Smile

In life we have good days bad days and the days in between. Friends family and significant others disappoint us, let us down, hurt our feelings and drive us to the point where we hurt so much we feel like we cannot exist. However I learned to wake up everyday take a deep breath and smile.

Keep smiling
xx

The Origami Bandit.......

     Many people don't know me, they might have exchanged words with me here or there, we may hang out, or know some of the same people but they don't know me. They don't know what keeps me going everyday, what makes me get up out of bed, what makes me smile, what makes me laugh, what makes me hurt. Many people don't know ME. Persons may perceive me to be a certain way, but they don't know me. Yes I can be loud, opinionated  overbearing, annoying, that thorn in your damn side, that person that just says stuff. I am that person. 
    
 Though I might be that person I have through the stars of the universe managed to find myself befriended by some of the most talented people alive. Singers, artists, writers, teachers, students, parents, fashion designers, beauty queens, economists, doctors, lawyers, these are people who are just bursting to the brim with talent. Some are limited to one area which they excel, others are multifaceted (yes like the l 'O real hair colour) but all are amazing.  One of these persons is Alex Akande who is Chief blogger over at Origami Bandit, you can check him out here. http://www.origami-bandit.com/blog.html 
   
 I would like to share some of his wisdom as we head into the second half of the first year of a new decade on a new century.  Bandit Theory'. Evil masterminds in movies all seem to have read this imaginary book (though it seems they all skipped the chapter on "ethics").

• Never step out in an outfit you wouldn't be confident being photographed in. For in your tiny little world, YOU are a celebrity.
• Your sneakers/shoes should ALWAYS be fresh. Always.
• Be cool, calm, and always retain your composure. Today, the world just may be counting on you. DO NOT mess it up.
• Knowledge is power, you should work out more often. Stay smart.
• Above all, stay cool. Never take yourself too seriously.

Now I take myself very seriously, I will always be the first to admit so I don't know about that one lol but his other points do make sense. Present your best self to the world always. 

Summer House Happenins: Jill Scott and Common reading at the white house poetry night

Listen and enjoy 

Costume Warranty.....

Fresh on my Carnival 2011 euphoria I came across this blog post on the Trini carnival diary blog. 


COSTUME WARRANTY AGREEMENT


All costumes come with a standard 2 day natural Carnival wear warranty, which covers popped gems, loose beads, detaching parts, broken belts and bras. Warranty also covers variation from prototype, loss of costume, late delivery of costume or costume pieces and incorrect sizing if the error occurs from the Band.

In the event that the costume needs repairs before use you are entitled to free costume repair. If the costume varies from the prototype you are entitled to 50% refund. If the incorrect size of costume was given with the fault being the Band’s you are entitled to have the costume replaced with the correct sizing with free costume delivery. If your costume was lost or misplaced by the band you are entitled to a 50% refund, replacement of your costume in any section of your choice (excluding Frontline if your selection was backline/floor member) and free costume delivery. If your costume or any piece of it is not ready for collection on the assigned collection date you are entitled to free costume delivery.

Not covered are accidental damage, broken plumage, unnatural stains and damage due to excessive wining and jamishness.

..........................................................................................................................

Now we have all been there at some point in our masquerading life, you received a costume that has no resemblance to the one they showed at the launch, the costume is unfinished,  it fell apart BEFORE you reached on the road, or mid way down the road when you just warming up the chipping. . What ensues is mayhem as you try to patch up this costume with the help of friends, or the ever elusive mas band leader. Costume distribution as well is a big big one that has caused many a fustration over the years.Many times has resulted in some covert operations to collect, one year I had to leave jouvert on Carnival Monday to collect my costume. Now what Saucy over at trini carnival diary is proposing that mas bands offer a costume warranty. The warranty would cover the costume for repairs if needed BEFORE you take the costume on the road, (ie braiding becomes undone, beads falling off etc) or in the case of pieces missing, or costume delay in distribution. According to saucy this ensures that standards are kept up and customers remain happy. 

you can read her full post here http://networkedblogs.com/h0A3S 

xxXXxx

Carnival cannot die, we will never say bye bye.....

Its here Carnival 2011 has finally launched praise to ye Jah RAStahfar-I.

Its here its here Antigua Carnival 2011Officially kicked off last night in the midst of the 44th Annual Antigua Sailing Week celebrations last. night. I tell you with many a baited breath I awaited this weekend, first it was the royal wedding, then Carnival launch and now tonight Myst will "Unveil" their costumes for season 4. One of my friends has a running joke going that if one particular costume which I LOVE does not unveil tonight she thinks I will cry. Which I probably will, but honestly I think its more of a strong possibility I might not play mas this year. Sorry the heart wants what the heart wants. However we can hope that some other costume makes me fall inlove, but I am sure one my girl will just be like Kae-Toya please and come Monday and Tuesday I will be chipping all over St John's sipping on the Belvedere and Cranberry.

Now is where the excitement really begins, and conversations turn to things like, prices please? when can we register? what is new in the package this year? What accessories do you want to get? Are you doing mas makeup? Who going queen show? How you doing your hair for mas? When you buying your stockings? what shoes you playing mas in? We going pan yard? Carnival is sweet eh. I have the biggest smile on my face right now, Claudette Peters is playing on my itunes, the sun is shining.

Jump if you love Soca, tell me you agree, and BRING IT ON.

xx

Shhhhhhhhhh

It's funny when you stop talking the other person has nothing to say.

A still tongue lies within a wise head

xx

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Top 10 Desert Island Products...........

This is a good idea was it made me think what are my top 10 products that are really essential? Of course, they might change in the future who can say but this is my top 10 items of choice if I got stuck on a deserted Island. 


1. Ribena - this is my drink. I LOVE Ribena it contains vitamin C I need something to keep me going til survival mode kicks in. 


2. My journal (and a black ball point pen) it might be hard to believe but I write wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more than I post on here, lol. If I was found I would want to have records of my experiences. 


3. Sunblock with a crazy high factor like SPF50. I burn in the sun.


4. Ginger Snaps these would be my treat aka my reward for catching that fish, sleeping through the night in the wilderness or wrestling that boar. 


5. My water bottle to hold fresh water.


6. Cocoa Butter lotion its a good moisturiser and a good after sun moisturiser. So for everyone who gets sunburnt just slather on some cocoa butter on that ish and you are good to go. 


7. Aloe Vera gel this is also a good after sun product however it serves 2 purposes as it can be used as a natural alcohol free hair gel. :)


8. Steel and Flint girl go to make a fire you know. Yes I know how to make a outdoor fire ----> don't let the lipgloss fool you I am gangsta like that. 


9. Vodka to sanitise any cuts, sores or blisters I might get. Plus it can be used as a facial cleaner.


10. My Swiss Army pen knives to use to cut branches meat, skin animals, make a spear, etc. 


xoxo

How to get radiant glowing skin.....

     First of all getting that lovely summer glow depends on having clean skin and also a good skincare routine. A good idea would be to exfoliate skin twice a week. For the face I recommend Sundays and Thursdays that way you are ready for the week ahead and also ready for the weekend.  A good exfoliator is the St Ives microdermabrasion scrub. It contains very fine particles so it is not very harsh on the skin, yet when you are finished exfoliating your skin feels very very very smooth.

      A little goes a long way, you should only be using an amount that is about the same as the size of the nail on your pinky ( small finger). Following the exfoliating a clay mask twice a week would definitely help by drawing out the impurities from deep within your skin. This will help to shrink large pores and eventually if you are acne prone less pimples. (This is for girls, boys, men and women equal opportunity, we want everyone to be looking and feeling their best)

     The same with your body exfoliating is a must, here I recommend exfoliating gloves these are everywhere but if you don't know what constitutes everywhere pick some up at your nearest Body shop. http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/_en/_gb/catalog/product.aspx?ParentCatCode=C_BathBody&CatCode=C_BathBody_Accessories&prdcode=81991m They come in a variety of colours so guys you can get in on this. These are lovely you just put them on squeeze some shower gel or body wash on them and massage your skin in circular motions, they are gentle enough to be used everyday and pretty much all over stomach, thighs, heels, elbows literally everywhere. if you are a couple you can have a lovely bonding experience scrubbing those hard to reach places for each other, wink wink,-----------> "you scrub my back and i'll scrub yours." 

Sidenote -  the best products in the world will do nothing for your skin if you are not on a regular, healthy diet, and keeping your body well hydrated. Fried potato chips, sodas, and alcoholic beverages in copious amounts are not good for your skin. Fresh fruits, veggies, nuts and water all contain great skin nourishing properties. 

Shopping list 

Palmers Cocoa Butter formula Natural Bronze Body Lotion : Gradual tanning moisturiser - this can be used as an everyday body lotion it gives slight bronzed look which is very lovely when the sunshine bounces off of it. 

Superdrug Vitamin E Shimmer Body Lotion - this is a moisturiser which contains body shimmer, excellent for giving your body a nice glow. Also this can be used to highlight specific areas, such as the décolletage, shoulders, arms, legs any specific area which you want to show off. The Superdrug vitamin E shimmer lotion is Tres fab, especially if you put some fake tan on underneath it. What I do is if I have an event coming up I will apply the palmers natural bronze body lotion for a few days before the event and then the day or night of the event I will apply the shimmer lotion on top…………the combo is positively amazing. 

Sidenote - The Body Shop also has a Coconut shimmer body lotion. I recommend that 4 friends/sisters split the cost of purchase, divide it into four equal sections. These four sections can be held in a small container with a cover until the shimmer lotion finishes. Remember a little goes a long way. 

Rimmel Sunshimmer Instant Tan makeup in medium shimmer - This is a fake tan and body shimmer 2 in 1 product makes your body look great, excellent for nights at the club which you are wearing shorts rub this on your legs wait 10 minutes so that it dries COMPLETELY and then put on your clothes. 

L'Oreal Paris Glam Bronze Bronzing power Long Lasting - SPF10 - Bronzing powder great for use as a blush to give your cheek bones a bit of oomph. Can be used to create a contour effect on paler skintones. 

M.A.C. Sheertone Shimmer Blush in Trace gold -  excellent highlighter for cheeks and eyes, can be worn as an eye shadow if you so desire. 

MAC -Trace Gold Blush

"That Gal" Brightening Face Primer by Benefit - great primer makes your face look lovely when makeup is applied over it. 

Sleek Blush in Sunrise -   a hint of pink colour and a wash of shimmery goodness, looks great when accompanied by a smile, great everyday blush, especially if you work in an office or a corporate setting. Apply with a light hand a little goes a long way, take care not to put it on the apples of your cheeks. Lovely on darker skin tones, as well as lighter skin tones. 

Sleek Blush in Coral - a hint of coral (peachy orange) colour and a wash of shimmery goodness, looks great when accompanied by a smile, great everyday blush, especially if you work in an office or a corporate setting, also great for lunch with your girlfriends or just to a casual party setting. Apply with a light hand a little goes a long way, take care not to put it on the apples of your cheeks.

M.A.C. Mineralize skin finish natural in Deep Dark -  everyday face powder, with SUBTLE shimmer great for wearing to work if you do not want to wear foundation, a bit of this, some coral blush, mascara and you are ready for the day. Looks amazing on skin.  

My well loved MAC MSF Natural in DEEP DARK 

Eye Pen by H&M in Bronze -  great for giving your eyes a bit of colour.

Urban Decay  24/7 Glide on Eye pencil in Lucky -  great for giving eyes a hint of colour, excellent staying power.

get to glowing

Review: Garnier Body Intensive 7 days Nourishing lotion

What Garnier says:
Is this the right lotion for me?
 if you feel that your skin becomes dehydrated over the course of the day, losing its softness and moisture even when you have used a body moisturiser in the morning.

How does it work?
Intensive 7 days Nourishing lotion is enriched with natural based Cocoa butter and L-Bifidus (Lysate of Bifidus)inspired by probiotics , which have been selected to meet the needs of dry rough skin.

L-Bifidus : A Garnier innovation that helps to prevent moisture loss from the skin surface. Inspired by probiotics, L-Bifidus helps the skin to reinforce its natural protective barrier , locking in moisture. This results in exceptionally long lasting hydration.
Softening Cocoa Butter sourced form the tropically grown Cacao Tree (I never understand why its cocoa butter and not Cacao butter but bear with me), it contains a high concentration of skin conditioning natural oils known to contain antioxidants and smooths skin texture.
- Satiny nourishing texture
-Fast absorbing
-Non greasy

Now onto my review I started to use this by chance actually, I am at home at the moment and I don't have my regular body moisturiser. The other lotion I was using was leaving my skin with a white film on top of it added to the fact it was taking forever and a day to rub it into my skin nil poi. I saw this in my cousins kit where he keeps all his stuff, deodorant, facewash etc. I took it up and saw the title and went steups 7 days my backfoot, anyway I used it, its Garnier and Cocoa Butter how can they screw that up? Used it used it for a few days morning, night and now I am thinking hmmmm this is good stuff. so I read what they had on the back and checked the ingredients.

     In terms of "nourishing" the skin I must say it works really really well in terms the texture, how quickly it absorbs into the skin and it is not greasy, which most of us will know can be the problem with some Cocoa Butter body moisturisers. The weather is changing and my skin is going through a phase right now where it just sucks up everything I put on it and in less than no time it is dry again. It doesn't know if it wants to be dry or not and exams are coming up so that equates to my skin is driving me up the wall.  I haven't had this problem. while using this body lotion. In terms of what it says on the packaging it does that one thing I must say this lotion makes your skin feel lovely and smooth.
     The thing that detracts from this lotion are the ingredients. In most cosmetics, products ingredients are listed by quantity in the product. In this lotion three products jumped out to me palm oil is listed as product number 7, shea butter is product number 10, and Cocoa butter is product number 19. So really this is a Palm Oil lotion with Shea butter and a dash of Cocoa Butter NOT COOL GARNIER. My regular moisturiser is the Palmers Shea Butter Lotion or the body butter and it works really well (could be why this lotion worked so well on my skin). This particular range from Garnier has a Shea Butter lotion as well. I think Garnier deserves a slap on the wrist for trying to dupe us the consumers, it is a good product but what the label says and what we receive are two completely different things.

3* out of a possible 5*

Sidenote:  The Vaseline intensive care Cocoa body lotion and body butter contains more Shea butter than Cocoa butter. Check the ingredients list and you will see for yourself, Shea Butter is listed  higher than Cocoa butter.  

Kae-Toya Kwote

Life will get you down, people will beat you down, friends will let you down, but PRAYER and FAITH will get you through.

know who you are

Insanity...

Liam Neeson is on point regarding his explanation of insanity in the movie "Limitless", though it is not the well known Albert Einstein concept of "doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results", it got me thinking. Why do we as human beings expect so much yet do so little in terms of change? If you have been toiling away for days weeks months and you can see no progress from where you started, ummmm isn't that a bit insane? And if this is the case and you can recognize it clearly, is it not the time to "take a risk, take a chance and make a change?" There is nothing wrong with wanting more or to be a better person but you have to be willing to change, adapt and come up with a new strategy.

Come out of the darkness and step into the sun.

Summer House happenings: Fight or Flight

Before I go into the depths of this post I would like to say big up to Mister Brumant and those many many many cross country runs that I went on during my 5 years at Christ the King High School. For those of you Who did not attend the esteemed facillity of education that was Christ the King as it is called let me explain. We had to do P. E. at my school it was not optional, everyone from the 1st form to the 5th form had to do P. E. and the first week of  EVERY school year we set out on a mile and a half run affectionately known as cross country. Now realistically it was around the block, but hey the block was a big block, sun was hot, throw in one ugly ass PE uniform and just sheer embarrassment on running on the public road for all man jack to see you made it seem like a very long run.  I did this 2 times a year once was the mandatory PE run and also for the sports day run to give my house points. Fast forward 10 years later and what do you know the lil run came in handy. Last night (this morning) I was walking home from a house party and out of nowhere I heard hey and I looked around and saw this guy, then he starts running off I went. Like seriously  every episode of Criminal minds, Law and order and NCIS started flashing through my mind, I started running full pelt up the road running running running, some serious serious fight or flight had kicked in, looking back on the incident now I didn't even think about it my gut just told me to run and I did. I ran screaming up the street, my brain told me to scream and to run and that is all I did until a taxi driver saw me and stopped and asked me what was going on. Later after I went to show the police where the guy had come from the police officer asked me if i had run all that way and I said yea, she was like umm you know this is a good 1/2 mile right. My roomate looked at me when we got back to the house and asked what if the guy had caught me I looked at her and said he had to catch me first and there was nooooooooooooo way he was catching me. 

xoxo

How much does your face cost.......

     Hey guys I'm coming to you with a post today, which stems from a tag I saw going around on the Beauty Blogs called "how much does your face cost."  The concept is that you get together the makeup that you would reach for on a day to day basis, on the days that you wear makeup and add up how much everything costs. Here I am going to go through mine bear in mind that some things may be used interchangeably eg foundation and tinted moisturiser or the eye shadows. However these are my staple  most used products here goes:

1. Mac Studio Fix  Powder + Foundation compact NW45 £19.50

2. Benefit "that gal" brightening face primer £21.50

3. Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural  Deep Dark £18.50

4. Rimmel Professional Eyebrow pencil 004 black brown £2.99

5. Rimmel The max volume flash mascara £3.99

6. Clinique Plum Seduction eyeshadow palette

7. Mac Studio Finish Concealer spf35 £13.50

8. L'Oreal Glam Bronze Bronzing powder £7.99

9. Boujois mineralise blush 74 Rose Ambre £5.99

10. Victoria Jackson eye palette part of a set that cost £20 (no longer available)

11. L'Oreal Made for me Naturals Brow and eyeshadow £2.99 (no longer available)

12. Sleek blush in Sahara £4.30

13. Sleek blush in Sunrise £4.30

14. Sleek blush in Flushed £4.30

15. Mac Prep and Prime eye Dark  £12

16. Hello kitty lip balm in blackberry £2.99

17. L'Oreal eyeliner 13 Noir intense (jet black) 4.50

18. Urban Decay tinted moisuriser £17

      This may seem like alot of stuff but remember things like blushes are used interchangeably please do not for a second think I wear 4 blushes all at once, chuckles to myself.  this revealed a things 1. I only bought 5 things on this list the total cost of those items £37.79,  the total amount of these items £168.34, and two of the items on this list are no longer available lol. Now the idea of this is that you find a dupe (cheaper version/own brand but with similar quality) for these products which costs less. 

    I quite like alot of these products here but there are two definites that I will be checking dupes for  primer - Gosh primer £12 from superdrug and Accesorize minieralise blushes which are a really good dupe for the Mac mineralise skin finish natural  which costs £6.50 also at superdrug. The tinted moisturiser you guys know I absolutely hate so I will be upgrading that with the Bobbi Brown oil free tinted moisturiser in May.

xoxo

Pass Out

This is a video from the UK's wittiest mcs Tinie Tempah, enjoy. Girls check out the cheekbones........

"Get your glass out, so we can have a celebration till we pass out"

The long road home, sometimes you walk that road alone

    Sometimes you give and give and give and give without realising how much you have given, how much you have sacrificed for others. I have on my mothers side 4 sisters and 2 brothers and I have always thought of us as one nation. don't need no friends because I have my sisters and my brothers to talk to, back me up any time. Nothing I have has ever been too good for them to have and I have never ever let them go without. Never ever. My oldest relationship in the world was broken because chose to stand beside them in an argument over something simple but escalated.  But today I realised that where as I would have the last 1 dollar and give them to ease whatever burden they had, they would never do the same for me and that hurts me to no end. I'm not going to be OK today or tomorrow or the next day but I know how to pick path for myself, and if it is one person who doesn't need company to walk ah road. So I know that I will be ok.
     We live in a world at the moment where its not ok to be hurt, everything should be brushed off, and we move on. Yes life goes on but hurt doesn't stop, there is no way to quantify how long one should hurt, or how deeply one incident affects someone. All I can do all anyone of us can do is try to make the good days outweigh the bad days and not let the hurt consume us. Hurt is part of the development process, just like muscles rip apart and then are healed when we exercise, we experience hurt to help us grow as part of our personal development.

Life, Liberty and Learning.......
    

Driven: Motivating women to be their best selves in relationships

They say good writing good ideas take time to develop but having good friends with great minds means that you’ll get there that much quicker with help and inspiration. A typical Tuesday conversation with my good friend Kae-Toya turned into a terrific idea for a blog post. It seems as if she had been cultivating the idea of men in relationships for a while. Her main premise “men need love too”. My initial reaction was uncertain as I wanted to keep the blog focused about being driven towards educational, financial, and vocational fulfilment. Little did I realize that sometimes the driving force behind these desires may be a spouse/lover/girlfriend/boyfriend etc.

We then decided to collaborate on this spicy topic of love interests from a masculine and a feminine perspective.

So here goes: Driven, motivating women to be their best selves in relationships. 
Kae-Toya started off by mentioning that men need love too. As a man I embrace this statement and wish that more women would see us men on the other side of the coin trying desperately to be all things to our better halves. Needless to say that we are at times not catered to as we cater to women’s. As my co-writer so aptly added “women should send a man flowers, rub his feet, cook his favourite meal and buy him boxers just because its Tuesday”. The look of “oh yeah” was plastered helplessly across my face as I though that should any women would do these things for me I would run off the auction block so fast that the ground would shake uncontrollably. She out did herself by adding the special occasion sex for no other reason than its Wednesday and got me to thinking.

Men are by nature predators/hunters we size women up weigh the pros and cons and after all is said and done we charge in head first. Some might be overzealous at the sight of some “chrome skin” while others might be intrigued by the mystery that is her character (raises hand in guilt). Others still might just enjoy the thrill of the chase and the conquest but let’s not dwell on that.


Our focus is on women and how they can be driven to be their best selves in relationships. Allot is expected of men being the patriarchal figure in society. We hunt (work) and gather (get paid) all to our benefit and also to the women in our lives. All we (I) ask in return is for some consideration (and by this I mean pampering) on our behalves. What self respecting man would not enjoy his wife sending him flowers, chocolate and a teddy bear at work for his birthday or valentines or just because. It might appear a bit fruity to the other guys but bet your bottom dollar they will all go home and tell their women what Shawn’s woman/wife did for him and how they too should step up to the plate. In speaking of holidays despite the fact that men only get fathers day and birthdays to feel special everything else is commercialised around getting gifts for women. A fact that they never let us forget. Try coming home empty handed on valentines and see what happens (dog house). Yet very few men receive gifts on this day. If it is indeed a day of love lets share it both ways. And when you do, don’t get him socks or a tie or a watch. Get him some handcuffs, leather jacket, something exciting, maybe motor bike lessons perhaps but make him know that you care about him as much as he cares to buy you another tennis bracelet or diamond earrings.

Now its not a given that women should cook all the time but if you do majority of the cooking it would be nice to see you in the kitchen in heels and a nice dress preparing something sexy like pasta primavera or a chocolate soufflé with a table set for one cause you plan to sit on his lap and feed him dinner/desert wearing nothing but the said heels. Think its too much, ok fine. See how much it is when he loses interests in extra curricular activities because he is all tapped out of ideas and suggestions and you’re on the living room floor with your girlfriends, drinking his wine, questioning his fidelity. Mind you that if he leaves it would be because the other women would have gone the extra mile to entice said man because she knows that he is a good catch and she would have caught you falling asleep at the wheel. Thus the cycle would continue. So why not break the cycle, be motivated towards your mate. Make him/her feel like the first lady/commander in chief. Don’t treat him like the gardener and expect presidential suite service. 


It was refreshing to hear this coming from a woman’s perspective but I had to ask myself as to how many women out there have done something spontaneous for their man whether in the bedroom or not (please no hand raising necessary). It might be the masses or it might be a few. Is society to blame by showing images of women always receiving grandiose gifts and exotic treatment while a man gets another tie? Maybe so but buying into television reality is not prescribed. Truth be told most men (I) are willing to jump through hoops of fire in a lions den with a Chinese assassin hurling 8 point stars at us to get the women they want (unintellectuals need not apply) all we ask is that when the rubber hits the road that women make it worth our while. Truth be told as responsible men we expect to put out for dates, movies, late night runs to honey cutter, hitch hiking to come and see you, meeting the family etc. It is our duty to say the least. We need some encouragement though besides the obvious. We need back as much as we put out. There is no use being an alpha male without a she male that is willing not only to fend off all other she males but one who grooms your coat and chips in with the hunting and gathering from time to time.

I would pay to see the man who doesn’t want to have a woman he can not only count on to be there come what may but one who knows he is worthy of her love and effort regardless of time of day or occasion.

The critics will say “what of the men who don’t man up and meet even the basic of expectations”? They are out there. Separating the men from the boys is as hard as separating the women from the girls but it can be done.


Settling for less than what you deserve is deserving what you settle for.

P.S. a little compromise goes a long way.

or some motivation 


Written by Shawn Maile and Kae-Toya Lee-Bramble

Saturday night out/ Roomies birthday

Close up  of the makeup

 Hair and back of outfit

Outfit
Tank H&M, skirt with belt Matalan, Thomas Sabo bracelet, Links of London bracelet, Swarovski Crystal cuff, Swatch daimonds are forever watch, silver studs

Summer of Iridescence: Rimmel nail polishes for summer.

When I think of summer I always think of bold bright, colours, I have yet to figure out if it is the creativeness or the island girl in me. Rimmel is better known for its makeup, however their nail  polishes are not too shabby. I did a little polish haul. The polishes are all iridescent, which means your nails are guaranteed to grab some attention.

 These are from Rimmels new range of quick drying polishes, there are some matte colours but I only wanted the ones with the sparkle. These ones also have a larger than normal brush which makes applying the polish very quick.

 These are from Rimmels 2009/2010 summer collection these are supposed to be super long lasting.

 Azure

 Azure after 2 coats and top coat

 Black Cherries

 Coral Crush

 Portabello Pink

 Pulsating

 Purple Reign

 Green with Envy

Shocker

These polishes are really good quality, however you need 2 or 3 coats to get the true colour of the polish. Use with top coat.

xoxo

Pastels for spring? Oui mademoiselle

 Now Understand something I like what I like and that is it. I am not the type to purchase something just to say I have it, and not use the product, if I like something I like it end of story. If I don't like something I wont like it today, I wont like it tomorrow, next week or in 6 months time. This way of thinking transfers to my shopping habits and my present (gift) habits. eg my birthday every year there is usually one thing which I really really like, and no matter how many people ask me what I would like for my birthday it will always be the same thing. Why because that is what I like and I refuse to come up with a ton of different crappy things just to please the masses and collect dust.

Last spring it was warm, it was sunny, the birds were out, it was shorts weather here in the UK and Barry M came out with a range of nail polishes called the "Ice Cream collection." I saw it I loved it I bought all 5 colours in 1 purchase.

Here we have Pale Pink, Pale Purple, Turquoise, Mint green, and Pale Yellow.

Pastels are making a comeback this spring, so I will be  putting these to use. These colours are not only limited to spring they can be used to match your costumes if you are participating in carnival. or add a dash of colour to a monochrome outfit. The colour pay off for these polishes are true so you only need about 2 coats to get the full effect, however the polish does get clumpy, so you have to paint your nails with precision timing.

xoxo