Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Smitten With Steve Madden

I was walking through the mall over the holiday weekend and was having a great time window shopping. It all changed when I found a great pair of shoes! I thought to myself that famous quote, "Life is short, buy the shoes!" Not only were they super irresistible but they were also on sale! So without much hesitation I decided to indulge in the wonders of high heels and studded sandals. My loving boyfriend was there with me and decided to gift me two of these shoes that I thought were perfect for summer!

[THIS IS NOT A SPONSORED POST]






Steve Madden's - Marlenee / Steven by Steve Madden's Indyana / Nickiee
Which one is your favorite?
Love,

What's In My Bag?


Every girl has things in her bag that she simply cannot live without. I thought I would share with you guys some of the things that get me through my day whether I'm in class, the mall, or a night out with the girls. Check out my newest video!




Thanks! 


Monday, May 13, 2013

Tea Talk - My Hair Story


Oh, hello!

I wanted to start my first session of Tea Talk with the story of my hair and how I made the decision to "go natural". My tea of choice for this segment is Kombucha Green Tea. It helps strengthen the immune system, especially now that we are in the rainy months. Now go grab a cup of your favorite tea and let's get to talking! 

My first memory of hair was when I was a little girl. My mom always put it up in twists with beads or hair clips at the end, like most black mothers did in the 90's. I do not remember my first perm but I do remember being in elementary school when I saw a girl in my class with her hair in super cute afro puffs. I had to have them! I asked my mom if she could do my hair like that but she said I would have to grow my hair out. I was too young to understand that at the time but ultimately she never grew out my hair.



I was regularly getting relaxers up until I was 20 years old. I used to put my hair in braided or twisted extensions and sew-ins weaves every now and then. It never occurred to me that I could go natural. It wasn't until I became conscious of the things that I eat and use on my body that I realized the true horror of the relaxer....dun dun dun!! I asked myself why. Why was I subjecting myself to harsh chemical exposure? Why was I allowing myself to sit with the relaxer on my hair as it burned scabs on my scalp hair line? I had made my decision.

In 2010 I went to my usual sew-in weave girl and told her that I wanted kinky twists. I hadn't put a relaxer in my hair in a couple months so I had a decent amount of peek-a-boo new-growth. The time had come and my impatient nature was growing...I told her to cut off all of my relaxed hair and leave just the small bit of new growth. She was hesitant but went along with my request when she saw how earnest I was. I watched all my hair fall to the floor. When I lifted my hands to feel the hair that remained it was soft and very...very short. Fortunately enough the hair was long enough for her to grab to do the kinky twist style I originally wanted. 

It took me a while to get used to the length. I felt the need to change up my wardrobe from the constant jeans and tee shirt to more girly things. I felt as if the short hair made me look like a boy and it drove me crazy. At first it took a long time to see any length although I knew it was growing. I continued to take good care of it by eating well, drinking lots of water, moisturizing daily, keeping the scalp clean. Before I knew it my hair is reaching down my back when I pull it. It's incredible!



My advice to those still deciding to go natural is to take your time. Do not allow anything or any one to pressure you into doing it. You have to do it for the right reasons and do it for yourself. Once you have that foundational mindset your natural hair journey will be a little less stressful.

I hope this helps,
Ciao!

Sunday, May 12, 2013

How To - Using Face Masks


Hey guys! I wanted to show you how I like to apply facial masks. I usually do this about once every two weeks and prefer to use a mask that has natural ingredients. I apply the mask to dry skin for an even coverage. Make sure to pay special attention and care not to apply any product on the lip or around the eye area - the skin here is super sensitive and we do NOT want any issues with it in the future like crows feet, wrinkles, hyper pigmentation, etc. 

After I apply I let the product stay on my skin for about 15 minutes. At this point the mask is hard and it's difficult to make facial expressions :D Once that's done, I wet a small towel with warm water and gently wipe off the mask. Try your best not to scrub or be rough on your skin. After all, our face is very valuable right? 

Now you're done! You not only have clean pores but your skin feels super soft too!


Also check out my first video on YouTube!

What's your facial mask routine?