywhere on Social Media now. Some people are still loudly against it, but most people really don’t care. They just want to relax, be creative, and have fun. I’d rather someone recycle in real life than make “not using AI” their moral high ground.
Anyway, back to Elope Expo. I’m genuinely impressed by all the beautiful wedding content SL creators come up with. Even though partnering in SL has never really been my thing, I still love the whole wedding aesthetic. AI altered some of these details a little in my photo, but I’m wearing the Aveline Cathedral Veil from Purple Moon with the new Yara hairstyle from Mina, and they go perfectly together. Both are available at Elope Expo.
I also picked up this gorgeous Seraphina Dress from Eternus for only L$90 at the weekend sale. I always need more gowns, and I couldn’t pass up a deal. Now I kind of wish I bought the fatpack too, because this dress is seriously beautiful.
Should you still credit SL items if you used AI to edit the photo and things got altered a little? I think so. You can still judge the items for yourself and recreate the look if you want to. The final image is still like 90% the original styling anyway.
Exile quietly released new textures! I tried on the latest Signe hairstyle and immediately noticed the redesigned HUD too. Obviously my favorites are the Blondes pack and the Fantasy pack. The Choice pack is great too if you’re indecisive and constantly bouncing between hair colors. I couldn’t decide between light pink or light blonde today, so I just wore both.
I always let my hairstyle lead the way when it comes to building an outfit. This whole look started with this playful hair. I wanted a giant bow to finish it off, and the Vale Headband from C’est La Vie ended up being perfect. I’m also wearing colors I normally avoid. Does orange and teal actually work together? I think maybe it does.
My last post about using AI to judge my face caused quite a stir on Facebook. I think Second Life residents on Facebook can be especially rude compared to other social media sites. I don’t know if it’s the demographic, and I don’t necessarily mean age, but something about Facebook makes people react with hostility to absolutely everything.
Moments like that make me appreciate the genuinely nice people I’ve met in Second Life over the years. One of those people is Kavar Cleanslate, the creator of Exile. A lot of you probably don’t know this, but Kavar has been my friend for a very long time and is honestly one of the nicest people ever. We actually live on the same region. Well… technically one day he told me I could rez my house there, and I just never left. It’s been decades now. LOL. I don’t think he knows how to ask me to leave, but honestly, would he even? He’s that nice.
And since this is a a hair-themed post, would you like to win early access to Hair Fair? You have six chances to win. Just follow Hair Fair on social media and like/comment with your SL username for a chance to get in early. I’ll be at Hair Fair before opening, so hopefully I’ll see some of you there!
Have you ever wondered what AI thinks you could do to improve your Second Life face? I uploaded two photos to ChatGPT, front facing and profile, and asked what I could do to make my avatar’s face better. Surprisingly, it said my face was nearly perfect, but that my eyes were too big. Omg, were my eyes too big?
It actually gave me some helpful tips, so I nudged the sliders a bit here and there. One of the things I’ve always been concerned about is my profile. It has to be great. ChatGPT suggested making my chin protrude a little more and my lips protrude a little less.
Another critique ChatGPT had for me was that my usual lashes were too glam, too full. I dialed it back with a new set of wispy lashes, but I don’t think I care about that critique. I love thick full lashes!
This new Twirl hairstyle from Truth Collective is so sweet. It’s a relaxed style with a low ponytail. I’m always super excited when I see a hair from Litterbug, Truth’s real life daughter. She might be the youngest hair creator in SL right now? And her side gig is making real life money, probably better than most experienced creators. When your father is one of the best… it’s expected. I’m glad the hair legacy continues.
I also tried on the new Halcyon Maxi and Shorts from Tres Blah, and purposely picked the print that reminds me of porcelain plates. I love it. This delicate print is perfect for lounging around the house. Even though we’re heading into summer, I decided to dial back my skin tone from 004 back to 003, a lighter tone that reminds me of a porcelain doll too.
Do you play around with your style and change it up now and then? I like to bounce around between 2-3 skin tones and blondes or brunette. Let me know in the comments!
It’s Galentine’s Day, and two of my favorite girls in Second Life just released the cutest stuff. The kind of things you gift to yourself and conveniently “accidentally” buy for your friends too.
First up is the Versailles Love Cup from Flair, which is definitely Gogo-approved. I love holdables, and I love them even more when there are options so I can match it to my outfit.
Sparkle Skye also just released the Fiona Collection for Gacha Arcana, so if gacha’s your thing, go play. The best part is you can mix and match all the pieces, which is dangerous for me because I’ll absolutely convince myself I need every variation.
I’m currently obsessed with the Fiona ring, which is a Vault item, but don’t ask me to explain how to play Gacha Arcana because I genuinely don’t know. Sparkle tried to explain it to me, and I nodded like I understood, but I wasn’t retaining any of it. I think it has something to do with getting rewarded for playing a lot. That’s all I’ve got.
After I put together today’s outfit, I realized it was giving equestrian vibe. Which is funny because I don’t plan outfits based on themes. I wear things based on whatever pops up on my radar.
Like this Stella top from Tres Blah, which popped up again because it’s on sale. I already owned it, so I just grabbed a redelivery for LaraX and suddenly it felt like I bought something new without spending money. I love when brands update older items for previous customers. It’s one of the few things in SL that still feels genuinely nice.
This new hat hairstyle is from Wings, and you can customize the logo area with your own text. I made it my name because the template was easy to use with clear instructions. I normally don’t customize anything because I’m lazy, but this one was worth the effort.
While Gacha Arcana from MadPea is fresh on my mind, I want to say something as a resident and customer. I think there are way too many events in Second Life, and I’m saying that as someone whose main hobby in SL is literally shopping.
Even I only go to maybe one or two events a week, and when I go, I mean I teleport in, hit the brands I already know, buy what I came for, and leave. I’m not wandering. I’m not browsing. I’m in and out.
Meanwhile, every month, I watch event companies create even more events, and all it does is spread the same sales thinner and thinner for everyone.
And to be clear, I’m not personally calling out Gacha Arcana here. This applies to pretty much every event company over the past year that has not only created more monthly events on top of their existing ones, but also added marketplace counterparts, weekend sales counterparts, one-off holiday events, and even brought gacha back into the mix. At some point, all of this stops helping creators and starts hurting them.
Recently I heard that some creators participating in Gacha Arcana noticed the low traffic and lack of sales, so they brought it up with the organizer. The organizer blamed it on the real life economy affecting sales in SL. And yes, that’s true. The economy is weird right now. People are cautious. Disposable income is tighter.
But event organizers in SL also need to take some responsibility for the mess they’ve helped create. When you keep stacking events on top of events, you create an economic downward spiral. The user base isn’t big enough to support an endless stream of new events popping up just because organizers want to squeeze even more event fees out of creators for their own benefit.
Truth Hair recently celebrated its 19th anniversary in Second Life, which is kind of surreal to say out loud. Truth has been making hair for as long as I’ve been playing SL, and at this point the brand isn’t just well known. It’s one of the longest standing and most successful hair brands on the grid.
In a world where stores come and go constantly, that kind of longevity is rare. And that’s why what happened recently feels like a genuinely historic Second Life moment. A few days ago, I noticed a new Truth release called Cupid hair, and the credit immediately caught my attention. The hair was made by Truth’s real life daughter, known in SL as Litterbug.
I already knew she had joined Second Life about a year ago and had been creating hair accessories. But I didn’t realize she had moved into creating full hairstyles too, so of course I messaged Truth right away. I needed confirmation, because my brain immediately went: this is a first in Second Life!
When I asked if she created Cupid hair or just the clips, he replied that she made the entire thing, and added, “with a lot of questions.” She didn’t just casually log in and magically become a hair creator overnight. People forget that everyone starts somewhere, and even the biggest brands in Second Life were once new and releasing their very first item. And she’s lucky in the best way, because she has an amazing mentor in her father. Cupid hair is a beautiful first hairstyle, and if I didn’t know it was her first, I wouldn’t have guessed.
Once I processed it, I told Truth what I was thinking. This is kind of historic. Because with this release, Truth is now officially a two-generation brand in Second Life. That is not something we see often. Second Life has been around long enough now that we are literally watching a creator’s child grow up, develop the skills, and start creating for the same brand inside the same virtual world. If that doesn’t count as SL history, I don’t know what does. Truth’s reaction made me smile. He said, “Yeah I guess you’re right. That is crazy.”
Litterbug is Gen Z, and that detail matters more than people realize. Truth joked that she has a better idea of what fashion trends are because he’s “too old” now. It’s funny, but it’s also true.
Truth told me she’s been learning Blender for a couple of years and has done product visualizations, but she decided to try creating in SL because, as he put it, she thought, “why not make some money.”
Truth also told me she proudly calls herself a nepo baby, which is hilarious. In SL terms though, she really was rezzed into royalty, in the sense that she’s had access to knowledge, experience, and guidance that most creators never get when they’re starting out. And yes, having a parent with a huge brand is obviously an advantage. But it doesn’t take away from what matters here: very few brands last long enough to thrive for two decades and then have the creator’s child step in and start releasing, too.
Truth also said something that stuck with me. Watching her join SL made him realize again how hard it is for a new resident. Most of us forget, because we’ve been here forever. We forget how confusing the platform can be when you’re starting from scratch, even if you’re already skilled and tech-savvy.
That’s why this moment feels bigger than just a cute fun fact. She’s part of the age group Second Life constantly struggles to attract, and she’s here creating. If SL wants to be around for another 20 years, it should be paying attention to creators like her, and what it takes for someone her age to even want to log in, learn, and stay.
Truth Hair becoming a two-generation brand is one of those things that seems small at first, until you realize what it says about Second Life. A 19-year brand. A new generation stepping in. A real legacy. In a virtual world.
Second Life should be paying attention.
Now, onto what I’m wearing today.
My friend Sparkle sent me another sweet kitty from SeMotion Libellune as a gift, which means I now have my 100th cat in Second Life. I have so many at this point that I’m glad I don’t have to feed them to keep them alive, because that would bankrupt me.
I’m also assembling my Valentine’s Day outfit for the Hug a Linden event next weekend, and I think this look might actually work? The shoes are called Softly Struck from HANII, from the January round of Anthology. If only I could turn off the arrow on these shoes, because they’re so cute and I would wear them year round.
I’ll admit that I meant to clean my inventory over the Christmas holiday, but I didn’t do anything. My inventory is still a mess. I’ve also been quietly boycotting the weekend sales for months leading up to the end of the year, because I just couldn’t handle the frustration anymore. I’d see an outfit I loved, only to realize it was an “old item” that the brand never updated for LaraX, even though this body has been out for over two years. On top of that, I get overwhelmed when weekend event galleries turn into endless scrolling through hundreds of items. For my own sanity, I decided to just skip all of it.
That said, I did cave this past weekend when I spotted a skin at a weekend event for L$99 for the fatpack. Some temptations are just too hard to ignore. I’m wearing the Nika skin from Not Found. Normally, I don’t think much of Not Found skins, even though I’ve bought several over time. I usually pass them by because there’s often something that doesn’t work for me: too much shading, blurry shading, heavy pores, things like that. But when I tried on Nika, I saw real potential. I knew that if I layered enough tattoo fixes from Izzie’s, I could make it feel like mine. So here it is, with plenty of tattoo fixes doing their magic.
One thing I really wish skin creators would stop doing forever is baking eyelashes directly onto skins. If they absolutely must include them, they should at least provide a no-lash version, the way some brands already do. I do have a couple of eye layers that can fix it, but honestly, I’d rather just start with a clean skin.
It’s only a few days into 2026, and I already know I want to continue ignoring weekend sales for the rest of the year. I don’t want to overwhelm myself with piles of old, cheap stuff anymore. What are your New Year’s resolutions for Second Life?
