I LOVE YOU Readers!

.....Lips brought to you by MAC's St. Germain lipstick with NYX Prune and MAC Nightmoth lip liners ;)
(My sister hates kissy face photos, so this is especially for her, lol ...not that she reads my blog or anything...)

It's hump day! What are your weekend plans?? Any July 4th BBQ's and fireworks?

Nikkie Tutorials/Lady Gaga Inspired FOTD for DCFABB

So the story goes..... of course when MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 hit stores, I had to be there to get the lipstick and lipglass since I was entranced with the promo pics. I used it, waivered with it a bit and then decided I was team Gaga 2 (as it can be a bit concealer-ish on the lips).

I wanted to recreate the look, but something didn't light the fire inside of me to get it done. Along came this awesome story of Nikkie Tutorials meeting a MAC artist to get the inside scoop on the Gaga 2 makeup from the ad. Amazing. Then, Nikkie shows us how it's done! There was the oxygen I needed for my spark to become a flame! Maybe because she took the same technique and worked magic on her eye shape even though it's way different than that of Gaga's?



Nikkie didn't just inspire me to do the Gaga look, but she has inspired me in general. I thought I knew who she was, I even met her at IMATS! Not until recently did I really delve into her vids, that I realized that I didn't know her and how amazing she is! (At such a young age!) She's the breath of fresh air that I need, especially with her quirky sense of humor... love her!

Check out my inspired version below: (I recreated this from memory)
I needed a jazzed up look to attend a meetup with DC Fashion and Beauty Bloggers... y'all should know that I was working with my trusty neutrals being at work =( I pulled this together and love it!




FACE:
MAC Pro Longwear foundation nc42
MAC Careblend powders in Medium/Dark and Gold Go Lightly!
NW30 concealer
Ruby Kisses banana powder to set highlight

BROWS:
MAC Cork and Tete- a -Tint Shadows
MAC Lingering and Strut brow pencils
NW30 concealer

EYES:
Laying Low paint pot to base and as a lid color
MAC Smoke and Mirrors eye shadow palette (LE Holiday 2009)
I used my contour powder in my crease (Black Radiance Creamy Beige pressed powder)
To get a darker color (but not too dark) for the definition in the crease, I used Deception shadow (looks like Satin Taupe) and Smoke and Mirror's blended together (Brown Down or a dark brown shadow)
Fire in Her Eyes for the inner corner
Revlon Color Stay liquid liner to line my top lid
MAC Under currant green sparkle liner and LA Colors Green liquid liner on my bottom lid (CLICK TO ENLARGE TO PICS TO SEEEEEEE! ;))
I used the same combo of Deception shadow and Smoke and Mirror's blended together to smoke out the bottom lid a bit...
MAC Zoom lash mascara
iEnvy by Kiss lashes in Beyond Naturale 03 (some of my fave lashes right now!!)

CHEEKS
Get Away Bronze (LE Summer 2010)

LIPS
MAC Myself lipstick
Viva Glam Gaga2 lipglass

MAC Blogger Obsession Collection

On Tuesday, June 21, MAC will debut their Blogger Obsession Collection (online only). MAC selected 9 bloggers to collaborate with to make her dream product. The collection comprises of 4 shadows and 5 lip glasses.

Check out Nikkia/Silver Lips' run down of the collection!
Check out Lianne/The Makeup Girl's swatches! *Drools*

So, I attended The Makeup Girl's blogaversary party and got to see the very special shadow created by her! She told me the story of how it all went down... Let me tell you, I had tears in my eyes, because it's every makeup lover's dream.

I swatched Lianne's shadow, Hocus Pocus and here it is on me!

My ran-to-the bathroom-cell-phone-pic does not do this shadow justice! (Thanks, Shana!) You can't see the sparkle in it!

Have you seen Patrice/Afrobella's lipglass that she created, All of My Purple Life? Check it out as she debuts it on YouTube.


Don't you love Patrice??? She warms my heart!

I'm pumped, excited and overjoyed for all the ladies that were able to have this opportunity (I know most of them!) Will you get anything? What's on your list to buy?

Lipstick Quickie: Bright lips feat. OCC lip tar and NYX Orange lip liner

*Making use of product recently bought: IMATs Haul
*Here's one for Ms. Chrys and for those that haven't seen this on FB. I love that she's trying bold lips. Truth is, I am too. I get very comfortable with my nude lip!
*I'm rekindling a love for OCC lip tars
It's Summatime! ;)

Natural Hair and Makeup Feature on La Petite Sirène à Londres...

Yours truly has been featured on La Petite Sirene a Londres!
Check out my interview with Aurelie about hair and makeup!
Thanks so much Aurelie!

Naturally Fabulous, Part 2

Remember, how I oogled over Mary's Hair done by Anne of Natural Rootz Urban Hair Care at Technicolor Salon and Spa in Upper Marlboro/Largo, MD? Well for my bday, I treated myself to a splendid do! Check it out!







I was ambivalent about getting an up-do because I know my "kitchen" would be unruly! However, I went with the flow and let Anne create a hair do just for me.

On my experience: I went to Technicolor immediately after picking up the kid from aftercare, mid-week. Everything was easy going, modern and quite the black movie beauty shop experience minus the drama and nasty gossip. Maybe I went at a good time? I was there for quite a while, but Anne the stylist didn't have her assistant there. I can appreciate that Ms. Anne is 100% natural in what she does and uses in her clients' hair, but my kitchen needs something strong and holding like-- brown gel... all due respect to the pure oils ;) I think I learned that I'm not 100% natural minded, but I look forward to learning from Anne. I'm also looking forward to going back for a funkier, edgier 'do!

On the salon (and spa): Nice resting areas, no sitting at dryers and having to rotate every few clients...modern design, flat screen TV, large windows to get good views of day light.. pretty impressed. I was expecting a bit more of the shampoo area, but ehh.. that wouldn't stop my show.

On Anne, founder of Natural Rootz: Anne has an easy, relatable spirit. She took time with me, I felt a head massage during my shampoo, she gave me an analysis of my hair (everything was in good shape!) and gave me some natural hair tips, as well as tips on why it's good to see a natural hair specialist versus stylists that don't specialize in natural hair. Anne is very creative and innovative, gaining inspiration from everything around her. She doesn't let the notion of natural hair limit her ideas. She helps natural sistas obtain styles that are works of art!

Natural Rootz Urban Hair Care
at Technicolor Salon
820 Capital Centre Blvd # S
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774-4817
240.643.5172
Natural Rootz on Facebook

If you go, tell her I sent ya!

CoverFx Needs You to Help Raise Money to Fight Skin Cancer During the Month of June!

Hey there!

As we are knee deep into Spring and Summer is fast approaching, many of you may be in search of a tinted moisturizer. With ninety degree weather upon us, less can definitely be more. Well, here's a new product that's worth a try. Cover FX has a new tinted moisturizer (Skin Tint FX Moisturizing Treatment & Tint SPF 30). Here are the claimed benefits of using this product: This lightweight, tinted moisturizer gives you a sun-kissed glow while moisturizing and protecting your skin from the damaging effects of the sun. The formulation is water resistant for long wear, which is great for Summer weather, and is oil and paraben free. It also contains anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, and skin repairing ingredients.

Cover FX has a new foundation primer as well, Brite Prep FX, which claims to brighten skin, diminishing the appearance of lines and pores, and protect against the damage UV rays can cause with SPF 50. The formula is said to create a great canvas for foundation blending and long wear.

During the month of June, Cover FX will donate a portion of sales for each unit of Skin Tint FX Moisturizing Treatment & Tint SPF 30 and Brite Prep FX sold to these skin cancer research foundations: The Skin Cancer Foundation, Skcin, The David Cornfield Melanoma Fund, and The Karen Clifford Skin Cancer Charity. So, try out these new products and support a great cause all at the same time. Be sure to let us know how you liked the products if you decide to try them!

I have yet to try these particular products, however, I have used and continue to use the Big Cover Up by Cover FX. I was pleasantly surprised with the great results I achieved with this product, and my clients also love it. So, I am excited about trying the tinted moisturizer and Brite Prep as well. I'll let you all know what I think. Stay tuned... :0)

SAY YES TO SKIN TINT!

SAY NO TO SKIN CANCER!

How are donations made?

“Like” Cover FX on Facebook = $0.25 donation

Buy Cover FX SkinTint FX SPF 30 = $0.25 donation

Buy Cover FX BritePrep FX SPF 50 = $0.25 donation

Do all three and make a $0.75 donation!

SkinTint FX SPF30 $42 and BritePrep FX SPF50 $45 and Cover FX products are available in:

United States – Select Sephora stores, Sephora.com, Naimies, Dermstore.com, Skinstore.com and CoverFX.com

United Kingdom – Select Harvey Nichols, Harveynichols.com, House Of Fraser and houseoffraser.co.uk and CoverFX.com.

Canada – Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix, Murale, Jean Coutu, select The Bay and Sephora stores, Sephora.com, TheBay.ca, Ebeauty.ca and CoverFX.com.

Cover FX will also be making donations to skin cancer foundations in the United Kingdom and Canada.

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Hair Color 101

Hair Color 101: Get the Facts

To sort the myths from facts, we went to expert Jerami Brown for all your hair color q's

This is a TotalBeauty.com hair color article With so much misinformation floating around out there, many would-be color chameleons are too timid to take the plunge. So whether you're an old pro or an experimenting newbie, get the facts to keep your hair coloring endeavors disaster-free. Get facts

Birthday Break!

Darby Girlssssss! We are missing a few, but it's okay!

I went to Buddha Bar in DC for happy (birthday) hour. I had an awesome time seeing old friends and family that came out and helped me celebrate my bday. It was my first time there and the rock fish tempura is sooooooooo good, topped off by the key lime martini I asked to be concocted --that was absolutely delish!

My sisters came and had cake for me towards the end of the night. That was the best surprise! A cake shaped like a MAC eye shadow aaannddd it matched my outfit! =p They held me down! They usually complain that my tastes are too exotic and they don't ever know what I'd like... cake and makeup= heaven!

I'm just wondering, out of the three of us, why am I the one that made it to work bright and early!?! Well, the party continues...............

Thanks to everyone that left bday wishes on Twitter and FB. I appreciate the love!!!! *CHEESE*

I should mention something about my makeup? I worked on my birthday so I brought my change of outfit with me, but forgot my special makeup. So.... I had to wing it with my trusty everyday faves... in a rush. Don't ask. Without a colored liner, glitter or something to add some spice, I opted to change up my favorite liquid liner. I had run across Killer Colors' liner look that I knew I could pull since I had done similar in the past. Her look is cleaner.. you just can't rush liquid liner.

I was gifted Artistry's Light Up gloss by my cousins and I really like it.. a great cool sparkle, light and neutral.

How to Keep Your Makeup from Melting

How to Keep Your Makeup from Melting

Going to an outdoor wedding or just fighting the daily onslaught of humidity? Check out these tips to keep your makeup from dripping

This is a TotalBeauty.com makeup article I'm going to an outdoor wedding in the sticky hot month of June and to prep for the guaranteed makeup meltdown, I went to celebrity makeup artist Fiona Stiles to get the lowdown on keeping my face from running down my couture. Get tips

Dark Girls, a documentary by Bill Dukes

Dark Girls: Preview from Bradinn French on Vimeo.

I saw this video over at Gorgeousingrey.com. I had to share it with you guys!

The documentary explores what it means to be "a dark skin girl" in the African American culture today, a social abnormality reinforced by slavery.
Does it shed any light on the big controversy over Beyonce's 'whitened' L'Oreal ads or the use of terms such as 'brighten/lightener' on beauty products?

While I don't have eloquent words to articulate my sentiments at length about the matter, here are some random thoughts that surface when watching this snippet.
-It's been about two years since I've heard the "house negro/slave" reference.
-I always thought that my babies would be 'brown'. I never thought that there was a chance that I would have a 'light skin' baby until I got to college. It was just my reality to see 'dark skin' people, esp. in my family. Why wouldn't my child be?
-I realized that other people noticed my skin color/thought it was different when an elementary school classmate told me I was white. I tried to tell her I wasn't, but she was convinced 0_o.
-I question why most music videos have light skin or biracial girls as lead interests.
-This is my own blog and sometimes my NC42 skin makes me feel stuck in the middle... sometimes I get away with products that aren't necessarily 'for us', but I can't be nc50 overnight, as if my nc42 skin isn't enough. All my nc42's stand up!
-I watched this with my son. He told me it doesn't matter what color you are. You can be smart and pretty. It doesn't matter your color. [CHECK!]

What are your thoughts on the documentary?