1 – OMG I have to give a speech? And not just be on a panel with other people? Everyone will be looking at me — yikes!

2 — What on earth will I wear?

3 — How am I gonna do this makeup?

I worked on my speech over the course of two or three weeks in fits and starts. I figured out an outfit. And Atlanta’s own makeup artist Nyssa Green, kindly came by to do my makeup before my keynote speech for Fro Fashion Week. In case you aren’t aware, Nyssa is an Emmy Award winning makeup artist, and owner of The Green Room Agency. I was lucky enough to wind up on the Brown Girl Beauty Uncensored panel alongside Nyssa at the Beautylish Beauty Social, and we instantly became homegirls. Despite all of the accomplishments she’s achieved and famous friends she has, Nyssa is one of the most regular, chill, down to earth people I’ve met in this fancypants industry. She’s as cool as it gets, and I was so blessed to have her beat my face? And honey, when I say she beat my face to the gods — believe me!

I’m SAYING, though!

The whole time Nyssa was doing my makeup, I was taking notes on the products she used and asking her why she was using them. Let me take you step by glorious step through this look!

Top – Calvin Klein via Marshalls, skirt by eShakti.com, jewelry Max & Chloe, purse by Moto — check out this brand new, up and coming designer! And haircut by Felicia Leatherwood. And now, the makeup breakdown!

The product list:

Iman and Ben Nye foundations

Iman Powder, to blend.

Kryolan Setting Powder: “This is one of my favorite powders. It will make your makeup last all day and make your skin look flawless. It’s similar to Cover FX powder in that it’s a setting powder that’s waterproof. It gives your makeup all day hold.”

Damone Roberts eyebrow pencils in Minx and Miss Ross

Anastasia Brow Gel

A no-name eyeshadow palette that a fan of Real Housewives of Atlanta ran up and gave her in the street. This led to a longer discussion about upcoming brands and the importance of investing in labeling. Basically because Nyssa was given this package of eyeshadow in a plain black box with not even a business card stuck to it….she has no idea what she’s using. But it works!

To apply eyeliner she used the Stila eyeliner brush and it was so incredibly soft and gentle.

She applied individual lashes that she gets wholesale from the beauty supply store.

To line my waterline, she used NYX Jumbo eye pencil in Black Bean. “It’s one of my fave pencils, because it’s so fat and smooth and soft! I keep them in my fridge because they’re so soft. I LOVE them.”

For my lips she busted out the Make Up For Ever flash color palette and then topped the mix with Iman lip gloss in Glitzy.

My blush and bronzer were from a kit by Pur Minerals.

I had to ask Nyssa what her thoughts were on finishing sprays. “I’m all about making the makeup last and there are safety nets built into my system. From the primer to that Kryolan setting powder. The only two makeup finishing sprays I’ll use are Final Seal, and the Make Up For Ever fix spray. That’s it.

And what about washing it all off? Nyssa is a fan of oil based cleansers, her favorite makeup removers include Shiseido and Bobbi Brown exfoliating cream wash. “it’s one of the best things to wash your face with if you wear a lot of makeup.”

Nyssa made me look and feel GORGEOUS and we had fun the whole time! Thank you for being so amazing, Nyssa! You made me feel so beautiful and blessed!

Click here to follow Nyssa Green on Twitter, and click here for The Green Room Agency’s Facebook page!

As a tote bag aficionado,  I must protest. There are fancy totes only available to a few, that will be instantly recognizable to those in the know, but that’s about it. And then there are really fly totes made by artists, that will make even more of a style statement than the inside baseball totes touted by the Times.

From left to right -- bags by Swarthy Daisy, Quelly Rue Designs, and Amanda Diva

Like these.

Tote bags are small, light, easy to carry, and essential for everyday living. I usually have at least one folded up in my purse, just in case. I take tote bags out with me in the city, and especially on vacation. They’re just so handy! Headed to the beach or pool? Don’t forget to bring a tote bag! Going to a fancy fashion event? Definitely try to bring a tote for your heels when you wanna take them off, and to stash your gift bag in on the way home. Save the environment when you shop! Take your own bag!

Allow me to share some Afrobella approved tote bags, and I hope you like them as much as I do!

Actress, musician, artist, renaissance woman and former Afrobella of the Month Amanda Diva is now known as Amanda Seales, and is performing a one woman show called Death of the Diva. Click to learn more via her website. While she isn’t acting, Amanda is creating art! And super fly tote bags, available at DivaWorksofArt.com.

(Photo by Chuck Olu-Alabi)

Here I am rocking her hand painted Soul Fro bag, which retails for $30. Clearly Max is a fan! So cute, right?

Want to look literary without saying a word? Rock one of these beautiful tote bags by Out Of Print Clothing. $18 and they reference your favorite classic work of writing, including The Great Gatsby, Animal Farm, A Clockwork Orange or Pride and Prejudice. Chic and clever!

I adore the afrocentric, funky totes by Quelly Rue Designs! I have the Afro Woman tote, which is $36 — see it at the top of the post? But how cute is her J Monae tote bag? Love that!!

I too put my toe into the tote bag game — via my Zazzle store, I sell tees AND totes! The Afrobella Orange Accent bag is $26.

Are you a (tote) bag lady, like me? Where’d you get your favorite?

When I got to Coco Reef, Tobago (one of the finest resorts in the Caribbean, trust and believe!) I took this photo of the standout products that I used and loved the most on my trip. So, bellas – here’s the makeup I took with me to my homeland of Trinidad and Tobago, all tried and tested and ideal for island hopping!

 

 

Top row, left to right:

Neutrogena UVA/UVB Sunblock SPF 45 (via my mom. Don’t think they make this anymore)

NARS lipgloss, Wonder and NARS Velvet Gloss lip pencil, Club Mix

Jordana Easyliner Eyeliners in Seagreen, Denim Blue, and Purple Fusion

Jordana Easyliner for Lips in Plush Plum and Cabernet

MAC Brow Set, MAC Haute and Naughty Lash

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil in Perversion and Woodstock, Urban Decay SuperSaturated Lip Color in Apocalypse

Proactiv Oil Blotter Sheets

Mally Evercolor Poreless Face Defender

Mario Badescu oil free moisturizer SPF 30

The Balm eyeshadow palettes, NudeTude and Shady Lady vol 1.

Bottom row, left to right

Fashion Fair Shine Eliminator

Fashion Fair lipsticks from the Siren Call holiday collection – Femme Fatale and Forbidden

Coach Poppy perfume

Secret Natural Mineral deodorant

Cover Girl Clean pressed powder in Soft Honey

Benefit They’re Real mascara

Cover FX Clear Prep FX Matte Foundation primer, Cover FX translucent mineral powder setting FX, Matte FX dark, Cover FX SPF 30 (I wear B35).

Estee Lauder Topaz Chameleon (will be available Jan 29 and it’s to DIE for!)

Yes, all of these items fit into one makeup bag. Yes, my husband made fun of me and asked me why I was bringing so much makeup. No, I don’t wear all of this makeup at once. What can I say, this is what happens when you’re a beauty blogger!

See anything you love, need, or gotta try? I love absolutely all of these items and would highly recommend them to you, if you’re looking to upgrade your makeup stash!

Around this time of year it’s a beautiful thing to be given a gift — but it’s even more beautiful to be the gift giver. I reached out to some of my favorite brands to arrange special holiday giveaways for Afrobella readers, and I hope you love the products as much as I do! Fifth on the holiday giveaway list? The Beautiful Curls Holiday Gift Basket.

My hair is getting longer and the weather is cold and dry. Not a great combination for natural tresses that tend to get matted together if you wait more than a week for a thorough detangling. Sometime in mid-fall, I got a beautiful package in the mail that helped to solve my seasonal hair blues. Beautiful Curls by Alaffia is a nourishing, creamy, shea butter based hair care line that offers moisture to hair that’s curly to kinky, wavy to curly, or even for babies and up!

I’ve been using the curly to kinky variety and the Curl Activating Shea Butter Shampoo and Shea Butter Deep Conditioning Treatment have been great for keeping my hair detangled and moist when I let my hair get to the point of no return. The shampoo, conditioner, and curl activating cream are my favorites thus far. I will admit that I don’t love the smell of the Shea and Coconut Hydrating Curl Oil but when my hair looks super parched, it helps to replenish my gloss.

For the holidays Beautiful Curls has been selling beautiful Alaffia handwoven African grass baskets filled with hair products especially chosen for your texture. And now the kind folks of Beautiful Curls are offering FOUR baskets to lucky Afrobella readers!!

How do you enter, how do you win?

Leave me a comment telling me what your hair texture is like (curly to kinky? Or wavy to curly?) and tell me which of the Beautiful Curls products you’re most looking forward to trying, and why.

This contest will be open until December 27 to contestants within the US, so you have lots of time over the holiday week to enter (and hopefully win!)

Thanks to the Alaffia Beautiful Curls for this opportunity — click here to follow Beautiful Curls on Twitter and Beautiful Curls on Facebook!

Good luck and MERRY CHRISTMAS, bellas!

Afrobella, Necole Bitchie and Awesomely Luvvie!

Delicious cocktails and the chance to meet a blogging force to be reckoned with? It was a no-brainer!

Luvvie and I rolled out to the very chic Hebru Brand in the Lacuna Artist Loft building — this whole BUILDING is dope, BTW. It’s off the beaten path, but on every floor there are boutiques and stores owned by a truly eclectic and talented group of mostly African American business owners. If you haven’t yet been, go check it out!

The event was really well attended and all night there were happy squeals and hugs because so many of my Chicago blog friends were in the house! Shoutout to Bolaji, Sinnamon, Dr. Renee, Kiratiana, Mrs. Windy City, and Raijean! And hello, UB it was very nice to meet you!

The bartenders were working hard to crank out the cocktails, and all night we were sipping on X-Rated fusion deliciousness. The very sweet Christina Rice (who helped put the whole event together) sent me some fab X-Rated cocktails like the ones we enjoyed — I just might have to toast with one of these after Christmas dinner! And DEFINITELY on New Year’s Eve!

The Midnight Kiss

2/3 glass of Sparkling Rose
1 oz. X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
Pour the Sparkling Rose in a flute and top with the X-Rated Fusion Liqueur

A Star-Studded New Years

1.5 oz. SKYY Vodka
.5 oz. X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
.25 oz. simple syrup
Half a lemon squeeze
Champagne

Muddle a star fruit in shaker. Shake all ingredients then strain it into a champagne glass. Top with champagne

At the party, the Midnight Kiss cocktails came garnished with a raspberry. So sweet!

Thanks to Necole and CRicePR for such a lovely event!

Cheers, bellas! Here’s to the holidays!

Fashion Fair was born in 1973, and was named after the internationally known Ebony Fashion Fair event. In order to find makeup that matched the models in their show, John H. Johnson and Eunice W. Johnson went to a private lab to have cosmetics made to match their skintones — the demand for these products proved to be overwhelming that the Johnsons brought the products to store shelves. The first ever Fashion Fair counter opened right here in Chicago at Marshall Fields (now Macy’s) on State Street.

I remember my mother having that trademark pink marblized compact in her purse when I was little. I remember some of the iconic advertisements, featuring the biggest stars of the era, all glammed up in their Fashion Fair cosmetics. And now the brand is experiencing a rebirth and reintroduction that’s remarkable to witness.

Ever since legendary makeup artist Sam Fine was named Creative Director, all Fashion Fair has done is win, win, win. The press mentions have been excitable. There’s been big buzz amongst customers. And the new Fashion Fair holiday collection? It’s exquisite.

Siren Call is all about dispelling the myth that women of color can’t wear red. There are four lipsticks that offer options of red (and one deep purple that I LOVE) for bellas all shades of beautiful. Nail lacquers that are modern in terms of color palette, AND that last — I was chip free almost a whole week, very impressed!

How do you WEAR these reds? Creative Director Sam Fine offered some helpful advice.

“If you have golden yellow undertones, I recommend a true red lipstick such as Fashion Fair Lipstick in Siren. For women with a soft mocha complexion, I recommend a more orange-tone red shade sucn as Fashion Fair’s Intrigue,” says Mr. Fine. (Click here to follow Mr. Sam Fine on Twitter!)

How glam is THAT??? That shoot was Sam Fine makeup, Oscar James hair, and styling by legendary Trinidadian Freddie Leiba (TRINIS REPRESENT!)

If you’ve been afraid to rock a red lip, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE. Bellas, I’ve got FIVE full sets of Fashion Fair’s Siren Call Holiday Collection to give away!

The Siren Call Collection includes:

Lipsticks – $18
Intrigue (Orange Red)
Siren (Blue Red)
Forbidden (Brown Red)
Femme Fatale (Deep Purple)

Nail Lacquers – $9.50
Heart Throb (Red)
So Cold (Silver)
Allusion (Grey)

Lip Teaser – $18
Liquid Silver

Here’s how you can win! Leave a comment below, telling me how YOU feel about rocking a red lip, and which Fashion Fair lipstick you’re most excited to try!

Five lucky winners will win the complete Fashion Fair’s Siren Call Holiday Collection! This contest will be open until December 27 to contestants within the US, so you have lots of time over the holiday week to enter (and hopefully win!)

Click here to follow Fashion Fair on Twitter, and on Facebook. Thank you for your generosity, Fashion Fair!

Good luck and MERRY CHRISTMAS, bellas!

PS: Have you signed up for my newsletter yet? You should!! I’ll be sending a special holiday letter and there will be special discount codes for newsletter subscribers!! Clicky click!

Makeup artists can sometimes seem hard to shop for. What do you buy the makeup artist in your life, for Christmas? If you’re a professional MUA, what do you need or want as a present to further your craft? I turned to Afrobella’s resident makeup artist, the one and only Meagan Shea, for an ultimate holiday guide for the professional makeup artist.

Take it away, Meagan Shea!!

Hello Bellas! Happy Holidays! It’s the time of the year to give gifts to your loved ones, and maybe even people you share a cubicle with. It is also the time to receive gifts, which we ALL love. I mean seriously, who doesn’t love to get gifts – especially during the holiday season? I’ve decided to give you bellas a glimpse into the wishlist of a makeup artist. The desires of my heart for this holiday, with hopes that Santa Claus himself will read this. He knows I’ve been nice and not naughty, right?

photo courtesy of therapup.net

I have two lists. One is all about work, things I need and/or want to ensure I continue to do my job effectively (I’m good at making this seem like it’s not about getting gifts, right? HA!). The other list is focused on relaxation and pampering. People seem to think being a makeup artist is easy work… WRONG! It’s strain on your back, feet, knees, patience and then some. Often, as women we fail to find the time to take care of ourselves. It’s time to take our lives back (from who I don’t know, but we need to get it back. LOL)!

Enjoy! Even if you don’t have a makeup artist to share with this season maybe you’ll see something that you like for yourself, or your momma, your cousin, your mail lady, your hair stylist – SOMEBODY!

Most makeup artists will agree with me when I say that you can never have too many brushes. It’s always good to have duplicates, extras and a few sets. By doing this you give yourself options. I’m a woman who appreciates having options, ya know? I love MAC brushes – they are awesome! However, the full set is a whopping $1065.50!!! THERE’S NO WAY – well maybe over time, but not in one sitting. I’d rather go on vacation!

I am BIG fan of bdelliumtools, they are based out of a city very close to where I grew up. Our high school football teams were rivals (GO BUCS!!!). I support local business – all the way! Here’s a 24 piece brush set for $148.50. That’s a GREAT deal, mainly because the brushes are really made well. The quality of the brushes are amazing & their brushes are treated with an antibacterial agent on the bristles. That’s totally AWESOME, right?

bdellium tools brush set for the Studio Line

I love this holiday set from Royal & Langnickel as well. This one is $90 and it’s a 12 piece set that comes with a FREE (YES I SAID FREE!) promo gift! It comes with a free retractable brush set – I want that for myself!

Royal & Langnickel Holiday Set

Of course as an artist we need something to tote our magical secrets around in. I have had such “interesting” experiences traveling with my makeup in tow, that I know it’s a lot easier when things are compartmentalized securely. With the Zuca Pro you won’t have to worry about your kit being a hot mess when you open your bag, not to mention it also can be used as a seat! That’s awesome, TRUST ME – IT IS REALLY AWESOME! The Zuca Pro is $295 and believe me when I say the artist in your life will be VERY pleased with their gift.

Zuca Pro in Midnight Blue & Black

GlamCor has a lighting set that would come in really handy on set. Sometimes, you’re placed in an unexpected situation and the lighting on the set (whether on location or in a studio) may not be great for – let’s say, “doing your best”. This light set is amazing because it keeps all colors true and it cools down immediately, which is great for packing up and going home! The lighting set is on sale right now for $250, go have at it!

GlamCor Classic Light Kit

The RCMA foundation palettes are a staple for artists. They last forever, have very full coverage and a wide array of colors. They are great for mixing and even have a foundation thinner to sheer them out if you’re not looking for heavy coverage. They are small, easy to tote around and blend well. The most popular palettes are the Shinto and the KO palette, each at $215.99 (HERE) – although I found them for $195 (HERE). YAY FOR BUDGET SHOPPING!

RCMA Shinto palette

An airbrush machine will make any artists’ life easier, as it will make the application process a lot more flawless and quick. I asked a few of my makeup sistren and according to them the top two airbrush systems are made by Kett Cosmetics for $467 and TEMPTU for $435. I found that both brands have an introductory kit which is great to start out. The TEMPTU kit is sold out on their website, but I found it on AMAZON for over $20 LESS!!! It’s $411.26 on Amazon – go scoop it up!

Kett Cosmetics Intro Airbrush System

TEMPTU Intro Airbrush System

Are you just looking for a stocking stuffer? Maybe something a wee bit smaller? Try the En’Kore finger palette! It’s only $10 & is adorable! It’s awesome for mixing concealer, lip colors, pigments – and did I mention it was ADORABLE! I can tell you firsthand, it can be messy and annoying to mix things on the back of your hand all the time. I have ruined many blouses and smudged colors on my own face. NOT WINNING! LOL I also heard through the grapevine that En’Kore will be releasing a “cuff’lette” – a palette that you can wear on your wrist for mixing! LOVE IT!!! I cannot wait to get my hands on that when it hits the public.

En’Kore Finger Palette

Now onto goodies for self care. This is important. VERY VERY IMPORTANT. This is actually when I really need Santa to tune into Afrobella. First artists’ are standing for long periods of time. Some of them do it in stilettos & super high heels. I commend them. I would love a pair of Dankso Professional Clogs! I’ve heard they are great. I want a pair, and it’s that simple. I like these blue ones. Of course they aren’t super duper haute couture, but I’m okay with myself. I’ll rock them, with joy! They are $135 and I’m sure they are that price for a reason. If they’re good enough for a nurse, I’m sure they’ll work for me. Although I secretly like the way they look. LOL

Dansko Professional Clogs in Blue Patent Leather

ALL makeup artists should have a digital camera! We need them to snap behind the scenes shots of our work, and create videos. If you’re going to get one, may as well get a cute one that gets GREAT reviews. I like the Nikon Cool Pix S9100 in RED. This camera is listed for many prices, however I found it for $279.95. Even if you aren’t a makeup artist, you should get this camera – it’s AWESOME. Did I mention it was really cute?

Nikon Cool Pix S9100 in Red

This gift I’ve been eyeing for YEARS! It’s the Clarisonic Facial Cleansing Brush and it works WONDERS! This is another one of those gifts that no matter WHAT you do for a living, you should own. It made this list because makeup artists usually wear makeup regularly (some wear more than others) and we have to make sure we are caring for our skin properly and thoroughly. This tool will make that so much easier, there’s no excuse to not wash every ounce of makeup off of your face. It also exfoliates the skin on your face (removing dead skin cells and allowing skin to breathe), reduces pore size, and it feels great when you clean your face. The Clarisonic is a little pricey (the original system is $195, however the “Mia” which I’ve included a link to is only $119), but if you use it just ONE time – YOU WILL BE HOOKED! It’s an investment and we should all invest in our beauty.

Clarisonic Mia Limited Edition Colors

Another really cool gift for the artist in your life (or yourself) is an Apple Ipad 2. I really don’t need to say much about this, we all know they are amazing. It’s great for artists’, because it’s quick and easy way to share our portfolios with others right on the spot. It could be the link to an amazing job or connection if the other party can see your work immediately. Think about it. They start at $499 and are worth every penny.

Apple Ipad 2

Lastly, if you’re just looking for a quick gift that will help your favorite artist to relax and find a way to pamper themselves, check this gift basket out. I actually want one of these myself. I LOVE fresh lavender scented bath products and you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home to be pampered. Lavender will relax the mind and really helps you to have a peaceful nights sleep. Art of Appreciation sells this basket for $69 and you get so much stuff! It’s a great gift idea, for anyone (as long as they don’t have any health issues that would be affected by certain essential oils).

Art of Appreciation Lavender Aromatherapy Gift Basket

Anyone and everyone will benefit from this gift. A gift certificate to a local spa for some hands on pampering. Sometimes, you just have to do this for yourself. After receiving spa services (facial, pedicure, manicure, or massage) you just feel so rejuvenated and ready to take on the world. Or take a nap, then take on the world. If you aren’t sure where to go or which spa to choose, you can always go to SpaWeek.com and get a gift certificate that allows the person you’re purchasing it for select their own spa. How cool is that! If you don’t like any of these gift ideas, just get the makeup artist close to you a week long vacation to a Caribbean island. I mean, I’m pretty sure they’ll appreciate that too. Ha!

Bellas, enjoy the rest of your holiday! If you guys purchase or receive any of these gifts, PLEASE stop back and let me know how you like them. Oh and if you see Santa, let him know what I’m asking for this year. I haven’t seen him yet, they returned the letter I sent him and he won’t answer my text messages! I promise I’ve been a good girl this year… *wink* Remember to try something new, you never know what you’ll like until you try it! If it’s makeup, it’ll wash off.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!! See you next year.

Achieving the fabulous and over-the-top holiday eyemakeup look you want takes more than just the perfect eyeshadows or liners, though. It takes practice and precision. Here’s my secret weapon in the precision department — the new Precision Tips by Q-tips.

Just so you know, I’m a Q-Tips Tipster! I’ll be sharing some of the best ways to use Q-tips products. For makeup application, these Precision Tips are so perfect. Here’s how I use ‘em to help create a holiday eye.

– First things first! Half of the time that you may think you have awful undereye circles? It’s probably makeup residue. Before I even start putting on new eye makeup, I apply a little of my favorite eye makeup remover of choice and just clean up under my eye, as close to the waterline as possible. That helps my new look to be clean and sharp, and makes me look less tired!

– Everyone has their own method of putting on eye makeup, but for me it always begins by lining my waterline with (usually black) eyeliner. Here I’m using Benefit’s Bad Gal waterproof eyeliner to give me that bold black line I crave.

– THE most important thing for eyeshadow newbies to know — BLENDING is ESSENTIAL. If you’re not comfortable with using colors that are very different from each other, then consider sticking within a certain color palette. Lately I’ve been working a lot with glittery nudes – think of Urban Decay’s Naked or Naked 2 Palette, or The Balm’s Nudetude palette. For this look I used Urban Decay Naked 2. You can pretty much blend any of those colors into a flawless, very Kim Kardashian inspired gold or silver smokey eye look. To finish, I line my top lid with black eyeliner, as close to the lash line as possible. Clean-up is essential for a smokey cat’s eye kind of look, so I use Talika Lash Conditioner and a Q-tips Precision Tip to clean up the outer eye area after application.

– Does this happen to you after putting on mascara? JEEZ. I hate when this happens! You put on mascara and while one eye is totally wet, you blink too much and wind up with undereye smudge. Precision tip to the rescue!

– This is probably another post, but I’ll go ahead and share — Precision Tips also help me keep my lips in check! Here I used Black Opal’s lip pencil, which is highly pigmented and generally awesome. To get a very precise Cupid’s Bow, I used a Q-tip Precision Tips, and my FAVE lip cleansing product, Bliss Spa’s Fabulips. A little dab of that and voila!

Holidazzle!!

I love these for makeup application, but as this wacky video reveals, you can ***really*** use Q-tips for ANYTHING.

And I mean anything.

You can find Q-tips new Precision Tips at your fave drugstore beauty department, or here on Amazon. Visit facebook.com/qtips! Seeing that I’m a Q-tips Tipster, expect to see more handy-dandy guides on how to make Q-tips enhance your looks and your life!

This is a sponsored post. Q-tips® product was provided by Unilever, the makers of Q-tips®; my tips and usage suggestions are my own.

Meaningful Beauty is all about anti-aging skincare that is gentle and most of all, effective. Dr. Jean-Louis Sebagh and Cindy Crawford have collaborated to share their skincare secrets with the world, creating a complete, multi-step approach to transforming your skin and reducing the visual effects of aging. I’ve had the chance to use some of the Meaningful Beauty products for a few weeks now, and I’ll break down my favorites for you!

Meaningful Beauty’s Skin Softening Cleanser is perfect for anyone with problem skin who needs a gentle cleanser to remove the daily debris. Creamy and white, gentle and nourishing – it’s the kind of cleanser that works best with a washcloth or face brush (loving it with my Clarisonic).

For anyone looking for more hardcore cleansing that focuses on wiping away layers of old skin to reveal a fresh, glowing, youthful visage, try the Glycolic Treatment Pads — they’re for night time use and after you use them, don’t wash your face. The pads are incuse with alpha hydroxy acid, witch hazel extrace, and Meaningful Beauty’s blend of green tea, grape seed and jasmine, plus chamomile, aloe and lavendar to calm the skin. When I use these and wash my face the next day, my skin is incredibly soft and radiant. I’m also using it on my neck, and I LOVE it.

If you’re into serums, this skincare line is about to be your latest obsession. Meaningful Beauty is ALL about the serums!

glowing serum

The Glowing Serum is described as the “model secret” and it’s a rosy pink, creamy serum that smells divine and feels luxurious on the skin.

The Creme Serum is my favorite. It doesn’t have the fragrance factor of the Glowing Serum, but I’m kind of obsessed with skincare serums that have those cool stripes in the bottle (I know, I’m so silly! But I love it because it looks ~fancy~) and besides looking fancy, it makes my skin feel like buttah. My neck is so soft, smooth and supple from using it. Love!

Click here to check out Meaningful Beauty and see if it’s the skincare solution you need to kick off 2012 with clear, beautiful skin.

This week, I was one of eleven bloggers tapped to participate in Meaningful Beauty’s 11 Meaningful Moments From 2011. It was a lovely way to give back to a cause I believe in, and a lovely opportunity to reflect on what beauty means to me. I hope you like my video, and my meaningful beauty moment of 2011!

Full disclosure: This post was sponsored by Meaningful Beauty and they also donated to the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in my name.

5 HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS FOR THE BEAUTY OBSESSED!

The holidays are right around the corner. With sales left and right and so many options to choose from anxiety can set in: “What gift will I give? Get?” Are you or someone you know obsessed with makeup and all thing beauty? Have no fear, I’ll help you take the guess work out of your purchase! You’ve been warned. These are the hottest products on the market and I promise these are gifts that won’t be re-gifted or returned!

1. Urban Decay Naked Palette #2

The sequel to the highly coveted Naked Palette is Naked 2. This palette contains 12 richly pigmented eye shadows with taupe, neutral and greige shades. Sporting 5 new colors, it boasts anyone will be able to achieve a neutral look to a smokey eye and everything in between. It comes with a travel size lip junkie lipgloss in Naked and a double ended shadow/crease brush only available in this palette. Seeing how the original Naked Palette delivered and this palette sold out…TWICE…I’d say you do not want to miss out on this palette again. If you happen to miss it again, don’t fret. The original palette is worth the hype too. Both of these palettes are the ultimate stocking stuffer!

2. Kissable Couture in “Fantasies”

Kissable Couture was founded by Celebrity Makeup Artist, AJ Crimson and Keisha Whitaker, wife of actor Forest Whitaker. This lipgloss is described as “More than an illusion, Love fantasies overflowing with opulent passion fruit. Intense moments of immense radiant love aglow. Spark a blaze of fiery love zest to spice up the phantom imagination.” Sounds tantalizing! For me, this is a gorgeous red lip gloss with a subtle reflect that upgrades any who adorn it. Absolutely gorgeous on any skin tones. With red lips being a trend that’s around to stay for the long haul I’d say it’s one you shouldn’t skip past. It already comes wrapped in a sleek black box with a satin ribbon. Your work is done! How awesome is that?

Danielle of StyleAndBeautyDoctor.com is wearing Fashion Fair lipstick in “Plum Passion” and Kissable Couture “Fantasies”

3. Beautyblender

This beauty tool has been around for a while and is gaining even more popularity with everyday women. Sold at many boutiques, beauty stores and on major beauty sites, the beautyblender creates a flawless, almost airbrushed finish to your makeup. A reusable hot pink sponge that is dome shaped, with the tip being awesome for making sure those hard to reach spots aren’t overlooked. When you stipple your foundation onto your face it’s porous body mimics that of skin and blends the foundation evenly and seamlessly. Whether the foundation is a drugstore brand, high end, hand applied or airbrushed. Using this sponge… Can you tell the difference? It’s the gift that keeps on giving…flawlessly! And now there’s Beautyblender Pure: colorless and perfect for those with delicate skin.

Yes, I’m also wearing “All My Purple Life” lipglass over NYX lipstick in “Orchid”

4. Myrabelle Mascara Shield

For those who love mascara, especially on the bottom lashes, sometimes getting mascara there can be difficult. With this tool, made of FDA approved plastic and in the USA, the messy under eye mistakes that can happen with a shaky hand and a mascara wand are eliminated. Take the guess work out of how to get luscious lashes and leave no lash behind with the Mascara Shield. Va-va-voom lashes made easy! A definite staple for any makeup lover!

5. Sleek Makeup : The Berry Collection: Christmas Edition

Image via StyleandBeautyDoctor.com

Sleek Makeup has taken the beauty world by storm. A popular UK brand that is the equivalent of the US drugstore brand, Wet & Wild or NYX. And like with those highly affordable and covetable brands, we just can’t get enough. First made popular with their I-Divine eyeshadow palettes, they also have awesome blushes, lipsticks and lip balms. Did you know Sleek has 17 shades of foundation? International shipping is a flat rate of $13.50, with deliveries made in 10-15 days. Just in time for the holidays! With deep shades of berry being all the rave, this collection delivers with a trio: lipstick, blush & kohl liner! Check out this edgy holiday look from their advertisement…

So rest assured. If you are the beauty addict or you’re shopping for one, there is something here for everyone. Awesome brands and products that will end your year off with a bang and keep you smiling well into 2012! Merry Christmas!

What products do you have your eyes on?

Don’t forget to check out Sherry Blossom’s blog and follow @MsSherryBlossom on Twitter!