Two years ago, I blogged about the Genus 2.0 update and then never wore the head again. It was easily forgettable, especially since the brands I actually wear don’t make skins for Genus, whether that’s regular BoM or 2k or 4k. I’ve always found Genus confusing because if you’re wearing regular BoM, you can’t mix makeup from that with a 4k skin. It creates unnecessary compatibility barriers that can get complicated and expensive very quickly.
When Genus sent me the 3.0 update, I decided to give it another look. They promised PBR support, a 2k skin, improved anatomy and expressions, and more. I really think Genus should have included a 4k skin with this update. Almost all of the makeup in my inventory is made for Genus 4k, so I couldn’t even properly wear the head here with the included 2k skin. I’m also not sure I care about PBR on a mesh head yet, at least not until my body, Maitreya, also releases an update. Right now it just means a glowing head with a flat looking body.
Two years later, the skin brands I wear still aren’t making Genus skins. Their focus is clearly on LeLutka EvoX, and there’s no real effort to diversify. So while I do appreciate a free update from Genus, and I always like when brands continue to support their products, I don’t see myself wearing this head again any time soon.
If you want a different look and you already own a Genus head, it’s definitely worth trying. One thing I’ve always loved about Genus is how beautiful the side profile is. But when it comes to features and overall ease, I moved on to LeLutka EvoX years ago, and I have no interest in complicating my life by switching back to Genus.
I went to Shop & Hop and was on the hunt for something sparkly and festive. This sweet dress is a free gift from PurpleMoon is absolutely perfect for the holidays. I’m serving up hot chocolate from MVT and the To Be Cozy set is also free at Shop & Hop. I did a quick run through the FabFree Shop & Hop shopping guide and grabbed a couple of gifts that caught my eye. I’ll need to go back later and get all of the gift cards and store credit.
You really have to be strategic with huge events if you care about your inventory.
Isn’t this winter hairstyle from Truth just the cutest? The Après Ski style is made by MissAllSunday Lemon for the Truth Collective. I’m such a fan of hat hair with the option to turn the hat on or off. It’s nice knowing you’re guaranteed a perfect fit every time.
This photo was taken at Cherishville. Besides having an adorable name, it’s charming and makes the perfect backdrop for seasonal photos.
’Tis the season of giving. Akeruka is giving two mesh heads to group members, except the group costs L$150 to join. I wasn’t a member, so I paid the fee just to get the Wendy head “for free.” I wanted to try it mostly because I forgot I already tried and blogged an Akeruka head two months ago.
All the things I found difficult then are still difficult now. I still can’t close my eyes without my eyeballs poking through my head. I also haven’t found anyone who makes HD applier eyes for this head, so I’m wearing BoM eyes. To do that, you have to buy the AK BoM Eyes Relay on Marketplace for L$1. Yes, it’s only a Linden, but why wasn’t this included with the head? Since this head isn’t as popular as LeLutka, you’re also going to have a harder time finding eyes made specifically for it.
Even though Wendy works with EvoX skins, my usual Glam Affair skin was not a good fit. I decided to start fresh and try something new, and it just so happens that Traditional Face recently gave out a new group gift skin called Eva. Of course, I wasn’t in that group either, so I paid L$99 to join.
This definitely does not look like Gogo. When I made the shape, I started to see an older brunette woman instead, and I had to lean into the thick brows, which I don’t love, ever. I made it work here, but I couldn’t wear the browless version because the BoM brows I always use sit too high on this head. The HD brows included with Akeruka are even thicker, which is such a shame because there are no thinner options. I. hate. thick. brows.
If you’re already a member of these groups, you can get a whole new look for the cost of nothing. If you’re not, it’s still relatively cheap for a complete makeover, assuming you don’t mind paying a few group fees.
Have you noticed how some brands are no longer updating their Flickr or seem to be moving away from it entirely in favor of other platforms? I honestly can’t be bothered to chase brands from site to site, so if one drops off my radar, so be it. I only even saw this Akeruka gift because of a post elsewhere, and I already lost the link to it. It’s a shame they’ve seemingly stopped updating their Flickr.
Unless you’re new to Second Life, you already know that every December LeLutka gives out two free mesh heads. They’ve been doing this for about five years now, so it’s something residents expect and genuinely look forward to. Weeks before December even arrives, I see people in the official LeLutka Discord asking daily when the “12 Days of Christmas” is starting, with the hype steadily building.
I’ve always thought that if they suddenly stopped doing it one year, it would be a bit of a letdown. Yes, it’s a free gift and no one is entitled to anything, but it’s become a tradition. It’s something longtime customers look forward to and it’s also a great way for new residents to dip their toes in and start the new year with a brand new face.
This year, LeLutka is doing things a little differently. The heads are no longer free for everyone, they’re free for previous customers only. There’s also no 12 Days event this year. While there isn’t a collaborative gift giving event, I’m sure brands will still be generous on their own since they enjoy the traffic and publicity.
LeLutka Holiday Announcement
This year, we will not be hosting our traditional 12 Days of Christmas event.
Real life has been particularly hectic for us, and for the first time in five years, our CSR team truly deserves a proper Christmas break rather than working nonstop through the holidays 🙂 At the same time, our focus has been fully on the development of our new line of heads, which requires an enormous amount of time, testing, and attention. Organising a full event like 12 Days of Christmas also means weeks of preparation, coordination with designers, region rentals, promotions, and constant support, and this year we simply did not have the capacity to do both properly.
The holiday season is about giving, and we appreciate the understanding of our community as we take a different approach this year.
That said, we deeply appreciate our customers and the continued support you have shown LeLUTKA over the years. Because of that, we are still giving back.
The free heads have been added to all existing LeLUTKA customers in our database.
Every eligible customer has been gifted two heads:
Vela, our female head
Rune, our male head
You will find them in the Redelivery terminal, under the “Gifted to You” tab.
Please keep in mind that this is Second Life, and there are a lot of you. The server will almost certainly be under heavy load and may struggle or temporarily fail, much like busy regions do during peak events. Your gifts are there and they are yours. If you do not receive them immediately, you will shortly. Please be patient and avoid clicking repeatedly, as that only puts unnecessary strain on the system.
To our customers, and to every hardworking designer and creator in Second Life, we wish you a peaceful and happy Christmas. Thank you for your continued support, loyalty, and understanding over the years. We wish you all the very best for 2026.
Even though LeLutka is a private business and not Linden owned, it’s such a major part of the Second Life economic ecosystem. So many brands rely on LeLutka staying popular and relevant so they can continue selling skins, makeup, and accessories made specifically for their heads. I’ve always thought it made perfect sense for LeLutka to give away heads once a year. It helps them stay dominant and ensures their partners keep creating products that elevate the brand all year long.
Other mesh head brands have followed this same model, often giving away free heads to capture market share. There are even free LeLutka heads available in the Second Life library.
Unfortunately, for new residents or people who have never purchased from LeLutka, there won’t be a free head this year. That said, I imagine at this point nearly everyone owns something from LeLutka, so the number of people missing out is probably pretty small.
To get the mesh head, you’ll need to go to the LeLutka store and touch the Redelivery kiosk on the wall, or use the Redelivery HUD in your inventory. Here are the details I found posted in their Discord:
This year’s gift heads are for existing customers only. Meaning, only folks who have bought/received something from Leltuka in the past. Everyone in the redelivery system as of the announcement had the free heads added to their redelivery.
If you have never gotten anything from Lelutka before, buying something now or in the future will not give access to this year’s gift heads.
The heads themselves are not at the store. They are not anywhere. They are in your redelivery list.
The heads are in the “Gifted to You” tab on the redelivery page.NOT the main page, you must navigate to the tab for gifted items.
You can access redelivery through the redelivery HUD, if you have it. If you do not have one already, you will have to swing by the Lelutka main sim to get one, or use the redelivery link. And yes, the sim will be full for a while. And it will be laggy when you get in. Please be patient. The delivery server cannot handle everyone having the gifts sent at once anyway, so as always, patience is key.
If you are attempting to have the head delivered and it’s not working, you can’t access the website, get an error, etc. please be patient. Thousands of people are doing the same thing. CLICK ONLY ONCE. Clicking more will just bog it down further, not make it work.
Redelivery HUDs will not be sent in groups, put on MP, etc. It would just overload and break if everyone tried to get on the website at once. Again, please be patient. Thousands of people want to get the gifts, it will take time now matter how it is done.
The heads will be in your redelivery page forever, so there is no “deadline” to get them.
ALSO
PLEASE DO NOT USE A REDELIVERY HUD SOMEONE ELSE GIVES YOU, OR REZZES OUT SOMEWHERE. We cannot verify any of these HUDs are legitimate, and they could be sending you to a website that will steal your data or do some other nefarious thing. Please only use the official redelivery HUD you receive from Lelutka.
I decided to give Vela a whirl and spent many hours last night tweaking the face to perfection. I found the eyes a little droopy on me and a bit challenging to work with, but everything else looks amazing. I’m still wearing the Billie mesh head though. Most of you are probably thinking, “This looks exactly like Gogo!” and yeah, I guess it does. I’m wearing the exact same skin and makeup, so the similarities are definitely there.
Let’s be real though. Even though LeLutka has released dozens of mesh heads by now, most of the grid is still wearing Avalon, the very first EvoX head. This phenomenon should honestly be studied. I tend to move on every few months if a head suits me, but a lot of people don’t like change, and that’s totally fine. Avalon is very similar to the newer heads and is actually the smartest choice since so many skin brands still make skins specifically for it. While you can wear an EvoX skin on any LeLutka head, the head it was made for will always have the best fit.
Have you tried the new free LeLutka mesh heads yet? Let me know in the comments!
Every year, right before Thanksgiving, Black Friday deals start rolling in, both in real life and in Second Life. I always think to myself that maybe I should’ve bought less throughout the year, because by the time the sales arrive, I already have everything I wanted.
This year, I made a deliberate choice to buy slowly and only buy things I’ll actually wear right away. If you’ve been in SL as long as I have, you’ve probably bought everything twice or maybe five times already. I found the sweetest holiday accessories just by searching my own inventory. Most of what I’m wearing today isn’t new. Some pieces I bought years ago and never wore or blogged.
With how the economy is going in real life, even if you’re personally unaffected, it feels smart to scale back a little and get more joy out of what you already have or pick up items you truly want when they’re on sale, not just because they’re on sale.
The thing with Black Friday in Second Life is that it’s not that exciting anymore. Everything’s already on sale all year. Brands also exclude newer releases from the sale, sometimes the last three months of items, so there’s not much of a deal for anyone who shops often like I do.
I’m trying to have the longest Christmas ever in Second Life, so as far as I’m concerned, it starts now. The holiday season’s here, and I’m fully ready for twinkling lights and vacation.
I went to the I Pink I Can auction yesterday and placed a bid on a 6 month homestead, but I had to leave the house before it ended, so I knew I was going to lose. Normally, if I really want to win an auction, I wait until the last minute to bid. I’m not sure who won after me or how high it went, but all the proceeds go to the American Cancer Society.
If you’d like a chance to win raffles for a LeLutka mesh head, hair fatpacks, and more, the raffle ends today. You still have a few hours left to grab your tickets, which cost between L$50 and L$100.
When brands leave popular social media platforms, it becomes incredibly hard to keep up with their releases. That’s what happened with Toksik. For whatever reason, probably money, they decided to leave Flickr, and since then it’s been a challenge to track their new releases or even look back at what I already own or might want to buy. I find it a little odd that so many designers say they left Flickr because it’s “too expensive,” without thinking of that small yearly cost as part of their marketing budget.
Anyway, I saw the Vicious outfit at Nightshade and debated whether to buy the fatpack for L$4,000, which includes all the colors, or try my luck with the gacha machine. I ended up getting a few friends together, and we all played until everyone had a full outfits in all the colors, including the rare hat and collar. I spent less than half of what the fatpack costs, so that’s my suggestion if you want this outfit too. I’m still not a fan of gacha though. If this outfit had been a regular release, it would have come as a complete set instead of being split into pieces. It’s just a dress with a hat, after all.
In case you haven’t heard, there’s a new Premium Plus plan with no stipend. Designers are thrilled, of course. This plan costs $143 a year if you pay annually, or $191 if you pay monthly. But if you’re someone who buys lindens occasionally throughout the year, this plan probably isn’t for you. You don’t really save much, if anything at all, once you factor in the lack of a stipend.
I have to admit, I’m feeling a bit burnt out on Halloween events across the grid. I’m ready for cozy fall vibes and something more cheerful. But if you’re a Halloween lover, this is definitely your month. There are tons of hunts, freebies, and events happening right now, including Shop & Hop.
If there’s one month to put spiders in your hair, it’s October. Who knew arranging tiny jeweled spiders could be so fun? The Along Came a Spider set from Sparkle Skye includes jeweled spiders and a delicate metal web with pearls that you can wear as a hair clip. I never thought I’d actually put a spider in my hair in Second Life, but here we are. They’re small enough to scatter throughout your hairstyle, so you can create your own unique spooky accessory.
This year marks the 5th Bellisseria Trick or Treat event! The first one will always be my favorite because it was hard as hell. None of us knew how many candies we needed to win, so my friends and I went all in and collected a ridiculous amount. I still didn’t make the Top 10 or get all four bears in 2021, but it was so much fun trying. The second year was great too, and the bears were still adorable.
By the third and fourth years, the prizes switched to boopies, and collecting candies around Bellisseria got easier, but it still had some challenge to it.
This year, though, felt like life on easy mode. It was so simple that I didn’t enjoy it as much. As a homeowner, I already got five free candies every day. Since the Tier 4 prize only required 400 candies, I knew from the start that I’d win just by following the Bellisseria Citizens group Trick or Treat list. I guess I’m grateful it only took me two days to hit the top prize, but it wasn’t as fun because I didn’t have to team up with friends and explore all over Bellisseria like before.
My pro tip for this event is to skip any house where the bucket is too hard to find. There are tons of buckets out there, and your time is valuable. If you don’t spot it within five seconds, move on. When teleporting around, open Area Search, type “BUCKET,” and get within five meters so you can click it. You can even touch it directly from the Area Search window.
One thing I noticed about the BC list this year is that there were only around 400 buckets total. That makes me think not many people are active in the Bellisseria Citizens group anymore. There have to be over 30,000 Linden Homes by now, so where’s everyone at?
How can this event be more exciting next year? Go back to the first year’s trick-or-treating style. I don’t want to know how many candies I need to win, and the requirements should depend on how many residents are actually collecting. I’m not saying make it harder, just make it less predictable. There was also a lot of lag this year, and I really don’t like those long, narrow 2048 parcels. And bring back the bears, they were the best!
I didn’t need or even want a new mesh head, but for L$99 I decided to give the Akeruka Milena head a try. I haven’t worn an AK head in a long time, so I honestly don’t remember what I thought of them before. Today I’ll share my honest reaction to this Milena head. First of all, it works really well right out of the box. Since it’s made for EvoX, I was able to wear the exact same skin and makeup that I already use with my LeLutka EvoX head. I didn’t have to press any buttons or change settings to get it to work, it just did, and that was a nice surprise.
As with any new mesh head, I tried to tweak the shape to look like Gogo. The nose and lips were fairly easy to adjust, but the eyes gave me a hard time. I wasn’t happy with the profile or the chin either, which were the most challenging areas for me. I also noticed that no matter how I adjusted my shape, the closed-eye animation made my eyeballs poke through the eyelids. The eyes are rigged too tightly against the lids, so that’s definitely a problem if you like to use blinking or closed-eye animations.
Even though this head is only L$99, I don’t think it’s inferior to Akeruka’s full-priced mesh heads. It seems to be the same product, with the same HUD and the same challenges. I really hope those issues get fixed, because overall it’s easy to use and looks great right away.
If you just want a pretty face and don’t care about closing your eyes or using animations, this head might be perfect for you.
