Long Time!

Hey all!

   I figured I should probably go ahead and update my blog after over a month of no posting. Well, I just uploaded a YouTube video, so if you're interested click me! But, my camera is down. :( I always use my laptop webcam, but my computer is going through a meltdown at the moment and it's taking the webcam with it. My hope is to have a new camera within the next month, but until then, I won't be able to record any videos. However, I do hope to be getting some more posts up. Just haven't really decided on what yet...

But that's just a little update. Hope everyone is well, thank you for reading!

Until next time,

Fishtail Braid and Gibson roll Up Do on Natural Hair!

Victory Rolls & Bumper Bangs on Natural Hair!

eBay Shopping!

Hi all! 

    I've noticed that it seems as though a lot of people enjoyed my post from a while back called Goodwill Shopping!, so I've decided to make another post similar to that. Only this time, I'll be talking about eBay!!! Now, I won't be so presumptuous as to assume that everyone in the world knows about eBay, so I'm excited to make this post about my experiences with eBay. Ask anyone who knows me...I freakin' love eBay!  If there were some type of eBay cult, I'd certainly be apart of it. Joking...(maybe). Out of all of the website on which you can purchase pre-owned/new items (such as Craigslist and Amazon), I certainly prefer eBay. (That's not to say that eBay is all good, you could definitely be ripped off, so just be very careful while shopping). Anyhow, I'm here to really talk about my one of my most recent eBay purchases, as I am just so excited about it. So, it all started a few years ago when I decided that I waned gauges, so I would stretch my ear piercings. I'd waltzed on over to the local WalMart and picked up a set of the inexpensive tapers and when I got home, had my brother help me put them in. I guess I was allergic to whatever they were made out of because my ears itched profusely, so I removed them. I didn't know any better to put earrings in, so the next day my holes were closed. Fast forward to late 2014, when I decided it was time to start wearing my natural hair, I realized that when I wore updo's there was just something missing. An extra decorative measure to make my look POP! Why, it was the lack of earrings of course. So, again, I waltzed on over to the local WalMart (which I was totally weary about), and spoke to the "jewelry lady," who made me feel a little better about getting my ears pierced there. Anyhow, since I got them pierced, I've been looking some cute and unique earrings to help tie my looks together. Take a looksy at some of the cute earrings I found!

 

    Now, I got these all from the same seller; and this is just one of the great things about eBay! You can find all sorts of sellers, selling all sorts of things.

 

These were the first ones I purchased! I'd been searching for some rose shaped earring, which were large in size because I had some scar tissue in my ear, which disallowed for my new holes to be where my old ones were. Therefore, my new holes are a little further back, but it goes unnoticed with larger earrings. Also, I just love large earrings! They're handmade out of ribbon, and they're wonderfully stiff, but not heavy. I won these through an auction, because I got very lucky that no one else bid on them. The earrings themselves were only $0.50, but with shipping - which was $2.50 - they were $3.00, but that is still awesome! 

(Also, if you like my hair in this picture, click me for a tutorial).

These ones are my absolute favorite! They're not exactly vintage (though pre-owned), but they look so vintage. The blue part if a thick cloth, almost corduroy-like with beautiful faux pearls in the middle. Unlike the red and pink rose earrings, these things are heavy! As you can see from the picture, they're quite large and actually pull down on my ear a but and are certainly not comfortable to lie down with, but they are gorgeous! These also cost me only $0.50, and even better, I purchase them along with pink earrings, so I got combined shipping (which not every seller offers, but the seller from whom I purchased these had an awesome combined shipping policy), so the entire purchase only cost $3.50!  

These, I haven't worn yet, but the same as the red, only a really pretty rose-pink color. 

These were also $0.50.

(For size comparison)

    So overall, you can find great things on eBay, for great prices. All it takes in some patience diligence. So happy eBay hunting, and good luck! 

Thank you for reading! Until next time,

Ruby Woo Dupe? (#1)

Hi all!

    Long time no read/write, huh? I've been in the midst of young-life crisis. I know we all have them. With the decision to go ahead and stop straightening my hair, I've also sort of stopped paying so much attention to fashion/hair/make up in general. It wasn't necessarily intentional, but I guess I've been focusing on other creative pursuits. After many years, I finally decided to pursue my interest in sewing.  I've always attempted small feats here and there, but never took it seriously. Anyhow, that it was I've been spending my last few weeks doing. But I'll make a separate post about that. 

   Now, on to the Ruby Woo-ness! Now, for whatever your reason may be for wanting/needing them, dupes are always great to have. That is, providing it is a good dupe. For me, I've been slowly trying to rid myself of my MAC products, as I only recently found out that they tested on animals. This may be old news to some, but I'd been going years thinking that they did not. I guess they decided they wanted to start selling in China, so they welcomed the abhorrent practice. And I have just enough Ruby Woo left to help me along my search for a good dupe. Now, don't get me wrong, Ruby Woo is an amazing lipstick! But if you've ever tried it, I don't need to tell you that. It is that classic red, with wonderful staying power and just the right about of a matte finish for a one such as myself. However, I cannot get passed the fact that they once did not test on animals and now they do. I've had the idea for a series in mind for a while. One in which I will look extensively for dupes to great products (such as Ruby Woo) and post pictures so you guys can be the judges. So here is the first! (Which for me, will be a new staple, as I LOVE this lipstick!) 

Wet n Wild's Red Velvet 

 After doing a little research into Ruby Woo dupes, this is the first one I came across. They didn't have any pictures, so I decided to just go ahead and pick it up. How does it hold up against Ruby Woo?

Here's Ruby Woo (and you'll have to excuse the picture, I'm lookin' crazy! Also, you'll have to excuse the quality, I'm still working off of an iPhone 4.)! 

And here is Red Velvet!

   So, as you can probably tell, Red Velvet is a bit glossier than Ruby Woo, which is a negative for me. However, it does mattify a bit after a little while. Also, I will say that Red Velvet it a little more pink than Ruby Woo. They look almost identical in the picture, but again...iPhone 4.

The top is Ruby Woo, and the bottom Red Velvet. 

    I think if you look closely enough, you can tell that Red Velvet is glossier and pinker, but overall, they're very close in color. Red Velvet doesn't last as long as Ruby Woo, but it is pretty long lasting.

Ruby Woo after a couple of hours worth of wear.

Red Velvet after an entire day of wear.

I should also note that in all three pictures above, I was wearing Milani's lip liner in True Red.

    So, does Wet 'n Wild's Red Velvet hold up to MAC's Ruby Woo? In my opinion, I'd like to wear them interchangeably, but the extra pink takes away that "classic red" look. They look similar enough for me, but I still adore the classic look and mattifying power of Ruby Woo, thus, I will continue my search for the perfect Ruby Woo dupe!

Tell me what you think!

Till next time, thank you for reading!

Lindy Bop Demo (Featuring Concetta)

Faux Retro Bumper Bang on Natural Hair!

New Year, Better Me! (and a story about alopecia)

Hi guys!

     This is my first post of the year, and I must say, everything is off to a great start! I just feel like this year is going to be great. As much of a transitioning time the past two years have been for me, I never really made any goals at the start of the new year. As a matter of fact, the new year seemed more of a relative time than an absolute. I still feel that way in some aspects, but at the same time, I see this as an opportunity to really begin. I've already set goals for this year, decided that I'm going to achieve them. With starting this blog and my YouTube channel, I feel I really have no choice. Since I've committed to something, I want to see it through. 

    I've spent just about my entire life in seclusion and as a loner (which has not really changed), so putting my life out here for people to see (not that many people will, x___x), is no easy feat. Alas, I've committed, and I do really enjoy it. 

    I've also decided to take a break from straightening my hair and work on trying to grow it out. For a while, I've been okay with the length it is at the moment, but after eating up some haircandy from the lovely Miss Dita Von Teese, I've decided I want longer hair. Unfortunately, this is no matter of simply willing and wishing, as I've suffered from a mild case of Alopecia since 2012. In 2010, it was far more severe, and I literally had like almost-bald patches throughout my head. After seeing some so-called hair professionals, who did little to nothing for me, I decided I'd go it alone. At first, I couldn't even think of a reason my hair would just start falling out. Then, in 2012, I cut my hair into a bob so that all of my hair was the same length. But of course, slowly but surely, the rest of my hair began to grow back, and those spots (basically the entire left side of my head) stopped growing at that certain length. Of course, later I realized that it wasn't that it stopped growing, but would begin to shed and break, leaving the hair in those places about 6 inches long with really thin ends. So, in late 2012, I was so tired of dealing with my hair, I just said fuck it! I relaxed my hair, just saying I'd go for my vintage styles (this was before I got how to pin curl on straightened down), but this resulted in my having to get a pixie cut as my hair fell almost completely out, lol. 

   So, here we are now. I went almost an entire 2 years wearing wigs (after rocking the pixie for a while). So when I finally went back to my natural hair mid last year, I was taking iron and biotin supplements, hoping that would help with the hair loss. No luck. My hair had grown to about the normal length (when I start seeing the problem) about 3 or 4 months ago, but with my layered cute, it didn't matter. Of course, once the rest of the hair starts growing but that side keeps shedding, it'll start to become noticeable. So, anyhow, that's one of my goals for this years. I've going to break from straightening it for a while and focus on all natural hairstyles. 

I can't wait! So, if you're interested, stay tuned to my YouTube channel for more pin up hair tutorials for natural hair!

Also, I'm so excited! My new Lindy Bop dress just arrived, so I'll be doing a demo of it. Not a reveal like my last one, but just showing the dress.

As always, thank you for viewing and have a wonderful new year!