Beauty Booty Inspiration: Supermodel Liya Kebede

Liya Kebede isn't my favorite supermodel ever just because of her striking looks.

As the face of designers like Tom Ford, Dolce & Gabbana, and Yves Saint Laurent and the first black women to represent Estee Lauder, supermodel Liya Kebede has knocked down many doors in fashion for women of color. However, as a native of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Liya has used her name to shine a light on the maternal and child health and mortality in developing countries. Says Kebede, "As an Ethiopian and a mom, I couldn't help but to be involved with the issue of maternal and child health."

Liya Kebede shows us that regardless of what your "job" might be, you can (and should) have a passion in life and develop that passion to make the world a better place.



Learn more about her charitable efforts and how you can get involved with the The Liya Kebede Foundation. You can also check out part 1 of 3 of Liya's episode of CNN Revealed.

You Want Me to Wear a Wig?!!

What does everyone have against wigs? Well, nothing anymore. Turns out, a lot of women, including a lot of my friends, wear wigs all the time. You just can't tell. But today's wigs are nothing like those weird, plastic-looking ones that might come to mind. These days, its all about the half wig.

Half wigs are great because they allow you to blend your own natural hair with it, which makes the look a lot more natural. And best of all, it lets you experiment with a bunch of different styles, without the long-term commitment of a relaxer, color, weave, or haircut.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm fascinated by the whole thing, and I can't wait to try one. Here are two videos I found that better illustrate the "transformation". In the first video, missdiamond3456 (check her out on YouTube) is using the Rihanna half wig by Outre, $21.99.



In the second video, muffinismylovers (also on YouTube) of Many Faces of Beauty is using the Modu Anytime TrueMatch half wig, $27.99.




WHERE'S THE BOOTY:

Some great brands are Sensationnel, Outre, FreeTress, Modu, and Motown Tress.

There are a bunch of websites that sell these half wigs, and others, like ProBeauty Supply, ClairHair, and HairSisters. But for those of you who are impatient like me, try your local hair supply store.

Halloween is Coming - Make Me Look Pretty!

I'm actually looking forward to Halloween this year. That said, I really want a makeup look that's more dramatic than the usual, but not too scary. I found these video tutorials for some believable Halloween looks that are still super-pretty.

For those of you who are adventurous and want to try to recreate these looks yourself, I've included the list of needed items at the bottom of this post. Happy Halloween!














Dark Fairy:
Eyeshadow base
Loose powder
La Femme eyeshadow in Aqua
NYX white eyeshadow
MAC Reflects Transparent Glitter in Teal
Black gel eyeliner
Glitter eye liner in blue
Black eyeshadow
Black lip liner
Clear rhinestones & makeup adhesive
Obsessive Compulsive lip tar in Tarred
Brushes: small eyeliner brush or artist's brush, small eyeshadow brush; medium brush; large fluffy brush; small angle brush

Witch:
MAC Studio Fix foundation
Eyeshadow base
NYX eyeshadow in Lime Juice
MAC Kelly Green pigment
Mixing medium
Eyeshadow in 3 shades: jade green, grassy green, & white - try the Ben Nye palette
MAC eyeshadow in Plumage or any forest green shade
Revlon liquid eyeliner
Black eyeliner
Brow wax (how to use brow wax)
3 green rhinestones: small, medium, and large
MAC DUO adhesive
MAC Red Enriched lipliner
MAC Viva Glam I
False lashes (optional)
Black mascara
MAC blush in Blushbaby
a few strips of scotch tape
Brushes: artist's brush; eyeshadow brush; Stila #5 brush; MAC 239 brush; MAC 217 blending brush; smudge brush (MAC 219, Essence of Beauty or other similar one)

Classic Pin-Up Girl:
Eyeshadow - 2 to 3 shades lighter than skin tone
Gray-brown or black eyeshadow for brows
Pearl eyeshadow
Gel eyeliner in black
Black mascara
False lashes
Pink blush
MAC Red Enriched lipliner
MAC Viva Glam I
Brushes: medium brush; angled brush; blush brush; lip brush

Halloween Kitty:
Black eyeshadow
Ben Nye MagiColor liquid paint in black
Ben Nye glitter in Black Diamonds
Make Up For Ever eye seal
MAC Full Coverage creme foundation in black
Craft spatula - small
Eyebrow brush

Beauty Booty How-To: Give Yourself A Home Manicure

If you're like me, you (A) don't get manicures all that often (B) get manicures sometimes but they never last (C) want to save money, but have no idea how to give yourself a true at-home manicure or (D) try to paint your nails and make a complete mess every time.

Well, I found this video recently from juicystar07 (check her out on YouTube). For a novice like myself, this was a super easy, clear video on how to give a home manicure. I think I'll be giving this a try ...





HERE'S THE BOOTY:

Nail polish remover
Cotton balls
Bowl of warm water
Nail clippers
Nail file, preferably glass
Cuticle oil
Cuticle pusher
Hand cream
Base coat
Nail polish
Top coat
OPI drip dry

Its the Weekend! Take Your Makeup from Day To Night

With as little as four steps, you can transform your everyday, work-appropriate look into a look fit for a night out. Here's a simple tutorial that I found on YouTube, using just 4 basic products.




For more makeup tips by her, check out her blog at MakeupByRenRen.blogspot.com


WHERE'S THE BOOTY:
(Click for more info)

MAC Select Sheer pressed powder NC40
MAC Royal Assets Metallic Eyes Holiday Palette: Velvet Lady & Creme Royal (a holiday collection, but you can find the black and gold shades in any palette)
Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner in Blackest Black
MAC Viva Glam V Lipglass

There's No Better Hair Than Hers ...

When it comes to hair that's edgy but still sophisticated, easy to maintain, and a good fit for a variety of women, nobody does it better than ...

Victoria Beckham!

I love her, if you can't tell. I know, it's a weird love to have - but her hair is fabulous, what can I say? When I went to cut my hair for the first time, it was her picture that I brought with me. And as I've been transitioning my hair over the past few months, I constantly check in to see what she's doing.

If like me, you're adventurous with your hair, and are looking for a change, here are some looks worth trying:

This Fall, I'm Head Over Heels!

I must admit, I can't wait to go shoe-shopping for the fall! This time last year, I was all about the ballet flats. But this year, its ALL ABOUT THE HEELS. From suede booties to peep-toe stilettos, animal print to studs, it seems like the designers finally got it right this time. Ah well, there goes my budget. Let the shopping begin!


Carmen, $89, Dillards.com





















Hurtgen, $130, Aldo's Shoes






















Lunnar, $100, Steve Madden




















Shearling bootie, $99, Colin Stuart for Victoria's Secret




















Skylar, $110, Guess




















Madden Girl Raleigh Ruffled Platform Bootie, $50, DSW


















Cut-out Mary Jane, $68, Colin Stuart for Victoria's Secret





















Torrance, $55, Michael Antonio for Piperlime