Outfit Post | The Grey Areas

This past weekend I went to dinner with one of my dearest friends. We met at small restaurant in my neighborhood that serves the best hand tossed pizza and Serbian dishes. The restaurant is dimly lit with just enough music for us to talk candidly about the subject at hand without our neighbors hearing us. The martinis were half price and they started flowing immediately. Earlier in the week my friend sent me a text telling me that there were some MAJAH things I needed to be caught up on and because my life have been anything but exciting, I was all in. As soon as we ordered our first round, I blurted out excitedly "so what's been going on?"

This friend recently decided to start exploring different sides of their sexuality. They have always been attracted to the same sex and now want to discover their sexual orientation. Like, live in grey area. Living in the grey area means being able to sit comfortably in the delightful “in between stage” that is a mix of the black & the white, the yes & the no, the right & the wrong, the certain & the unpredictable.

Aha moment!!!!! See, I am a scrutinizer, an inspector, a lover of all things perfectly classified. I try to define the nature of every friendship, every emotion, every aspect of and in my life. In doing this, I can more simply weed out the things (people, mindsets, interests) that do not have a purpose in my life, the things that cannot be categorized. There is no grey area for me only black and white. In doing this, I feel I have more control.

I want to start embracing the grey moments in my life. In my career and my relationships. Let loose and have the courage to relinquish my control; appreciate the beauty in the unknown.

Just like a true friendship, my friend held a mirror to my face without knowing. Helped me to see the flaws in my ways without pointing them out.

Do you enjoy living in the grey area? Any suggestions for those of us who need to "let go" a little?

Oh and there will be Youtube tutorials coming soon. As soon as I find my camera or learn how to film properly on my DSLR. 

Outfit
Jumpsuit- H&M
Shoes- Sam Edleman

Umm... Huh? WTH Are You Talking About, Sir?

Ok ladies, have you ever found yourself in a situation where you may not feel as cool, cultured and intelligent as you know yourself to be? I recently found myself in this situation when schmoozing with a few political big wigs in my area. I mean, at one point I was just lost. Insecurity has a funny way of rearing its unwelcomed head at the worst possible moment, making it difficult to access your inner sophistication. Having said that, the following tips are essential to remember if and when you find yourself in this unnerving position:

Read: Being well read is a must. Its impossible to know everything but knowing a little about diverse topics will help in these situations. Keeping current national and global events of ‘importance’ in mind has a number of benefits. You can demonstrate that you are well informed, while giving yourself that extra boost in confidence for actually being informed.

Interrogation: Ok, you may be in a situation that you’re at a loss for words. This is the time when you tap into your inner attorney and employ some cross-examination skills. It doesn’t matter if the person across from you is discussing the joys of scientific artifact collecting; just interrogate the hell out of them. At the very least you’ll  appear to be inquisitive, right? Even if you don't care about the topic at hand, its always good to appear interested.

Confidence:  Ahh, confidence is key but its hard to be confident when you are intimidated. So whether you're faking it, or have managed to conjure up some authentic self-assurance about the wonderful person you truly are, confidence will provide you with the attitude that transcends the debilitating affects of feeling inadequate. It’s all about being kind to yourself, and unapologetic for simply being you. Confidence has a wonderful way of erasing all the foolishness that prevents us from exemplifying our genuinely brilliant nature. We all know that confidence comes from within but here are some quick confidence boosters to help you out:

        Look the part! Whether you are hobnobbing with the who's who is your area, mingling with  after-fivers at a happy hour or chillin at a cookout. A fabulous frock or perfectly fitting denim cut-offs can do wonders for your confidence.
 

Who's Who by facesbytamara featuring red sole shoes

Happy Hour by facesbytamara featuring high heel sandals

Cook-out by facesbytamara featuring denim jean shorts

         Don't forget about your face! Summer is in full force so less is definitely more. Dabble on a little MUFE Face and Body Foundation for sexy, dewy perfection.

        The lips! Since you're going to be doing a lot of talking (or asking) about current events and such. We have to make sure the lip gloss is popping. YSL's Golden Glosses has the perfect amount of shimmer to help you shine and great staying power.

Do you have any suggestions to help with those awkward, WTF are they talking about moments? Please share.  

Outfit Post | All Hustle, No Flow

Hiya my very loyal and awesome readers. Remember way back when I told y'all I was going to graduate school but that doesn't mean anything to you because I had a 'schedule' and planned to continue posting regularly? Well I failed. Sorry. But I'm absolutely giddy to be back (as I start to dougie)!

Ok, so since I've been gone a lot has changed. Want the cliff notes? I've become mom to another doggie, a stray rat-terrier that I found lounging on my front lawn; I've become a namaste chanting yoga girl; I'm single again and trying to navigate the dating scene aka exhausted; I totally ditched eyeshadow and only throw on concealer and Ruby Woo lipstick when I want to get 'fancy'. Yes, since our last chit chat about makeup it has been almost non-existent in my life. I miss our weekly chats about Nars blushes and curating the perfect brows dearly. I even miss taking 102 photos just to get three decent looking shots for my YouTube tutorials. Oh and how can I forget the most noticeable change? I cut my hair. We all know that boredom coupled with a temporary loss of identity means something and someone is getting cut. In this case it was my hair. One thing remains the same though, I still eat wayyy too much Chinese food.

Speaking of hair...

After I decided that my initial hair cut wasn't short enough I decided to go to a barber. My brother got me an appointment with his coiffeur and I was set. I get there and the convo goes a little like this:

Me: I want the sides tapered a little more and I also want a little more off the top.

Him: (feeling my hair) Your hair is so soft. What do your man think about this?

Me: (I was still attached) He fully supports me cutting my hair. You'll probably need to take a little off the back too.

Him: Yo its killing me to have to cut your hair. You know how many bald chicks walking around wishing they had this thick soft hair.

Me: You are more than welcome to sweep up what you cut and help them out.

Him: I'm saying, its already hard out here for women. Men like hair; long hair, big asses and a cute face. Why you think women out here getting ass shots and weaves down to the floor? They ain't going through all that pain for nothing. Its all to get some attention from men. You got a cute face, your ass is alright but you about to cut all your hair off. You sure you want me to do this?

Me: (with a screw face) Just cut my damn hair.

I probably should have left but I just let him finish my hair. I tried to come up with slick "let me school yo ass" closing remarks before I sashayed out of the shop but I decided to let it go because a wise man (Jay-Z) told me don't argue with fools because people from a distance can't tell who's who.  When I got in the car I chuckled. Men.

Just recently I took my short-haired don't stand a chance self to a local pub (yes I say pub instead of bar because I'm bougie) to kick it with my girls and the same ignorant coiffeur didn't recognize me and tried to "holla".

HA!

Anyway I miss you guys and look forward to chatting regularly again. What's been up with you?

I wish you peace and blessings. Namaste!

The wardrobe
Shirt- Theory
Jeans- J Brand
Shoes- Brian Atwood
Sunglasses- Prada
Necklace- H&M

Damn Girl, Where You Been?

Hey guys! I know I've been missing-in-action but a lot has been happening around my way.  The biggest thing is I will be going back to school to pursue a masters degree. Classes begin next week and I will be going full-time while continuing to work full-time. I know that sounds absolutely nuts but why not? I have no children and I'm still young. Go hard or go home, right?

So what does that mean for the blog? I honestly don't know but I'm optimistic. The cool thing about my program is that it is tailored for working adults so classes are in the evenings. I will be in class three nights a week + studying will leave little time for anything else. BUT I have a plan, a very strict plan, which includes blogging. I love Faces by Tamara and all of you readers so a small part of me will die if the blog falls by the wayside. I'm a pretty disciplined person so I don't for see having any trouble keeping up with the plan, its all in my control. I will keep you all posted on this new journey and what comes of it.

I also have other updates like my hair (will it stay or will it go?), home organization chronicles, wardrobe building, makeup (of course), DIY's and my fitness journey. Remember I shared my little secret with you all? Well I put a stop to that!!

Thank you guys for all the support. I think about you everyday, I really do. I should be back with regular postings and video tutorials within the coming weeks. In the meantime, follow me on Twitter!

Love ya!

Inspiration | Statement Necklaces

I love statement necklaces. They can add so much life to a blah outfit. I'm adding plenty of these to my stash.

statement necklaces

Photo Credits

Get the Look | Tamera Mowry's Fresh Face

1. As always, beautiful makeup starts with beautiful skin. Be sure to cleanse, tone and moisturize your skin according to your skin type.

2. Even your skin tone with tinted moisturizer like Laura Mercier's SPF 20 tinted moisturizer. If you want more coverage, try Make Up For Ever's HD Foundation. Set with a loose powder.

3. Next fill in your brows with a brow pencil. MAC has a great brown pencil that comes in a variety of colors. 

4. Prime your eyes with a primer of your choice, NYX Eyeshadow Base Primer works well. With a blending brush, lightly apply Inglot's 479 Double Sparkle Eyeshadow or any other grey shadow with a light sparkle to your eyes. Extend the shadow to underneath your eyes as well. Next you want to line your top and bottom with a black liner. I suggest Stila Kajal Eyeliner in Onyx. Add mascara and lashes. 

5. Smile and lightly apply an orange hued blush to your cheeks. NARS Taj Mahal  is FAB!

6. Lastly apply a light nude lipgloss to your lips. Try Viva Glam V!!!

Video | My Favorite Lipsticks

MAC Show Orchid
MAC Up The Amp
MAC Girl About Town
MAC Cyber
MAC Velvet Teddy
MAC Ruby Woo
MAC Rebel
MAC Hang Up
MAC Freckletone
MAC Film Noir

Outfit Post | Cleva

Romper-F21, Shoes-Victoria's Secret, Bag-Michael Kors, Jewelry-Mom and boyfriend









I got a little pot in my belly//
So now a days my figure ain't so fly//
My dress ain't cost nothin' but seven dollars//
But I made it fly//
And I'll tell ya why//
But I'm clever when I bust a rhyme//
I'm cleva always on ya' mind//
She's cleva and I really wanna grow//
But why come I'm the last to know?//

Beauty fades. Period. Growing old gracefully is always the plan but even the oh-so-gorgeous Diahann Carroll finally aged. Or you can have a terrible freak accident (God-forbid) and have your physical beauty taken away. So what else you got?

By and large, I believe we live in a pretty attractive world (as far as I can see, which may not be saying much but still). Whether its natural beauty or surgically manifested, there is a whole heaping set of pretty people in the world. In the next cube, around the corner, in the bathroom, on the train, at the gym doing squats in the mirror directly in front of your man.  Definitely, pretty might get you a base but it won't get you a home run. There will always be a woman prettier, curvier with a smaller waist and bigger donk, bigger tits, longer hair or a man with bigger muscles, washboard abs, a more chiseled jawline and a darker caeser with 360 waves. In order to stand out or leave an impression, you have to be about more than your exterior. You need a personality, or at least a skill or hobby. We can spend an hour blending our makeup to perfection but will that make someone remember our names? Nope! Let's dig deeper.

Alright with me//
Said I'm alright with me//
Said I'm alright with me...//

1 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV)
3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

Tutorial | Evelyn Lozada Inspired Silver Eye and Plum Lip

What I Used:
MAC Select SPF 15 Foundation
MAC MIneralized Skinfinish in Dark
MAC Spiked Brow Pencil
MAC Studio Finish Concealer (Brow Highlight)
Sleek STORM Palatte
Jessie's Girls Silver Pigment
MAC Blacktrac Fliudline
Cover Girl Bronzer
MAC Currant Lipliner
MAC Rebel Lipglass

Beat the Heat with Hassle Free Hair

Its been hot lately, like beyond hot. If your hair is anything like mine, it has been dry, frizzy and down right pissed at the humidity.  Just like every summer, I have been tempted to shave my head Steve Harvey style but then I remember that this heat shall pass. Check out the tips below for learn how to survive the heat with hassle free hair!

Photo Credit

• For styles that are free-flowing such as braid outs or twist outs, use minimal amounts of products that are lightweight. This makes for fluffier, shiner, hair with lots of body. Now you can use a combination of products, however use them sparingly, and choose them wisely. Too much product can make the hair appear weighed down and lacks movement. 

• Get the hair clean before styling, whether you use bentonite clay, sulfate shampoo, herbs, or baking soda, make sure the hair is free from residue before styling. Your hair will be shinier, and have more body if you start with a clean palate.  

• Detangle hair only while loaded with conditioner. Condition for about 15 minutes to let the moisturizing properties penetrate my strands, then detangle, and finally sit back under my dryer for another 15 minutes. 

• If you have tangle-prone hair, try shampooing and conditioning while in four fat braids or twists.  Less hair lost and split while detangling = more retention. 

• When you are shampooing your hair, use your fingertips not your nails to gently cleanse your scalp.