I came across this trend that’s going viral right now with Second Life residents, where you take an SL photo and drop it into ChatGPT with a prompt to generate a realistic image. It’s fun, it’s cute. I saw my friends doing it, so of course I had to try too.
Here’s how you can create your own SL to AI Selfie! Use this AI prompt and upload a photo of your avatar to go with it. You can edit it however you like, add details, change the time of day, whatever you want.
Create an image that looks like a selfie taken with an iPhone. There should be no clear subject or specific composition, just a casual, unintentional snapshot. The image should be clear and lit evenly by daytime. The aspect ratio should be 9:16. It must not look AI-generated, but rather like it was taken by a real person.
While I was doing this, I had a moment where I wondered if any creator reading my blog is going to ban me for running my photo through ChatGPT and then I immediately decided I don’t care if people are going to be witch hunty about it.
Remember that blog post I wrote a while ago about some creators banning customers for using AI editing tools? Yeah, still relevant. Check profiles before you shop, because you don’t want to support anyone who’s going to turn around and blacklist you.
I’m screaming at how cute this new Penelo skin from Glam Affair is. I did fix a couple things on the face with Izzie’s tattoos, mostly the pinkish circles around the eyes, but overall it’s such a pretty skin. My favorite thing is definitely the lips and the lipstick, it’s the best I’ve seen on a skin in a long time.
If you were hesitant to try the Aperture Viewer (by William Weaver) because it wasn’t listed in the official Third Party Viewer Directory, good news: it is now. Unless stated otherwise, most of my photos going forward will be taken using this viewer, mostly because it’s what I’m learning right now. I used the official Second Life Viewer up until 2020, when I finally decided to dip my toes into third party viewers. Since then, I’ve tried Black Dragon, Firestorm, Alchemy, and beta versions of these viewers. I’m comfortable with all of them, but I’m also a sucker for shiny new sliders. I like when a viewer can push the limits of what’s possible in Second Life without needing external photo editing apps.
That said, it really doesn’t matter what viewer you use to take photos in Second Life. At the end of the day, it’s the artist, not the tool. And honestly, I don’t even consider myself an art photographer. I’m just a fashion blogger. I shoot fast and move on.
For this look, I used the built-in poser to part my lips and add a side glance. You can always use a face poser HUD, but if you don’t have one, the built-in poser actually gives you super fine control. You can tweak all the sliders to get as expressive as you want. Yes, it’s a little time-consuming, but those small details can really bring your photos to life.
Also, Anthology is open. And for the first time ever, I made an alpha in Second Life. It was messy, but I did it in under 30 minutes, and I’m totally inexperienced. I’m wearing the Nida Sweater from Havoc. It’s made for Maitreya, but I wanted to wear it with the Maitreya LaraX body, so I had to make an alpha to cut out bits of the breasts and back. I love this top too much to switch back to regular Maitreya, so I went the hard route. If you want the alpha, just message me in SL.
And finally, can we talk about this Derpy Doge Plush from Sakura? I love holdables in Second Life, and this one is just too cute. The little tongue sticking out reminds me of my real life derpy dog. Instant favorite.
Glam Affair has announced the new Ethereal Essence collection, a collaboration of face skins and body skins with Not Found. This release includes new 2k face skins and body skins. First impressions: the Glam Affair skins are breathtaking. The Not Found body skins are only available for Legacy and Reborn, so Maitreya LaraX wearers like myself will have to wait a while longer to try these.
In my previous post about 2k BoM skins, I truly noticed a difference between 1k and 2k when comparing the same skin. Even the tattoo cosmetics that are 1k benefited from baking with a 2k skin. However, that skin was not designed for 2k, but these skins are, resulting in a noticeable difference in quality.
Of the four new face skins released by Glam Affair, I liked the Siu face best. It’s very pretty, showcasing just enough realistic pores and shine. I am not wearing the brows with this skin, but here it is as-is, without any additional tattoo layers on top. Those who appreciate high-definition and close-up details will undoubtedly love 2k skins! Yes, you can see the pores more, but to me, there’s a balance where it can be done well if the brand doesn’t increase sharpness too much. I am excited about the future of Second Life skins!
It’s interesting to note that Glam Affair has removed Velour tones from their skin line up. Now the skins will come with 20 new Glam Affair tones, so you’ll have to demo all of them to find your new perfect shade. I settled on tone 005, and I found that it’s a good match with some Velour body skins and some The Skinnery body skins.
Will these popular bodies update their tones to support Glam’s new tones? I hope so!
Previously, I also mentioned that I thought skin brands should provide free updates to 2k, but I no longer feel that way. I think that 2k skins are so high definition that the previous methods of shading and texturing may no longer be the best way to showcase it. It is time to look ahead and move forward. I know I will only purchase 2k skins from now on. Does this render my entire skin collection obsolete? Probably! While the difference may not be drastic, it is certainly noticeable, and as you all know, I appreciate details.
What do you think about the new 2k Glam skins? Are you excited about the next chapter of Second Life? We will begin to see higher quality decor and clothing as well.
Inspired by Philip’s journey in transforming his avatar in Second Life, I decided to embark on creating a male avatar. How difficult could it be? I felt quite nervous, as I hadn’t made a male avatar in over a decade. I have lots of knowledge about female fashion, but I am not well-versed in male fashion, aside from knowing that if I ever created a male alt, he would wear Deadwool. I have always thought Deadwool was perfection, so I made a male avatar just to wear it.
I created my alt last month during the Thanksgiving holiday, tried on a bunch of demos, and then logged out because I wanted to wait for the free LeLutka head. I had a general idea of which body I wanted to buy, and it would definitely be one of the bodies supported by Deadwool. Last night, I logged in again and decided it was time to give my newly created alt a makeover.
Meet George. Yes, that’s right; he is named after Gorgeous (Gogo), and he’s quite the shopper. I gave my alt L$10,000 lindens to spend on his wardrobe. Since the LeLutka 12 Days of Christmas event was underway, I didn’t need to purchase a mesh head, which saved me some money. When making an avatar in Second Life, it’s important to have both a body and a head before making any additional decisions. I am wearing the free LeLutka Camden head, which also included a very nice skin. Normally, I am quite picky about skins, but after trying a couple of free gifts from brands in the 12 Days of Christmas event, I thought that the default skin was the nicest. I wanted George to have manly vibes rather than look like Gogo’s twin; some of the other brands were simply too pretty.
With the head sorted, I needed to choose a body. I can’t recall why I opted for the Signature Gianni body over the Belleza Jake body, but it cost me L$3,900, which accounted for the majority of my budget. Deadwool supported Belleza, Gianni, and Legacy bodies, if I remember correctly. I opted not to purchase the Legacy body because it requires enabling media in Second Life for the HUD to function.
The remainder of my budget was spent on Deadwool clothing, with the most expensive item being the L$2,590 fatpack of Dean Jeans from Deadwool. I wanted a specific color in the fatpack, meaning George will have to wear these jeans forever since they were expensive.
The most challenging aspect of creating a male avatar was finding a suitable hairstyle. I have always loved Wings hair, so I visited the store and, for the first time, tried on male Wings hair. Last night was a night of firsts for me; I experienced multiple new things, such as trying on a male LeLutka mesh head and purchasing from Deadwool. I also felt insecure about my height, as many male avatars I encountered were significantly taller.
My friend suggested that I visit the Man Cave event, because the brands there are giving away lots of gifts for this round. I was already at Man Cave last month gathering demos, as it is one of the events that caters specifically to men. It seems this will become my go-to event for George whenever I want him to go shopping. If you know of any other similar events, please let me know in the comments! I’m a freebies junkie, so I grabbed a bunch of gifts and actually found a really nice suit, a couple of free tops, and some very usable cosmetics.
Initially, I was anxious about creating a male avatar, as I did not want him to resemble Gogo or appear as though he was made by a woman, although that might be inevitable. To minimize the similarities, I chose a tan skin and darker hair for my alt. The entire process turned out to be easier than I anticipated; everything came together in just one night. I think my experience with Second Life fashion (for women) helped, as the underlying concepts remain the same. I will try not to overthink the details, because I think George turned out really nice for now. Alting can be costly, but now I might be able to take the photos I want with Gogo, featuring outfits I want to showcase without relying on someone else’s help.
What’s next for George? An Animation Override, so he can stand and walk better. Additionally, I look forward to introducing him to Gogo! Are you interested in seeing male fashion covered on JuicyBomb? Please let me know in the comments!
It’s officially Christmas in Second Life! The LeLutka 12 Days of Christmas event is the most exciting annual event in Second Life. This event always offers two free LeLutka mesh heads—Camila and Camden, one for female and one for male. A total of 90 brands are participating in this gift-giving event this year. You have from now until December 26th to teleport to all participating brands to collect your gifts.
As I usually do, I put on the Camila head and began editing my face. I created a new face shape that I liked, but then I noticed a tweet suggesting that Avalon and Camila looked similar. This gave me an idea. I had updated my Avalon shape a few months ago, so I decided to put it on, and with minimal edits, I was looking like Gogo again.
Avalon is the first LeLutka EvoX mesh head, and now we are on the third C head. These heads are named from A to Z, and I believe the alphabet has completed twice, so we are now on the third C.
I don’t have the stamina to teleport to all 90 stores, so I’m glad that FabFree has a list of all the stores & gifts posted! November and December in Second Life are full of gifts, and I love these two months the most.
My outfit is from Vagrant! I used the L$300 credits at Shop & Hop to purchase it. That is another event you should not miss right now, as it is full of gifts as well.
Come and visit Aurelias for one last autumn before we introduce a brand new theme at the year’s end. Curious about the new theme? If you’ve been following the blog over the past year, you might have a good guess. Don’t forget to share your photos in the Aurelias Flickr group—I absolutely love seeing them!
I recently visited Shop & Hop and picked up a charming rose crown from Half-Deer—it was a gift! But before you dive into Shop & Hop yourself, make sure to check out the gifts guide at FabFree. I can’t attend this event without FabFree’s suggestions on what’s worth snagging.
I also wanted to show you this adorable Angelina tattoo from Stardust. I don’t normally wear tattoos, but I really like this brand. The tattoos are hand-drawn with a sweet touch that I just love.
I absolutely love nature and serene landscapes in Second Life. My friend Sparkle Skye’s region, which neighbors mine, is a popular spot with enchanting flowering fields and a stunning waterfall. It’s the perfect place to lose yourself, explore the beauty of nature, and take amazing photos.
Recently, I tried on the Alida Outfit from Everfaery, and let me tell you, it’s super cute with tons of options! For just L$495, it’s a fantastic deal. However, I didn’t realize it was soooo short—it’s basically the length of a shirt. So, if you’re okay with your butt cheeks hanging out, go for it! Personally, that’s not really my thing, but I’ll still wear it.
Lately, I’ve been filming more short videos in Second Life, just to practice and capture fun moments. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel (JuicyBomb); I always upload videos there first!
A few days ago, my friend messaged me asking what I was up to. My response? “Fixing my nostrils.” She replied, “I’ve never looked that closely at my face.” I can’t imagine not doing so! I constantly scrutinize my face, and I’ve yet to find the perfect skin in Second Life. The ability to layer up to 60 items simultaneously has truly transformed my virtual beauty routine.
For several years now, I rarely wear a base skin without adding some modifications. I owe much of this to Izzie’s, a brand that seems to fix every flaw in any skin. I humorously call Izzie Button “Dr. Izzie” because whenever my skin needs a tweak, I turn to her creations. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with the Nostril Changer BoM layer. While I wasn’t particularly displeased with my original nostrils, the upgrade has made a noticeable improvement. Sometimes, designers add excess shading, which can appear too dark for my taste, but this nostril set keeps it subtle.
The Nostril Changer offers various styles, primarily differing in shading size, but my favorite feature is the optional highlight. It makes such a difference! I’ve also been adding more shine to my face using Izzie’s Highlighter Set. I dislike skins with baked-in shine but love those that include a tattoo gloss or shine layer. Glam Affair used to include this in their skins, though they seem to have stopped for some reason. With the release of PBR lighting, I think the demand for face highlights and gloss will rise, as it provides a nicer glow that matches the environment. When applied subtly, it’s fantastic; too much shine, though, can make you look like you’re wrapped in plastic.
Hello from the 4th of July Block Party! This delightful mainland parcel may be small, but it packs a punch with its many photogenic spots. When it comes to Summer holidays, gingham print always springs to mind, reminiscent of a classic picnic blanket.
To celebrate the Fourth of July, I’m rocking this Spring Tied Halter top from Fashionably Dead. To complete the ensemble, I’ve added the Blair Headband (4th of July print) from Sparkle Skye. Both of these items are part of the weekend sale at their main store, so grab them while you can!
Since transitioning to using a PBR viewer full-time, I’ve been tweaking the colors of my skin and body. I previously wore a body skin from Not Found but have since switched back to The Skinnery. The Luna body skin from The Skinnery is stunning, offering a myriad of options. I’ve reviewed it before, and was thrilled when they released the fabulous Body Bundle—it addresses several of my personal preferences, prompting me to give the body another go. Now, if only skin designers could offer face skins with neck options or none at all, it would make blending with our body skin choices so much easier.
Just when I’ve settled into a new face that I completely adore, LeLutka goes ahead and releases another one! At this rate, I’m embracing a slew of new faces each year—and falling in love with every one of them. LeLutka has launched two mesh heads, Billie for women and Aaron for men, at the Skin Fair, offering them at a 50% discount until the event wraps up on March 25th.
Now, let’s talk about the new Billie mesh head. To put it simply, it’s beautiful. The HUD has received an upgrade, adding more options to play with, and the most exciting addition for me is the introduction of two-layer options for the HD lips—something I have wanted for a long time! As usual, with LeLutka’s previous mesh heads, I had to adjust my shape to get the perfect fit for this new face.
Whenever I try on a new mesh head, I make it a point to test all the animations to see if the new expressions look good. I’m thrilled to report that Billie does not disappoint—the animations look fantastic, and somehow, they seem even better than my previous ones.
