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Saturday, February 25, 2012

Saturday Night Studio Love| Jhene Aiko

Do you remember this gorgeous songstress? Many of you might not but if you once had a thing for the guys of vintage boy group, B2K, then you may have seen her a few times. The then 15 year old, Jhene Aiko was signed to T.U.G Records/ Epic Records with Chris Stokes alongside B2K. Many people knew her as Lil Fizz's "cousin" even thought they're not related. She also made a cameo as the girl in the headphones in the B2K-"Uh Huh" video. She left the labels to continue her education. In 2008, she gave birth to a babygirl, Namiko, who's father happens to be O'Ryan. You may remember his as well. The brother of singer, Omarion. He dropped a few songs too but didn't really go mainstream. In you listen to Drake, you heard her on the 2010 single, "July". In 2011, Jhene signed to the No I.D. label, Atrium, which is distributed through Def Jam. She will be 24 March 16th. Overall, the girl has a beautiful voice and I really enjoy her music. Check out two of my favorites. Enjoy.


2011-"Higher"


"Take a hit of this and then...tell me how you feel. [Tell me how good it feels.] When you can't rid of it then.. Thats how you know its real. I'm forreal. Oh I will."


2008-"Wait No More"



"Boy the love is there,so there's no need for rushing. You can come right here, but don't you start that touching. It'd be so much better if we'd let this build up, it's worth the wait for something bigger.."


Want to find her?

FOLLOW: @JheneAiko
TUMBLR: Jhene Aiko



Thursday, February 23, 2012

Compulsive Polish Lover| Cupcakes & Glitter

Today I was in serious need of a fill-in. Since I had to go work at the salon today, I decided to work on my nails while I waited on clients. I broke my "acrylic fast" three weeks ago because I ended up breaking two of my natural nails. They looked so uneven that I just decided to give myself an overlay. I waved off the nail crack for a few months prior due to weakened nails and began using the CND Shellac gel polish system. I love it. Just for the sake of having nice-looking nails, I added extensions. I wanted something fun and super glittery this time around. Check out the routine I use on my clients as well as myself:

  • Remove any polish you may have layered onto your nails with acetone.
  • Take a cuticle nipper and remove any loose or hanging cuticles, carefully. Do NOT pull the roots. If you do so, you will experience inflammation and be at risk of possible nail infection.
  • Upon removal, begin to file or drill over the nail, starting between the new growth and acrylic layer. 
  • Once you have completed that step, set up to fill. Depending on the acrylic that was previously laid,  you may need to use a natural or clear powder. In my case, I used natural. Be sure to apply a primer before you fill.
  • Begin to lay your acrylic, filling in where you have retained growth. Do not lay acrylic onto your cuticles. This will cause suffocation of the cuticle which will cause lifting and you will need another fill sooner than you should. Not to mention that it doesn't look so clean. 
  • This is also the perfect time to make any repairs or sculpts if it's needed. 
  • Allow the acrylic to harden (dry).
  • Take a 180 grit file and begin to shape the nails. File both sides of each nail, the free edges, and over the entire nail bed. As you can see above, I am definitely a squoval girl. There are various shapes you can define. Square, Oval, Squoval, Stiletto, etc. 
  • You can now begin the polish process. 

In the picture above, I already applied a thin layer of my CND base coat. It cured for ten seconds and was ready to be showered in an array of color. 


The fun part of being a nail technician is allowing myself to play around on my creative playground. I enjoy getting clients that have a passion for vibrant, bright, and loud nail art. Whenever I do my nails, a popping color will forever be seen somewhere on my hands. Color makes me smile! This probably explains why I tend to purchase a lot more neon-ish polishes. Of course, I have an assortment of polishes, acrylic, and decals at home. I have to be versatile for every type of woman. 

Colors Used:

1. CND Shellac (Rock Royalty)
2. CND Shellac (Base Coat)
3. CND Shellac (Top Coat)
4. OPI (Last Friday Night)
5. OPI (Teenage Dream)
6. ORLY (Rage)
7. ORLY (Halley's Comet)
8. Art Deco/KISS Nail Paints

  • After I cured my base coat, I took the "Rock Royalty" color and freestyled a few tips on my nails. The designs were switched around on the opposite hand. Each hand consists of two nails, fully painted and the others are randomly painted. 
  • Applying two coats to each hand, curing for two minutes in between each set. Total time of 4 minutes.
  • I started off my designing a cupcake on both middle fingers using the black, white, and golden nail paints. I placed red rhinestones at the very tip of the frosting, to result in the resemblance of a cherries. 
  • I then took the Orly and OPI colors and dapped polish, sparingly, over each nail, minus the middle fingers. I used an order of repetition by using the Orly's first, then OPI's. 
  • Once I completed that, I took the nail paints and randomly placed abstract over the nails. I also stuck to an order of gold glitter, loose silver, and silver glitter.
  • My final top additions were adding three silver rhinestones to the nails opposite the pointer fingers but between the pinky and middle fingers. 
  • I cured each hand for about one minute then applied my CND top coat. I cured for two minutes, took my alcohol, and wiped off the sticky top coat residue. Yay! No waiting for my nails to dry afterwards. 
Here's the finished product. What do you think?


The glitter shows up sooooo much more sparkly in person, lol. Photos do no justice. But it's still cute!!!! 

Guilty Pleasures| BoneFish Grill


I must say, before I get into detail about my oh so AMAZING experience here that I had an awesome night. I celebrated an early birthday by going out. Perfect place. Nope, I wasn't alone, if you were wondering, lol. Enjoyed my evening with family. For those of you who don't know what BoneFish Grill is, it's a nice, high-end seafood restaurant. Super sophisticated and classy, just like I like it. PLUS! No worries, the prices aren't too bad. If you plan to eat here for two, be prepared to spend up to $60 or more.

Want to dine at your local location? I would recommend making reservations beforehand. We went on the following Saturday night of a crazy Valentines week after I got off work. The 8:30PM reservation was perfect. They stay pretty busy. Full house. Upon entering, they have the revolving doors that I've only ever seen as apart of the expensive NY hotels. Beautiful. The environment within the restaurant feels very private but romantic. The lighting is dim so it may be considered too dark for some, however, it was perfect to me. The bar area was very lovely. Of course there was bar seating, three high-top tables, and three booths. In the area we were seated, it consisted of about five left-sided booths and variously placed tables, and wall seats. We had a half booth/ table section. Very nice and organized. The entire restaurant had candlelit lighting as well as enough lighting to get around without shoving. As soon as we were seated, we were greeted by out WONDERFUL waiter. He definitely knew his stuff. He gave us a quick overview and detailed rundown of some of the best and not so great items on the menu. I loved his honesty. He was also very funny. We ended up ordering a delicious entree'. The servers throughout the restaurant were all dressed in black pants and "chef robes". Not your average pants and t-shirt with the logo outfit. Perfect. That alone separates the class of BoneFish from all other eateries. Anyhow, the menu choices were of variety. I personally wanted to try their signature  "Bang Bang Shrimp" appetizer that I've heard so many people mention to me prior to visiting the restaurant. Yep, it was a true hit. I loved it!

What did we order?

Appetizer: Bang Bang Shrimp
*Crispy, tossed in a creamy, spicy sauce.*


Side: Bonefish Caesar Salad 
*(FREE from the server, yay!) with house made garlic croutons.*


Entree': Diablo Shrimp Fettuccine  
*Tomatoes, capers, onions and spinach fettuccine in garlic cream sauce.*




Yes! Everything was indeed overly enjoyable! Since this visit, I've have returned to cash in on my free "Bang Bang Shrimp". Yep. Those surveys that print out on receipts are golden. I'm addicted to that appetizer now! If you have a BoneFish Grill in your area, I URGE you to go out and have dinner there. You will not regret the experience, I'm sure. 


Heading Back To Fro Lane| Weave-Less

 
Full Head Sew-In
 Welp, it was nice rocking my weaves for the past month and a half. I enjoyed being my alter egos, lol. In mid Janurary, I gave myself a sew-in using the Outre Indian Hair in "Baby Soft Wave", 10 inches. The hair quality was very good, especially for the price I paid, my goodness. I didn't keep it in for long though, 3 weeks to be exact. Then I took it down and decided to wear a wig that I made back in September of 2011. It was more blonde than black when I first put it together so I ended up using hairspray color to add more black tint to the hair. I LOVED both looks.

Quickweave Wig


 I was a bit disappointed when I took out my sew-in and discovered that I had some breakage. It was expected but sheesh. I can honestly say I had gotten lazy in the haircare department while I had the weave in. I was so busy that I would slack off and forget to moisturize every night and massage my scalp. Ugh. The downfalls of weave and natural hair. It's like working on your laptop so much that you forget what it feels like to pick up a pen and paper. No bueno. I ended up having a lot of breaking and some serious shedding. The excessive scratching I did after week two didn't make it any better. I never really cared about my hair and having a sew-in when I was relaxed but now that its chemical free, I try to be careful. I didn't do so this time around. No more sew-in weaves for me that's for certain. That had to go. 

Noooo...BREAKAGE & Shedding!!! :(
Other than that, I fully enjoyed the wig. I always do whenever I decide to wear a proper quickweave. The versatility I can have and not to mention the installation time is cut in half. Ever tried sewing in your own full head of hair? It's no fun and if you're like me, you know that quickweaves are exactly what they're called, QUICK! At the time of creating the wig, I wanted the reverse ombre look before the "ombre" style even became more noticeable this past fall. I love golden blondes and deep browns so  this was perfect. I previously had highlights of red apart of the wig but took them out after a few days. I ended up having an interview and didn't want to scare a potential employer away with my bold hair, lol.

Now it's back to the old grind. I've worn my fro out and it has recently been up in a puff. I'm proud of how big it's gotten since my big chop! NOTE: It will be my one year nappiversary next month. It'll be one full year since I've been natural. Yay! GO ME!!! I may flat iron my hair for the first time since transitioning to celebrate the length I've attained since cutting my hair. Not sure yet but we shall see. ^_^

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Saturday Night Studio Love| Stevie Wonder

Ohhhhh!!! Got to love the old school legends. So many to choose from, so many sounds to enjoy. I love me some Stevie Wonder. Alongside many other great and successful musicians, his smooth melodies and rythmic grooves makes his music untouchable. I believe I was often born in the wrong decade at times. I love music with true substance and his happens to be apart of my musical LIFE! Stevie is known for making music that applied to the lives of everyday struggles, joys, memories, etc. Enjoy my faves for the night...


1982- "Do I Do"

"Yes I got some candy kisses for your lips. Yes I got some honey suckle chocolate dripping kisses full of love for you."


1973-"Living For The City"


"His father works some days for fourteen hours. And you can bet he barely makes a dollar. His mother goes to scrub the floor for many. And you'd best believe she hardly gets a penny.
Living just enough, just enough for the city...yeah "

Friday, February 17, 2012

Nicki Minaj| The Catholic Controversy


I'm not going to say I despise the hustle of Nicki but I watched her Grammy performance of her latest single, "Roman Holiday", from this past Sunday and couldn't help but shake my head. Is it just me or has being mainstream sucked the "Onika" out of Nicki? I say yes. Her music was a lot more raw in her beginning hustle but the bigger she got, the more animated she's become. Calm down Nicki stans, I'm not bashing the woman. Her split personalties and various characters are a bit much for me. I'm not going to lie, I've sung to a few of her singles since she's been under Young Money. But, that Grammy performance popped the cherry off her cupcake. I'm sure she had her wild reasons for wanting to go with a performance that plagiarized the Catholic church and stirred up even more controversy about "Illuminati". As I watched it, it seemed like a performance you would expect for Kanye West to do. Something that reminded me of his, "Power" video.

For starters, she walked the red carpet with a Pope impersonator while she wore some Little Red Riding Hood get-up. If Lady Gaga were to have dressed like that, then it might have been less bashed but her style is crazy with a hint of McQueen so it fails and still passes.*loud laugh*. Hell no, Nicki, hell no. lol. Did I expect Nicki to dress crazy? Yes. Did I expect some crazy performance? Yes. Did I expect what I saw? No way. I'm sure many of the viewers did not either. During her performance, Nicki was at a confessional yelling at the priest then the exorcism she enacted onscreen was funny but still like, what the hell? Not sure about you all but I don't think Nicki thought about how her performance would cause a media frenzy with the religious community. She's an artist and does what she wants but after that show, the Catholic League had much to say. Catholic League president Bill Donohue states, The most vulgar part was the sexual statement that showed a scantily clad female dancer stretching backwards while an altar boy knelt between her legs in prayer.” “None of this was by accident, and all of it was approved by The Recording Academy, which puts on the Grammys. Whether Minaj is possessed is surely an open question, but what is not in doubt is the irresponsibility of The Recording Academy. Never would they allow an artist to insult Judaism or Islam.


My! Catholics can get gansta, lol. I follow Nicki on Twitter and she did throw a few comments defending herself in her own way. Tweeting Monday, "Were they offended by ‘the devil inside’??? Shut-up & watch the movie b**ch!”  Of course, she had much more to say after that via Twitter but feel free to check those out if you want to be nosey. Overall, the performance was not great. The past few shows I've caught of her have been less than perfect. She also didn't win anything that night. I hate when such great talent goes mainstream and the real talent that got them there deteriorates before our eyes. If you know anything about Onika before she became "Nicki" ad her many alter egos, you see what I'm saying for sure. 


What are your thoughts on this years' Grammy performances?




Quotes courtesy of GossipCop
Photos Courtesy of Global Grind & iAmSuperGorge

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Mirror Check| C-Cups & Self Love

It's taken me a while to really get to a point where I'm happy with my figure. I remember being a bit thicker than a snicker once upon a time lol. Back in 2008, I was. Maybe the breakup I experienced during that time sped up my metabolism or maybe I was just coming into my own, hormonally. I was young so who knows? Growing up, I was never the "popular girl" with the perfect shape. I wanted to be but it wasn't something I forced myself to be. Life moves along. I was nine years old when I started to develop my boobies. It was a hit for the young boys at school for sure. I remember being in the forth grade, in line, when this boy in my class poked me in the side of my right breast. I was set ablaze then, pissed. I told on him because I felt violated and he was told to apologize to me lol. *sigh* Oh how I miss childhood so much. That experience is something I will never forget. My girls have always been a pretty good size. I guess that could be a positive and a negative. It was fine having big boobs with the thick behind to match but after 2008, my weight began to drop. I didn't know the reason why. My father was a small guy, so I figured I was taking after him. When people started to mention my weight, I became insecure with the image they were seeing. My grandmother, especially, never let me forget how tiny I was. "Girl you skinny. You eat?" Knowing I can eat up a storm, I hated that. She even mentioned to me about the pastor of a church I use to attend said something about my size. "What's wrong with her? What happened?" I never knew people looked at me THAT closely. Sheesh. Honesty, yeah, I was hurt by the questions and comments. Brushing them off just wasn't enough...

Still to this day, I get people that always mention how tiny I am and all. Okay, I get it already. I don't understand why my weight is such a concern to others. Seriously, I weigh 126 not anything less than 100. When I was given a pair of size 16 pants (kids), I fit them. That crushed my soul. I fit into my nieces' pants. Ugh. I've tried everything from eating even more than usual but no results. I don't work out at all so what was I to do? I hated my body. Like many females, I've compared myself to the video vixens and the everyday chicks. Having thick hips, thighs, and a huge behind seemed to be the "real sexy" and the petite seems to be the "anorexic or non-eaters". That stereotype is so ignorant. I can't help that I'm petite. When my weight dropped, my breast didn't go anywhere. So I'm still a very petite girl with big boobs. That's my positive. I'd rather be petite with a visual chest than petite with no accentuation of curves at all. Whenever I come in contact with someone with curves for days, many of them are the most conceited people ever. "Oh, I'm better than you because your man looking at my behind." Ugh. How can anyone be so cut throat? The petite woman is just as beautiful as you may believe yourself to be. Having that stank attitude towards others because you feel you can get further with what you possess is not the way to be. That makes your character not so pretty. Lately, the little comments that bothered me don't bother as much as they use to. I'm getting older and learning to love all of me. Do I still have a hard time with my weight? Yes. Upon my relocation back to Atlanta, I will start working out and building muscle. That should do some justice for me, lol. When I look in the mirror, I say to myself sometimes, "Oh man, look at my legs." "Ugh, I wish my butt was bigger." All these things, then I realize how good I got it. There are so many girls that are struggling with believing that the smaller they are, the more beautiful they will be. That is a disease. There are women out there that feel being so thick or big is ugly and go through drastic measures to become a size negative 0. If that's even a size. That is also a disease. We all come in many shapes and sizes. We are not all meant to be small or thick.

Have you ever seen a thick girl lose weight and she gets negative feedback of how it doesn't suit her? Have you ever seen a small girl put on weight and get the, "What the hell happened to you" look? Exactly. There is a happy medium that can be found. I plan on gaining a decent amount of weight through exercise. Certain people adore my figure. It has its positives and negatives. Positives: I'm light. I can eat what I want and not gain boulders of pounds. I'm flexible. Negatives: People will always have something to say. I'm going to put it to you this way, whether you love yourself or not, just know you can always do something about it. If you feel losing weight will give you a change. Do what you got to do. If you feel putting on weight will give change, do what you got to do. The only thing that matters is that you're healthy and happy with who YOU are. There will forever be room for improvement. Do it positively. Do it because you want better for yourself, not anyone else. I love my figure and the boobs that's stuck with it. Ladies, you are beautiful. Big, small, yellow, blue, green, or chalked... someone loves your figure, someone loves your beauty, someone appreciate your strength. Remember the song "Pretty" by TLC? I've had to learn to act on that message in my own life. Love YOU for you. :)


Quote: "Don't continue to do the same thing expecting different results. You will see the same thing, regardless. Try doing that very same thing in a different way and it will show a payoff. Stay beautiful."


Photo Courtesy of Tumblr

Final Farewell| Fans Will Be Allowed to View Service for Whitney Houston

Kristen Foster, the publicist to Whitney Houston announced that fans will be able to bid a farewell to the late Whitney Houston via the web. The Associated Press has been given permission to record and stream the funeral service online for the Saturday service. The memorial will be held at New Hope Baptist Church in her hometown of Newark, New Jersey. She will later be buried in Fair View Cemetery in Westfield, where her father was buried in 2003. 






If you have not heard the news by now, Whitney died in Beverly Hills, California at the Hotel on Saturday after 3PM. Less than 24 hours before having to walk the red carpet at the 2012 Grammy's. She was found submerged under water in the hotel bathroom tub. The cause of death will not be confirmed for another few weeks. All we know is that prescription drugs and alcohol were found on the scene  and it has been reported that she died before hitting water. Her body has since been flown back to her native New Jersey this past Monday. It's definitely a tragic loss for the music world. The very same day her 19 year-old daughter, Bobby-Christina was rushed to the hospital. Losing her mother and being in the spotlight took it's toll. Her father, Bobby Brown, reported that she is doing okay. I could say so many things about he legacy this woman has left and how she has been in my home since I could fathom music but I will say that she will truly be missed. 



The AP will stream the service on Saturday. The event also will be available to broadcasters via satellite. http://livestream.com/aplive

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Weave is NOT Natural| The Stereotype of the "Natural-Haired Woman"

Aw! Here we go again! I recently had a small-minded person use my own ammunition against me. I must say, I've definitely said my peace about women and weaves. For the past month I haven't worn my natural hair, it's been protected. There is a difference with a woman rocking a weave as a necessity versus a woman rocking weave as an accessory. My opinion is that if you NEVER rock your own hair, natural or not, there may be an underlying discomfort or that a woman may not see herself as beautiful unless she's living in what society defines as beautiful or sexy. Kind of like how they say being skinny is better than being big. Not true. everyone isn't meant to be a size 0 or a size 16, simple as that. A woman that wears a weave every blue moon is a versatile woman. A chameleon in her own right. Confidence is her name. I was told, "Why are you wearing weave if you're natural? Isn't that being a fake? What was the point of going natural for you then?"

* Screeching tires* PAUSE... REALLY? 

Clearly, this person does not know me well enough if they had to ask me that. Let's break down a few points. 
  1. Yes, I am 100% natural and I ONLY wear weave or add extensions whenever I want to change up my look. it's exciting. Of course, I love wearing my fro out over anything for the most part. Protective styling is a way of life for a girl that loves her birth-given head of hair. We have that choice to do so if we want. It's okay to rock a weave if you're natural. It's definitely not taboo. Many women find that the versatility that wigs, weaves, or whatever are great accents to any girly girls overall wardrobe savvy.  For me, I can be a super curly Diana Ross one day and the next day, I can be a super straight Beyonce. We all have a preference. Who the hell says you can't do what you want with your hair. If you buy it, it's yours, right? lol. 
  2. As far as being fake, it's not. Again, we all have a preference. People who tend to not think outside the box are generally people who tend to stay in the business of other people. Why does a "natural woman" have to be fake all of a sudden if she decides to get a sew-in or purchase a wig? Why does what they have on their head matter to you? I have nothing against wigs or weaves unless it's extra shiny and cheap-looking. I just can't respect that. But hey, whatever floats your sailboat. The best thing about being a woman in her own world is that we can do what we want. Our various styles, looks, skin tones, and facial beauty is what defines us, WOMAN. 
  3. I went natural because like many women, relaxers damaged my hair. I was like everyone, I HAD to have a relaxer to keep my "nappy roots" hidden. I could not stand frizzy hair or dull hair. I grew up thinking I had to have my hair straight because it was the best way to tame my negro blood. Boy, was I lied to. The thing about growing up and forming your own views and opinions is welcoming once you find where you lay on the cycle of life. Having natural hair has given me a new kind of beauty for myself. It's taught me to be patient and more aware. Honestly, people seem to prefer me naturally beautiful than all "dolled". I must admit, we can't win for losing. Regardless of whether you're natural or not, there will always be negative. You can be natural with blond-dyed hair and haters will call you fake. You can be a relaxed woman with a cakey face and doll lashes, you also can be referred to as fake. So, what do I say? TO HELL with the haters. People will talk all day, everyday. Natural or not, your style is your own. Your choice of hair styles are your own preference. Continue to do what you find great. Forget the rest. I love my natural hair. I even love the alter egos I create when I change my hair just as much ...can we say Nicki!! :D 

It's not about how you wear it; it's all about how you grab the attention. Give them a good reason to look at you ...So how fun are you with your hair? 

Style (Versatile). Natural & Having Fun!




Friday, February 3, 2012

No Makeup & Smaller Pores in Minutes

The secret to beauty is not packing piles of makeup onto your face or sleeping in it hoping it'll still be picture perfect when you wake up. The secret is all in how you care for your skin at home. Like many, we may get an occasional breakout from satisfying cravings we need to avoid but we're only human, right? I often get complimented on my skin. "OMG, are you wearing foundation? Your skin is flawless." Not everyday. I recently started wearing liquid foundation from a luxury salon brand not sold in stores. It's amazing and nothing compared to filler-filled formulations. Before using that however, I would only do cleanser, moisturizer and eyeshadow. I still do, of course, but foundation is only whenever I'm working in the salon.

Some women will NEVER leave the house without "cake on the face". But I achieved the power to do so through the use of something we all can get for free. ICE. One secret to flawless looking skin and even better makeup application is using ice to close your pores. Reducing the look of your pores will allow you to retain moisture after cleansing the skin and also will allow your makeup to look even greater. 


Want to achieve smaller pores and be able to look flawless without all the crazy foundation? This is a good trick if you aren't planning to wear makeup. Check out the ice facial regimen I follow:



Step 1

Prepare your pores for cleansing by giving yourself a steam treatment. The heat from the steam will gently open your pores so you can clean them more effectively. You can do this by using a facial steamer or bringing a pot of water to simmer on the stove. If steaming in the kitchen, remove the pot from the heat and make a tent by placing a towel over both your head and the pot. Breathe in the steam for about three to five minutes as your pores begin to open. If you're feeling fancy or want a little luxury at home, place a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil into the water for some added aromatherapy.

Step 2                                                                             

Exfoliate your skin. You can use a store-bought exfoliating cream of choice. I found that most estheticians recommend using an exfoliator that contains alphahydroxy acids to dissolve dead skin. You can also make your own exfoliating cream by mixing brown sugar and olive oil, creating a paste and rubbing it gently on your face. Alternatives could be using sugar and honey or sea salt with olive oil. This will help to slough away those pore-clogging dead skin cells camping out on your skin.

Step 3

Cleanse the exfoliator off your skin with a mild skin cleanser that does not contain soap, which causes irritation to the fresh layer of skin. The cleanser should help remove any dirt or oil particles that could be stretching out your pores. Using soaps can be drying and result in an overproduction of natural skin oil. Look for an oil-free, gentle cleanser.

Step 4

Now, take a cube of ice alone or you can choose to put it in a thin cloth or piece of fabric and apply it to your face. I rub the ice all over my face in counter-clockwise motions. The cold from the ice will shrink your pores, allowing them to look tighter and smaller, thus, you looking younger. Cold compresses from frozen foods can also be used. It seems silly, but people do use them.

Step 5

You're done! You can now apply your favorite moisturizer or a pore-minimizing cream. Pore-minimizers go on as lotion but dry as a powder to help fill your pores for a more smoother appearance. Look for a lotion formulated to be pore-minimizing, with ingredients such as retinoid.


****If you don't have time to steam, no problem. Simply cleanse your face and rub the ice cube as instructed. KUDOS TO YOU!! You just gave yourself a mini face lift. lol.****







Also Check Out:

   
Aloe Vera Face Mask

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Podcast Lounge| Meet LadySonya



lady sonya
The worst thing you can do is give up on your dreams. A lesson I learned quickly from Lady Sonya herself during the interview.  If you don't know this phenomenal woman by now, where have you been? Drive, Talent, Beauty and Business Savvy ...this Lady is a force of nature bound to bless us all with more to love! 

This celebrity piano instructor is nothing short of an intelligent, sophisticated, talented, and natural beauty. The woman behind the Lady University Movement, LadySonya Music Studio, and iNetworkDoYou. 

LadySonya's amazing talents along with consistent faith, sacrifice, and determination has allowed her to bing great substance to the music industry. LadySonya has aspired to use her skills to chase her dreams as well as helping others to do the same with theirs. 


Having worked with the likes of  Fat Boi, Kyron Leslie, Justice League, and others who have worked on tracks for artists like Young Money, Usher, Jody Breeze, and Travis Porter, her networking skills and knowledge of Music Theory puts her ahead of the game. With three growing companies under her belt, Lady Sonya is the epitome of Michelle Obama's elegance, Alicia Keys' amazing piano skills, Oprah's drive for success, and the fierce attitude of Beyonce. She is indeed the total package. She currently gives piano lessons to aspiring music producers/artists as well as major music producers and artists within the music industry through LadySonya Music Studio, in Atlanta, Georgia. Meet the Lady behind this growing and expanding empire...


Lady Sonya...




UPDATE: November 5, 2012



"A life-changing mentoring program for young girls and networking organization ladies and women worldwide!"




LadySonya is definitely someone you want to see succeed even further. Her spirit was felt and its genuine. It was awesome speaking with her. We have things in common, she's team natural, and she's a powerhouse businesswoman. If you're in the Atlanta area and are interested in piano lessons or just connecting with LadySonya, check out the links below. 



Read more about her story, HERE.

and get connected...

                  www.twitter.com/LadyUniversity
                    www.twitter.com/iNetworkDoYou

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Personal Photography| Atlanta

I love capturing some of my best pictures when I'm out and about. Nature photography is my favorite thing. Here are two pictures I took back in November 2011 while on my mini vacation in Atlanta. The beautiful King & Queen Towers in the Perimeter/ Dunwoody area. I love the landscape of the sky in both photos. These are unedited. Raw beauty of the environment is the best. It's funny because I walking out of Publix, munching on turkey sub when I noticed the view. I had to stop and capture the moment. It was just one of those days...




What do you think? 

Check On It| Covergirl Queen Collection Lipsticks-Review



I went to Target one work day looking to purchase a few snacks. Of course, I can never leave a store without checking out the beauty aisles. Passing through Almay and Maybelline products, I stumbled upon the Covergirl section. I was always interested in trying out a few Covergirl lipsticks, particularly from the Queen collection. If any of you follow my work, then you would know that I love lip color. I decided to purchase three of the 24 colors offered in this brand. Each lipstick is around $5. The Covergirl Queen Collection was specifically designed for women of color. The silk moisturizing formula helps maintain moisture levels so lips feel smooth and look gorgeous. The more you wear it, the more gorgeous your lips become! 

Colors shown from left to right (Above picture): Q485, Q455, and Q400. I personally LOVE how the colors appear on my lips. My favorite is Q400, which is in Fine Wine. The colors glide on so smoothly. This may be a con to some but they are very pigmented. What does this mean to you? Well, mostly with the darker and more vibrant colors, with the formulations, they tend to stain your lips. NO worries, it's nothing permanent. I don't have a problem with it. Another thing, if you're looking for lip color that lasts all day, this is it! From my experience with wearing the colors, the color stays all day. If you eat or drink throughout the day, color will fade but its pigment still shows. Touch ups will be needed but not frequently. The lipcolor does not have your lips feeling chappy or dry. It's very moisturizing. However, if you tend to get chapped lips, if you don't already, apply a chap stick or lip balm before applying your lipcolor. Seal your lipcolor with either balm or gloss. That's a NeoshaGEE beauty tip. :) 




Overall the Covergirl Queen Collection lipsticks are gorgeous! Would I recommend this product? YES! I will look to purchase more colors soon. I'm interested in getting a red next, maybe the the Q505 or Q515. Another go, I love how the colors I picked out go perfectly with my skintone, along with my makeup to compliment. If you're interested in purchasing, check out these colors and more here, COVERGIRL Queen Collection.


Monday, January 30, 2012

Essence Magazine| Gabrielle Union & Dwayne Wade


The February 2012 issue of Essence Magazine. I was pleasantly surprised when I picked up this issue in the salon reception. I honestly had no idea that they were an actual couple and I LOVE Gabrielle! 

The entire issue is great and I love that the couple decided to speak out about their relationship. It's only right that they set the record straight. Their relationship sparked before Wade filed for divorce from his ex wife. Of course, media had to stir up controversy. "Gabrielle the home wrecker" was in deep. It reminds me of when the entertainment news circuit called Alicia Keys the same thing when her romance with Swizz Beats surfaced. Love is love. This issue, however, may seem to some that Essence is promoting adultery. They've been together for four years now so who cares? Life happens. While reading the issue, you can really feel that their relationship is going strong despite the adultery issue. They both know how terrible marriages can get when rushed so they're being smart. Take it slow. 

Wade Mentions: "“We’re not rushing it. Both of us have been married before, and we understand that if we choose to marry again, we want it to be right. We both took failing at marriage hard. The next time it’s gotta be forever…”

Sounds like an intelligent choice. 

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Mirror Check| Work Fierceness!

I absolutely love waking up and just throwing my outfit together. You will be amazed at some of the things I come up with. I'm not your "get it together the night before" type dresser. My job is very laid back and I get to play dress up a lot. Today happened to be my diva day. Ever just felt like Sasha Fierce? lol. I got new hair and an attitude like Diana Ross. I wanted to feel divalicious as well as professional. I do nails so I like to look the part when catering to professional working class women. I'm currently at work writing this post to you, listening to Adele's "Waiting For You". Love this song! Peep my outfit...

Classic black and white with a touch of animal print. Leopard will never lose it's staying power in my closet. I also kept the jewelry light. No necklace, bracelets, or rings, but wore simple, gold hoop earrings. 

 

What I'm Wearing:

Blazer- Forever 21
Top-Ross
Belt-Izod (Belk Mathews)
Jeans-Rue 21
Shoes-Leopard Booties (UrbanOG)


What do you think? How would you have dressed up this outfit to reflect your own personal style? 



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