The beauty of Melanin

One of my favorite skincare lines is "Nuance" from the beautiful Salma Hayek who is Mexican and Lebanese, which  explains why she is great to look at. This line has been out since August 2011 with high quality ingredients for affordable prices.

So far the products I have tried is the body scrub as well as the exfoliating enzyme mask. Not only does this product line have cleansers and moisturizers but make-up as well. Here is a review from a blogger and the greatest thing about the products is they smell delicious and feel great on the skin as well.

Isn't she lovely

Released October 2005

What a lovely book that showcases the reality of history for fashion models and just how beautiful skin that contains or produces melanin really is. This is one of the most impressive beauty books I have seen because it really is a guide of taking care of the skin and how make-up is applied to achieve different looks.

Just in case you do not know the meaning of Melanin, here is one according to the Encyclopedia on this website which is legit.

"Any of several organic compounds, dark biological pigments that give coloration (shades of yellow to brown) to skin, hair, feathers, scales, eyes, and some internal tissues, notably the substantia nigra in the brain. In humans, melanins help protect the skin against the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation, but melanoma may arise from cells that produce it. The amount in the skin depends on both genetic and environmental factors. Melanin is produced from the amino acid tyrosine; albinos lack the enzyme that catalyzes that reaction."

One of my favorite looks from the book

drama from the or for the Ghetto Fabolous

Blacker the berry, Sweeter the juice

" Just say yes to bronze and no to drugs!"

Everyone knows that bronze, brown and being black is always in style and just better for your health whether or not it brings resentment from fairer skinned and darker skinned people. It is a scientific fact that medium and darker skin tones will age more gracefully due to the amount of melanin and other natural substances in our bodies.


I have been wanting to make a entry about how beautiful I fine darker skin tones and the fact that they show less signs of aging if taken care of. This is a true a story but on my test for becoming liscensed one of the questions was, " Which groups ages faster, according to the FitzPatrick Skin scale?" and all the answers kind of made me feel like the question was racist, but the truth is the truth.


Although the advertisements may be having you think or feel you are not good enough or need to be more fair skinned to be attractive, do not believe the lies because you are beautiful the way you are. I mean if you have a darker skin tone you are not going to be burnt by the sun and are naturally tan, just think about it you were born with a great skin tone now the only thing to do is appreciate what you have.


For the more fair skin ones, I can not stress enought the importance of sunblock and really taking a good look in the mirror. I have another true story which is while I was going to Aveda, one of my guests was very burned from a trip spent in West Palm Beach, Florida. I was suprised because I was like, " you have to protect your skin and can not just be soaking up the rays for how long you want without damage being done."


For those who want to be tan and fair skin the best thing would be to go to a tanning salon because you will only be hurting yourself going out laying in the sun for hours.

Well, although it is in fashion to be tan everyone needs to learn to love themselves inside and out.

The truth is the Bible, and the Daily bread for today is "Gorgeous Inside". (Romans: 8:1-11)

And the Award, for "Most Superficial"...

Goes to...after the drumroll and my introduction.

I learned some fascinating but not too suprising information from being a consumer from the most ungrateful sellers and producers of beauty supplies. I wanted to find out what group of people did the most plastic or cosmetic surgery and it was amazing to discover this because I always have loved Asians exotic looks and mostly everything they seem to want to change. From what I have learned in South Korea the people want to have a more "western" look or whatever that means. Not only do Koreans go overboard but people of other nationalities go to South Korea just to enjoy their doctors.

So the Award for 'Most Superficial" country goes to South Korea and they deserve this because they are true perfectionists in a way.

Just in case you do not know what superficial is, below is the meaning and I found the definition here.

: concerned only with what is obvious or apparent : not thorough or complete

: affecting only the outer part or surface of something : not deep or serious

: lying close to the surface

After South Korea comes some Latin American countries, Greece and Italy in a top 7 list..

If you want to look like a doll permanently and be "plastic" than take a trip to Korea.

Now I understand fully were this Korean man was coming from who works at a shoeshop who told me, " You are so pretty and thin, I am unlucky because I am ugly and big." This is a true story of what he told me and well I guess with all the Korean BBQ and other habits Koreans are naturally on the big side but I still admire their natural intelligence.



The moral of this is that these Koreans in America who have built a fortune from the weave they sale at their beauty supply stores can really thank the "Black community" for making their comfortable lifestyle possible. If no one else can I am going to be truthful and give credit where it is due.

Falling for Fashion

So I fell in love or have such great admiration for the Fall 2013 collection of Dolce & Gabbana that is really sentimental to me I have decided to start a Fashion Friday.

Not only I am into Beauty and Wellness but all things of Art and Elegance which is seen in a lot of fashion lines.

I got a glimpse of what Dolce & Gabbana is serving up for the Fall in Essence magazine September 2013 issue and how amazing was the dazzles.

Not my photo, credit goes to Elle.com

I would have made a video for my You Tube channel to describe just how much the embellishments and all the intricate layers reminded me of pure royalty, but I am not trying to scare viewers. Anyways I am in love with the passion of the pieces for this Fall and the way the advertising was executed because I received a bigger scope of life.

The pattern and material of the men's coats are simply magnificent and remind me of pillows my grandmother had with bible scriptured engraved or embossed on them.

I took this from the pages of Details magazine September "Fashion" issue.

So the moral of this entry is that everyone is royalty and should be walking, talking and feeling as though they are. Life is all about love feeling the sweetness from others, and excepting nothing less than the best.


Oh and for all the freaks and just to add a little humor for this Friday. I was riding on the Metro and after getting up from sitting my bottom left this mark. I was so tickled that my bottom made a imprint that reminded me of a vagina so I had to take a picture and share. Who doesn't love Vagina's?

Taken by me

Taken by me

Darlings, this is what life is all about..laughter and having joy in  your heart.


Maybe up next will be the anatomy of the vagina....

True Beauty

I am very thankful and blessed to now understand what true beauty is all about. 

To tell you the truth that it was not until I asked to be made more beautiful I know exactly what being beautiful is all about. I recently told someone the reality about the insecurity withing myself in the past, "People would always tell me how beautiful or all the other big words for being attractive but I did not believe I was beautiful. The thing is that being beautiful has nothing to do with a look but a feeling, and now more than ever I feel beautiful."

People can give compliments of how great you look but when you are not feeling good than being beautiful can not be your truth. The best thing about being beautiful is that you choose to love yourself and when you have self-love than loving others is as easy as 1-2-3. If there is anything that we owe each other, that would be love and anything less is unacceptable.

As a make-up artist I deal with the superficial and enjoy giving people a fantasy but the truth is that true beauty comes from within and is nothing but love. I have been grateful and happy to be touched by some of the most beautiful souls and that is because they were all about true beauty. The dress size, inches in someone's waist, amount of make-up or skin color does not determine what makes someone really beautiful and so many do not realize that. Attraction or being easy on the eyes is different than being truly beautiful.

I am loving the October issue of Essence magazine because on the cover there is a topic of "beauty: inside and out".

Everything on from what I am seeing on the cover is showing how much beauty starts and can be found inside. What an amazing feeling to be able to give love coming from a pure heart. 

All the bullying and abuse that goes on is just coming from people who may feeling ugly and have chosen to oppose loving themselves as well as others. Now that I accept beauty I am always willing to fight against anyone abusing their "power" and love is what I choose all of the time. Beauty is to know as well as see that other's are hurting and take action to help them.

Love is life and that is the simple, most beautiful truth.

Look of the Day:Smooth Operator

So..... since I am having technical difficulties I might as well let everyone bask in the glory that is my beauty, all thanks and praises to my heavenly God!


Anyways the look of the day is all about being a smooth operator.... oh and of course men are not the only ones who can getaway with having smooth  ways.

Always, have to keep your look smooth...

Clearing things Up

So now I have to make sure that things are completely on the up and up for people to know where I am coming from, because they have not been told the truth about me. This is to have no pun intented, but besides loving clear and clean faces I had to make "Miss Darling's Declaration of Lesbianism" to clear things up. I find it so interesting how diluted the thoughts are in people's minds from being disgusted with the laughter that I would be wanting to take away someone's"property". I am just amazed at the ways of the world and the fact that a lot of woman actually believe that men or some of them are like a gift to women: umm dead wrong or that's merely a lie. Men are just beast and was the first or more masuline human to be created and bless all the women who choose or fall to put up with them. I know the complete truth and well it simply hurts to know that Women are the gift and the perfection when it comes to human life despite me noticing that no one has seemed to come to that realization or...............you can finish with whatever you think is right.

Dont' you think I'm so sexy?....... I'm just so clean and clear.

P.S.--This comes from a place of complete love and clear thoughts.

EMC

Extra moisturizing and conditing is the name of the game when it comes to taking care of color-treated hair. I am the type that loves to color my hair because that allows things to be exciting and vibrant when it comes to my look. When you chemically or color treat the hair than that can cause more dryness, so of course moisture is the key.


My most favorite and beloved shampoo that I am using comes from L'Oreal EverPure line which is just like lotion for the hair, I mean really what I feel must be what liquid silk is like. The results are great because instantly you can feel the difference in the smoothness of your hair. Using the EverPure Sulfate-free conditioner is optional but when it comes to my natural ethnic hair I use Mizani products.

Here is the whole EverPure Collection and you can use whatever according to your hair needs.

My two conditioners of choice are Mizani's Moisturefuse and Fulfyl which are both under L'Oreal, so either these products are high quality.

Then to finish off your hair style this Shine Spray works wonders....

Look of the Day

The photos explain it all and I really will be having a lot of fun with Rimmel ScandalEyes eyeliner that are supposed to be 24hr waterproof.

Wild Week in Washington

What a wild and wacky past week it has been in DC to say the least bit. There were situations that involved spirits that wanted to cause a commontion of becoming weak just to be overcome by the enemy. How amazing to recognize the energy that people carry and that can be transfered over to someone else easily. In life we all have to stay strong so that we can not be overcome by the enemy that wants to cause turmoil and rather have everyone fight each other. I find it amazing all the energy that people were carrying just leading up to the Mrs. Carter tour.


This is how it is in every situation and scenario that plays out I am realizing. The key is to take a look outside of yourself when someone may threaten you or is evidently in bad spirits and you ask your self do I take the high road or just decide to be bad or let the negative energy transfer to you. I recently went through a situation like this that someone had the audacity to get mad at me because I had my legs cross and maybe that day just was not there's, so I ignored the bad spirit and meditate on this situation. Of course the wild intent of that someone passed and the energy must have been strong that the energy passed on to another causing commontion. I saw clear as day how people could let bad spirits take over them to disturb all the other passengers and of course I had to get off of that bus like many others. I felt threatened on the bus and well to the point that I wanted to get away from the person next to me but the bottom line is that I did get away from the confusion. Lesson from all of this as I reflect that God does work in mysterious ways and if we pay attention we really do have a lot to be thankful for.

From my wild and wacky week I am reminded that we can choose if we react with sugar or with more spice; but you really have to be prepared for all the possible outcomes that may feel bad or feel good. All of the past events including me undulging myself on some good eats has lead me up to my fast for major cleansing that is needed.


I have eaten lamb from one of my favorite spots to Lemon Pepper Catfish and Peach Cobbler from BSmith's. The last week of July has led up to my final choice in fasting with only drinking juices, smoothies and water to nourish my body.

Three tries to get things right, that's how my luck works out @ The Coupe and in life.

No more lamb, or seafood and vegetation for my cleanse.

Natural look for such a wicked week in Washington

Perfection

All photos were taken by me and I am looking forward to August as a chance to shed some pounds from consuming so many toxins.

H&M takeover

I am amazed to have found how popular H&M has become in the USA and especially in the DC metropolitan area. This comes as no wonder because they have some pretty reasonable prices for fashions that are way better than Forever 21. The way the clothes are made are for the really thin and are cut according to the European standard making me a size 10 to 12 in bottoms and a 8 or S/M in tops. 

Anyways I just find it appalling or just a little ridiculous that the newest H&M stores that have opened replaced big time bookstore chains. The only thing that says is that society or "pop-ular" society is only concerned with what is going on outside of course. It appears that the wave of the future and what I am catching onto is being fashion obsessed with the price of loosing brains or books.

Well the bottom line is that there is no longer a Barnes & Nobles in Union Station and a Borders in Silver Springs.

C&S

The color of the days of 12-13 of June was all about keeping things Cool & Steamy.
Only the last four photos were taken by me.

Smoothing the Scalp-STS

Smoothing and soothing the hair scalp is important and what I love, especially for a scalp as sneaky as mines. I got rid of some old, and dry skin though clarification and deep exfoliation.

I used two different shampoos for my hair and one great cleanser. I was able to scrub off some dead skin on on my nose and between my eyebrows from a few clogged hair follicles. I could easily see the scales of dry skin on my face but I was happy to discover the skin on top of my head. Well this is not the year of the snake for nothing. 

scaly skin removed from a good shampoo

These shampoos work wonders and are very therapeutic and of course you should know that you are always worthy of good cleansing and clarification. All of these products I used are highly recommended and can be used once a week.