Awkwardly April

Awkward Outings: Candytopia

2019-07-13T19:46:00.000-04:00

If you're looking for something fun to do this summer then I've got a sweet suggestion for you! With the continuous growth in Atlanta there's literally always something to do, especially during the summer. From music, food festivals, and the arts, there is truly never a dull moment in the city. Traveling pop-up shops and interactive spaces seem to be the current trend and I'm definitely a fan.

Back in February I visited "Candytopia" an interactive museum full of art and activities that is all about candy. It consists of several different rooms that each have a candy related theme. I definitely felt like a big kid but did not feel out of place because it's truly an experience for all ages to enjoy. The exhibit is currently touring several cities around the country. It's been in Atlanta for a few months and I believe it ends toward the end of July, so if you're in Atlanta and haven't had a chance to check it out I strongly urge you to go before it closes. It's located in the heart of Buckhead/Atlanta and if you're interested tickets and all information can be found via their website https://www.candytopia.com/.

All of the art is made from candy and each one has the specifications listed on how many hours it took and how many pieces of candy was used.

A cute little tribute to Atlanta and Georgia.

The confetti room was both my favorite and least favorite. SO much confetti. I was pulling it out of my hair for days lol.

There's even a gift shop with a full candy wall for your sweet tooth ^_^

Awkward Outings: Fulton County Arts & Culture

2019-01-17T22:00:00.000-05:00

Rainy days in Atlanta can be a nightmare in terms of traffic. Which is why I usually try to avoid it at all costs by staying home. But today was a little different. I got an invite from one of my favorite people to attend an exhibit sponsored by Fulton County Arts & Culture. Anyone close to me knows my love of the arts and I never pass up a chance to be inspired by other artists.

This exhibit is a part of the Fine Art Acquisitions Program. Each year they have a call for artists from all over Georgia to submit art that will be displayed in libraries across Fulton County. This is a temporary exhibit and will be on display and open to the public every Thursday-Saturday until January 26th which will end with a closing reception. After the closing all of the art will be moved to various libraries across the county.

I truly enjoyed the exhibit and definitely recommend seeing it if you have the time. It's located right near Underground at 86 Pryor Street. For more information please visit http://www.fultonarts.org.

(L) Stay Fly x Dubelyoo (R) My Magic x TeMika Grooms

When the Spirit Hits Ya

Gilbert Young

(L) Daydreaming x Diana Toma (R) Soulsista x Dubelyoo

Banish the Witches

Marthalyn Fortson

(L) Swing x Ronnie Phillips (R) I Am Mursi x Victor Walker

Bamboo Canes and Light

Marisa Cerban

(L) Back to Harlem x Henry Blackmon (R) 381 Days x Henry Blackmon

(L) I Am Color x CoCo Lemery (R) The Light at the End x Sam Grisham

Urban Peace Flower Unity

Sean Haynes

(L) The Builder (Strength Through Unity) x Jamaal Barber (R) Dahlia I x Tracy Murrell

(L) A Spring State of Mind x Diana Toma (R) Embrace x Nancy Blum

Awkward Outings: Yayoi Kusama x Infinity Mirrors

2018-12-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

I had a chance to go visit the Yayoi Kusama Infinity Mirrors exhibit a few days ago at the High Museum of Art. It was definitely an experience to say the least. One things for sure, I'm glad I purchased my tickets in advance because this is a very popular exhibit. It will be on display from now until February 17th. Although advanced tickets are sold out, the museum does sell 100 daily walk up tickets but you've gotta get there early! We were told people line up as early as 4am and the last tickets are usually accounted for by 6am.

I enjoyed the entire experience and I must say that I was impressed at how organized the museum was in terms of handling such a high demand exhibit. I came with the expectation of there being long lines and wait times to view each room but to my surprise I was able to breeze right through every room and even double back to a few. My tickets were for the first time slot of the day which was 10am and I did go on a week day so I think that may have contributed to virtually no wait times.

The entire exhibit was on one floor and the infinity rooms were way smaller than I imagined but I guess that's kind of the concept. You're only allowed about 30 seconds for most rooms and 20 seconds for others, which seems incredibly short but makes sense in terms of accommodating the hundreds of daily visitors. Luckily I experienced no lines and was able to walk right in most rooms. You have to go into the rooms as a group of three so keep in mind that you may or may not be able to go in with who you came with.

There are a total of seven infinity rooms. The only room we weren't allowed to photograph (because of the delicate and breakable nature of the art) was "All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins". The room was filled with bright yellow dotted pumpkins in various sizes. Don't even think about sneaking a pic because you're asked to leave your belongings outside the room and accompanied by a staff member lol truly one of those "live in the moment" type of experiences.

Infinity Mirrored Room

"The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away"

Infinity Mirrored Room

"Phalli's Field"

Infinity Mirrored Room

"Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity"

Infinity Mirrored Room

"Love Transformed into Dots"

Infinity Mirrored Room

"Love Forever"

Infinity Mirrored Room

"The Obliteration Room"

Although the infinity rooms are the focal point of this exhibit, there is also plenty other breathtaking art pieces by Yayoi Kusama to check out. There's a ton of 3D art, colorful patterns and whimsical shapes.

Shayla x Colourpop Review + Swatches

2018-06-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

Did somebody say rose gold? *adds to cart* Aside from pretty packaging and my current obsession with rose gold, I love a well put together makeup collection. Especially one that I can use for literally any occasion - and this my friends is the one. Colourpop teamed up with MakeupShayla and created such a beautiful and versatile collection that it's literally sold out 3 times. I can't believe I actually debated whether or not I was going to get this but I'm so glad I gave in!

Take a peek at the video below for my full thoughts on the collection and be sure to hit that subscribe button while you're at it ;-)

Shayla x Colourpop Perception Pressed Poweder Eyeshadow Palette

Description: A mix of matte & metallic finishes and range of richly pigmented shades

Retail Price: $23.00

Swatches

Shayla x Colourpop Luster Dust Loose Highlighter

Description: (Boomin') peachy gold (Pose) warm copper

Retail Price: $7.00

Swatches

Shayla x Colourpop Neat Freak Ultra Glossy Lip

Description: peachy champagne with pink & gold glitter

Retail Price: $6.00

Shayla x Colourpop Crème Lux Lipstick

Description: (l-r) C'mon Sis - soft pinky brown, Oouuuu! - warm peach, Quickie - peachy nude

Retail Price: $7.00

Swatches

Shayla x Colourpop

Eyes: transition color in Thic, crease color in Played Out, lids in Strut 'n Slay

Lips: Crème Lux Lipstick in Oouuuu! topped with Ultra Glossy Lip in Neat Freak

Shayla x Colourpop

Eyes: transition color in Thic, crease color in Played Out, lids in Strut 'n Slay

Lips: Crème Lux Lipstick in Quickie

Shayla x Colourpop

Eyes: transition color in Thic, crease color in Played Out, lids in Strut 'n Slay

Lips: Crème Lux Lipstick in C'mon Sis

Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipsticks Review + Swatches

2018-06-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

Girrrrrl, can we breathe?! RiRi's reign just isn't letting up and is keeping a tight grip on all the makeup lovers pockets when it comes to all these back to back Fenty releases. And I'm not even mad. Broke, but not mad at all. Anywho this review has been a long time coming and since these lippies are a part of her permanent collection I've been in no rush to review. I've finally swatched and tested these out and let me just say they are sooooo creamy and soft and super vibrant and all the good things you'd want in a matte lipstick.

My only gripe with these is that I wish they'd chosen the typical "pointed" lipstick shape for these because the rounded tips make it difficult to easily apply the lipstick to the corners of your lips..Round tip lipsticks just aren't my favorite in terms of application, though that surely has no effect on the richness of the formula in these lovely mattes.

Take a peek at the video below for my full thoughts and be sure to hit that subscribe button while you're at it ;-)

Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipsticks

Description: An ultra-slim lipstick with a long-wearing, petal-soft matte finish, created in a rainbow of weightless, color-intense shades designed to flatter all skin tones.

Retail Price: $18.00

Swatches

Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle

Lipstick in Madamn

Description: royal red

Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle

Lipstick in Spanked

Description: dusty rose

Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle

Lipstick in Candy Venom

Description: electric pink

Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle

Lipstick in Griselda

Description: bold burgundy

MAC x Patrick Starrr Floral Realness 'Me So Fleek' Review + Swatches

2018-05-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

I'm just gonna admit it. I'm a sucker for packaging. In fact, in some instances, the packaging alone has been the sole reason I've bought a product. And I'm not ashamed! Fortunately, this is one of those times where I get to enjoy the icing and the cake because the products are just as gorgeous!

MAC x Patrick Starrr Floral Realness Full Face Kit in 'Me So Fleek'

Description: A complete kit of products for the entire face that includes a Lipstick, Lipglass, Eyeshadow x 4, and Powder Blush (duo)

Retail Price: $49.50

Be sure to watch the video below for live swatches and my full thoughts on the collection.

MAC x Patrick Starrr

Eyeshadow Palette in 'Stay with Me'

Description:

In Living Pink - pinky coral with gold shimmer (Frost)

Hickie - bright pink with shimmer (Frost)

All's Rosy - dirty midtone pink (Matte)

In the Shadows - vibrant dark blue with shimmers (Frost)

MAC x Patrick Starrr Swatches

MAC x Patrick Starrr

Powder Blush Duo in 'Take Me Home'

Description:

Soft coral pink (Satin)

Muted pink plum (Matte)

MAC x Patrick Starrr Swatches

MAC x Patrick Starrr

Lipglass in Queen P.

Description: neon pink with blue pearl

MAC x Patrick Starrr

Lipstick in Hey, Boy, Hey!

Description: dirty pinkish plum (Matte)

MAC x Patrick Starrr Swatches

MAC x Patrick Starrr Floral Realness 'Me So Fleek' face kit.
Description: A complete kit of products for the entire face that includes a Lipstick, Lipglass, Eye Shadow x 4 and Powder Blush (Duo).
Retail Price: $49.50

Ellarie x Colourpop Review + Swatches

2018-03-29T07:00:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting to try ColourPop for a very long time now. Not only because they're insanely affordable but also because of their huge color range. I've heard nothing but great things about the brand and when I got wind of their new collaboration with beauty Youtuber Ellarie, I knew I had to go ahead and finally indulge.

Ellarie's collection features 6 essential lip shades in matte, satin and gloss finishes. I purchased 5 out of the 6 and I must say on first impressions I am truly pleased.

Each lip color retails for $6.50 or can be purchased as a set for $32

Be sure to watch the video below for live swatches and my full thoughts on the collection.

ColourPop x Ellarie Swatches

ColourPop x Ellarie Lip Swatches

Netta -Ultra Glossy Lip

Description: mid-tone pinky beige

Retail Price: $6.00

Renmen - Ultra Satin Lip

Description: true blue red

Retail Price: $6.50

Hennyways - Ultra Matte Lip

Description: cool-toned chocolate brown

Retail Price: $6.50

Sessy - Ultra Matte Lip

Description: deep wine red

Retail Price: $6.50

Yoshi -Ultra Matte Lip

Description: vivid magenta violet

Retail Price: $6.50

Fenty Beauty Galaxy Collection Haul + Review

2017-12-25T22:19:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays! I hope everyone’s having an amazing day and in good spirits with those you love. My intentions were to get this post out weeks ago but since it is officially the holidays this makes perfect timing. Fenty Beauty by Rihanna has only been out a few months now and I’ve been all over this collection like a mad woman! I bought tons of things from her initial release (which I will be reviewing soon) and most recently from her limited edition release for the holidays, the Galaxy Collection.

The Galaxy Collection was pretty light in comparison to her permanent line so I headed to Sephora on release day and picked up most of the holiday items including the eyeshadow palette, a couple lipsticks, lipglosses and an eyeliner.

What I love most about this collection is the packaging. The colors are so pretty and fits right in with the Galaxy theme. The eyeshadow palette’s case is simply gorgeous. It reflects iridescent rainbow colors from every angle. My photos do this case no justice as my camera couldn’t capture all of its true beauty.

Galaxy Eyeshadow Palette

If the packaging isn’t enough to entice you then the actual eyeshadows surely will. They are so pretty. All of the colors are glittery and very pigmented. The perfect pairing for any holiday look.

Swatches

The shadows go on smooth for the most part and look even better when you apply them with a damp brush. The only cons for the palette for me is that not all of the shadows seem to have the same texture/formula. I noticed that a couple shades kinda breakup a bit when I apply them but they still gave off the same color consistency so that’s not a big deal for me. The only other thing that I’m not fond of is how the eyeshadow case picks up fingerprints and smudges so easily. It has zero effect on the product quality but if you’re quirky like me then you may find yourself wiping the case down a lot lol but no big deal. Overall for a full glittery palette I think they did a great job with the color range.

Starlit Hyper-Glitz Lipstick (Supermoon, Gravity)

I only purchased 2 of the lipsticks because the other colors were passable to me. I fell in love with Supermoon right away, it’s like a peachy shimmery nude and I love the way it looks on my skin tone. Gravity was my second favorite, it’s described as a shimmery hot pink.

Swatches

The formula for the lipstick feels smooth and lightweight, the color is also buildable. The lipstick did seem to breakup on my lip lines a little bit but that could be due to the combination of gloss I applied over it. Overall, I like the lipsticks a lot and I think I may buy a backup of Supermoon if it’s still in stock. It’s the perfect nude for me.

Cosmic Gloss Lip Glitter (Spacesuit, Gal On The Moon, Plutonic Relationship)

These glosses are everything you’d want in a glittery lipstick. They are so shiny and packed with tons of shimmer. There are 4 glosses in the collection but I only got 3. If the other wasn’t sold out I would’ve definitely got that one too. These glosses were also love at first sight. I didn’t even try these on. I swatched them on my hand in store and knew I had to have them all.

Swatches

I like the formula. It’s not sticky or overly filled with glitter particles. It goes on nice and smooth. My favorite out of the 3 is Spacesuit, it’s described as a glittering peach. It’s the perfect pairing on top of my lipstick fave Supermoon. Gal On The Moon is described as a holographic pink orchid and it is beyond mesmerizing, it has iridescent colors in various angles and lighting. Plutonic Relationship is described as a holographic hot pink. This would also look great paired on top Gravity.

Eclipse 2-In-1 Glitter Release Eyeliner (Alien Bae)

There wasn’t much variation in the 2 eyeliners offered in the collection. They both were pretty dark, the only difference was one had blue tones and the other green. I decided to go with Alien Bae which is described as a blue/black metallic and smoky navy glitter.

Swatches

I tried using the liner over my lash line but wasn’t too impressed with the results. It didn’t really stand out or appear pigmented enough over the glitter eyeshadow so I decided to use another liner for my overall look. I haven’t tested the liner on its own or with other eyeshadow but the color does seem to go on super dark and pigmented when I swatch it on my hand. So I’m still kinda on the fence of how I truly feel about it. I do like the 2 in 1 effect the shadow has when you blend it out which activates the glitter.

Final thoughts, while there are a few quirks like formula consistency between the shadows and the packaging picking up fingerprints - I don’t think any of that would deter me from this collection. The theme and shades were well thought out and compliment one another nicely. I definitely see myself continuing to use the products. Because of the glittery nature, the eyeshadow would probably be more for fun or special occasions for me though. The Holiday Galaxy Collection is a yes from me. If you haven’t purchased yet then now is the time because these are selling out quickly and are limited edition so get what you can while you can!

Below is a look I created with the products.

You can also watch my haul and live swatches on my YouTube channel. Don’t forget to comment, rate and subscribe! Happy Holidays!

Vampy Nails: Deborah Lippmann "Bitches Brew" x Zoya "Peyton"

2017-11-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

If you know me, then you know that I'm extremely partial to pink when it comes to my mani and pedicure. Every variation of pink and corals are my absolute favorite polishes to wear and I wear them year round. I rarely stray from pink shades but I have so many polishes that I know I'm doing myself a disservice by not giving them all some wear.

Well, it's about that season for nice deep vampy colors so I decided to give a polish I've literally had for years and have been promising myself forever to try. "Bitches Brew" by Deborah Lippmann is a deep wine/berry cream polish with a light shimmer. I opted to spruce things up with a glittery accent nail in one of my favorite shades by Zoya in "Peyton". I must say I think I could get used to this color combo. It's very pretty and gives a little grown & sexy vibe ^_^ More photos and swatches below.

Bitches Brew by Deborah Lippmann x Peyton by Zoya

Awkward Outings: Decatur Wine Festival

2017-11-25T17:30:00.000-05:00

I'm by no means a wine connoisseur..hell, I can probably count on my fingers the number of glasses I've had since legal drinking age lol. I think it's probably because I've never truly found a wine that I enjoyed the taste of. I know a few wine lovers who talk about their deep affection for the savory spirits but I'm still on the hunt for the one that meets my fancy.

November is my birthday month and I've been looking to try some different things around the city that I've yet to explore. That's how I stumbled across the Decatur Wine Festival. I figured it'd be a good way for some outside fun and to sample a few wines. Who knows? Maybe I'd find my holy grail of wines!

The Decatur Wine Festival created by the Decatur Arts alliance kicks off once a year and is held in historic downtown Decatur. The festival features nearly 500 wines all for your sampling pleasure. I honestly had way more fun than I had anticipated, despite going alone and being totally clueless on wine culture. The people were friendly, the wine stayed flowing and there were also tasty foods, music and a dance session that kept the good times rolling! All of the wine vendors were very knowledgeable and helpful when it came to tasting. While I didn't quite find a wine that I felt like I could commit to - the overall experience did open my eyes to the various types of wines and makes me want to explore more ^_^ Below are a few pics from the fest. If you ever have a chance to attend a wine festival in your city I urge you to go! I definitely plan to do it again but next time I'll probably try the Atlanta Wine Fest. Enjoy!

A little entertainment before and during the fest

Delicious foods and treats (I think I ate more than I drank)

Good times!

I May Never Step Foot in a Grocery Store Again : The Farmers Market

2017-10-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

I haven't been to the Farmer's Market in years. In fact, I believe the last time I went was for a school field trip many years ago. I got a mini burst of energy a few days ago and decided I'd go see what it's like to visit as an adult who actually enjoys cooking these days. With the holidays approaching I'd say my little trip kinda fueled me into being excited about doing all the cooking this year lol.

I went to the Dekalb Farmers Market here in Atlanta and boy was the whole experience refreshing. If you've never been to your local farmers market it is definitely something you should experience; as most are rich in fresh, cultural and organic foods. Some of which you'll probably never find in regular grocery stores and the prices are insanely reasonable. My market had some of the most fresh and colorful fruits and vegetables I've ever seen. Even exotic fruits like Dragon and Kiwano fruit. I literally wanted to try one of everything but I paced myself as I didn't want to go overboard on my first visit.

Kale

Purple Potatoes

Dragon Fruit

Kiwano Fruit

The seafood section was literally a dream and had everything you could imagine. Various fish, shrimp, crabs, mussels, calamari...even a few live fish and creatures. The prices of the fish was super cheap and I wish I had gotten more. I ended up sticking with fish I've cooked before. I got tilapia, catfish and salmon. Waiting in line for your fish selections was a little hectic and unorganized but definitely worth it if you wanted them cleaned and the heads cut off. (there was no way I was bringing home fish with the head still on lol)

There was just so much food! I can't wait to go back. There were so many farm raised meat selections, pastas, pastries, they even had their own custom sausages. I picked up a few links of a delicious custom Italian Turkey sausage. There was also a floral department with some of the most beautiful arrangements I've ever seen.

And of course I couldn't leave without visiting the cafe and trying some of the cooked dishes. Everything was so good!

I made dinner last night with some foods I bought and it was incredible. Organic Kale & Greens, Berkwood Pork Chops and oven roasted Red, Purple & Yellow Potatoes. So delicious!

Fresh Coats DIY: Updating Old Spaces Easy & Affordable

2017-06-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

So I've been doing a lot of updating to my home over the past two years and it's quickly become more than just a hobby for me. It's been fun to see the drastic changes and even more exciting to be able to see my own vision come to life. It's an antique home built in the 1920's and I will say that the decision to keep it vs buying a newer home has been rewarding but not without it's challenges. I had a full bathroom and kitchen remodel about 2 years ago and I still get mesmerized walking through both rooms reminiscing on how far this little house has come. I'll share a few before & after photos of that in another post but today I wanted to share a glimpse of a smaller project I'm currently working on.

I recently cleared out a bonus bedroom in my attic. I initially was unsure of what I wanted to do with the space but now I've decided to turn the room into a cozy little dressing/sitting area. All of the walls in the attic are paneled wood except for the main bedroom which I had drywall and insulation put in a few months ago. I painted over the paneled walls in the smaller room (that's become my current project) several years ago. Although my initial paint job wasn't perfect, it still looked way better than those ugly brown panels that had been scraped up over the years. I really wanted to tear down all of the paneling in the attic but the one room (my bedroom) that I did do was quite expensive.

So I figured why not just save some coins and slap a fresh coat of paint in the bonus room. Besides the surface imperfections the walls were still in pretty good shape. Only this time I decided to go the professional route and just hire someone. My little paint job held up over the years but I painted that entire room yellow...from the ceiling to the trim to the doors. I don't know what I was thinking lol. I wanted to brighten it up a bit and make it girly so I chose a pretty rose pink for the walls. I couldn't be more happier with the color.

Here are a few before & after pics. It's amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do!

In my bedroom I also had some unfinished closet doors I had installed last year. I'd been meaning to paint it forever but finally got around to it. I wanted to do something a little different than basic white doors so I decided to go with a metallic silver. I absolutely love how it came out!

A few before & after photos. The camera truly doesn't do the beauty of this color justice but it's really pretty!

That's it for now but I'll be sure to post some updates once I get the room finished.

The Makings of Me: Discovering my Heritage + AncestryDNA Results

2017-05-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

For as long as I can remember I've always been quite intrigued about my family's history but the attempts to dig deeper into our roots always seemed to end with a concrete wall. I mean, I could only verbally trace back so far, only about 2 generations to be exact. Which included my maternal & paternal grandparents on my mother and father's sides and my great-grandparents whom they only had vague memories of. I remember my grandfather telling me stories of fighting in WWII and the Korean wars. I could listen to him for hours and I wish I had documented the memories before he passed.

My grandfather, Korea 1950

Being African American the loss of our family history is just the reality for most of us. Of course, I know the painful truth of the less than pleasant voyage of how we got here but I also feel like I deserve to know who I am beyond just the descendant of a people who were stripped from their culture. Thankfully, through science and forever progressive technology I am finally able to tap more into my long awaited journey of self discovery. Although there are so many options, choosing the right DNA test for me was pretty simple. I wanted something that had a confident probability rate, that was straightforward and specific in terms of possible trace regions. AncestryDNA had all of that and more. In an effort to not make this sound overly complicated here's the simply put version of how Ancestry's DNA testing works. You send them a saliva sample and they run it through their labs. The process can take anywhere from 6-8 weeks or more depending on the demand. My test took exactly 9 weeks, it was received on February 14th and my results were ready on April 15th. In your sample, Ancestry looks at what's called your Autosomal DNA which has the ability to look at both your maternal and paternal lines and discover your genomes (chromosomes that are present in a living cell) in over 700,000 locations where genetics markers appear in your DNA. To my understanding this is how they also identify specific regions and countries that you are likely from. They basically take their findings and compare it to other DNA with similar traits.

Going into this I recognize that this science isn't exact but more so an estimate of my possible lineage. With centuries of lost generations it's impossible to know all the specific details of your family history but for me, this DNA test at least gives me a structured understanding of where I came from and what makes me individually me. Which brings me to my results. In the midst of waiting I became more obsessed by the day with watching people's DNA results on YouTube. I couldn't wait to see how mine compared. Honestly, to say I was shocked about some of the findings is an understatement, lol I was SHOOK. Check out my video below for a few details on my family history and my initial reactions to my results.

Ethnicity Estimates and Percentages:

So here's how I summed up. Below are my estimates from AncestryDNA. The continents tested were Africa, Asia, Europe and America. Other regions tested were West Asia and the Pacific Islands. There are only 2 continents that share 100% of my DNA. Africa and Europe. All the other regions tested were 0% which dispels all the family related tales and random stranger observations of "wow you look *insert random ethnicity here* LOL! I must admit that I am still sorta shocked. Not at being from Africa and Europe but shocked at the percentages. I already had a general idea of what to expect based on history. If you're African American there really should be no shock in having a majority of DNA from Africa and some traces from Europe. European DNA isn't a shock because of the slave trade. Many slaves were raped and conceived children by their owners. I think the shock factor for me is solely on the percentages. Being 64% African was a shock as I expected that number to be much higher. Most of the result videos I watched, African American's were in the 75-95 African percentile with only small percentages of European. So, yes, having nearly 40% European DNA seemed pretty wild to me.

Comparisons:

I learned that there are other websites that allow you to upload your raw DNA data files. Some of these sites offer more insight about your results as well as calculate their own geographical percentages based on their findings in your DNA. I used DNA.Land and GEDmatch which are both completely free and only take about 24hrs to complete.

Below are my GEDmatch results. The site is a little more complex to figure out because they have so many comparison options. I found that the best option for me was the EthioHelix K10 + French Admixture Proportions. This specific comparison is best used by people who are mixed with African and European which is ideal in my scenario. With this one the percentages varied slightly and more African trace regions were found.

GEDmatch

Next are my DNA.Land results. This site was a lot more user friendly and easier to understand. They give a detailed ancestry report which consisted of similar percentages to my AncestryDNA. With this one my African & European percentages were nearly split evenly. It also picked up a small percentage of East African which I'm curious about. A tiny percentage of Gujarati which is actually the term for the language spoken in Gujart which is a state in Western India. That's fascinating, I guess it wasn't significant enough to be picked up by Ancestry's test.

DNA.Land

What does all this mean for me?

I am still kinda processing everything. In the grand scheme of things these percentages don't have a significant influence as to who I am today. I am black, I have always identified as black and always will. I'm very proud of that. I am proud of all the pieces that make me, me. I am proud of the big chunk of African blood that runs through me. Being someone who's extremely conscious and slightly militant (lol) I'd be lying if I said that knowing my bloodline has been significantly diluted with Euro DNA doesn't make me feel kinda emotional. My highest Euro percentage was in Great Britain which was known to have dispatched over 10,000 voyages to Africa for slaves. And coincidentally my highest African percentage is in Ghana, in earlier years referred to as the "Gold Coast". Ghana was once the center of the British slave trade. Although it happened in many parts of West Africa, Ghana was also notoriously known for having slave dungeons along the coast which allowed them to easily sell their own people into slavery. This is what makes me uneasy on both sides of the spectrum. I kinda get this triggering sadness with the question of where did my ancestors and myself ever really belong? What could I genuinely call my homeland? Aside from the ugly history, knowing these results have given me a deeper feeling of connection so to speak.

It would be a dream to one day experience the culture of both Continents. Until then, I plan to continue my research and learn more about all of my trace regions. I would love to visit parts of Europe. Right now I feel the most passionate about connecting to my African roots. Ghana and Cameroon are my highest region percentages so I'm very interested in visiting and consuming everything I can about both countries.

If you're at all curious about your personal family history and ancestry I would highly recommend taking one of these tests. I also plan on having my parents tested as well, just to kinda get an idea of what side specific percentages come from. It's truly been an awakening experience for me and I look forward to digging deeper into my journey.

Taco Tuesday: Spicy Shrimp Tacos

2017-03-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

I mean who doesn't love tacos? I love cooking and trying new recipes but I loathe spending hours in the kitchen and cleaning up a big mess. So to remedy that I'm always on board for a good quick and easy meal. I'd never made them before and wanted to try my hand at shrimp tacos. I found an amazing recipe for them over at Gimme Delicious. If you're into clean & healthy eating then check them out they have tons of great options.

What I love most about these tacos is that they are so fresh, light and satisfying! Almost hard to believe something so easy to make could also be packed with so much flavor. The possibilities are endless with these. I definitely plan to try new combinations of this recipe in the future.

The avocado salsa is delicious on its own but I threw in a little chopped mango and a dash of mozzarella. You can always add whatever fixings you like to the salsa, pineapples would be yummy.

Tomatoes, fresh jalapenos, avocados, cilantro and a dash of lime - yum!

Trust me, these are just as delicious as they look. You can top them with a little sour cream or ready made salsa if you like. Don't forget to grill or toast your flour tortillas, enjoy!

High Museum of Art Atlanta

2017-03-27T05:12:00.000-04:00

I've been trying to get in the spirit of doing more things around my city. It's crazy that although I've lived here all my life there are still tons of places I've never been to yet. Lots of new places and lots of old places that I'm almost ashamed of admitting to never visiting. (i.e. the historic Coca Cola Company). I don't know, I guess when you've lived in a place so long you always kinda figure you have all the time in the world to go but sometimes that just never happens. I'm working on changing that.

I love the arts, all mediums. I've probably visited The High only a handful of times - usually intrigued by specific exhibits which sparked my recent trip. I left inspired as always and just wanted to share a few photos. If you're in the Atlanta area you should definitely check it out. Enjoy!

Hale Woodruff's Murals at Talladega College

Depiction of the rise of blacks from slavery to freedom

Daniel Arsham "Hourglass" Exhibit

"Hourglass" by Daniel Arsham

The display features a dim room full of basketballs

A cute little house structure outside of the museum

A small unbound Qur'an written in Arabic script Maghrbi. Which was used in North Africa, Spain and Sicily in 1600.

Farewell, 2016

2016-12-31T14:24:00.000-05:00

I always have these big plans to do a full round-up post that summarizes some of my favorite things from the year but that never seems to happen as planned. I know everyone is beyond ready to throw up a big middle finger to this past year which seemed like a nonstop whirlwind of devastating losses in the entertainment world and on a personal level. But, even in the midst of all that, for me, there were still some highlights and good memories made.

2016, for me was all about appreciation, preparation, realizing my gifts, and living in the moment. This year I've learned to have a deeper appreciation for the people in my life whom I truly love and who truly love me. I don't talk about my personal life often but the past 3 years have rocked me mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually to my core. I've been through so much during that 3 year process but 2016 has been a revelation period for me. With the support of genuine friendships and personal faith, this year I learned how to not allow inevitable circumstances to define the person I want to always be. The biggest and toughest lesson I gained this year is realizing that I have to meet people I love where they are in life and to not have expectations beyond their capacity. I've also learned that if there is anything dimming my light then it must go. My peace of mind and sanity comes first, always. So today in the wise words of Iyanla Vanzant, I am detaching myself from every person, every circumstance and every situation that no longer serves a divine purpose in my life.

This year was also about rekindling my gifts. I'm very private when it comes to those but I'm learning to be more open with sharing my gifts. I've loved art since the moment I could hold a pencil in my hand. The beginning of 2016 I made a promise to myself that I would draw more. I fulfilled that promise and I'm so glad I did because so much growth and inspiration followed. I plan to do much more with my art this upcoming year and I will surely keep you up to date.

A drawing I did a few days ago

It was also such an incredible year in music. So many new projects and albums. I feel like everyone in the history of music literally toured this year. I went to SO many shows! I don't have the opportunity to go out a whole lot but when I do it's usually a concert. Music is my happy place. There is something so nurturing and therapeutic about experiencing one of your favorite musicians live and in their element.

A few clips from the concerts I attended in 2016

I don't dig too deeply into to yearly resolutions but I think 2017 will be about putting things into fruition for me. Overall, I've been blessed and look forward to what the new year has in store.

Chinese Lantern Festival Atlanta

2016-12-31T02:40:00.000-05:00

Let the NYE countdown begin! I decided that I want to stay home this New Years Eve but I still had a little bit of the holiday itch left so I wanted to do one last outing before ringing in the new year. In celebration of Centennial Olympic Park's 20th anniversary the city of Atlanta has hosted a number of events around town this year including the Chinese Lantern Festival. The fest travels around the world and showcases beautiful illuminated, handcrafted decorative lanterns, enriched with Chinese culture.

If the fest didn't make it's way to your city - no worries, I've got you covered. I wanted to share a few photos I took last night. If you're in Atlanta I highly recommend making a trip downtown to experience it for yourself. The fest will run everyday from now through January 15, 2017. They also have mini shopping booths, refreshments and live entertainment. It was super cold and windy out so be sure to bundle up! Let me know if you decide to go ^_^

Mini Holiday Haul

2016-12-25T10:30:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone is having a joyous day. I honestly had no intentions of buying much for myself this holiday season but once those sales emails started rolling into my inbox I just couldn't resist. So to get back in the spirit of bringing this blog back to life I decided I'd share a mini haul of some of the items I bought.

I've been in search of an everyday bag that was small, fashionable and could hold my daily essentials. I grabbed this black Calvin Klein bag from Macys online during their Black Friday sale. The red bag is by Coach which I purchased from their online outlet, also for a great price. I've always wanted a cute red bag and this one is perfection. Both bags are leather and I love the quilted look and crossbody straps.

I'm serious about skincare these days and I had a $15 Sephora coupon to spend so I figured what better time to restock my absolute favorite. ExfoliKate by Kate Somerville is an essential part of my skin routine and it's truly the only face scrub I will ever use. Seriously, if you haven't tried this then do yourself a favor and pick up a free sample at Sephora - I promise it'll change your life :-) I also had a bunch of Sephora Insider points piled up so I used them on a free deluxe gift. I chose the Argan Oil set by Josie Maran, I can't wait to try it.

I love cooking, especially during the holidays. I've had these cookbooks by Kelis, Ayesha Curry and Chrissy Teigen sitting in my Amazon cart for quite some time so I decided to finally go ahead and purchase them. I also added my fave Around The Way Girl Taraji's book to the mix. I can't wait to try some new recipes (which I will share here) and catch up on some good reading.

I'm a tad obsessive about organization and decluttering these days so I purchased a couple of jewelry organizers that I've been stalking from Pottery Barn Teen. These were also on sale.

Ok, so I'll admit these were an impulse buy after what was supposed to be a quick trip to Target. But everyone knows there is no such thing as a quick trip to Target. The bronze piece on the left is supposed to be a stationary item for holding pens and things but I'm going to actually use it as a holder for my makeup brushes! The piece on the right is a large candle holder but I plan to use it as a vase for a centerpiece that I'm putting together. I'll update you on that once it's done.

That's it for now...I promise to be back soon with updates. Happy Holidays!

The Beautiful Ones

2016-04-27T08:30:00.000-04:00

I'm still having such a hard time believing that this wasn't a dream and at any moment I will finally wake from it. Even though it all still feels so surreal, the reality is that this is real mourning I'm experiencing. For me, it's always such a shock when my favorite celebrities die because I feel connected to them in some way. Not personally but through their gifts in which they shared unselfishly with the world.

Prince wasn't just a celebrity to me, he was an icon. Incomparably talented, undeniably unique and second to none. I think this is hitting me so hard because I was at what would be his final show here in Atlanta just a week ago.

This photo was taken just moments after he left the stage singing Purple Rain. There were heavy restrictions against taking audio/video per his request. Though there were a few to rebel against his wishes, visibly eager to capture the moment. (I thought about doing the same) But this time I chose to put the phone in my purse and then something beautiful happened.

I've been to many concerts but for the first time I got to truly experience the artist in all of his glory. There was something so raw, so emotional, so intimate about putting the phone down and just taking in everything. I sang, I danced, I laughed and smiled the entire night.

For me, this was just a vivid reminder to always live in the moment and to appreciate the life I have and of those I love. Who would've known that I would get to experience what would be his last performance ever. Although this hurts deeply and my heart feels broken I feel truly blessed to have witnessed the beauty that manifested within him. The Beautiful Ones always go far too soon. Rest in eternal love.

My first time seeing Prince was at Essence a couple years ago. Me and my best gal pals forever bonded in purple.

New Orleans, 2014.

Rebirth.

2016-04-26T08:30:00.000-04:00

Yes, I'm alive. Wow! I can't believe it's been 2 whole years since I've posted on this site. Hey, life happens and I've had a lot going on personally that resulted in a much longer hiatus than I anticipated. But one things for sure, I can never stray too far because this blog is a little piece of me that I can never truly let go.

I've done a lot of self discovery in the past couple years and I've realized that I just have so many interests that can't be confined to one specific genre. Though I loved the foundation of beauty, style and confidence that this blog was rooted in; I'd be dishonest if I said I never felt like it was becoming one dimensional. Which as a creative started to bore me.

I'm all about new beginnings and this will be a rebirth so to speak. I have a lot of ideas flowing through my head right now but nothing solid enough to confirm exactly what they are. I do know that the direction I want to go in for this blog is what feels most natural to me - being organic, authentic, relatable and vulnerable.

Those that have followed my blogging journey throughout the years know that I truly do this for the love of it and the intangible things I gain from it. It's been a form of therapy for me and I really want to get back to sharing on a personal level. I feel like re-branding this as a Lifestyle blog is what I'm gearing toward the most. I think I can throw so many variations of things into that pot. Creativity, travel, my experiences and just life. No worries, my love for kick-ass nail polish and banging lipstick will still very much be a part of it. I'm still a fucking girl that loves pretty ass things. Ha!

For those of you that still follow , subscribe and who have supported my blogging journey throughout the years I thank you wholeheartedly for staying with me on this bumpy ride. Stay tuned...

Radical Skincare Age-Defying Exfoliating Pads Review

2014-04-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

Unless you were blessed with perfect genes then you know that maintaining healthy skin is an ongoing routine for most. Being that our skin is the largest organ of our body it also can be one of the most vulnerable which is why taking care of it is a necessity. Being someone with oily/combination skin I like to keep a variety in my product arsenal. I'm also very passionate about staying youthful for as long as I can. Radical Skincare and it's age-defying properties claims to do just that! I recently put their exfoliating pads to the test and incorporated them with my current routine, did they deliver? Keep reading to find out!

The Age-Defying Exfoliating Pads are much like everyday cotton pads that you can purchase in drugstores except they are thinner and each is coated and packed with anti-aging ingredients that are proven to tighten and firm skin, reduce the appearance of pore size and lines, and preserve the skin's hydration and nourishment.

Glow: I've used these pads for just about a month now and I incorporate them into my nightly skincare routine, usually applying it right after cleansing and before moisturizing. Early on with using the pads I definitely noticed a significant difference in the firmness of my skin and my pore size - they seemed smaller and much smoother than before. I also love the fact that the pads give me a squeaky clean feeling without drying out my skin or making it feel tight. Another high-point for me is that even after using a scrub and wash I noticed a tiny bit of residue lifting from my skin onto the pad which clearly indicates that even your favorite cleansers could still be leaving something behind.

Glare: The only thing I did notice which isn't really a negative for me is that the moist pads did sting a little bit when I first applied them. It's nothing major or intolerable though and I think it could've been due to me using a scrub directly before and also having a few prior sensitive areas on my face from picking my skin (yes I pick my skin it's a bad habit I'm trying to break!)

Would I Recommend It? I would! There's no overbearing scent and the results are noticeable within just a few uses. I also don't use these daily but more like 2-3 times a week and honestly it just depends on your skin and your preference but for me that's all my skin requires.

Where To Buy: The Radical Skincare Exfoliating Pads and the entire range of products can be found both in Sephora US and Canada. To learn more about the products or to purchase please visit www.sephora.com.

OPI Brazil Collection For Spring/Summer 2014 Review

2014-03-31T08:00:00.000-04:00

While these chilly temperatures sure aren't alluding to spring being anywhere in the forecast that definitely doesn't mean you can't indulge in a pop of color! OPI has introduced an array of colors in honor of Brazil for spring/summer. The collection consists of 12 shades ranging from brights to neutrals, alongside the collection there's a mini set of 4 liquid sand polishes to get your nails beach ready!

Next Stop…The Bikini Zone

This amethyst-toned pewter suits me just fine.

Don’t Bossa Nova Me Around

Nobody can stop me from wearing this creamy nude!

Taupe-less Beach

There’s nothing optional about wearing this enticing taupe.

I São Paulo Over There

He was sipping coffee with this mocha-toned beauty.

OPI Scores a Goal!

Make your point in this winning shade of rich chocolate.

AmazON…AmazOFF

I’m making the switch to this deep jungle green.

I Just Can’t Cope-acabana

Nothing lifts your spirits like this sunshine yellow.

Where Did Suzi’s Man-go?

He went to fetch her this delicious mango smoothie.

Toucan Do It If You Try

You have talent to achieve anything in this confident orange.

Kiss Me I’m Brazilian

Plant this warm luscious pink on me!

Live.Love.Carnaval

This vibrant and festive coral is the life of the party.

Red Hot Rio

A ruby red as hot as the most exciting city in Brazil.

Brazil Beach Sandies Liquid Sand mini's

Samba-dy Loves Purple

Well, who wouldn’t find this vivid textured violet irresistible?

I’m Brazil Nuts Over You

And I’m crazy for this textured matte pink.

What’s a Little Rain Forest?

I’ve got this textured matte blue and an umbrella for two.

You’re So Flippy Floppy

When I found this bright textured yellow, I just flipped!

Glow: I think I actually love the entire collection! Stand out shades for me are definitely the corals and mangos including Toucan Do It If You Try and Live.Love.Carnaval. I like the versatility of going from fun to work appropriate hues.

Glare: The only thing I'm on the fence about is whether or not I'm a fan of the whole liquid sand trend. The finish of the sandies is gorgeous but there's just something inside of me that prefers something a bit more smooth.

Would I Recommend It? Yes! The color palette of this collection is gorgeous!

Where To Buy: The Brazil Collection is currently available at various retailers nationwide. They retail for about $8.50-$9 each. To purchase, learn more or to locate a retailer near you please visit www.opi.com.

RiRi Hearts MAC Holiday Collection Review

2014-01-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

Again, I am late with this but I wanted to finally post the Holiday edition of the RiRi collection with MAC. I wasn't impressed by the liners, shadows or other products from this collection so I decided to stick with the lipsticks and to try the polish out. I was in line opening day for this collection and was a little shocked to see an actual line when I got to my MAC store. Fortunately there were only like ten people ahead of me but Bad Girl RiRi sold out just before it was my turn to checkout, so I only bought Pleasure Bomb and another RiRi Woo for the pretty packaging. Before leaving I swatched Bad Girl RiRi on my hand and instantly fell in love and decided that I NEEDED it! But since it was sold out and I was tired of stalking websites for it I went ahead and ordered it from Evil-Bay at over double the price *angry glare* But anyway I'm glad I did because I love it! Check out swatches of everything I purchased below.

RiRi Hearts MAC Holiday Collection

RiRi Woo, Pleasure Bomb, Bad Girl RiRi

Swatches

riri woo, pleasure bomb, bad girl riri

Bad Girl RiRi

Pleasure Bomb

RiRi Woo Nail Lacquer

the polish is very pigmented, it was opaque with one coat.

Glow: The packaging is so pretty, I love the white paired with rose gold! I didn't photograph myself wearing RiRi Woo because I posted it previously with it's original release. Let's jump into the two lipsticks. I'll start with Pleasure Bomb which is the only color I initially thought I wanted. Pleasure Bomb is a matte fuschia/rose shade, it's a bit more muted in color than I expected it to be. I definitely like it but it doesn't necessarily wow me. My favorite is Bad Girl RiRi which surprised me. After swatching the other nude from Rihanna's Fall collection it made me a bit skeptical about trying this one. I'm so glad I gave it a chance because it's completely different. What I love most about it is how the color gives off a pinkish/mauve on my skintone. I've seen many comparison pics of it and it's crazy how it looks so different on everyone. I've been searching for a brown girl friendly nude lipstick for awhile and this is perfection! I almost hate that I couldn't have bought a backup of it though.

Glare: I really have no gripes about any of these. The lipstick formulas are much better than those from her Fall release. I haven't worn either of these outside of swatching them for photos so I can't really give my opinion on the wear just yet.

Would I Recommend It? I would recommend MAC to stop making these limited ass edition collections that sell out in MINUTES! That's what I would recommend lol. Seriously, it's ridiculous. I'm tired of it, everyone else is tired of it but that's how they keep the demand up and their evil little tactics work because we keep buying into them. So what else can I really say?

Where To Buy: If you didn't get anything at this point from any of the RiRi collections then I suggest to just give it up because there is no hope left other than her boring Viva Glam collaboration which I will also be getting *cries*

Addicted To All Things Pretty Introduces "Luxe Oil" - A Staple For Radiant Skin

2014-01-29T08:00:00.001-05:00

It's like Winter came out of nowhere and with the chilly temperatures approaching, nurturing my skin is one of my top priorities. I'll be the first to admit that sometimes I am a bit delinquent when it comes to taking care of my skin with the exception of my face. One of my favorite blogging buddies Krissy from Addicted To All Things Pretty posed a question on twitter one day asking "how often do you reapply moisturizer during a single day" I almost think she was horrified by my response lol. I often shower with liquid soaps that have built in moisturizers so most of the time I do skip moisturizing my skin which I'm almost certain is a beauty crime of some sort ;-)

But like a fairy blog mother and slayer of all things ashy, my darling friend Krissy came along to save us all. Early this month she launched her signature skin care line called Luxe Oil. Luxe Oil is an in-shower moisturizer formulated to relieve dry skin and promote long-lasting radiant skin. The Luxe Oil line currently consists of three all natural hand blended products including Luxe Oil, Cocoa Deluxe Whipped Cocoa Butter Blend and a Whipped Shea Butter Blend with over 5 exclusive scents.

Luxe Oil
Cocoa Deluxe Whipped Cocoa Butter Blend and Whipped Shea Butter Blend

the Cocoa Butter blend is so rich and creamy!

Glow: Let me just say that I love supporting small businesses. I like the personalization that most small businesses provide and most importantly I always appreciate great customer service. I can't even begin to tell you how many small and start-up companies I've dealt with in the past who truly lack professionalism and a great business sense. So when I come across such impressive service with indie brands such as Luxe Oil I have to give praises. I was initially sent a sample of the in-shower Luxe Oil in the beautiful scent Coco-nilla to test out and immediately after trying it I decided that I would be doing myself an injustice if I didn't give the other two products a try. So I ordered the Cocoa Butter Blend as well as the Whipped Shea Butter Blend in Black Unicorn. After placing my order online it was shipped out the same day and I literally had the products in my hand in two days -talk about fast shipping! Lets get into the goodness of these products, the Luxe Oil not only smells amazing but also feels really good going on my skin in the shower, after drying off my skin felt so soft and looked radiant. The Cocoa Butter Blend has a thick rich consistency and smells like pure chocolate, it goes on effortlessly and leaves my skin feeling so nurtured. My favorite out of the crew is definitely the Whipped Shea Butter Blend, it's so creamy and smooth! The formula is blended to perfection. I've totally fallen in love with the scent Black Unicorn, it's intoxicating and heavenly and has become my new nightly staple after showering.

Glare: There's absolutely nothing negative that I can say about these products. Krissy has spent a great amount of time doing her research to create the perfect blend and she has definitely got it right! I love most of all that none of the products feel greasy or leave behind a residue, they absorb into your skin immediately and promote moisture and a healthy glow throughout the day. I also really like that the all natural ingredients are clearly labeled on the containers.

Would I Recommend It? I already have! I've purchased a few products for my BFF and my mother is next on the list after trying to set claims to my Whipped Shea Butter *side eye* lol! I almost forgot to mention that all of Luxe Oil products are made by hand which makes it that much more awesome!

Where To Buy: All 3 Luxe Oil products are available for purchase at http://www.addictedtoallthingspretty.bigcartel.com/. There are also upcoming products in the works including something for the guy in your life. To stay up to date with future releases be sure to subscribe to the Luxe Oil Newsletter.

RiRi Hearts MAC Fall Collection Review

2014-01-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

I am fully aware that the holidays are far gone and that this post is late as hell, but.....I was determined to get this one out one way or the other. I would've had this review posted ages ago if I hadn't had such an ordeal in trying to get these products, I explained all of that in my last post. But anyway I was pretty much able to get everything I wanted despite the BS. I was also able to purchase the products I wanted from Rihanna's final Holiday collection and a review will be coming soon. MAC also just released Rihanna's Viva Glam lipstick and gloss which I will be getting sometime soon. Some people are saying that MAC has gone a little RiRi crazy but hey she sells and that's all that matters I suppose. One thing for sure is that I'm over all of these limited edition/limited quantity collections and I plan to give it a break come the first of the year -the struggle in trying to get hold of them is beyond a headache plus I need to start enjoying the MANY products I already have *giggles*. Photos of the RiRi Hearts MAC Fall Collection, swatches and my full review are below, enjoy!

RiRi Hearts MAC Fall Collection

how cute is the packaging?!

RiRi Hearts MAC Fall Lipsticks

Talk That Talk x Who's That Chick

RiRi Hearts MAC

riri woo lipglass, extended play gigablack lash mascara, liquid last liner

Swatches

RiRi Hearts MAC Lipstick

Who's That Chick

RiRi Hearts MAC Lipstick

Talk That Talk

RiRi Hearts MAC Pro Long Wear Lip Pencil

RiRi Woo

Swatches

RiRi Hearts MAC Lipglass

RiRi Woo

Glow: I'll start with the packaging, honestly I think that's what really drew me in this time around. I love the rose colored boxes and the pink and rose gold theme throughout each of the products. For the lipsticks, Talk That Talk and Who's That Chick were the only 2 I wanted, I already have RiRi Woo so I would've just been purchasing for the packaging. Talk That Talk is a retro matte dark plum. Retro Mattes can be very drying but I always prep my lips with a tiny amount of chapstick before application and it still lasts for hours on me. Honestly I really love this color, it has more red/burgundy tones and was not as dark as some supposed dupes like Cyber and Yung Rapunxel. Who's That Chick has a frost finish and is described as a mid-tone orange. To me, it definitely has more gold tones than it does orange which I love. The color looks neutral on me and goes with my skin well -I like it! RiRi Woo Lipglass is a vibrant red, it's highly pigmented and goes on opaque with just a couple swipes. The formula holds up just like all MAC lipglass and the wear time is normal on me (about 3-4 hrs). RiRi Pro Longwear Lip Pencil is also very pigmented and can be worn alone or paired with the RiRi Woo Lipstick, I also hear that it looks great paired with Who's That Chick which I plan to try in the future. The Extended Play Mascara and Liquid Last Liner are basically just repackaged products that have always been with MAC and are not exclusive to this collection. I won't go into detail about either because I haven't tested the wear of them just yet. I will say that I do like the mascara, the formula is good, it's not clumpy and gives my lashes an even coverage.

Glare: The biggest complaints that I've read about this collection are based on the lipsticks, mainly Talk That Talk. I've seen other reviews that complain about the application and coverage issues that include patchiness. I haven't seen any reviews about Who's That Chick's formula but from my experience with it, that's the one I had issues with. While the lipstick feels smooth it goes on a bit crumbly. I'm not sure if that's from the frost or just the way I applied it. I tried applying it both from the tube as well as with a lip brush and still the same results. It's a pretty color but the application kinda sucks. I'll continue to play around with it to determine what works best for me.

Would I Recommend It? I don't think it's fair to answer that question since the collection is basically sold out. But I will say that if you're a Rihanna fan then I'm sure you already got your hands on it ^_^

Where To Buy: Unfortunately the majority of the Fall Collection is sold out. I've seen a few palettes, lashes, mascara and liquid liners lingering around on some of the retail sites that carry MAC such as Belk and Nordstrom but sometimes the availability that they show is not always accurate so I would always call before placing an order. As far as the lipsticks and other products your best bet is eBay if you just have to have it. But always use sound judgement when checking for reputable sellers.