dont miss it-national curly hair meetup

EEEK!! yall have no idea how excited i am about tomorrow's first annual NATIONAL CURLY HAIR MEETUP in the DMV. I just think its so cool we were able to coordinate across the country for cities and states to band together for one huge meetup day. I actually haven't been to a meetup in a while so i cant wait to see my curly sisters. we get together and you'd think we've known each other for years...well actually dmn near 3 yrs for me. soon as i found out the date i blocked it off on my calendar to make sure i wasn't doin OT. I also have my sister's prom that night so i'll be pretty dmn busy but my curlies give me all the energy in the world. stay tuned for tons of pics to flood my blog on Monday cuz its SURE to be the talk of the town!! We got some really good sponsors and of course i'll do my haul of goodies from the fabulous vendors that'll be there.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE when u see me tap me on the shoulder or tap dance on the back of my head to grab my attention (ok dont tap dance on my head cuz you'll get ya azz whooped for that one) cuz i cant wait to meet new faces. im all over the place during meetups wit mingling and shopping. this is more than just a meetup its gonna be a family reunion honey!!

amazing concealer/mac skin smoother review

Ever since gettin into makeup i really never worried about the dark circles under my eyes becuz i've had them for so long i became immune to seeing em! its just apart of me that i've learned to live and accept **shrugs** however nooow since i go full face or at least semi-full, if nothing else when i keep my face quick n simple-straight to the point i MUST have concealer on. it brightens my eyes instantly. I think i have like hmmm...maybe 3 now! 1 bobbi brown and 2 mac's and they all do the trick. i recently added this one, amazing concealer to my roster becuz a few months ago i seen a review on it from April aka missmuffins (she reviews wigs on YT) and figured i gots to try it.

Now normally just to PREP my face can be anywhere from 15-30 min (it takes longer when i have to stop and sing) but i wanted to test this concealer out without preppin so i could tweak it and see how and if i could make it better. LET ME JUST SAY: i love it :) i would use it everyday if it weren't so dmn expensive >:< the price is definitely a turn OFF for me. i got the travel size for $30 (0.2oz) and the "full size" is $42 (0.5oz) its thicker than Precious left thigh but is PERFECT for covering those stray hairs in between brow waxing/threading. its sooo good it covers tats (although u'd have to keep building n packin it on) i really do like this for covering dark circles but what i DONT like is:

it freakin CREASES!!! however it doesn't make me turn my back on it not for one minute becuz i've found a combo to counteract it:

remember this??? I got it during the last collection n decided to give it a try, mac prep n prime, skin smoother ($30). I was instructed to use it AFTER ur concealer creases becuz again its to smoooooth it out. LET ME JUST SAY: it does a dmn good job of filling in lines and wrinkles. since it mattifies and evens the skin tone i play'd around with it and now along with under my eyes i also add it to my T-zone. what i DONT like is: it feels greasy!! just a warning...i use my fingers to apply and the creamy texture melts with the touch of ur body temp. This would be good for dry skin but i definitely wouldn't get it for oily skin oh nooo!!!

the amazing concealer i'd definitely give a try BUT wit the price i'd wait to grab it at sephora during their 15% off sale-better yet i heard sometimes Ulta has em as BOGO (i gotta be on the lookout for THAT one), the prep n prime smoother...eeeeh its a keeper for ME but not a major must have IMO. i have made it apart of my prime routine though ESP for my under eyes. I apply the smoother 1st, LAMIK skin brightner 2nd (or sometimes i skip this step), apply concealer and set with mac transparent powder BAM perfect combo!!

ooooh whats on my lips: so here's my purple lip combo! its mac's lippie in Heroine (Reel Sexy collection)

since its a MATTE u gotta make sure those soup coolers (lips) are exfoliated becuz mattes can be drying and this one is. what i do is line my lips with the eye kohl pencil in Resort (Reel Sexy):

then i add the lavender color cremesheen in Cinestyle (Reel Sexy)

and add the lipstick on TOP n VOILA!!! By lining the lips (sometimes i'll fill it in) my lipstick stays on longer and i get the shine when i add the cremesheen so my lips arent so dry with the matte finish of the lipstick **swoon**

bianca devine is doin fine

oooh i dnt think i've talked about my hair in a loooong time! i've been damned so long (coming soon in June too) that i got lazy! Im down to styling ONCE a week and even thats becoming a task! After i do my normal wash, dc, detangle n style i keep it twisted for a few days, twistout with NO fluffing. By day 4 it'll frizz out-Day 5 its officially a fro and Day 6 and maybe 7 its in a puff. my puff is a lazy day 4 me. actually the more i wear it OUT the more i end up with shedded curls n i have to fight my hair to detangle >:< its so funny becuz although it'll be 3 yrs in Sept, im no longer obessed with my curls! my honeymoon stage is OVER and i find myself wantin to do less as possible so i dnt even have to deal with it. maybe thats why i have the itch to cut it-AGAIN!!!

Lately, my main products have been washing with As i am- Curly Pudding, conditioning w/Hair Rules and DC'in with DB mask. Ever since i've been undamned i've only been reachin for Afroveda's butters to style and her pur gelly to hold. it stays moisturized up to 3 days so in between i'll just spritz on some Oyin JnB. My main reason for havin an itch to cut is becuz i think i've found an obsession with growing n cutting! i enjoy the process of growing becuz i mean...thats the easy part but i hate this middle stage im in. Its not short but its not long and i just really want some shape to it. I got henna on my "to do" list but its tough tryin to squeeze in time to mix, let it sit to release the dye and apply, let it sit for 4-6 hrs, rinse-rinse-rinse-rinse and rinse again then condition n style! UGH!!!!

oooh whats on my lips: NYX African Queen! i love NYX glosses, they are lightweight and long lasting. I normally scour ebay to grab em cheaper or in a lot (bundle) but u can easily find em in the beauty supply stores and Ulta.

life is such a DRAG!!

I have a confession...ok well its sorta NOT a secret but i just wanna shout it out to the world...I AM HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE WITH DRAG QUEENS!!! u have NO idea. I think it all started when i was younger and seen this gawjuss lookin man who was singing U BETTA WERK

i was too young to know or understand "gayness" and even though my mom knew a few i had no need to ask questions but she never kept it a secret that Uncle Tee wasn't interested in the laydeez **shrugs** anyhoo...lemme fast forward so i dnt DRAGGGG this out (hahaha) i discovered RuPaul's DragRace around Season 3. The only time i ever watched the LOGO channel was when "Noah's Ark" was on and since they took that off (im still actually pissed about it and i write the producers n show every once n a blue moon---no really i do) i had no interest but lo' n behold one day i was flippin through n came across the show and was instantly mesmerized. I became attached but NOT obsessed. Then Season 4 comes on and next thing i know...its added to my DVR list.

I actually think my obession wit drag is just the way they carry themselves. They are almost like an alter ego of mine! they talk shyt with no apologiez, fierce n over the top. i love it. even the fat ones step on stage and u can NOT tell them Beyonce got anything on them honey! im always in awe of when they put their makeup on and how so i'll pause n rewind to study their faces. the more i watched the more attached i got to them and yes, i cried when someone had to "sashay away" :,( The top 3 finalist were definitely who i'd pick from the beginning and i must say it was a tough decision BUT i have my fav's who i just didn't wanna see leave:

   LATRICE ROYALE

"large and in charge-chunky yet funky" i fell head over heels in love wit latrice, not just cuz she's black n reppin the fluffy girls but becuz she kept it classy the whole show. normally on reality shows ESP competitions u see them start out all nice n sweet then towards the end the claws come out. she was not into drama n talked about u to ur FACE! **sniff** now i definitely cried the most when she had to leave! i tell u what...i cracked the heck up when she did her skit talkin bout "i dont do nuts"

ok so my next fave was serving LIL KIM REALNESS:

KENYA MICHAELS "Miss I AM FIERCE" was serving me good face, hair n body...i mean this bytch's body is AMAZING!! i dmn near think she has NO balls cuz its just tucked so well. she is just too cute and adorable and i just wanna eat her up!

and my all time favorite drag i've ever come across in my life....

SHARON NEEDLES "when u get boo'd on stage its merely an applause from ghost"

i really took a liking to sharon becuz she was everything the typical drag is NOT. she's not prissy, pretty, gorgeous, barbie-like and doesn't care to be. she literally didnt give a phk! a few episodes in she staked her claim "I AM THE FUTURE OF DRAG" and i knew she'd be the top 3 n dmn near the winner (which she is). i scratched my head after she said it becuz for so long we're use to the bombshell and the typical "pretty" of drag and here she was comin through the door and goin against the grain to be everthing BUT! i loved every gory bloody nasty n horrifyin thing she did and she definitely deserved the crown!! BOOOOOOOOOOOO

ok so if u stuck around this long even though u have no interest in drags or im obsession of them, i wanna announce u will be hearing me talk about drags for the next 7 months becuz:

IM GOIN ON THE RUPAUL DRAG RACE CRUISE IN DECEMBER **EEEEEEEEEK***

My fellow curly sister, marci, put me up on the cruise info and i jumped on it ASAP!!! my dreams have come true and Dec. 2-9th i will be cruuuuzin along with my fav's mentioned above PLUS some. im so ready for summer to be over by now u have NO IDEA!! i knew nobody else would share my same interest in this cruise and luckily marci became available to be my roommate :) u have no idea how much of a happy camper i am. i am SO ready!! i actually know im gonna phkn faint, pass out, become conscious, scream and faint again all in that order when i come face to face with these chix. mmmm cant wait to see Mariah from Season 3:

and when i come and bow before the original drag queen himself i will be serving GROUPIE REALNESS but im gonna need him to sign my book first lol:

so bare with me guys...i will be in drag mode and tossin out drag slang for months to come!! NO SHADE NO TEA but is it December yet????

My mother's day was....

 FREAKIN AWESOME!!!! let me just say...as much as i loooove mason and being a mom, i also value MY alone time just as much. This little boy is without a doubt my sidekick and no matter how many times i put him in his OWN bed, he seems to find his way back under my arm around 2am **sigh** (yea still workin on that). i looove me some mason and he loooves him some mommy HOWEVER....i'd also like to enjoy quiet time and doin absolutely positively NOTHING!! Mother's Day weekend i was actually working. i had to finish up my final exam (which took a grueling 3 hrs) and research paper, and here comes lil ol' mason requesting to go to grandma n grandpa's house only becuz he wants to be with Auntie YaYa. Well since i had to work i had no time to drive an hour to F'burg n back so clearly my answer was NO!!! well lo' and behold the BEST STEPMOM in the world calls me like 30 mins later to let me know their coming up to DC to be tourist for the day **ANGELS SING**

wooooo hooo!! what an awesome God who answered my prayers!! **fist pump** right after my exam, i fixed his bag n kicked him out...ok well not like that buuuut close enuff. I dropped him off downtown n headed into work. I get peace and he gets to kick it wit his auntie:

Sometimes i honestly have NO CLUE on how mothers with 2-5 kids have enuff sanity of alone time becuz its so much easier for someone to volunteer to take ONE child but u get nothing but **crickets** when u got 2 n 3 kids. i know how much of a joy mason is to watch and is definitely obedient but i just cant imagine more than one of him to get rid of to babysit him! Mother's Day i dnt ask for much, i just want time to self. Sunday, i enjoyed brunch wit the gramnea before heading off to work but not before gettin doll'd up for the day :)

My lip combo (which ill talk about later) has easily become my favorite!! I really never thought i'd be into a purple lip after my disappointment with the all my purple life lipglass. But this Heroine (mac) isnt as dark AND i kinda lighten it up with my lavender cremesheen UNDER it.

Noooow peep the cheek....are u ready...ok so its a combo of 3: contour'd with Blunt (mac), bronzed with Soleil (milani) and highlighted with soft n gentle (mac) EEEEK!! i loooove it. Milani is easily one of my favorite drugstore brands and have really been impressing me lately. I actually was on the fence about gettin this bronzer becuz after my Nars Laguna disaster **bitin nails** i been scared but for $7 i said hey what the heck!! i looove the last baked blush i picked up from them:

I picked up Rose D'oro just off a whim! i had only tried the baked shadows so i figured the blush would be a hit or miss but surprisingly i fell in love. i found myself reaching for it more often than not :) My next color i wanna find is Fantastic Mauve:

So dont sleep...Milani is VERY impressive and if u ever come across their bronzers (i think they have like 3) dnt be scared to try em! They glide on the brush smoothly and i dnt get as much fallout as i do from mac's skinfinishes. also i like how it doesn't take much for it to show up and it gives a really nice SUBTLE glow. I was serving Tahitian REALNESS wit that bronzer honey **snaps** Anyhoo, i hope everyone enjoyed their mama for mother's day which is EVERY day!!

Sephora Pantone-Tangerine Tango Review

Ok so i decided to go ahead and do a video review plus i wanna start "practicing" to get more comfortable wit the camera ;) I didnt mean for it to sound so redundant but yall KNOW i dont do edits...even though i play'd around wit inserting pics n etc EEEK!! For the most part of the Tangerine kit, it's good for everyday/barely there kinda looks if u wanna keep it simple. The coral shadow is eeeeh ok, i was lookin for a more vibrant but then again, i only used a regular primer vs a white based one. i did forget to mention theres ALOOOOOT of shimmer goin on throughout the kit but its not over the top shimmer. there's subtle shimmer in the eyeshadows AND when the gloss where's off ur left with....glitter :7 i was quite surprised with how well the lipstick look'd on my lips becuz that mac morange had scarred me for life....so i thought:

VERY WEARABLE!! its actually quite sexy. i wouldn't classify it as matte persay becuz even without the gloss u get a nice shine to it. The case is kinda heavier than normal but its a keeper!! I didnt get a chance to use the single blush like i wanted but it'll be used moreso like a highlighter becuz its so frosty...BEWARE its kinda chalky n does have glitter but i prefer to use the blush duo in the kit, although u CAN see the shadow of the blush on my cheeks (in the vid) in real life its sheer lookin...like "pinch ur cheeks" look:

Overall, i give this Tangerine kit a B+, the packaging is great, i like that its not cheap lookin or feelin and its quality product for the most part OTHER THAN the orange eyeliner. its eeeeeh ok but i dnt like the glitter in it AND i wanted it to be more orange than "pumpkin" lookin I LIKE EM BRIGHT!!!! i did appreciate how smooth it went on and it didnt budge but its no UD glider or mac eye kohl :)

Enjoy laydeez!!!

SMOOCHES

Aaaa PUSH IT!!

I must say i get better n better wit time but i KNOW i outdone myself when i decided to give myself "2 cuts in my eyebrows tryin to wil' out" lol. There was a celebrity theme at my job and i had this GRAND idea to go as...Salt n Pepa! i mean really...goin as nicki minaj or like marilyn monroe was just toooo easy!! i wanted to push the envelope just a tad. I got inspired by the Salt n Pepa tshirt i got from Forever 21 and the look was pretty simple to do so i went for it. i looooove me some SnP esp "shake yo thang" OOOOOW!! its sooo funny cuz as i was lookin at the shirt n tryin to keep it simple i had this A-HA moment becuz i always wanted to see what i'd look like wit cut eyebrowz. of course i'd NEVER do this wit my own cuz shyt...i aint got none to spare but i was EXTRA proud to come up wit the idea:

i found some red leather fingerless gloves layin around (hot topic) and the chain around my neck was an old belt. my new lovely find at forever 21 was a studded vest that will DEFINITELY get some use this summer and my mic sounds nice check one...courtesy of my bday gift from Eb!! oh yes the T-Pain mic gets busy lol.

i performed allll night wit the mic in my hand was in straight 90's mode the whole time-WORD!! **b-boy stance** it was a quick yet fun look for me to attempt esp since i dont normally do a whole black eye shadow n liner look, im just really impressed wit my eyebrows more than anything lololol like who thinks of crazy shyt like that...ME!!

I also decided to tag mason along to my post cuz so many people ask about him...he's so loved around the world :7 PUH-LEEEZE!! dont let them eyes fool u...LOOK AWAY i warn u look awaaaay!!!           

he'll soon be "graduating" into kindergarden next month :) yaaaay he's a trip but he's doin great in school despite his teachers noting on his report card how much he "loves to make people laugh and would rather do so than focusing on the task at hand" **sigh** i have NO idea where he got that from **lookin around** ever since he started school he's been tagged as the class clown >:< but he makes up for it and gets the job done:

and guess what...he's a LEFTY just like meeee!! its almost scary he's THAT much alike as me! too bad he doesnt look anything like me hee hee. now every now n then i do have to put the hammer down cuz he gets a tad toooo comfortable n slick out his mouth so i've passed on the tradition of what my mom used to do it me:

i call this grab the "bring it HERE...take it DE'RE" where u twist the arm from the front n bring it to the back!! oh yes it works **hiding from CPS** other than that...i keeps him in check. his newest obsession is monster trucks so for some strange reason he thinks every friday is lets go to Target day so he can collect more monster trucks. i give in sometimes ONLY when his room is clean, work done for the week and he's been good in school. i just cant believe how fast this lil munchkin is growin and i'd looove for him to slow down cuz im NOT ready for his teen years **grabs shotgun**

RIP to my DAMN Urban's :,(

I can't begin to tell yall how much i loooove my urban twist and i hate to see em go! i could've honestly went about another month OR 2 with em but i was deathly afraid of my hair dreaded up n em. i wanted to go back when they came the beginning of April but my schedule just didnt permit. LUCKILY they'll  be back in June and i WILL be there for that one. I enjoyed every minute of the urban's and prefer em over the city ONLY becuz it takes less time to do and take out-plus i like the big fluffiness of em.

daaaaaamn peep the hang time EEEK!! i was just excited to see my hair again. remember its been hidden since like what...last October!

this was ALL that i had to RIP!! i was quite surprised cuz i just knew it would've been more. taking these out took me a few hours but not long at all becuz its not braided all the way to the end. my hair was NOT dry and i took pretty good care of em while they were in. i made sure i spritz'd with water n oil and rubbed some butter throughout the length of the braids to make sure my ends didnt get too shabby! After takin em out, i washed n made sure i took care of my scalp with some As i am "curly pudding" and buffed in some Hair Rules "quenched ultra rich" condish and began to detangle:

my my my look how she's grown!!!

just think waaaay back when...and now

EEEEK!!! maaaan aint even no need to measure cuz u gots to be stevie wonder rockin blu blocker sunshades to not be able to see the difference **drops mic**

I dc'd with DB hair mask and of course it was the pefect time to bring out **drum roll**

MY TUUUUUURBBBBBAAAAAANS :D

knowin the fragile state my curls would be in and how easily detangled it would be leavin it in a fro i HAD to twist it up using some afroveda pur gelly n shea amla with oyin honey dew as my leave-in:

I find it funny when someone ask "who did ur hair" becuz its only 2 strands. i cant even cornrow lol and even when i part its not the straightest. i just section my hair and make sure the front is neat. the back i get lazy wit :7 i love the hold the pur gelly gives me and if time permits this wknd i'll make sure i do a henna treatment wit my goodies from the expo. i had to stop n stare at how long my hair got cuz the color is literally on the ENDS. i stay twisted up for a few days then do a twist out n leave it alone. however since its a tad bit longer i know its more prone to knots n tangles than before. last time i had it this long i got the cuttin and trust n believe the feelin is BACK!! im gonna hold out though (for now). i think i do however wanna give it some shape where its shorter in the back n leave it long on the top. i've been seeing some realllly nice ideas but haven't decided how short i want it in the back. i just need enuff to grip when the damn girls get back in june lol.

Spring Break is over :(

Oh no spring break has been broke...and actually left me broke. i had the luxury to be off for mason's spring break n decided i needed to do some MAJOR spring cleanin of my house. i hate being unorganized n stuff being everywhere cuz i cant function!! i cleaned out mason's old clothes n got his room together along with cleaning out my storage. I recruited some help for the week too:

my stepbro, camron who i love oh so dearly came over and i put these kids TO WORK honey!! my stepsis came over too so she could be the "supervisor" and all the while i just delegated n she made sure they executed while i lounged...

However, we weren't just all work and no play. i decided to surprise them with a trip to Medieval Times (by arundel mills) and they loved it. Its expensive as hellll though but i used the coupon code for spring break and use school id. U get a full course meal n desert and the show was quite entertaining:

By the end of the week i sent everyone packing and THE BEST STEPMOM in the world came n took mason for the wknd for a trip to NY :) so i was mason-less ALLLLL wknd and didnt feel bad not one bit. u know how some parents esp first time mom's are where they sob n cry "oooh i cant be without my baby for more than 2 hrs or a day" and blah blah blah shyyyyyt. mason wasn't even 6 months before i headed out on a cruise honey!! chile please!! he'll be there. as moms we need a BREAK!! i went to brunch that sunday n hung out wit Weezy. i had a blast and also had a drink EEEK!!!

We need to do that more often! i stopped into this place on U st (NW) n got my palms read **cue scary music** it was really off a whim but very informative. it got emotional for me cuz she touched on a nerve i told NOBODY about..interesting!! So after my wknd, mason came back then my sister came n stayed the next week with me! mason went back to school so we hung out :) OMG sooo i play'd around n made up her face. it was tough cuz she didnt wanna trust me with colors thinkin she'd look ashy or she'd look crazy but i told her to "trust the arteest"

ok so i was REEEEEALLY nervous right and we were just playin around at first so i just started by fillin in her browz. she already has thick browz but i just made em "neat" lookin and to cover the fact that she needed a fresh waxin i just highlighted her brow bone (mac ricepaper). i kept it simple with the shadows and used my favorite-mac rubenesque pp! i swear i liiiiive for this color. i grab it more often than NOT cuz its just a universal shade that goes great with everything. Then i used mac expresso shadow in the crease n patted the ricepaper on the inner corners n blended out. very simple n sweeeeeet. she did the eyeliner herself but i was quite surprised at the outcome, esp the brows cuz i just kinda followed the shape she already had. maaaan yall couldnt tell me i wasnt Sam Fine lol. i did a subtle color on her cheeks but i honestly cant even remember the color. i wish i had my sweet as cocoa like im suppose to but for some strange reason it cant stay in stock at nordy's!! must be a popular color haha!! but yea we had soooo much fun and i enjoyed having her AND her dog, Rudy for the week.  

By the end of the week i needed to recoup from the enjoyment of my house guest and get things back to normal. it was so refreshin to take time out from work to spend time with family. i definitely needed that :)

"im not a makeup artist, i just play one in real life"

National Natural Hair Meetup-DMV Series

Im ooooh so excited about this day coming soon to curls near you :) Saturday, May 19th will be the biggest curly meetup to date! why? becuz across the US we'll allllll get to enjoy each others company as we network and show off our gorgeous curls. No im REALLY...actually ECSTATIC to attend this event and i cant wait. you'd be surprised with the knowledge you leave with and friendships gained by attending meetups.  U laugh, sip n shop while talkin about HAIR (amongst other things). It's perfect becuz when i get stopped by strangers i can talk hair and products all day. sometimes i have to catch myself becuz i can go on n on but its just a topic that excites me to talk about. you meet laydeez on the verge of going natural but may need some type of guidance as to how to start. curly meetups are inspiring!

Pam from Koils by Nature will be hosting the local DMV meetup from 12-5p:

Hampton Inn and Suites

5821 Richmond Highway

Alexandria, VA 22303

It's gonna be fun times laydeez :) check the natural hair meetups website to find who's hosting a meetup near you:

http://nnhmd.com/

and to purchase tickets for the DMV meetup Pam's hosting:

http://dmvnnhmd.eventbrite.com/

Now i know the question u all are dying to know....OF COURSE ILL BE THERE. i wouldn't miss this for the world...actually i wont miss it but i cant stay the whole time becuz its my sister's prom that night and im on makeup duty ;)

P.S. thanx to lawanda for stayin on top n reminding me lol giiiiirl it gets hectic round these parts honeychild but i didn't forget about u

Smooches