Coastal Scents Palette Swatches

Getting into makeup, I've been very happy with the choices I've been making so far when it comes to purchases.  There has been some screw ups as far as application goes but I'm enjoying the practice.  In a recent beauty haul video I talked about my new 26 Color Eyeshadow Blush Combo from Coastal Scents and at the time, I 'd just got it and had only swatched a few of the colors.  Now, I've had the chance to actually use more than half of the shadows and all of the blushes and at this point I think it's safe to say that I love it. 

The shadows are highly pigmented and it takes little effort to get the true colors to show on your lids as they do in the pan.  The darkest blush of the bunch I thought would be too dark for my skin tone but I've learned that if I place it further back on my cheekbone and blend it well instead of right on the apples of my cheeks, it lends a great blushing effect.  The colors are beautiful and every color in this palette is work friendly and as you can tell in the pic above I've been playing in it alot.  Here are the swatches:



Natural Light, No Flash 

 

First Row of Shadows



  

Second Row of Shadows


   

Third Row of Shadows

 

Blushes



Happy Holidays!

There have been many trials and troubles this year but through it all, my family and friends are still here and we're all healthy.  At this time, that's all that matters.  I believe it's only a plus, though, that Chief and I were able to spoil little man with anything we thought he might want and of course provide all the things that he needs.

I sit back and I look at it all and all I can do is thank God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us.

I hope that you're having a blessed and safe holiday and are enjoying it with your families.

Happy Holidays from Me, MJ & Chief!

Holiday Puff

We went to New York to visit Chief's family for Christmas and had a great time as usual.  Partied much and ate even more.  Here it is the Eve of New Year's Eve (lol) and I'm still stuffed.  I didn't do much with my hair except rock a twist out but a few days in, my hair decided that it didn't want to lay right.  I'm not sure, maybe it was the change in land elevation that my hair didn't like but whatever it was I couldn't figure it out.

I took a trip to the beauty supply store and picked up a few things to gather my hair in a puff (I hadn't come prepared because I just KNEW my hair was going to act right but...so much for that.)

I pulled it up but I didn't want just the plain old puff this time around.

So I jazzed it up and threw on a cute little scarf that I found at the beauty supply store.

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

I Blue It!

What my nails are wearing for the holidays:

While perusing the aisles of Walmart looking for my favorite Giovanni shampoo, this pretty baby was waving at me to get my attention.  I walked over, picked her up and took her home with me.  No, I'm not a baby nabber.  I'm talking about Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in "Blue It".

I know the last time I showed you my nails they were BLUE and I promise that they've been many other colors since then but this season, I find myself drawn back again and again to this hue.  This time of the year, I'm just in love with blue!

  I'd first become a fan of this particular line this past summer when I purchased "Green With Envy" (pictured top right).  It was a last minute purchase because I was meeting my co-friends for happy hour and upon realizing that the shoes I'd planned to change into would be exposing my toes, I couldn't wear them without polish.  I wanted something eye-catching and pretty and at the time,  "Green With Envy" did it for me.

Now, I have four (and counting) of the Xtreme Wear colors but "Blue It" is by far my favorite of the moment.  The pictures do this blue absolutely no justice and it only took two coats to show the true color. In the sun, or even under bright shopping lights, this blue really pops!  

Full Lips, Bold Color

I promised myself earlier this year that I'd take more risks.  Not that I hadn't taken many as far as life goes because I believe I've had an adventurous one thus far.  I suppose therein came a sort of balance because though I was adventurous in life, my fashion and makeup choices have been everything BUT fun and adventurous.

Now, don't get me wrong, I have a few little surprise pieces in my wardrobe but at this point, I'm yearning for more.  It was always just those red or pink pumps in a sea of black and brown boots and tennis shoes or those blue & purple mascaras with my clear lip glosses.  But that was always the end of the line for me.  That is, until this past summer when I realized I'd become much too dependent on my little tubes of cinnamon and mint flavored glosses from C.O. Bigelow. 

For many years, I fled far from colored glosses and lipstains.  And it never did any good for anyone to bring a red lipstick my way and ask me to try it.  I'd somehow weasel my way out of trying it because I'd think it was too much for my full lips.  I love my lips and I've always been proud of my pout but aside from the fact that I just wasn't into it, I always thought that I'd end up looking like a clown if wore red or dark colored lipstick.  It was just too much area to cover.

However, I decided recently to stop being a color chump and jump in with both feet. 

 I'm wondering if I chose a red that's too bright for my skin tone since the little bit of tan that I had from summer is now gone.  I think I like this one tho and perhaps I'll try another red just for fun!

Blogs I Love| Edition I

I've loved reading since I was a child and everyone that knows me knows that I love books.  I always asked for books for my birthdays and Christmas and after a while my mother, automatically knew to buy books for me every Christmas without me having to say a word.  Still as a grown woman, guess what I know for SURE my mother will be getting me for Christmas this year...BOOKS!

Just a few months ago, I received a package in the mail from Chief's auntie.  Guess what it was...a box full of books!  It felt like Christmas in August! 

So as I'm sure you've surmised with my love for reading, I was especially happy to discover the blog world a few years ago.  At this point, I have a list of over 50 (and growing) blogs that I visit DAILY.  Some which are listed in my Library (haven't had a chance to list ALL of them but I'll get around to it). 

There are a few blogs in particular that I'm always super excited to see they've been updated.  I love reading about their take on the world and everything in it.  Here are a few of my faves: 

AlwaysFunkyFresh (Blogger Fresh -- I've been an avid reader...shoooo...at LEAST 3 years, he keeps it real with a no nonsense approach and some comic relief along the way)

MajorMustHaves (Blogger Tanya -- She's fly and she's pretty! Hey I stole that line from Too Short so in other words: "She's Bossy!"  A wonderful woman of God -- she always has great messages to serve up along with her great fashion sense)

Courage2Create (Blogger Ollin--so inspiring, a writer pursuing his dream of being published)

RivaFlowz (Blogger Riv -- Her wordplay game is serious. A great writer that's very serious about her craft and makes me want to seriously step my game up.)

So there you have it!  Now it's your turn. I want to know what your two favorite blogs are (so I can make them my favorites too!) and I want the link to YOUR blog so I can read and follow ya!  In the comments below...Share share and SHARE!

Also, if you're not following my blog, you should be because I've got some great giveaways coming up and you can only participate if you're following *ting*.

La Jirafa (The Giraffe)

Here are comments I receive every time I wear heels. One of these comments I received today and prompted/inspired this post: (comments in italics are my mental responses, I don't like to be rude)

"Why are you wearing heels? Aren't you tall enough already?"
Obviously not tall enough, I can still hear you from up here.

"Can you get any taller?"
Yeah, I could have worn my 5-inch heels today.

"Stop wearing heels, you're too tall!"
To who and by whose standards? Don't be jealous because you're impaired.

There was a time in my life where I was self-conscious about wearing heels or being the tallest girl period. I'd stray away from wearing anything above a kitten heel because I didn't want unwelcome comments like those mentioned above. 

When I was younger, I felt insecure about many things because of a comment someone made or even found something about myself that I just didn't find pleasing.  One day after I'd turn 25, I'd had enough.  I wanted to happy with me not matter what so one day I looked myself in the mirrorr one day and said, "Own it".

By doing that, I was telling myself to command ownership of whatever it was that I wasn't so confident about and over time, I was owning and working it.  Eventually, I feel in love with that thing that I once disliked and at the same time realizing that I didn't want to change it because it's who I am.  Being tall is an attribute.  When I walk into a room, I don't have to say anything because you can't miss me.  When I stand in a crowd, my head is not buried within.  Now, comments like the above are merely annoyances but simply because I don't see why it's such a big deal. 

In the end I figure it's not my problem to deal with because I'm happy with me.

I'm tall, I like a sweet pair of heels and it never matters to me whether I'll be the tallest person in the room because I wear them with confidence.  Does the giraffe care whether or not she's too tall or not? I doubt it.  She's beautiful and graceful when she walks and bats her eyelashes all the way.

Lesson: ALWAYS be proud of who you are, how you are and how you look.  If anyone else has a problem with it, too bad!

What's different about you that people comment on all the time? Are you owning it and working it or are you hiding it?

Shea Moisture's Curl Enhancing Smoothie

This post is in response to The MopTopMaven's Post:

Product Review: Shea Moisture Conditioner + Curl Enhancing Smoothie + Strengthening Elixir

In this post, however, I'm only speakng about Shea Moisture's Curl Enhancing Smoothie.  I also won't bother doing a review at this time because she pretty much had it covered. 

In this particular post, Nikole talked about how much shrinkage she experienced using the Curl Enhancing smoothie after using it over the weekend.  I too, used this product over the weekend just to see what it could do for me and I had the same results.  I thought it was a fluke or something I did wrong, until today when I saw Nikole's post.

Myebrows!

Two weeks ago, I took a vow not to get my eyebrows done again until they'd grown completely back.  The reasoning behind this was that I wanted to have them reshaped.  How did that go, you ask? Well, let's just say I couldn't let myself go that long without doing something.  I was looking a HOT mess and it was starting to mess with my self esteem.  Yes, really!  I was seriously looking like Oscar the Grouch's 1st cousin.  Not a good look!

I usually leave the brow snatching to the professionals but I couldn't look myself mirror without the overwhelming urge to turn away in disgust. 

Ready to go to work with that eyebrow razor

I was determined this time to not let it end in disaster where I'd have to draw the darn things back on after mutilating them or making them too thin (I despise ultra thin brows on me. Plus fuller, nicely shaped brows give my face balance with the five head I'm rocking.) This was the third time doing them myself but only the first time that I actually got it right--other times...DISASTROUS.

After shaving, plucking and trimming

It seems I can save myself the threading/waxing money as I'm perfectly capable of doing anything I put my mind to.  Honestly, I believe I would have done myself a serious injustice if I hadn't tried.  Lord kows I didn't want to show up to work tomorrow looking like...well, you know.

It's a wonder how the look and shape of your eyebrows can change your overall appearance.