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

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! 

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.  

Burberry's Rosewood Lip-gloss! I LOVE YOU!!

Hello World, recently I attended the Beauty Blush Hour at Nordstrom's in my home town of San Francisco (I love my city) with Beauty Blogger extradionaire Blinging Beauty - Tracey Brown (She is the best! Check out her review of the event at the link listed below). 
The Beauty Blush Hour at Nordstrom is what I call BIG BEAUTY FUN in an intimate setting. (Blog post regarding that event is coming soon!)
 
While attending this event I received a Burberry Beauty Box.  YES!! A BURBERRY BEAUTY BOX!!! When given this box I looked at it as if it was eatable. Honestly, I could not wait to open it! For crying out loud it's BURBERRY!! I felt like it was Christmas all over again. After the event I rushed home to open this box of sheer delight. I removed the beautiful black ribbon and began to carefully open the box. 

Once the box was opened, my face lit up! Why you may ask? How do I say this nicely... I saw fabuluos-ness!! YES BURBERRY beauty products were at my finger tips! (I did the happy dance). I promise to review each item I received later on so stay tuned. 

First I'll start off with Burberry's Rosewood No. 1 Lip-gloss. This is a must have item for every woman. If you know anything about ME then you know this Choqolate Chiq is a red lipstick addict. I'm a  proud member of #TeamRedLipstick BUT like every SASSY girl... I need variety (nod your head yes with me)! and Burberry's Rosewood No. 1 Lip Gloss was truly a necessity. 

The texture of this gloss PERFECTO. Very smooth. This lip gloss was easy to glide on. It has a creamy feel to it. Not only did my full lips looked simply divine BUT they also felt nourished (not greasy... I hate that feeling). Long wear! YES at least 6 hours ladies! The soft color of this lip gloss against my brown skin was infallible! This gloss is a *Choqolate Chiqs MUST HAVE ITEM! 

If you're going for that a bold or dramatic eye, BURBERRY'S ROSEWOOD LIP-GLOSS would be great to wear. 

OR let's just say, you want to look lively and elegant BURBERRY'S ROSEWOOD LIP GLOSS is your answer. 

If you are looking for that refreshed natural look!! GUESS WHAT?! Burberry Rosewood Lip Gloss gives you that and more!

Long story short! You'll love this gloss!!! 

Details about Burberry's Lip Gloss listed below:Formula: A creamy touch and perfectly adherent texture. Light oils and spherical powders give fluidity and comfort. 

• Benefits: Reflects light to create illusion of plumper, fuller lips. Leaves lips supple, glowing with natural highlights and subtle iconic tones. Protection: Ceramide complex recreates the intercellular cement. Hydrating formula keeps the lips replenished. Fine lines are filled from within, lips are naturally plumped. Shades featured in the Siren Red collection are No. 22 Coral, No. 21 Fondant Pink, No. 20 Pink Sweet Pea and No. 19 Mallow Pink.

To purchase this lip-gloss feel free to visit Nordstrom or go online to Burberry. The cost is  ONLY $27.00 (it's worth it)

Beauty Blush Hour article by Blinging Beauty listed below:
http://blingingbeauty.com/blinging-beauty-event-recap-beauty-blush-hour-at-nordstrom-san-francisco-city-centre/


*Choqolate Chiq - pronounced Chocolate Chick is a brown skin female whose complexion mimics the color of chocolate, milk chocolate and/or dark chocolate. 

MY DEAD LASHES CAME BACK TO LIFE FOR $ 2.99

 

I'll cut right to the chase. As usual, I was running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. While sitting at the stop light I looked at myself in my rear view mirror and realized I forgot my mascara!! ARGH!! My lifeless lashes were in need of serious rejuvenation. Time for a  beauty mission.

Mission #1 LOCATE WALGREENS AND PURCHASE MASCARA

As I drove through the uber busy streets of San Francisco I found the nearest Walgreens.  I jumped out of the car and shuffled quickly to the cosmetics section. DANG IT!! I forgot my debit card at home. I reached into my pocket and pulled out $25 in cash. Immediately, I began reasoning with myself silently on which mascara to purchase (beauty on a budget). In the end I realized there was no need to spend tons of money on mascara. After all my little lashes just needed a little pick me up for today.

I slowly walked to the Wet N Wild section. I quickly scanned the area where all of the Wet N Wild mascaras reside. Suddenly, a bright, canary yellow mascara tube jumped out at me. It read, Wet N Wild MegaVolume Mascara. I looked at the price and realized this mascara was only $ 2.99 (perfect for my budget). This mascara is inexpensive, provides natural-looking thicker lashes and no clumping. I grabbed the mascara and rushed over to the register to purchase it. I paid for my item and dashed out of the store.

Mission #2 REVIVE MY DEAD LASHES  

I ran to my car, pulled the visor down, flipped the mirror cover up and began to apply this mascara.  The Wet N Wild MegaVolume mascara was easy to apply. I normally do 3-4 coats onto my lashes BUT this time I thought because this mascara was cheaper... I would need at least 10 coats. Well guess what? I was wrong. 3 coats of the MegaVolume mascara and I was a happy chiq (chick). My lashes looked naturally fuller and I had no clumps.

This product delivered its claim: Volume-building formula, natural-looking, thicker lashes, clump-free AND it only cost $ 2.99. This is a perfect beauty on a budgett mascara. Thank you Wet N Wild MegaVolume Mascara.

Click this link to purchase or at your nearest drug store. http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/wet-n-wild-megavolume-mascara/ID=prod6162774-product#descriptionNamedTab

S/O (Shout Out) to The Militant Baker

I can’t help but SMILE!!  and send a SUPER S/O to Jes The Militant Baker!!  

  

This picture of The Militant Baker is "THE BOMB DOT COM"

We all know the old saying, Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. I personally agree with that saying BUT I also believe... True BEAUTY starts from within and it manifest itself onto the outward appearance which causes ONE TO SHINE!!

Basically I am all about #TeamInsideOutBeauty    

The comments Mr. Jefferies made troubled me because it had to do with our young people. The idea of “cool kids” and the “not cool kids” can be very damaging to a young person's self-esteem. 

 

“Coolness” does not always come in a size 4 nor does it always come in a size 22. 

Thank you Jes The Militant Baker for sharing. 

Check out the letter from The Militant Baker to Mike Jefferies by clicking the link below. http://www.themilitantbaker.com/2013/05/to-mike-jeffries-co-abercrombie-fitch.html

Photo Credit: The Militant Baker website

BEAUTY, HEALTH & PUMPKINS

Hello World, Pumpkins are everywhere!! Time to chat about Beauty! Health and the PUMPKIN! The word pumpkin originated from the Greek word Pepõn which means large melon. Although pumpkins are known to be a part of the squash family it is technically a fruit. The good ol' jack o lantern may have some real benefits afterall. Pumpkin's just aren't good for making pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread. Pumpkins are actually a good source of vitamin A and carotenes. Vitamin A is great anti-oxidant. Vitamin A is needed for maintaining healthy eyes, bones and skin. Research says, foods rich in Vitamin A helps body protect against lung and oral cancers. Gotta love that! Vitamin A is normally found in foods that are rich in color.

Everyone knows ORANGE is my favorite color and the bright orange color of the pumpkin is PROOF that it's full of beta-carotene and we need beta-carotene in our lives. Research shows that people who eat a diet rich in beta-carotene are less likely to develop certain cancers... like lung cancer, breast cancer and even skin cancer. Gotta love that also!! I realize pumpkins really do deserve more credit than what I gave them.

Now that we've gone over the HEALTH part TIS TIME FOR BEAUTY! Check out these natural beauty recipes involving a fruit called the PUMPKIN.

Au Natural Pumpkin Mask Time! I checked out this recipe by Erica Katz, beauty guru and author of Bonding Over Beauty. 'Who knew pumpkins can keep your face smooth and wrinkle-free.' Try the pumpkin mask recipe (check out the recipe and make sure you're not allergic to any of this)

• 2 tsp canned pureed pumpkin
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp heavy whipping cream
• Mix all ingredients and apply to face.
• Leave on for 10 min and rinse!

Thank you Refinery 29 for sharing http://www.refinery29.com/a-pumpkin-face-mask

Next one on the list is a Pumpkin Hair Conditioner Recipe!! I love this one... I'm a naturall- coily girl and man oh man the shine this recipe gives my hair is oh so lovely AND chemical free! Thank you Cassidy of the Natural Selection blog for sharing this one!! She is the best!!

THE RECIPE

• 1/2 cup of pumpkin – you can either use puree from the innards of your soon-to-be tossed Jack-o-Lantern, a can of pumpkin puree, or baby food.
• 1/4 cup of yogurt
• 2 tbsp of honey

THE HOW TO

• Put all ingredients in to bowl and mix well
• Separate hair in sections and smooth from root to tip throughout entire head
• Once entire head has been pumpkin-ified, put on a showercap and leave on hair for about 20-30 minutes
• Rinse
• Continue with your normal hair regimen

See the Natural Selection blog for more info. Thank you Cassidy!! http://naturalselectionblog.com/2010/11/03/tis-the-season-diy-pumpkin-goodness-for-your-hair/

The next time you're in the store smile at that gorgeous fruit called PUMPKIN! AND Smile at the canned PUMPKIN too... It can be your best friend.

Picture of Pumpkin courtesty of http://www.countryliving.com/crafts/projects/pumpkin-decorating-1009

Limitless Lip Stain by Smashbox I love you!

Limitless Lip Stain by Smashbox I love you!

Hello World I cannot explain the excitement I have right now enough! Everyone who knows me... KNOWS!!! I love lipstick and lipgloss. I purchase unnecessary shades of lipstick/lipgloss all the time (not the best move financial move). However, there is one color lipstick I

search out constantly. I always purchase it with the high hopes. I am talking about the all mighty RED lipstick/lipgloss. You're probably thinking to yourself, I should have no problem that! Red lipstick is everywhere! Well let me explain... I'm a chocolate covered chick and I have problems picking out and purchasing the perfect red lipstick until today! Yes! Mission complete! (doing the happy dance) The color I purchased today is called Cinnamon... Now I

love cinnamon for many reasons... But today I have fallen in love with the Cinnamon Limitless Lip Stain that shows up on my pretty brown skin just perfectly. (confetti is falling from the sky)

This lip stain is a 2 in 1 deal.

One end you apply the lip stain to your lips and let it dry.

After it dries apply the

soft balm to your lips.

(The balm can be found on the other end of the product.)

Now smile.

It is now official, my right hand is up... I'm officially ready for fall now!

If you're a chocolate chick like myself and you're having issues finding that perfect red lip I invite you to try Cinnamon Limitless Lip Stain

Cinnamon is my official spice for this Fall 2011 season! Smooches

Thank you Blinging Beauty, Smashbox MUAs and Dreamgirl Makeup Institute for inviting me to the VIP Smashbox Holiday event in San Francisco

(That's where I found my perfect red lip color)

Check out Limitless Lip Stain here http://www.smashbox.com/product/6124/18517/index.tmp
l