To Make-up or Not to Make-up

By: Mashaka Williams

A make-up day

It is so funny how certain things become such a must discuss topic. Should we have natural hair or should we relax it. Should we wear make-up or should we go without.

So in true blogger style I have to give my take. Who cares! If you are comfortable in your skin you can do whatever you want.

I remember in high school I had a really good friend named Francine and she never relaxed her hair and wore no make-up only good old fashion Vaseline. And she was the picture of what a natural black woman should look like. No one had better braid ups than her. But the truth is you did not hear the guys saying wow look at that beauty. She never made that her deciding factor on how she should carry herself. I see pictures of her now and every now and then she has on make-up. She is still as beautiful with it on as she is with it off. Make-up does not make you any less or more pretty.

So you wear it great, you don’t that is great too. It is a choice. That is the wonderful thing about being a woman we can change our hairstyles and appearances. Let’s embrace it and move on.

I read some comments on Alicia Keys not wearing make-up. That is a great thing. It shows women that they are beautiful as they are. As a You tube fan and a person who has just started making videos, she helped me realize that I can do these videos without make- up and be proud.

The point is there are so many things that we have to worry about on a daily basis, let’s not make a big deal out of make-up or no make-up, let’s embrace the fact that we have the choice.

By the way let’s also accept that are skin is not flawless. That’s part of being human. J

 

Have a great day,

Shak

My Favorite Things in April

By Mashaka Williams

From left to right: Urban Decay Lipstick, Lush Lip Scrub, Rosebud Salves, Tea container

 I realized that the closer I get to being 40 years old the more I am discovering about myself. It is fun and scary at the same time. I am not changing overly drastically, but I am changing and paying close attention to the things I like and want. Today I am going to share some of my favorite things with you.

Tea has always been something that I loved. Growing up in a Caribbean household it is something that we have to have in the morning as well as at night. To this day my uncle makes tea for my aunt every morning and every night. In recent years I have grown a true appreciation for loose leaf tea. I find myself frequenting Teavana to get my fix. Currently I am drinking Blueberry Bliss and Pineapple Kona Pop together. However my favorite is Dragonfruit Devotion. I just love this stuff. I even have a small travel container for my tea. I am serious about having the good stuff.

As I am getting older I realize that I never really learned how to apply make-up properly, so I went to Sephora for a lesson on how to do a No Make-up Make-up application. That was awesome. It was here that I realized I love lippies. So I went hunting for my signature red lipstick and the lucky winner was Urban Decay matte revolution lipstick in color Bad Blood. Even though I am calling it my signature color I know I will be on the hunt for many more signature colors…lol. I have always loved lip gloss and recently found Rosebud Perfume Company Rosebud Salves. This feels so amazing on the lips.

Finally but I am certain not last. I love LUSH. Seeing as I told you about my love for lippies I am so into the mint julep lip scrub. This stuff is amazing.

It’s easy to see that my lips are important to me..lol. I hope you all get a chance to explore some new things that can become your favorite thing.

Have a wonderful day,

Shak

What about Makeup

By Mashaka Williams

Photo Credit: Estrella Fashion Report

Ladies, ladies, ladies !! this article is for you. I was given the opportunity to see an entirely different side of the makeup world. It was exciting and I have a ton of information for you, but I will have to give them to you in a few articles.

Let me just let everyone know that I, by no means am a makeup aficionado. With that being said, I went there with a mission to find out what we really need to have in our purse to keep our look fresh. I was given way more information than that.

The products were endless, so today I will talk about two of them that I am going to stand by. Lip Bar which has amazing colors and stands for so much that is amazing with it being organic. Just a huge fan and will certainly buy more products from them. When I put on that lipstick I felt like I was 20, which I am definitely not close to. I try to at least feel 30 on a daily basis. This is a must try product.


Photo Credit: Estrella Fashion Report

I am a new fan of Inglot foundation also. I am a black woman who is not light skinned or dark skin. I fall in that in between brown that to get the right color we have to blend two colors to get the right complexion match. Well they have my tone, woot woot. I am a very happy girl, and the best part is that it is a lightweight product so it is not heavy on my face. So I killed two birds with one stone. No heavy make up feeling and the perfect tone.

The entire experience was amazing. I was able to find out that all we need is a great lipstick, mascara, and a colored pencil to brighten up the inner part of our eyes to make us look renewed. Yup just 3 simple products and we can be looked at like a new woman. Just so you know I will be testing this out and letting you know if it is really true.
If you ever get a chance to try the above products that I have mentioned please do. I am certain you will be pleased.
Have a wonderful day,
Shak

Barbie's Back on the Scene

By Mashaka Williams

Barbie's Back on the Scene

                                          
So as you may have heard there are some new girls in town, and they look like us. I am talking about the new babies with bodies that look like all women. They have petite, curvy and tall.

I am a short, curvy black woman, therefore I am dancing and screaming thanking Barbie for me in the form of a doll. It took them 57 years to get it done. My take is that there will be more grown-ups purchasing the dolls.

As a mother of colored daughters it has been really hard for me to get into the idea of having my daughters fall in love with a doll that has done a poor job of representing young women, however my girls still liked the doll. So my house has Barbies and the girls love playing with them. I really think that what they have done is amazing because it allows girls to see that we are all different. This by no means should replace the jobs of parents helping and guiding their daughters on building and having good self-esteem.

We still have to do the work. We have to let our children know that they are beautiful even if there aren’t dolls that represent them. We still have to teach them that different is good. We still have to continue to let them know the reality of the world they live in. I give kudos to Mattel for hearing the masses and making the change, because Barbie is what she is a household name. Girls still love the movies and they still want the dolls as gifts. But now we have options and can get them any doll they want, even one that might look like them.

So my plan is to find a brown, curvy not too tall with a natural curly afro. Shop for the new Barbie at www.barbie.com.

 Have a great day,

Shak

Addicted

By: Mashaka Williams

Photo Credit : Ipsy 

Ok so I realize I am an addict. Yes I said it. I love getting that hot pink envelope in the mail once a month.

I initially registered with ipsy for the makeup. I figured I was getting to a certain age where makeup might come in handy to keep the wrinkles hidden. So $10 a month for a bag of expensive products seemed like a good idea. Cheap, and if I like the product I could buy it. Simple enough plan.

Well that is no longer the truth, I look forward to getting the package every month and quite frankly it has nothing to do with the make-up as much as it has to do with this is MINE. As a mother and a wife very few things are mine and mine alone. So this gift is my relief.

The other day when my husband walked in with the mail and I saw that neon package I was elated. I felt like a kid at Christmas and getting that feeling once a month is the greatest thing in the world. So they say the first step is admitting it. Well I have taken the first step, however that's where it stops I am keeping my ipsy package.

  

Have a great day,

Shak