4 Amazing Moisturizing Conditioner for Relaxed Hair

For all of my Relaxed Hair Diva's our hair can get really dry making a moisturizing conditioner very important. I am always in search of the next best Conditioner. In search of something that is going to make my hair smooth and moisturized. So off to the drugstore I go....

Here are my Top 4 drugstore Moisturizing Conditioner

Pantene Pro-V Truly Relaxed Hair Moisturizing Conditioner:
 Leaves your hair so soft & manageable. Great  for detangling.

ORS Olive Oil Replenshing Conditioner:
Very moisturizing! Great slippage!! Can also be used as deep conditioner!

Aunt Jackie's in Control Moisturizing & Softening Conditioner:
Great for new growth when stretching your relaxer.

  Ogx Weightless hydration Coconut Water Conditioner:
Do not weigh your hair down! Leaves hair moisturized. Smells great!!

So anytime your hair needs a little moisturizing try these great conditioners. You will not be disappointed!!!

Have a blessed day!

5 Blushes for BEAUTIFUL BROWN SKIN

I know Blushes for brown skin!!! Some feel we don't need blush or why would I apply blush??? I don't want to look like a clown with this big red circle on my face. No my beautiful bronze goddess it's not going to make you look like Bozo the Clown and yes we too can "Rock the Blush" as well. It's all about picking out the right shade for your skin tone.

Here I have listed 5 out of many of blushes I believe will work brilliantly with all array of beautiful brownness that we share.

The first one is goes without mentioning really. If you have been wearing make for a while I know you have heard of this first one. 

MAC Blush in Raizin : This reddish-brown tone blush is a oldie but goody. Not too loud and awesome for beginners. This blush gets an honorable mention because it complements so many shades of brown skin tones.

MAC Raizin

Next one is so beautiful and is approved by the ULTIMATE MAKEUP ARTIST Sam Fine!!! LOL

Nars  Taj Mahal: A beautifully golden orange shade. So breathtaking!!

NARS Taj Mahal

Milani Baked Blush in Red Vino: This awesome blush has just enough golden sparkles that will make your cheeks pop!

Milani Red Vino

E.L. F.(eyes lips face) HD Blush in Encore : This Vitamin E enriched blush can look very alarming when first seen but don't let that alarm you. A little will go along way!!! This can be applied after you apply your foundation and before you set your face with your powder. This will make it last longer (for all my oily sista out there). This vibrant color can be blended gently  in a circular motion. Just give it a try I know we try to stay away from pink but this one we can rock!

ELF Encore

Bare Minerals Ready blush in " The Natural High": This golden peachy tone is very buildable and easy to blend.

bare Minerals The Natural High

And last but most certaintly not least is my favorite

Black Radiance blush in Raspberry: This looks absolutely marvelous on deep skin tones. The deep red tone is very pigmented and long lasting.  This may not be very easy to find because black radiance is not sold everywhere but I guarantee once you find it the price alone will put a smile on you face!

Black Radiance Raspberry

These beautiful blushes will only add color to your beautiful bronzed face. So don't be afraid try them out  makeup is all about expressing your self.

Have a blessed day!!

High Porosity?? Low Porosity??? Which one do you have????

Lately I have been seeing a lot of products coming on to the scene talking about the "porosity of your hair". I was like "Umm that's interesting. Do they know what "Porosity" means? And if they do know Do they know why they their hair has low or high porosity level??  And most of all Do they think these products will change it?

First things first lets go over what "Porosity" means. Hair porosity is the hairs ability to absorb and retain moisture.  There are 3 levels: Low, Normal, High.  The degree of porosity is related to the condition of the cuticle layer of the hair.
Hair that has a compact cuticle is naturally resistant to being penetrated by moisture which is called hydrophobic.
Hair with raised cuticle layer is easy to absorb moister is called hydrophilic.

Hair with low porosity(hydrophobic) has a hard time with processing chemical services so it requires a more alkaline solution. An alkaline solution will raise the cuticles allowing for saturation and processing to be done to the hair.
Hair with high porosity(hydrophilic) is usually hair that has been over processed. So less alkaline solutions with a lower pH level is needed.  Because the hair is so porous it will not retain any moisture it has absorbed.
Now that you know what porosity is lets do a porosity test so you can find out which one you have.  There are 2 tests that can be done.
Test #1
You can check from 4 different areas of the head.

• hairline
• temple
• crown
• nape

Hold the hair strand securely and run your finger along the hair strand.  If the hair feels smooth then your hair cuticles are compact,dense it is resistant(low porosity)
If if feels slightly rough it is porous.
If it is Very Rough, Dry, or Even Breaks it is highly porous and Over Processed(high porosity)

Test #2

• Fill a glass with water
• Take a couple of strands of clean hair and drop them in the water
• Wait 2-4 minutes

If the hair sinks immediately it has a High Porosity.
If it raises back to the top it has Low Porosity.
If it floats somewhere in the middle it has  Normal Porosity.

Now that you did  all of that and you know what your hair porosity level is here are things you can do to manage and or  improve your porosity level leading you to a healthy hair journey.

If you have discovered you have High Porosity hair:

• Routine hot oil treatments are very important and necessary for you.
• Leave - in conditioners, protein treatments are a must.
• Try to use creamy thick deep conditioners
• Eat a protein rich diet.*Remember we are what we eat! What you put inside affects what grows outside.*

Clues for high porosity hair:
Really quick drying time
Dull hair / lack of shine
Over processed
Tangles easily

If you have discovered you have Low Porosity hair:

• Deep condition your hair with heat. ex: Sitting under a hooded dryer, dryer bonnet, or warm towel is your best friend!!
• Use clarifying shampoo's to remove buildup

Clues for low porosity hair:
Does not retain moisture
Does not hold styles
Product easily buildup on surface of hair
Hair butters leave hair feeling oily

So do you need products specifically geared for your porosity level? NOOOOO!!!!!
All you need to do is make a conscience effort and make the products you have work for you.  Don't over process your hair with different chemical services( relaxer and/or color) and heat damage.
Listen to your hair and give it what it's asking for.
This will always lead you to healthy hair.

Have a blessed day!
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5 Gorgeous Lipsticks for Beautiful Brown Skin

Lipsticks on our skin whether we are cafe au lait, mocha, butter pecan, or deep chocolate can be very beautiful.  There is no limit to what we can do we can choose colors that are Neutral,Classic and even  go B-O-L-D!!. We can wear them all!!!
Here are just a few to try:

1.If you are looking for something neutral that can be worn anytime than Teddy Bear by Milani is the one to get!  This lipstick is a beautiful cool tone nude. Even though it is a matte it is still very moisturizing leaving your lips soft and smoothe.

Teddy Bear

2. Another nude that looks absolutely stunning on darker skin is by Dior Nude in Twill. This lipstick has a caramel shade tone to it.

Twill

3. Nothing says"Classic" like a red lip. Allow me to introduce to you Dior's Blazing Red.  This lipstick has a bright red hue with a orange undertone. So classic and elegant.

Blazing Red

Now that you got your nudes and a classic red that every women should have now lets step on the wild side and get a couple of statement colors that will make everyone say" Who's that Lady?!!"

4. Let me suggest Givenchy Le'Rouge in Mandarine Bolero.  This is a awesome tangerine shade lipstick.  Wearing this lipstick you must let your lips do the talking and your makeup be the background singers. With the great lip liner you are ready for the world!!

Mandarine Bolero

5. Another statement lipstick but on the opposite side of the spectrum is Cyber by Mac.  This deep purple will make be make your confidence level soar to the next level!

Cyber

All of these beautiful lipsticks look gorgeous on our beautiful brown skin, so get out there and explore the wonderful world of color.

I believe all women are PRETTY without makeup - and can be PRETTY POWERFUL with the Right Makeup!!!

Have a blessed day!

Oscars 2016 Best Makeup

This year Oscars 2016 Best Makeup goes to Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington looked absolutely Beautiful last night!!! Her sexy tousled ponytail and simply gorgeous makeup was just outstanding! She is such a classic beauty!
Neutrogena could not have chosen a better representative for their products. She always looks so elegant and beautiful.

First Kerry skin was prepped with Neutrogena's Hydra Boost Water Gel.

 Using Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Liquid Foundation in Cocoa.

Then her cheekbones was contoured with a flesh toned blush to top it off on her lips was  neutral shade lipstick.

 Then to top it off on her lips was  neutral shade lipstick. 

Bringing together a Elegant, Classic, Gorgeous look.
She looked totally stunning!

Congratulations Mrs. Kerry Washington for a "job well done"

Have a blessed day!

My 2016 Oscar Favorites

I know there was so much controversy around this years Oscars but the hair stylist and makeup artist in me could not keep myself away. I love the red carpet, checking out everyone beautiful gowns, hair and makeup.

But before I get into who were my favorites  I want to say "Congratulations!!" for winning their first Oscar.  This goes to the hair and makeup team:  Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega, Damian Martin for winning "Best Hair and Makeup" for George Miller film Mad Max: Fury Road.

Now some of my favorites on the red carpet was Charlize Theron wearing Diore' Haute Couture

Charlize Theron

Lady Gaga wearing Brandon Maxwell

Lady Gaga

Priyanka Chopra styled beautifully in Zuhair Murad

Priyanka Chopra

And of course my girl Kerry Washington looking  beautiful as always rocking Atelier Versace and shoes by Gianvito Rossi

Kerry Washington

Now I can not leave the men out. There was some handsome men strutting down the red carpet as well.

Kevin Hart rocking Dolce & Gabbana

Kevin Hart

Chadwick Boseman wearing such a classic look by  Giorgio Armani

Chadwick Boseman

And this handsome young man named Abraham Attah who was wearing Dolce & Gabbana

Abraham Attah

Now I loved  Abraham classic tuxedo suit but that was not the only reason he landed as one of my favorites for the night, The most amazing thing that I believed that should have  been talked about  was that Abraham Attah wore TOMS shoes! Okay Vanessa so what's so special about that? Well by him wearing TOMS shoes they will be donating 10,000 pairs to his home country of Ghana!!! 

Now that I believe is Awesome and Newsworthy!!!

Have a blessed day!

Boxer Braids????? NO IT'S CALLED CORNROWS!!!

Lately there have been so much controversy going on about cornrows or what some are trying to call boxer braids. REALLY... BOXER BRAIDS!!!!!  People are wanting to change the name, and origin. I guess those same people must have been born yesterday because there is no way they can actually believe what they are saying!! But no  I'm going to give those people the benefit of the doubt, maybe they don't know the history!! Well allow me to give a short, (I mean very short) history of its origin!


Cornrows has been worn over centuries to symbolize: status,age, kinship, and ethnicity. Cornrows has also been known as canerows. They were not only widespread in Africa but  they go back as far as 500 B.C.. The African people of Namibia have been braiding their hair for centuries. 

Through out and even after the Civil War African American adults was straightening their hair, but the children hair was still being cornrowed.  

In the 1900's school girls was beginning to wear their hair straightened due to the straighten comb invented by Madam C.J. Walker(but was patented by a French women named Annie Malone).

But by  1969 we were back in full swing with Black Power and wearing our African rooted styled hair.  In the 1970's Afro's and Cornrows was steady rising and being worn by many women.

Then in 1972 Cicely Tyson shocked Hollywood when she wore cornrows in the movie "Sounder". In the black community we were already wearing cornrows and other braided styled hair but never seen anyone on the silver screen do it.  Cicely Tyson cornrow style braids was both stunning  and liberating! She even rocked Cornrows on the cover of Jet magazine.

As hip-hop emerged women and men wore braided styles. The styles were beautiful and expressed our love for our culture. They were even adorned  with beads or shells some of the times.

Cornrows and many other braided styles have been worn in our community for many years with extra flare and style. They have been worn down the red carpet and even in the board rooms.

Now that I have given a very short history lesson about Cornrows no recent celebrity can take credit for a style that has been worn for many centuries!!
We love our " Cornrows" and the history it brings with it!!

Have a blessed day!

Beauty Products you Gotta Try!!!

There are so many cool and new things in the drugstore! When I go to CVS or Walgreen's I get side tracked and leave out with more than I came for, or better yet I don't even get what I came to the store for! LOL !
But any way here are a couple of items that you must try!!!

Garnier  Micellar Cleansing Water: It's a makeup remover,cleanser and hydrator. Just add a little to a cotton ball and wipe away! NO RINSING REQUIRED!!Yesss!!!!

Biore' Pore Penetrating Charcoal Bar: If  you are having breakouts try this! This will clean your skin and the charcoal will unclog your pores. Awesome!!

Rimmel London Wonder Lash Mascara: This mascara separates and lengthens your lashes. NO NEED FOR FALSIES!! Great!!

Milani Color Statement Matte Lipstick in Flirty: It's a rich deep berry shade that is very comfortable(especially for a matte lippie) and long lasting.  This lipstick is infused with grape seed oil extract so it won't dry out your lips! Wonderful!!!!!

Covergirl truNaked eyeshadow palette in Roses:  With this awesome palette you get different finishes;matte,shimmer and a little sparkle. This makes it great to do a complete eye look with this one palette! How awesome is that!!!!!

These beauty products are awesome and won't hurt your pocket!!

Have a blessed day!

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