Lola Van Ella took time out of her busy schedule to discuss merkin malfunctions, St. Louis, spontaneity and the role of comedy in burlesque. Lola Van Ella will be performing in Dallas on Feb 27th. Performance info.

Interview: Divertida Divotchka; Photos: Joshua Rowan and Connie LaFlam

Q: You’re coming to Texas for the Amour show at the end of February. Will it be your first time performing in Texas? Do you have to make any modifications to your routines to perform here?
 
Yes! It will be my Texas debut and I’m so looking forward to performing in the Amour show.  And yes, it’s funny, because although I live in the “conservative” Midwest, there is a lot of freedom for performers. One of the acts that I am bringing to the Amour show is my Van Ella Frosting act which involves more nudity than maybe most acts. And I will be modifying it slightly for the Dallas audience. I wouldn’t want anyone to faint (or get anyone or myself in trouble). Ha!

Q: Your burlesque resume is rather impressive. You dance, sing, instruct burlesque and emcee (and I’m sure much more.) How and when did you get your start?

I have always performed in some capacity since childhood, and have been singing, acting, dancing and doing voice over work professionally for 8 years. At one point, about 6 years ago, a theater company in St. Louis asked me to sing and perform a reverse strip tease, which I did for the entire run of the production, and had no idea that it was burlesque!  It was one of those, “I was doing burlesque before I knew what it really was” kind of thing. 

Of course, I loved Gypsy, Busby Berkeley musicals, Marilyn Monroe, and show girls, but I didn’t realize that these things were all connected.  I knew I was an exhibitionist at heart, and shortly after that performance, I played the lead character in a comedic play that required me to do full frontal nudity. I discovered that I had absolutely no issue with that.  It was fun and plus, it was funny, which I enjoyed being. 

In 2005, I was singing in a cabaret when I found out that there was a burlesque show that had just started in St. Louis.  I went to check it out, and found a very small, unpolished, rough show, with no real lights, costumes or emcee. But it had a ton of potential.  I started a week later.  In the beginning there were only a few of us, including Greta Garter, Mariel ala Mode and Honey D’Lite, but it quickly grew.  The Alley Cat Revue was the only weekly burlesque show in St. Louis for over 4 years and it’s where I really had a chance to hone and polish my craft. Plus, I got to sing and dance and tease and strip for lots of people, every week. How great is that?
 
Q: Is burlesque your full time job?

Yes, and sometimes it’s my overtime job! When I’m not performing, I teach a weekly class and am constantly working on producing the next show.  I also travel frequently, to teach and perform, and get to run an amazing troupe of performers, The Bon-Bons. So yes, very full time! I love it and wouldn’t have it any other way.
 
Q: Watching your routines, it seems that you really understand the importance of comedy in burlesque. Please tell me about your philosophy on the use of humor in your acts.

I strongly and firmly believe in a strict regimen of laughter and wit within the realm of the burlesque arts. It’s of the utmost importance to find the humor in a show that you are doing. Comedy is a serious business, and therefore needs to be taken very seriously, as does burlesque. It’s a very serious business. I am funny because it is the only way to make burlesque legitimate and work in an applicable way. Of course, I am completely kidding.

Burlesque is supposed to be fun. Comedy is fun.  I like to think I’m fun. Even when I am performing a classic or sexy strip, I still like to find places for humor.  Burlesque as with all types of entertainment, needs to be just that- entertaining. I live to entertain and to be entertained. I can’t imagine life any other way.
 

Q: While doing my pre-interview research, I found a Youtube clip in which an audio malfunction almost ruined a routine for Gravity Plays Favorites, and as the emcee, they asked you to sing a song so they could finish. You sang “Whatever Lola Wants” A CAPELLA while they ended the act. I was so impressed by how calmly and confidently you responded. What was going through your head at the time?

Why, thank you! That is a great memory, actually, though I’m not even sure what went through my head at that moment.  Michelle and Katrina are such good friends and in that moment, I knew and they knew that they needed to finish.  The show must go on!  It just kind of happened organically.  It was really spontaneous and fantastic.  I really love that moment.  It’s one of my (and happy to say, their) favorites.
 
Q: Do you have any other stories of show/routine/costume malfunctions and how you handled them?

Oh plenty!  The most recent and notorious one is the “Lola loses her merkin” incident.  It was right before the New Orleans Burlesque Festival and I was performing my competition piece for the last time before leaving.  At the end of the act, when I was supposed to turn around and pose with my spatula, the back of my merkin fell off!  In a split second decision, I pulled it completely off, and turned around and used the spatula to cover the rest of my modesty. Immediately after, my dear friend, Michelle Mynx ran back stage and said “I don’t know if that was on purpose or not, but that has to be the way you perform it in New Orleans!” I knew she was right, even before she told me.  There have been so many others that there is this running joke about me and my technical difficulties.  I’ve actually had numerous fans and friends tell me that they love when things go wrong for me, because they think it’s so great to see how I’ll handle it. I guess I’m supposed to take it as a compliment!
 
Q: What suggestions can you offer for burlesque success?

Self awareness. The understanding of the importance of quality over quantity. The desire and need to constantly learn- Always.  Respect for those who came before you. Lots of perseverance and self motivation. And of course, lots of sparkle, smile and charm.

 
Q: How do you like to spend your time when you’re not working?

I love to travel.  Always.  I’m a total outdoors-y kind of girl, actually.  I love being outside. Walking, dancing, climbing things.  I also love animals.  I love to read. Daydreaming.  Music.  Spending time with loved ones.  And I absolutely love to cook. And eat. A lot. I adore food. 
 
Q: Please share 3 little known facts about yourself.

1. I am a fantastic cook.  Really.  I humbly admit that I’m very good at it.
2. I know the names, stories, and authors of dozens of children’s books, including “Where the Wild Things Are”. I know that book by heart. 
3. I can stand on my head for a disturbing amount of time.

Selling Out Show After Show is No Accident: Meet The Lollie Bombs

Story: Shoshana; Photos: Benn Britt and Through the Looking Glass

Year after year, audiences pack into the cozy Pocket Sandwich Theater, sip on sangria served in a pitcher, and enjoy their favorite late night revue- with everything from a crazed Zombie shooting character, to a pill poppin’ princess, and a gal dropping down from the ceiling performing a silks number, this evening is anything but “traditional” burlesque. Since forming in 2006, The Lollie Bombs and their Valentine’s Day show has become a Dallas tradition. In fact, the Lollies are so popular, that in a city known for its distaste for pre-show ticket sales, much preferring the walk-up route, they sell out almost every performance way in advance. So what is the secret to the Lollies success, we decided to try and find out.

Like most great creations, the zygote that later became The Lollie Bombs started out as a crazy idea in the head of woman. Miss Angi B Lovely had the idea of starting a burlesque troupe, and went to visit a theater owner who was looking for a reoccurring booking. She quickly rounded up four other dancing pals- Lily Lawless, Roxie Moxie, Kitty B, and Lady J. After performing 3 shows under the name “Burlesque Contempo”, the gals decided they were in need of a lot of assistance. “We weren’t really considering ourselves a ‘troupe’, at the time – really we were just putting on a burlesque show in a town where no one knew anything about burlesque and there was no ‘scene’ as of yet.”, explains Roxie Moxie, who relocated to Seattle in 2008.

Eric Hall went to one of the earliest shows, and agreed that the ladies had a lot of potential. Hall was hired as the group’s choreographer, and the show started to really come together. Along with the new skill set, the ladies decided they needed a new name. During a late night brainstorming session, Lawless popped out with “The Lollie Bombs” and it was a hit! The Lollie Bombs began performing in different venues around Dallas, and pounding the pavement with handmade flyers, until they had developed quite a following- but they still needed a permanent home. They found that home in the summer of 2007 in The Pocket Sandwich Theater, and the troupe had changed a bit. While Roxie Moxie, Angi B Lovely, and Lily Lawless remained, Kitty and Lady moved off to other cities; while Black Mariah, Miss Malicious, and Jai L Bait joined the troupe.

Pocket Sandwich audiences loved the Lollie Bombs late night performances, and the theater loved the new fans that the Lollies brought in with them. The Lollie Bombs began doing shows every other month at the theater, and achieved a consistency with audiences that many other troupes and producers haven’t been able to achieve. That consistency opened the doors to many media outlets, who simply weren’t interested in a fly by night production- either those newly starting out, or constantly switching venues with no regularity. Media brings in more fans, and fans bring in more media, creating a hefty audience base for the troupe, but media won’t keep fans coming back. What gives the ladies such a regular fan base of folks who come again and again? Part of that may be their high attention to production detail- putting on an entire theatrical spectacle. Another part is certainly the diversity of the show, and the constant revamping and growth in The Lollie repertoire. While members have come and gone, and new members have come on, The Lollie Bombs continue to thrive. The current Lollies are Angi B Lovely (left the troupe briefly to relocate to Houston, but returned to the group as soon as she returned to Dallas), Miss Malicious, Black Mariah, Jai L Bait (joined 2007, left for a brief spell, and returned in 2009), Trixi Toxic (joined 2008), Scarlette Switches (2009). For more on the troupe’s success, we decided to ask the ladies of The Lollie Bombs themselves.

Meet The Lollie Bombs:

Angi B Lovely
BIO: Angi B. Lovely began performing at a very young age as part of a dance group called the Konocti Klogging Kids. As a teenager Angi discovered Ball Room dance and worked as a dance instructor, competing at the professional level. She studied musical theater and pursued an acting career. Eventually, Angi’s interests turned to circus arts– fire spinning, aerial silks, and hula hoop.  As a founding member of the Lollie Bombs, Angi B. Lovely has been involved in Burlesque since 2006.  Her current repertoire is a mix of dance, theater and circus art. 

Q: In your opinion, what is the secret to the success of The Lollie Bombs?

The secret to The Lollie Bombs success is being able to adapt and change as time goes on, we are always looking forward and improving on the production value of our shows. Also, we are an extremely multifaceted group of girls and our repertoire is always expanding, you never know what to expect from a Lollie Bombs show. 

Q: What do audiences love most about you?
Audiences love me for my diverse skill set, especially hula hoops and aerial acrobatics.

Q: Who should be cast as you in the movie about your life?

Lucille Ball

Q: When did you know you should be a performer?

I knew I was meant to be a performer when I would bring my tutu to preschool and ask change into it during recess. 

Miss Malicious
Q: In your opinion, what is the secret to the success of The Lollie Bombs?

The secret to the Lollies success is diversity. You get it all for the price of 20 bucks- acrobatic work, snarky gals, butts, boobies, and fantastic choreography- Everything!

Q: What do audiences love most about you?

Audiences love me for my sarcasm and I think my butt; along with my thought provoking numbers and the overall destruction of everything. 

Q: When did you know you should be a performer?

I knew I was meant to be a performer when I was 6 years old and would act out every movie I saw. I was never shy; my step mother used to say I could have been easily abducted as a child because I would talk to ANYONE, especially if they had an animal with them.

I started acting in plays when I was 8 or 9, and dancing and doing gymnastics around the same time. I have always loved the stage. In junior high we would skip class by saying we had a big performance coming up, go to Drama, hang out with the teacher and build props all day. Somehow I still passed everything!

Q: What’s your pre-show ritual?

I rehearse a bit…eat some carbs so I don’t get hungry during a show…then get a beer…Stella or Blue Moon.

Black Mariah
Q: What is your pre-show ritual?

I listen to music by Brian Setzer Orchestra. I love his music and it puts me in the mood to perform. I also listen to the music I am performing to that evening on my IPod with my headphones. I close my eyes and visualize the routine from beginning to end and see it as if it is a goal I have already achieved. Physically rehearsing is just as important as mentally rehearsing.

Q: What is the secret to the Lollie Bombs success?

Diversity in every aspect of our performance.

Q: What do audiences love most about you?

Curves and comedy! I don’t take myself so seriously that I can’t laugh at myself. I’m not perfect; I think that makes me relatable to my audience.

Q: Who should be cast as you in the movie about your life?

Zooey Deschanel

Jai L’ Bait
BIO: A true old soul, Jai L’ Bait knows to much for her own good. Abandon at the age of two, she was brought up by the gypsies. At an early age, she had the knack to capture audience’s attention. She was trained to use her looks and talents to her advantage and soon, as a weapon. Shimmy and shaking her way on the stage, she caught the attention of the Lollie Bombs where she joined their burlesque group. A natural seducer, you older guys may want to watch your back! This young temptress is here for the music and mischief. Get ready for trouble…

Q: When did you know you should be a performer?

I knew I was meant to be a performer when I was a child and I begged my parents to take me to auditions to Corpus Christi to audition for the Selena movie. Then I threw a dramatic fit because they told me no and I was extremely frustrated because I was convinced I would get the part. I was about 9.

Q: What is the secret to The Lollies’ success?

There is no one like us. We truly are a unique group that brings something unheard of in the burlesque world.

Q: What do audiences love most about you?

Ha! The fact that I look like a 12 yr. old, my blasphemy, and according to the Lollies–my booty! 

Q: Who should be cast as you in the movie about your life?

Mila Kunis

Scarlette Switches

SCARLETTE SWITCHES is no stranger to burlesque and the art of the tease. She has been performing in risqué groups and as a solo artist for over 10 years. As a singer, model and burlesque artist, her style often combines influences of cabaret, vintage fetish and Hollywood glamour. She performed alongside Jamie Deadly, Angela Ryan, and Athena Fatale in “Burlesque on the Fringe.” She also performed as a guest artist with “Fluff Girl Burlesque.”  She joined the Lollie Bombs Burlesque in early 2009.

Q: What is the secret to The Lollies’ success?

Diversity and courage.

Q: What do audiences love most about you?

Audiences love me for my TNA and naughty songs.

Q: What is your pre-show ritual?

I have a ritual of taking about 3 hours to either have hair and make-up done for me or DIY.

Q: What is your favorite physical feature on yourself?

My eyes.

Trixi Toxic
While according to her MySpace profile, she loves Autumn, Resident Evil, Zombies, Barbies, and Vampires–she apparently does not like email or interviews.

Upcoming Shows:
The Lollie Bombs next performance is The Valentine’s Show on February 12 & 13 at The Pocket Sandwich Theater. Call 214.821.1860 for reservations.

Three Lollies: Miss Malicious, Black Mariah, and Scarlette Switches will be performing in the Amour Show- A Lust Filled Burlesque Comedy- on February 27th at the Lakewood Theater. Call 214.821.7469 for tickets.

Amanda Brooks shares with us five books about love, romance and sex! Perfect for those in or out of a relationship.

Gone With the Wind
There was never a heroine like Scarlet O’Hara. Scarlet is livelier on the page of this sweeping tale about misplaced passion than most people in real life. And you’ll be wishing for a Rhett Butler to pursue you through war, marriages, death, poverty and fortune. They had sizzling sex, she fit herself in 17-inch corsets and the book’s ending is probably the most famously ambiguous ending of all time. She loves Ashley (arguably more than herself), Rhett loves her, Melanie loves her, Ashley loves Melanie and most of all she loves Tara – the plantation she grew up on and fights for. You’ll be sorry when the book ends because there is no sequel by Margaret Mitchell.

Harold and Maude
One of the quirkiest love stories around, it’s funny and memorable and very real. Harold loves Maude and Maude loves life. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll wish you knew Maude too.

The Scarlet Pimpernel
A swashbuckling tale told from the woman’s perspective. Though intrigue and the French Revolution is the background, the real story is a beautiful, caustic Frenchwoman single-handedly saving her marriage and realizing the love of her life. It doesn’t get any more romantic than this!

Kushiel’s Dart
Another romantic thriller through the eyes of a woman, though this woman is just a little bit different. Trained as a spy AND courtesan, Phedre falls in love (quite a few times, actually) and saves her country. Her determination reminded one reviewer of Scarlet (see above), though Phedre is slightly less self-centered. There are battles and queens and gorgeous men, amazing tattoos, beautiful clothes, lots of sizzling sex and a society that celebrates prostitution. Not to mention one of the best villains ever — Melisande.

Memoirs of a Geisha
Not only a journey through the world of geisha, one of the sweetest, most aching love stories. Though the account is fictionalized, the female voice is so very real. Suri loves The Chairman and no one else from the time she is 9 years old. Will she ever get his attention and win his heart? Everything else is almost beside the point (in her mind) as she pursues her one dream through debt bondage, cruel inter-geisha politics, war and rebuilding her shattered life.

Pin Curl Magazine Proudly Presents, The Amour Show: A Burlesque Comedy

Dallas has been introduced to classic burlesque before, not nothing like this. This entire show from start to finish will focus on the comical aspect of classic burlesque, leaving audience laughing hysterically while thoroughly dazzled, teased, and titillated.

If you’ve never seen a live burlesque performance before, this would be a fabulous introduction and if you are a veteran, we promise you an amazing experience, unlike any show you’ve seen before.

Emcee for the evening: Justin Foster, a popular Dallas comedian as seen on Last Comic Standing. With a special comedic appearance from Richard Hunter, of the Richard Hunter Show.

Featured Performers:
Perle Noire, Queen of Burlesque, a New Orleans Legend
Lola Van Ella, The Derriere Beyond Compare, A hilarious performer hailing from St. Louis

With Performances by Local Favorites:
Miss Malicious, Hot Rods and Heels Performer of the Year
Ginger Valentine
Black Mariah
Rose Darling
Scarlet Switches
& Coco Lectric, Best in Show at Texas Burlesque Festival

Saturday, February 27th, Doors at 8pm

Lakewood Theater, 1825 Abrams Rd., Dallas, 75214

Advance tickets recommended. Get tickets by calling the Lakewood Theater at 214.821.7469 to avoid service fees, or visit TicketMaster.com

$30 VIP (Front and center seating)

$20 Everywhere else

18 and up only, please

Cash Valet Parking Available

Special Thanks to our Sponsors

InTownMix.com

DallasPinUp.com

BigBadSportsDaddy.com

Melrose Hotel

Out of Town Guests:

We are pleased to announce our partnership with The Melrose Hotel! To make reservations under our special group rate, please call 214.521.5151 and mention “Pin Curl Magazine”. The Melrose is one of the most beautiful hotels in Dallas, in the best neighborhood, with the kindest staff and only 5 miles from the theater- aren’t we lucky?!

Editor’s note: Our very own Hella Goode has her very first book out (under her legal name, of course)! We couldn’t be more proud of her! You’ll check it out, won’t you? 101 Mexico City Travel Tips

Legends: Josephine Baker
Story: Hella Goode

When Frida Kahlo painted her double self-portrait, the Two Fridas, she couldn’t possibly have been imagining that she would meet another Frida one day that would enchant her so.

The other ‘Frida’ in the rumored love affair, was actually born Freda Josephine McDonald on June 3, 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri to Carrie McDonald and drummer Eddie Carson, who hesitated very little in abandoning the new mother and child. She would later choose to go by her middle name, Josephine. After a series of family changes and a few short-lived marriages, she would become the legend known today as Josephine Baker, sometimes called ‘Black Venus,’ ‘Black Pearl,’ or ‘Creole Goddess.’ Josephine was renown worldwide for many of her passions, dancing, singing, mothering a menagerie of unusual pets, rallying for Civil Rights and setting the example for such adoption-happy celebs as Mia Farrow and Angelina Jolie, with her dozen adopted multicultural children which she lovingly referred to as the “Rainbow Tribe.”

One might ask, how did a black woman shoot to such fame and success at a time when racial restraints would not let her so much as sit in the front of the bus in the United States? Josephine mentions, “One day I realized I was living in a country where I was afraid to be black. It was only a country for white people. Not black. So I left. I had been suffocating in the United States…A lot of us left, not because we wanted to leave, but because we couldn’t stand it anymore…I felt liberated in Paris.”

Before departing for Paris, she had performed in the first all-black Broadway musical, Shuffle Along in 1922 at the age of 16 in New York. In 1925, she joined La Revue Nègre in Paris. Her performance with her partner, Joe Alex in the Danse Sauvage made her a star. She then took on La Folie du Jour at the Follies-Bergère Theater. Meanwhile in 1926 she recorded music for the first time ever. She briefly returned to New York to perform at Carnegie Hall, where she never before would have been accepted, but after her success in Europe and social growth in the Civil Rights movement, she was given a standing ovation.

In France, she starred in movies and on stage. Off stage she lead her life the way she saw fit. She became iconic, known for her exotic beauty, although she mocked it, saying her good feature was her legs, and the rest of her body was simply ‘amusing.’ She had presence that few other stars had.

Her films included:
La Sirène des Tropiques (1927)
Josephine plays a tropical beauty who aspires to dance in Paris. She was used to overacting for the live stage and thus gave an exaggerated performance which later haunted her.

Zouzou (1934)
Josephine portrays Zouzou, a circus performer in love with the man who plays her twin brother, but leaves her for another woman.

Princess Tam Tam (1935)
Josephine takes on the role of a primitive woman again, introduced to the French culture by a man.

The French Way (1945)
Josephine plays a cabaret performer named Zazu.

One can speculate as to why, despite being such a proponent of equal rights, she would accept roles as a ‘savage,’ however, she made sure that she was not pigeonholed as such. She was civilized in all other aspects of her life, after, her favorite food was spaghetti.

Josephine never left the United States behind completely. She kept vigilant watch over the events going on in the Civil Rights movement while enjoying her success in France. By the time she had amped her popularity in film and on stage in Europe, becoming one of the best if not, the highest paid performer of her time and ranking amongst the most photographed women in the world, she knew she had a new mission, to aid in the fight for Civil Rights in the United States. She was invited to speak at the 1963 march on Washington DC, where Martin Luther King Jr.’s infamous speech still runs shivers down the spines of those who hear it. “Until the March on Washington,” Josephine stated, “I always had this little feeling in my stomach. I was always afraid. I couldn’t meet white American people. I didn’t want to be around them. But now that little gnawing feeling is gone. For the first time in my life I feel free. I know that everything is right now.” Josephine continued to help the cause by refusing to perform or appear in places that did not allow blacks to enter or refused them seating. She was very public about her stance on equality, even when it meant open and public media battles.

How ironic for the spirit of political activism to come from the woman most known for the image of the costume she wore for the Danse Banane. It was nothing more than about a dozen bananas strewn together to make a less than skimpy skirt. Josephine gave new meaning to many things, but she topped the sweet cake by showing us what Chiquita Bananas really meant with this one. She wasn’t recognized for being very modest in her costumes, but often wore revealing and sensual digs, performing and posing topless as well, which was not nearly as scandalous in France in the 1920′s and 1930′s as it was in the United States. It took until the 1950′s in Las Vegas for American girls and venues to accept the daring challenge of having topless showgirls. She lit up the venue no matter what she did, taken over by the thrill of the stage. … “I improvised, crazed by the music… Even my teeth and eyes burned with fever. Each time I leaped I seemed to touch the sky and when I regained earth it seemed to be mine alone,” she said.

She died at the age of 69 on April 12, 1975 in Paris, France of cerebral hemorrhage, a recognized contributor to the victory of World War II on the French side, earning her a 21-gun salute, an American Civil Rights activist, the cause of the contagious jazz bug in Europe, amongst other achievements including giving hope to those who had none. She was honored with the presence of over 20,000 people in her funeral procession and status as a stage legend, inspiring women of her time and future generations to not let beautiful and bold be determined by the opinion of the masses, but to simply bleed it from the inside out.

For more: http://www.cmgww.com/stars/baker/

With: Black Mariah

Recently, I discovered that many of you ladies are having difficulty applying your false eyelashes, or worse, won’t wear any at all, because you are not confident in applying your lashes. Consider this article your “falsies for newbies” guide to applying eyelashes properly and safely.

1. To apply eyelashes on your own, first begin by washing your face with a PH balanced, oil free cleanser of your choice. Pat your face dry with a towel and do not moisturize your face just yet. Your lashes should be the first item you apply in your make-up ritual.

2. Take your lashes out of the package and remove them both from their seats on the insert. Lay each eyelash on the insert you just pulled it from (this helps keep the lashes from being placed on the wrong eyelid). If you need to make your lashes smaller, this is the time to do so. Lashes are made larger as you can make them smaller, but never larger. To reduce the size of the lash, use small detailing scissors and snip in 1/8” increments from the inside of the lash that sits closest to the nose.

3. Pick up your lash and pinch the lash tips between your fingers in your non-dominant hand, exposing the lash band towards your face. With your lash glue tube in your dominant hand, place the tip of the glue at one end of the lash band and squeeze gently until the glue comes out of the tip. Run a thin line of glue along the band of the lash to the opposite end. Lay the lash down with the glued lash band facing up, and repeat with the other lash. When both lashes have glue applied, pick up the first lash on which you applied glue. The glue needs 15-30 seconds to cure which is why you place glue on both lashes before applying so work diligently.

4. Grab the lash by the lash tips and close the eye you are will apply the lash onto. Remember, that the lash band is going to be placed just above the eyelash line! Do not place your lash on your lash hairs! Removing eyelash glue from hair is next to impossible and very painful. Center the lash where you want it to stay and press the center of the band into the center of the eyelid, then press the edges down out towards the ends of the lash around the curve of your lid to the edges. Hold the ends for about 10 -15 seconds. When you let go, the lash should stay against your lid. If not continue to hold another 5 seconds. Repeat with the other eye.

5. When you are finished, feel free to then moisturize and continue with your regular make-up regiment. Try not to be distracted by your new divine peepers while you work. You have a show to get ready for!

Next month, individual lashes with visual help!

Send your burning burlesque questions Black Mariah c/o editor@pincurlmag.com

This sweet and romantic concoction is perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Agave Kiss

• 2 oz Silver Tequila
• 1 oz white creme de cacao
• 1 oz double cream
• 1/2 oz Chambord raspberry liquor
• white chocolate flakes for rimming
• fresh raspberries for garnish

Preparation:
1. In a cocktail shaker with ice, add tequila, white crème de cacao, double cream and Chambord.
2. Shake for 15 seconds.
3. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass, garnish with white chocolate flakes and raspberries.