Ebony Jay Beauty My Way: November 2013

http://just-jesss.blogspot.co.uk

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT: Jess From Just-Jesss!

Hello beauty lovelies I know that it has been a really long time since I have posted something for this series and I am so sorry that it took so long but this post is going to be another blogger spotlight and it is going to focus on Jess from Just-Jesss!

So Jess was one of the first bloggers that I met when I joined The Beauty Blogger Bunch on Facebook and I remember the first time I went to blog I was really amazed at how professional it looked and felt.

Since then I have really enjoyed reading Jess's blog because she has a wide variety of posts and she always has really interesting and fresh content.

So I am going to share with you a few of my favorite posts that I have read on her blog (:

So I think we all know why this is one of my favorite posts (: I love chocolate and I love cake so it is only natural that I would fall in love with this post. Not only is it delicious but it was easy to understand and follow, even for me who is a kitchen disaster (: By the way I have tried this recipe before and it is so wonderful!

So I love reading everyone's empties and favorites post but I really like reading Jess's and that is for two reasons. Number one she gives like a mini review for each product which I like because it really helps me in deciding if I am going to try that product or not. And two because Jess always has really interesting things that I have never tried AND she makes me want to try them! She's a persuasive one I'm warning you (:

Okay this might seem a little weird because as you guys know I am nail art incompetent (: but I have to say that I love Jess's designs. She has a lot of really nice and interesting designs, like the one above, that I would love to try if I was not so handicap with nail polish (:

I have really enjoyed reading Jess's blog and I am really happy that I have gotten to know her as a person as well as a blogger. Her blog has been around longer than mine and I feel comfortable having her to look up to so to speak (:

"I started blogging in the summer holidays from University mostly to keep myself busy when I couldn't find a job - I've carried it on for over two years now and am so happy with how my blog has grown! I wouldn't say I really have any goals apart from keeping blogging and carrying on enjoying it. The thing I love most about blogging is the community, in particular on Twitter but also on Facebook and to a certain extent Google+, it's so nice having like-minded people I can chat beauty with so my poor boyfriend doesn't get his ear talked off on topics he couldn't care less about!" - Jess

Where can you find her?

http://www.facebook.com/JustJesssBlog

@JustJesssBlog

Okay guys that is it for this week's blogger spotlight (:

Have you ever read Jess's blog? What do you think? (: Let me know in the comments below (No bashing please)

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

Lets be friends!!

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

#TheWinterProject: Favorite Winter Scent

Hello my beauty winter bunnies (: today is going to be another installment of #thewinterproject (: and I am really excited about this one because it is going to be about my favorite winter scents and even though I do not have very many I love them a lot! (:

If you have any questions or you want to be a part of #thewinterproject check out this post by Bold95Beauty (:

So lets get on with the post! (:

Now I do not know if this is a winter scent but I absolutely love the scent of vanilla. I think it is so calming and soothing and to be completely honest it reminds me of cookies (: and I love cookies.

Okay guys, here comes another weird scent. I really love the smell of pine. Since I never had a real Christmas tree when I was little I used to go over to my cousin's house and they always had a huge Christmas tree and I remember it smelled so good (: so pine is one of my favorite scents for the winter.

Okay guys I can't be the only one who loves the smell of eggnog especially in the winter since that is the only time it is available (: Even though it makes me hungry the smell of eggnog always makes me feel really safe and a home, I'm not sure why.

Okay guys that is it for this post! (:

What are your favorite winter scents? (: Let me know in the comments below OR if you are participating in #thewinterproject leave your link so I can read your posts (:

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

Lets be friends!!

Sunday, November 24, 2013

#TheSkinProject: My Skin (:

So I am really late with this post but I am hope that Lianne will not be too mad at me -_- Also if you want to get involved with the #TheSkinProject or just want more information check out her post here (:

So this is going to be my first post in #TheSkinProject series and it is going to be all about my skin (:

So the two biggest problems that I have with my skin is that it is acne prone and it is also really sensitive. So I have to be very careful what I put on my face.

I remember being in high school and always having breakouts because no matter what I tried it never worked to keep my acne away and it was really annoying and frustrating. However recently I have had more and more luck with combating my acne which I am really happy about.

I would say that I am definitely a skin care beginner because all the way up to about a few months ago I thought I could just wash my face with soap and put some lotion on and I would be fine but I am learning that is definitely not the way to take proper care of my skin (:

The problem areas that I have are mostly my cheeks and I believe that is because of my cell phone and because I sleep on my sides so I am really working on trying to decrease the amount of oil and bacteria that sits on those areas.

As far as ageing is concerned I actually am not super concerned with that right now since I am only 20 but I am sure that it will not be a huge issue because I have notices that the women in my family age very gracefully thankfully (:

Well guys that is it for this post! (:

What are your skin care tips? Tell me in the comments below! (:

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

Lets be friends!!

Saturday, November 23, 2013

REVIEW AND PHOTOS: Becca One Perfecting Brush

Hello beauty lovers I am back with yet another review on one of my favorite products that I mentioned in my October Favorites and it is the One Perfecting Brush from Becca Cosmetics

I obtained this brush through a goodie bag that I got when I attended the +iFabbo Conference in San Francisco this year. If you want to see a an overview of that check out my post here (:

So what this brush does is it is supposed to replace all of your other facial brushes such as foundation, contouring, blush brush etc.

It is made out of high quality goat hair which buffs your primer and foundation onto your face evenly and also cuts down on wasted product

What I like about this brush is that it cuts down on the amount of time that it takes me to do my makeup by cutting it down to one brush. I can use this one brush for primer, foundation, powder and contouring. That is amazing!

Second it keeps me from having to buy products as often because I use less product when I am using this brush. Since it is made out of goat hair you are getting as much product as possible transferred from the brush to your face.

Also for those of you who read my blog you know that i am not really big on contouring however, this brush makes it really easy for me. Because of the flat top design I have easily contour and highlight my face without looking like a drag queen (:

So overall I am in love with this brush! (: Ever since the first time that I used it, it is all that I have been using to apply my makeup. I get a more even and airbrushed application using this brush than I do using my beauty blender or my fingers. Plus it is just faster and so much more convenient.

It is a bit of a push at $50 but in my opinion it is so worth it!

Well guys that is it for this post! (:

Would you be interested in trying this brush? Let me know in the comments below! (:

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

Lets be friends!!

Friday, November 22, 2013

The Winter Tag (:

Hello my winter beauty bunnies (: I am back with another great tag thanks to Jasmine from For A Real Woman, check out her blog it is great!

So let's get started with the tag (:

The rules:

- Share 12 random facts about yourself.
- Answer the 12 questions.
- List 12 bloggers you want to do the tag. They can be anyone you want.
- Let the bloggers know you nominated them.

12 Random facts

I can be very emotional
I love country music
My favorite color is pink
I love to read and write
I love Pokemon and Sailor Moon
I play the guitar and sing
I have a very short temper
I wear glasses because I am blind beyond belief
I am teaching my boyfriend how to drive
I love public speaking
I love making root beer floats with butter pecan ice cream
My favorite TV show right now is Reign

What are your favourite things about Winter?
We get more breaks from school (:
What is your favourite Winter outfit?
Something warm like an over sized sweater, sweat pants, boots, a scarf and a beanie
What is your favourite Winter food?
Chili beans with rice (:
Favourite Winter drink?
Eggnog! (: Eggnog anything!
What is your dream way to spend a Winter’s day?
Laying in my warm bed with my boyfriend with some hot chocolate and watching movies all day
How do you like to do your make-up in the Winter?
Very light and natural
What are you hoping Santa brings you?
A 12 string guitar (:
What are the first three things that remind you of Winter?
Snow, cold and christmas
What is your favourite Winter song?
"All I Want For Christmas" by Mariah Carey
What is your favourite Winter memory?
I don't think I have one
What is your favourite Winter scent?
Pine, like from a christmas tree (:
Finish this sentence… If I could have one wish this Christmas it would be…..
To have a home

I tag:

Kammi
Alice
Liz
Neya
Jessie
Laura
Lucy
Marie
Jackie
Kellie
Shalunya
Naffy

And anyone who is reading this post, even if I did not tag you directly I would love for you to try this tag and feel free to leave your links down below so I can check them out! (:

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

Lets be friends!!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Winter Beauty Essentials (:

Hello beautiful people! (: So this post is going to be all about the beauty essentials for winter. Obviously this are only things I consider essential please do not feel compelled to go out and buy something you do not need just because I say it's essential (: be true to you!

Okay lets get started (:

Starting with skin:

#1 - Humidifier

I actually had one of these before but I had to give it up when I moved because...well I needed the money at the time. But the thing about them is that they spew out steam and that creates moisture in the air around you which is really good because in the winter time or when it is really cold there is not a lot of moisture in the air and your skin can get really dry (not good). So what I did was in the morning before I left for school and at night before I went to bed I would just turn in on for about half an hour and just soak in the steam, that is it (: And there are some really cute ones (: mine was pink and it was only about $30 at Wal-Mart.

#2 - Good moisturizer

I know that we all have our go to moisturizer that we use all the time however you might want tot consider changing up your moisturizer for the winter time. The reason for that is because in the winter your skin may need a bit more moisture because the air can be very drying. You might want to consider getting a moisturizer that is a little thicker or specially formulated for winter time. Right now I am using the DermOrganic Facial Moisturizer along with my PRAI Beauty Triple Matryxl Serum which I apply first

#3 - Moisturizing lip balm

This is super important because usually the first thing to dry out on your face is your lips which is why you really need to pay special attention to them. There are so many lip balms out there all you have to do is find one out of the million that suits you the best. Personally I love Burt's Bees Hibiscus Tinted Lip Balm, it moisturizes my lips and it gives some color (: you can see my review for that here!

#4 - Gentle face wash

Okay so this is something I just started doing because I realized that my skin was getting drier than usual and I could not figure out why, then I really thought about it. A face wash that works for you in the summer may be too harsh for your skin in the winter and it can cause your skin to dry out faster and much worse than normal. Try cream cleansers instead of actual face washes. Lately I have been using the two products from the Dermalogica skin care line: the pre cleanser and the daily microfoliant. However, I have also been using the Clean&Clear Deep Action Cream Cleanser (there is also a review on that product on my blog and my YouTube channel) and they have both worked well for me.

#5 - Water!

I cannot express to you guys how important it is that you drink a lot of water not only in the winter but in general because it will help your skin and hair and your overall health so much! Technically you are supposed to be drinking half of your body weight in ounces every single day. So in my case that means I have to drink five 16oz bottle of water every day. Click here to see my tips on making drinking water easier! (:

Moving on to hair:

#1 - Good deep conditioning treatment

Keeping your hair moisturized in the winter is so so important because when your hair dries out that is when you get split ends and your hair starts breaking off so you want to invest in a really good deep conditioner and use it at least once a week or if you're like me with curly hair I would even venture to say twice a week because curly hair tends to be drier than other types of hair. I am a deep conditioning freak and I have tried so many but the one that I love right now is the Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque (there is a review on that product on my blog as well). Or if you do not want to go out and buy a deep conditioner you can also make your own with coconut oil, honey and egg (there is a tutorial on DIY deep conditioner on my blog)

#2 - Go to protective hairstyle

This is important too because not everyone knows what a protective hairstyle is and what it is for. Basically a protective hairstyle is any hair style that keeps your ends from being exposed to the elements. Number one is obviously the cold winter air. So you want to use this whenever you feel that your hair is too dry to be exposed, like in between deep conditioning treatments. Buns are the number on protective hairstyle but braids can work as well. Usually what I do is a braided top knot; I just secure my hair into a high ponytail, braid it into one large braid and wrap it around into a bun making sure I tuck my ends inside and secure it with bobby pins. It's really quick and simple and takes about five minutes. I have a post of my favorite protective hairstyle here! (:

#3 - Good leave in

Now this goes hand in hand with deep conditioning. After you condition your hair you must apply a leave in conditioner, this will keep your hair from getting dry throughout the day especially in the winter when you should be moisturizing your hair everyday. Right now I am using the Generic Value Products version of Paul Mitchell's leave in conditioner (there is a review for this product on my blog)

#4 - Nourishing shampoo or cleansing conditioner and dry shampoo

Okay this is super important so I want you guys to really pay attention (: You should only be washing your hair every two to three days at most. I only wash my hair twice a week and I always deep condition after each wash. DO NOT....I repeat...DO NOT wash your hair everyday especially in the winter. I know some girls do because their hair is really oily but there are other alternatives to washing your hair everyday. You could invest in a dry shampoo which I recommend and that can hold you over in between washes. Or you could get a cleansing conditioner which still cleans your hair but it will not strip the natural oils from your hair. That being said you should also find a nourishing shampoo, one that does not have sulfates or parabens or silicones as these can dry out your hair in the colder months. I recommend the Organix line they have a bunch of really great nourishing shampoos and serums.

#5 - Anti-breakage serum

I find that using some kind of serum after your leave in conditioner keeps my hair looking moisturized longer, almost like it's sealing in the moisture. So I recommend getting either an anti frizz serum, the one I am using now is by Garnier Fructis, or an anti breakage serum, the one I use is by Organix (there is a review on this product on my blog).

This is new for me but we are going to go on to fashion now:

#1 - Warm clothes

Warm clothes are a good idea in cold months for obvious reasons but keeping your chest and back warm can keep you from catching colds. Try and get some nice, warm sweaters and scarves to keep the flu virus away (:

#2 - Raincoat

Depending on where you live a raincoat is a necessity. Living in California the weather is basically in a flux so we do not know what is gonna happen until it happens but I always keep my raincoat in my car just in case it does rain. Make sure you get one with a hood that has fur around it, that will keep water droplets from getting into your eyes.

#3 - Rain boots

Rain boots go hand in hand with raincoats (: I keep these in my car as well along with a fresh pair of socks for those days that rain catches me by surprise.

Well guys that is it for this post! (:

What are your winter beauty essentials? Let me know in the comments below!

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

Lets be friends!!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

#TheWinterProject: Favorite Winter Accessory

Hello beauty lovers! I am back with yet another installment of #TheWinterProject which is being coordinated by Bold95Beauty and if you would like to participate in this series please take a look at this post on her blog! (:

So this weeks post is going to be about my favorite winter accessory. This post was not too hard for me to do because I do not have many accessories that I wear, especially in the winter. So I decided to showcase the two that I really could not live without (:

Number 1: My pink beanie

So those of you that read my blog know that I am really big on hair especially curly hair and keeping it healthy and protected. So what I love about this beanie is that it keeps my head warm of course but it can also serve and a way to keep my hair protected from the harsh weather in the winter

Also I tend to have bad hair days every once in a while and I find that throwing my hair into a messy braid and slapping on my beanie makes me feel not so ratchet (:

Sometimes I will also tuck all of my hair into the beanie and bobby pin it to my head so that it does not fall off and it keeps my hair from being exposed to the weather.

So overall my beanie is very versatile and very necessary to my life because if I did not have it I'm pretty sure I would die (:

Number two: My scarf

So these accessories may seem like really basic winter items but they really are important to me

So this is my big black and grey scarf that I wear pretty much everyday in the winter since it gets ridiculously cold and I have a very low iron count apparently. Also in this picture is my boyfriend the photo bomber -_- hehe

What I like about this scarf is that it so big and it makes it really versatile. I can pretty much wear this scarf however I want I can even turn it into a cute skirt if I want to (:

Well guys that is it for this post (: I hope you guys enjoyed reading it and seeing my dork boyfriend (:

What accessories do you guys rock in the winter? (: Let me know in the comments!

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

Lets be friends!!

Saturday, November 16, 2013

October Favorites (:

Hello beauty lovers I am back with a post that is long overdue because we are well into November but I just wanted to make sure that I get everything that I am loving for the month of October in this post (:

As always this will just have my favorites but I will be doing a separate review for each product in different posts.

So let's get started with hair (:

DermOrganic Hair Care Line

I love this entire line but I am so in love with the Intensive Hair Repair Masque and the Leave-In Treatment.

Ion Daily Deep Conditioner

I love that I can use this deep conditioner everyday (: and it has a nice smell

Moving on to skin care

DermOrganic Skin Care Line

I love the soap less facial cleanser (: It is really gentle on my skin

Dermalogica line: Pre-Cleanser, Daily Microfoliant, Eye Cream and Skin Perfecting Primer

All I can say about all of these products is thank you for existing! (: Unfortunately I finished off the primer and the pre-cleanser a while back so I couldn't take a picture because I did not keep the bottles

PRAI Beauty Serum

I love this serum because it really has improved the overall quality of my skin

Next is makeup! (:

The Becca Cosmetics One Perfecting Brush

This is number one for a reason guys! (: I can't live without this brush now that I have experienced it

Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation

I really love this foundation, it is not too heavy at all (:

View the full review here! (:

BareMinerals Hydrating Mineral Veil

View my full review for this product here! (:

This is new but now I am going to do clothes and accessories (:

My Dress from BooHoo (:

I got this from BooHoo when I attended the iFabbo Conference and I love it so much!

My Beanie

I finally found my pink beanie and now that it is getting colder I wear it a lot more often!

Last but not least music!

Blowin Smoke by Kacey Musgraves

Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus

All Kinds Of Kinds by Miranda Lambert

Mine Would Be You by Blake Shelton

Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke, Pharrel and T.I.

Are loving the same things that I am? Have you tried any of the products I mentioned? Let me know in the comments below!

Well guys that is it for this post! (:

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

Lets be friends!!