Dec 22, 2010

Wet Cinder


I always wanted to do a water photoshoot. I wanted something that wet and sultry. In this look I am wearing: Carbon and Beauty Mark by MAC and Falsies mascara by Mabeline on my eyes; Honolulu Honey by NARS and Spice lipliner by MAC on my lips; Body Bronzer by Milani, Forever Warm bronzer by Mabeline, BS10 by Nicka K. I dont always have the confidence to let someone else shoot. I have alway been more inhibited when someone else is behind the camera. I feel like I dont let go and try new poses because of the risk of looking stupid. Even worst if im wet, nude, and in a tub...lol. I am trying to get out of that. So luckily with a self timer and tripod, I can crank out the poses with confidence.




Dec 18, 2010

MAC's Viva Glam Cyndi lustre AA14


I wanted to show case one on my new favorite lipsticks: MAC's Viva Glam Cyndi lustre AA14. I was looking for a pink color to do a photoshoot with, but everytime I would choose one it would be too sheer or too shiny. I wante da matte pink that you couldnt see through. So was at a pageant, and my bestie said she went to MAC and bought a few things. She said that she had a color that she thought was too light for her but would look great one me. So she reache din her make up back inbetween entertainers and pulled out this color. I looked at it. At first i said hmmm it ok , but it looks even too light for my own taste. But her witha the right liner i can make anything work. Feeling daring, I swipe some on my lips. I turned around and looked in the mirror. I was amazing that this was the exact look I was goin for that night. I had on a light grey one piece sleeveless Vneck jumpsuit accessorize witha black and blue retro 80's looking rubic cube like belt and YSL style cut out boots. I love the color. So I went home...added the necklace... and took this picture. I hope you enjoy

Nov 9, 2010

Milani Body Bronzer

So I have been trying more bronzey like looks lately quite successfully i might add. I love the dewy look that I see on some girls in the magazines and videos like Beyonce's "Upgrade U" when the skin has a smooth golden sheen. So i have been trying out different bronzers. Milani's body bronzer is one the best i have tried so far. I brought this at CVS. It wasnt expensive at all. I bougth one for my mother who is dark skin and it works great for giving her a nice hightlighting glow. I was scared that because of my oily skin, this bronzer would make just look greasy because of it moist consistency. I was wrong this bronzer give my skin a natural tan glow that stays without feeling heavy. I use is similiar to a cream blush or to give my skin and golden tone for photoshoots Try this out if you are lookin for a glow on dark skin as well as light



Nov 4, 2010

Smoking is Bad for Your Skin too

Although smoking is best known for causing lung cancer,that is not the only risk or damage that it does. This gross habit (that I quit 2 years ago)is also among the biggest threats to your skin. Next to sun and chemicals, tobacco is one of the major accelerators of your skin natural aging process, and it is thought to be one of the fastest acting threats. I only smoked for 3 years after a break(UGH how stupid), and I swear I started to see some aging early. Young people start showing signs of early skin aging after as little as 10 years of smoking. If you think this is a long period of time, you should keep in mind that many young people start smoking in their teen years (16-19 year olds) and are still below 30 when the first signs appear.Looking old in your 20's? *Gasp*
Smoking causes the narrowing of blood vessels throughout your body, including those that supply the outermost layers of the skin with oxygen and nutrients. Thus, your skin is slowly starved of vital oxygen and other substances. Over time, the lack of oxygen and nutrients( vitamin A specifically) would allow the formation of harmful free radicals that slowly damage the elastic fibers and collagen, which keep the skin strong and flexible. The result is aging before your time. It is also thought likely that the repeated pursing of lips when inhaling smoke helps build wrinkles around the mouth, while the heat of the burning cigarette tip is also damaging the skin.


Nov 2, 2010

Perfumes: Get a Whiff of This

Now i love to smell good. I also love variety in my scents so i can change for every mood. That why I and specific perfumes that fit specific occassions. One Fragrance is for feeling confident. Another fragrance is for feeling sexy. One is for feeling mature and one if for feeling young and girly. Which every feeling i am tryin to embody, i want to alway make they smell wonderful. Here are my top 5 perfumes (and a bonus):

Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf


This frangrance is exact what the name suggest... girlie with a little kick
It total describe who i am in one bottle









Daisy by Marc Jacobs


This clean girly smell that is youthful and fliry. I totally love it











Angel by Thierry Mugler




This is a sexy mature fragrance that my husband loves me to wear during dinner and late night fun








Jasmine Vanilla by Bath & Body Works




This is my every day pampering fragrance, I wear this alot around the house relaxing and smelling oh so lovely








Tre'sor but Lancome




This is when i want to get my grown woman on. I feel young but ready for the world in this. not too sexy but definitely a flirty and confident perfume







Aromatics by Clinique




This perfume is fresh clean and luxurious. I wear this when I need confidence and focus. I love to wear this to business meetiinga nd interviews because it is very serious and direct withough being too strong.













I hope you try these out. These make me feel wonderful in any setting. Whether its a romantic evening with your husband or in a meeting doing a powerpoint presentation, there is frangance for you.

Oct 28, 2010

The Not so Natural Natural

My natural hair video was feature on Curl Nikki site and Racialicious . All I have to say is WOW. Thank you all so much for showing me love. I am always nervous talking about natural hair as a transgender woman because …um natural..aka what I was born with…. isnt really my forte…lol… if you catch my drift. When I go out in the world, the public doesn’t see the transgender adjective. When they see me, they just see a Black woman. Outside of the genitalia which people don’t see of course, I have most of the characteristics of a black woman: ample booty, hips, thighs. kinky hair, full lips and a little attitude…lol. So with all that I do have some insight on the overall experience (especially in aesthetically) with being a Black woman. I too had a mother that instilled specific beauty principles about skin color, good hair, bad hair, perms, and the nappy head girls up the street. I had to endured the burn of S curls and other texturizers to get my hair to do what my mom felt was acceptable and attractive. I alway thought the community aka the Black girls would discount what I had to say based on what I am. I was already light skin, which for some reason take away from my Blackness in some folks perspective. So now I want to talk about natural hair? Oh No! In my experience, the ”sistas” are not the most accepting bunch of women (except when it comes to what they will accept from deadbeat men but hey that another blog post). Which is ironic because the “sistas” have been the most misrepresented and put down group throughout history. It so surprising to see the positive comments without negative innuendos that usually come. So I want to thank you all so much for appreciating my experiences in my natural journey.