Everyday Face Routine

My everyday face routine doesn't seem like a lot when doing it. Taking the time to look at all the products laid out makes me really feel like I use a lot of make up. I have days where I love being caked face but my everyday routine is more simple...

Step 1: EYES
I usually start off with my eyes first, I prime them with the Urban Decay Primer Potion. On a normal day, I just use my Urban Decay Pulp Fiction palette, nothing fancy I pop Vengeance on my lid and Tyanny in my crease. I go in with Anger to highlight under my eyebrow. Once my eyeshadow is done I apply Urban Decay's eyeliner in Perversion and Benefit's There Real mascara.  

Step 2: Face
On a freshly washed and well moisturized face, I apply Benefit's Porefessional Primer and spray Mac's Fix + to prep. I don't like using foundation everyday so I go in the MAC's Pro Longwear concealer in NC 45. I'm not the color NC 45, I'm actually a NC 50. I like to use this concealer on the lightest parts on my face to conceal any dark spot and even out my skin tone. I usually use it under my eyes, the center of my forehead, down the bridge of my nose, and lastly on my chin. It's not light enough to highlight but it's the right color to cover and conceal. I set my concealer with Black Opal's Deluxe Finishing Powder in medium then I powder my whole face with MAC's Mineralized Skin Finish in Dark Tan. I used the MSF just to blend out any harsh lines of the concealer and to even out the rest of my face. Once I'm completely finished I spray my face once again with Fix +.

Step 3: LIPPIE
I'm a neutral girl so I usually try to stick to a nude lip. I've been loving Maybelline's Crazy For Coffee. It's the perfect nude lip for me and it looks super natural. I'm afraid of color so hopefully one day I'll branch out.

MISSY LYNN PALETTE

Missy Lynn also known as StartToFinishMUA on Youtube recently launched her signature palette with BH Cosmetics on February 18th. I was so excited to order the palette for my mom and I because it's super affordable and the colors are amazing. This palette is very versatile and can be used for day to night looks. The extra large eyeshadows are wonderfully pigmented and blend very well. Missy Lynn hand picked each shadow for the palette, she made sure the colors would compliment every skin tone. I'm so happy for her to have this amazing opportunity as well as I'm glad I could support her.


 6 Extra Large Eyeshadows and 2 Baked Highlighters

Left to Right:

• Warm Beige- Shimmer
•  Rosey Copper- Shimmer
• Warm Brown- Satin Matte
• Rust Brown- Satin Matte
• Deep Plum- Satin
• Deep Indigo- Satin
• Golden Bronze- Baked Metallic
•  Rose Gold- Baked Metallic 

-- All are Paraben Free, Cruelty Free, Allergy Tested, Clinically Tested, And NON- Irritating

Wash Day!

It's that time of the week, WASH DAY! I do follow the curly girl method but it's that time of the month where it's time for shampoo. I have a regime that I follow through out the month and it often varies on how my hair is feeling. My head was quite itchy so it was time to break out good ole shampoo. I do pre-poo the night before with coconut oil to detangle and to get some added moisture. After the night of pre-pooing, I section off my hair in 4 parts. When adding in the shampoo I try to make sure I get my roots and scalp. Once I rinse the shampoo out it will then coat and cleanse my strands of hair. The next step is conditioner, I add it to my strands and let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Then I rinse out the conditioner and add in the deep conditioner, once the deep conditioner is on I usually let it sit for 30 mins to a hour with a plastic cap. Sometimes I leave it on longer, it just depends on what my hair needs at the time.

LOC TIME

After I rinse out my deep conditioner and I detangle some more, then I go straight into the L.O.C Method. L.O.C. is short for leave-in, oil, and cream. Once everything is placed on my hair, I put my hair into 4-6 twists and I'm finished! :)

Products:

Shea Moisture African Black Soap Shampoo: This shampoo helps when my scalp is extra itchy. If I don't pre-poo the night before then I does leave my hair feeling stripped. But if I do pre-poo then it leaves my feeling cleanse and moisturized. It smells like bananas, but it is made with plantains. I don't love it but it gets the job done!

Shea Moisture JBCO Conditioner: This is a fairly new conditioner I started using. I like it so far and it smells amazing.

Shea Moisture JBCO Deep Conditioner: I've been loving this deep conditioner and leaves my hair feeling so soft. My hair absolutely loves this and soaks it up. I can detangle my hair so well when it's in, it has amazing slip. It smells just like the conditioner.

Alikay Naturals Lemongrass Leave-In: THIS IS HOLY GRAIL STATUS! lol I've been using this leave-in for a month and I'm totally in love with it. I use it after I rinse out my deep conditioner as well as a refresher spray to give my hair life during the week. It gives my hair this unbelievable softness and I'm obsessed with it! It smells like Fruity Pebbles!

Oil: Any oil is good to seal in the moisture. I've been using avocado oil and I like it so far.

Alikay Naturals Shea Yogurt: This is the cream I've been using and it leaves my hair feeling so moisturized. It smells heavenly and it has a really creamy texture that emulsifies in your hands. A little does go along way. I section my hair off in 4-6 parts and distribute it evenly throughout my hair. It gives my twist shine and somewhat of a good hold. I do not use this as a styler, only for moisturizing purposes.

I don't style on wash day, my hair can't handle the excessive amount of manipulation. I usually let my hair sit in chunky twist for 2 days then I style.

To Be or Not To Be .... A Product Junkie

A Product Junkie is one who collects or acquires various amounts of products that they may or MAY NOT need. A natural hair product junkie may have 7 bottles of conditioners from the same or different product brand. A product junkie maybe one who sees a  BOGO sale from their favorite brand and have to obtain products. Or it could simply be one who watches youtube videos and discovers new products that they just need to have. Whatever your definition of a product junkie maybe, I know for sure that I may fall in the category. I went natural my sophomore year of high school in 2008. Then I had no idea about the natural community or how to take care of my hair post relaxer. I didn't big chop, I wore braids continually until all my relaxed end were cut off. My senior year I discovered the beautiful world of sew-ins and weave and become a fellow member of my high schools Weave-Heads. I continued to wear weaves and braids during my college years and it wasn't until my senior year that realized the toll it took on my natural hair. Sept. 1, 2014 was the day I decided to embrace my natural hair and restore my torn down edges. I didn't have a clue what to do nor did I know how to style. I watched one flat twist tutorial and decided that would be my go to style. From there I learned about the curly girl method, building a regime, and natural hair products. I watched girls use certain types of product then would go out and purchase them only to discover they didn't work in my hair. I learned about the hair typing system and realized that products that worked for type 3 girls did not work in my type 4 hair. I looked at all the products I had then accumulated to find out that I had to buy more. It was really frustrating at first finding what worked for my hair but now I absolutely love getting new products since I now have a great sense of what works for my hair. I know a lot of naturals don't like the hair typing system, but the hair typing system has helped me tremendously. I love doing my hair and playing around in new and old products.

Here is my little product stash! I have each of my products sorted by how I used them.

1. Oils, Gels, and Edge Control 
2. Moisturizers, Stylers, and some Leave-In Conditioners
3. More Leave-Ins, Shampoos, Conditioners, and Deep Conditioners

 I am a huge Shea Moisture Fan, it was the first natural brand I was introduced too. Now I'm slowly trying new brands and I've been recently loving Alikay Naturals.

*I may not a be a huge product junkie but I do have more products than I actually need and I have more on my list to try.