The Life of A Ladybug

Toya's Tip: Popsicle lips!

A great look for the spring and summer is "popsicle lips."  Having popsicle lips means that your lips look juicy and moist and as if you've just been enjoying the best fruit-flavored popsicle.  Achieving the look is quite easy - try a gloss in a wonderfully saturated, juicy color (right now, I'm particularly loving Hourglass Extreme Sheen Gloss in Nectar and Laura Mercier Lip Glacé in Bonbon) or you can pick a lipstick in a fruity shade (coral is "in" right now) and then add a slick of gloss on top.

How to wear foundation if you have dry skin (for Koz)

My friend Koz asked me how she should deal with foundation when she has dry skin.  The answer is pretty simple, so here we go - for her and for any of you who also have dry skin and have been asking yourself this question.

#1: Exfoliate.  Make sure that you're exfoliating regularly.  That will remove all the dry, dead skin that adds to the look of flakiness.  You can use either a chemical or mechanical exfoliator.  A chemical exfoliator is alpha hydroxy acid.  Mechanical is any kind of gentle scrub - you can be as basic as baking soda and water, or even sugar and water.

#2: Moisturize.  Use a thick, creamy moisturizer if your skin is very dry.  You don't have to go expensive on this - there are good options at the drugstore.  I have oily skin, but dry patches around my nose and, let me tell you, Aquaphor works wonders.

#3: Use a moisturizing foundation.  If you're not looking for that "made up" look or if you have pretty good skin, a tinted moisturizer is probably your best bet.  It will add another layer of moisture to your face while helping your skin to look even and smooth.  If you need a bit of heavier coverage, try a creamy foundation - powders will exacerbate dryness and liquid may not be thick enough (although there are some moisturizing liquid foundations).

Let me know if you have any particular beauty issues that you'd love to discuss and I'll post all about it!

Use more than one foundation (BHM Beauty)

Many Black women and other women of color have more than one shade of skin on their faces.  In order to achieve the look you're going for, it may be necessary to use more than one shade of foundation.  Also, keep in mind that your skin changes throughout the year - the shade that works in January will not work in August.  I always have foundation in three different shades - one for my fall/winter tone, one for my spring/summer tone and one that is light enough to be used to cover any dark circles or any dark marks left by blemishes.

Also, be very careful when picking powder foundations - some shades will be too gray, which will leave your skin looking ashen.  Others will be too red.  For instance, I have been drifting away from MAC's Studio Fix.  I love the product, but have found that, after it oxidizes on my skin, it becomes a bit too red.  When you choose your foundation, wear it a bit before you buy it - look at it under natural light, right after you've applied it and then again a while later.  If it still matches - then purchase.

Happy Black History Month, you beautiful thing, you!

For Koz: How to Look Like You've Had More Than Six Hours of Sleep in the Last Two Days Because Your Infant Has an Ear Infection"

Poor little Miss Eva!  Give her a kiss and hug from me.

Okay, so here's how to make yourself look more awake when you're having an ultra sleepy day.

1. When you're tired, your skin looks really dry and sallow, so focus on combating that.  Make sure to moisturize adequately - if you don't normally use an ultra-moisturizing eye cream, now is the time to do so.  Dot under your eyes and pat in with your ring finger.  Also add a creamy moisturizer to your face.
2. Dot concealer under your eyes and pat with fingertip to blend.  If you're trying to eliminate dark circles, make the concealer a shade lighter than your skin.
3. Add a tinted moisturizer or any foundation that does not dry out your skin.  If you normally use powder, unless you're really oily-skinned, skip it.  Allow the skin's natural oils to give your face a bit of a boost.
4. Using a highlighter shade (anything light and glowy - creams, eyeshadows, and liquid highlighters all work well - let me know if you need suggestions!), apply under your brows and on your tear ducts and blend.  Add the same highlighting shade to your cheekbones.  This really will add some brightness to your face and make you look more awake, instantly.
5. One coat of mascara on top lashes, to visually "open" your eyes.  Don't put any on the bottom lashes - if it smears, it'll completely defeat the purpose of covering up the dark circles.
6. A pop of healthy color on your cheeks.  Whichever blush form you prefer (powder, cream, liquid, gel) is fine.  Just make sure it isn't overly bright, but is bright enough that it makes you look healthy and radiant.  A soft peachy-pink works well on most skintones.
7. Use lipgloss instead of lipstick.  You want to add shine and radiance, not matte things down at all.

Oh!  And Visine - it gets the red out of sleepy eyes!

Toya's Tip: Develop your signature!

My tip today is Develop your signature!  One of the things that makes me feel more stylish is to know that I am "known" for certain things.  I've been working on developing my own personal style for years and it is starting to pay off.  I know what I love and what looks good on me.  I've weeded out shapes and colors that aren't flattering and stick to what works.

My signatures are:

Pink.  Pink is my favorite color and I do not go a day without wearing something pink.  My engagement ring stone is pink, if nothing else.  But, on most days, you will find me wearing pink somewhere on my body: carrying a pink purse, sporting pink shoes, dangly pink earrings, pink top, etc.  It's my thing.

Animal prints, especially leopard.  I don't know what it is about animal prints that appeal to me, but they do.  The're like me, I guess - a bit loud, a bit over the top, always noticeable.

What are your signatures?  Think about the things that look the best on you, the colors to which you're always drawn, those styles that make you feel the most "you."  And ask your friends what they notice about your wardrobe - do you invariably wear the same color combinations or patterns, etc.?   You might already have a signature and not even know it!

Toya's Tip: Bend over and shake 'em! (or, If the bra fits, wear it!)

The #1 tip of fashion for us "well endowed" women is "Wear an appropriate bra!"  An appropriate bra = one that is well-fitted and well-suited for whatever outfit you're wearing.  It is never acceptable to go braless when one has a C cup or larger, in my opinion.  As one who sports a DD bra, I'm hardly ever braless, unless I'm in the shower or in the bed (sometimes I wear them to bed - LOL).

The best tip I can give you is to go get fitted!  Don't assume that you're wearing the right size bra because most women aren't.  Those back problems you've been having?  It's because you're wearing the wrong size bra!  Having a beautifully fitted bra will make you feel more secure in your garments, you'll look better in your clothes because everything will be lifted and smoothed out and it'll make your back feel better.  Most department stores offer bra fittings, I imagine.  I know for sure that Nordstrom does, because I go get fitted at least once a year to make sure that my bra size hasn't fluctuated.  An even better option is a lingerie boutique.  There is such a store here in Baltimore - it's called We Fit.  I first went to We Fit while in college when I realized I'd been having some back pain.  When I entered the store, I was accosted by two little old ladies - a Black one and a Jewish one.  They hustled me into a dressing room and instructed me to strip my top and bra off.  The old Jewish lady took one look at me and clucked.  "There's no way you're a 36 DD."  She began to measure me and I turned out to be a solid 36 DD.  When she'd gone and gotten me the right size bra, the old Black woman turned to me and said, "Alright, honey, bend over, put all your children in the cups (she called breasts "children" - hilarious) and shake 'em good to make sure they settled."  After I did that, she yanked up on the straps, adjusted them perfectly and snapped me in.  Suddenly, my breasts were high, lifted, separated and beautiful.  The heavens parted and the angels sang!

Every day that has followed, I have done the "bend over and shake 'em" method of putting on my bra.  And I suggest you do the same.

So, this week's Tips are: Go get fitted and Bend over and shake 'em!

Toya's Tip: Wear Less Make-up

Okay, this will sound pretty weird coming from a make-up artist and self-professed (or should I say self-confessed) beauty junkie, but, when it comes to make-up, unless you're a drag queen or a stage performer, less is more.  In the spring and summer, because of the warmer temperatures, I go way lighter on my make-up, both in colors and number of products.  In this last week, I have been complimented on a daily basis on how wonderful my make-up looks - fresh and clean and natural - and I've hardly been wearing any.

So, if what you want is to look like a fresh-faced beauty (and, come on, isn't that what most of us want?), the answer is to lighten up - literally.  Strip your beauty regimen down to the bare bones: tinted moisturizer or foundation stick (used only where you need it, like around your nose and blended with your fingers), concealer on undereye circles or blemishes, one swipe of mascara on your upper lashes, a bit of blush and/or bronzer (if you have dry or normal skin, cream blushes work well to give a great, natural look), and a swipe of tinted lip balm.  You will look fresh, polished and beautiful, without looking made up.  Everyone will compliment your make-up, when really, what they're complimenting is you in all your natural beauty - the make-up isn't what's glowing ... it's you.

Toya's Tip: Fabulous Flats

We all know them: the hordes of women walking to work from the subway or the car in the morning, wearing professional business suits, fly make-up and set hair, looking every bit the businesswoman ... until you look down at the feet.  And they are encased in huge, ugly, chunky tennis shoes.  Gah!

Don't, Diva.  Don't wear your tennis shoes with your business attire.  It's never cute.  It's always wrong ... never right.  I know they're comfy and you want to protect your precious tootsies.  But I have a suggestion ... buy yourself a pair of fabulous flats!  I am a lover of heels, the higher the better, since I'm really short, but sometimes you need to have a pair of flats to get you from Point A to Point B.  I always have at least three pairs of comfy flats in my shoe wardrobe: black, silver, and gold.  My bases are covered, since those three colors are neutrals and will go with anything.  Nowadays, cutie flats are everywhere - you can choose the traditional Audrey Hepburnesque look with a slim ballerina flat, or go a bit more trendy with a pointier toe.  You can get your basics or go for a fun, funky print.  You can get slingbacks or mules or even ones that tie up your leg.  But they should be comfortable and allow you to move quickly and steadily through life - like a tennis shoe, but cuter.

So, Toya's Tip for this week: Go now and buy yourself a pair of fabulous flats!  Never, EVER wear tennis shoes with business attire again.

Toya's Tip: Slide to the Other Side!

Lately, I've been really tired of all my fragrances.  I've been searching for a new perfume, but so far, nothing's doing it for me.  But the other day, Victor went shopping and came home with several new scents - one of which was the Jay-Z cologne.  I sniffed that little vial and immediately fell in love.  I'd never worn a male fragrance before, but hey - who says that scents have gender?  I put some on my cleavage, wrists and behind my ears just like I would with my regular perfumes.  I got so many compliments on how I smelled and Vic loved it on me ... so he gave it to me (and bought another for himself).

So, here's Toya's Tip: If the perfumes aren't striking your fancy, slide over to the men's department and try the colognes.  Who knows ... you  might find your signature scent!

Toya's Tip: Men DO make passes at girls who wear glasses!

Especially if you don't let those glasses take attention away from your beautiful face!

Look, I've worn glasses since I was four years old and I've never had a problem finding a boyfriend and I didn't have a problem finding a husband.  I didn't start wearing contacts regularly 'til 2006 - I even got married in my glasses!  The trick is to make sure that your glasses don't overpower your face.  Let the huge frames that were so popular in the 80s and 90s GO!  They weren't cute then and they aren't cute now.

If you're wearing beautiful, flattering frames, you don't need a lot of eye make-up.  Allow the glasses to add that special touch of pizazz to your look. And remember, fill in your brows!  It'll add balance to your face and not give the impression that your eyes are getting swallowed up.

You know you're cute, girl!  Now get out there and rock those frames!