Lipstick Tag! (:

I saw this tag when I was going through Kammi's blog beautybookblog.com and I thought that it was really cute and so even though she did not tag me I wanted to do this (: so technically I tagged myself

And if you are reading this post right now then you are tagged as well! (:

So lets get started!

How many lipsticks do you own?

I actually only have 7 lipsticks (:

What was your first ever lipstick?

My first ever lipstick was actually by Wet N Wild and it is a nude color 902c. I got this color because I saw AndreasChoice wearing it and it looked gorgeous on her so I thought it would look okay on me (:

What is your most worn lipstick?

My nude 902c color from Wet N Wild and my favorite BareMinerals Moxie lipstick called Break Away

What is your favourite brand for lipstick?

Right now my favorite brand for lipstick is BareMinerals! I love their Moxie line (:

What is your favourite finish?

I like a matte finish because I find that cream finishes are a little shinier than I like my lipsticks to be

What was the last lip product you bought?

I bought another BareMienrals Moxie gloss and the color was Party Starter

How many lip products do you currently have in your handbag? Including lip balms and glosses.

I actually have 9 on me right now (:

What lipstick do you use to rock a red lip?

I love the Kate Moss lipstick by Rimmel and it is in the shade number 10. This lipstick gives me a really nice finish and it is the only red I have found that works with my skin tone (:

How do you store your lipsticks?

I store my lipsticks and my lip glosses on my makeup table behind all of my other makeup so that they do not fall off and break

What lip products are you currently lusting after?

I want to try the new Rimmel lasting liquid lip lacquers! (:

Okay guys that's it for this post!

Be safe and I will see you in my next post! (:

Lets be friends!!
http://glipho.com/ebonyjaybeauty

https://www.facebook.com/ebonyjaybeautymyway

http://pinterest.com/mynameisebonyj/

http://ebonyjaybeauty.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/EbonyJayBeauty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ebonyjaybeauty

Favorite Lazy Day Hairstyles! (:

Hello beauty friends! I am really excited for this post because it is going to be my first youtube video in a while and because it is going to be yet another hair video (:

So these are just hairstyles that I like to do when I do not really have anything special to do are when I just want my hair out of my face.

All of these styles only take me about five minutes and they still look really cute (: you can also wear them to school and work and they will still look nice!

Okay well then let's get to the video (:


Well guys that is it for this post!

Be safe and I will see you guys in my next post! (:

Lets be friends!!
http://glipho.com/ebonyjaybeauty

https://www.facebook.com/ebonyjaybeautymyway

http://pinterest.com/mynameisebonyj/

http://ebonyjaybeauty.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/EbonyJayBeauty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ebonyjaybeauty

HEY CURLY GIRLS, LET'S TALK! Transitioning (:

Hello friends! I am back with another post but this one is a little but different than any other post that I have done before and that is because it is the first part of my new series called Hey Curly Girls, Let's Talk. This series is going to be geared towards girls that have curly hair, however, most of my tips and tricks will work for all types of hair (: so do not feel like you can't read these posts if you do not have curly hair (:

So guys this first part of the series is going to be about transitioning.

Transitioning is when you are going from having your hair chemically relaxed or straightened to having it natural and curly. Transitioning is something that a lot of girls and guys with curly hair go through however I have also seen a lot of people that are doing it wrong! (:

The biggest mistake that I see girls who are transitioning doing are using heat on their hair while it is still healing and trying to repair itself. That is a big no no!

When you are transitioning you cannot use any kind of heat on your hair at all. Your hair has to get used to it's natural pattern again and because your hair may be damaged the heat that you are using on your hair will only cause it to get more damaged and break off causing it not to grow.

I would say that you should not use heat on your hair for a good 6 months to a year while you are transitioning back to curly hair. This includes the flat iron and the blow dryer and the hot comb.

Another big thing when you are transitioning is that you need to keep your hair moisturized at all times. The moisture is going to help repair your hair and keep it from breaking off. That being said there are a couple things that you must invest in when you are transitioning:

A good deep conditioner

I have said this in so many posts, if you want to your hair to be healthy and especially if you want it to grow you need to deep condition it regularly. I would say at least twice a week when you first begin transitioning and then after maybe 6 months you can go down to once a week however I deep condition my hair twice a week and I have always been natural.

Also when you are looking for a deep conditioner I recommend getting one that states that it will repair the hair. I know that Ion has a few reconstructing deep conditioners that work really well and of course there is Shea Moisture that is wonderful on transitioning hair (I have a review on Shea Moisture's deep treatment masque here)

A good leave-in

I swear by having a seal in conditioner. I do not care what kind of hair you have and if you are transitioning or not everyone needs a leave-in.

Leave-in conditioners help to moisturize your hair like conditioners do however they also seal in moisture from deep conditioning treatments. I use a leave in conditioner on my hair everyday because I know my hair needs the moisture and I do not want it to dry out.

Every hair care line on the planet has a leave-in conditioner and they all pretty much do the same thing but the ones that I have tried are Garnier Frictis, Paul Mitchell, GVP, DermOrganic and Bioterra. I had a good experience with all of these leave-ins but if you try something that does not work for you try something else, do not get discouraged (: I have a review on the GVP Paul Mitchell leave-in conditioner here (:

An oil

Some people do not think about putting oil on their hair however if you are transitioning then oil is your best friend because oils are the best way to moisturize your hair. The best oils to use on your hair when you are transitioning are either olive oil or coconut oil. Both of them are great and some people like to use coconut oil in their deep conditioner and use olive oil as their daily moisturizer which is perfectly fine.

I use coconut oil because I found that olive oil was really heavy and it weighed my hair down so it is just figuring out what works for you.

Also when you put oil in your hair to moisturize it you want to make sure that you use your leave in conditioner afterwords to seal in that moisture.

Get you hair trimmed

I know that most of us dread getting our hair cut because we want it to be long and beautiful but when you start transitioning back to your natural hair texture you need to make sure you get all of your dead ends cut off. Because no matter what they will never look good and they will only weigh your hair down. Once your hair is cut it can grow properly and be healthy.

That being said I am not going to tell you to get your hair trimmed regularly. My philosophy is that if you cut your hair regularly it will not grow. So what I recommend doing is taking excellent care of your hair and when you see it is starting to look really dead and wispy at the ends then give yourself a little trim at home (see my tutorial for a quick trim here) but do not go to a salon.

I do this maybe once every 6 months and my hair is well past my shoulders (down to my belly button to be exact).

Protective hairstyles

The last thing that you want to keep in mind when you are transitioning is finding some protective hairstyles that you like. A protective hairstyle is any kind of style that keeps your ends from being exposed to the elements but especially your clothes and the air.The air can really dry out your hair and when you hair rubs against your clothing it causes friction and split ends.

Protective hairstyling is crucial to transitioning hair because it is really weak so you really want to protect your hair as often as you can.

There are all kinds of protective hairstyles: braids, buns, up dos, Mohawks, pompadours. All you have to do is find some that you like and rock them. Most of them are really cute and they protect your hair (: its a win win situation!

Comment down below guys and tell me what your natural hair texture is (: did you always like it?

Well guys that is it for this post (: I hope that, for any curly girls out there that are transitioning, this helped you (: and for anyone is considering transitioning I hope that this has convinced you to embrace your natural texture because natural hair looks good on EVERYONE!

Be safe and I will see you guys in my next post (:

Lets be friends!!
http://glipho.com/ebonyjaybeauty

https://www.facebook.com/ebonyjaybeautymyway

http://pinterest.com/mynameisebonyj/

http://ebonyjaybeauty.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/EbonyJayBeauty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ebonyjaybeauty

HOW TO: Trim Your Own Hair! (:

Hello friends (: so today is going to be yet another hair care post and it is going to be about how to trim your hair. Now I have researched it and there is no proof that trimming your hair makes it grow faster however it does improve the overall look and feel of your hair if you trim your dead ends.

I never go to the salon to get my ends trimmed for two reasons. One because the salon does not know the meaning if the word "trim" and they end up taking off way more than I want. Two because I do not like paying for something that I can do on my own for free. 

So I know some people say that you should trim your hair once ever few months but I do not believe that does is a good idea. If you trim your hair faster than it grows then guess what guys....it will not get any longer. So only trim my hair when I feel like it needs it. And that is usually once every six months.

So lets get on with the tutorial (:

So all I do is wash and condition my hair. This is not for any particular reason I just like my hair to be clean and moisturized before I do this (:

Next, while my hair is still damp, I take my hair and I braid it into four braids, two in the front and two in the back.  I do this because I feel that it makes the trimming more accurate.

So I braid my hair down until there is only about an inch or so left then I tie it off with a rubber band.

Then, and this is the hardest part you guys, I just chop of the ends below the band.

And that's it! (:

Have you ever trimmed your hair on your own? How often do you trim your ends? (: Respond down below in the comments!

I know this might seem really simple and i apologize for this post being so short but I do not stress too much about trimming my hair because I take constant care of my hair. I will say that they are important but it is not something you should break your neck for unless you are just beginning to transition back to your natural hair texture, but I'll take more about that in my next post(:

Well guys that is it for this post!

Be safe and I will see you guys in my next post! (:

Lets be friends!!
http://glipho.com/ebonyjaybeauty

https://www.facebook.com/ebonyjaybeautymyway

http://pinterest.com/mynameisebonyj/

http://ebonyjaybeauty.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/EbonyJayBeauty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ebonyjaybeauty

Liebster Award!! (:

Hello lovelies I am excited to be giving you guys yet another award post (: I am so astounded that I am being nominated for all of these wonderful awards (: and I am even more thankful that I get to pass it on and nominate another wonderful blogger (: well I was nominated by the lovely Emma from http://emmajcsheehan.blogspot.com/ check out her blog! It is amazing (:

So what is a Liebster award you may ask?! Well... it's an award that a blogger presents to other bloggers who have less than 200 followers. It's a really nice way to encourage others and to expand the blogging community.

So here's how it all works ("The Rules" so to speak) :
Thank your nominator and link their blog.
Give us 11 facts about yourself.
Answer the 11 questions that your nominator asks you & also write 11 questions that you want to ask the people that you nominate.
Tag 5 or 11 other blogs for the award, they must have less than 200 followers. Make sure that you inform them that you've tagged them and send them a link to your blog post so that they can see what they have to do etc.

Here are my facts about me (:

1. I second guess myself a lot more than I like to admit
2. I actually like Miley Cyrus (:
3. I was a Disney child
4. I do not like scary movies at all
5. I love Pokemon and Sailor Moon
6. I plan on getting two snakes a ball python and a corn snake (:
7. I have really sensitive skin
8. I did horseback riding and ice skating lesson as a child
9. I do not drink or take any kind of narcotic drugs
10. I have 8 sisters
11. I want to learn how to play the piano

These are Emma's questions for me (:

Who is your fave disney character?
Ariel (: always has always will be!
Where is the best place you have been?
My bed lol 
Shoes or Bags?
Shoes! of course
Favourite drink?
Umm orange juice
Have you won any other blog awards?
I have not won but I have been nominated (:
How often do you blog?
I try to blog everyday even if I can't post
The one make up product you never forget to put on?
Mascara
Any tattoos?
Nope I'm scared of needles
If you were an animal what would you be?
Some kind of fish, a shark (:
Would losing your phone devastate you?
Losing my phone would annihilate me lol (:
What's the first thing you'd do if you won the lotto?
Get my car fixed (:

So the blogs that I am nominating are......

Laura's Fashion Fix

Primed With Prettiness

Beauty Lovely Lover

Neya V Beauty Talk

XO Chloe Gordon

And my questions are..

Where did you grow up?
What made you start blogging?
Do you read or watch tv more?
How often do you blog?
What's your dream?
What is you goal for your blog?
If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?
What's your favorite cartoon character?
What's your favorite color?
Would you say you eat a lot of fast food?
How many siblings do you have?

Okay guys that is it for this post again a huge thank you to Emma for nominating me it means so much! (:

Be safe and I will see you in my next post! (:

Lets be friends!!
http://glipho.com/ebonyjaybeauty

https://www.facebook.com/ebonyjaybeautymyway

http://pinterest.com/mynameisebonyj/

http://ebonyjaybeauty.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/EbonyJayBeauty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ebonyjaybeauty

Sunshine Award! (:

Hello beauty lovers I am back and doing yet another award post! I am so excited because this is the Sunshine Blogger Award! I was nominated by @LucyJMitch from LucyMitch.com and @Kammitted from beautybookblog.com,

So the Sunshine award is given to bloggers who are positive, inspiring, creative or whos blog you just really enjoy reading and I am so amazed that I have been nominated for this award by not one but two wonderful bloggers! I My blog is barely a month old so to be nominated for a great award like this means so much to me.

The rules are similar to that of the other awards:
List 11 facts about yourself
Answer the 11 questions from the blogger who nominated you (I will do the set given to me from each of these girls)
Nominate 11 bloggers you feel deserve this award
Write 11 questions for them to answer in their award post
Let your 11 bloggers know you have nominated them

So now I have to list 11 facts about myself which is much harder than you guys might think it is (:

1. I have been dancing for about five years (: mostly tap, jazz and hip hop
2. I am a virgo, my birthday is August 25 
3. I met AndreasChoice, my favorite beauty guru in the entire world! at BeautyCon
4. I am a Communications/Journalism major at my school
5. I have been with my current boyfriend for almost 2 years
6. I love to sing and I am a second soprano
7. I did not like my curly hair when I was in high school
8. I play guitar fairly well
9. I love reading and promoting other people's blogs
10. I have been studying Spanish for about ten years however I still can't speak it fluently
11. I love frozen yogurt more than life itself (:

Okay! (: Now on to the 11 questions that I got from Lucy

How long have you been blogging?

I have been blogging for about 6 years but they were mostly personal blogs and things like that but I have been blogging about beauty for a little over a month (:
Do you have any tips for new bloggers?

Keep in mind that you have to give love to get love. No one gets to be the best by themselves and this is an industry where you need other people to succeed, you need your followers, your supporters, your fans because that are the people that are going to keep you going.

What’s your favourite autumnal lipstick?

My favorite autumnal lipstick is from Wet N Wild and it is a nude color 902c (:
Do you have any pets??

I have two lizards that I share with my boyfriend (: one is named Zuko and the other is Phantom
What is the one item you can’t live without?

Deep conditioner, if I did not have that I am pretty sure I would just die (:
Do you have a favourite TV show? If show, what is it?

Gosh I have so many....Reign, Once Upon A Time, Revenge, ANTM, and PLL
What’s your favourite make up brand?

My favorite brand would probably have to be Becca Cosmetics (:
Is there a product that you can’t go a day without using?

I don't think there is actually besides my makeup but if we are talking about that then it would have to be my Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation
Who’s your celebrity crush?

Just one? Ummmmm........Johnny Depp XD
What beauty product are you loving at the moment?

Oh my gosh there are so many but I am really loving the DermOrganic Intensive Hair Masque lately (:
Finally, if you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

If I could live anywhere it would be the UK

Now time for Kammi's questions (:

Is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween or a Christmas film?!
I believe it is a Christmas film but I have never seen it so I am not really sure
What is your favourite time of days for reading blogs?
All day, I am pretty much always reading other blogs if I am not busy promoting or writing my own
How often do you blog?
I try to blog everyday  but sometimes life does get in the way
What book are you currently reading?
I am not currently reading any books besides my textbooks (:
If you had a super power, what would it be and why?
I would love to have the power of teleportation so that I could save money on gas (:
What did you have for breakfast this morning? (Trying to think of new things for me to have but never have a clue!)
Lucky Charms and some Apples and Cinnamon Oatmeal (: 
What is your favourite social media site?
Twitter!!!!
What do you do about lighting issues for taking photos in the winter time?
I use the lamp in my living room
What was the last pair of shoes you bought? (Feel free to add a photo into your post!)
I bought these beautiful black wedge booties that I love so much 
Favourite perfume?
Enchanted by Taylor Swift
Are you a morning person?
Yes (:

Now time for my questions and my nominees for this award!

Naffy

Sophie

Liza

Rebecca

Lauren

Alexandra

Tea Party Beauty

Sinead

Hayfa

Holly

Precious

Now for my questions (:

1. What do you think makes you different from other bloggers?
2. Was there ever a time you thought about quitting?
3. What time of day do you find yourself blogging the most?
4. What is your favorite makeup essential?
5. What do you think you could do to make your blog better?
6. What music are you obsessed with at the moment?
7. What do you do when you can't think of anything to write about?
8. What was the first beauty product you ever used?
9. What is your hair texture like?
10. What was your first blog post ever about?
11. Do you have an iPhone or an android? 

Okay last part of the instructions state that I must now let these lovely ladies know that they have been nominated so I am going to do that now (:

Be safe and I will see you in my next post!

Lets be friends!!
http://glipho.com/ebonyjaybeauty

https://www.facebook.com/ebonyjaybeautymyway

http://pinterest.com/mynameisebonyj/

http://ebonyjaybeauty.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/EbonyJayBeauty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ebonyjaybeauty

REVIEW AND PHOTOS: Revlon Ionic Hot Air Styler & Blowdrying Routine

Hello beauty lovers I am back with yet another review and another tutorial but of a different caliber this time. I am going to be review the hot air styler by Revlon called Ionic and I am also going to be telling you guys how I blow dry my hair straight with this (: so lets get started!

So I mentioned this product in my monthly favs because I really enjoy having my hair straight but I hate using a flat iron to do it so I bought this because I figured hot air would be less damaging that pressing my hair between to hot ceramic plates. It took me a few tries to get the hang of it but once I did I really loved the results.

So this product is basically a blow dryer with a round brush attached to it and this makes blow drying your hair easier because you only have to use one hand instead of two.

This styler has three heat settings, cool, low and hot. I only ever use the cool and low settings because I do not like using really hot heat on my hair because it is more damaging plus my hair straightens really easily so I do not have to use really hot heat

This styler came with three attachments:

A concentrator which just blows the air out. This is what you would use if you just want to dry your hair and you do not want it straight. I do not use this very often because when my hair is curly I like to let it air dry (:

A small brush attachment which is used to make curls the hair. It is similar to the barrel of a small curling iron.

A larger brush attachment which is what I use to blow dry my hair straight or sometimes I will put waves in my hair using this attachment.

This product is extremely sturdy (: I have dropped it a few times but it has not broken and I have experienced any problems with it since I have been using it.

Overall I really love this product. It allows me to get my hair straight without causing too much damage and I can use it while my hair is damp which makes it more convenient to use than a flat iron.

So the way that I use this is I deep condition my hair before and towel dry it. Then using the larger brush attachment and the low heat setting I take small sections of my hair and run the brush it down the length of my hair until it is completely dry and straight.

If I want to put waves in my hair I just brush down to the end of my hair, curl up slightly and leave it there for about 10 seconds then I let it go.

It is very similar to using a blow dryer and a round brush to straighten your hair just without using both of your hands.

Well guys that is it for this post!

Be safe and I will see you guys in my next post (:

Lets be friends!!
http://glipho.com/ebonyjaybeauty

https://www.facebook.com/ebonyjaybeautymyway

http://pinterest.com/mynameisebonyj/

http://ebonyjaybeauty.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/EbonyJayBeauty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ebonyjaybeauty

Two DIY Deep Conditioning Treatments! (:

Hello my beauty lovers, so those of you who follow my blog know that I am a proud curly girlie and I am an advocate for healthy hair in general but more specifically for curly hair and one of the most important regimens for curly hair is deep conditioning. I know that not everyone has the resources to go out and buy a really expensive deep conditioner so today I am going to show you guys how to make two deep conditioners on your own for less than $15 maybe less than that depending on where you shop (:

The only things that you guys are going to need for the first deep conditioner is:

Coconut oil! (You can also use olive but I prefer coconut)

So the reason that coconut oil is so good for hair is because it has a very small molecular structure which means that it can really penetrate the hair shaft and moisturize the hair. It also helps with protein loss which is great for curly hair. 

Your favorite conditioner:

Your conditioner already moisturizes your hair, the coconut oil is just going to give it a little bit of a boost. I do not use this masque as much because I do not have many conditioners that I like to use in conjunction with it but when I do I will use my Organix Coconut Milk Conditioner.

So on to the measurements:

Depending on how long and thick your hair is you want to use between 1 - 4 cups of your conditioner 

However much of your conditioner you use just cut it in half and that is how much coconut oil you should use (:

Then you just mix them together and you are done!

Moving on to the next masque (: you will still need coconut oil but for this one, you also need:

Honey!

Some people like to use raw honey because it has not been processed but I have found that regular honey works just as well. So the thing about honey is that it is a natural humectant which means that it attracts moisture from the air. Which means that it will keep your hair moisturized by locking in the moisture from the air (: plus it is really moisturizing in it's own right.

Eggs!

Eggs are really awesome for hair! Number one the egg yolk adds moisture to the hair and they also add protein! Which means they are especially good for girls with curly hair! However if you want to lock onto the needs of your hair specifically use the egg yolk for dry hair because it adds moisture and use the egg white for oily hair because it will suck up the excess oil.

Now for the measurements:

Again going off the length and thickness of your hair you want between 1 - 3 cups of coconut oil

Take a third of that and that is how much honey you add

Then add one large egg (: two if your hair is really long and thick

Once you have all of the ingredients measured out all you have to do is mix it up and you are set to condition! You may have to mix this one a little bit more because the honey and coconut oil do not blend well.

Application:

So you want to wash your hair as usual and then pat it dry with a t-shirt just so that it is not dripping wet. Then you want to comb through it gently just to smooth it out. What I do is split my hair into four sections, two on the bottom and two on the top, then going one section at a time just apply this mixture to your hair till it is completely saturated. When you are done with that cover it with a plastic bag to lock in the heat from your body and leave it on for at least 45 mins. 

I choose to leave it on for at least two hours because I really want to make sure my hair gets moisturized. Then afterwards rinse it out with warm water, not hot water.

I do not wash the deep conditioner out of my hair, I only rinse it and finger detangle until I feel like I have gotten the thickness of it out of my hair. However, if you want to wash it out make sure you use a nourishing shampoo and not one that has harsh ingredients in it like sulfates and parabens.

Okay guys that is it for this post (:

Be safe and I will see you in my next post!

Lets be friends!!
www.ebonyjaybeautymyway.com
http://glipho.com/ebonyjaybeauty

https://www.facebook.com/ebonyjaybeautymyway

http://pinterest.com/mynameisebonyj/

http://ebonyjaybeauty.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/EbonyJayBeauty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ebonyjaybeauty

What's On My iPhone Tag! (:

Hello my beauty friends (: so today I am doing a very awesome post! I am doing the What's On My iPhone? tag (:

I love these tags so I am really happy that Stephanie R tagged me to do it. By the way her blog is amazing you should check it out (:

Okay so jumping right into the post, I do not have much on my phone so this post may be very short (:

This is what my lock screen looks like (: this is my boyfriend and I. I really love this picture of us because it is the only picture where he actually has his hair combed. He has dreads now so it is not really a big deal anymore (: moving on the my home screen...

This is my home screen and the picture is my niece Chiaradonna (: my sister just had her like two weeks ago and she is so cute I love her so much!!!

I like to keep my apps organized in the little bundle boxes so that I do not take up too much room on the screen

So on this screen there is my settings, my blogging apps, productivity apps, photography apps, music apps, utility apps, random apps I never use and my finance apps (:

Of course my phone app, my camera, text messaging and my social media apps down on the bottom (:

This is my second screen where I can actually see her whole face (btw she is laughing not crying lol)

On this screen there is my face time app, newsstand (which I have found no use for), the foothill bus schedule, and Google maps (:

Now getting into my little bundle boxes (: first up are my blogging apps

Of course I have my Blogger apps which I use to blog on the go

My Bloglovin' app that I use to read blogs on the go which actually comes in handy

My newest obsession Glipho! I love this app because not only can I read blogs on it but I can also share them! All from one app (: I love it!

And then Luvocracy which is not really for blogging I actually keep meaning to move it to social media. But I love this app as well it keeps me so entertained (: If you have not signed up for Luvocracy you really should because it is really fun! (:

Going on....

My productivity bundle box (: this is where I keep all of the apps that keep me somewhat organized.

My reminders which of course reminds me of all of the important stuff that I need to do which is mostly homework and stuff from school.

My calendar which also reminds me of important things that I need to do on certain days. These two apps are probably the most important apps in my life right now (:

My notes is where I write down all of my assignments and other miscellaneous things that I do not want to forget

My clock of course is where my alarm is and what wakes me up every morning....sometimes

And finally my gmail which has my personal email and my email for my blog (:

This is my box for my photography apps (:

I have instaeditor which I use to edit most of my pictures before I post them on any social media site (:

Pic collage which I use to make collages out of my pictures, I actually do not use this app as much as I would like to but I just can't seem to get rid of it

And then there is just the app that holds all of my pictures

This post is really simple it is just the apps that I use to listen to music

My favorite out of these is iHeartRadio because it does not have commercials like Pandora does but I do use Pandora sometimes as well just not as frequent

And I do not have any music saved onto my phone in order to save space so I never use the music app lol

In this box I jut have my internet browsers that I like to use.

Google Chrome is my favorite but I do use Safari sometimes when it is not freezing up on me

In these next two boxes are just the apps that I do not use that much but also can't get rid of (:


The mail app that came with the phone that I do not like at all

Voice memos which come in handy but rarely pop into my head to use for anything

I do not play many games or use my passbook

I check the weather sometimes but most times I forget

The sucky maps app that came with the phone and the calculator that I always forget about

And of course the stocks app that I have never looked at the whole time I have had this phone

I do not buy my music because my iPod is broken and I do not like having music on my phone

Videos which I have no use for and my contacts app that I do not use because I just go to my phone app

The app store that I do not visit as much as I would like

The ABC Family app that I use to watch the episodes of Pretty Little Liars that I miss on occasion

My mountie app for my school that a very rarely use

And the compass that I am not sure even works

Next box is my finance box (:

Here I have GasBuddy which I use to find the cheapest gas near me which I use pretty much everyday (:

My Chase mobile app that i always have to keep my eye on or I will go over

My coupons app that gives me discounts on all of the products that I love

And my higher one app which helps me keep track on my financial aid (:

And the last box is my social media box, the most important one (:

I have all of the essentials:

Twitter which I am always on

Facebook which is really more personal

Instagram that I forget about sometimes

Tumblr

Pinterest

Youtube of course

Pages which is how I manage the facebook page for my blog

and Poshmark which I use to sell my old clothes online to other fashion lovers (:

Okay guys that is it for this tag SO if you ave an iPhone I tag you to do this post! (:

Be safe and I will see you in my next post! (:

Lets be friends!!
http://glipho.com/ebonyjaybeauty

https://www.facebook.com/ebonyjaybeautymyway

http://pinterest.com/mynameisebonyj/

http://ebonyjaybeauty.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/EbonyJayBeauty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ebonyjaybeauty

The Journey to #iFabboSFCon (:

Hello beauty lovers (: this post is going to be all about my journey to the iFabbo Social Media Conference in San Francisco (:

Since it was my first conference as a official blogger and because I had so much extra time on the bus ride I decided to make this post so that you guys could see my experience both getting there and when I did finally get there. Maybe next year I will see you there (:

So lets get started!

So the first part of my trip was getting there of course. I ended up taking a Greyhound express bus that took a little over seven hours to arrive in San Francisco. The bus ride was not as awful as I thought it was going to be because the bus had a bathroom on board (thank god). It had electrical outlets so I could charge all of my devices (mostly my phone). And the bus has Wi-Fi! Which means I also got to blog while I was on the bus which was amazing in my opinion. Also because there was not much around to distract me for the first time I finally got ahead in my blogging (yay me! (: ).

So most of my bus ride was spent blogging but I also got a few hours of sleep (:

And while I was on the bus I booked a cab to take me from the bus station to the Merchants Exchange club where the event was being held (convenient!)

So since I could not afford a hotel when I finally got to the venue I walked around a bit looking for a Starbucks where I could wait and change my clothes. Unfortunately the Starbucks did not open until eight so I got some food from 7-ll and waited outside until they opened.

Once the Starbucks finally did open I ordered a tall Zebra hot chocolate and went into the bathroom to change my clothes. By this time it was 8:30 and time for me to go check into the event! (:

So when I got back to the venue there were already bloggers there to check in but the line was not too long and after about 30 minutes they started letting us in. Unfortunately when it was my turn to check in they could not find my name on the list or my name tag so Jessica (+Jezz Dallas) just wrote me one because she knew that I had bought my ticket because we had sent emails back and forth.

Me in front of backdrop at iFabbo!

So skipping forward to the opening welcome which was made by the founders of +iFabbo Team, +Tonia Korakis and +Sinead Norenius and it was so amazing and I was so excited that I could barely blink (:

So then after that the panels started.

The first one was the PR panel with @bollare, 

@prcouture, @arieffcomm, @digitalstyledig 

and @modcloth.

This panel was basically all about how to get you blog out there to be noticed by brands and other bloggers. How to market yourself and to build your brand and how to build relationships with different brands that you would be interested in working with (: This panel was really insightful and helpful for me since I am a new blogger just started out building a brand and relationships early on is really important.






Then it was time for the social media panel with @kireilauriel, @google, @MakeupGeek, @TopTierMedia and @selftanqueen




This panel was all about how to use social media properly to promote your blog and how to get the most out of it. These lovely ladies also talked about how to get more fans using these platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Google+. These platforms are how people are going to know about your blog so it is important to know how to use them the right way.

 The next panel was all about photography and it feaured @Adobe, @spreecast, @IgersSF, @NewBeauty and @Mymusebox.

This panel basically enforced how important pictures and visuals are to your blog. There was also a demonstration of the new Photoshop features and let me tell you guys that really were amazing. However I have to say that listening to this panel really made me feel bad about my horrible picture taking skills. But it was also really insightful and I learned a lot from these wonderful people!


For some reason I did not take any other pictures of the panels I probably got really into the whole conference so I forgot but I did make videos so that will be up on my youtube channel soon.

Anywho after the photography panel was the Fireside chat with @BECCA_COSMETICS. This is where it was revealed that we would be receiving Becca's One Perfecting Brush in our iFabbo goodie bag. We also got to learn more about how and why Becca Cosmetics got started and there was a demonstration on how to use the one perfecting brush (stay tuned for a review and tutorial (: ).

Up next was the legal panel (: featuring @VentureGainedIP, @LegallyVogue and @trymbl.

This the one that confused me the most. I am not good at legal stuff at all but the key points that I got out if it are do not use pictures that are not yours. As a blogger you are protected by the first amendment so you are not obligated to write positive reviews about products you did not feel positively about. I know there was a lot more but like I said I did not understand most of this panel even though the presenters were amazing! I will just have to go back and listen the recording again (:

Next panel was the Monetization panel which basically showed us the many ways that we could make money off of our blogs. This panel featured @VigLink, @luvocracy, @disqus, @beautyjunkies, @themadvideo and @toniakor.

This panel was really enlightening (like all of the others of course) because there was so much that I did not know about. Luvocracy for example was something I had never heard of but I am so in love with it now! (: I also did not know that there was a way to make money by using disqus on my blog but more importantly than that I can create my own community and create relationships with my readers. And really when you think about it the relationships with other people are what makes and breaks your blog.

The last panel was the future of fashion and beauty in the digital space which walked about where the future of fashion was going and how it is going to keep expanding through the use of the internet.

This panel featured @hsn, @glammedia, @shopstyle, @poshmarkapp and @boohoousa.

Poshmark was another one of those brands that I had never heard of before but now I am so in love with it. It is an app where you can sign up and sell the clothes out of your closet to other woman who are on the app. It is a really good way to get rid of some clothes that you do not wear anymore and a way to make a little extra money (:

Lastly was the keynote speaker Jacqueline Wales, @fearlessfactor.

This woman was so inspiring and I was so sad that her speech was not longer because she really inspired me to dream as big as I can because reality is made from dreams. You have to buy her book, The Fearless Factor, to get the full effect her words have but I am so blessed that I got to hear her speak because it truly was life changing!

Well guys after the speech it was time for the cocktail party and the after party and time for us to get our goodie bags! (: There was a bit of a mix up with mine but it all got straightened out with no harm done (:

The after party was at a nearby Four Season Hotel! So I took a cab with a few friends that I had met a the conference (: that was fun.

Then once I got to the hotel they served up some alcohol (that I did not drink) and some food (that I could not pronounce) and I had a really good time. (:

Unfortunately I had to leave a little earlier because my sister picked me up so we could hang out for a bit before I had to head back to the bus station to go home(:

All too soon it was time for me to get back on the bus to go back to LA -_-

Well guys that is pretty much it (: I just want to say again what an amazing time that I had and that I am so thankful that I was able to go to this amazing event and I hope that I have the opportunity to go again next year!

Another huge thank you to all of the sponsors of this event!

Becca Cosmetics, Boohoo.com, PRAI Beauty, Dermalogica, Lotus Premium Denim, Luvocracy, The Mad Video, Uber, Spreecast, NYX, Beautisol, VitaBath, DermOrganic, Makeup Geek, Coterie, Lily Brush, FSHN, New Beauty, Christie Formulations, Rain Cosmetics, Bon Bliss and the Four Seasons Hotel!

And none of this would have been possible if it had not been for the wonderful co-founders of iFabbo Sinead Norenius and Tonia Korakis!

Thank you so much again to everyone who participated in this event and who made it possible!

Be safe and I will see you in my next post guys (:

Lets be friends!!
http://glipho.com/ebonyjaybeauty

https://www.facebook.com/ebonyjaybeautymyway

http://pinterest.com/mynameisebonyj/

http://ebonyjaybeauty.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/EbonyJayBeauty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ebonyjaybeauty

Makeup Bag Essentials!

Hello Beauty lovers I am back with another post but this one is going to be a little different because I am going to be showing you guys my makeup bag essentials!

Now these are just things that I think are essential to either start a makeup bag for beginners who are just experimenting or for people who are trying to restock their makeup bag and just do not know where to start.

Please keep in mind this is my opinion I am not saying you have to have everything I write in this post these are just what I need to keep in stock at all times!

Lets get started (:

#1 Foundation!

You want to find your perfect foundation. Foundation is what makes your skin tone even and also provides a nice base for the rest of your makeup. You want to be able to wear it inside and outside and you want it to match your skin tone pretty nicely. It might not be exact but it should be as close as you could get. The brands that I recommend are ones that I have used before and have had success with them. L'Oreal True Match is the foundation that I first used when I was starting out with makeup and I really liked it the only problem that I had with it was the price. However, it is a very good foundation and there are quite a few shades that match really well. The foundation that I use now that I really love is from Urban Decay and it is their Naked Skin Liquid Makeup. It is really light and it matches my skin tone really well. However, I also use the Maybelline Fit Me Foundation. This foundation is really great it matches my skin tone really well also and there are a variety of shades. Also at only $5 a bottle it really is a steal (: Click here to see my full review on the Maybelline Fit Me Liquid and Powder Foundation

#2 Concealer

Next is concealer. Now this is something that I just recently started using and I really like using now that I know how to apply it properly. Concealer is basically what you want to use when yo have a few stubborn blemishes that you want to cover up or if you have dark circles under your eyes or any redness you want to cover up. Essentially any imperfections you want to hide (: The concealer that I use is the same brand as my foundation. Fit Me Concealer in the color 30. I usually only use this under my eyes and sometimes on top of my eyelid but that's it.

#3 Powder

Powder in my opinion is a must have because it sets your foundation. I never ever put on foundation without putting on powder. Powder can also keep you from looking shiny throughout the day, however you want to be careful how much powder you apply because sometimes you apply your foundation really nicely but then you overdo the powder and it messes up the whole look so you really just want to dust the powder onto your face. The powder that I use is the BareMinerals Minearl Veil in Hydrating. I really like that this powder really sets my foundation and keeps it from sliding off my face. Plus it gives me a nice shimmer (: I also like to use the powder that is the same brand as my foundation and concealer (this should tell you something! (: ) Fit Me Powder Foundation in 340. I like this powder because it sets my foundation really nicely but also on the days when I do not feel like using liquid foundation I can just use my powder foundation and it still gives me full coverage. Click here to see my full review on the Maybelline Fit Me Liquid and Powder Foundation

#4 Primer

Primer should really but number one but I did not think of it until just now (: Primer is essentially the foundation for your foundation. It prepares your face for makeup, it fills in your pores and makes them look smaller and it will make you makeup adhere to your face better. Using primer will help keep your makeup on all day aside from a few touch ups depending on the brand of primer you use. I am in love with the Dermalogica Skin Perfecting Primer (: it really keeps my makeup in place and it has SPF which I really like! I also use the BareMinerals Primer and that was the first primer that I ever used and it's my favorite. Also I have been using Smashbox Photo Finish Primer which is also really great aside from the drying time. I have a review up on on my blog here.

#5 Eyeliner

Eyeliner can be a little tricky sometimes because there are so many different types. There's gel, pencil and liquid so it really just depends on your preference. I personally like to use liquid eyeliner most of the time because I find it easier but I recommend trying all of the types until you find the one that really sticks for you. I have tried the Wet N Wild liquid eyeliner and I really like it but right now I using a nameless liquid eyeliner that I got from a drugstore. I also use pencil eyeliners when I want to line my tight line or my water line and the one that I am using right now is from LA Colors and I have a full review of them up click here to see it (:

#6 Mascara

Ahh mascara! Every girl's best friend. I love mascara that was the first makeup product that I ever used (: and I have tried so many mascaras it would take for ever for me to list them all so I am just going to give my two favorites which are the Maybelline Falsies mascara and the mascara I am currently using is by Apple cosmetics. When I apply mascara I do one coat for darkness, one for volume and one for good luck (:

#7 Eye shadow

Okay I have so many eye shadow palettes it is not even funny! I love using different colors and trying out new looks on myself. Every makeup company has eye shadow palettes available so it's really just a matter of figuring out which colors you want to try (neutrals, blues, pinks etc). My favorite palette at the moment is the Italia Deluxe Perfect Match Color Chart because it has so many colors and it really gives me freedom to do whatever I want XD. I have a full review of it here (:

#8 Lip Balm

Lip balm is extremely basic and I would venture to say that every girl has at least one lip balm that she wears everyday I know I do. You definitely want to keep it with you so that your lips are always moisturized and they do not get chapped. My favorite lip balm right now is Burt's Bees Hibiscus Tinted Lip Balm. I have a full review here (: I also like EOS and it is the pink one (:

#9 Lipstick

Lipstick is a little more tricky because there are so many shades and so many brands it can get a bit overwhelming. But you want to try and find a few colors that you really like on yourself and I would suggest going a few shades darker than your natural lip color. And remember that when you trying out different lipsticks or foundations make sure to keep your receipts just in case you want to return something that doesn't work for you. My current favorite lipsticks are from BareMinerals and that are a part of the Moxie line (: I also have the matching lipglosses! I also use some lipsticks from Wet N Wild, mostly 902c, their nude color.

#10 Lip Liner

I say lip liner is an essential because it helpful especially if you hate reapplying your lipstick but like I said at the beginning of this post all of these items are optional. Lip liner is something that I just recently started using and I mention them more in My Favorite Everyday Lip Colors but I only use two and they are both from Jordana and I use them either alone with some gloss or underneath my lipstick.

#11 BB/CC Cream or Tinted Moisturizer

I feel like I'm doing this really out of order but I think every girl should should have some kind of BB cream or Tinted moisturizer for those days that you just don't want to put on foundation and everything but you still want your skin to be even. I was using Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream but it was way too harsh for my skin so I had to stop using it so right now I'm doing a DIY BB Cream that you can check out here (:

Well guys that is it for this post!

Be safe and I'll see you guys in my next post (:

Lets be friends!!
http://glipho.com/ebonyjaybeauty

https://www.facebook.com/ebonyjaybeautymyway

http://pinterest.com/mynameisebonyj/

http://ebonyjaybeauty.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/EbonyJayBeauty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ebonyjaybeauty