Beauties,

Have you created a list of goals for yourself for 2019?  I started off the new year thinking about my aspirations and goals for this year and if I'm being honest, it was hard for me to pinpoint the things I really wanted to achieve this year.  God has been so good to me over the last few years and all of the goals and things I really wanted to do, He allowed me to achieve.  So, how do you create new goals when all the ones you dreamed of before have been completed?  As someone told me on Twitter, it is time to dream bigger!


I was asked by Carusele to participate in the #WalgreensBeauty campaign, sponsored by Walgreens. Although I have been compensated, all opinions are my own.

Beauties,

Do you know what truly makes packing for trips easier?  Having your toiletry bag already together!  I learned this a few years ago when I was traveling almost every weekend.  It made packing so much easier because all I had to do was get a few outfits together, throw my toiletry bag in and I was on my way.  Plus, with Walgreens, it's super easy to pack and keep your skin popping while you travel because they offer great beauty items for low prices and of course, travel sizes that are TSA approved for carry-ons!  Travel size is one of the best things ever!




I was asked to participate in the #AlmayTrueYou campaign, sponsored by Almay at Walgreens.  All opinions are my own.

Beauties,

As women, we are each unique and wear many hats.  We are bosses, wives, mothers, girlfriends, sisters and so much more.  It’s amazing how we switch roles effortlessly throughout the day.  From the boardroom to drinks with the girls, we move through the day flawlessly and you know what?  That is what makes us beautiful!  Our individuality makes us who we are.   We have the right to have multiple dreams, goals and passions.  Almay believes you are beautiful just the way you are too.  With every hat we wear, Almay has a squad of eyeshadows to match!


Beauties,

I will be the first to admit that I am a bit obsessive when it comes to my skincare routine.  You all know my rule of thumb is great skin makes for an even better makeup application.  One thing I recently realized is that I have never shared with you all how I care for my brows after threading or waxing.  Truthfully, I can say that my ways are a little crazy and some of you will judge me, but that's totally OK.  I have faithfully been having my brows threaded and waxed for almost 10 years and I have found that there is an art to making sure your skin around brows is healthy and heals properly.  So let's get into a few things I do before and after getting my brows slayed to make sure they are popping...


Beauties,

If you are following me on Instagram, I know you have seen all the buzz surrounding Olay’s newest product, Whip!  Olay is one of the most innovative brands and they are always introducing new products to the market that are affordable and great quality.  When I was initially contacted about trying Whip, I had no idea what to expect or the brand it was by.  I knew I was in for a new moisturizer, but what I got was definitely an even better surprise.


Beauties,

It’s that time of year again!  For the past two years, I have had the pleasure of reviewing REDBOOK Magazine’s annual Red Beauty Box and just a few weeks ago, this year’s box landed at my doorstep.  I could not wait to see what was inside this year’s box because each box is always filled with the hottest beauty brands from skincare to beauty tools to makeup.  This year’s box did not disappoint and included some of the newest haircare and skincare products.  I’m sharing the real deal on all five products included in the 2017 Red Beauty Box so let’s get into it!


Beauties,

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that I have been participating in the #Olay28Day Challenge. Olay challenged me to switch my skincare routine to solely Olay Luminous products for 28 days. For the last 28 days in the morning and at night, I have been using Olay Luminous Micellar Water, Miracle Boost Concentrate, Light Hydrating Lotion and Overnight Mask. One of the reasons I was excited to take this challenge is because my mom, who seriously has the most amazing skin, told me she used Olay for years. Olay is a worldwide leader in skin care and has been trusted by women for over 60 years. In fact, I have heard so many women praise Olay in my life that I knew it was a must try.


Beauties,

I'm addicted to skincare products, particularly natural skincare.  I have been using natural skincare products for years now.  I truly believe transitioning to natural skincare is what has given me clearer, glowy skin.  Surprisingly, though, it never occurred to me that maybe natural deodorant could be a good thing to start using too.  I remember chatting with a dear friend of mine about natural deodorant.  She lived a pretty healthy lifestyle, including working out and constantly eating all natural foods, but even she refused to do all natural deodorant.  She said that she just couldn't find one that kept her fresh throughout the day.  After that conversation, I truly didn't think about natural deodorant for years.  This all changed when I came across this video on YouTube.




This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Always Discreet. The opinions and text are all mine.

Beauties,
It's hard to believe that in a few short months, I'll be turning 31. Turning 30 has brought so much clarity to my life. I know even more the importance of sharing my story and living my purpose. Thirty has brought a few unexpected experiences too. One of my personal goals is to continue to share real topics here with you, and to be honest, the experience I'm sharing today is one that I never thought I would tell anyone. Recently, I had my first experience with incontinence. What is the definition of incontinence? It is the lack of control of urination. Yes, it happened to me one night while I was sleeping. Was it embarrassing at the time? Sure. Am I ashamed? No. Is it normal and common? Yes! Today I am happy to be partnering with Always Discreet to share more information on female bladder leaks and how we can manage it together!


Thank you Curél® for sponsoring this post.

Beauties,

Dry skin is no fun.  If you suffer from dry skin or even eczema, you are definitely not alone.  My mother and I discovered I had eczema as a young girl.  The itchy, dry patches were really tough to deal with and my mother did as much as she could to lessen the itch.  From foregoing perfume to using fragrance-free laundry detergents, it was always a task to try to keep my dry skin at bay - and to be honest, it didn’t always work.  That’s why today I’m beyond thankful for wet skin moisturizers like Curél® Hydra Therapy Wet Skin Moisturizer.


Beauties,

I think I am one of the few beauty bloggers of color who has not used many Black Opal products.  I have been hearing so many positive reviews of Black Opal for years, but after choosing the wrong shades for myself a few years ago, I hadn't tried Black Opal since.  I was recently volunteering in a Walmart in Charlotte when I came across a pretty impressive selection of Black Opal products.  I had seen most of their products before, but the True Color Pore Perfecting Liquid Foundation was new to me.  I was easily able to spot a shade that looked similar to my skin tone and you all know I love trying new beauty products so I figured I would give it a try.  After using it the last week, I wanted to share with you all my full review and thoughts.


Beauties,

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend the day with Family Dollar and even tour one of their local stores in Charlotte.  During our tour of the store, Family Dollar gave us a moment to explore the store on our own.  You all know without a doubt, I went straight for the makeup section.  I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of makeup they had in store.  They had the largest L.A. COLORS section I'd ever seen.  If you're not familiar with L.A. COLORS, it's one of the most well known, affordable makeup brands.  I've been using the brand for years and couldn't wait to try some of the products I saw in Family Dollar.


Beauties,

Last Wednesday, I had the awesome opportunity to spend the day with Family Dollar, Cantu Beauty and Body Fantasies.  I couldn't wait for the day to come because I've been not only a fan, but a customer of Family Dollar since early high school.  I was honored that they asked me to be a part of the event and excited to learn that Family Dollar Headquarters is right here in North Carolina.  I arrived early on Wednesday to Family Dollar Headquarters and it wasn't long before we got our day started!


Beauties,

You all know how much I love discovering new beauty products.  Whether it’s skincare or haircare, I love it all.  Last year, I had the opportunity to review the REDBOOK Fall 2015 Red Beauty Box.  The box was filled with goodies for your skin and nails with many new releases from popular brands.  I’m excited to share that today I am reviewing the new Fall 2016 Red Beauty Box.  This year’s box has items for your hair and skin.  Let’s take a look at what’s inside!


Beauties,

It's hard to believe that in just a few months I will be celebrating my sixth year of rocking my natural curls.  Time has truly flown by, but the most amazing part is that I can still say it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.  There were times during my journey that I wished my hair would grow faster or be curlier, but today, I can say that I love my hair just the way it is.  Throughout my journey, I've worn everything from a teeny weeny afro to big, voluminous curls.  Since I've gone through every stage of the natural hair journey, I'm here to tell you that there is beauty in every stage and length of your curls.


Beauties,

When it comes to my skincare routine, a weekly mask is a must.  Masks help clear your pores of dirt and oil.  Plus, they can help boost and replenish moisture in the skin.  If I'm having a good week, I try to fit in two masks a week because the benefits are truly worth it.  Now that I've incorporated all natural skincare into my daily skincare regimen, I'm beginning to look at all natural masks to add to my routine.  Last week, I reviewed Bask and Bloom Essentials Tangerine Mint Soap and this week, I'm sharing an in-depth review of their Rose Purifying Face Mask.  Let's get into how the Bask and Bloom Essentials Rose Purifying Face Mask performs!


Beauties,

Throughout the past year, I have been transitioning most of my skincare regimen to all natural, organic products.  I love the gentleness of natural, organic skincare and as someone with eczema, my skin often thanks me for this transition.  Since I've already transitioned my facial routine, I am now looking at products to use during and after showering.  This is why I was excited when Bask and Bloom Essentials contacted me regarding reviewing their products.  Bask and Bloom Essentials is known for creating products without synthetic fragrances, parabens, sulfates, petrolatum, formaldehyde and mineral oil.


Beauties,

I had to openly admit to myself a few weeks ago that I may be a little obsessed with skincare.  I am always up for trying new skincare products to see what will give me the best glow and clean my skin without being too harsh.  Earlier this summer, I was contacted by Nourish Organic to try their facial skincare line.  I had never heard of the brand, but as some of you know, I've already switched over to mostly organic skincare products.  I was excited to give this brand a try and after using it throughout the entire summer, I feel it's definitely time for an in depth review.



Beauties,

It's hard to believe that my husband and I have been married over two years already.  One thing that we decided early in our marriage was to continue to have date night.  Even one of our gifts during my bridal party was movie tickets because my co-worker wanted us to remember how important date night is.  So, my husband and I devote ourselves to having at least one date night a month.  We typically like to enjoy dinner and a movie, but sometimes our date nights aren't the typical.  Like, this past Sunday, we enjoyed listening to Grandmaster Flash at the National Folk Festival.  Either way, when it comes to date night, I am sharing super budget-friendly ways to be fashionable and fabulous!


Beauties,

If you've seen me on social media in the last few days, I'm sure I'm looking a bit different than normal.  You all know that I love switching up my hair.  In the last few years, I've worn everything from red hair to shaved sides to crochet locs.  One hairstyle I've always wanted to try, but had been a bit afraid to, is blonde hair.  I love how blonde hair looks on women of color, but I have heard horror stories of how drying and damaging it can be.  I tend to be one of those people who likes to at least try something once so I decided for my 30th birthday, I was going to finally go blonde.


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