Do you Dare 2 Vogue?!

Recently I was contacted by Jacqueline, a representative from Dare 2 Vogue, to review their beauty boxes that will officially launch on Feb. 1st! I was super excited! I mean who wouldn't want to get tons of sample goodies from various companies, and they are a beauty products!?!?  I WAS IN! After researching more about the company, the more intrigued I am became. Dare 2 Vogue was not like the other companies that were out sending monthly beauty boxes, their contents were more focused on getting small businesses mass distribution and that was AWESOME! Getting monthly samples from smalls business to the masses for only $10/month is great marketing and I know from the beauty box that I have received already I have looked further into 2 of the companies!

So what could the low low price of $10/month get you mailed to your door!?!? A bundle of delight is what I call it. You get everything from beauty to fashion samples...a wide variety and to be honest..my bag had me at hellooo...

Overall, the price for the contents is AMAZING! I could have done without, what I call, the fluff and filler items like the lollipop and emery board though. But who wouldn't love a voucher for shoes and  the awesome bracelet! To be honest, I would have paid $10 for the Shakelogy sample, the bracelet and the voucher alone! I see great things from this company and as their contacts become more and more I can see the boxes becoming a great success!

Be sure to check them out at: Dare 2 Vogue / Dare 2 Vogue Facebook page / Dare 2 Vogue Youtube

I want to thank the awesome team at Dare 2 Vogue for getting me this wonderful beauty box! I appreciate it and can't wait to see whats in store for next month!

Read more...

NOTW: Glittery Zebra

Every knows that my nails were virtually nubs a few months ago but thanks to high quality H2O my nails are a pretty nice length for the most part. They are actually as long as I want them to be since I do do my own hair and its hard to braid for me as it is so having long talons is simply not going to work unless I pay someone else to braid my hair and yeah, that kinda defeats the purpose of being a beauty DIY-er.

So on YT I am subscribed to several awesome nail fanatics that create the most awesome designs at home. Now I am no where near as talented as these ladies, they have Yorkies, Santas, turkeys and everything else on their nails and I struggle to do a french manicure right but I figure that I could try out this manicure since being neat isn't a MUST.

I wanted an accent nail type of look so I just made the glittery zebra on one nail, which are my longest. I used French Beige from Karma Organics (thanks again for sending me this wonderful product!!!) and several glitters that I own. Now I don't have the prettiest glittery zebra but my nails is rocking some serious Lisa Frank right now!

Base Coat: Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Hardener
Polish: Karma Organics French Beige as base color/SH Rockstar Pink glitter/SH Strobe Light glitter/Sinful Colors Nail Junkie glitter/CG Dorothy Who glitter/CG Pom Pom glitter/Sinful Colors I love you glitter
Top Coat: Nubar Diamont Seal and Shine topcoat

I got the inspiration from this vid!!! Please check her out and subscribe she is awesome!

Read more...

Wet N Wild LE Baked Shadow palettes...FINALLY! Swatches Included!

Is it a shame that these babies NEVER hit my stores and I had to send down to friggin Louisiana to get them?!?!? I do believe that it is! I am going to need Wet N Wild to realize the market that they have in the DMV area because I shouldn't have to go all the way down south to get LE items from them....

FINALLY I got the baked shadow palette from the Limited Edition Color Icon collection. There are 3 palettes that each contain a "shimmer" eyeliner and I do use the word shimmer very loosely.

The first is the Bake Off Contest, which contains various blues, black, silver and a silver eyeliner. This palette has my favorite blue EVER! If you saw my look that I did for NYE it was done using this palette, the pictures do that blue no justice....I can't wait to do another look using that bright shimmery blue because I have NOTHING like it. First impression of the palettes is course it super pigmented and applies even better wet, but there is a ton of fallout! So beware if you have done your foundation prior to application because you may need to touch it up again after using this palette.

Next we have Baking a Cake, which consists of plums and pinks with a black eyeliner. Now this liner IS NOT, I repeat, IS NOT, shimmery at all. There isn't a hint of shimmer in this eyeliner. The shadows are pretty but I didn't get the POW that I was expecting from the fushia and the purple. Although I haven't worn this one yet, I am definitely anxious to try it out because I believe using these mixed with that blue from the Bake Off Contest palette would make an awesome combination!

When you want to take your neutral look to a whole other level, pull out the Baked Not Fried palette! Now this is my favorite complete palette including the slight shimmer colored copper eyeliner, I won't complain about how very lackluster the "shimmer" is because its an awesome color. These bronze, copper, marbled golds are simply amazing! Before I touch anything else I am touching these next....my jaw dropped at the pigmentation of these shadows in this collection!


Overall I love this collection because its simply different, nothing in any other collection come close to these colors that Wet N Wild has put out, and did I mention that rock'em sock'em blue! If you were lucky enough to get your hands on this collection, tell me your thoughts...for those of you that weren't...no worries I have a giveaway coming up soon ;-)

Read more...

I've Been Shopping: CVS Nail Haul

I know that I am not the only one that noticed that awesome 75% off sale that CVS had about 2 weeks ago....while I wasn't that impressed with my CVS' selections of makeup I did find some great deals on nail products and since I am a DIY'er when it comes to manicures and nail care I figure now would be a just as good of a time as any to buy some things that I have been eyeing.

I brought 2 Salon Effects: The purple was on sale for 75% off ($2.50) and the other was part of buy1 get one 50% off so I paid $4 for it.

Sally Hansen polish in Mint Sorbet.

Sally Hansen Diamond Nail Strengthener ( Love love love this!!! Review coming very soon)

Read more...

Fatshion Haul: The Avenue Shoe Haul

Most of you know that wide calf boots that are trendy and sexy have been my mission since the beginning of time. Why should chicken legs be the only ones that rock knee high boots and mid calf boots with no problem!?!? And no I don't want to spend $200 for 2 pair of boots, that is not economically feasible for me! Maybe I should rename this blog to the Plus Size Beauty and Fashion on a Budget because I am always trying to get the biggest bang for my buck and seeking sales and discounts. Hmmmmmmm, that is a thought....

Anywho! I picked up 2 pair of boots from The Avenue (online) during their Veterns Day Sale, everything on the site was 40% off so I got these 2 pair of boots for $60 including shipping!!!!!! Now the 2nd pair, the gray ones were discounted an additional 20% if I purchased them with the brown pair, so I mean really I couldn't pass that up!

What do you guys think!?!?

Read more...

Dear Natural Curls and Kinks....I miss you

~Ode to my Natural Curls and Kinks

I knew this was going to happen but I thought that I could do without you for longer than this. I don't believe that not even 6 months after putting some creamy crack in my hair that I am pleading for you to come back to me. Man I actually, dare I say, miss the 30 minute detangling sessions that we use to have. We bonded then and even though I would curse the day you were born, I never for a moment wished that I had any other hair texture other then the giant glob of confusion that I had in my head. People used to be in awe of my texture and I would just smile and say "if only you knew" but now I actually miss you.  See I was never one to want straight hair but more manageable hair, but what I wouldn't give to have you resisting the heat right about now. Now don't get me wrong, upon your return we are going to have some "discussions" but you are going to come back to me one day.....as the transition begins TODAY!

Not even going to lie to be able to better blend my weave I texlaxed my hair about 3 months ago now and while I love the manageability of my hair I am experiencing shedding beyond belief right now.  My hair is even shedding thru the hard protein treatment of Aphoghee!! I have tried everything and truly believe that my hair is not liking the chemicals that I put in my hair and I can't even be upset about that but I want my curly kinky hair back by this summer! My hair thank goodness doesn't really take perms that well so I could actually get away with a wash and go right now but I am going to NEVER TOUCH the creamy crack again. I am not going to do a full on Big Chop (where you cut all the permed hair out of your head and just basically start over) because I still want to rock my U-part wigs and wear my long hair don't care that I am in love with but I still want healthy natural hair underneath my wigs. So about every 3 or 4 months, which is how often I will update this portion of my blog is when I will cut off a few inches. I probably won't be fully natural for a while but as you can see from the pictures I have a pretty good start.

Happy Growing!!!!

Read more...

Fierce Face Friday: Giving you the Silent Treatment ft. Wet N Wild

Something simple but yet ultra sexy! Now you don't have to rock the red lips but I figure let me show them how sexy a red lip can be on any skin tone. So for my la' chocolate' sistas that don't want to rock a red lip for fear of how it would look, I lead by example.

Also for makeup beginners, makeup doesn't have to only include super high end items like NARS, MUFE or even MAC. Regular drugstore and BSS brands have stepped their games up and definitely worth a shot! This trio was $2.99 at my local Walgreens and I got it for 50% off because they are always having a sale. So stop by your local convenience stores and check out what their beauty section has to offer.

Here is exactly what I used on this look:
Eyes: 
TFSI
MAC Painterly paint pot on lid
WnW Silent Treatment Trio
"Dirty" Champagne-ish Purple color on lid
Dark Brown on crease 
Shimmery pink blended in crease and browbone
Revlon Deep Bronze as highlight
NYX Crystal glitter used on inner lid and inner lower lashline
Matte Black from WnW Greed palette blended into outer crease
UD 24/7 eyeliner in Zero on waterline
MAC black liquid eyeliner
Ardell Demi 101 lashes


Face: 
Anstasia Brow Powder duo in Ebony
Philosophy corrector trio in Dark
Studio Sculpt concealer in NW50 under eyes
MAC Studio Fix powder in NW50
NK blush in Golden Glow

Lips:
WnW liner in Brown
Loreal Infalliable in Beyonce's Red
Loreal LeGloss in Red Ravishing

Read more...