Gosh Holographic: Revisited

If you remember this post, you will recall me ranting and raving about how great this polish was. But after wearing it for less than 24 hours, it looked ragged! So, for as much as I paid for it (shipped from Great Britain & took over a month), it's been sitting on the shelf ever since...

I've been on a quest for months almost 2 years trying to find a product that would make this polish much easier to apply. A google search landed me on eBay buying the Gosh Fix Base Coat 565 last year. It is supposed to help with application and give you better coverage. Nevertheless, I let the base coat and the polish sit on the shelf again for months. 

I decided to try them out today, what the heck, might as well. Ladies, let me tell you, this base coat is awesome, it worked perfectly!!

This looks sooo much better!! Look at that rainbow!! HOLLA-GRAM!!! 

I think I paid $10 for this base coat on eBay, which is a far cry from the price I paid for the Holographic 549! Don't you just love it?! Thanks for reading!!

Fan Brush Nail Art

Just a quick post on my first attempt at this nail art trend...

What I used:

Julie G "Bikini"

I.C.E "Bikini Green"

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear "Violet Dymanique"

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

e.l.f Fan Brush

Thanks for reading!!

"No Bake" Nutella Protein Bars

Does anyone else think that store bought protein bars taste like sugary cardboard?

Ugh. I hate them!

Here is a quick and easy recipe that I found after following a fellow Instagrammer @TastyHealth. You can also find them on her blog here. 

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats

1 scoop 100% Whey vanilla or chocolate

1/2 tbsp cocoa

1 tbsp almond or hazelnut butter

1 tsp chia seeds or flax seeds (or whatever other seeds)

1-1.5 tbsp water

1. Place all ingredients in a bowl. Start with 1 tablespoon water and add as needed.
2. Mix all ingredients together with your hands until you have a firm dough. Divide into 2 pieces and shape into bars. 
3. Wrap in aluminum foil and store in the fridge until needed.

(NOTE:  Use a little water as possible to prevent overly sticky bars)

Voila!

Here are Tasty Health's nutritional facts...

Nutritional information per serving (2 small or 1 large bar):

377 calories

32g protein

27g carbohydrates

14g fat

These are soooo good! If you are a protein bar lover, you have to give these a try! And put your own "spin" on them. I found a organic chocolate peanut spread at my local whole foods store that I will use next time to cut the calories and fat even more!

Thanks for reading!

Zoya Aurora

                                                     Just had to share this beautiful mani I did yesterday...

A fellow Instagrammer posted a tutorial on how to draw the rose nail art, so I figured I would try it out. What do you think? I got this polish in January during one of the Zoya promotions. This is only the 2nd time I've used it. Shame on me!\

Thanks for reading!!

Shoe Love (justfab.com)

I received this email last week...

I signed up on Just Fab last November and ordered these boots. I've logged on since then to browse their inventory, but never paid any attention to my account credits. I've been billed $39.95 for the last 5 months, which meant I had 5 credits available. This kinda sucked at first, until I realized that I can order 5 pairs of shoes that were completely paid for by me already! Yay me!! Here is what I chose...

Patavia in Camel

 Joelle in Wine

 Bellagio in Seafoam

I can't wait to get these! I may be able to wear the Joelle booties once before it starts to get too hot, I will be wearing the Bellagio heel to a wedding this weekend, and I'm saving the platform gladiators that are Patavia for our next girls night out!

I decided to save two credits because I'm sure Just Fab is creating something "Fabulous" that I will not be able to live without!! In the meantime, I think I will be paying closer attention to my credit card statement...

Thanks for reading!!

Weight Lifting Playlist (a hip hop state of mind)

Lifting weights has become a new passion of mine...

It's so freeing and therapeutic. I almost love it more than nail polish. Almost. 

It's taken me some time to figure out what kind of music I like to listen to when I "Go Lift", but I finally figured it out. Weight room music is not the same as regular old workout music. A cardio playlist should be chosen to make you move, to sweat & burn calories. Lifting weights is a different kind of burn. It needs to be calm, yet hype. I want a beat or rhythm that triggers my inner beast & inspires me to push harder to get results, but yet it's chill enough that I can take my time and keep proper form. So here is what I listen to...

Is this playlist not THE BUSINESS or what??? I love it!! Every couple of weeks I add new songs, just to try and stay current. Or I may delete a track, if I'm just not feeling it anymore. Obviously, you can tell who my favorite artists are, but I need more females. Help me out y'all!! Give me some good female artists that I can add here, or any other artist you think may be good to lift to. Or, do you even lift?

Thanks for reading!!

Another Nail Polish Shelf...

Wow! It's been well over a month since my last post. I have lots of drafts pending, but I never get around to actually publishing them. But, I had to post this one. 

I made another shelf!! See the original post, including the "how to" video here. I needed a 2nd one so bad! But now I realize I need a 3rd one! The same day I hung 2nd one, I bought 3 more polishes, and have bought a total of 9 more since then!! And let me tell you, I love them all!!I love sitting here and coming up with ideas, and searching the web and Instagram to be inspired by others. It's the best hobby. Really it is. No really. It is. Now some of you hard core lacquer heads might be saying "haha she got a small time collection", and I do compared to some I've seen. Some of you have them logged in your computer & saved by brand & name...whoa.

I haven't counted my polishes in a while, don't know if I want to, but for the sake of some young lady really wants to make this shelf & wants to know how many bottles the shelves will hold...here we go...

The shelf on the left, which houses mainly OPI, China Glaze, Zoya & Sally Hansen, currently has 192 bottles on it.

The shelf on the right, which houses my Sinful Colors, Wet n Wild, Orly, KleanColor, etc. etc. currently holds 211 bottles. A bulk of the bottles on this shelf are skinny & compact, like Milani, Ruby Kisses & some of my indie polishes. So the smaller/thinner the bottle, the more bottles u can get on a shelf!

So ok...that means I currently have 431 bottles of nail polish. This is both shelves plus the bottles that would not fit on the shelves & the brand new bottles! Wow...how fun!!

Let me know if you make one. Again here is the link for the what you'll need, and my YouTube video.  

Thanks for reading!!

3 Ways To Enjoy Greek Yogurt

I have a love/hate relationship with Greek yogurt. I don't like it plain. And sometimes it's even hard for me to have the flavored ones, even with fruit on the bottom. I mainly consume them for the protein, so I had to think of ways that would make them enjoyable to eat.

The 1st way to make Greek yogurt easy to "get down" is in a smoothie. This is one of many that I have posted on Instagram. it consists of blueberries, bananas, kiwi, strawberries & Chobani Blueberry Greek yogurt. I usually add milk to thin it to a drinkable consistency, but in this particular one I used a V8 Pomegranate Blueberry energy drink. Yummy!

The next way to enjoy Greek yogurt is probably my favorite way. 

1 container Chobani Banana yogurt

1 tbsp PB2

1tbsp Agave Nectar

Mix ingredients directly in Chobani container & sprinkle with cinnamon. Voila! Peanut Butter & Banana yogurt. Guilt free snack!

The last way is a big fav of mine also. 2 tbsp of Hidden Valley Ranch "Original" mixed directly in a container of plain Chobani yogurt. The perfect dip for your favorite chips or crackers!! And you can't even tell that its yogurt. Another guilt free perfect snack!! 

I'm sure there are many more ways to transform this popular yogurt. Please do not hesitate to let me know. I am constantly trying new things, and I love getting suggestions from everyone.

Thanks for reading!!

Zoya Free Nail Polish Promotion

Did you get your free Zoya polish this month?

I chose the polishes above, plus I bought one. Below is how they actually look on my nails.

Blu. Very pale. Can't wait to paint my toes with this one!

Midori. Applied so smooth. Will be trying this one with glitter next!

Kiki. I wish the sparkle factor would show up a little better. It's beautiful.

Aurora. O.M.G. Amazing! So in love with this one!!

BONUS: My President was re-inaugurated last week...on MLK day! Another Epic day for the history books! I wore these nails last Monday..

Thanks for reading!!

Natural Hair Transition

I've been a slave to the creamy crack that is a relaxer for far too long!

I have been back and forth about going natural for the last 2 years. 2 years!!! Do you know how much I regret not doing this 2 years ago right now? How healthy and long and beautiful my hair could be? Big regrets. Huge. 

I love the "funkiness" of having both of my sides and the back of my head shaved, so I won't be changing that. So that just leaves all this hair on top. Should be an easy transition right? Hmm...

Well, I finally made up my mind and jumped in head first. or should I say hair first, ha ha! Many videos watched and blog posts read. But where do I start? Not sure. My last relaxer was November 14 2012. This is my beginning. 

I purchased the Shea Moisture Repair & Transition kit from Walgreens for $20. 

The first time I used this kit. I could already "feel" the difference. My hair seemed cleaner after the very first use! The Moisture Retention Shampoo is perfectly named. It definitely left my hair feeling very soft and manageable. And not to mention, it smells wonderful! 

The Restorative Conditioner was a different story. I have very thick, thirsty hair, so I expect big things out of conditioners that claim to restore moisture and also label itself as a "leave in" conditioner. I expected detangling to be effortless, especially after using that heavenly shampoo. Foul. Fail.

As far as the Deep Treatment Masque, I used it to do the braid out below. It left my hair very soft, but not very manageable, if that makes sense. 

The Strengthening Elixir is very silky and slippery. I sprayed it on my hair and my hands slid right off when trying to rub it in. So I tried using it again on my wet hair & it worked a little better. The more I use it, the better I like it. My hair has been so dry for so long that every thing I put in it gets sucked up immediately!

On the flat twists below, I washed with the retention shampoo, then followed with the restorative conditioner, and while my hair was still wet I sprayed it with the strengthening elixir. Then twisted it after it was completely dry. I wore them for 4 days, and sprayed them everyday with water to hydrate them. And if they looked dull, I would use a small spray of the strengthening elixir.

I haven't given up on this kit or this brand yet. I have a long way to go. Once I am completely natural I will be trying the Shea Moisture Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie Kit so that maybe my hair will naturally curl like the straw set I did here.. 

At this point, 9 or 10 weeks post relaxer, my hair is very thick, tangly, dry, and did I say thick? I hate it. It's itchy and sweaty all the time (I'm a gym rat) and I find myself washing it 2 or 3 times a week. My friend Arlisha says that it's "scalp hair" that's causing the dry itchiness, and that we don't realize when we relax our hair that the relaxer is in your skin, pores & cuticles, and it just takes a while to grow completely out. I love her! 

So somebody tell me? Am I off on the wrong foot here? What direction should I be going? Any tips, suggestions, or ideas on products I should try, protective styles etc., please please let me know! Thanks for reading!!

Feta Stuffed Shrimp

Quick & easy lunch or dinner!

Here's what you'll need..

1 pound 13/15 fresh shrimp

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

2 tbsp roasted red peppers

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp minced garlic

1 egg yolk

3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel shrimp, but leave the tails on. Carefully slice the spine of each shrimp from head to tail, but no all the way thru, as if to butterfly them. Remove the vein if present & rinse the shrimp. Open each shrimp & flatten them on your surface. 

In a small bowl, combine all other ingredients, mixing well. Spoon 1 tbsp of mixture onto each shrimp. Add each shrimp to your baking dish. Bake until pink & firm. 

I used 13/15 shrimp, so they took about 16-18 minutes at 350. The larger the shrimp, the better these stuffed shrimp will be; smaller shrimp won't hold the stuffing as well.

These are sooo good!! I could eat them all!! This recipe was adapted from Paula Deen. Here are the changes I made to fit my needs. 

panko - seasoned bread crumbs

plain feta - garlic & herb feta

parsley - cilantro

7 tbsp butter - 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup white wine - no wine used

As long as shrimp is available, I will be making these. I love them just that much! Let me know if you try them! Thanks for reading!!

Dawn Richard Album Release: "GoldenHeart"

Are you as excited as I am for this album release?

From Bad Boy's all girl group "Danity Kane" to her new album, released today GoldenHeart. The world cannot continue to ignore Dawn Richard.

I love it when women build themselves up and make a believer out of everyone! This album is exactly that for Miss Richard.

“It’s a movement we are starting here,” says Richard.  “After all our hard work, we finally are expanding our art into stores.  We wanted to make Goldenhearts available to all [hearts] not just digitally.  The project is too amazing to be limited to one portal of access.  It’s time to get excited.  This is a big deal for us!”

I love it! I already have a favorite track...'86, a 1980's inspired track. It reminds me of Prince & Cyndi Lauper...you know, that era in music history **sigh** good times...

”We believe Dawn is the future of music. Her heart, style and artistry make her a force to be reckoned with and a dream partner,” says Nelson Jacobsen, president of Altavoz Distribution.

I couldn't have said it better my self! Congratulations Dawn! And Good Luck with the success of this new album!!