Longtime no post! I hope you have enjoyed your break from me and my antics!

 If you know me well, you’d know one of my favorite features on myself and others would be the lips.

There is something so gorgeous about perfectly puckered lips draped in shades of pink, berry, red, and orange colors. The next few posts will highlight a few topics and top questions concerning lips, lip colors, exfoliation, conditioning and etc. So stay tuned!

In the meantime here’s a few of my favorite lip ads, especially this Yves Saint Laurent ad:

I often wonder about my obsession with lipsticks. I wrack my brain trying to figure out the reasons for my addiction to lips and the shades they don. It wasn’t until Mother’s Day, staring at a picture of myself as an infant that I noticed a faint red mark on my little face…..memories of my mother and her infamous red lips.

It’s funny what we’re known for.

I’ve been struggling with this blog post for over 2 months. Conflicted between saying this or not saying this I realize now what it actually is. One of my core giftings is encouragement, sometimes it’s the fluffy feel good kind and other time it’s kick you in your hind parts kind. Yesterday thanks to Tremayne Hill, my favorite stylist, I was given the courage to go ahead and say whats been on my heart. Please note that no matter what comes out of my mouth, my heart is always motivated by the love of people. I wish you the best.

1. Opportunity isn’t something that often finds you.
   Most times you have to knock on the door for it to be answered. Most are confused by the idea, ” Be ready for opportunity.” Don’t get it twisted, being ready isn’t always enough. Sometimes you have to be where opportunity is hanging out. I’m not saying play God, orchestrating something, but I’m saying be where you need to be, stop playing games and thinking ‘one day’, start thinking TODAY! Also opportunity doesn’t like passivity. 
2. Opportunity often is worth more than money
   Sometimes… often times opportunity will last longer and go further than money ever will. Don’t be jaded and confused by dollar signs. Don’t be motivated by a number, but be motived by a vision, a dream, a goal. It’ll all even out, find the balance between not being pimped out for a dollar and being used up for none.
3. Cherish mentorship
   I grew up understanding the impact and importance of mentors. 25 years later I am who I am due to the many who have spoken into my life. The most beautiful thing about mentorship is having someone who has paid the full price of life caution you ahead of time. Many artist (and people for that matter) lose heart because they go through things, pay high prices, lose trust in the mentorship or have no mentors in their life, business or etc. I strongly discourage this. Partner up with someone. Why pay full price on something you can save on?  Believe me, there are things you are destined to go through, but lets avoid the stupid stuff huh?
4. Never Ever Give Up 
   If you know me personally you know the meaning behind this. In 2011, I was introduced to the story of Jessica Joy Rees and her motto to Never Ever Give Up (PLEASE check it out!). Ever since then and hearing her story (nope I’m not giving it up, click the link) I decided no opposition is gonna stop me without a fight, and that even if I go down I’m going to go down fighting. Many of us don’t go for things because we’re afraid of losing, often times this fear causes us to self sabotage…. STOP. Why defeat yourself? Go for it! Have faith in you, go for it, and while you are at it NEVER EVER GIVE UP!

I’m done

h

xoxo

p.s. Please stop criticizing folks who have success where you want it, take note of what they’ve done and try it….. just saying :-)

Saturday was my last official day of vacation so I spent it shopping, cleaning, organizing, so when I get back to work everything else is in order.

While I was in the market, getting my organic on, I came across the Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap. I had previously watched a documentary on it via Netflix and  remembered a post my friend and fellow artist, Kelley, did on it (———> CHECK IT OUT HERE KelleyFarlow.com ); all in all I had been impressed by the brand, but still a bit uncertain in trying it.

Standing inside the market I found a small sized bottle for $4 and had no excuse not to try it out, as that was less than my morning coffee.  Picking up the Peppermint kind I quickly shuffled over to the checkout, made my purchase as was ready to go home and test that baby out.

On the drive home I started thinking of all the uses and making plans for everything I would test it out on. I started with my laundry, carefully following the dilution information posted on their website, I also put some in a bottle for the shower, cleaned my bathroom with it, and cleaned my brushes.

Thoughts:

1. Kelley was right! Such a fabulous product!

2. It is amazing for people like me who has a very sensitive immune system, allergies, and skin issues. I used it on my clothing, sheets, I showered with it, no reactions whatsoever. My allergies are so bad I could only use Borax to clean and do laundry with.

3. SMELLS AMAZING!!!! I love the scent of Lavender, but was afraid it may be a bit overpowering so I tried the peppermint.  Let’s just say I wish the picture here was    Scratch n’ Sniff……

4. It’s amazingly powerful for cleaning and yet not at all harsh. To me the idea of something that can clean laundry would be way to harsh to use on skin… NOT AT ALL! It was very delicate for my skin, my makeup brushes, and laundry. The amazing part is my Beauty Sponge and my 217 Mac brush had been stained for months so I didn’t expect it to do anything, but clean it …. it took the stains right off it them both! How cray!

All in all I say YES to Magic Soap! I love it!

You can find it locally in American Apparal, Elwood Thompson, Kroger Stores, Targets.

Online via their website:  Dr Bonner’s

The other day I was having a conversation with a buddy of mine. Somewhere in the  conversation he stated, “I’ve only got one back, if that goes, thats it.”.  That statement got me thinking, and compelled me to share something.

Normally I am reluctant to put my personal life out there, however this is an issue I’ve been dealing with for sometime and I feel it can help all of my industry pals.

This is half of my kit.

I have two of these, which are normally filled to the brim, and carried on my shoulders.

They are heavy.

In November, after months of great pain that was only getting worse I finally got the nerve to go to the hospital and get checked out.

I got a physical exam on my back, X-rays, and got sent to an Ortho Specialist for MRI’s.

There was no reasonable explanation for my pain until I confessed.

My kit, each box, was weighed down with equipment, stuffed with makeup, machines, contracts, my laptop sometimes, filled to the brim…. I was damaging my back.

Turned out I had no fractures, nothing bruised, but I had inflamed ligaments in my lower back which was causing extreme pain, Extreme pain that made me miss out on life with family, friends, pain that kept me up for three months before I got it checked out.

The point of this post is to hopefully encourage other artist to get their kits off their backs, shoulders, and on the ground with wheels.

The point of this post is to encourage artist to stop packing “everything but the kitchen sink”, but to only pack necessities and things they can McGyver up if need be.

Going back to work in January I decided to pack light, and pack what I needed. Sometimes the true test of artistry is not how much you have in your kit, but what you can do with it.

I’ve seen a lot of artist have to quit due to a bad back, pains in their wrists and hands. Take precautions so you can continue to do what you love.

H