Celebrity Awesome or Awful: NeNe Leakes

I was scanning my favorite gossip blog, YBF, when I came across pics of Real Housewives of Atlanta's NeNe Leakes sporting a new hairstyle. The new style is very similar to the style that she's been wearing on the show, but with a lower side part to create a dramatic sweep across the forehead.


My thoughts: I recently saw an interview with Johnny White, Michele Obama's hairstylist, and he said that NeNe's hair reminded him of the hair that you can snap on a Lego man.

So true. So sad.

The new style is quite sassy. She has definitley liberated herself from Legoland. That being said, I think her new hairstyle is Awesome.

What do you think? Is NeNe's new hairstyle Awesome or Awful? Holla at me in the comments!

Image sources: Young Black and Fabulous, The Kaleidoscope Factor, PWtorch.com

Just for fun: Crazy pics from the salon

I had some downtime before getting my relaxer at the salon and decided to take these crazy pics on my cell phone. When I come to the salon with a braid out, my stylist asks me to comb it out before she get started. That results in the fuzzy mane you see below. By the way, I was at 9 weeks post relaxer.

My (hair) stimulus package

I recently decided that I was not happy with my hair. It was starting to look dry and stiff and just blah. It happens to the best of us.

From President Obama's administration, I've learn that the best way to get yourself out of a bad situation is to whip up a stimulus package. But for my purposes, I needed a hair stimulus package. I needed to take dramatic and immediate action to get myself back on track.

The major component of my hair stimulus package was foreign aid, by way of the Dominican Republic. If you don't already know, Dominicans have perfected ethnic hair styling. Unfortunately, in the south, Dominican hair salons are few and far between. This means that a blow out that would cost you $20 in New York costs $45 here. Instead of coughing up $45 for a hairstyle that will last me a week, I decided to recreate my own Dominican-inspired salon at home.


I used Dominican hair products to shampoo, condition and rinse, then styled my hair by setting it on rollers, then wrapping it after it was dry. I was 7 weeks post relaxer when this picture was taken, so I had to straighten my roots. I used a mini flat iron instead of using the traditional Dominican technique of using a blow dryer with a round brush.

I will review the products and tools that I used, as well share this new regimen in upcoming posts. Stay tuned!

Pretty news: Larry King checks Tyra for tracks

I was getting my daily dose of gossip, when this little story caught my eye. Apparently, Tyra appeared on Larry King and told him to root her. "Rooting" is a phrase that I picked up from Wendy Williams. It means that you let someone feel your roots to see if your hair is real.

In case you were wondering, that conversation went down a little something like this:

King: This -- is this real?

Banks: Yes. This is me. You want to feel my scalp?

King: Yes.

Banks: Yes? It's a little kinky in the scalp. That's like real black girl hair.

But -- go -- go in there. Yes. That's -- yes. It's kinky. Exactly.

Sigh. Oh Tyra.

Would you or have you ever let someone root you in order to prove that your hair was real?

I can't say that I have. Especially when I need a relaxer. They might pull back a nub.

Source: CNN

Awesome or Awful: Black polish

You may have remembered that I tried the yellow polish trend for summer. Now I've tried black polish, a hot new trend for fall.


I say, hot and new, but I recall this trend first appearing 4 years ago. I remember painting my nails black for New Year's Eve 2005 and one of my friends was worried that I'd gone goth. Since then, black polish has gone mainstream and looks like it will easily become a fall staple.

To be honest, I didn't go to the salon with the intention of getting black polish. I really wanted a a very deep purple on my toes, so I chose OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark. Instead of deep purple, I got black (they should really call it Lincoln Park at Midnight, but that doesn't rhyme).

My thoughts: I like the look. Very edgy and cool, but I'm not ready to make it the color for fall. I think at my next visit to the salon I might try a pretty plum or deep navy, two other hot shades for fall. But I definitely think that black polish is AWESOME.

What do you think? Is it AWESOME or AWFUL?

Are you planning on trying black polish this fall? If so, send a pic to kelleighchris@gmail.com and I will post!

Pretty news: Beyonce's insta-tan on the cover of Glamour Russia

Apparently, the folks over at Glamour Russia thought that Beyonce could stand to deepen her complexion a shade or five for their June 2009 cover. The cover on the left is the original photo that ran in December 2007 for another Russian magazine, Joy. I use the term "original" loosely because B looks heavily airbrushed in that shot as well.

I think the whole thing is rather hilarious. What were they thinking? But to be honest, I think she looks prettier with the tan.

So what do you think? Was Glamour Russia wrong to bronze up B or do you like the mocha version?

Source: Coco Perez

Product review: Olay Definity Self Repair Serum

Lately, I've been on this Olay skincare kick. I've used Olay Regenerist Microdermabrasion & Peel System, which I absolutely love and Olay Definty Make-up Remover Towlettes, which I'm lukewarm about. At any rate, I decided to try Olay Definity Self Repair Serum.
As always, I was enthralled by the product packaging (I know, I know. I'm a sucker for skincare product marketing): "It is designed to fight what ages you most, transforming the look of discoloration, dullness and brown spots plus wrinkles -- for luminous, more flawless, highly defined skin."

Heck ya! I needs me some of that! OK, I don't have brown spots or wrinkles, but my skin's been known to look a little lackluster from time to time. This magical new potion sounded like it would fix that in a snap (8 weeks to be exact-- according to the packaging). I happily trotted up to the ULTA checkout line imaging how I was going to dazzle the masses with my new silky smooth skin.

I decided to wedge this serum into my current skincare routine, which still consists of Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Complete Acne Therapy System. I know what you may be thinking. Mixing acne skincare with anti-aging could possibly make a mess. If you were thinking that, you would be right. Within 4 weeks, tiny blemishes began to pop-up on my cheeks. That's all the proof that I needed to put the brakes on this little experiment.

The Verdict: I have no idea if Olay Definity Self Repair Serum will give you beautiful skin in 8 weeks, because I never made it that far. What I do know is that if your skin is prone to breakouts, this serum could cause your skin to flare up. The serum is relatively light, but it might be too heavy if you have oily skin. In all fairness, it's probably designed for women who have already started to see the signs of aging and have much drier skin than mine, while I was using this product more for prevention.

Celebs Get Pretty: Sanaa Lathan rocking red lipstick

I saw this pic of Sanaa Lathan on YBF and just had to post. One thing that I love about this pic is that Sanaa is rocking the red lips, a major trend this fall.


I think that she looks lovely as always. I love that she went light on the eyes to balance the lips. Too much eye make-up with red lips could have made her look like the Joker.

I'm thinking of trying the red lipstick look. To be honest, I've worn lipstick before and don't really consider it a trend. It's more like a basic staple that you whip out every now and then. At any rate, I will be doing a red lipstick addition of Awesome or Awful in the near future. Stay tuned.

What do you think of Sanaa's red lips? Are you thinking of trying red lipstick this fall? Let me know in the comments!

Comments issue resolved

Hello lovely readers!

Many of you let me know about a bizarre issue with the comments section that was not allowing unregistered users to leave comments. I made some preference changes and hopefully, this issue has been resolved.

If you have further issues with the comments section, please drop me a line at kelleighchris@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading!

Lots of love,
K

Hair regimen: Week 2

For week 2 of my hair regimen, I am currently using the following products:

Products

1. Castor oil, currently using Home Health Castor Oil
2. Moisturizing shampoo, currently using Hair One Tea Tree Cleansing Conditioner
3. Moisturizing conditioner, currently using Motions at Home Moisture Plus After Shampoo Conditioner
4. Leave-in conditioner, currently using Aphogee Pro-Vitamin Leave-In Conditioner

Tools
I normally use the same tools that I used during week 1 so that I can do a stream treatment. Sometimes I cut corners and just cover my hair with a plastic cap.

Steps

1. The pre-shampoo is the same as week 1.
2. I shampoo with the shampoo listed above.
3. After rinsing out the shampoo, I get out of the shower and use the conditioner listed above. I deep condition for at least 20 minutes using the steam treatment again or just a plastic cap.
   
4. I rinse out the conditioner and comb my hair out under the running water to prevent breakage.
   
5. I squeeze out the access water from my hair, apply the leave-in conditioner and style.
   

Product review: Hair One Tea Tree Cleansing Conditioner

A few months ago, my mom was ranting and raving about a product that she had discovered at Sally's called Hair One. It is supposed to be Sally's version of Wen. I had seen the infomercials for Wen, a glorious new product that combined shampooing and conditioning into one easy step and left hair silky and soft. I didn't want to cough up the $29.99 for Wen, so I was happy to hear that Sally's had a similar product for $10.99.

I headed straight over to Sally's and picked up a bottle of Hair One Tea Tree Cleansing Conditioner (there are 4 types of Hair One-- the tea tree version is for dry scalp).

According to the directions, you work the product into wet hair, let it sit, then rinse it out. No conditioner is needed. It can also be used as a leave-in.

After the first use, my hair looked great. It was soft, shiny and bouncy. The product didn't do anything for my dry scalp. The next use, still soft, shiny and bouncy, but a little less so. I thought to myself that I must have done something wrong because I didn't get the same results. The third time, my hair was looking positively dull and lack-luster. I called my mom to see if she had the same results. She said that she stopped using it as leave-in and thought that could be what was making my hair look dull. The next time I used it, I used a regular leave-in. This time, my hair look completely dry. I panicked. Dried out hair is only one step away from the nasty b-word. Breakage!

I called my mom again. She suggested that I switch over to Hair One Olive Oil Cleansing Conditioner because it is for dry and damaged hair. She also said that she started using conditioner after using Hair One for added moisture.

I started using Hair One as a conditioning shampoo instead of as a standalone product and my hair finally started getting back to it's normal healthy state.

The Verdict: Hair One Tea Tree Cleansing Conditioner works well as a conditioning shampoo, but I strongly advise against using it as a standalone product, especially if your hair is color-treated and relaxed, like mine. This product is absolutely useless for dry scalp. If you have dry scalp and dry hair issue and want to try one of the Hair One products, skip this one. You'd be better off using a good dandruff shampoo on your scalp followed by the Hair One Olive Oil Cleansing Conditioner, then finishing with a good moisturizing conditioner. I have not tried Hair One Olive Oil Cleansing Conditioner, but I plan on giving it a try after the tea tree runs out.

Pretty news: Chris Rock's Good Hair out October 9

I've heard so much buzz this past year about Chris Rock's upcoming documentary, Good Hair. Chris Rock delves into what black women go through to transform their hair from naturally curly to poker straight or "good hair."

Good Hair is scheduled to come out in limited release on October 9. There is no current schedule for wide release. I don't live in a big city, so I'm really hoping that it comes our way.

I just watched the trailer and it looks both hilarious and sad. It also looks a bit scary after seeing what a relaxer can do to a Coke can. Yikes! Even with the scary footage, I'm still not going to stop getting a relaxer. I'm just going to make sure my stylist washes it out real good. : )

Here's the trailer, in case you haven't seen it:

The Look: Simple summer shimmer-- Part 2

Here's part 2 of Simple Summer Shimmer, where I'll focus on cheeks and lips:

Cheeks

On my cheeks, I use these products:

1. Minerals Blush Powder Blush, Sunset Beach ($5.99)
2. Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Bronzer Blush & Eye Shadow, Malibu Strip/Pink Sand Bronzer ($11.95)


1. I sweep on 1-2 layers of Milani Minerals Blush Powder Blush. I start out light then usually add another layer to increase the intensity.



2. Then, using the Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips, I dust the Medium shades across the apples of my cheeks. Then I dust a little face powder on my cheeks so that the glow looks like it's coming through my skin instead of looking like it's sitting on my skin. Much more natural.


Lips

On my lips, I use these products:



1. L'Oreal Colour Riche Lip Liner, Nudes for Life ($8.48)
2. Revlon Matte Lipstick, Cocoa Craving ($7.99)
3. Sephora Brilliant Shine Lip Gloss, Bronzed Beauty ($10)

1. I line my lips with L'Oreal Colour Riche Lip Liner. This shade is great because it blends in perfectly.


2. Next, I dot on the Revlon Matte Lipstick and blot. I find that a light lipstick base works best with a gloss.


3. Finally, I put on a coat of Sephora Brilliant Shine Lip Gloss.



All done!

The Look: Simple summer shimmer-- Part 1

OK, I know that summer's coming to an end and everyone is starting to focus on fall make-up, but I still wanted to share my weekend look for summer. Besides, I live in the South and we've got at least another 2 months of warm weather (yea!).

My summer weekend look is super simple. I usually wear eyeliner year round, but this summer, I decided to lighten things up and go for a bronze-y look.

Here's what the finished product looks like:

I started writing this post and it was getting super long, so I decided to break it up into 2 parts. For part 1, I'll focus on the eyes. For part 2, I'll do cheeks and lips.

Here are the products that I use for my eyes:

1. Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Bronzer Blush & Eye Shadow, Malibu Strip/Pink Sand Bronzer
2. L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Lash Extension Effect Mascara, Blackest Black
   

Before getting started, I prep my face with primer, concealer and powder. I also fill-in my eyebrows and add highlighter to my brow bone. At this point in the process, my face looks like this (remember, it gets better!):




1. I start out by sweeping the Dark shades of the Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips across my entire lid.


2. I blend the Medium shades into the crease of my lid.


3. Next, I dab the Light shade in the corner of my eye.


4. I finish with L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Lash Extension Effect Mascara. I usually do 1 coat of the Magnifier (white base), followed by 2 coats of the Extender (mascara).



Voila! Simple summer shimmer! I know it looks very subtle in the photos, but I wanted to go for a glow-y, sunkissed-look.

During the work week, I add black liner to my top and bottom lid and smudge the line on the top lid (applied before mascara) to dress it up a little:


For my next post, I'll finish up with cheeks and lips.

Hair regimen: Week 1

As promised, here is week 1 of my hair regimen.

Week 1 starts the first time that I wash my hair after a relaxer. I am currently using the following products and tools:

Products

1. Castor oil, currently using Home Health Castor Oil
2. Clarifying shampoo, currently using Neutrogena Clean Replenishing Shampoo
3. Strengthening conditioner, currently using Pantene Pro-V Restoratives Breakage Defense Conditioner
4. Moisturizing conditioner, currently using Motions at Home Moisture Plus After Shampoo Conditioner
5. Leave-in conditioner, currently using Aphogee Pro-Vitamin Leave-In Conditioner
   

Tools

1. Plastic cap
2. Terry cloth turban
3. Rubber gloves
4. Microwaveable bowl
   

Pre-shampoo

1. To get started, I fill a medium-sized glass bowl with water and pop it in the microwave. My microwave is very very old, so I set the timer for 4 minutes to make sure the water gets nice and hot.
2. While the water is heating up, I work Castor oil into my hair (I started using Castor oil because my hair was looking very flat and it's supposed to make your hair thicker. FYI, the texture is a bit sticky. I wasn't expecting that when I first got it).
3. When the water's ready, I slip on a pair of rubber gloves and pour the hot water over the terry cloth turban and squeeze out the excess water. I use the thick rubber gloves used for cleaning so that I don't scald my hands with the hot water.
4. I put the turban put on my head then cover it with a plastic cap. This whole technique with the turban and plastic cap is a modified version of a steaming treatment that I found on the Long Hair Care Forum (LHCF).
5. I let that sit for at least 15 minutes before shampooing.
   

Shampoo, deep condition and leave-in

1. I shampoo my hair with the shampoo listed above. Nothing special there.
   
2. Next, I get out of the shower and mix a strengthening and moisturizing conditioner together in a bowl and make sure to slather it on super thick from root to tip.
   
3. Then I do the whole steam turban thing again and leave it for at least 15 minutes.
4. While rinsing out the conditioner, I comb my hair out under the running water with a wide tooth comb to help prevent breakage. This is another tip that I picked up on LHCF.
   
5. I finish up with a good leave-in and style.
   

Hot tip: Apply make-up in natural light

Photo credit: backstagebeauty

I was flipping through a stack of my Mom's Harper's Bazaars, when I came across an interview with Linda Evangelista. She's 43 and still looks amazing. During the interview, she said that her #1 beauty tip is that she always applies her make-up in natural light. I thought to myself, "Yeah, yeah. Heard that one a million times." But I've never actually tried it. A few days later, I decided to give it a go. The end result was beautifully flawless make-up. It's so simple. I'm shocked that I never tried it before.

The next time that you're about to get dolled up, grab a handheld mirror and get next to a window. Try to avoid standing in direct sunlight (it's much too bright and you'll end up putting on more than you need). I guarantee you'll walk away looking lovely!

If you give it a try, let me know if it worked for you.

Visit Grazia magazine for the original interview with Linda Evangelista.

Awesome or Awful: Yellow polish

I decided to try out one of the summer's hottest trends before the season ended. I usually reserve more daring shades for my toes and it was time for a polish change. When I got to the salon, I made a beeline for China Glaze Solar Power. Here are the results:


My thoughts: These yellow toenails ain't doing me no favors. I think my mom summed it up best when she caught a peek at my feet and said "What in the world!?!" I was going for edgy and cool, not shock and disgust.

To make matters worse, they look god-awful with gold sandals.

Blech.

On the flip side, they have more of the cool edgy vibe that I was going for when I wear my snake skin sandals.


Yet, at the end of the day, I can safely say this is a not a trend I will repeat. I think they are AWFUL.

What do you think? Are they AWESOME or AWFUL?

If you have tried yellow polish and it looks amazing on you, send me a pic and I'll post it on the blog. Make sure to include the brand and color name.

8 tips for retaining length for relaxed and/or colored hair

Sometime last year, I decided I wanted long beautiful tresses. You know, like Beyonce's, but real. I knew that I was facing a challenge because of daily flat ironing, bimonthly relaxer and semi annual highlights. After some digging, I stumbled across the Long Hair Care Forum (LHCF). This site is amazing, but proceed with caution. You'll spend hours pouring over the information.

I also found Healthy Textures, a blog by Macherieamour (a LHCF member). On this site, I found an awesome hair challenge that gave me the roadmap to growing my hair to great lengths. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the page again, but I can share my version. The original version uses lots of Mizani products. I'm sure those products are lovely, but I swapped them out for drugstore products and made some additional changes to suit my hair needs. With or without the Mizani products, I've seen significant growth.

Over the next several weeks, I'll share my weekly hair regimen. It does take a bit of work, but the results are so worth it. In the meantime, here are some of the tips that I've picked up that have really improved the health of my hair:

1. I never dry my hair on a high setting. Medium is a lot less damaging. Cool is the best, but I have no patience for the extra drying time.
   
2. The best way to dry my hair is under a hooded dryer or air drying. Again, this is a lot less damaging. I will blow dry my hair on medium to straighten it, but only if it's 80% dry from air drying.
   
3. I restrict flat ironing to once every 1-2 weeks.
   
4. I always wrap my hair at night. This one's a no-brainer, but totally essential.
   
5. I try to do a pre-shampoo with oil and deep condition every time I wash my hair.
   
6. I try to "stretch" my relaxers, meaning that instead of getting my hair relaxed every 6-8 weeks, I try to stretch it to 10-12 weeks.
7. When my roots start to get fuzzy (7-8 weeks post relaxer), I usually do a braid out. This means that I braid my hair in sections and either dry it under the hooded dryer or allow it to air dry overnight. This technique lets my hair rest for a few weeks, which really helps retain growth.
   
8. About 6 months ago, I started moisturizing my hair with a creme moisturizer followed by oil. On LHCF, this technique is referred to as sealing because the oil helps to seal in the moisturizer, allowing it to better penetrate the hair.

I'll elaborate on some of these topics in the coming weeks, but this is really just the tip of the iceberg (I'm not nearly as hardcore as some of the members on LHCF).

Product review: Olay Definty Make-up Remover Towlettes

As part of my nighttime skin care regimen, I use cleansing cloths instead of the cleaner that comes with my Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Complete Acne Therapy System. They're great at removing make-up and it's easier to do a quick scrub, especially when I'm really tired. I used to use Neutrogena Make-up Remover Cleansing Towelettes, but something shiny and new caught my eye during a trip to the grocery store.



The packaging for Olay Definty Make-up Remover Towlettes claims that this product "improves surface dullness, giving skin a radiant, healthy glow." Plus, it's said that it was tough enough to remove waterproof mascara. I was sold.

I've been using it for a few weeks now and I'm not in love. For starters, they're covered in some fragrance which is a little too strong for my taste. I'm not a fan of skincare products with heavy perfumes. If I had tried these during the peak of allergy season, my nose would have gone nuts. Also, many times I've gotten the cloths a little too close to my eyes, it stung like a mutha. I don't understand how an eye make-up remover can irritate your eyes. That just doesn't seem right. I might not have this problem if it did a better job of removing my mascara. I am not impressed.

All in all, I'm even not sure if I have that glowy new complexion that the packaging raved about. If I was looking all Halle Berry silky smooth, I might be willing to overlook the pain for that gain.

Verdict: If you want a good make-up remover, skip this one. Neutrogena Make-up Remover Cleansing Towelettes work so much better and they don't sting. I will continue using the Olay ones until I run out. Maybe I'll have an update about my creamy new complexion. Don't hold your breath.

Update: OK, perhaps I was a tad harsh. I think that the Olay Definity Make-up Remover Towlettes may have added a little glow to my complexion. However, I still do not think that they are a good eye make-up remover. I've gone back to using my beloved Neutrogena Make-up Remover Cleansing Towlettes to remove eye make-up, but I've continued using the Olay towlettes for the rest of my face.

Awesome or Awful: Ardell Accent Lashes

I'm a huge fan of fake eyelashes. They're my favorite way of adding a little something extra for evening outings. I was so excited when I stumbled across Ardell Accent Lashes, style 301 ($3.49):


They are supposed to give you a more natural look than traditional eyelash strips. According to the packaging, adding them to the outer corner of you lash line will give you an "Audrey Hepburn look."




My thoughts: They are very subtle. I may use these again for a daytime wedding or a date when I want to kick it up a notch without going full-on. In the future, I will use a liquid liner on my top lid to get the full Audrey Hepburn effect. I think they are AWESOME.

What do you think? Are they AWESOME or AWFUL?

5 products my skin is loving this summer

1. Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Complete Acne Therapy System, $24.99
I am plagued with occasional breakouts, but this stuff clears up my skin in no time. It's much cheaper than Proactiv and I've found it to be just as effective. Some acne cleansers have made my skin a dry, flaky mess, but I've never had a problem with the cleanser in this kit. The day moisturizer does a great job of keeping my skin hydrated without feeling too heavy in the summer sun.


2. Olay Regenerist Microdermabrasion & Peel System, $26.99
This year I turned 30 (yea!), which means it's time to step up my skincare game. I decided it was a fine time to invest in a microdermabrasion kit. I've heard that microdermabrasion is a great way to improve the texture of your skin. Who doesn't want that? This one makes my skin super soft and has erased nearly all of my acne marks.




3. Origins Youthtopia Firming eye cream with Rhodiola, $39.50
This stuff is amazing! I've been using eye creams since I was 25 and I've tried almost everything out there. This one is a bit on the pricey side, but it is so worth it. It's improved the texture around my eyes and best of all, it's help fade the under eye circles that I've had since I was a teenager.





4. Revlon Beyond Natural Smoothing Primer, $12.99
A week ago, I went to an outdoor wedding in Mississippi. I knew the heat and humid would do a number on my make-up, so I decided to try out a primer. This one keeps my eye make-up in place and I've noticed that I've had to do a lot less blotting during the day.






5. Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets, $5.29
These oil blotters are a great way to keep your face looking fresh throughout the day. They have a strange texture, but I like them better than the traditional blot papers.

Welcome to my blog!

Well hello!

Thanks for stopping by my fabulous new blog! I wanted to start a blog about my adventures (and misadventures) with all of the beauty products that I try. I have what I'd like to call product ADD. I try one product and then before you know it, I'm off to another one. Of course, I have a few tried and true products that have never let me down, but I'm always on the hunt for new colors, scents, lotions and potions. I also love trying to create new make-up looks.

Oh, and one other thing. As much as I love dabbling in make-up, I'm a hardcore drugstore diva. I'm much more happy browsing the aisle at CVS than sitting at a make-up counter having it all done for me. Where's the fun in that? But between you and me, I have been known to shell out the big bucks for an amazing color. Never say no to an amazing color.

I hope that my blog will keep you informed, inspired or at the very least, entertained. Hope to see you again soon!