That’s right ladies (and the few gents reading this). Time for a pow-wow. I’m bringing the topic and the iced coffees, you bring the open mind (and the non-fat goodies)…

There is nothing more that excites me than beautiful weather! Why? Because on a great 80 degree day in Chicago, you can stroll the beach, eat outside at your favorite corner bistro or play tourist for a day, getting to know the city a little. Even enjoy early morning Yoga in the park or free jazz at the museum! The point in being is that there are so many things to do, so what better time to take advantage of it, than during the late spring and early summer?

BUT, I said all of that to say a little bit of this: with all the fun (and free) events to attend and places to go, no one truly wants to go alone. Hmmmm…perfect time to call on the crush I guess? LOL.

I want to date, but I don’t even know where to start…

-Not a problem. What places do you frequent (besides your job)? Book store perhaps? Favorite isle in the grocery store…see something other than the frosted flakes that spark your interest? Look around! Make a new friend (or two…I’m just saying)! Its the summer time. Try not to over think an approach. Just say “hey my name is…and I like that shirt you have on” or “nice shoes.”  Be honest with the compliment as well. If they don’t have nice shoes, try not to bring attention to them. PLEASE don’t. *If you are a cyberspace dater: ask as many questions as you can. Could careless how random. Interrogate, but don’t scare them. Because of how sensitive most are to what they read on the internet, be careful with how you phrase words.If Facebook happens to be your favorite place to date, understand the pro’s and con’s of pulling on your bff’s FB buddies.*

Scored a date but, I don’t know what to wear…

- YAY! That’s great! So, where are you going? Depends on the restaurant, bar, event, and so forth. If you were invited to something upscale, no jeans. I could careless what you paid for them and how big they make your butt look. Quit it. Great pieces that can be used as all purpose on dates: maxi dress or romper. Easy, simple pieces to accessorize, and can be paired with a nice pair of wedges or sandals! Carry a light cardigan or jacket with you, as the night could go from one place to another, so you SHOULD always be prepared.

Not really a makeup person, but I want a little somethin, somethin…

-Tinted moisturizer, powder blush, and a nice tinted lip gloss can go a long way! Plus, with it being the summer and all, grab a great summer color that works well with your skin tone and actually brightens up your face. A little dab will do ya!

UM…hair…

-K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple Sweetness) method. Quick Up-do: Side bun, full bun, fishtail pony, “power puff,” pin-up, etc. I personally LOVE my hair pinned up! Because I have a ton of hair, its always in my face and quite frankly, you can’t exactly see my full face at times! So, try an up-do for the first date, and if you score the second date, try some fluffy body curls or let the waves/curls down to play!

I’m nervous…

-That’s totally normal. Think of it  as you possibly making a new friend. Its that simple. If you find yourself completely outside of your normal character,  maybe you need to either take  a bathroom break part way through, or chalk it up as a decent night out and let dude go waist side, nicely of course.

…That’s It?

-Yep! Pretty much. Few common courtesy rules: Simple colors for the mani and pedi (men: clean digits please). Light accessories, nothing too distracting. Make sure you’re behind isn’t hanging out of your dress, nor are you totally falling out of it. If you are a drinker, know your limit. You wish to have a better opinion of the date, let alone remember it once you leave. Make sure to hear that person out. For the questions that you ask, truly receive what it is that they are telling you. Because they will eventually show you who they are later on. Lastly, if you start hearing “crickets” at the table, do a small jig of sorts! Yes. I do it whenever things get awkwardly silent. LOL. But keep it lively is the point.

HAVE FUN!

-Peace.Love.LipsticK

Original Article

Curls, Curls and more CURLS!!!!! Anybody and everybody who knows me, KNOWS how I live for my curly tresses. So this week, I decided to let them out to play a little bit (not too much though)

As I am most prone to protective styles, I wanted to have a little fun with my hair and try a “puff.”

-Because the front section of my head is a combination of straight strands and waves, I always pin those down in a huge twist that takes the form of a hump in the front.

-I twisted the sides and back on each side and pinned them where the puff would form, thus creating a wavy puff.

Styling Products

-Went way back in the day and grabbed the original Mane N’ Tail conditioner. Some times you just need to go back to what you know.

As I was out in Aruba with the salt water and the chlorine, I knew that those two things would call for the Cholesterol and Tea Tree Oil, as it would provide a greater treatment in elasticity, protection and moisture  for my strands, (especially with my hair being in transition) from those stripping and drying agents. Now that I am home, and my hair has been pinned in the protective styles, it is finding itself again in regards to its own natural curl pattern, and that’s what is great about the Cholesterol and Tee Tree Oil as a leave in.

Where the Mane N’ Tail comes in, it picks up right where the Cholesterol leaves off. It gives my hair a needed surge of moisture so that I do NOT have to “feed” it more than twice a day, as my hair was drinking the Cholesterol as if there was no tomorrow.

The Mane N’ Tail(original) as a leave-in conditioner enhances the current curl and wave pattern to the point where I won’t have to curl nor twist individual locks or sections, it does it on its own which is great for me.

-The Argan Oil Eco Gel holds down my edges in front and give a nice clean look, which is great.

-The Taliah Waajid Mist Bodifier is my BFF. I spray my hair down with that before the styling and after, between the exposed scalp and within the hair. As my hair has been in the “wet to dry” styling, I have not done my normal hair food  practices, and this product along with the Mane N’ Tail, take the place of that.

I will need to seal my ends tonight before I go to bed, so after I spray my hair down (and while it is still damp) I will rub a quarter amount of Coconut oil on my exposed ends first, and then with the remaining do a spot check from root to tip. What’s great about Coconut Oil is that its a great agent to seal and adds a natural luster to the hair, without weighing it down.

Can you do this hair style wet or dry?

YES! I first tried this hairstyle after I took my hair down from the sponge rollers, with a head band, twisted up, pinned down with 8-12 bobby pins.

This style is great to create a full ponytail especially when you want more volume as a puff or curl! As well, creating a pony with clips or bobby pins alleviates stress on the hair!

Well I hope this is another great style you can add to your hair regiment or at least try out! Let me know how it goes! 

-Peace.Love.LipsticK

Original Article

Its hot. Plain and simple. Trying to keep your face from melting away this summer is much easier than it seems…

Let’s face it. Its just too hot for a full makeup routine and you do not have the time for frequent touch ups during the day! So, this quick list of items will ensure a healthy, radiant, and flawless you this summer, minus the usual routine!

-Drink plenty of water! Make sure you stay hydrated this summer, especially with all of the fun beach activities going on, you need to make sure that your body gets the right amount of water.

-Moisturizer with SPF:Eucerin Daily Protection Face Moisturizer (SPF 30) ($8)

Lightweight, non greasy, broad spectrum coverage with Zinc and Titanium dioxide, protecting from harmful UVA/UVB rays and long term skin damage.

-Chic, natural eye: NP Set, St. Croix ($10)

Sweet little compact duo that will last you all summer. Try the light pink all over the eye during the day to brighten up your face, and at night smoke out the corners with the gunmetal. For kicks, why not add a thin black liner across the top to intensify the look?

—Quick Tip: Instead of a black or brown mascara, try the lash curler along with a clear mascara! Whats great about this technique is that you get everything you need with a clear mascara as you would a traditional one: length, definition, and curl, all without running or bleeding.

-bronzer: Sephora, Los Cabos ($15)

Accent that tan…or make it look like you’ve spent a little more time under the sun than you truly have! This matte bronzer from Sephora is great for oily or combination skin, minimizing the shiny spots in the T-Zone.

-lips: Revlon, Lip Butter ($6.50)

Try something sheer, hydrating and fun enough to accent those lips! Keep them soft and supple…;)

-Finisher: MAKE UP FOR EVER, Mist & Fix ($10-$28)

To finalize our look and protect it from the sweat, this will do just that! This has become a personal fave. The key ingredient: chitosan. It is an algae extract that protects the skin from external damages, the changes in temperature and pollutants.

Simple right? Hope you all’s summer is off to a great start thus far! Stay cool, hydrated, and as always…FAB!

-Peace.Love.LipsticK

Original Article

No, its not the first time we’ve spoken about my love affair with stripes.

I myself have come to realize that I am addicted to striped tops. Its crazy but what I can say about the pattern is that they add a subtle form of definition to any basic outfit. For this challenge I pulled on a shirt that I cannot get enough of.

I never had the chance to use this photo in a written post but, I bought this top for an event I attended. Needed something to balance out these blue skinnies (which have become my faves) but to add enough definition to create a statement…so the shirt here is really the statement piece. Toned it down with a feather necklace and wooden bangles..and that’s all there was to this. One tip: I buy all of my striped tops two sizes bigger, so that they can hang, be tucked in, tied up…used in several different ways.

About two months later, back in the same top, worn similarly, but I paired it with a yellow racerback and relaxed jeans, along with one of my favorite scarves. Each picture features items from EXPRESS (Zelda Jegging in blue, striped top, scarf, and Stella Skinny), and you can see how the item can be dressed up for a cool night out, or chill, relaxed day!

Thanks for reading!

-Peace.Love.LipsticK

Original Article

2nd #ootd: flipped a maxi dress, twisted a halter #bgki #fashionstudy #fashiondiary #fashion #summer

Definitely had a busy weekend…

(*Romper, EXPRESS/Cardigan, Delicious/Scarf, EXPRESS/Cuffed flats, Bare Feet/Earrings, EEFIVE/Arm Candy, Glitter, Gem & Bead Show)

My day started off very bright and early, running errands so I threw this together as quickly as I could. Figured it went with the mood for the morning as well. Light, airy, comfortable.

(*Dress, Discovery/Halter, Charolette Russe/Earrings, Discovery/Arm Candy, Glitter, Fashion Dept, Gem & Bead Show)

By the time I got settled in from running around, I had to get ready for the outdoor wedding (pics to come soon). My uncle had a gorgeous setting in his backyard and my aunt was STUNNING! I won’t say too much more because I want for you all to see the setup! But either way, it was a HOT yes HOT Saturday, so I remained in my theme of comfort for the day. Decided to try something different: I took a regular maxi and flipped it down, turning it into a skirt, and a collared halter, twisting that across my back and tying it along the side.

The earrings? $2! Leather wrapped, silver rings with feathers, favoring a dream catcher almost. Love them. Bought a similar pair in green. They dress up a simple outfit without overdoing it. They seemed to have been a definite hit at the wedding actually, so if you like them as well you can go snatch yourself a pair as well! :D

The hair. YES! LOVE the curls. This was the BEST hairstyle, and one of my fave summer hairstyles especially when I don’t have time to do anything to my hair beyond letting it just…BE. AS my hair is still in the awkward phase, I am excited that it is long enough for me to throw in various sponge rollers and be free!

Wedding pics coming soon! So look for the update on this post!

Thanks for reading!

-Peace.Love.LipsticK

Beautonomy.

Original Article