STRONG ENOUGH TO BEAR THE CHILDREN... AND GET BACK TO BUSINESS

#Motherhood 

Like most women I wear many hats throughout my life. I am a daughter, wife, coworker, poet, art lover, manager/supervisor, business owner, red lipstick addict, nail polish addict, maid, short order cook for a lunch time menu only AND A MOTHER! 

I have a daughter and a son I love dearly. My daughter is growing up so fast... I literally can't believe it! I look at her and still see that little baby I held, the baby with 2 ponytails and 2 bottom teeth, the baby who sat in her car seat singing with me as we commuted to and fro (Bitter Sweet). 

Now she's ready to fly the coup. 

Being a mother is hard work. Some areas we excel and in other areas we can do a little better. The balancing act of #motherhood and life is one that can never be described as easy. You do the best you can and remember to smile along the way. 

My daughter and I tend to lose our minds when Beyonce's song WHO RUNS THE WORLD... GIRLS comes on. 

She laughs every time I scream out the part where Bey sings STRONG ENOUGH TO BEAR THE CHILDREN AND GET BACK TO BUSINESS! 
#MyLife  

 Hug her while you can.

Remember to be supportive. 

Share your fashion sense with your little girl.

 Look at her when she's talking.

Remember to smile.

Photos info

New Wave Limited Edition Nail Polish by Marc Jacobs

If you know me...  then you know I am a bonafide #nailpolishaddict. I love everything from the caviar look, velvet shellac, to the latest craze of sea shell polish. 

I'm a total sucker for glitzy, shimmery and quick drying lacquer.

While perusing the aisle in Sephora, I decided to try on Marc Jacob's Limited Edition New Wave polish (because I'm a SUPER junkie for blue nail polish).

Photo credit. http://www.marcjacobsbeauty.com/

Word on the street is... this varnis gives you the wet look and it's an extreme wear polish (confetti is falling). 

Like any chiq (chick), I love ALL shiny wet polishes. Why you may ask? To me this means a top coat is not totally necessary (tap dancing). 

The moment I applied this Navy blue polish I fell in love (I know... Again lol). 

1. Easy to apply formula.
2. The shine was evident. (One coat and I was hooked).
3. The drying time was pretty speedy!! 

Of course this polish was not $ 1.99! It was $ 18.00 but I was worth it! Not to mention my daughter will definitely use this polish therefore, it's worth it (Mother and daughter moments are priceless). 

Long story short, I'm a happy camper!  

Take a look! Tell me your thoughts.

A bold color with vivid shine against my choqolate skin! 

Love it! 

THIS IS CHOQOLATE CHIQ APPROVED!

Btw... I recommend using a base coat (this color can stain your nails and a top coat (finish your mani with a top coat for extra protection).

(B) Beyonce + (B) Braids! = A+

BEYONCE does it all!!

She's a super star, mother, wife, business woman and humanitarian! Beyonce's work ethic amazes me! 

She works hard! and that is #NoLie. 

 BUT WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT BEY! IS THE WAY SHE ROCKS HER BRAIDS! 

Bey has worn every weave/wig possible... whether it's blonde, strawberry blonde, honey blonde or auburn. She has just about sported every possible hair do one could create! 

MY FAVORITE STYLE ON HER ARE ACTUALLY WHEN SHE WEARS HER HAIR BRAIDED! JUST TAKE A LOOK! 

I'm sure you will agree. 

 BEY KEEP THE BRAIDS MAMA! You look fabulous! 

Photo sources: iam.beyonce.com, huffingtonpost.com, rollingout.com & dopecelebkids.tumblr.com

It's all about the Stroppy baby! (butter London you ROCK)

HELLO WORLD! 

I was lucky enough to attend Nordstrom's Beauty Trend Show in San Francisco with Blinging Beauty, Tracey Brown this year (Yay me!!). 

Nordstrom's Beauty Trend Show was all about the latest Spring/Summer Beauty and Fashion trends. Let's be honest! This is the season to show off your radiant skin, amazing smile and of course the perfect time to show off your mani! YES your hands are just as important as your face is darling! 

While watching the models rip the runway I saw one model in particular wearing the prettiest purple nail polish I've seen in a while! I simply fell in love with that color. 

As the show progressed a butter London rep joined the stage and mentioned the Laura Mercier model wearing the beautiful purple polish! AND she hit the runway again! I was so elated. I quickly snapped a picture and added butter London's Stroppy to my beauty shopping list.

butter London's Stroppy nail lacquer titled Stroppy!! Is a happening color ladies! I thought to myself hmmm... Stroppy is an interesting name for such a dynamite color polish! (AND YES... I looked up the word and read the British version of the word. Click the link for the definition of Stroppy http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/stroppy) 

At any rate, I am in love with Stroppy! This purple polish says FUN!! FUN!! FUN!! The Laura Mercier model rocked this color beautifully. This varnis is an eye catcher no matter who you are or what shade of choqolate (chocolate) you categorize yourself under.  

The glittery and shimmery specks throughout butter London's Stroppy nail polish really adds life to this vernis.

Long story short STROPPY is 
Choqolate Chiq APPROVED!  

Photo credit: butter London
To purchase: http://www.butterlondon.com/Lacquers/Purple-Nail-Lacquers/Stroppy-Nail-Lacquer.html

Lupita The Beautiful!

Congratulations Lupita!!
Lupita made the cover of The "Most Beautiful" issue of People magazine.

I am elated that she was added to the list! Afterall, she's a talented and beautiful! Intelligent and beautiful! Lupita's fabulous sense of fashion, her gorgeous smile and of course her smooth choqolate skin make her the total package... BUT WHAT I LOVE MOST IS HER ATTITUDE!

Lupita is the epitome of #InsideOutBeauty.

Lupita said, "Happiness is the most important thing,"

Yes! HAPPINESS!! The state of being happy.

People believe that they are happy because of the material possessions they  have. True happiness comes from within. It's important that you feel good about you!

Here's one of my favorite quotes regarding happiness:

"If you think sunshine brings you happiness, then you haven’t danced in the rain." – Unknown

Congratulations Lupita Darling!!!
#TEAMINSIDEOUTBEAUTY

Rest In Peace Karyn Washington -

This morning I woke up to hear the sad news regarding Karyn Washington's (founder of For Brown Girls) death. Apparently she committed suicide (Bless her soul). Needless to say I am still in shock and very sad about this news. I pray that her family be comforted especially during this time. 

Someone reached out to me to participate in the For Brown Girls project called The #DarkSkinRedLip Project. I was elated needless to say. After-all, I have a true love for red lipstick but after reading her site, I immediately connected with what this was all about. This was about more than red lipstick or rapper A$AP Rocky's ignorant comments/opinion on #darkskin women who wear red lipstick. The real life lesson here was actually all about uplifting one another, self love and being proud of dark brown skin. 

For Brown Girls served as a platform where women with pretty smiles, choqolate (chocolate)brown skin and countless shades of red lipstick were a divine display of true beauty.

You may find it hard to believe that some dark brown skin women and girls grow up believing their skin is not beautiful. I'm here to tell you it's true. For Brown Girls gave dark skin women a place to share experiences and celebrate who we are. I believe in the mission of For Brown Girls and I'm grateful for Karyn Washington's drive and determination to create a safe place for brown skin girls to shine.

We all must realize true beauty starts from within. It's the beauty from within that makes you radiant. This is true for every ethnicity, nationality and every shade of brown.

Karyn Washington may you rest in peace. I will never forget the great work you started.

Links for Brown Girls: www.forbrowngirls.com

Lupita and Lancome are a match made in heaven!

Oh the joy that flood my soul... when I read, Lupita was chosen to be an Ambassador for French beauty brand Lancôme.

Lupita's smooth, dark choqolate (chocolate) skin tone and stunning smile aren't the only things that make her captivating... Check out her beautiful words below regarding the start of her journey as Lancôme's Beauty Ambassador.

"I am truly honored to join the Maison Lancôme, a brand with such a prestigious history that I have always loved. I am particularly proud to represent its unique vision for women and the idea that beauty should not be dictated, but should instead be an expression of a woman's freedom to be herself," 

Lupita is the perfect example of #InsideOutBeauty. 

Congrats Lupita Darling!!! Rock on!!

AND... yes the bold blue eyeliner she rocked is by Lancome Darling! 

Eliminate Dry and Drab Hair - DIY Avocado, Honey & Olive Oil Hair Mask

DIY Avocado Hair Mask 

Did you know avocados are known for keeping your hair hydrated?!
It's true! Avocados are great way to prevent split ends also. I'm sure you wondering how, right? It's all about the natural avocado oil. This light weight oil is easily absorbed into the scalp and into the hair shaft. You can never go wrong with this natural oil. 

The next ingredient you'll need is honey.  Honey is the almighty humectant. This natural humectant draws the moisture to your hair (this is great for those who suffer from having really dry hair... like me). It's full an antioxidants as I've said in my HONEY post. 

The last ingredient is olive oil.
Olive oil gives your hair added shine and seals moisture in.

LOCK YOUR MOISTURE IN and throw away the key!

 SHABBY HAIR  YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED!

The answer to your your dull-as-dish-water hair can be found in your kitchen (I crack myself up)! 

Deep conditioning accompanied with this DIY Avocado Hair Mask is the ticket (Get on board).

Ingredients: 

1 ripe avocado

1 Tbs olive oil (feel free to substitute with your favorite oil ex. almond or jojoba)

1 Tbs honey

Instructions:

Open the avocado and remove the seed. Scoop out the flesh of the avocado and place it in your bowl. Add a tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of olive oil into your bowl. Blend ingredients. If you want a smoother consistency, use a simple hand mixer.

Next, apply this mixture generously to your hair, first making sure your hair is damp for maximum absorption. Part hair into four sections and massage the avocado paste into your hair. Feel free to use a wide tooth comb to distribute the mixture evenly.

Once your hair is saturated with the Avocado Hair Mask, cover completely with a shower cap.Leave on your head for 30-35 minutes and allow the mask to deeply penetrate hair. Rinse the mask out completely with warm water and follow through with your normal hair routine.

Now let's say you don't feel like whipping up a hair mask... Check out Blinging Beauty's perfect alternate Burt's Bees Avocado Butter Pre-Shampoo Hair Treatment! (Click here for the original post) 

Pics courtesy of www.med-health.net, www.thenibble.com & www.health.com 

PART 2 HONEY FOR YOUR HEALTH

This will be a continued post on HONEY!! Honey for your health! 

While honey looks good, smells good and taste good... It's also a healthy sweet treat that will assist your body with additional help to boost antioxidants within your body, as well as, increase antibacterial/antiviral properties. 

This post will deal with HONEY AND ANTIOXIDANTS.  

Why does everyone continually talk about antioxidants?

It's said that Antioxidants assist our body by preventing diseases like cancers and certain heart diseases. 

Increasing antioxidants in your body is the equivalent to having the Justice League available to support you in fighting unhealthy free radicals. 

Antioxidants are heroes helping to keep your body safe from nasty free radicals that may try to take over your innards. (I may have taken that description a little too far... pardon my imagination and creativity)

How does honey become rich in antioxidants?

We are all aware that honey is made by honey bees from nectar of flowers and plants... right? (If you don't know... NOW YOU KNOW - in my best Biggie Smalls voice)

In order for honey to be rich in antioxidants the nectar that is gathered must come from flowers/plants that have antioxidants in them. 

If you're anything like ME... your thought would be well which honey has the highest amount of antioxidants?

According to Nicki Engeseth, PhD, Assistant Professor of food chemistry at the University of Illinois, "Buckwheat is the highest of the honeys tested, with about 3 times as many antioxidants as acacia honey, which is much lighter in color,"

The darker the honey... the more antioxidants seem to be present. 

Now please keep in the mind... Buckwheat honey will taste different from other honey

. 

Buckwheat honey is known for reminding you of molasses (at least that's the word on the street).

SO! If you are a molasses lover, KUDOS for you! ROCK ON! But if you're not a molasses lover, take heed to my warning. 

Do I recommend that honey be taken to increase antioxidants in your body? 

SURE! but let's be honest here, please continue your fruits, veggies and other supplements you may ingest to increase antioxidants in your body. HONEY can only do so much.

Here’s how I incorporate honey into my diet:

Instead of reaching for white sugar, I'll reach for honey to add to my tea/coffee or hot breakfast cereals. I also add honey onto my toast (YUM) and I swallow a teaspoon of honey almost every other day! (That's why I'm so sweet... wink wink)

Honey offers a nice change when you're looking for a sweet substitute and

WHAT’S BETTER THAN HAVING A SWEET SUBSTITUTE THAT CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO YOUR HEALTH! (Confetti is falling)

NEXT ON MY SHOPPING LIST! RAW BUCKWHEAT HONEY!

PS… I’m not a molasses girl LOL! (Stay Tuned for that review)

Photo ref - http://gambarubee.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/buckwheat-honey.jpg

Hey Honey!

Hello Honey! Did you know honey has a multitude of benefits? Honey is a tried-and-true natural remedy for beauty, health and wellness. 


After becoming an au natural gal, I would often times hear folks say, "just pick up a jar of honey at your local grocery store" OR  "use organic honey ONLY."


What is Organic Honey? 
Well, according to Honey World and the USDA, "Honey is currently NOT included in the USDA’s National Organic Standard according to a recent policy statement by the USDA’s National Organic Program. This basically means that there is no legal definition of organic U.S. honey." 

Of course I couldn't believe it!! ORGANIC HONEY HAS NO LEGAL DEFINITION! (o_O)
According to The Brookfield Farm Bees & Honey "Your honey can be certified organic by the US government, although they have no regulations to define organic honey."

Photograph by Tony Hutchings/Getty Image

So... what about Raw Honey, right? 
Apparently, there is no "real" definition for raw honey also! I know right. Basically, Raw Honey is unpasteurized, unprocessed, unheated honey. Raw honey is an alkaline-forming food. It is best none for it's natural vitamins and antioxidants.

Well now I wondered about Regular Honey.
Regular honey, is pasteurized honey. This honey has basically been heated up ladies and gents. Some say the process of pasteurizing honey kills "bacteria" (like yeast) found in honey and other's say this makes honey's health benefits null and void! (Whomp Whomp) 

Like most folks, I drive to the store, find the magical aisle where honey resides, pick up the jar labeled HONEY, put in the cart and away I go; BUT was it really honey? Did bees make that honey? Should I care? 
I really didn't care until I asked my kiddies to buy mommy a jar of honey. They bought a bear shaped jar of HONEY SYRUP. I explained to my kiddies how important it is... to READ first of all and I began to explain to them this was not the honey I was looking for. The first thing they said was, "it said HONEY and it was in a bear jar". At any rate Honey Syrup could not soothe my upset tummy.

The lesson here is the following:
Just because it's sitting on the top shelf near the Smuckers jams, jellies and Skippy peanut butter (No shade thrown here - I am a regular on this aisle.) OR because it's in a bear shaped container or a odd shaped jar, labeled with cute, smiling honey bees in a wispy motion, does not mean it's the type of honey I'm looking for. Check out the label. Raw Honey is not Regular Honey... HONEY! 

This is PART 1 of a continued post on all things HONEY related.