Thursday, May 21, 2009

Skin is IN!

I don't care how good your make-up is or how well you apply it, if you are not starting out with a good palate, you can forget it. It is extremely to take good care of your skin while you're young, that way you age gracefully. I often hear people say "black don't crack," and while this may be visibly true, the sun rays will still destroy you skin and can possibly cause cancer. UV rays do not discriminate!

I posted my skin care regimen a while back and it included products like Oil of Olay Daily Facials and Ponds Dry Skin cream. I was one of those people that said "If it's not broken, why fix it?" But I have recently begun to try things that will enhance my skin and take better care of it as opposed to just maintaining. Some of the products I am really loving right now include:

Carol's Daughter "Wash Away the Oil" Skin Care collection

This collection is a favorite of mine because it is extremely gentle on your skin and if you have sensitive skin like me you know how important that is. I often try to avoid extremely oily products as my skin produces enough of its own, so this is ideal. And though you're washing away the oil, you skin is not going to get dried out. The face wash balances the skin's oil production so you're not shiny all day. The set includes the face wash, the toner and the essential serum and retails for $50.50. The recipe for application is as follows:

STEP 1)
Gently cleanse your skin with Wash Away the Oil Face Wash
STEP 2)
Tone and refresh your skin using Wash Away the Oil Face Toner
STEP 3)
Treat your skin to the moisture replenishing oils of the Essential Serum

Another favorite of mine right now is Ambi. The line specializes in "providing women of African, Latin and South Asian heritage scientifically proven solutions to meet their unique skincare needs." So that's something great to look for when you're searching for a product. You don't want to use a product that doe snot take into consideration the type of skin your have. And yes it's true, different nationalities require different types of care and product. A big reason both Carol's Daughter and Ambi have made their way into my regimen.

I currently use the Even & Clear Daily Daily Moisturizer and the best part about this is it includes SPF 30! So you're not only moisturized but you're protected from UVA and UVB rays. It is recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation and that gets major points from me. I apply the moisturizer daily after I wash my face and it gives me an instant glow! During the week when I'm in a rush, I walk right out...no make-up no nothing. Just 4 pumps of this miracle moisturizer. Even though I only use the moisturizer, there is a whole line of Even & Clear products including Exfoliating Cream, Acne Clearing Treatment and Fade Cream.

Friday, May 15, 2009

If I Had My Way....



.....Jennifer would fire her stylist first thing tomorrow. Not forget tomorrow, he/she needs to be let go immediately. There is just no reason or excuse for this type of ill fitting disaster. *smh*

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Who Wore What?


LALA was rocking her Monogram Vernis Pink Alma Louis Vuitton bag while out and about in LA with CIARA and KIM KARDASHIAN rocking her YSL Cage Booties.

I found out which shoes BEYONCE was recently seen rocking and I'm absolutely in love! The Gucci "Lucy" high heel strap platform pumps are def one of my fav from the line this season! They also come in black, gold and silver which I'm loving just as much, if not more.

Last but not least, on the set of Fabolous' new video and he had CLAUDIA JORDAN as his eye candy of the day. She was clad in Gucci from head to toe, but of course the shoes are what caught my eye mostly. The Iman high heel ankle strap platform is definitely a shoe I am considering saving my pennies for! She is also rocking a Hysteria bag, but it's not as eye cathing as the shoes :).

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

LOVE 21


Forever 21 is releasing yet another line under it's umbrella called "LOVE 21." It will be their first ever "contemporary line," but it won't be available in all stores. I am anxious to see what else they have in store for us....I hope they got some of the designers they've been using lately because I've been loving some of what I see. Time will tell....

Friday, May 8, 2009

Make it a Magical Mother's Day!

So this is one of my favorite Holiday's of the year! I love celebrating my Mommy, as she's pretty much the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm extremely grateful for her and everything she's done for me, which makes it much more difficult to shop for her! It's like what material thing can you buy to show alll that love? Well guess what? I have some ideas!

There's nothing better than giving your mom the opportunity to relax and take a break from all the hard work she does, and if in these rough economic times you can't afford to spend $500 on an ultimate spa package, here are some great gift ideas!

In order for that special woman in your life to be properly relaxed and refreshed, she needs to start her day out right. What better way to do than to get a wonderful night's sleep? I am so in love with this collection from Bath & Body Works! The Lavender-Vanilla Aromatherapy has such an amazing scent and the effects are fabulous! I have been using this for almost 2 years now, and I really notice a difference form the nights when I do and don't use it. I wake up feeling more refreshed, and I actually feel like I had a wonderful sleep! It truly stars off a day better! This particular set was $35.00 and is now $21.00 and includes a 10 oz. Body Wash, 6.5 oz. Body Lotion, 0.3 oz. Instant Aromatherapy in Sound Sleep and a sleep mask.


When she's all awake and feeling wonderful, she can head over to her Limited Edition Pearls Gift Set from one my fav lines Carol's Daughter! This is a great way to have Mom smelling fabulous all day! This is the perfect combination of lemon verbena, apricot and peach, creating a very luxurious and intense smell. You don't need but one spritz of the Eau de Toilette to smell great all day long and the special Body Creme Deluxe Sample comes inside too! I have the Eau de Toilette and so many people ask me what I'm wearing! And the packaging is beautiful so you don't have to worry about gift wrapping, just hand it over and let the aroma do the rest! This set is valued at $60.00 but retails for $49.50.


Or if you want mom to be able to pick out her own fab gift from Carol's Daughter, then grab a gift card from CarolsDaughter.com!


I think a lady always deserves to tote around her valuables in style! If you really want to splurge on Mom this year, you should grab one of the Galleria tote's from Louis Vuitton. I went ahead and got my mother hers early, since her birthday is so close and she LOVES it! She gets so many compliments and though upon receiving it, I thought it was too big, when I showed it to her she loved the size. If your mom doesn't tote as much stuuf around as mine, opting for the Galleria PM is a better alternative. I got her the Momogram version and I went for the Damier Azur collection, as I think it perfect for summer! NoirLace wouldnt you agree?! ;) The GM retails for $1,450 and the PM is $1,270.


If you live in LA you know how beautiful the weather has been lately, but actually I hear many people have been getting some gorgeous weather all over! Either way, hopefully you're in a place where the sun is shining more often than not. Pick up a pair of these Basic Sunglasses from Yves Saint Laurent. Classic shades, not too much detail, but more than enough style. They come in Black and Olive Amber, so take your pick both are sure to please Mom! If your Mom is anything like mine, she's always conveniently picking up your sunglasses to wear for herself, so this will definitely make the cut for a gift this year! :)


Next up, personalized accessories are always fun! Adding that little extra uumpphhh to something that would otherwise be plain and ordinary will let Mom know you're thinking of her and when she uses that phone book, pen, planner, etc. she'll think of you too! There are various combinations you can put together, so heard over to www.neimanmarcus.com pick out which ones you like! Prices range from $44.00-$154.00.


To wrap-up this "Magical Mother's Day" I have a suggestion that I think is one of the best! We all know that caffeine is the poison of choice for many, but it's obviously not the healthiest! Make Mom a healthier Mom by giving her a BonJour® FineT Gourmet Tea Machine to replace that cofeemaker. I know, especially for Moms on the go, that caffeine is what wakes them up and oftentimes keeps them going through their day. So why not promote Mom's healthy lifestyle and replace that coffee with some green tea perhaps? I mean it can be any type of tea you like, but I for one know I would benefit off of this great little machine also, as I love tea! This is on the fancier end, but I hear it's worth it, retailing at $299.99. Available at Bed, Bath & Beyond among other places!

And of I think course flowers and a card are a staple and should be given in addition to any one of these gifts or whatever else you decide to get mom. Happy Shopping!

Everyone have a fabulous Mother's Day and to all the Moms out there: YOU ARE THE GREATEST! WE ARE WHAT WE ARE BECAUSE OF YOU. DON'T EVER FORGET HOW MUCH YOU MEAN TO US!!! LOVE JESS!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

My MET BALL Picks!

Here are my picks for the highly anticipated MET Ball that took place in New York last night. 

KERRY killed it! She's always on point but I was really digging this funky yet classy look! The colors are perfect and the shoes are hot! Go Kerry!
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE had one the most beautiful women on his arm last night: JESSICA BIEL, and her dress was gorgeous! I'm not usually a fan of red dresses, but she and AMBER ROSE changed my mind!

IMAN was stunning in this strapless champagne floor length gown. Her skin looks amazing with this color, as does ALEK WEK'S!
This may just be my favorite look of the night, particularly because of the way this color contrasts with her skin. It so beautiful, as is she. 


Style Showdown: Me vs.Gabby! lol



This is just a little joke, but GABRIELLE UNION attended the Kentucky Derby last weekend wearing the same dress I wore to my birthday party back in February! 

I got mine at an amazing price! And you can wear it so many ways. I love it. The pic of me isn't very good as it doesn't show me head to toe, but I just felt like posting it! :) Who won the style showdown?! hahaha