I know I NEVER write about hair products & I’ll make sure that I emphasize the fact that I am NO hair guru. At all!

I decided to take matters into my own hands because the salons here try to charge me $40 for a deep conditioner!! C’mon…the entire tub of conditioner probably costs $50 or so & you’re going to charge me $40 to just spread it in my hair? Because of that I just skip that part when I get my hair done, but it’s really made a difference (negative) in the quality and moisture of my hair. I really think my hair has gotten dry (never mind the fact that the woman cut my hair way shorter than I wanted it to be UGH!).

My mentor Gregg (make up artist I’m assisting) told me to try this Ojon product. His friend works for their company doing product development or something along that line. I looked at the website and found out it was sold at Sephoras. So today after work (MY LAST DAY OF WORK AT MARWOOD) I headed to Sephora to find their products. They had mini sizes of the shampoo and the conditioner for $9 each so I got that. They also have their “best product” the Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment. The large tub goes for $55 & they have a mini jar for $21 so I got that one.

Check out their website of products here to see how they all work!! I used the Restorative Hair Treatment on my dry hair & saturated my hair like directed. Then I wrapped my head in saran wrap (crazy I know) & left it on for about 5 hours. I then shampooed my hair with their shampoo. It felt AMAZING. I then used their conditioner as directed.









I also got a Cantu product. The Shea Butter Leave In Conditioner. It was about $7 at a beauty supply store in Harlem. Smells AMAZING! I completely soaked my hair in it & combed it through well. I’m going to sleep with this in my hair overnight with a plastic cap on my head & a towel on my blanket. Tomorrow I’ll rinse it out & I’m sure my hair will be amazingly soft!

After the Ojon treatment, my hair felt amazing! I can tell a huge different. I’m sure the Cantu will do amazing things overnight too. You all should check out the couple of products I’ve listed!

When summer rolls around the heat can really mess up your makeup & make you feel sticky & not cute. Here are a few tips to try to beat the heat & keep your makeup looking fresh all day long.

- Use an oil free moisturizer after washing your face. I love Aveeno’s oil free moisturizer with SPF (so important for the summer).

- USE A PRIMER – people skip the priming step, but it’s so important. The primer will help your makeup stay put, not crease & last longer. It really preps the skin so foundation & concealer stays smooth. MAKE UP FOR EVER has an amazing primer & different types depending on your skin color or skin problems. Check them out here.

- Only use foundation & concealer where you need them. Unless you really need it, do not put foundation over your entire face. Using a slightly damp sponge will also help put on a sheer layer of foundation.

- Use waterproof mascara. Whatever your favorite kind is, get it in the waterproof version so if you sweat – it won’t matter! I love Dior Iconic mascara & Covergirl Lashblast mascara. Also, find an eyeliner that doesn’t run. I love MAC Kohl pencil, but some people find they smudge. Again, using a primer will help with this problem.

- Lastly, use blotting sheets! Clean & Clear makes a set of oil sheets that I love. Just put them in your purse & use them whenever. They won’t remove your makeup but instantly removes shine. I made a post about them a couple months ago too.

I LOVE facials – but they get a little pricey for me… not an option right now! However, there is an amazing alternative and that is a…

DO IT YOURSELF FACIAL!

I love DIY facials because they’re so simple, but really make a difference. I like to do do my facials whenever I have the chance, maybe every other weekend – never more than once a week so your skin does not get irritated. The best time is to do it at night so you can sleep with no makeup & let your face rest. You will wake up with glowing skin – it makes a huge difference, I promise!

Step 1: Use an exfoliating wash like the Queen Helene All Natural Cocoa Butter of Honey & Oats Scrub. I also like exfoliating scrubs from Neutrogena. Wet your skin with a little water then take a good amount of whichever exfoliator you choose & work it in a circular motion all over your face for about a minute. This is one of the most important steps because you get all of the dead skin off & allow the other products to soak into your skin.

Step 2: After you wash off the exfoliator, bring a pot of water to a boil on the stove, take it off of the stove, set it in the sink & lean over so the steam hits your face. Put a towel over your head to trap the steam inside of the towel. If it is too hot, wait a few minutes & try again – it shouldn’t be uncomfortable, but should feel hot and steamy like a sauna – this step helps you sweat out toxins in your skin & clear your pores. Do this for about 7 minutes.

Step 3: Skip this step if you can, but if you can’t resist the urge to pop any pimples – this is the step to do it. Just be careful!

Step 4: Wipe your face off with a washcloth & apply a mask. I love this Decleor MasqueI got a few years ago from a spa in Maine I used to go to. It’s a little pricey, but I loved it. My favorite mask is the Olay Clay Mask. Spread a thick layer all over your face. Most masks say leave it on 5-10 minutes, but it doesn’t hurt if you leave it on an extra 10 minutes. Put on some relaxing music n just lay in your bed with your mask on.

Step 5: Wash off the mask with warm water, making sure to remove all traces.

Step 6: Wash your face with a gentle cleanser to get any remnants of the mask off.

Step 7: Put on a very thick layer of moisturizer/face lotion on – I love Mary Kay Velocity Face Moisturizer or try Neutrogena Healthy Skin Night Moisturize – I say a thick layer because your face just went through a lot so this will be sure to restore any moisture that was lost during the process.

Now sleep tight! It helps if you have a fresh pillow case – you might as well go all the way.

I hope some of you try this & can tell a difference in your skin – you really should be able to!

If you ladies want a subtle & natural glow before you can get enough time in the sun to get one naturally (or better yet, you’re protecting your skin from the skin), try to “fake it before you make it” by investing in some highlighter & bronzer.

You can use the 2 to contour your face – place the highlighter where the sun naturally hits your face (bridge of your nose, cheekbones, and the bow in your lip). If you are using a bronzer to help contour find one a shade darker than your skin & make sure it is MATTE so you do not look over done – sweep it in the hollows of your cheeks, the sides of your nose & your hairline.

For highligther

If you are fair – try a light irredescent pink with blue undertones

If you are olive – try something wh with a peach shimmer

If you are medium to dark – try a bronze or golden highlighter

Check out some of the choices below that I love

Benefit High Beam – A pink liquid highlighter for a dewy complexion. I love this highlighter because it looks so natural – just don’t over do it. This is one of Benefits top sellers – you can buy it here for $24.00 or go into Sephora stores to try it on yourself before you buy it!

Check out the Yves Saint Laurent bronzer at their website or find it at most department stores or Sephora (I love Sephora because it’s a nice relaxed atmosphere where you can try things out for hours!) – This powder produces a natural radiance while helping to disguise flaws – plus the case is extra pretty! Maybe that’s why it’s $48.00

NARS Multiple Bronzer – if you all know anything about me it’s that the NARS Multiple Bronzer is my best friend – you can get the lighter colors as a highlighter and get a matte bronze one to help contour – I just love these & they last FOREVER! Definitely worth the $38.00. Again check out Sephora to try it on yourself, go to the NARS website or most department stores.

Covergirl – This is an options if you don’t mind buying cosmetics before you try them on and want something a little more affordable. I think these run between $9 and $11 … and microminerals have become so popular for their seamless finish!

Hehe… not like that! Me & Kelcie (& Zewidi too…but I didn’t find any pics easily) all LOVE Cyber from MAC. Check out the link here… it’s the richest smoothest satiniest color ever… this deep plum/purple/violet … I don’t know how to describe it but it’s AMAZING!

Tip: To be extra chic, pair these dark lips w/ just a little mascara – & nothing else!

Often times people (especially younger people) forget how important it is to take care of their skin.
Flawless makeup application starts with flawless (or nearly flawless) skin.
What you put into your body plays a huge role in the appearance of your skin so please pay attention. Below I have listed the top foods that I keep coming across that REALLY help your skin. Despite great looking skin in your late teens or early twenties, THIS is the time to start taking care of your skin so you don’t regret it later – AND … taking care of your skin can be yummy! So eat up!

Salmon – low in calories and saturated fat but high in OMEGA-3 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS – this keeps your skin plump, firm & glowing. Never mind the fact salmon is high in vitamin B-12, protein, vitamin B6, magnesium …the list goes on







Broccoli – Broccoli is full of vitamin C, vitamin B, vitamin E, vitamin A, and beta-carotene which helps your skin & is even said to help with eczema. It’s full of amino acids to help clear your skin and removes free radicals from your skin. A detoxifer you can eat! I LOVE to lightly steam my broccoli & put a little smart balance and pepper on it.



Avocados – the oils in avocados are said to help produce collagen in the skin – the stuff that keeps your skin firm and smooth – so get avocado in your sushi or eat it in a sandwich. OR… Make GUAC!





Almonds – Almonds help your skin so much! They help PREVENT wrinkles, black heads, pimples and dry skin. Almond oil is great – but so is ingesting almonds so you don’t lose a bit of the nutrients.







Water – of course! You guys know the benefits of water – it really can change your skin & makes you feel better on top of that.







DON’T SKIP – taking off your makeup at night (I’ll make a post about great cleansing clothes I’ve found)
DON’T FORGET - to clean your makeup brushes
DON’T FORGET - to change your pillow case often
DON’T SKIP – moisturizer (use a heavier one at night)

Whenever my mascara gets a little old (after 3 months or whenever I realize the brush isn’t coating as well) I feel bad throwing it away.

There is a way to reuse your mascara & make it last a little longer. Use your old mascara as an eyebrow gel. It’ll coat your eyebrows if all you need is a little extra hold & it will define them slightly without looking too harsh – as pencil can do sometimes if not done right.

Try it out with an old tube of mascara…very simple to sweep on & go!

NOOOO BEYONCE!!

The picture says it all. Ash ash ash…her face is so much lighter than the rest of her body.

TIP: If for some reason you CAN’T match your foundation (it is hard to get a perfect match sometimes) it’s better to go a shade darker than lighter. A shade lighter AGES you…case and point to the left…

I just read in the newest edition of Allure magazine that Beyonce does her own makeup… her French (I think) makeup artist just picks out what items she needs to use… well maybe he should take over her job of APPLYING it too…

TIP: Your foundation should literally disappear into your skin – if you can see it… keep trying!

The winter can make your skin look DOA. However, there are ways to make your skin glow again… just follow a few simple steps.

1. Exfoliate - use a GENTLE exfoliater with rounded beads – not jagged – Olay has some great ones. Only do this 2 or 3 times a week – too much exfoliating can damage skin more & produce more oil

2. At night, use a heavier moisturizer than you usually would, put on a heavy layer & let it soak in over night – try MAC Moisturelush Cream $32. In the morning you can use your usual moisturizer if you feel too oily with the heavier night moisturizer on.

3. For a nice natural glow mix some loose iridescent powder with a moisturizer (for just a sheer glow), a tinted moisturizer (sheer glow), or your usual foundation (regular coverage but with a glow).

I love MAC Iridescent Powder/Loose in “golden bronze” for deeper complexions or “silver dusk” for very light complexions. $22 – I’ve had this powder for years & I swear I’ll NEVER run out. It’s gorgeous on the skin.

A lot of people have oily skin or combination skin (which is a combo of oily and dry skin – the worst!)…I’m one of those combination skin people, but I’ve learned ways to deal with it & make it work!!

DON’T SKIP MOISTURIZER

Moisturizer is so important even for oily skin. If a person w/oily skin skips moisturizer their skin will produce MORE oil to make up for that!! If you feel super oily with a moisturizer put it on at night – an oil free one – & skip it in the morning.

OIL BLOTTING SHEETS

These are ingenious. I love oil blotting sheets… you can carry them around in your bag & blot your face wherever your a little oily – & the oil’s gone! Love them…there’s a variety of blotting sheets below.

1. MAC Blot Film – $12.50

2. Neutrogena Shine Control Blotting Sheets $6.99

3. Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets – $5.49

Random question, I know…but I’m doing the very thing right now & it’s not cute – at all…BUT I have some helpful hints – always shop around for products you like & that work on you.There are some below that I LOVE!!

1. I use the MAC Eye Brow pencil in Stud $15 – this pencil sharpens itself and is super smooth, I always have an extra one on deck – it’s the worst when you run out of it & aren’t prepared.

2-3. I use the MAC 208 Angled Brow Brush $19.50 with the MAC brow powder – I couldn’t find this on the site – it may have been discontinued, but find something like it. It’s a great way to cover the pencil & soften up the lines of it.

4. I finish off by using the MAC Brow Finisher $15 – I just started using this because I’m growing out my brows & this keeps them in place.

Tip: Use tweezers to pluck the SUPER stray hairs … I’m not doing anything now, but if I were there

Tip: I LOVE to get my eyebrows threaded too… I fell in love with it this summer in NYC, it’s around $6…the first time is the most painful..after that it’s not bad & completely worth it.

Although it may seem like a drag… but when the season changes

CHANGE YOUR FOUNDATION TOO!

In the winter your skin can lose it’s tan from the summer & make you one or two shades lighter.  I recommend searching for a new shade foundation for the winter season & do the same next summer when you get your tan. There’s nothing worse than being able to SEE someone’s foundation color.

Try Covergirl foundations, they’re great!!

Check out the MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Invisible Cover Foundation colors below that I use in the different seasons.

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD INVISIBLE COVER FOUNDATION. Shade 173 (summer) and 170 (winter)

Kerry Washington

L to R: MAC Lipstick in HoneyLove, MAC Lip Liner in Cork, MAC Tinted Lipglass in C-Thru

My favorite nude lip color is MAC Honeylove $14 in a matte finish (pictured above- it’s a little less pink in real life). The color is amazing & works with a variation of skin tones.

You can wear Honeylove alone for a great matte finish but I often use Honeylove as a base color & put MAC Tinted Lipglass in C-Thru $14 over it in order to get a super opaque nude color on my lips that doesn’t have a matte finish. Try it out – I bet you’ll love it – I line my lips in a MAC Lip Pencil in Cork $13.

HEY …exfoliate and moisturize your lips before you do this – it makes a world of difference!

Time for a short story: I was very disappointed when I went into Sephora the other day& was searching for THE perfect red lipstick. I had been to MAC tried Diva, Media, Russian Red, Ruby Woo, looked at countless other lipsticks from other lines…blah blah blah.

Anyways. I found this in the NARS section:

NARS Lipstick in Scarlet Empress. OMGSH I HAD TO HAVE IT! I’m not kidding – you guys might be like, “what’s her issue, it’s just lipstick” but I fell in love. I tested it out on my hand it was the creamiest thickest deep red perfection ever – more so than the swatch above – I almost cried…so I’m excited. I’ve found MY red lipstick, right? WRONG!

Here comes the BEAUTY TIP part :

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS take the product you are going to buy (NOT the tester) and open it before you buy it.

I was with Erika and Kelcie and was insisting that the color was different. They didn’t believe me – because it did look very similar. Even the makeup artist didn’t believe me. So I buy it, knowing I’m going to have to return it but put it on my hand next to the “same colored” tester –> COMPLETELY DIFFERENT consistency& definitely not my perfect red! Now I can’t claim NARS does this on purpose – but they sent two testers to Sephora (I demanded to see the other one) and they both are this amazing red & I looked at all other 3 lipsticks on sale…all the dull semi-red kinda pink lipstick … if they do this on purpose they are WRONG.

I got my lipstick tho! I am very good with words.

This is a tip if you’re feeling daring – & rocker-ish…COLORED MASCARA

Blue works well on brown eyes
Purple works well on green & hazel eyes
Green  works well on brown & hazel eyes

Tip: Use the same colored eyeshadow & eyeliner for an extra dramatic look. Keep lips neutral & skin very clean with minimal blush

CHECK BELOW FOR PRODUCTS

Urban Decay Big Fatty Colored Mascara $17 - other colors

YSL EveryLong Waterproof Mascara

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Color - several shades