Jolie Bloom Review

I am always on a hunt for awesome skincare products.  I mean who doesn't want flawless skin?  After all my skin is my money maker in my industry.  As a makeup artist we always preach that a great makeup application starts with the care of your skin. So  let me introduce you to Jolie Bloom.  All of their products are handmade with  natural ingredients.  I'm such a sucker for natural skin care products.  There is something comforting in using products that have ingredients you can pronounce.They recently had their 2 year anniversary sale and this was the perfect time for me to give them a shot.  Not to mention I had the opportunity to do the owner Jheanells' makeup for her rebranding website.  If you follow her snapchat she always posts behind the scenes videos of her whipping up the products right here in Orlando to fulfill orders.  Also you will see her husband placing labels and packing orders to ship with the assistance of their 3 year old son! I love knowing that when I make a purchase that I am directly supporting a family who makes each product with love!Now on to the products! The 2 products I picked up was the Wake up Scrub for exfoliation and their Summer Time Shine essential oil body lotion.  I was a little bit concerned that the coffee smell would be too overbearing for me but it wasn't at all.  After you use this product your skin feels amazingly smooth!  You don't even need a moisturizer!  Also, typically I don't like to use oils on my skin but if you do your research oils are very beneficial to your skin. The Summer Time Shine is a good balance of lotion and oil.  I particularly use this as a moisturizer for my face and you really don't need a lot because a little bit goes a long way.  Literally my skin drinks this stuff up.  Also sometimes when I pour a too much out I just rub the rest all over my body.Also something special to know ahout this company is that Jheanell started this company 2 years ago in memory of her daughter.  I think it is amazing that she was able to turn something very deastating into something positive.  She has an amazing story and I'm sure there are many women that can relate.These products are amazing and if you are interested definitely check out the website for more at www.joliebloom.com and instagram @JolieBloom    ***Products were purchased with my own money and opinions are all my own

The Makeup Show Orlando 2016

 After a year hiatus The Makeup Show Orlando is back again at the Hyatt Regency Orlando 981 International Dr!  For a quick refresher on my experience from last year click here. So many new products launching at this show and so many deals you'll want to know about upfront.  Check out some of the discounts:Scott Barnes Beauty: New Multi-Media Foundation will be for sale along with his other products 30% off!Ricky's NYC: offering 25% off retail valueDermaflage: Launching fastFX- the fastest and easiest way to create dimensional injuries  Emmy award winner Melissa Street will be doing tutorials and they are offering 40% off at the show.  I'm actually really intrigued by this brand because they are used by makeup artists and medical professionals.Gleam by Melanie Mills: offering a show discount of 25% off.  I mean hello, who doesn't want to get their glow on?Eve Pearl Beauty Brands: offering a show discount of 50% offNorcosto Pro MUA: Offering buy one get one half-price on makeup palettesFrends Beauty Supply: Featuring Stilazzi products and Frends makeup cases as well as Ben Nye, Viseart and more.  Discounts will be offered at levels higher than normal pro discounts.  Word on the street is they increased their booth size to bring more goodies!The Lip Bar: Everything 2 for $30 featuring lipsticks and glosses.  I remember these ladies on Shark Tank!  Glad to see they are still pushing despite not getting the deal!AJ Crimson:  Offering 30% off.  I am actually working his booth (C10) so make sure you stop by to say hello and to grab some of his amazing foundations and lipsticks! Also something different they are doing this year is an exclusive Makeup Tour at Universal Studios. This is taking place on February 1.  Guest will join celebrity makeup artist James Vincent and Universal Studios' Michael Burnett for an exclusive tour of the park with some of the hottest makeup pros.   This includes full access to all of the rides and attractions at Universal Studios.  There are two options for purchase, 9am-7pm for $125 of half day ticket from 2pm-7pm for $78.  Guests can reserve their ticket with the purchase of The Makeup Show Orlando ticket or by emailing sophia@metropolitanevents.com.So lots of new and exciting things this year!For a complete list of the brands and schedule of events be sure to check out www.themakeupshow.com and also don't forget to purchase your ticket!

Nzuri Hair Products Review

As a natural haired girl one of the biggest struggles is maintaining moisture and maintaining hair growth.  I am always searching for products that will keep my hair moisturized but not weigh my hair down.  I am not of the the natural hair girls that care a lot about using hair products that are all natural.  For me I care more about results and if a product gives me great results and is made with natural ingredients its a double bonus!I was recently introduced to Nzuri products.  Just a little back story on the company, the CEO Leola Anifowoshe is a certified Trichologist and certified Herbal Therapist.  She started her company after being diagnosed with Sarcoidosis, a serious auto immune diseease.  After her diagnosis she started researching alternative medicine and natural supplements since certain drugs were causing her hair to fall out.  During the course of this time she developed "Nzuri Elixir" which helped her restore her hair growth and the rest is history.Nzuri has tons of products that promote not only healthy hair but  a healthy body as well. I thought this was unique because typically you will see companies that market hair products don't usually have supplements to promote a healthy body from the inside. For my review I chose the Hair Grow Max Moisturizing conditioner and the Revive and Restore 3 Hemp shampoo.Unfortunately the conditioner didn't work out for me.  Since I have so much hair I also typically use a TON of conditioner to not only moisturize but to also help me with detangling.  The size of this bottle would not last long with me and would not be cost efficient for me.  I didn't feel like I was getting the moisture or the "slip" my hair needs to help me detangle my wildly curly hair.  As far as the hair grow claims I can not speak on that because I am sure its something that I would need to use over time to see results.  So whenever use this product I also add in the current conditioner I'm using because I do like the ingredients of the Nzuri conditioner.The shampoo was EVERYTHING.  It has been difficult for me to find a shampoo that I actually like because most shampoos leave your hair feeling stripped.  The size of the bottle is fine for me because  I don't use a lot of product when I'm shampooing.  I also felt like it helped me with getting my curls loose and ready for the conditioner which is when I detangle my hair. There are so many different products on the site that will match your hair and body needs.  If you are really into natural products definitely check out www.hairvitaminstore.com !  *Nzuri products were provided for my review and these are my honest opinions

My Nail Journey

Anyone who knows me knows that I bite my nails.  I have bitten them for as long as I remember.  I do have anxiety and I find that I really really bite my nails during high stress times or situations where I feel very anxious.  To be honest its something that has been quite embarrassing.  I always hate when people are always telling me to stop biting my nails.  Its a bad habit, I know!  But lets be honest......do you really think I wans to be biting my nails????  Also as a makeup artist it is not very appealing to show up to a clients home with chewed up nails.  This year one of my goals was to stop biting my nails.  Don't get it twisted,  I have tried sooooooo many times to stop biting my nails and have failed.  But right now I'm proud to say so far its been about 1 1/2 month since I've bitten my nails!How I was able to stop was I got acrylics for 2 weeks and then I took them off.  Then I went and got the gel nail polish and so far I've been able to stop biting them.  Its definitely a daily struggle but I know I can keep it up.  And now that this is on my blog its my way of holding myself accountable! So to my fellow former nail biters, what are some tips that helped you to resist the urge and stop biting your nails?

Marilyn Monroe Spa Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress {Grand Opening}

Recently around town I have been seeing these cute Marilyn Monroe Spas pop up.  The name alone intrigued me and every time I would pass one, I tell myself I'm going to stop and check it out.  Unfortunately I just haven't had the chance.  So when I got invited to the grand opening for the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress location on Wednesday (thank you Bianca), I definitely didn't want to miss that opportunity.It was everything I knew it would be.  The decor was all white with red accents, so chic!  I experienced a massage which was amazing and much needed after a long day at work.  I got my nails painted in the color "Wink and a Smile" which was a beautiful cool toned pink.  P.S. how adorbs is the name of the polish? I asked Alyssa the price of the polishes and she told me with a nail service its $2.50 and $6.50 regular price.And of course the spa was decked out in beautiful photos of Marilyn Monroe!       This place not only looks fabulous but it is your one stop shop for pampering!  For more information on their locations and services check out Marilyn Monroe Spas.  Make sure to check out this specific location on facebook!

The Makeup Show Orlando 2014

I'm way late in getting this post out but better late than never!I always love when it's The Make Up Show time!  It's always the motivation I need to keep pushing towards my dream.  As a makeup artist we often times get into a funk and The Make Up show is the perfect way to get out of it!  Back in November I got the opportunity to work along side AJ Crimson at the Frends booth.  I couldn't believe it was happening for me because I remember the first time I met AJ at the first Makeup Show Orlando where he debuted his new cream foundations.  I also was the very first person to buy it!  And here I am 3 years later working next to him!  Such an honor and a blessing!  His foundations are truly amazing because he is an actual working artist so he knows first hands what makeup artists look for in a product.  Also I love how hands on he is with the product development.  One thing I learned working next to him that is if you want something, don't stop until you get it. It doesn't matter how big or small "it" is. I didn't need too many things for my kit see what i got below: Unfortunately The Makeup Show wont be back in Orlando until 2016.  Looks like I will have to venture out to one of the other locations!

November 2014 Blogger Meetup

This month's blogger meet up was host by the lovely Bianca of ElleBStyles.com at Sugar Divas Cakery.  Let me just say how fun and cutely decorated this place is!  It just screams creativity!  The owner Clare started off by giving us a brief bio on how her business came into existence.  Clare had been decorating since the age of 13 and started private classes at 15.  She had moved to Orlando Florida from England to work for Disney and was just laid off last year.  While working at Disney she was still yearning to get back into decorating.  Once she got laid off her friends and family encouraged her to finally start a cake decorating business.  In January of this year Sugar Divas Cakery is here!  They can create virtually anything you desire out of cake!After Clare demonstrated how to decorate with the icing we were on our own to create a master piece.  The 2 choices of cupcake were Champagne Strawberry and Ameretto Paspberry.  I chose Champagne Strawberry!  Let me just say……it's so much harder than it looks!  I think I'll stick to makeup lol  But actually trying to do it made me really have an appreciation for those that are blessed with that talent!Sugar Divas Cakery offers cake decorating parties that are 3 hours long and in the end you get your own individual cake!  I had so much fun and thank you for Sugar Divas Cakery for hosting us and thank you to Bianca for putting it together!For more information make sure you check out the Sugar Divas Cakery website!

Owner of Sassy Secret: Tate Arnonee

One of my favorite things to do is to learn about women entrepreneurs who are making their mark.  Meet Tate Arnonee.  A descendant of Zimbabwe she decided to leave her country to pursue the American dream.  She attended the University of Missouri and upon her graduation was a financial advisor for JP Morgan Chase for 4 years.  Tate ended up finding her true passion in the hair industry and she started Sassy Secret which is an online shop for lace wigs and hair extensions.  She originally started out making lace units and selling them on ebay and now has turned it to a legitimate and prosperous business. Sassy Secret hair has been featured in several publications such as Hype Hair, Teen Vogue and has been seen on a-list celebrities such as Kelly Rowland and Joy Bryant. One of the things I find most impressive about her company Sassy Secret, is that not only has she sold 5 million dollars worth of hair directly to consumers, but her company operates debt free and owns its facility and operations!  Check out Sassy Secret for products and pricing.

Premiere Orlando

 If you’re unfamiliar with Premiere Orlando, it’s like the largest beauty show in the US. It houses the best in hair, nails, dayspa and esthetics. So yeah, its kind of a big deal. There isn’t too much there for makeup artists, but that’s what The Makeup Show is for. Anyway I just wanted to show some of the stuff I bought while there! I got some makeup brushes from Morphe Brushes and also some lip wands. This brush line has definitely been generating some buzz on social media so I want to see what al the hype is about. The price point is awesome so what do you have to lose! I just HAD to restock on my Embroylisse lait crème moisturizer for my kit. While there they told me about the Hydra Mat cream which is a moisturizer/primer for oily skin. Can I just tell you that its AMAZE-BALLS!! I am going to do a separate post about it. Lastly I bought Sunny Isle bronzing cream by Pinnacle Cosmetics. It’s a private label cosmetic line based out of Toronto. Summer is here and its all about that golden goddess glow! So that’s it! If you attended premiere what did you buy?  

Annette Jones, CEO/Founder, California Lace Wigs & Weaves

As a celebrity it is imperative that you always look your best or you will be under some serious negative scrutiny.  This means that hair, makeup an wardrobe needs to be on point honey!  Today I'm going to focus on the hair aspect.  I got a chance to pick the brain of Annette Jones CEO/Founder of California Lace Wigs and Weaves who provides luxury hair for Hollywood's elite and customers worldwide!  She has contributed her professional advice to well known print and online publications such as Hype Hair, Madame Noir, About.com and now little old me!  Check out some of the celebrities seen rocking CLWW below:

 Check out Annette's answers to all my questions:What are the hair trends for 2014?THE NATURAL LOOK:Unprocessed and free! Women are loving their natural hair texture and seeking that natural healthy look. At CLWW we offer a variety of natural hair textures to wear while transitioning and to add that natural flair.PLATINUM BOB OR RAZORED PIXIE CUT:That perfect platinum in a bob or pixie cut is eye catching an takes a lot of confidence to pull it off. This color does not always flatter darker skin but it can be worn by women of many shades.  If you are ready for a bold brave change, contact CLWW and custom order a new-do today.HIGH BALLERINA BUN:This style is very simple, and fun and can be created quite easily at home.  You can wear it casual or on a night out.  This hairstyle allows the hair to be totally swept away from the face to accent a nice pair of earrings and a freshly made up face.  You can create this style with a wig or weave from CLWW.What is the best way to protect your edges when wearing lace wigs?Friction on your edges can be harmful and cause breakage while wearing lace wigs. Be sure to wear a stocking cap or netting underneath your wig to protect your hair and hold it in place.  Keeping your edges moisturized underneath your wig will protect it from breakage as well.What are some recommendations on how to keep hair from itching underneath the weave/wigs?Be sure to shampoo and condition your natural hair thoroughly before applying your wig/weave. Do this bi-weekly to keep your natural hair and scalp clean. To avoid bacteria from forming on the scalp and causing itching and irritation you can simply apply a small amount of Tea Tree oil mixed with a coconut oil to keep your scalp fresh and protected while wearing wigs and weaves. Never neglect your natural hair and scalp while wearing protective styles. Huge thank you to Annette Jones for taking time out to answer my hair questions!  I love chatting with women entrepreneurs! Don't forget to check out California Lace Wigs & Weave www.californialacewigs.com

Wet N Wild Petal Pusher Review

Wet N Wild is one of my fave drug store companies.  The pigmentation and the price point is absolutely insane! I wanted to share a look I did awhile back with their color icon palette in Petal Pusher.  Purple is one of my favorite colors to not only use on my eyes, but my clients as well.  It’s one of those colors that compliments all skin tones.  Whenever I wear purple eyeshadow it really brings out the green in my eyes.  The palette comes with 8 colors and its only $5!  Many of the colors are dupes for MAC eyeshadows as well.  My only complaint is that I wish some of the colors were matte.  So if you are on a budget but still want to be fly you should definitely check it out.  I also own Comfort Zone, which has more earthtones and Blue Had Me at Hello which has blue colors.  Let me know by commenting below if you want me to post a look using those palettes!*Purchased with my own money.  This is my honest review.

Current Natural Hair Products

I get asked what I use in my hair a lot.  The truth is for the most part I don’t always use the same things.  I’m always switching it up.  So this post is about what my flavor of the current moment is.  After getting my hair cut and dyed (I haven’t had a trim in about a year, shame on me), the stylist used some products that left my hair feeling really soft and looking very healthy.  I had to know what she used so that I could go purchase it myself.For shampoo and conditioning she used Joico Color Endurance which is to help me maintain my hair color and it doesn’t hurt that it is also sulfate free.  For styling my hair I like to use serums because they are lightweight. I’m using the Silky Smooth Moisture Serum by the S Factor which she also recommended.  For 2^nd and 3^rd day hair I use the Curl Enhancing Smoothie by Shea Moisture to maintain moisture.  I’m also going to start deep conditioning my hair once a month(I used to but I fell off) and decided to stick with the Joico brand since my hair seems to like it.  I chose the Joico K-Pak Deep Penetrating Reconstructor which I have yet to try so I will have to get back to you on whether my hair likes it or not.  I also bought a sturdy pick so for days when my hair is flat I can pump up the volume.  I bought all these products at Cosmo Prof which you need a professional license or must be a beauty school student in order to purchase there.  When I bought this stuff they gave me a sample of Sebastian Penetrait shampoo which I have yet to try.  So that’s basically it!  What are you loving for your hair?

JASS Products Review

JASS stands for "Just A Simple Solution".  They were nice enough to send me their "Original Kit" for review.   This kit has a total of 4 products which retails for $50. It contains Peppermint Clarifying Shampoo, Intense Moisture Treatment Conditioner, Shine spray, Fortifying Leave-in Treatment and Detangling Spray.My hair is natural and just like every natural girl there are two major problems: keeping in moisture and keeping it tangle free.  So I'm always down to try different hair products.  I've tried these products for about 2 weeks since I haven't been washing my hair too often with the cooler temperature change.  So lets get the review started.Peppermint Clarifying Shampoo:  This shampoo has tea tree in it which is supposed to be good for eliminating dandruff.  I really love the way this smells and I like the minty scalp feeling.  However, clarifying shampoos always make my hair super tangly and this shampoo was no exception.  Since its job is to strip your hair of all the product build up it can make your hair feel pretty stripped.  So this is something you only want to use to rid your hair of product build up.  I wouldn’t recommend using this on the daily.Intense Moisture Treatment: I really like this deep conditioner.  Especially after using the Peppermint shampoo this definitely adds the necessary moisture the hair needs.  This conditioner actually helps me with detangling.  Best part of this conditioner is that it contains ingredients such as jojoba oil, wheat protein, keratin and is free of parabens.Shining "Lite" Spray: Absolutely love the way this smells. Also this does add a nice sheen to your hair.  Especially as I stated previously with natural hair it can tend to look/feel dry.Fortifying Leave-InTreatment Detangle Spray: I was the least impressed with this product as a detangler.  I just feel like in general  detangle sprays don’t really do anything that spraying good old H2o can’t do.  All it does is make your hair moist so that you can comb through the tangles.  Most of my detangling is done when I’m conditioning my hair so I can’t really say that this spray helped with the detangling.  Now I will say I did use this to refresh my hair for a braid out and I liked it for that.  I use coconut oil as my only styling product and sometimes it can be come very oily.  Using the detangling spray before I braid my hair helps with controlling my oil.  So as a leave in conditioner spray it does its job.After using these products my hair feels super lightweight and squeaky clean.  For more information you can check out www.jassproductline.com !* I was sent these products for my review and these are my honest opinions.

It's A Wig HW Bowie Review

It’s A Wig was nice enough to send me one of their products for my review.  This was perfect timing for me because I definitely needed a break from my natural hair.  I chose to get a half wig because when I was transitioning to natural half wigs were like the only thing that got me through those rough hair stages!  I pretty much chose one that was very similar to the one I used to wear. The style is called HW Bowie and I got it in color P1B/33. Listen, I’m no hair connoisseur so I wasn’t sure what color would match my hair best so I did the best based on the website.  Of course when I got it because my hair is so many different colors the hair didn’t match me completely but I can still make it work. Since I did not order the correct color the only way I can really wear mine is by tying a cute scarf with it which I don’t mind.Shipping came really fast it came within the week which was really good because I am the most impatient person you will meet.  This hair is beautiful and looks just like how it looks on the website.  I don’t believe the hair is human but it feels really close to it.  This hair is also supposed to be iron friendly from up to 350-400 degrees.  I haven’t needed to curl it because it’s already curly and I don’t even own a curling iron so I can’t say if that claim is true or not.  Also it comes with instructions on how to put it on and blend with your hair.So far I have no complaints! You can find It's A Wig in beauty supply stores nationwide and also online at the following websites:

www.Ebonyline.com

 

www.blackhairspray.com/

 

www.aliexpress.com

 

www.divatress.com

 

www.elevatestyles.com

 

www.hairtobeauty.com

 

www.hairwigharlem.com

They really do have a wide variety of beautiful wigs and I already got my eye on a couple more.  Check out www.itsawig.com for more information!*I was sent this product for my review.  This is my honest opinion.

Park Avenue Fashion Show 2013

On Oct 19 the annual Park Avenue Fashion Show took place.  I have always heard such awesome things about this show but never had the chance to attend.  This year my best friend Carralyce from FitnFabMamas was debuting fashions from her new store "Red Carpet Couture" so I was attending to support her!  This fashion show was so well put together I was highly impressed!  Check out some pics from Red Carpet Couture which will be opening in November and is located at 180 Morse Blvd! She definitely has some statement pieces that fashionistas will love!Some of my other favorites from the show were ilash Works, Eyes & Optics, and Tuni.I loved how they found away to showcase their eyelash work but making it very interesting by putting it on shirtless men!  What an awesome idea!Next I was not only loving the fabulous Eyewear from Eye & Optics but hello the swimwear was amazing!  The designs were by Melissa Vivo who is awesome at what she does!Lastly I enjoyed the Hippie Chic thing the Tuni show had going.  I especially loved the head pieces. They wanted to show fashion with a social message!

Hair, makeup and fashions were phenomenal! What an awesome show! I can't wait for next year!  Photo credit goes to Steven Graffham unless noted otherwise.

The Makeup Show Orlando 2013

Ok so this post is super late but better late than never right? On Sept 28 and 29 The Makeup Show Orlando took place for the second year.  Check out my experience from last year here.  I was extra excited for this year because I just knew it was going to be bigger and better.  Last year hurricane Sandy prevented a lot of vendors from being able to come.  This year I was only able to attend on the last day due to work, which I quickly found out was not enough time for me to fully enjoy the show.  There were way more vendors and way more patrons.  I didn't get a chance to check out any seminars and I didn't take many pictures.  I was super focused on buying specific things for my kit.  The #1 thing on my list to buy was a Zuca backpack and they weren't even there!  That was my only huge disappointment with the show.  The #2 thing on my list was the AJ Crimson CCC palette which I was able to get thanks to my girl Lerenda who made sure I got it.  I really wanted to focus on things I really needed for my kit. Overall it was awesome to see the growth from just 1 year and I know next year it will be even bigger.

Here are a couple pics from the opening event:

Sunday show pics:

Juice Beauty Green Apple SPF 15 Moisturizer Review

My skin type is combination oily, which by oily I mean in my T-zone.  Now they say even when you're oily you should still moisturize, but it has been a tad difficult for me to find one that gives me moisture sans oiliness.  Through my ipsy subscription in one of my bags was the Juice Beauty Green Apple SPF 15 Moisturizer so I thought I would give it a try.  This moisturizer is freakin' awesome!  It moisturizes me and controls the oil.  It makes my foundation go on so flawlessly that I don't even need to use a primer.The best part about it is that its organic.  The first ingredient is apple juice! How amazing is that?  I loved it so much I was ready to buy it until I saw that $38.00 price tag.  Did I love it $38.00 much?  Is there a cheaper version?  Honestly I really haven't been able to find anything that compares to it.  The best thing to do seems to buy all the ingredients and make it myself.  Buying all the ingredients may cost me over $38.00 so it is worth the price.  I have to admit I did try to buy some of the ingredients so maybe after trial and error I can come back and share a recipe for combination skin.  Until then this moisturizer is definitely worth the money.*Second picture was taken from the Juice Beauty website.

Central FL Lady Bloggers July Meet Up

Last Wednesday I got the opportunity to attend the Central Florida Lady Bloggers July Meet up.  This is was my first meet up for this group and I was excited and a little nervous at the same time.  The meet up took place at Barnies Coffee Kitchen in Winter Park.  Since I have only been in Orlando for 1 year and I don't go out much I was really excited to find out about a new place. Upon entering I was greeted with their Ginger Ruby Red beverage which is AMAZING. This drink was one of my favorites of the night and it contains sparkling cava, ginger ice and ruby red grapefruit juice which every sip has a different flavor. This really set the tone and I knew I was in for a treat!Barnies even made custom menus for the event! There was a diverse group of bloggers from fitness, beauty, fashion to home decor! It was amazing interacting with everyone while enjoying some yummy food and drinks! We were fortunate enough to have the President of Barnies CoffeeKitchen Jonathan Smiga speak to us. I had no idea that Barnie's was headquartered right here in Orlando! He also talked about how they try to utilize local sources which I thought was commendable.I'm going to have to apologize in advance...I was so busy eating and drinking that I forgot to take pictures of it all.

I had such a great time. The food was awesome and now I have a new place to socialize and meet people. Barnies serves brunch on Sunday and I am definitely going to check it out because brunch is one of my favorite things to eat! Thank you so much Barnies CoffeeKitchen for taking such great care of us!"Like" Barnies on Facebook

Official Makeup Tutorial for Kelly Rowland's "Kisses Down Low" Video from Sheika Daley

Kelly Rowland recently released a new music video for her single "Kisses Down Low" that has sent makeup artists ablaze!  This video has a series of beautiful and colorful makeup looks.  Several youtube makeup gurus have already uploaded their own recreations of the look.  But now Kelly Rowland's makeup artist has officially created a youtube video tutorial on the looks she created! I think that is so awesome and I wish more celebrity makeup artists would do that.I already took away some tips just watching her work.  Man she makes it look so easy and she is a BEAST at what she does! How amazing was the highlighting and contouring! Did you see those brows!?  I loved how she showed the easy and quick transition from one look to another! Can you tell I'm excited!?Check out the video below and make sure you follow her on Instagram and twitter and don't forget to subscribe to her youtube channel![youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDzhlPGkaCw&w=560&h=315][youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0DJUTgkUIA&w=560&h=315]Photo screen shot from Sheika's Tutorial

BB Creams: Yay? or Nay?

So I asked my Twitter followers what topic would they like me to blog about next and the winner was BB creams.So let me bring you up to speed if you don't know what a BB cream is. BB stands for "beauty balm".  BB creams originated in East Asia and were typically meant to make the skin lighter.  Now that these creams have made it to our side of town, different BB creams do different things and have more of a color range.  BB creams are supposed to serve as a primer, moisturizer and give you a little bit of coverage.  Critics have said BB creams are nothing but an over glorified tinted moisturizer. I'll let you be the judge of that.I have only personally tried 2 BB creams which are the Garnier one and the Stila HD Beauty Balm.  I have oily skin so the Garnier BB cream makes me very oily, however they just recently came out with an oil free one.  This balm only comes in 2 colors which means it is not very brown girl friendly. The Stila HD Beauty Balm I do love its a bit on the pricier side but I use it as a primer. It has a little bit of color but when you rub it in the color disappears. I have to admit it does feel a little bit heavy on my skin and it does not offer enough coverage for me to wear on its own.Right now there is only one BB Cream that I am personally interested in trying which is  Celebrity Makeup Artist AJ Crimson's BB cream.AJ Crimson's BB Cream claims:

The new AJCRIMSON BB CREAM is formulated with more coverage than the average beauty balm! This is your multi-action skincare + Makeup that: Moisturizes, Protects, and Corrects all in one tube! Available in 8 Signature Shades.

Use your favorite shade of AJ CRIMSON BB CREAM as a makeup primer. Apply all over the skin, then lightly add (only where needed) your blend of AJ CRIMSON Creme Foundation for a light, flawless glowing skin that never feels weighed down.

If you check out AJ Crimson's instagram he has reposted pics before and after pictures of real women that have used his BB cream and honestly that is what makes me crazy about them. Right now he is having a sale where you can purchase them at $10 each! To purchase this and more click here.

I think BB creams are great for when you want a little bit of coverage without feeling heavy.  I think they are worth a shot in my opinion!  It's really about finding the right one that fits your skin's needs.  Which BB creams have you tried?

Photo and info from www.ajcrimson.com and http://ajcrimson.myshopify.com