Monday, October 10, 2011

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

Sunday, October 2, 2011

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

Sunday, September 25, 2011

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:









Monday, August 29, 2011

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

Monday, July 11, 2011

Beauty Booty How-To: Dry Twist Out for Natural/Curly Hair

My new favorite hair care guru goes by the name of NaturallyNike (on YouTube). I love the way her hair looks and all the great styles that she achieves. And since it was recently recommended that I try Miss Jessie's products for natural hair styling, I wanted to see if she had the chance to try it. It turns out that she has, and the results were impressive. Check out her tutorial below for a no-heat needed, twist out style using Miss Jessie's BabyButtercreme.








I also LOVED this updo she did (see below). Check out her tutorials for that also. Also, send us your comments and pictures. We'd love to see your variations on this style.

Twisted Updo - Part 1
Twisted Updo - Part 2















Jewelry That Says Bam!

There's an art to wearing jewelry, especially big, bold, colorful jewelry. Too many color, pattern, and texture combinations at once is sure to get you a "what the *!&$ is she doing?" look from me (just being honest, sorry) and whoever else might be personally offended by your lack of accessorizing-skills.

That said, I have always opted to keep it simple. One or two statement pieces at a time is all a woman needs to add that extra bit of fly to any outfit. So, I almost died when I saw the pieces from these next three designers.

Inspired by designs from the best place on Earth, Africa (wink wink), these pieces are bright, bold, and unique. They're all you'll ever need, ever again.


WHERE'S THE BOOTY?
These are from BeanPye ...
Bracelets start at $40. They also do earrings and necklaces. Plus, each piece is named after a famous songstress.




Visit the website and check out my personal favorites - the Ms. James (Etta) necklace, Ms. Stefani bracelet, and Ms. Braxton earrings (none pictured here).













I fell equally in love with Afrique Le Chic, which I came across on Etsy. In addition to necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, they also do body jewelry and hair accessories. I found these great earrings, $20, and this gorgeous ring, $15.







Last, but definitely not least, is Jypsea, which specializes in handmade leather goods. And if you've never had a pair of leather earrings, now's the time to get one. I loved these red kidskin leaf earrings, $20, the most, but they're all great. So, go find your own favorite.


Monday, May 9, 2011

Hot Pink Lipstick: A Privilege, Not A Right

A few months back, some friends and I went to MAC to restock our makeup supply and experiment with some new looks.

One friend decided that she was going to try this really, really bright pink lipstick. As skeptical as we were at first, I must admit, it looked great on her. It definitely wasn't an everyday color, but it worked.

Since then, I've been noticing a lot of people also attempt this trend. But not with the same success, unfortunately. I've seen super-hot pink lipstick on medium and dark brown-skinned girls. I've seen the Tinkerbell-inspired look: pink lipstick with baby blue eyeshadow and rosy blush (fellow tweeps, insert #FAIL here). I've seen it all. Hopefully, after this post, I'll never have to see it again.

Don't get me wrong - everybody can pull off pink lipstick. Yes, I said it. But go with the shade that works for you, not what you saw Beyonce wearing last week. (Beyonce is a celebrity, you're just a regular person who has to go to work everyday. And you can't go looking like that.)

But there are some celebrities who we can be inspired by. Take Sanaa Lathan (top), Alexis Bledel (middle), and Tichina Arnold (bottom).








WHERE'S THE BOOTY:
MAC has great pink lipstick options.



I really like Pink Nouveau, $14 (left) and Viva Glam IV, $14, (not pictured), a much rosier shade. Then there's their limited-edition Hello Kitty line - with two hot pink shades. (Again, not for everybody.)







L'Oreal has good dark and light shades. Here's Bella Donna Mauve, $9.











And don't forget brands like Wet & Wild, Black Opal, and NYX. Affordable and comes in a wide variety.



Other Options: Fellow blogger Brown Girl Gumbo has some great ones. Check them out here.