You're Making Me BLUSH

One of the biggest makeup faux pas I see women of color make (besides wearing eyeshadow without anything on the face) is not wearing blush. After you apply foundation your face tend to be all one color which is NOT natural, blush gives your skin life as well as create mountains and valleys on your face by highlighting and contouring your cheeks bones. Blush does not have to be bright red or pink but if applied right those colors totally rock. You can simply add a hint of bronzer to the cheeks to give yourself a nice glow. Blush makes your skin appear youthful and healthy, two things we all want to achieve.

Blush Cheat Sheet:

• Find a shade that works with your everyday look, this could be a bronzer or a pink/red tone that accentuates your natural cheek color. My favorite shades on women of color tend to fall in the coral/orange family but do not limit yourself, we can wear any color. Once you get comfortable wearing it everyday then you can branch off onto other colors.
  
• Use a round brush to apply powder blush. Smile in the mirror and place the blush on the apple of your cheek then use upward strokes to blend. Moving towards your hairline.
• Use light hands when you're applying blush. We don't want you too look like you just walked out of an 80's video so BLEND! BLEND! BLEND! And then right before you walk out the door blend some more. You can never blend enough when it comes t blush. Believe me when I say you would rather have to little blush than too much.

Spring Lips!

MAC Show Orchard, MAC Pink Poodle

MAC Lavender Whip

MAC Magnetique

MAC Cork Lipliner, MAC Velvet Teddy, MAC Viva Glam V

MAC Ruby Woo, MAC Red Russian

MAC Fresh Salmon, MAC Gold Dust

Quote of the Week

"For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere"

Ivan Panin

All About the Sexy

Lets be honest, sexiness begins within. There is no amount of makeup or tight clothing that can make you look sexy. Its innate, a feeling, a lifestyle. A sexy woman is sexy in sweats and sneakers after an hour long workout. The perfume, makeup and clothing is just the icing on the cake. *Sorry but this rant came from looking at some of the most atrocious pictures/outfits on Facebook...sigh.

So now that I got that off my chest, lets talk lingerie. Do you love it? I do! Now that we all know that sexiness starts underneath, what type of drawls are you wearing? Sexy underthangs always give me a little extra pep in my step.

This also applies to sleep wear. I know its easy to throw on a huge frumpy t-shirt for bed, especially when you're sleeping solo but its just as easy put on a cute and comfy nightie. Its just as important to be visually appealing at night as it is during the day because let's face it, we never turn fabulous off!

Timeless Beauty: Cicely Tyson

To me, Cicely Tyson is the embodiment of black womanhood. She's a naturally gifted actress who worked diligently to learn all the nuances of her craft. Although strikingly beautiful, she has refused to get by on her looks, demanding instead to be judged on her professional abilities which often led to her playing not-so-glamorous roles. Ms. Tyson is often given credit for inspiring black American women to embrace African standards of beauty, rather than trying to make themselves over in the image of white America.

From her captivating roles to her undeniable wisdom, Ms. Tyson has touched many lives including mine. She is the epitome of a true beauty both inside and out.

Face Forward: Lets Discuss Skincare

If you want your makeup to look its best, your skin has to look its best. It is absolutely impeccable to find a skincare regimen that works best for your skin. Often times when our skin is breaking out its an indication that something is going on inside our bodies. Try cutting out sodas, sugar and fried foods if that doesn't help seek professional help. Most think that all skincare woes can be solved with a visit to your local drugstore but that's not always the case, not all products are created equally and often time we require something a little stronger than CVS can provide. Every diva should have a fab dermatologist in her rolodex to answer any skincare questions we may have. Once you find out what the problem is, you can start building a regimen that will keep your skin flawless, seamless and fabulous.

But before you start searching for a dermatologist in your area, lets make some lifestyle changes!

• Drink AT LEAST 64oz of water a day. Water is the best kept beauty secret there is. It keeps the skin dewy and hydrated while filtering kidneys and breaking down fats and toxins.
• Exercise at least three times a week. Ever notice how bright and healthy your skin looks after a good workout? Well sweating cleanses the skins of buildup and reduces the size of pores. Exercising also increases blood flow to all vital organs including the skin leaving is supple and soft.
  
• We are what we eat! So lets swap out the saturated fats and processed foods for fruits, vegetables and essential fatty acids.

There are some important steps you must take to ensure your skin gets all it needs. Once your dermatologist educate you on your skin type there are some basic steps you should take to help keep future problems at bay. Cleanse, Tone/Treat and Moisturize!

• Cleanse: This should be done twice a day to remove any product from the skin. Its also a good idea to exfoliate a couple times a week for a deep cleansing.
  
• Tone/Treat: This is the step most people skip. Most toners claim to tighten pores. This is also the time to treat your skin with any medications recommended by your dermatologist.
  
• Moisturize: No matter how oily your skin may be, moisturizing is very important. Some cleaners, toners and medications can leave the skin dry so its important to restore your skin's moisture. Moisturizers with SPF is great for protecting the skin from the sun and premature aging as well.
  

Spring is officially here and I know you want to pack away that heavy foundation along with your winter clothes. For lighter coverage try a tinted moisturizer, it will provide minimal coverage allowing your new fabulous skin to shine through!

Quote of the Week

What's your Scentuality?

I LOVE LOVE LOVE perfume. I don't leave the house without it. I spray a little on my wrists, neck and nape. I love when people tell me I smell good, its one of my favorite compliments!!

The basic breakdown of a womens perfume is in the type of scent that is the basic ingredient. There are different smells that a perfume is created from and that will be an asset or detriment to the wearer. Perfumes can be defined as floral, oriental, woody, fresh and fougere. These labels of perfume types are determined by the type of scent that they create and the ingredients they are created from. A basic floral will be the scent of a flower, a fresh scent will be a citrus or natural smell and a woody will be created by using the barks and oils of different woods. By understanding these simple breakdowns in the fragrances a person can choose the type of women's perfume they want and that will blend with their body type to create a tantalizing aroma.

My favorite are woody scents, fresh and floral. I wear just about any scent to work just depends on my outfit and how I feel but outside of work I tend to wear woody scents in the evening/night life because they are sultry and intriguing; floral scents for the weekends, shopping, lunch with friends etc and fresh scents any time in between.

Some of my favorite perfumes are Valentino V, Marc Jacobs Daisy and Clean. What are some of your favs?

Quote of the Week

"A little lip gloss, ladies, will go a long way. I believe in the trinity: lip gloss, blush, and mascara. It takes five minutes. Make an effort, please, darlings.”


Julia Coney of All About the Pretty

Video Hauteness: Gaga and Beyonce

Two of my fav artists plus one dope song equals a very HAUTE video. Wardrobe, hair and especially the makeup are all on-point! I'm so freaking excited! Check it out!!!!!