Sorry for the poor picture. My daughter took these for me so this will have to do hahaha! :)
Yes people, as crazy as it sounds, using coconut oil in my hair has definitely made a difference in the texture of my hair. It leaves my hair so soft and smooth after I apply it. I won't say that it changes it permanently of course, but it does add moisture and shine for a short period of time. In order to see continued results, you of course need to apply it maybe once every other week in my opinion. Coconut oil actually has a lot of good benefits for your hair. Not only does it add luster and shine, it can also stimulate hair growth and improves scalp health!
Coconut oil I use: Organic Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil by spectrum. You can find it online here or check your local grocery store. I found mine cheaper in the store for about $8.
So how do I apply it and for how long? Its actually simple. I just section off my hair into small sections and apply a generous amount to each section. Do not be shy and go for it! I have not had a problem with the coconut oil leaving my thick hair too oily. If you have fine hair and feel it will do so, then try a small amount and go from there. You always can add more each time you try this method out if you feel the need to. After I have applied the oil all throughout my hair, I then either braid it or put on a shower cap and leave it on anywhere from 30 mins to 1 hour. It is totally a personal preference and its up to you. I personally leave mine on for 1 hour because my hair is dry and could use some extra moisture. After the time has expired, I then go ahead and wash my hair as a normally would then follow with a conditioner. In the picture above, I flat ironed it to achieve that look. My hair is naturally wavy but I wanted to straighten it so that you may see the difference.
Shampoo and Conditioner I use: Anti-Breakage Keratin Oil shampoo by OGX and Ion Color Solution Deep Daily Conditioner
I don't mean to toot my own horn lol but, just about every time I do this to my hair, I receive SO many compliments and its so flattering to know that the coconut oil has done its job. Just a disclaimer before I go, I am by no means a hair dresser so please use this tip at your OWN RISK. If you are unsure about trying this, please seek professional guidance. Welp, that's all I got for yall today! I hope you guys found this helpful and until next time! Be blessed! 😊
Hey you guys! I wanted to make a really quick blog post on the most recent video I added to my YouTube Channel. If you guys haven't stopped by there yet, be sure to check it out! In my most recent video, I basically give you guys a little bit of a 411 on me to let you guys know who I am and all the fun stuff lol. I just kept it short and sweet so that I could answer some of the basic questions. I hope you guys like the video and if there's anything else you guys wanna know about me, leave me a comment and I will try to answer it in another video in the future. Be sure to subscribe and hit that like button! Thanks you guys and until next time! Be blessed :)
This is my first monthly favorites that I have ever talked about! For those of you who do not know what a "monthly favorites" post/ video is about, its basically where I talk about all of my favorite products that I have been loving for the past month. Since this will be my first every monthly favorites post, I just wanted to share with you guys that I want to do things a little differently. I don't want to make this post solely about beauty products. I want to include anything whether its beauty, food, a phone app, clothes etc. I just think there's so many things that I want to share with you guys and sometimes its not beauty related. So enough with the chit chat, lets see what I'm loving for the month of May 2015...
First I'm going to show you all things beauty, then I will jump into some random stuff. So first up, in no particular order, I have the Kat Von D Shade and Light palette. This palette is absolutely amazing. The colors in this palette are so pigmented. The first time I tried on the contour shade in the middle, I was like WOAH! I thought I had only picked up a little bit of the product on my brush but no. This stuff is so intense that you only really need a little bit. The colors are great and I definitely love the the lighter shades to use under the contouring shades to carve out that contour and give my cheekbones a more pronounced look. I am LOVING this because my cheekbones are not very prominent as I'd like them to be and this palette really enhances the look of my cheek bones and I just love it!
Next up I have is the the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector. Holy moly you guys. This skin perfector really gives my skin that beautiful summer time glow. I apply this underneath my foundation and it just makes my skin looks so dewy and beautiful. If you are not a fan of the "dewy" look then this product may not be for you. But it definitely gives me that Jeniffer Lopez look that everyone loves so much. I would highly recommend this product for those of you who want that dewy look.
Next I have the Benefit Roller Lash Mascara. I really love this mascara for the simple fact that it gives my lashes that fanned out look. In fact, a friend of mine even asked if I had on false lashes the other day. That's how you know this product is good y'all lol. The brush on this mascara is like a comb. It really separates the lashes and makes my lashes look long and wispy. The price is a little steep for a mascara but it is so worth it.
So this next product I most recently tried and I'm loving this. It is the new Star Powder by Gerard Cosmetics in the shade Marilyn. I must say that this highlighter gives my cheekbones a nice glow. I think it matches my skin tone very well so it doesn't make me look washed out our "ashy" for a lack of better words lol. But definitely give this product a try.
Now for the "non-beauty" products... First I have is my FitBit Charge. A lot of people find that these types of products are unnecessary. However, I find that my fitbit keeps me motivated and if you have friends who also have one, it can been fun! On the FitBit app, you're able to invite your friends to friendly challenges and also motivate each other. There are different styles of the FitBit and the one I have is the FitBit charge which I love because I am able to see my progress right from the device itself so I don't have to pull out my phone and see where I'm at. It also features a watch which is so useful. Definitely love this guy lol.
Next I have my Nike Free 4.0 Flyknits. Yup, thats right. I'm mentioning a pair of tennis shoes you guys. In case you guys don't know, I'm on my feet all the time at my job so I really need a pair of shoes that are durable and comfortable. These shoes deliver comfort and style all at the same time lol. For a person with flat feet, it is hard for me to find a good pair of shoes that are not going to make my feet hurt so much when engaging in physical activity. These babies have traveled every where with me from the airports in St. Louis, to the hiking trails in Hawaii, to even the tiring walks in Disneyland. These shoes never make my feet hurt and they are so wonderful. I guess what I love so much about these shoes are flexible and they move with movement of your feet and they are so lightweight. I love these shoes so much that I have them in three colors! Crazy I know lol but I dont know if i'm stopping there lol
The scent that I'm absolutely loving this month is Tahiti Island Dream from Bath and Body Works. I am so loving this scent right now. It has a nice mix of coconut, vanilla, and kiwi blossom. I loved this scent so much that I even bought it in the scrub, lotion, and body spray. Its that bad you guys... I know lol .
Finally for the most "randomest" item for my monthly favorites is this Starbucks Via Instant Refreshers in the flavor Very Berry Hibiscus. My sister actually gave me this and I tried it one day and haven't stopped drinking it ever since. Its not very sweet which is what I like about this. I'm not sure if everyone will like the taste of this drink but I definitely do. It has a hint of hibiscus, ginger, lemongrass and also green coffee extract. It has 35 calories, no sodium, and 7g of sugar. So they're not bad and I will keep repurchasing this product.
So that is all that I have for today you guys. If you guys have any questions please feel free to comment. Share this post if you'd like. Until next time! Be blessed!
I really love checking my mail you guys and of course that's only if I'm expecting some new goodies that I can play with! Well today was one of those days lol. I came home from work to find a lovely package from Gerard Cosmetics and Makeup Geek. I have never tried any products from Gerard Cosmetics but I keep seeing it all over social media and YouTube. It wasn't til recently that I started seeing some negative reviews from other people on social media but I didn't want to totally stray away from this company without trying it out for myself first. So with that said, I was able to use some coupon codes from MannyMUA to save me some monies on these products which I was able to find very helpful considering these products can get pricey very quickly.
Makeup Geek cosmetics is a company that I have purchased from before and I always love Marlena's quality of makeup. She is very passionate about her products and stand by them 100%. I absolutely LOVE Marlena and her products. She is just absolutely amazing. So when I got these products in the mail, I was jumping for joy like a little girl on Christmas lol. So enough of the rambling, lets see what I bought shall we ;)
Gerard Lipsticks in order from left to right: Rodeo Drive, 1995, Buttercup, Underground, Nude
Swatches from left to right: 1995, Rodeo Drive, Buttercup, Underground, Nude
Gerard Lip glosses from left to right: Shimmer of Hope, Fiji, Madison Avenue, Coral Craze, Buttercream
Swatches from Left to Right: Butter Cream, Coral Craze, Madison Avenue, Fiji, Shimmer of Hope
Gerard Star Powders from left to right : Marilyn and Lucy
Swatches from left to right: Lucy and Marilyn. You cant see Marilyn so much on my skin tone but this highlighter really is prettier in person you guys.
Makeup Geek Foiled Shadows top row from left to right: In the Spotlight, Magic Act, Fantasy, Showtime
Bottom row from left to right: Daydreamer, Mesmerized, Starry Eyed
Swatches from left to right: In the Spotlight, Magic Act, Fantasy, Showtime, Daydreamer, Mesmerized, Starry Eyed
So that is all that I have for you guys today. It wasn't much but I am super excited to try all of these products as I always am when I receive new goodies lol. One thing I'd like to mention is that I am not affiliated with any of these companies. I have purchased these products with my own money and with the influence of YouTube lol. Also, I am sorry in the lack of quality of my pictures when it comes to swatches. I am still trying to figure out lighting, camera settings, and all that fancy stuff but this is something I wanted to get up and show you guys. If you guys give these products a try or if you already have, let me know! I would love to know what you guys' thoughts are or if you have any recommendations. That is all that I have for now and until my next blog! Be blessed!
From the sound of the title, it does sound like a mouthful lol OOPS! Anywho, just wanted to share a quick initial review on these two fun body scrubs I found at Bath and Body Works a while back. I told the sales associate that I was in need of a body scrub that is good for dry skin. Here in Northern California, it barely rains and the wind is insane! It has been a factor as to why my skin has become more dry over the years. Another contributing factor would be my loving husband. Yes you read that right, my husband lol. He works in the medical field and is very adamant about us washing our hands on a regular basis but I can't blame him completely. It is only sanitary that we wash our hands regularly but, one other thing I'd like to mention is that my job requires a lot of use of my hands so there's another culprit to add to the list. So for all of those reasons my hands have become very rough and dry.
First up is the True Blue Spa Refreshing Citrus Body Scrub in the scent Need a Margarita. The name of the scent really makes me giggle because that is actually what it smells like, a margarita! It has a lemony lime scent. It is not my preferred scent but it is only temporary. I tried this for the first time 2 days ago, and I must say I was impressed. Of course it is not going to rid dry skin completely but it is a start to help maintaining that smooth skin. The texture of this scrub is like any other scrub, gritty. It also has like an oily texture as well which helps to leave the skin soft and smooth. I didn't notice an oily feeling after using this scrub. One thing that might turn some people off is that the label states that it will leave surfaces oily. In other words you will have an greasy tub lol. So just keep that in mind when using this product. Above all, I definitely loved the way it made my skin feel but was not a huge fan of the scent or the fact that it leaves the tub or shower greasy. So with that said, I'd rate this product a 3 out of 5.
Next up we have the True Blue Spa 60-Second Manicure Hand Scrub. I kind of like the scent of this scrub better than the body scrub. The scent kind of reminds me of grapefruit and lime? Lol i'm not sure if that's the best way to describe the scent but it does have that sweet citrus scent with a hint of a lemon or lime. I must say that I do love this product. As mentioned before in my post that my family does wash our hands quite a bit so this scrub has seemed to help my dry hands tremendously. I've only used it once but I was able to tell a major difference after the first use. I feel if I use this scrub on a consistent basis, it will definitely help to keep my hands moisturized and smooth. So above all, I would rate this product a 4 out of 5.
Well folks, that is all that I have for you guys today! I hope this was helpful to some of you. If you have any questions, please leave me a comment. If you have tried these scrubs or maybe a better one, let me know in the comments! I would love to know. Until next time you guys! Be blessed! :)
*This is a reupload because the last post got deleted for some reason lol sorry guys*
So I'm not sure if I may be the only person who does this but when I watch some of my favorite YouTubers I always become influenced lol. They of course always rave about the latest new products and all the new trends which helps me to be "in the know" but its just so hard to watch these videos and not want these products for yourself! So what happens after watching so many videos? You become inspired then you buy lol, or at least I do haha. So what did I buy in my most recent shopping trip? Here you are...
I know its not much to share, but I just wanted to make a quick blog post about this topic because I feel like some people out there might be in the same boat when it comes to YouTube inspired buys (as I like to call it lol.)
So here I purchased the Kat Von D Shade & Light eyeshadow palette. I have heard so many YouTubers rave about this palette and I think the person that sold me on this palette was Dani. She had so much to say about this palette and I think what drew my attention to this palette was the fact that this palette is all matte. I haven't had a chance to play with palette yet, but I am excited to try it.
The Tarte CC Undereye Corrector actually wasn't an inspired YT buy. I just happened to stumble across it while at Sephora and decided to try it. It seemed interesting so we shall see how that goes lol.
Ahhh the infamous Mac Fix+ that everybody and they momma seems to rave about lol. Lets face it, everyone on YT always talks about this and I've never tried it. So I decided to give this guy a whirl. I don't think there was a YouTuber in specific who inspired me to try this. Its just a very common product that has been talked about for years so I'm definitely excited to FINALLY try this product!
Also in this picture I have a lipstick by Yves Saint Laurent lipstick in Color 1 Nude Beige. I can't remember which beauty guru sold me on this lippy but i'm really excited to try this shade. I'm more of a neutral kind of gal when it comes to lip sticks unless i'm going out then I might try something a little more daring lol.
Finally, I decided to jump on the Real Techniques bandwagon and get a few brushes. I purchased a small set from the original line and then 3 from their new Luxury line. The YouTuber that inspired me for this buy was KathleenLights. I really love Kathleen and I really value her opinions. I have to say, I am really loving the design and feel of the new luxury brushes. They are so soft and I am excited to try these babies! So the ones that I purchased are as follows:
If you can not find the brushes in the links provided, try Ulta. They also carry the Real Techniques line and if you are signed up through Ebates, right now you can earn 3% cash back on your purchase. Even though 3% is not a lot, it is still money saved and if you are an avid online shopper, this could be really beneficial to you. If you haven't signed up yet, you can sign up here!
So that is all for this small little YouTube Inspired haul. Should I make any more purchases like this in the future, I will let you guys know! Until then, I hope you all have a wonderful day!
Ok you guys, as you can tell from the title of this blog post, I am obsessed with Thirty One products. If you guys have not heard of Thirty One, they are basically a company which sells bags, organizational products, even jewelery. And Just a quick disclosure, no I am not affiliated with this company nor am I sponsored by this company nor do I sell Thirty One products. I just want to pass along some good info and want to share my thoughts on something I am currently loving. But anyways, I really love this company because they have so many items to choose from and they can even personalize an item by adding a logo, your name, or initials. This would be a great way to label your child's lunch box (which I have done lol) or even just way to display your company if you have one. These products are made from durable material and I just love the quality of these products. One thing I'd like to mention about Thirty One is that every season they come out with cute and fun prints that coordinate with the season which I think is just awesome. The prints they come out with are always so cute and its just hard to pass them up lol.
I recently made a purchase during a sale that they had not too long ago and I really love the products I received. I plan to use these items several different ways. I will probably come back and make another post to show you guys these products in action. But for now here are some of the purchases that I made. I think you guys should check this site out if you haven't already. Don't get me wrong these items can get a little pricey when considering the personalization, shipping, and taxes but I think these items are so worth it. Also, if you host a party you can get a pretty good deal on some items. I have not done this yet but I plan to in the future. One other good way to save on Thirty One items is when they have their sales. This is probably the best times to stock up on their seasonal prints which will be discontinued and also just a good way to save on the items you may have been wanting. So yes. I highly recommend these products and y'all should just give them a go :) If you have any questions, feel free to comment. I will try my best to get back to y'all.
This is the Medium Thermal Zipper Pouch. What's great about this pouch is that it is thermally lined and can be used to store some snacks to keep cool. Don't get me wrong, you can store whatever your heart desires, but keep in mind the thermal lining which is food friendly lol. I love the flip flop print which may not come back in stock after this season. I'm not 100% sure but I'm loving this print for sure!
This is the Essential Storage Tote. I purchased 3 of these beauties mostly to put groceries in when I go grocery shopping. I went ahead and monogrammed mine just to show ownership and to add my personal flare to it lol. These totes are great and can store a lot!
Here we have the Badge Buddy and Oh-Snap Bin. I bought the badge buddy to store my work ID and any necessary cards that I use for work. The Oh-Snap buddy I plan to use in my car to keep trash in. Yes that sounds crazy I would use it for trash, but I would really use it to collect paper trash. Nothing like food or something that would stain it. These bins have a variety of uses but this is what I plan to use it for.
Here is the Fold-It-Up organizer and the mini zipper pouch. I have a kindle fire HD. Not sure if it will fit in it, but this organizer has so many pockets that I am sure I will find a way to make this work. I think this would be great to use when you're planning your finances or when you go grocery shopping. It will help you to keep track of your grocery list and your coupons. So we will see how this goes lol . The mini pouch would be great for makeup when you travel but I mainly bought it for my daughter because she gets sad when I don't buy her anything from Thirty One lol. Spoiled I know lol.
And finally we have the Deluxe Utility Tote which I also plan to use for groceries. This guy is really big and can store a large amount of groceries or anything your heart desires. This is is a bad picture lol but when I have this guy in action, I plan to share that with y'all.
So that is all that I have purchased from Thirty One in my most recent shopping trip. I hope you guys enjoyed this blog. Again, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments. Hope you guys have a great one. Peace!
