Are you looking forward to 2015?!?!?

 

In preparation of the new year, I decided to ignite my love of reading. I found the book 'Write it down, make it happen'. I saw this on one of my favorite YouTuber's Favorites video. I searched the library and found that they did in fact have the book. My goal is to finish reading it before 2015. I plan on writing down a clear, concise plan for the new year. Goal I want to accomplish, places I want to go, things that I want to see, but most importantly putting them into action! 

I am excited and looking forward to the new year! Please join me in reading and reviewing this book. If there are enough people interested, I will start a Google hangout so we can discuss, share, and encourage our plans for the future!

Follow me on Instagram at: @mzkarameldee.

Natural Hair Update!

Hey Guys! Just an update on my natural hair and what's been going on with it. I think (crosses finger) that I have my twist out routine down! As you may or may not know, I am a avid Youtube video watcher and I came across Naptual85 twist out method. Its kind of like flat twisting, but its not. Watch her video and you see how she does it. It works for me because the thing that I still struggle with is the separating and fluffing of my twists. This method eliminates that process because your hair is already separated when you untwist em.

This is a picture of day 2 hair. It has started to get big.



No frizz, soft, still moisturized. Great results. Also, if found that my twist out lasted about 4 days looking nice and defined. I wore it for two more days, but it wasn't as defined or cute as it was prior to that. I am so excited about having 4 day hair, I don't know what to do! YAY!

This picture, I think was day 3. You can see that its fluffy looking, still soft, but still defined.



I achieved these results using Shea butter, Castor oil and Bioinfusion Curl Pomade . I re twisted at night. I only added additional product on days 4 and 5 because it was starting to feel dry on the ends. I would consider this a milestone for me. Also it looks like my hair grew a little bit. I'm not into length checks, but maybe in December I will do one since I will be 6 months post big chop.

Thursday Tidbit...

I love YouTube. It has changed my life. I've learned how to do a smokey eye, created some great recipes, gotten some great fashion tips, but I wish that people would stop posting 12 minute videos about things that take 5 minutes! I understand that there are times when a lengthy video is appropriate, but I get slightly bored. Maybe I have a touch of ADD.

The Mac Counter and Me...

This weekend I went out in search of two lipsticks: Up the Amp and Ruby Woo both by MAC. But of course I checked out dupes online, just in case I wasn't in love with the lipsticks. I went to the MAC counter at the mall that I felt most comfortable. Let me just say that I do not like going to the MAC counter at the Ross Park mall because I feel like they ignore African Americans at that particular counter. I can't say at all of the counters in Macy's, but I have had 2 bad experiences there. Anywoo, I go to the MAC counter at Robinson Mall, and was greeted by two sales women...girls...broads. They one girl was working on a client and the other one was just standing around. I politely tell the one that is standing around that I would like to try on Up the Amp. She obliges. After the application, I tell her that I HATE it (insert fake laughs here)! It just wasn't what I expected it to be. While this is going on, a woman walks up and states that she was looking for green eyeshadow. The girl working with me immediately grabs three shadows and rushes over to help the lady. I turn around and say that I wanted to try on Ruby Woo. She politely sanitize the lipstick, hands it to me and says 'Are you ok applying it yourself?' Is that lady you about to help ok with applying the eyeshadow herself. I then say, straight from the tube?!!?!? This broad hands me lip brush from her brush hip/roll thingy. Stunned, I say you are going to have to apply this for me. She does it, but promptly tells me if I need anything to let her know because she will be over with another customer.

Ok, here is my gripe. I would have more than likely brought Ruby Woo, and possibly some foundation. Resulting in a commission for the sales person. Instead, I politely walk away empty handed. What made her think that I wasn't going to buy something? Sure, I wonder aimlessly looking to jog my memory about things that I have seend on YouTube and putting together looks in my mind, but that is no reason to leave me to work on another customer. It wasn't like I was done with shopping or looking. This is normally the point that say 'Don't make me pull out my platinum card and blind you'. I'm a changed person and trying not to be like my momma. I cannot help but see a pattern forming at all MAC counters around the Western PA area: ignorance. Perhaps they don't know how much African American woman spend at stores in an average year, stimulate the economy and set trends. The Asians know, which is why there is a BSS in every neighborhood.

Have you ever felt like you didn't receive the best customer service at the MAC counter? I know that it isn't just me.

Procrastination is like Masturbation...

So, its Saturday night and I am sitting here writing a post about 'Procrastination being like Masturbation' and looking at my guilty pleasure Awkward. How did this all start? Well, back in college, during one of those hazy nights that involved Barcardi 151 in the all boys dorm, I came across a sheet of paper posted on the wall. It said: Procrastination is like Masturbation, you always end up getting screwed. Not quite Langston Hughes, but poetic, none the less.

Which brings us to this. A Saturday night when I thought that thought that I would be at the movies falling asleep or pretending to be into whatever movie that I would be watching with a dude that I really don't trust. Whew, that was a mouthful. Not that I would have ended up getting screwed by him at the end of the night (see celibacy vlog coming soon), but he probably would have tried. Where are all the good men at???!?!?!? Sigh.

Anyway, instead of doing something on the 360 in 365 list, or at least researching to attempt to cross something off of that list, I decided to check out random Youtube videos on knitting. Yeah. That's right, knitting. For what? I am not sure. I think that its just another way for me to procrastinate in doing what I need to do. I really don't need to know how to knit...I need to perfect my calligraphy, so that I can possibly make some extra money by doing it. After watching the video on Youtube, I actually contemplated driving to Wal-Mart and get some knitting supplies. Now, there are a million other things that I need and should be doing, including work for my job, finishing my Limited application, washing clothes, cleaning up, and the list can go on and on.

In the end of not doing anything really today, I will end up getting screwed on Monday night when I am trying to finish all of the work for my job, wash clothes, clean up for the week, and all of the other miscellaneous things that I should have done today with my free time.

This post has nothing to do with masturbation

Friday Night Beauty...

Alright, its Friday! And I am so glad that its the weekend. Wait, its a 3 day weekend! Not to copy off of QVC's Friday night beauty segment called 'Friday Night Beauty', but I decided to relax and unwind with my own homemade beauty treatments. There is nothing better than having a PMS pizza (Pepperoni, Mushroom, and Sausage), a full night of TLC's 'Why am I not married, but when I do I want a dress/wedding/party like that' shows, and youtube videos filled with useless knowledge and ideas.

Up first: Blackhead Elimination

So, if you search how to get rid of blackheads, you will find 1000's of videos of how to get rid of them. I chose the method that involves two things: toilet paper and egg whites. I always have toilet paper, and of course I still have eggs from that whole lemon bar fiasco.

All you have to do it is beat the egg whites until frothy. Apply to face or areas you would like to de-blackhead. Apply toilet paper and more egg whites until it sticks to your face. Easy right.

The results: Now, if you like the Biore Pore Perfect strips, then you may like this method. It doesn't hurt as bad, but I am not sure about the effectiveness of it. I would say that it is a milder form of what the Biore strips can do. Can I see and feel a difference? Yeah! I can even see some of the blackheads on the toilet paper, but you can really see the oil. I think that with continued use, this will definitely make a difference in the amount of black heads and your skin.

Next: Milk and Honey Face Mask

I am a lover of all things milk and honey. I think that it makes me feel like Cleopatra. Anyway, another one with two ingredients: milk and honey. Mix it together and it will look like this:

Apply to face and wait. While I am waiting I am enjoying my 4th--yes, 4th--slice of PMS pizza, and an all new episode of 'Four Weddings. Here are some thoughts that are running thru my head...

Awwh, that was a cute idea.

Dang, cuz, not you too! Argh!

I need to get my necklace cleaned.

My eyebrows need done.

This actually tastes good (the mask that is).

I'm going to apply for the Limited. (Off to the Limited site)

I want to play the pregnancy game on facebook. Wait, I never post status'...I just lurk ;)

Its like he is reading my mind...

These Target back to school commericals are funny! Denim, backpacks, denim. Ha!

I miss writing commercials. I need to take a proofreading class...I suck at that.

My ponytail weighs like 3lbs...seriously.

Screw this, I'll finish this application tomorrow.

The results: After 34 minutes, a good wash with some Cereve cleanser, a healthy dose of Este Lauder Night Serum (new for me), it was like a new face. When I rinsed it off, I could feel the difference in my skin. It was super soft and had sort of a 'glow' about it. I really got the full effect after washing it with my face wash. Wow! How can two things, mixed together, have such and impact on my skin?!?!? This will be a bi-weekly ritual for me...if I have milk in the house.

Overall: These will be in my rotation. Normally, I am pretty simple with my skin care regime but these things can definitely make a guest appearance every other week.