Glamarazzi Weekly Round-up

Edited by Dani

As the year draws to a close, people use many different ways to say goodbye to 2009... Some reminisce over events of the past, nostalgically recalling people, places, and really killer parties. Others, like myself, prepare by dreaming big and getting excited for the future. Speaking of which, I am so thrilled to start the new year as co-editor of the Glamarazzi! Iggi and Keedah have graciously allowed me to jump into rotation on their project, and I'm excited to read some amazing posts! Also in the spirit of newness, please welcome the latest addition to the glamily, Adina from KraseyBeauty. Her blog is fantastic, and I'm sure we'll continue to see amazing posts from her! Welcome Adina!

And as always, new members are always welcome. If you would like to be involved in the "Glamarazzi" get the details here.

Happy New Year everyone! Be safe, be smart, and be fab....like I have to tell you!

• Be careful in choosing your getting ready music tonight: The Glamour Whore almost didn't make it to 2010...*GASP!*The styling in Katy Perry's new video almost shocked her to death. I'm just as surprised as you, girl.
  
• Getting dolled up for NYE? Diary of a Style Addict shows you how NOT to wear an American Apparel Micro Mesh dress. If you carry one pice of advice into the new year, THIS IS IT.
  
• Hair take so long that you now only have 5 minutes until the limo arrives to pick you up? No worries. FerOHHHsh has got you with a sultry smokey eye in less than five.
  
• With all of the champagne flowing tonight, the walk of shame may be inevitable...The Style Aficionado helps you do it with class. What morning after?
  
• Sometimes despite the fresh start, there are some things you just shouldn't give up...chocolate, shoes, and products that make your life a little more glam. KraseyBeauty reminisces about the beauty products that rocked her world in '09.
  
• At the Beauty Bar, Retrodiva reviews the SensiClear Skin Care System, just in time to repair the holiday damage. Because I KNOW I'm not the only one who over-indulged...
  

record & tape traders vinyl haul

My editor sent out an e-mail yesterday afternoon saying that the local record & tape traders was going out of business ( insert sad face.)
I stopped by the store during my dinner break to see what kinds of records they had.
I ended up leaving with what felt like the store's entire vinyl inventory:

-Jefferson Airplane
-Grace Slick
-Three Dog Night
-Carole King
-Patti Labelle
-Evelyn Champagne King
-Parliament
-Joni Mitchell
-B.B. King
-Santana
-Gloria Gaynor
-The Stylistics
-Arthur Prysock
-Joan Baez
-Earth, Wind and Fire

There are others that I'm sure I'm forgetting but I can't wait to listen to all of them.
They were all 50 percent off and so I ended up paying about $55 for 37 records.
Look for reviews to come in the next few months.

Also, Happy Christmas and Merry New Year. And peace and blessings to you that don't celebrate the holidays.

NOTD: Such a "Tease"

     I usually don't wear a lot of nude polishes on my nails but I'm currently wearing SpaRitual's "Tease."
     It's a very bright beige and a different look for me.
     I got it from Marshall's Monday night for $2.
     The polish is made with vegan ingredients and doesn't contain harsh toxins like other polish brands do.
     Upon application, the polish was very watery and took about three coats to get the full color.
     Like I said before, I don't wear a lot of nudes because they're boring and such is the case with Tease.

Currently Digesting: (more) Betty Davis

I recently got my copy of Betty Davis' long lost album "Is It Love or Desire?" in the mail.
w00t! w00t!
You know how much I LOVE this woman's music.
For the past few days, I've been digesting the album.
Me loves it already but expect a review after the holiday break.


Photo courtesy of lightintheattic.net.

LAVANILA Fragrance set

In the box.


In my hand. (Aren't they cute?)

     Ever see a cute little kid with pudgy cheeks that you just want to pinch?
     That's how I feel about my LAVANILA mini roller-ball fragrances.
     I paid $30 for the set from Sephora and I'm loving the teeny weeny bottles of smell good greatness!

The four fragrances are:

-vanilla coconut: This is a light essence that has a tropical feel to it.
-pure vanilla: This one is very soft and smells like a bakery goody.
-vanilla grapefruit: This fragrance has a slight sweetness to it and is the scent in the set that comes the closest to smelling like some of the non-natural perfumes on the market.
-vanilla lavender: My fave. This scent evokes a sense of calm and relaxation.

     All the fragrances have staying power and are infused with natural essential oils, botanicals and antioxidants.
     The cool thing is that they can be worn individually or layered on for a custom scent. I'm smitten.

NOTD: L.A. Girl's "Teal"

     I wanted something different on my nails so I applied "Teal" from L.A. Girl's Flair line.
     This is an electric color.
     It makes my hands pop and the color brings happy thoughts to mind.
     That's why I first fell in love with the hue when I bought it from Forever 21 earlier this year.
     I love the way it makes my nails look.

ALWAYS ask questions about your finances

     On Friday, I swiped my card in T.J. Maxx to pay for a 100% Pure body scrub gift set.
     Sadly, my card was denied.
     I swiped my card two more times, only for the cashier to tell me that he would have to call corporate to see what the matter was.
     I didn't want to hold up his line and I was slightly embarrassed so I just paid $3 in cash for the $13 scrub set (I used a $10 gift card to pay for most of the purchase.)
     Curious, I called T.J.Maxx to see what was going on and they said I was late on a payment.
     Huh? What? Me?
     Now my friends and family will tell you that I will go naked to make a credit card payment so this "explanation" from the T.J. Maxx rep didn't make any sense to me.
     The next call was to my bank.
     The bank rep told me that the last three payments I made to T.J.Maxx were processed.
     Huh? What? Come again?
     Needless to say, I was confused.
     So the bank rep called T.J.Maxx on my behalf.
     Come to find out, I had been sending the payments to the wrong dang address.
     And apparently the Post Office had stopped forwarding my payments.
     Womp, womp on me.
     The T.J. Maxx rep ended up dropping my late fee and told me that my next payment is due early next month. I didn't have to worry about this melee getting on my credit report, she said.
     The bank lady canceled my processed payments, since they hadn't been cashed. They'll be placed in my account so I can make the T.J.Maxx payment.
     I also updated the T.J.Maxx address so I can send my payments to the right place.
     Whew!
     Moral of the story is to question your finances, especially if you feel and in my case know that something isn't right.
     If I hadn't called around, I would've been stuck with a late fee, still sending payments to the wrong address and would've taken a slight hit to my credit score.
     Thanks to a little bit of investigation and skepticism, things worked out in my favor.
     You better believe I'm thanking the high heavens that it did.

Photo courtesy of www.chasecreditcards.com.

I recently bought this Teddy Pendergrass record coaster from Retro Metro in downtown Mount Airy, Md.
I thought it was sooooo cute.
And at only $4, it was too good to leave in the store.
What a nice find.

My Secret Santa Gift!

I love when people that have you for Secret Santa get you a gift that they know you will love.
Not that I'm complaining about previous gifts or anything, it's just nice to know that people are attentive to what you like and don't like.
Well, my co-worker Penny got me the perfect Secret Santa gift yesterday.
She reads my blog and knows that I like organic and natural beauty products.
Her gift to me?
Physician's Formula Organic wear eyeshadow.
Home run!
I'm happy and can't wait to use the shadow.
Thanks Penny.

New Amerykah II to drop Feb. 23

Good, great, super, magnificent, splendiferous news to report.
Erykah Badu will drop "New Amerykah Part 2: Return of the Ankh" on Feb. 23, 2010.
w00t! w00t!
Peep this video to hear Badu speak on her new album.
Yeah, you can imagine the excitement I felt when I got the official release date.
Part two is supposed to be more emotional, far from the political and dark side of Part 1.
My calendar is marked.
Can't wait!

Photo courtesy of vibe.com.

Weekly Glamarazzi Round-up

 

The holidays are fast approaching and this week's Glamarazzi is chock full of gift ideas. The list is getting bigger each week and only getting better! (soon we'll be able to take over the world with all of our fabulousness..keep an eye out for us). If you would like to submit your blog to The Glamarazzi check out the details here.

Retrodiva's Beauty checks out the Too Faced Smoky Eye palette

Blaq Vixen Beauty recommends another fab Give it Away Gift Guide item

The Glamour Whore gets her swurve on on the airwaves with Missy B

Makeup/Music/Money/Me reviews yummy bath products from Korres Body

Diary of a Style Addict gets creative with storage solutions with a jewelry tree

 

Korres Body Shower Gel and Milk Review

T.J. Maxx is fast becoming my little haven for finding inexpensive organic and natural beauty products.
Several weeks ago, I bought some Korres bitter almond shower gel and body milk for $4 a piece.
I've used Korres' products before and know how great they are.
The bitter almond shower gel is subtly sweet, light and smells good. It's slightly rich in the shower and left me feeling refreshed afterward.
The corresponding body milk was more like water on my skin. I love thick creams on my body in the winter time so I don't think this will really work for me until the weather gets warmer.

Himalaya Dandruff Oil Review

My scalp is like my skin: desert dry.
I've struggled with this problem all my life.
And I've used so many products to try to keep the dryness at bay.
Very few things have worked.
But one thing that has worked is this little bottle of Himalaya Herbals Anti-Dandruff Hair Oil that I brought back from my trip to India in October.
The oil is infused with Tea Tree and Rosemary oils and claims to "Control dandruff. Revitalizes hair. Keeps scalp healthy."
And that's just what it did.
I added one drop of the oil and water in a spray bottle and generously sprayed my scalp. I then massaged my scalp to further work the oil in my scalp.
Since doing that, I haven't really been scratching my head as much.
I'm going to make this little bottle of oil last because my scalp has felt moisturized and lively since using it.

My "To Listen To List" for 2010

I love discovering new music from different eras and genres. Some of my fave discoveries this year included records from The Rotary Connection, Betty Davis and The Undisputed Truth. But there's still more to learn and so much more to listen to. Here's a list (in no particular order)of artists who's music I'd really love to research and listen to next year:

-Jefferson Airplane: As I delve deeply into this psychedelic rock band's music, I find more and more songs that I like. You better believe that they are near the top of my "To Listen To List."

-Miles Davis: Betty Davis, Miles' second wife, is my second fave singer. I want to know how she influenced one of the greatest musicians of all time. And I want to study Miles' music.

-Charlie Pride: As one of the first black widely praised country musicians, there's no denying that Pride had an impact on the genre. I have one of his albums and hope to find his entire discography.

-Sly & the Family Stone: I grew up listening to Sly but I need to take the time and research and digest the man behind the music.

-Koko Taylor: I first heard about Taylor on Twitter through a tweet from Erykah Badu. Sadly, Taylor died in June but her brand of soul and blues still lives on.

-Esther Phillips: I came across a version of her song "Home is Where the Hatred Is" on YouTube and became an instant fan. A Google search of the soul singer revealed that Aretha Franklin gave her her Grammy award one year because she thought Phillips deserved it over her. That says a lot.

-Funkadelic/Parliament: I own three of their albums and have listened to but haven't digested them. My ears are ready.

Of course research and listening to these artists will take some time but I am ready for the ride and will let you know how it goes:) I swear, music is one hell of a vice.

Massive Haul:)

This weekend, I blew my budget at Target and Sephora.
I got the Physician's Formula shadow that I wanted and also picked up some mascara and bronzer.
They were all on sale, plus I had a $2 off coupon for all three products so the final price came to about $18.

I also had fun in Sephora too:)
I got the OPI nail drying drops, Boscia face mask and LAVANILA fragrance set that I wanted.
And since I was running low, I picked up a bottle of purity facial cleanser and a bottle of Thierry Mugler's Angel perfume for my fave aunt (hope she doesn't read this post).

Look for product reviews soon.

New Music: Sade and Corinne

Queen of the Quiet Storm Sade is back with a new single, "Solder of Love."
It's not moving me but I still like it and am excited to hear fresh music from her.
Her new album will be available on February 23, 2010.



Corinne Bailey Rae also has a new album called "The Sea" dropping on January 26, 2010.
Above is a performance of the songbird performing the lead single "I'd Do It All Again," on Later...With Jools Holland.
I'm anticipating hearing material from this release because of Rae's pain and heartbreak from earlier this year.

T.J. Maxx Haul:)

On Monday, I returned some beige pumps to T.J.Maxx and got a $20 store credit. w00t! w00t!
I shouldn't have to even say what I bought:)...

-100% Pure organic mango foaming body wash: ($4, 2oz.)Haven't used this yet but I've used their other products in the past and love them.

-essie billionails maintenance nail treatment: ($1, .5 oz): This formula has wheat and vegetable proteins to strengthen nails. I was impressed. Works well as a base coat or alone. I own two essie polishes and this company can do no wrong in my book.

-Giovanni body wash in grapefruit sky: ($13, 36 oz.) I've used their products before but am not as much of a fan of their butters and lotions as I am their body washes. This bottle is HUGE so it will last me for a long time.

My Top Five Financial Goals for 2010

I recently received a copy of my credit report from Experian.com. Although the report didn't give me my credit score (I have to pay an additional $8 for that:( ), it did show what I already knew which is that my credit is in pretty good financial standing. Yay and thank you Jesus! With that said, I still feel like I can do small things to improve my finances. Here is a list of five things that I feel could improve my finances throughout the new year:

1. Pay down my credit card: Seems like every time I get ahead, I take one step back. For example, I recently had a virus on my computer and had to use my card as payment for getting the virus removed. I guess c'est la vie, but I plan on putting more money on my credit card every month to bring the balance down.

2. Save more: In the past, I hoarded money because I equated it with security. But when I got back from India, I learned that money really isn't everything. As a result, I used most of the money from my savings account to by a plane ticket to San Antonio for Christmas instead of using my credit card. Now, my savings account isn't looking too pretty but I am slowly rebuilding. There's nothing wrong with keeping a little nest egg, as long as you understand that money comes and goes. And that's one thing that I am learning.

3. Spend and give more: OK, I know this is contradicting No. 2, but I will try to not be so cheap with myself. I've always believed that if you work hard, you must play hard and I've never really lived by that saying. In 2010, I will start investing in myself, as one of my mentors likes to say, and not feeling guilty about it. As long as I set a reasonable budget for myself, this shouldn't be a problem.
I will also try to make more small donations to charity and my alma mater, Norfolk State University.

4. Limit impulse purchases: This is going to be a hard one. Ever have a stressful day and go to Marshall's, T.J.Maxx, Target or Walmart and leave with what seems like the entire store in your shopping cart? Yeah, I know all about that. And retail therapy does for some women what football on Sundays does for some men. But next year, I will try to curb my impulse spending by um, well, ya know...OK, I'll just try my best with this one;).

5. Eliminate wasteful spending: This one can be linked to No. 4, which I already admitted will be somewhat difficult to do. I'm already pretty good at not buying things I don't need so this one shouldn't be too difficult.

How are you trying to improve your finances for the upcoming year? How will you cut back? How will you save?

Weekly Glamarazzi Round-up

Welcome to The "Glamarazzi" Roundup... It's our 2nd week and we're getting bigger and better gradually. My partner Keedah from Diary Of A Style Addict did a FABULOUS job kicking off the first roundup last week. I feel we have a great group of blogs involved and are always thrilled to welcome new members, so if you would like to be a part of "Glamarazzi" you can find all the info needed to join HERE.
Without further ado...
*Diary Of A Style Addict shows us her phenomenal nail art skills and tells us how to get breathtaking Mermaid Nails
*Make-up/Music/Money/Me shares her Beauty Product Wishlist with us...filled with great "must have" beauty goodies.
*FerOHHHSh Gives you Vogue Italia's ultra cool "Twitpic Cover" showing you just how far social networking sites have come.
*Glamour Whore Debates the good and bad points of Sephora's new "Makeup Vending Machines."

Holiday Songs I Like

I'm not one to have holiday music playing every single minute of the day during holiday times, but there are a few songs that I grew up with that I like to hear:

-Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" was done back when Mariah looked like the "Preacher's Wife," lol. But I've always liked the cheerfulness and the message in the song. This is also one of the few Christmas albums that I will jam too.

-Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas" is a classic that gets me in the holiday spirit. Hathaway's soaring vocals makes this song a timeless holiday treasure. If you don't get up and dance to this at your holiday party, you're not human:)

-The Temptations' "Silent Night" brings tears to my eyes because it reminds me of family. I remember listening to this song as my mother would prepare "Santa's" milk and cookies. Every element of this tune works for me. I love the falsetto, the baritone, and the musicianship; all of it makes this song a timeless musical gem.

-James Brown's "Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto" is another Christmas song I was raised on. I didn't grow up with much but this song always reminded me that Santa was an inclusive gift giver. RIP James Brown.

-Boyz II Men's "Let It Snow" is another song I grew up jamming to during the holiday season. I used to love me some B2M back in the day and this song was no exception. It's smooth and feels good like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold day.

Do you listen to holiday music? If so, what are some of your fave holiday songs?

Photo courtesy of Google.com.

All I Want for Christmas is...

I'll be going holiday shopping for family and friends soon. I said I wouldn't buy many gifts and make a donation, but part of me feels funny about not giving gifts because my family is so good to me. We've been through a lot, work hard and care deeply about each other. With that said, I'm going to get gifts for my immediate family and very close friends. I'll also be picking up a few natural and organic beauty items for myself. They (will hopefully) include:



-Carol's Daughter Almond Cookie gift set: If heaven were a scent,it sure would be this gift set. At $37, the set includes shower gel, body cream, and a bottle spray. Thinking about picking one up for my fave aunt as well.



-LAVANILA 4-piece fragrance set: I need to up my perfume game because I'm almost out of the "Unforgivable: Women" bottle that my aunt got me for Christmas last year. I was lucky enough to get a sample of LAVANILA's scent in vanilla lavender earlier this year and loved it. The $28 fragrance set is made without parabens and sulfates and is infused with oil. More reason for it to be a want on my X-mas list.



-OPI Nail Colour Drying Drops: I've had my eye on this $14 bottle of goodness for a while because I've heard and read nothing but positive things about this product. Anything that will make my life easier is A-OK with me.



-Boscia Clarifying Detox Mask: I already use Boscia's Clear Complexion Tonic spray on my skin everyday and swear by this company, which uses natural ingredients in their products. This mask is $25 but worth every penny. I've sampled it many times and think it's time to invest in a bottle.



-Physician's Formula eye shadow: I've also had my eye on this item for a while. This shadow is made without talc, fragrance and is %100 natural and organic.


Photos courtesy of www.sephora.com and www.physiciansformula.com.

Songs of the Day: Leaked tracks from Alicia Keys's "The Element of Freedom"

I'm really liking these two leaked songs from Alicia Keys' upcoming album, "The Element of Freedom."
The first one is "Unthinkable" by rapper Drake, who's barely recognizable on the track but it doesn't even matter.
The song is gritty and slightly reminiscent of some of the material from Keys' second album "The Diary of Alicia Keys."
The second song, "Dreaming" is my fave out of the two.
It's smooth, relaxing, light and airy.
Funny thing is these two songs weren't even released as singles for "The Element of Freedom."
The album's first two tracks, "Doesn't Mean Anything" and "Sleeping With a Broken Heart" don't do anything for me.
I've gotten flack from friends in the past for this but I think Alicia Keys is a gifted, but OK entertainer.
Doesn't mean she has no talent though. The earlier other tracks I mentioned show that she still has potential and should be around for a little bit longer.
Damn her though, I might have to break down and buy her CD December 14.

NOTD: Au Naturale

I did my nails while talking to my fave aunt this weekend and in the process, forgot to add a base coat.
That mistake ended up being a blessing because instead of removing the base coat, I just applied another layer of it.
I didn't feel like removing the coat and starting over.
Plus, I forgot how beautiful my natural nails were.
To make things interesting, I added my three purple flower nail appliques only on my left ring finger.
I liked the result. Nothing wrong with Au Naturale nails:)

The Glamarazzi Weekly Round-up

Welcome to the first installment of The Glamarazzi! Check out this weeks links and look out next week for an even bigger list. And if you'd like to be a part of it check out the details here.

 

Welcome to the first installment of The Glamarazzi! Check out this weeks links and look out next week for an even bigger list. And if you'd like to be a part of it check out the details here.

-The Glamour Whore fends off a nervous breakdown with new sparkly accessories.
-Makeup/Music/Money/Me swatches Tarte's eco friendly femme naturale palette.
-Diary of a Style Addict covers the Lucky Handbag and Parson's School of Design Handbag launch.

FICO reveals damage points

Pay your credit card bill late?
Had a debt settlement?
Or have you maxed-out a credit card?
It's common knowledge that these actions can hurt your credit score, but FICO, the publicly-traded corporation that created the most widely used credit score system in America, recently revealed exactly how many points people lose when they experience the aforementioned situations.
The damage points are available on myFICO.com.
And if you're curious, FICO stands for the Fair Isaac Corporation.

Photo courtesy of www.autoloandaily.com.

Pacifica Solid Perfume Review

During my last Sephora outing, I bought a little jar of Tuscan Blood Orange Solid Perfume.
Had never tried solid perfume before so I wanted to see what this $10 solid perfume was about.
In the tin, the perfume smells like a piece of Starburst candy. Very fruity and sweet; so much so that it reminds me of a little thing of lip balm.
The perfume remained that way on my arm for a few minutes.
Sadly, the perfume had no staying power whatsoever.
Good thing was that it wasn't an extremely loud scent, it was very subtle and the orange smell gave it a summery kind of feel.
I think this perfume will work better in the summertime, when perfume should be light and refreshing.
The good thing about the $10 perfume is that it's made with organic coconut wax, soy wax, and natural and essential oils.
Also, it can be easily carried in your pocketbook and the tin can even be reused.

Photo courtesy of www.pacificaperfume.com.

Tarte Palette Review

Tarte's femme naturale is one of my fave beauty investments this year.


Swatches of Tarte's femme naturale palette.


Since I've stopped eating meat, I've been trying to incorporate more natural and organic ingredients in my beauty regimen.
I recently bought this Tarte palette from Sephora. It was $44 but well worth the price.
Tarte is a make-up company that uses no parabens, petro-chemicals, phthalates, sulfates, preservatives, glycol, talc, fragrances and gluten in their products.
Their palettes also have magnetic shadow bases that can be popped out and refilled with new shadows.
It also contains palm and coconut oils, vitamins E and C and mineral pigments which are all good for the skin.
Since I wanted a nice make-up palette for work, I bought the femme naturale set.
I'm really loving it.
The palette has lots of neutrals that compliment my skin tone. There are even a couple of darker shades that can create a dramatic look for play and fun outings.
The palette also came with a two-sided eye pencil and make-up brush.
It's one of my best make-up investments in a long time:)

Performance of the Day: Janis Joplin "Summertime"

I've been obsessed with this 1969 Janis Joplin performance since discovering it on YouTube a few weeks ago.
I wrote about Joplin's album "Pearl" last week and have been mesmerized by her music since discovering it.
This is probably one of my fave performances of all time.
Maybe it's how rough and good Joplin's voice sounds.
Or perhaps, it's how homeboy freaks the guitar like his life depended on it.
I can't give an explanation but whatever it is, every musical element is coming together and makes this song sound like magic.


Video courtesy of YouTube.com.

NOTD: More Wet n Wild and Nail Decorations!

I've been seeing lots of decals on nails and wanted to try the design for myself.
I recently bought a pack of Fing'rs' 3-D stick on decals and a bottle of Sally Hansen Maximum Growth quick dry top coat from fiveBelow for $2 each.
First, I painted my nails with wet n wild's Inferno, which is a highly pigmented orange.
Next, I applied yellow flower decals to the right corner of each of my nails.
Finally, I used the quick dry top coat to seal the decals and dry the color.
Loving the results!
My nails look professional and pretty!
The orange is goregous but the decal really makes an elegant statement.
I'll be using the decals more in the future.

And I'd like to wish everyone a very Happy Turkey Day holiday weekend. I have so many things to be thankful for, and not just on Turkey Day. Best wishes and good blessings until next week:)

Making Your Own Lip Gloss

The ingredients: one small beet, two tablespoons of powered sugar, three drops of olive oil, one Vitamin E tablet and several sample jars.


Mix 'em all up.


My beet-stained hands.


I poured them in leftover sample jars from Sephora.


I let them sit overnight.


The final product on my lips.

I recently came across this recipe to make your own lip gloss via
fashionwithabudget.
The ingredients included one small beet, three drops of olive oil, two tablespoons of powdered sugar, one vitamin E tablet and sample jars.
I washed the beet and chopped it into one-inch pieces. Then I placed it in a microwave for one minute so juice can come out. I had to heat up the beet for another minute because there wasn't enough juice the first time around.
(I later ate the beet. Yum.)
Then I mixed the beet juice and the other ingredients. I ended up adding more powdered sugar to the mixture because it wasn't thick enough.
I then poured the mixture in the small containers and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator.
Sadly, I wasn't too happy with the results.
The gloss didn't last long and wasn't as moisturizing as I thought it would be.
After a while, I could feel little clumps of powdered sugar forming on my lips.
The gloss did taste good though, lol.
Despite the results, I'll probably try making the gloss again because it was fun and pretty cool making my own lip products:)

Ever tried clear mascara??

I've seen blue and green and red and even purple mascaras, but I didn't know that clear mascara existed. (Please excuse the innocent ignorance there.)
Last month, I got a tube of Maybelline's Great Lash clear mascara for free by using a voucher that was on the back of an old Walgreens receipt.
I recently tried the mascara out and it's not bad at all.
Maybelline's line of Great Lash products usually do a good job of extending lashes. I've used their mascara in brown before and like it.
But I also like this clear mascara because it has that "je nais se qua" factor to it. It gave my lashes some volume and didn't overpower them.
I think I'm gonna keep this little baby in my bag.

Photo courtesy of www.maybelline.com.

Janis Joplin's "Pearl"

Janis Joplin's "Pearl" is the most recent record to really resonate with me.
I bought it for $1 from a local thrift store a couple of weeks ago and listened to it for about five days straight.
The first side of "Pearl" begins with the strong guitar rifts of "Move Over," which is my second fave jam on the album.
Joplin belts her heart out on the next tune, "Cry Baby."
Her version of "Half Moon" is OK, but it's not touching the funky one done by Chaka and Rufus.
The instrumental "Buried Alive in the Blues" ends side one. Sadly, Joplin was supposed to add her vocals to the track the day she died.
Side two begins with the passionate "My Baby" and continues with the hit "Me and Bobby McGee."
"Mercedes Benz" is a nice a cappella that's kind of ironic, given that the Port Arthur, Texas native drove a Porsche.
My fave track on the entire record is "Trust Me," a ballad about taking time in a relationship and letting love develop.
"...My love is like a seed baby.//It just needs time to grow," belts out a vulnerable Joplin.
And trust is just what I've done in Joplin's music.
Listening to this album has made me a fan of the often troubled singer, who died from an overdose in 1970.
Vice or no vice, there's still something very intoxicating and raw about this album.
The same could be said for Joplin's talent.
Her voice is steeped in blues and soul that's coming from something so real.
Her vocals aren't perfect, they're very raspy but still passionate.
She sung from her gut and it's just so soul-stirring; even gives you goosebumps.
It's evident that Joplin loved blues singers Big Mama Thornton, Lead Belly and folk artist Odetta.
But Joplin also left behind an influential musical legacy of rock, soul and blues.
Singers such as Nikka Costa, Joss Stone and Linda Ronstadt definitely took notes.

Photo courtesy of www.amazon.com.

Product Review: fabindia soap

Several of the beauty items I brought back from India was a bar of seabuckthorn soap from retail store fabindia.
The soap comes with a scrub on one side, which would be nice if it wasn't too tough on my skin.
The scent is sweet and not overbearing but still, me no likey.
I'm not feeling this bar of soap.

NOTD: wet n wild's new craze polish line

Wet n wild's new craze line is currently my polish of choice.

I've been on a wet n wild polish trip lately and maybe that's because their colors are cheap and lovely.
I recently scooped up four colors from their new craze line:

Nocturnal: a midnight blue and almost black but very vampy.
Inferno: a happy and bright orange reminiscent of Autumn.
Goldmine: a highly-pigmented and sunshine of a gold.
Rustic: a shimmery brown akin to Autumn.

I've got to say, I'm happy with the results of this line.
I've had the colors on since last Wednesday and they didn't start chipping until Sunday, and that was only on one finger.
I currently have all four colors on my nails and they look adorable.
They're vibrant, shimmery and make my hands pop.
My fave color is Inferno because it compliments my skin tone beautifully and is a pick-me-up kind of hue.
The colors are also toluene, phthalate and formaldehyde free.
Another win for wet n wild because I'll definitely be using these colors more.

My Latest Record and Beauty Hauls

My latest record collection additions.

I have six additions to my record collection:
-Carole King's "Music"
-Hot Chocolate's self-titled 1975 record
-George Benson's "Weekend in L.A."
-Joan Armatrading's "Track Record"
-Charley Pride's "The Best of Charley Pride"
and Janis Joplin's "Pearl"

Each record was $1 and I got them from my local thrift store.
I've listened to everyone but the Charley Pride and George Benson records because I can't stop listening to "Pearl."
I'm going to write a review on "Pearl" soon because it has too much soul.
The other reviews will come soon too.


Here are the beauty products I scooped up this weekend.

And in beauty news, I got a lot of stuff from Sephora yesterday:
a 10-shadow palette from Tarte cosmetics (since I'm trying to use more organic and natural products) and a small jar of solid perfume from Pacifica. Since I spent over $50, I got a cute clutch with eight samples in it. I also picked up two packages of soap from Trader Joe's. Reviews will come later on these products.

NOTD and Walgreens Haul

Bijou Blue with silver lining is currently on my nails.

The latest hue on my nails is Bijou Blue from wet n wild's Wild Shine line.
It's a warm blue and looks like a winter wonderland with the Silver Glitter Art Deco lacquer painted across my tips.
The blue is a pretty color but I'm not feeling the combination.
I think the silver would look better if the blue was darker.

In other polish news, Walgreens had a buy one get one free (!!!!) deal on most wet n wild products and I scooped up four bottles of polish from their new craze line:
Nocturnal is a dark, midnight-ish blue that might work well with my silver lacquer.
Inferno is a beautiful, bright orange that reminds me of autum.
Goldmine is a strong, shimmery gold.
Rustic is a metallic brown.
Essentially, I paid about $1 for each bottle, since they run about $2 each.
I also got two tubes of waterproof liquid eyeliner in Black-Brown and Espresso.
These are my first tubes of liquid eyeliner so we'll see how they do vs. pencil eyeliner.
Expect reviews in the next couple of weeks.


Here's some polish and eyeliner from my Walgreens haul.

Veterans Eat Free at Applebee's Wednesday

Veterans and active duty military personnel get to eat free at Applebee's on Veterans Day, which is tomorrow.
Just show proof of your military service and your free and well-deserved meal will be granted.
I have five siblings in various branches of the military and one is currently serving a tour in Iraq.
I appreciate all they do to serve their country:)

Visit Applebee's for more information.

Photo courtesy of find.mapmuse.com.

New Amerykah Part 2 Street-date (hopefully)

So the street-date for Erykah Badu's "New Amerykah Part 2: Return of the Ankh" is Feb. 23, 2010, according to the lovely folks at www.erykah-badu.com.
(We'll see how that one pans out, especially knowing Badu's
history.)
Badu's supposed to release a new single, "Jump in the Air and Stay There," soon.
She's also supposed to be in the studio mixing two other singles, one of them allegedly featuring rapper Lil Wayne.
I'm crossing my fingers on this one.

Photo courtesy of www.erykah-badu.com.

Money Moment: mint.com

I've been hearing good things about the Web site mint.com so I recently signed up for it.
The site helps you track your spending habits by linking with your bank account.
The results can be scary but very eye-opening, depending on how you spend your money.
It breaks down purchases into several categories such as gas, clothes, food and entertainment.
This is a good Web site for people looking to rein-in spending.


Photo courtesy of businesspundit.com.