Lipstick Chronicle #5: Nail Mania

There is something about being in the nail spa that calms my spirit. I don't mean the little nail shop on almost every corner in black neighborhoods. I mean, nail spa boutiques, you know the kind of boutique that caters to you by offering water, a warm neck pillow, and a gentle massage. In these places, my spirit is at rest as soon as I walk in the door.

Even though I have a standing bi-weekly appointment, there are times when my spirit and my soul just can't wait. Today, was one of those days with split nails, chipped polish, plans that conflict with my regularly scheduled appointment, and hopped up on Novacain; I needed an appointment like I needed air.

Check out my mood changing nails in OPI Thanks A Windmillion. It's the little things that make me so happy.

Lipstick Chronicle #4: Talk About Good or Bad Hair

For me "School Daze" is one of the best representations of Black culture in film. Putting the film into a media context, the film was released in 1988. At the same time, Bill Cosby was breaking records with "The Cosby Show" and "Different World". Both "School Daze" & "Different World" highlighted the undergraduate experiences and social issues of Black students, which was unknown to me and many others at the time.

"School Daze", however, addressed unspoken social issues within the black community, such as, hair. Chris Rock's "Good Hair" was not the first to openly discuss the phenomena of black hair. Back to the subject, one of my favorite scenes in "School Daze" is Madame ReRe's Salon with the fairer skinned, long haired girls (mostly weaves) and darker skinned, short haired girls singing about good or bad hair.

What is good or bad hair? For, it's short hair don't care. Yes, I will rock a weave because to me hair is an accessory, don't get at me. When I'm feeling more chill or my finances are little low, you'll see me rockin' my short cut. With all hair there is maintenance but there are different maintenance rules with short hair cuts. Today I attended a Short Hair Boot Camp at Like the River Salon in Atlanta.

The Boot Camp was for women of color with short haircuts who want to know how to maintain their short cut in between salon visits. It was a celebration of short hair with skin hues ranging from fair to dark. Even though, the hair debate still continues the skin hue & short hair debate did not exist today. I thought, "Wow, we've made progress. " Once I left the Boot Camp, I took the tips and techniques shared and applied them to my hair.

Check out the before & after pictures...

Before Hair Shot: Hair from last night with fully made face

After shots: Hair after Boot Camp with lipstick only

It's amazing what a little hair flip can do.

The Color Purple: Celebrating Love & Life of Whitney Houston

Today was the Homegoing Service for Whitney Houston. We shared one thing in common- the color purple. No, not the movie, but the actual color. In celebration of her life and all the great love songs she gave us, I am stepping out in the color purple tonight.

Tonight, I'm having dinner with some old friends from elementary school. We haven't seen each other in years but tonight we will reunite and reflect. Here is my look for the night. Check it out.

Lipstick Chronicle#3: My Infamous Red Lip

This Winter I was rocking the red lip. I love it! I received so many compliments on it so I decided to share my red lip secret.

First: Don't Be Afraid

Don't be afraid of the stereotype. Gone is the day when the color red was only for fast, slutty, Jezebel women. Now, in modern times red symbolizes power and confidence.

Don't be afraid of the color, itself. I've heard many a woman say she doesn't think red will look good on her. Wrong, wrong, wrong, it all depends on the shade of red. There are reds with purple, orange, pink, or blue undertones. You just have to find the right shade for you.

Second: Pick Your Shade

When selecting any lipstick shade, it's important to find a shade that fits your lip pigment and your skin undertones.

For me selecting a red was the easy part because my lips already have a natural pink pigment and my skin has red and yellow undertones.

Third: Moisturize & Prime Your Lips

The worst thing about wearing a bold color is wearing it with cracks in your lips- NOT ATTRACTIVE. Make sure your lips are moist and then prime them to make sure the lip color doesn't bleed into or stain your lips.

Fourth: Line Your Lips

Select a lip liner that is neutral and close to your skin color. The thing with lip liners is that they change the color of your lipstick and lip gloss so pick a neutral and lightly line your lips.

My favorite neutral lip liner is Cork by M.A.C.

Fifth: Apply Your Color

You want to evenly apply your color to your top and bottom lip. For all my smackers, there is no need to smack them together at this point.

My favorite color is F-Bomb by Urban Decay, a high gloss lip color. It's sold exclusively at Sephora. Again, select the color you like best.

Sixth: Add Some Shine

If you don't know by now but will get to know, I like for my lipgloss to POP! Call attention to your assets and one of them is your lips.

My favorite red gloss is Bad Education or Scandal by NARS.

Note: I have listed my favorites and they are a little pricey. However, these products are highly pigmented and last a very long time so I make the investment. In the future, though, I'll find some more budget friendly options.

Lipstick Chronicle 2: Moisturize Your Lips

Before you apply any type of lipstick you must, must moisturize your lips. There is nothing less attractive than cracked, dry lips. These are my top three lip products.

First: Exfoliate

I like Jane Iredale Sugar & Butter Lip Exfoliator & Plumper- $25 but lasts a very long time. The sugar is used to scrub & moisturize. Once complete, if you want, that plump lip look use the other end of the tube.

Second: Moisturize.

I like a day and night moisturizers. For the night and to use as a daily chap stick, I like Sugar Lip Treatment by Fresh- $22.50. It contains grapeseed oil, sugar, and Vitamins A, C, & E. Eventhough, it has a SPF in it I still like to use it at night as opposed to in the day.

Third: Moisturize More

I like to use Bubbly by Philosophy $10- . It's a high gloss, high flavor moisturizer. If you are funny about licking your lips and tasting a flavor; then this is not the gloss for you. They do have other flavors like Mimosa, Daiquiri, etc... I love it, though, because my lips always looks kissable when I wear it.

I know these options may seem pricey but I have a couple of less expensive alternatives.

Less Expensive Exfoliator Option:

Take some regular sugar or brown sugar (I prefer) and mix with a little olive oil. Then use a soft to medium bristle toothbrush to scrub. You will definitely notice a difference, if you don't eat the scrub first.

Less Expensive Moisturizer Option:

The good old standby, Vaseline. I'm a little fancy so I mix my Vaseline with my favorite essential oils like Lemongrass or Lavender. It does contain petroleum jelly so I try not to use it that often.

Burt's Bees also makes an organic moisturizer that works pretty well.

The point of the matter is basic skin care. Take care of your lips and they will take care of you when you get ready to accessorize them and take them out on the town.

Is it Valentine's or S.A.D?

Today is Singles Awareness Day (S.A.D.) just in case you were wondering, also known as, Valentine’s Day. There is no day in the calendar where you are more aware of your singleness than Valentine’s Day. Even if you don’t traditionally celebrate this day, when you see all of those red and/or pink balloons, flowers, candy, cards or whatever and you are single you become immediately sickened by the all romantic love gestures. I’m not trying to be hater because I love all things LOVE. But seriously, do I need to be bombarded with it not just all day but all weekend or rather from December until February 14^th?

How about this novel thought, give love all year long. You know that candy that’s going to be on sale Wednesday, how about giving that out on Friday? How about that card, flowers, jewelry, or dinner that you going to get on Valentine’s Day, you give randomly throughout the year. How about saying, I love you, everyday not just one day. Maybe, just maybe, if we give love everyday people would feel validated. People will know they matter. People may be just a little kinder and more pleasant. I’m just saying. It’s a novel thought but it might just work.

As a side note, I say all that to say, if I had a Valentine I would be one of those sickening people. So a note for my future boo I expect a Valentine on Valentine’s Day but also expect Valentine’s year-round. Just a FYI…I’ll do the same. I believe in reciprocity.

So here on this S.A.D I'll be eating Valentine’s candy from my original Valentine, my daddy.

I say, I LOVE YOU not just today but everyday.

Why Whitney's Passing Saddens Me So...

Some things you will always remember like your first kiss, your first love, really your first anything. Whitney's passing touches me so because for me she was my first. She was my first love of music memory. In 1985, I was five years old (going on six) and I remember falling in love with "I Wanna With Somebody" watching Whitney dance around (even though we all know Whitney couldn't dance) that 80's set with big, blonde hair smiling, giggling, and just having a great time. I thought, how beautiful, how talented and even though at the time I had no idea what any of those grown up songs meant somehow they touched me.

Many have come after Whitney and we often compared them Mariah, Toni, Jennifer but no one compares to the Queen of 80's, 90's and early 2000's Pop/R&B. I mean she was married to the "King of R&B", Bobby Brown, for goodness sake. Now, who can top that?

She shared her happiest life moments with us; her wedding to Bobby. Who doesn't remember the picture of them and she had that white jeweled headpiece on, which at the time I thought was kinda of ugly. Her discussing her miscarriage openly with us during that 1993 Barbara Walters interview. There was the "I'm Every Woman" video where she was pregnant with Bobbi Kristina and never looked more beautiful. The moments go on and on for me.

I know in recent years, her cookoo crazy overwhelmed her amazing talent but you can't say she wasn't entertaining. I mean standing on stage declaring Bobby as "The King of R&B", going off on Wendy Williams during that infamous interview, and less not forget the show that I could not stop watching "Being Bobby Brown.”Just shut up, shut up, shut up" while singing The Black Eyed Peas. Oh my goodness she brought laughter.

Over the weekend, I was trying to connect my emotions to my I'm saddened and surprised but not shocked. I'm saddened because I, as with everyone else, had great hope for Whitney that she would take time, free herself from her addiction, and continue to contribute to the soundtrack of our lives. While her last album was not the greatest Whitney album and many critiqued her voice, I still had some jams like "Million Dollar Bill" and "Worth It". Honestly, a bad Whitney album is still just as good as a Rihanna-like album. Also, I had such an anticipation for her upcoming movie roles in "Sparkle" & "Waiting to Exhale 2- Getting Back to Happy" (unnamed) reprising her role as Savannah.

I am so utterly sad for her family but especially Bobbi Kristina. I keep thinking about Bobbi Kristina being a young lady having to cope with the tragic loss of her mother. Knowing the genetic disposition she has to addiction, I am praying and hoping that she makes better decisions for her life when managing life's stressor rather they be good or bad. As awful as this may sound, I want Bobbi Kristina to really grieve the loss of her mom without the aid of sedatives. Grief is a normal process. I mean really feeling the emotions and thoughts and finding healthy ways to cope. Once you begin to numb the pain with your drug of choice, you become addicted and the numbing because more normal as opposed to the real normal reaction of grieving. I pray she has a strong support system covering and protecting her for the life journey she has ahead along with a strong, meaningful relationship with God.

I would like to get across the message of NO JUDGMENT. Yes, we have all made our comments about the way she and others have lived there lives but I think we forget that we all have our vices or things in our life we don't manage well. We think that if you are addicted to anything that it's a life choice and not a disease so we pass judgment. However, addiction is a disease; like other diseases when gone undiagnosed, untreated, and unmanaged leads to a tragic end. Let this be a lesson to us all to lead better, healthier lives. Check yourself before you check someone else.

Let’s reflect on and celebrate her life!

Lipstick Chronicle #1: Hot Pink Lady

Even though it's Winter, I'm feeling the new trend for spring- NEON. So, this past weekend to brighten up the cold Winter day & night, I stepped out in hot pink. What do you think?

M.A.C- Girl About Town Lipstick and M.A.C. Full Speed Ahead Pro Longwear Lipgloss

Full Hot Pink Face- Since I wanted my lipstick to pop I opted for a neutral light pink eye.