Skins

Raven1 Short · October 29, 2011

What is the difference between a good skin and a bad skin? I often see some for sale for a reasonable price. How can I tell if it's bad? I have an older skin, but I like the coloring and haven't really found one that I like as well. What makes the super pricey ones better?

Feel free to show me your skin so I can compare.

Ariel Vuissent · October 29, 2011

Most creators price their skins by how much work went in to it, how much time it took, and consequently how much they think their time and effort is worth. (Plus how good they think the end result is, of course.) Better skins have a lot of color variation and small detail. Some of my favorites have a little mole here and there, or freckles. The older the skin, the less detail it tends to have. (Think of the Ruth skin; if you've ever been Ruthed, you've seen it. It's basically just one solid color, very little variation.)

Not all good skins are expensive, of course; and not all expensive skins are created equal. It's also important to think about how much you're getting for the price. For example, most LAQ skin packs are around $2000L, but include 10 makeup variations, each with and without a hairbase, for a total of 20 skins. (I can't remember offhand what else they come with, if anything, but 20 skins in one pack for $2000L is $100L a skin, which is pretty good!)

Here's a pic pf me in an older skin; Redgrave, if I recall correctly, and free. Beside it is a newer LAQ skin, which I paid for. The skintone is different, and I've changed shape and hair, etc., between the two pictures, but there are obvious differences in the skins, as well:

Then and Now.jpg

If I get a chance, I'll throw the old skin on the shape I usually wear, and take another pic, so the differences are clearer. Maybe I'll find a freebie skin, too; now I'm curious.

If you see a skin you like, it doesn't matter if it's free, cheap, or expensive; or if it's new or old. I think your skin looks fine, so if you like it, and can't find anything you like more, I don't see anything wrong with keeping it.

Raven1 Short · October 30, 2011

Ariel Vuissent wrote:

Most creators price their skins by how much work went in to it, how much time it took, and consequently how much they think their time and effort is worth. (Plus how good they think the end result is, of course.) Better skins have a lot of color variation and small detail. Some of my favorites have a little mole here and there, or freckles. The older the skin, the less detail it tends to have. (Think of the Ruth skin; if you've ever been Ruthed, you've seen it. It's basically just one solid color, very little variation.)

Not all good skins are expensive, of course; and not all expensive skins are created equal. It's also important to think about how much you're getting for the price. For example, most LAQ skin packs are around $2000L, but include 10 makeup variations, each with and without a hairbase, for a total of 20 skins. (I can't remember offhand what else they come with, if anything, but 20 skins in one pack for $2000L is $100L a skin, which is pretty good!)

Here's a pic pf me in an older skin; Redgrave, if I recall correctly, and free. Beside it is a newer LAQ skin, which I paid for. The skintone is different, and I've changed shape and hair, etc., between the two pictures, but there are obvious differences in the skins, as well:

Then and Now.jpg

If I get a chance, I'll throw the old skin on the shape I usually wear, and take another pic, so the differences are clearer. Maybe I'll find a freebie skin, too; now I'm curious.

If you see a skin you like, it doesn't matter if it's free, cheap, or expensive; or if it's new or old. I think your skin looks fine, so if you like it, and can't find anything you like more, I don't see anything wrong with keeping it.

Actually to me the one on the left seems a bit rosier in tone to me. I like that and the shape as well. So You are right about older skins still looking good.

Syo Emerald · October 30, 2011

Its all about taste. I'm happy with my skin for 100L and would never pay 2000L just to get the same skin with some different make up.

Ariel Vuissent · October 30, 2011

The tone of the skin on the left is darker, and being from a different place, it is rosier That's mostly a difference between creators; I've noticed LAQ skins, like the one on the right, have a more "yellow" tone, whereas the older Redgrave and my current Pink Fuel (among others) have more pink and red tones. Older skins can still be fabulous; someone posted a thread a while ago asking whether her old skin looked old and if she needed another, and the consensus was that we couldn't tell it was old!

I find that the newer skin, to me, has a bit more detail, which I find pleasing. The old one certainly has its good qualities, and I still have it. It's just not for me anymore. (For one, I prefer being a bit paler than that, it was just the lightest I could find for free when I first joined.)

I think old skins can look great dressed up with newer things. Hair and eyes, in particular, can go a long way towards "updating" older skins.

Raven1 Short · October 30, 2011

Agreed to you both!

Jennifer Boyle · October 30, 2011

Ariel Vuissent wrote:

. It's also important to think about how much you're getting for the price. For example, most LAQ skin packs are around $2000L, but include 10 makeup variations, each with and without a hairbase, for a total of 20 skins. (I can't remember offhand what else they come with, if anything, but 20 skins in one pack for $2000L is $100L a skin, which is pretty good!)

Since tattoo layer makeup is now widely available and can provide almost infinte variety, IMHO there is little reason to have multiple versions of a skin with different makeup.

Ariel Vuissent · October 31, 2011

The biggest problem with tattoo layer makeups for me is that they do take up a tattoo layer space. Max is four, I think. So, one for my hairbase, one for my freckles, and - usually, though it depends on the outfit - one for my cleavage layer. Sometimes I wear a tattoo, so there goes another one, and I'm up to four. I prefer my lip options separate from my eye options, so that's two more layers. It gets a little crowded sometimes! I do think you're right, though - I'd rather be able to buy a skin from LAQ with only a basic make-up, and then just use some of my tattoo layers. It'd be much cheaper.

Jennifer Boyle · November 1, 2011

It's also a lot more versatile, at least in my hands. I think the limit is five. I have not had problems with the limit, but I see how a person could.

Jessika Rang · November 4, 2011

IMHO your current skin is a bit heavy handed in the shadowing around the breasts but thats personal opinion and there are a lot of skins with that kind of detail. It depends how old it is - if its over three years old I would start shopping for a new one (which is both tedious and fun) - read reviews of new skins on the fashion blog/feeds and start exploring options. Buy lots of demos until you find one you are comfortable with.

I change skins about once a year because I like to update my look but I spend a lot of time shopping until I find something with all the elements I like, that doesn't change my look to much. I do tweak my shape with each new skin.

Ceka Cianci · November 8, 2011

Jessika Rang wrote:

IMHO your current skin is a bit heavy handed in the shadowing around the breasts but thats personal opinion and there are a lot of skins with that kind of detail.

i think thats just her sliders that could fix that..it looks more from the shape causing that shading..it's too blocky..

@OP don't go by price when shopping for skins or you will be let down..price range for skins is so wide ranged ..

never trust the pictures either because lighting that they took the picture in can factor night and day to what you may get as well..

the best thing to do is just do what we all pretty much do..don't buy from creators that do not have demo's..

because you are going to want to try on the demos and different versions that are in those demos..

i've bought from some that did not have demos..but i never paid more than 100L's for one without a demo..

i figure 100L is not so much of a risk..but 700 to 1k and then it's starting to hurt that 1k you may need for that quality 2k or higher skin you just have to have because it fits..hehehe

we could tell you great places to get skins all day long..but you may never find one you really like..

quality is gonna come when you try on a demo and then you are like..omg i am soo GETTING THIS!!! \o/

try you demo with different hair styles also to make sure you are not being stuck with a skin that doesn't really change over well to other styles..

also look for skins that are quality on the body as well as the face..

some creators will dump everything into the face..then give you a mohawk patch and no shading for any of the body and then you are just stuck with a nice face sitting on a flat colored paste that every time the sun moves changes from good bad to worse..

the best thing to do is just keep trying out demos until one rezzes and makes you stop and say..now thats me =) \o/

Ceka Cianci · November 8, 2011