{Vampy Lips Vampy Tips Fall/Winter 2012}

This fall and winter I will be rocking a deeper darker lip and deep dark tips. I am loving all the choices out now for the vamp look.

I will alternate between this look and a blood red look. My picks for the reds to come.

What's in your fall/winter makeup bag?

Vampy Lips Vampy Tips Fall/Winter 2012 by mrsrjdean featuring essie nailpolish

Bobbi Brown Cosmetics matte lipstick / Lancôme sheer makeup / Iman black lipstick / Revlon lipstick, $12 / Ellis Faas beauty product, $35 / Essie nailpolish / Butter London nail polish / Essie nail polish / Nail care

{LUSH Cosmetics' Emotional Brilliance Color Line}

Yesterday, on my lunch break I took a fun trip to my local LUSH. I have been hearing a ton about the new Emotional Brilliance Color line and being a LUSH-lover I had to check it out!

***

When I arrived I was greeted by a lovely associate who began to tell me about the line and how it's based off emotions.

The first step to choosing your color  is to do a guided color reading...

You relax, close your eyes, clear your mind, and when you open, select 3 colors that you are drawn to...

The colors you choose and the order you choose them have significance.

Here is my experience.

I selected ...

1. Fantasy (gold eyeliner)

2. Feeling Secure  (bluish eyeliner)

3. Ambition (reddish orange lipstick)

According to LUSH co-founder and inventor of Emotional Brilliance Rowena Bird, the order in which you choose the colours reveals your current state of mind.

1. Your first colour choice symbolises your strength or weakness (Fantasy)

2. Your second resonates with your primary subconscious need (Feeling Secure)

3. Your third choice represents your talent, the thing that will help you to achieve that subconscious need (Ambition)

After the reading I played around with all the colors and was very impressed with how pigmented and smooth they were. LUSH has done a great job with these not to mention all the great ingredients they contain. I'm not sold on the color reading part but it's great marketing and adds a little allure to the product.

The only draw back which is a big one in my book is the PRICE...at $22.95 a bottle they are very expensive BUT would be a treat to own.

Also included in the line is a translucent powder, brightening cream and bronzing cream.

***

Here are some campaign photos I found via OliveCoCo Online Magazine....

Great job LUSH!!!

xoxo,

Ronita

{July Sample Boxes}

I love getting mail every month. I love trying new beauty products. 

What better way to do both than receiving monthly subscription sample boxes. 

Here is this month's lineup.

My Shade of Brown 

Beauty and cosmetic geared towards women of color.

Nail polish pen, Pooka Pure and Simple body scrub, Butterfly Beauty body creme, Juicy Mist refresher

curlBox

Haircare products geared towards natural beauties.

2 full size Motions Natural you! shampoo and conditioner, Jane Carter Solutions condition and sculpt, shearadiance nourishing hair cream

BirchBox

The first sample box program.

Stila lipgloss, Über snackbar, Coco de Soleil hair gloss, Ada Cosmetics bronzer, Harvey Prince perfume sample, and BirchBox earbuds

Julep Maven

Nail polish and nail product box.

I received these beauties over a few shipments but my July box included the two glitters, a white pearl and lipgloss

GlossyBox USA

Beauty products sourced from all over the world.

AHAVA velvet cream body wash, FirstAid Beauty Smooth Shave Cream, Wella Moisturizing Treatment, Ofra cream eyeshadow, vbeaute eye treatments, Perfume Organics perfume sample

Some of them I LOVE and some of them I can go without. I guess that's the point...sample before you commit. 

Do you try sample boxes?

xoxo,

Ronita

{Cincy Chic's 2012 Red, Pink and Blue Fashion Show }

 Saturday, Cincy Chic put on their annual Red, Pink and Blue Fashion Show benefiting 3 amazing organizations, the American Heart Association, Pink Ribbon Girls and the Diabetes Association. The show began with a welcome from Amy Scalia and a great ceremony honoring 3 local survivors.

We supported the BLUE because it hits so close to home.

The weather was warm and breezy and the music was just right.

Fashion by Amy Kirchen Boutique and Makeup by Mitchell's Salon and Day Spa

Fashion at it's finest...

Me and the hubby at the show!

What a fun show.

If you are in the Cincy area check out Cincy Chic for more events around town.

xoxo,

Ronita

{grooving this lovely friday}

Thee Satisfaction - "Queens" from dream hampton on Vimeo.

I am loving the visuals, the naturals and the fashion in this video!

Get your groove on!

HAPPY FRIDAY

xoxo,

Ronita

May Sample Boxes

My Shade of Brown

curlBox

BirchBox

May sample boxes have been something like spectacular!

My Shade of  Brown sent some yummy samples for body and hair. The mango body wash smells so delightful and the body oil is so rich. I can't wait to try the highly pigmented eye shadow on my next night out. 

curlBox, curlBox, curlBox. It was the founder's birthday month and not did she outdo herself! 3 full size products that so far have been amazing on my hair.

This was my first Birchbox and I have to say I wasn't that impressed. The only thing I like was the Ojon hair repair. 'm thinking if they looked at my account they would have known that I don't need anti-aging cream. I will stay a member for a few more months to see if I like it but if not I will be canceling my subscription.

Do any of you get sample boxes? 

What has been your experience?

xoxo,

Ronita

Weekend Snapshots: Flowers, Cupcakes, Makeup

This weekend Scott worked and I was with the boys full time.

On top of our normal running around we managed to fit in some fun too!

TURNER FARM

Scott (and the boys) stuffed my stocking this past Christmas with a membership to a local farm's flower CSA. Throughout the spring, summer and fall I will be able to go and pick stems to create my own flower bouquets. What a perfect gift!!!

Tre' and I (Roman was sleep in the car) picked these lovelies!

YUM!

After church on Sunday the boys and I went to grab cupcakes at a new cupcakery close to our church. Tre' got birthday cake, Roman got strawberry and I tried the vanilla bean.

We even brought one home for daddy!

ULTA ULTA ULTA 

Ok...so you all know that I have a serious problem when it comes to nail polish, hair products and makeup...

Well...Sunday when Scott got home from work I rushed out to get me a little girl time. Two of my new (new to me) favorite makeup lines are NYX and IMAN. I have been using IMAN's pressed powder for oily skin but goodness I came across her display in ULTA and I was in heaven.

I had a very fun filled, family filled, relaxing- girlie kind of weekend.

We are looking forward to this weekend's mini getaway.

Until then ...have a great week.

HAPPY MONDAY!

xoxo,

Ronita

My Shade of Brown Sample Box

Heard of Birchbox? GoGoGirlfriend?

If you are a product junkie/makeup-beauty product enthusiasts like me, I’m sure you have.

It's all rage in fashion and beauty industry right now. They are beautifully packaged “customized” curated sample boxes chocked full of makeup and beauty samples. I looked into most of the companies and with great hesitation decided against them. I was worried that they wouldn’t get my skin tone right or pick the right colors that would compliment my hue. I remember saying to myself one day, it would be nice if they catered one more towards us brown sistahs.

Ask and ye shall receive, My Shade of Brown!

I received my (and their) first pillow box and I am in LOVE

Here is the mission statement from their website:

My Shade of Brown delivers premium sized beauty samples tailored to women of color. Every month our signature Pillow Box full of goodies will be delivered to your door. By partnering with companies that are sensitive to the beauty needs of women of color, you will often receive products from established brands, stellar up and comers and newly discovered gems! We created My Shade of Brown because, like you, we love beauty and we wanted something dedicated to women of color. Period.

The unveiling of my first box.



It was packaged with a nice note and directions on how to purchase full products if I enjoyed the samples.

Beautifully packaged in brown and pink.

I received four premium sized samples and one full sized product.

Georgia by G & Company skin wash.

Pooka's Pure & Simple Body Butter. I have tried this already and I LOVE it!!!

Lamik's Mineral Face Powder

FULL SIZE of Big Girl Cosmetics Lip shine

 *not pictured individually Yana foundation sample*

Here is a demo video taken from their website

If you want to learn more click here!!

Enjoy

xoxo,

Ronita