Regina King at Oscars 2019.
Read Moreworld
2019 Grammys
Music. It’s helped me get through many times-happy, sad, joy, pain. It also helps me to push through things and get tasks done. It also helps me think and has helped me verbalize what I want to say. To say music is a lifeline is a major understatement.
So, needless to say, I was watching the Grammys this year. I like to see what the celebrities have in store for us. In saying that, this post is strictly about the fashion and the makeup. I’m highlighting a few of my favorites here.
My top 3 red carpet looks (in no particular order) were Jennifer Lopez, Chaka Khan and Lady Gaga. What I liked about all 3 of these looks were that they really represented each artist well and really fit the personality that comes to mind when I think of all 3 of them. The hair and makeup for each look fit very well.
The host, Alicia Keys, had some nice looks as well. She stayed with a minimal makeup look that still goes along with her ‘no-makeup’ look theme that she was really into a few years back. I personally like the idea of minimal makeup when hosting an event like The Grammys. She had several outfit changes and not a lot of time.
Overall, there were several beautiful gowns, outfits, jewelry and makeup. For an event like this, it’s so wonderful to see stars who are really comfortable in their own self-expression.
2019 Golden Globe Awards
Regina King at the 2019 Golden Globes. Image courtesy of People.com
Read MoreHappy 2019!
It’s been a while and it’s time for some new posts.
It’s a new year with many wonderful things sure to come our way in the world of makeup and beauty. 2018 brought is a lot of new products and innovation. I expect 2019 will be more of the same in that vein.
One of the best product improvements was the vast amount of attention brands are bringing to complexion for women of color. This has been a long time coming. Those voices have been heard!
We all want to be included. We all want products that serve us well and that allow us to full engage ourselves in our unique and wonder self-expression.
Here’s to a wonderful 2019!
The Royal Wedding 2018
Wow! The day is here and the ceremony is now over. It went by so fast! It really does seems like only a month or so ago that we heard about the upcoming nuptials and May 19, 2018 seemed so far away. Now, it's a beautiful memory.
There were so many takeaways from this day and it would take me forever to get through all of my personal ones, so I'll make this short, or as short as I can.
First of all, let's talk about how amazing this couple looks! The bride is absolutely breaktaking in this timeless, stunning Givenchy gown. It was truly made for her and fit her like a glove. Prince Harry was quite dapper. I love to see a groom with style. It was nothing short of befitting to wear his military uniform. Check out his medals.
Secondly, let's talk about her headpiece. That tiara was so beautiful! The train was befitting. An already stellar gown was made that much more stunning by this wonderful touch. It was yet another piece of her ensemble that looked like it was made just for her. It fit her style.
One takeaway for brides is to be yourself. I had heard one British commentator state that this was the "best" he'd ever seen Meghan Markle look. She always looks great to me but I know exactly what he meant. When bridal is done right, the bride is shown in ALL her glory! The guests and the world see the bride in a new light. There are many moving parts to bridal beauty. This brings me to my last point.
My third and final point is her makeup. All I can say is "WOW!" This is really makeup done right. There was an initial rumor that her friends were going to do her makeup. She was not going to hire an artist. I have to be honest-that didn't sit well with me, at all. I would definitely respect her choices, it's her wedding after all. Let me explain my reasoning behind this statement.
Whenever one puts ALL of the energy into planning a day as big and monumental as a wedding, you want ALL professional hands on deck. Why have a designer gown, professional photographer, beautiful venue and wonderful food (for starters) and leave your face out of that? It just seems a little bit, well, wrong. Professional work should be included in every aspect of your wedding.
Her makeup was so 'wowing' with its beautiful, understated simplicity. It's the kind of makeup that I stare at for hours. It was skin that looked like skin. Her smokey eyes, lashes and glossed lips were the perfect look for her. Her artist has had plenty of experience with celebrities and it shows.
It was said that she really likes and embraces her freckles. Her artist heard her and we could see some of them. Thank you for showing us!
I have had brides with freckles who wanted to show them off and I really enjoy working with them! Women who embrace their unique qualities are very comfortable in their skin. By wanting to show off their uniqueness, they are saying to the world "this is me and here I am."
The smokey eye is a wonderful look. It was simple and understated yet went perfectly with the personality of the bride and her gown. It was regal. It was royal. It fit. This was a day that will be remembered for a long time to come.
I am wishing this happy and wonderful couple ALL of the best!
Aaliyah and MAC
The official word is out: MAC is releasing the Aaliyah collection next summer! I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what they create. I'm wondering why it took this long, but hey, it's coming next summer and that's all that matters.
Aaliyah was such a creative genius and as my sister said, "she was before her time." I think her last project was the best one and there was so much more to come from her. With each project (whether it was music or acting), she became better and better. How is that possible?
It was a sad day when she passed away. She was someone with so much beauty, promise and was very well accomplished. She was just getting started, really. I'll stop here because the memories are still very much alive. She is still with us in heart and video and song, so if you don't know much about her, check her out on youtube. Watch some of her music videos and see the genius that is Aaliyah.
Being that MAC annouced this so early, it my thought that they definitely anticipate this being BIG and selling out quickly.
Thank you MAC for keeping this amazing person alive in our hearts and minds!
UD Smoky Palette Set To Discontinue
Urban Decay is set to discountinue its very popular Smoky palette. This is happening NOW!
I am unsure of why this is happening but it's happening. So, if you really like this palette, you will want to go out and get it now before it sells out.
The palettes are currently $27 (which is 50% off) and they are found quite a few places right now. So, you can hit up Ulta, Macy's and Urban Decay's website to get your fix before these sell out. They're 50% off, so you can beat it.
Threading
In this post, I am going to talk about threading. I'm pretty sure you guessed that by the title but anyway, I digress.
So, what is threading?
Threading is the removal of unwanted hair using, you guessed it, thread. Threading has been around for centuries. It started growing in popularity in the United States within the last 15 years or so.
The thread is the same thread that can be found in craft and fabric stores around the country. The hair removal specialist 'shapes' the thread in her hand and between her fingers in a unique way that creates a 'catch' for the hair. The hairs are removed one by one, row by row until the desired shape is achieved.
In doing so, the hair is removed without removing any skin. I have found this method to be pretty amazing! The shape is different from waxing. It's fuller (in my experience) and it lasts about 3 weeks.
In this post, as with the last one, I'm speaking more of the brow vs. other areas of the body.
So, I'm sure one wants to know if this hurts. Um, yes! So, here's the deal, the first time was the most painful. It also depends on how skilled your technician is because the more she is comfortable with this method, the better your experience will be. I have been going to the same awesome person for years. She is amazing!
The pain is definitely something that you get used to and it doesn't hurt every time. You do want to be consistent with your appointments because going without for a length of time will cause more pain. The longer the hair (or more hair), the greater potential for pain. So, keep your appointments consistent.
Another tip is to use ice on the brow before going. This can help to numb the pain. In order for this method to be effective, however you have to use the ice to numb as close to your appointment as possible. So, like 5-10 minutes before your appointment, ice would be great. You would place it on the brow and let it numb the area. Beware of the 'frostbite effect' because too much ice for too long is not good for the skin either.
Anyway, this method is effective for me and I have found it to be the best for long-term use in brow hair removal.
Fenty Beauty
This week, Rihanna made an annoucement that her makeup line is launching in about 30 days from now.
The announcment has been a long time coming and has a lot of people excited, I'm sure. I remember when the annoucement was made that her line was looking for artists to join the team. It was about a year and a half ago. Soon, Fenty is going to be available at a Sephora or Harvey Nichols near you. This is to be noted because based on these stores, this brand is high-end. We don't expect anything less from Rihanna. She is an amazing fashion and makeup icon, not afraid to try something new or different. She lives for it!
So, September 8, we will be doing 1 of 2 things. . .going to the brick and mortar stores or going online to purchase.
The New Face of Modern Muse
Misty Copeland. What words can be used to describe her? Well, for starters, amazing, beautiful, sculpted, graceful and ground-breaking.
For all these reasons and more, she has been branded as the new face of Estee Lauder's Modern Muse fragrance. Misty Copeland is continually proving that she is someone to watch. I love that she has a solid list of endorsements that continues to grow. She has shattered glass ceilings in the world of dance by keeping her dreams in front of her face, never losing sight of it. As she has done this, we have reaped the benefit of seeing her continue to manifest her dreams and goals giving us all a good, strong dose of inspiration.
I, personally, couldn't be happier for this amazing young beauty. She continues to set standards, break molds and inspire young girls, especially those who look like her.
Estee Lauder, in line with its brand, has gotten this right again. Her grace and style fit right in with this prestigious and long-standing beauty brand. Congrats, Misty Copeland! Continue to inspire us all.