Nail Expertise 101 :)

Summer is just around the corner and it's time to get those nails ready! Now, if you're like me, you try to avoid color polish because it just chips off in a day or two after application! Has me seeing red after all my hard work, all the careful avoidance of touching anything for no less than 30 minutes, and all the investment in time and effort to making them look just right only to have them smudged, dented or streaked. How frustrating right?! So you stick to the clears, nudes and barely there tints. Yawn! While these choices are ideal for the winter, dearest readers, summer is here! Time to bring out the candy shade, neon hued, eye popping colors.

Secret #1: Invest In A Great Primer

My friend is the girl that is always prepped, primed and pretty. Her hair, makeup, outfit is always together; and she is, from head to toes, ready for everything. So I stole this little nugget from her hidden gems of being beautiful.

Nail polish is basically paint for your nails right? Paint today is usually preceded by primer to help maintain the longevity and color of the paint. So INVEST!

The little gem she shared with me was to purchase Essie's "First Base Base Coat". I usually don't product name drop, but how else are we ever going to learn what products are true to their statements and actually do what they say they do?

Make sure your nail is free of any existing polish or gloss and apply a single coat.

Secret #2: Make Sure The Color Is High Pigmented



A high pigmented color results in a clean finish for your polish. If you choose to go cheap, you risk a nail color that applies thin or runny. And then you've gone and wasted $3 on this nail polish anyway. Better to invest a couple more bucks in a high pigmented polish than waste money on a $3 nail polish that you'll only pull out when it's the last thing in your drawer.

Essie does have some magnificent colors, however, like their primer, they are a little bit pricey. They run at about $8 per little tube. Expensive I know. If you can splurge, I'd go for it, but it is not a necessity. I have really started to love L'oreal's nail polishes. They have the usual nudes and safe colors, but they are starting to release nice and bright colors!

Apply two coats, even coats. Make sure that you do not gob on the color.

Secret #3: Invest In A Good Top Coat/Quick Dry Top Coat

 

Well I guess this is two tips in one. If you are patient (not me) and can allot the appropriate time to let your nails dry (not me), invest in a good top coat. I recommend using Essie's "Super Duper Top Coat". If you are like me, and end up smudging your nail polish 2 minutes after your apply it because you are way too impatient for it to dry, you need to invest in Essie's "Good to Go: Fastest Drying Top Coat".

Apply single coat and then supplementary coats during the week to maintain shine and polish.


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I painted my nails on Saturday and they just started to chip at the very tips of my fingernails today and the pigment is still really nice and bright. Yay for solutions!

Funky Shoes

           Good afternoon ladies, I hope you all had a lovely, lovely weekend. May this upcoming week be productive and good to all of you. For today's blog I want to talk about unusual shoes. I decided to tittle them funky shoes. Funky shoes can be hard to style, however once you know how to style them, there will be nothing stopping you. You can rock them anywhere. If you didn’t yet know, I have a huge shoe obsession.
 
Wedge Sneakers: okay, I must admit I wasn't a big fan of the idea of wearing wedge sneakers. However, the idea of these wedges has grown on me. They are actually very cute shoes to style! In the summer you can wear them with shorts and a nice semi-formal top. You can also rock these fabulous shoes with skinny jeans and a semi-formal, loose top. With these wedges you don’t have to worry about looking all fancy. 
 
Spiky Pumps: Have you ladies seen those pumps that have the gold or silver spikes going on? I think that they are absolutely adorable! They are bang on stylish too. I find that with these heels you must keep it simple because the shoes itself leaves a statement. If you buy color spiky pump I recommend wearing a cute little black dress with them, or maybe even a beige dress, depending on the style. Black pants and jeans also work for the colored pumps. . On the other hand, if you have black spiky pumps, they are a little more versatile. You can rock these beautiful pumps with skinny jeans, a pretty top and a blazer, or you can wear them with color dresses. I personally think that black spiky pumps, and a red short dress look killer. Wearing the black pumps with colored pants and a black blazer, would also look quite good. On another note, you can do some real damage with these shoes, so be cautious when wearing them.
 
Combat Boots: Okay, combat boots are not that funky. But they are not a girly girl type of shoe. However this does not mean they can't be rocked by girly girls. In fact they look amazing if you know how to style them. The great thing about these boots is that they are very good for the winter months and they are stylish, so that's a bonus. You can wear these boots with skinny jeans and a plain cardigan with a beater underneath. You may also wear them with leggings and loose casual shirt (this is a more laid back look; for one of those days were you don't feel like doing too much to your outfit). You could even wear the boots with shorts, however it may be too hot to do so!
 
         And that brings us to the end of today's blog. I hope you found these tips helpful and that they made you see these particular shoes in a different way. They are not common but you can definitely be styled.
 

Real Vs Fake Hair

The majority of hair extension disasters are due to the kind of hair extensions used. You can opt for real or synthetic ones, and both have their advantages, and disadvantages. Some will completely eliminate or thoroughly deter any hair extension disasters while others will totally enhance the tacky tresses that can occur from poor use of extensions. In order to understand which ones will work best for you, you need to know what the pros and cons are of each 

Real Hair Exensions

There are a variety of benefits that come from using real hair extensions, as opposed to those with fake or synthetic hair, and there's really only one disadvantage which is the price. Since you are opting for real hair, the price is much higher than if you were to purchase extensions that can be made in a factory. The benefits, however, are certainly worth the increased price. The most important thing you get from real hair extensions is a real look. You don't look like you're wearing anything, and people will be fooled into thinking that your hair is simply and naturally that luscious and beautiful. 

Synthetic Hair Extensions

The first thing you need to know is that although synthetic hair extensions are much cheaper than real ones, you don't always achieve the best look. There are some that are so inexpensive and your look will be just as cheap. However, you can certainly find affordable synthetic hair extensions that look more like perfection than plastic. There are a variety of price points, so you typically want to aim for something that isn't the cheapest, but that isn't extremely expensive as well. Sometimes you will come across fake hair extensions that are the same price as real hair ones, and if this is the case, you might as well just purchase real ones, right?

In addition, you can opt for a variety of both real and synthetic hair extensions that get added to your hair. Some have to be glued or sewn in, but you can also opt for an alternative to a more permanent look by using clip in extensions that slide into your hair. These are often used by a variety of celebrities and hair stylists across the beauty industry because they are even easier and less damaging than clip ins, while still providing a truly stunning and effortless appearance at an affordable. You just slip these bad boys in while heading out the door and voila. You immediately resemble the women that you see on hair commercials. Your hair is bouncy, flowy and flawless. 

You wouldn't ever want to purchase a set of hair extensions that stick out like a sore thumb because the texture is totally out of whack. Avoid resembling Britney Spears in the middle of her breakdown, and choose a hair extension set that replicates true hair features, while also fitting within your budget. You can get that in both synthetic and real hair extensions so explore your options to add luscious locks to your already glam look.

Photo Credit: http://haircutsr.blogspot.com/2012/11/hair-extensions.html

Healthy Brain

 
    Wooooh! It's Friday (happy dance). I hope you all had a fulfilling week, but I hope your upcoming weekend is spectacular, surrounded by your loved ones. For today's blog I want to talk about exercising the brain. I know it sounds a little weird but, it's very much necessary. All the time we hear people talk about healthy eating and exercise, but it is not so often to hear people talk about exercising the brain. However, what most people don't realize is that exercising the brain has a lot of benefits, such as increase mental memorization, increase response, and overall memory capacity.  Think about it ladies, our brains are the most complex part of our anatomy; its mind blowing. Here are a couple of things you can try.
 
Puzzles and Card Games:  Puzzles are great for memorization! Have you ever put together a 500+ word puzzle? It’s definitely not easy, it takes some dedication and time, but memory games are fantastic. Think about it, there are even toddler puzzles. If you feel like you have poor memory try these things out. Take some time to do puzzles every now and then, and you will see that your memorization will improve.  Card games are also loads of fun and they give you a chance to interact with people while improving your memory skills.

Crossword puzzles: These puzzles are such a hit on newspapers, along with tetris. Playing crossword puzzles is always educating, there is always something to learn each time, in other words it is nourishing for your brain; it expands your knowledge. When it comes to tetris it’s really about studying what numbers you have and figuring out what numbers you’re missing. So it plays a key role in your ability to focus and problem solve.
 
On the clock: With today's technologies new games can be downloaded in the iPhone, tablet, ect. Which means you can play games like Jeopardy or Family Feud. If you play these games they will increase your mental speed because you get a certain amount of time to answer a question!
 
    Okay ladies, that comes to the end of today's blog. I hope you found this blog educating and enlightening. I highly recommend you try these out, with time you will notice improvement. Remember the brain is a very powerful tool.
 

A Big No-No: Forcing Your Man's Hand In Marriage

Spring is in the air and yes, our "mating" and "nesting" urges are in full swing. Is that too forward? Mating? Makes me giggle. Friends are getting engaged and married and some are even having children. When engagement, wedding, bachelorette, bridal, baby shower invites are constantly filling up our inboxes and mailboxes, we find that we are asking ourselves, where are we at in our own relationship?

Most would be rushing right to the aisle along with everyone because of this unseen force to be hitched. Why not right? You love him and he loves you, so why don't you get married? And in fact, if he loves you so much, why aren't you already married? For, like the good ol' proverb by Mrs. Jay-Z, 

                     "Cause if you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it."

This mantra and mind thinking is both detrimental to your relationship and unhealthy to your psyche. Let's go over a few reasons to NOT get engaged/married:

Wrong Reasons to get Engaged/Married:

1. "We've Been Dating Forever": Time does not mean that both parties are mentally, physically, emotionally ready for a marriage. And while marriage seems the correct step because of the length of time you've been together, there are several factors that need to be in place, such as complete trust, emotional independence, stability in work, etc. There are several factors that need to be met in order for a person to feel that being married is going to start without any problems.

2. "All Our Friends Are Getting Engaged and Married": Getting engaged/married for this reason is only focused on the "being engaged/married" and you lose the meaning of what getting married is about. Too focused on the title of engagement rather than the relationship.

3. "We're Getting Older": And from my dear Aaliyah, "Age aint nuthin but a number". You see couples getting married when they are 20 and when they are 80. It's not about the piece of paper that says you are married, it's about the relationship behind that. If it takes you 10-,20-, 50-years, that's what it takes. What is important is that you are with the one you love.

4. "We Want Kids In X Amount Of Years": In today's progressive age, you really don't need to be hitched to have kids. Marriage does not give the "okay" to have kids and vice versa. They are two separate events in your life leading to two different things. Wanting to have kids does not give the "okay" that you two are ready for marriage.

So, lets go back to the roots of why you are together.

Remember that marriage is not a reinforcement of your faithfulness and love. If you feel that faithfulness and love will be cemented because of marriage, then you have bigger issues to deal with than why isn't he asking you. The whole reason you want to get married in the first place is because you love your significant other so much. However, your feelings for them shouldn't change even the slightest whether you get married or not. Marriage is literally a piece of paper and a confirmation to the government. It is a government affair. What you should be focusing on is the love that you feel for your significant other and the memories you are creating together.

If you are curious, don't be afraid to talk to your significant other about why you guys aren't engaged yet. However, be ready for the truth and do not be angry about the truth. Having your significant other open up about their fears or hesitations requires an open line of communication and an unbiased ear. If they feel like you are going to explode and rant when they confess their truth, your significant other will not trust you with that information (which is not good for both parties as it creates its own set of frustrations for both of you). Maybe one of you is ready but the other isn't. Both parties have to be ready to enter this union. And it may not be about their feelings for you that is holding them back. It could be several other factors. 

Relationship Tips: From One Girl to Another

       Good morning ladies! I'm hoping you all had a lovely weekend with your loved ones. And I also hope you are all ready to tackle on a new week. In today's blog I would like to discuss some relationship tips. So, read carefully, because I'm sure you will want to try some of these tips out. Let's get to it. 

Bribery? Naaah: Okay, whenever you want your man to do you a favor, prepare him his Favorite meal, in other words butter him up! Make sure you don't drop a bomb on him right away or he will catch on. Start the conversation smoothly and then slowly ask him what it is that you want him to do. Remember boys are always happier when they eat, especially if it's their favorite meal!

 Restrictions: Okay, I have always believed that when man messes up and he is really sorry for whatever he did.... he deserves to be forgiven ( okay, maybe not whatever, but anything you consider forgivable.) However, you can't just say, you’ll forgive him right away. If you say those words, he is bound to do it again. Therefore ladies, punish him a little. Restrict him from seeing you so often, so he feels extra guilty for what he did! It works wonders. Another thing I highly recommend is, ignoring his calls a bit so he gets that YOU have self-respect and will not put up with his foolishness.

 Tough Love: Okay, if you are in a long term relationship or if you have been in a previous relationship you know that not everything is picture perfect. As we all know, there is no such thing as the perfect person. However, there are certain times when guys are hard headed about money or simply have bad habits. What to do then? Well, when you're going to advice someone you love, there is no way to sugar code things. You have to just say what you need to say, even if it's hard. At the end of the day it shows that you are just concern and you want the very best for your man. He may not see that at first, because like I said, most guys are hard headed, but be will later in appreciate your concern.

        Okay ladies, that is all I have for guys today. I hope you liked these tips and I hope they work just as well for you as they have worked for me. Have a lovely Monday.

Have You Thought About Your Skin Care Under Your Hair?

I've said it before and I'll say it again, healthy skin brings healthy hair. If your skin is looking all funky, the hair coming out of it probably isn't at its best either, right? Summer is right around the corner and the majority of us are about to dry up like a prune, and that's including our skin and hair. Let's find out what your skin care is looking like so you can decide whether you need to get some GiGi Skin Care in before hitting the beach this season.

SYMPTOMS
If you never know what the symptoms of damaging of the skin are, then you'd never know whether or not you need to proceed with treatment to help repair it, right? Understanding the causes of damaged skin and knowing how to spot the symptoms will drastically change your experience when battling the appearance of your skin. Know what to look for, what to change and what to avoid! Let me just tell you, wrinkles aren't there because you're getting any younger, if you know what I mean. Aside from the ever-so-inevitable wrinkles, some other symptoms that you make notice consist of; dry skin, broken blood vessels, blotches or discoloration, growths, bumps and irritations are often common signs of skin aging.

THANKS FOR THE GENES
You can blame your ancestors for this one, because if you're starting to notice your relatives aging not-so-gracefully, and you're starting to sprout some aging and damaging on your skin as well, you can most certainly blame it on your genetics. Unfortunately, this is just another thing you can add to the list of crappy genes. We all have them, right? Why couldn't we get the genes of Kim Kardashian, you ask? Well you can... It's called medical procedures! Intrinsic aging is the technical name for internal factors of skin aging, and are simply the natural process of aging. It's in your genes. That's about it. This will determine how well your skin holds elasticity over the years, how well it bounces back after sun damage, as well as how dry your skin is, how well it sheds dead skin cells and so on and so forth. I'm sure you get the point, right? Using products specific to skin care such as GiGi creams can deter these from occurring.

That's really about it. You can evaluate your symptoms and see if you're noticing some spots or imperfections and then you can blame them on your ancestors. Okay, you may have to take some of the blame for your habits too, especially if you like to roast in the sun. People often only believe skin care to be in areas such as the face, arms, feet etc. However, forgetting about the scalp is certainly not a good idea because after all, it's skin too, and it's the closest thing to the sun. So examine your skin and start opting for hair care products that aren't just for your hair, but rather your scalp as well to ensure good looking locks. And if you are noticing some skin damage, GiGi creams will save the day.

Photo Credit: http://lipstickpowdernpaint.com/2012/07/23/how-to-prevent-sun-damaged-hair/