God is Love

Brunch Alert: How to Create Restaurant Quality Muffins from a Box Mix

2018-09-01T06:30:00.002-07:00

It is the fall season and some of us are preparing for Brunches with our significant others, meeting the perspective in laws, or just hanging with the girls
So how do you create award-winning tasting muffins from a box?
1. Cranberry Orange Muffin Mix:
Take a package of dried cranberries and rehydrate them in orange juice, put them into the mix.
2. Lemon Poppy Mix: Juice 4 Myers Lemons and put them into the mix.
3. Blueberry Muffins: Take fresh blueberries and throw them into the mix.
4. Carrot Cake Mix, turn them into Morning Glory muffins by adding fresh grated carrots, chopped nuts, and reasons into the mix.

These are simple ways to turn the regular into the spectacular.

Cheers!!

Frugality Alert : Groceries for Under 100.00

2018-08-26T05:36:00.002-07:00

It is the last hooray of the summer, which is Labor Day and we took the 100.00 dollar challenge.
How many healthy groceries can we get for under 100.00
We listed our list into 4 quadrants:
Protein
Fresh Vegetables
Snacks
Beverages
Condiments
We looked for the best prices on all the quadrants.
1. Protein : Chicken was on sale for 99 cents a pound so we got two fryer packs for 17.00 dollars.
2. We looked for veggies mushrooms, spinach and kale, corn were all on sale.
Spinach was 2 for 5.
Kale was 2.00
Corn was 6 for 2.49
Green Bananas was 4 for 2.00 they are raw plantains that is loaded with iron and potassium.
Snacks:
Keebler Cookies had a special 2 for 4 dollars
Cheese crackers were buy one get one free, great for entertaining.
Beverages:
Tropicana had 2 for 4 dollars of their refrigerated all natural juices.
Organic Juice was on sale for 2 dollars
We picked up mango, and pineapple coconut.
Then condiments we looked at the Jerk season 2 for 6, but there was a marinade that was less spicy for 1.99
Price check: 72.00
We picked up a pineapple and organic bananas.
With 3 cases of water all for 82.00 dollars.
When we got home put the gloves on gotthe lemon juice and vinegar and peeled off the chicken skin and put it in a sealed tight container to make stock.
We diced onions, and bell peppers and got the quart size Ziploc bags.
One bag was for the Jerk Chicken.
One bag was for the Curry Chicken (had curry already in our pantry.
One bag was for the roasted chicken with olive oil, garlic, black pepper, cilantro and oregano.
We made salted fish stew with fresh tomatoes, garlic onions, and bell peppers.
We boiled the green bananas in water with coconut oil to give a nice contrast to the fish stew.
Also we shucked the corn, for roasting or boiling.
The kale, spinach cucumber and pineapple are all blended in a green juice for the week.
Then we have our eating bananas with almond butter with ginger ☕ in the morning.
Of course water through out the day.

So yes you can eat healthy plan those meals ahead of time!

Cheers. ..

Calling All Fashionistas !! Find Out How You Can Join Us At StyleCon

2018-08-24T10:01:00.002-07:00

Style lovers finally, have their own "CON"
Style Con NYC , Sat. Sept. 8 12pm to 5:30 pm @rootstudios an inspirational day of fashion and beauty, digital content creation, motivational, and educational speakers, pop up shops, plus Complimentary pamper services.

Celebrity Host @mrjaymanuel will be moderating the panels. You'll get a Style Tote full of products as well as refreshments pre -event, Networking Hour and Rooftop Happy Hour with complimentary drinks.
Listen and learn from the movers and shakers, the disrupters, CEO's and founders, models and beauty gurus. Tix await at www.Stylecon.com use code Positivexpert for an additional 10 percent off any ticket level.And we will see you Sept.8, 2018!

Cheers!!
Positivexpert

Menu for the Royal Party

2018-05-19T05:29:00.001-07:00

Whether you are British royalty or not you can host your own form of High Tea.

My menu for High Tea:
1. Traditional Scones
2. Savory Scones with Cheddar and Bacon
3. Finger Sandwich
Cucumber and Watercress
Bangers on sourdough bread (Bangers are Sausages sliced thinly with stoneground mustard with caramelized onions.
Smoked Salmon with cream cheese on pumpernickel

Hot Tea
Royals love Earl Gray Tea
Orange Spice Tea
Lemon and Ginger Tea

Condiments include jam, clotted cream, lemon preserves.

Cheers to the Royal Couple!!

Beauty Box Edition: Bless Box Spring Edition

2018-05-15T17:01:00.000-07:00

We tried this beauty box Bless Box it is a one time Spring Edition.

This box is so gorgeous that we don't want to open it is that pretty and amazing!

The Bless Box is nothing religious, the founder takes the word Bless to mean to confer prosperity or happiness upon.

This is exactly what this box does. Ok the contents:
1. Sol de Janerio, Sunset Glow Oil, Ipanema.
This is the latest product from the Sol Dr Janeiro line the makers of the Bum Bum cream. The scent is light and wonderful and it does give your skin a healthy glow.
2. Spongelle- Pedi Buffer in Beach Grass has a wonderful fresh scent and works wonders!
3.K Voss NYC, Macroon Lip Balm
It is a blend of coconut and almond oil.
And it has a wonderful clean scent you can prep your lips at night and in the evening for supple lips that will last all day/night long.
4. Hand in Hand Sugar Scrub in Orange Blossom or Lavender
This product is great because it comes in a carry size that you can put in your hand bag and go.
5. Keratase VIP Texturizing Spray which has a volume powder that works if you want your hair slick back or natural or tousled.
6. Purlisse Travel Size Lotus Essentia3 Daily Moisturizer SPF 30.
This is very good product because the first thing to age is not only our face but our hands. The hands will give you away in a minute so along with the sugar scrub you need added protection with this Daily Moisturizer.
8. Burt's Bees Eyeshadow Trio in Countryside Lavender gives your eyes that smoky look along with the dewy glow from the Sol de Janeiro it compliments any complexion.
But wait that's not all!
There is Coco Floss it is infused with coconut oil so it glides through your teeth with ease.
2. Hair Shots in Asian Green, this is pretty amazing because after the gym or cooking your scalp is porous so it asborbs all the smells. It is also has a clean scent and washes out in one shampoo.
3. Bare Apple Snacks in Fuji Red Apple Chips you can't beat these Apple Chips, we had them at our first event last year and they were great!
12. Tulsa Probiotic Skincare
Hand and Nail Therapy
I tried Tulsa products before they have an amazing skin mask so it was great.
This is for the hands and nails and if you are in a lot of water this is great for hydration because it contains 18 percent Shea Butter.
13. Our favorite bracelet which is the Marlyn Schiff thin cable bracket that is nickel and lead free.
14. Bless Up Cap, this cap is pretty amazing and it comes in pink and is so perfect with everything and spreading good cheer is always a good thing!
15. Springtime Greeting Cards great fun postcards.
What I love about the magazine that comes with the box is that it gives BLESS Stories of someone overcoming adversity ways you can support them either through gofundme.com or writing a cheerful note on their Instagram page.
Founder's Corner:
Then there is the founder and owner KVoss NYC who is the owner and founder of Bless Box.
Who also owns K Voss cosmetics which is smart to own your own line while promoting other brands.

So for a one time only box that is to beautiful to open. I highly recommend this box and looking into a full subscription.

Cheers and Bless Up!

Beauty Box Edition : GMA Deals Box

2018-05-14T04:33:00.002-07:00

So, we invested a couple of dollars on some Beauty Boxes, all of them new just to see how they measure up.

GMA occasionally gives beauty boxes and we snagged one for 40.00

What was included?
Lollia Relax Handcreme in Lavendar and Honey full size.
Make Up Eraser Sample- Great for travelling.
Rucker Roots Sample- Shampoo and Conditioner TSA size.
It's a Miracle Leave In Plus with Keratin. Sample Size
Spa Life- Natural Loofah Bath Mitt with Fruit Handmade Soaps.
AID Through Trade- Goregous Blue Print Bracelet
Strivitcin- Concentrate for wrinkles and at stretch marks. Full Size
Dr. Brandt- Hydro Biotic Recovery Sleeping Mask Sample
FAB First Aid Beauty- Ultra Repair Cream Dry Parched Skin
Poo purhi - Toliet Bowl Freshner
It does come with a card regarding if we want to purchase any full size items they would give a discount on future purchases.

The verdict the Strivitcin was well worth the entire cost of the box.

GMA Deals only does this box occasionally and this one was for Mother's Day.

Cheers!!

Spring Beauty Edit Part 1

2018-05-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

So we took some time off and now we are back in action!

We did a lot in fact we attended tapings, conferences, activations and here are some things we love!
Belif Under eye cream is amazing! It is priced at 45.00 a bottle but if you have a job that requires you to look your best and you have to get up early you are going to have some eye luggage.

This is a cooling gel that when you put it on day and night it really works wonders.

Strivitcin All of the talk shows love this product and I use the wrinkle and stretch mark cream along with the neck lifter and it is amazing!!

Ethique this is an all natural brand from New Zealand. And from a place that sells the best grass fed beef. I was all game to try this. I tried the foot scrub and the balm and the foot scrub and balm was so good I used them on my elbows and knees.

The next skin care product is from Dove the Dove Body Scrub, what I love about this is that it is very mild. So scrubs are so intense that they left my skin damaged and pitted.

Kopari - Kopari has a new beauty lines that are great. The coconut lip balm and the Rose and Coconut spritzer.
They are pretty awesome!

It is so light that it leaves you with a dewy glow that makes you completely glow.

Body Wash we are currently using Olay Green Mountain and smells amazing!

So there is our first beauty roundup with skin care.

Be sure to check out all the products your self and leave us a comment about your findings.

Use What You Have: Pantry Alert

2018-04-02T05:29:00.001-07:00

Many of us who just celebrated Easter and Passover, spent well over 2,000.00 in food. As I went into the grocery store I found myself picking up things aimlessly.
Only to put everything back that and walk out of the store.
When I came home I did an inventory, I did have several cake mixes, bacon, cheese, tons of eggs, cereal, chicken, tomato sauce, rice, olives, kale.
What did I make?
1. Bacon and mushroom quiche
2. Chicken Cacciatore
3. Yellow Rice flavored with Tumeric, bay leaf, and olives.
4. With the cake mix I doctored it up and used the juice of a 6 lemons and the zest to make an awesome lemon cake.
5. The cheese went into the quiche and the other half went into an Alfredo sauce for the pasta
Kale I used for a kale salad.

By the time I was finished cooking I had enough food for a wonderful holiday brunch and dinner.

Many of my guests thought it was the best brunch/ dinner out.

If they only knew I just "used what I had "

Cheers!

The Beauty Spot: Spring Edition

2018-03-29T11:16:00.003-07:00

One of our favorite things is Beauty!
We tried some of the best products on the market and this is what we found:
1. Belif Moisture Under Eye Cream:
This is a great cream since I had to wake up early one week, it was amazing you can get this product at Sephora for $55.00

Shampoo there is an awesome product called Virtue it is 100% paraben free and has no dyes whatsoever.
The shampoo and conditioner would set you back 150.00 dollars. But again it is well worth it.
There are times when you are so anxious the normal deodorant just won't do, especially when you are preparing for a big interview. Secret has a clinical strength product that will cut body ordor, which is so important.
It comes in various scents and in a clear gel it will run you 10.00 but it is well worth it.

Laneige Sleeping Mask, there is something that I noticed we all need moisture on our skin. I was skeptical about trying a sleeping mask because I wondered how it would really affect my skin. But I tried it and it was wonderful that amazing dewy look was just great!

LaRoche Posay SPF 60
This is a high end drug store brand, that is very light that you can wear it under your make up and it is all natural.

Nails, nails, nails
The nail polish color in season is bronze and goldtones and who makes it the best is Sally Hansen.

That is our Beauty Spot Spring Edition Part 1.

Cheers...

Probiotic, Fiber and Plant Based

2018-03-20T04:37:00.000-07:00

You say where have you been Positivexpert?

Well, as you guys know I do some TV,
for the last couple of years I have been experimenting with diets with the Dr. Oz Show. First it was the plant based diet and this diet is amazing because plant based eating is so inexpensive and healthy. Plus, you don't go totally vegan instantly because it would be too much on your body.
But, having less meat is something that is beneficial for all!
I did loose a ton of weight in a quick amount of time. But the goal was could I try something new and stick with it?

Then I always had very bad acid reflux and heartburn. Being on the Probiotic Diet introduced me to the power of fermented foods.
Kim-Chi fermented cabbage that is spicy. And Kombucha, which is actually fermented tea that taste great!!

Did this help my bloat and digestive problems, absolutely!

I always buy Kombucha! And if I want a great soup with a kick, I throw in Kim Chi.

Now why is fiber important?
Fiber is important because it flushes the colon, it provides great natural cleanse.
Also a lack of fiber contributes to bad breath, constipation and it some cases Colon cancer.

So we have been slowly incorpating these changes into our diet. Also, less dairy and plant based milks such as almond flax seed , oat milk that is used in Sweden these are great alternatives.

So here are some great things you can incorporate into your diet and get to feeling great again.

Cheers!

Self Care : Why Is It Important

2018-03-15T03:53:00.001-07:00

Self Care is the latest buzz word in the wellness industry.

But what does it really mean?

Upon further discussions with experts is my friends, self care is the ability to unplug from life's daily demands.

As one person told me with this world of uncertainty the only thing we can control is how we feel in our bodies.

Then question remains do we just do anything we want because it makes feel good?

The answer is NO, self care is all about taking care of your physical self so you don't end up with a chronic illness such as diabetes, hypertension, anxiety, etc.

Some of the ways of unplugging are to
1. Get enough rest! When you don't sleep you are depriving yourself of vital oxygen to the brain and the ability to produce red blood cells which carry iron through out the body.
2.You are prone to anxiety and depression when you don't get enough sleep.
3.Unplug from the TV, if you constantly watch the news, murder mystery and don't break up your programming then you are prone to feel helpless, which can contribute to depression.
4. Walking is the best form of exercise and it makes you feel great. For me walking clears my mind and allows me to think clearly.
5. Eating healthy, there are moments where we all want to grab that bag of chips and plow through it.
But, suppose if there is an alternative, what about having chocolate pudding with toasted coconut, made from avocado, banana, cocoa powder and coconut milk.
6. Beauty always load up on the best products, for hydration it is Almond Shower Gel by L'Occitane, Cherry Blossom by Sakura Collection of Rituals.
7. Scents for your home constantly have citrus scents throughout your home they are calming and citrus scents have a way of lowering blood pressure and reducing anxiety.
8. This is the most important avoid toxic people, people who constantly complain, competitive, and always looking for a verbal argument.

Truly leave those people alone!!

So that is what self care means to us at Positivexpert and we hope that you practice it in your own corner of life.

Cheers!

Our Holiday Picks---Beauty.

2017-11-16T07:44:00.001-08:00

We have been to some pretty amazing events this year and sampled some great products and here is what we found:

Beauty:

Whish Mud Mask:
This is Mud Mask is great going on it gives a tingly sensation but when give it a month and you will see amazing results.

Murad Vitamin C and Acne Spot Treatment:
This facial wash is great and it does give that brighten glowing appearing when used every day.
The acne spot treatment is great as well because it is super concentrated and it gives that all glowing appearance

L'Occitane:
The Almond Oil Shower Gel, with the winter months coming up it sure does live up to standard and is super rich and you don't need a moisturizer after your shower.

The Cottage Greenhouse:
The Cucumber Shea Butter moisturizer hand lotion, if you are constantly in water this is a great hand lotion for you, a little dab will do you, but it is wonderful.

Nails:

The next best thing to having your nail bed damaged is having press on nails. They have made a huge come back and the company that has an amazing line is STATIC NAILS.com, their nails are just short from amazing for real.

Speaking of nails, as for nail polish it is Sally Hansen for me all the way. The one step gel coat is short of perfection and it last for a week with out re-touching.

Nail and Feet Treatment:
I had to stock pile this Biopure has a nail and foot sock that is filled with a Keratin treatment that you when put it on after your shower it is nothing short of perfection. And it will have your hands and feet feel so soft and radiant. You must do this year long.

Hair:
We tried loads of products but the ones we love the most are:
Color treated hair: There is this shampoo you can get from Whole Foods that specializes just for color treated hair without the sulfates. Amazing!!

Cream of Nature has a great Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and their Acai and Keratin Conditioner pack makes anyone's hair feel so soft.

Bio Silk if you have fly away hair it is so great it is amazing!!
It is so light yet it works great with the finest of hair to the thickest of hair and gives that amazing shine that in any type of light would your hair looking at shiny and healthy.

Make- Up:

Highlighter:
We love anything that Laura Geller puts out especially her highlighters, it is the most amazing product on the market.

Long lasting lip Color:
Tres-tique Crayon Lip colors:
They are so long lasting that you can go to sleep and wake up the next day and it still be on your lips.

Foundation:
Clinique, this is an amazing product especially their Beyond Perfection Concealer and Foundation all in one, so great an amazing!!

Eyeshadows:
Anything Urban Decay is great! Even the basic smoky eye palate to there Moon Dust is just great and makes you look amazing.

Blush:
My favorite and go to blush is Razin by M-A-C it is totally great especially for mixed skin tones.

Well, there are our beauty pics for the entire year that we tested and we got amazing results.

Cheers to the looking AMAZING!!!

Our Fall Picks...

2017-11-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

We know we were being melodramatic and not fun or lighthearted as we normally are...

Here are a few things that we know are fab for the fall and holiday season...

Subscription Boxes:

Vine Oh!

I have ordered from this place around five times... at first their intro price was 12.95 but they had me hooked for real...

Here is what you get:
2 bottles of wine with an option of one or two extra, they are so good that I have had several people tell me their guests wanted to know where I got that wine!

The wines are premium and they are seasonal as well.

But, it comes with a Oh Now box, geared for women, but it is amazing!
You get earrings, bath and beauty products, and a sweet treat.

What I love about the box is it's value and seasonality!!!

The holidays are coming up and for the reds they will have a Merlot and the whites they will have a Riesling and I can't wait to see what they are going to have for Oh Now box looking forward to that!!

Fab Fit Fun

Everyone knows this box, it is quarterly but what I love about this subscription box is they the in between boxes called Editor's Boxes.

In the Fall Editor's Box I scored a wonderful sterling silver necklace called wishbone I haven't taken it off since I got it and it looks so good! I also scored a bag that looks amazing that I can to any business meeting. Then the mini- room difusers in Apple makes any room smell so good and inviting and the Mea - Sea room spray in citrus makes any room smell amazing.

Then of course the books...

We went to the Hachette Book Brunch one warm October afternoon, and it was so great!

The authors were approachable and down to Earth, in fact I had a great in depth conversation with one of them she was so insightful and I have been reading her books for the past decade. She came with no entourage but her lovely husband and friend and she explained to me her writing process, which is something that I can appreciate for certain.

Random House... Behold the Dreamers the Oprah Book Club Pick

What I love about this event no, not the wine, but we were seated at tables and we were able to discuss the book with other readers and with an editor who facilitated the small discussion groups. The reason this book is so interesting is talks of an immigrant who is lured by the "American Dream" meets someone who is living the Dream, then through a series of turns they realize that perhaps this dream is not what they bargained for and returned to their homeland, how the writer tells ending and the journey of the story is amazing. But, what is so amazing in the author's journey, she like me was taught that writing or anything in the creative field is not profitable so while she loved books, and thought of stories as a child she never thought of writing as a career, until she got laid off. When she got laid off, she applied and applied for all types of jobs for two years until she decided to give this writing thing a chance. And for her first novel, to win so many other awards in the writing field, to be invited to speak at the UN, etc. This just goes to show everyone that what you are truly suppose to do in life, your calling will find you in unexpected ways.

Foodie Alert:
Making homemade sauces, my mother had so many tomatoes it was such an overabundance and one day I wanted to make empanadas but didn't have an store bought Sofrito, so I saute a bunch of tomatoe's added onion, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and oregano, and made the empandas, it was okay, but I was craving some black bean soup and I used the sofrito and it was amazing! The taste was that of any high end Latin American restaurant, the flavors of the sofrito, the black bean and the cassava dumplings where awesome!

Got a sweet tooth then you should check out thecrispery.com they make huge rice crispy treats, so... what is so amazing about them is that they operate in a nut free facility, so if you or your child has a nut allergy then you can feel safe knowing that this is treat won't have you reaching out for the Epipen.

That is what we were up to this October... lot's of other good things happening in the future so we are looking forward to Nov....

The Beauty Spot: Fall Picks

2017-09-24T16:46:00.001-07:00

This is the beauty spot where we spot out the best in beauty and bring it you !

First up Skin Care:

Murad.com
We bought Murad or the famous Dr. Murad skin care after hearing him give a speech on the importance of topical Vitamin C and his highly concentrated Acne Spot treatment.

I tried the topical face wash with Vitamin C for a week I noticed a great change in the color and texture of my skin, it was so bright it was amazing!

Then, I tried the topical Acne Spot treatment and wore no foundation just the face wash, Acne Spot and mascara.

People asked me if I had worked done, my face looked amazing! And it really looked so amazing that I took a selfie and put it on Instagram.

Tresitque:

This is an all natural matte crayon lipstick and the other end is a lip balm. I received this in the Fab Fit Fun Box and it was really great. I got opted for Burgundy or red and everyone complimented me on this lipstick. Even if you aren't really feeling great then but you put this lipstick on it does give you a major lift!

NARS.com mini concealer:

This concealer is great in med/dark and when it is still wet I put a bit of highlighter under the eyes to give it a nice pop and brighten my eyes. Amazing product!

Cover FX:
Highlighters: These highlighters work on all skin tones and shades and it gives everyone such a nice look. I bought these during a gmadeals.com Hurricane Harvey special and it is amazing! When I wear black or dark reds or maroons, then I use the rose color highlighter, when I am wearing oranges, pinks, hot pinks, I wear the gold color so it can pick up my gold and orange undertones in my skin and I have a healthy glow.

Perfume and Oils:
The Allure Beauty Box I paid for I received a lavender body oil sample, kept it in the box so it wouldn't go rancid (natural oils do, do that) then instead of lotion, I put the lavender oil and sprayed it with carolsdaughter.com Manoi perfume that has hints of vanilla, orange and lavender, the result was amazing! It was truly great smelling and I was on cloud nine all day long!
(Need a quick pick me up wear floral perfumes during the winter months!)

So those are our fall picks so far!! Check out for more as we scour the aisles of Sephora, go to events, and get products!

Cheers!!!

One Hundred Dollar Challenge: Fall Wardrobe Update

2017-09-24T16:08:00.002-07:00

Many complain that a dollar or one hundred dollars just can't buy enough and oh boy about the needs, etc....

So, I took the 100.00 dollar challenge this is what it got me:

1. Clothes:
New York and Company was having a BOGO sale on dresses and I really needed a wardrobe update so I took advantage of it and for the price of one dress I got two dresses that are chic, on trend, and would last all season long.

Price Check: 52.00...

2. Make Up Update:
I really needed some new make up so I bought from Cover FX two in one highlighters, one in a rose color that would really work well with the Fall deep reds, burdgundies, etc. and a gold highlighter that works really well with my skin tone.

Price Check: 20.00

(Plus a portion of the sale went to the Hurricane Efforts in Texas.)
Thanks gmadeals.com.

3. Black Bucket Handbag with a Black Metallic Chain:
There was a new handbag subscription service called: Ivory Clasp so you buy stylish bags that are not knock off before they hit it big. They had a promotion, 19.00 dollars for the latest bag, surprise my bag was awesome.

So for 100.00, I got 2 dresses for the price of one, make-up, and a fabulous black trendy bag.

So for 100.00 you can update your fall wardrobe!

Cheers...

Style Collective: Digital Landscape Arrived

2017-09-23T00:17:00.001-07:00

We're back... We covered Fashion Month in NYC and it was amazing!

All I can say is expect to see ultra feminine, loads of sequins and people expressing their cultural point of view.

The event that really put things into perspective for us was Style Collective, the bloggers event that kicked off Fashion Week.

The Reality of the New Digital Landscape:

Bloggers from all over the country was there and ready to be seen and heard!

Many of the bloggers are new, some in college, some taking blogging as a college course and others who just wanted to get into the shows for free.

Well, it is true that the digital landscape is far out pacing traditional media, when I started five years ago, I was laughed out of NYFW and the only events I could go to was Tech events.

Now, bloggers are getting major book deals, endorsements, and they are far out pacing the traditional celebrity in many ways.

There will always be sports hero's because you can replace tennis, soccer, or football... so sports will continue to see a rise as people start to solidify their own tribes, but bloggers are going to replace many digital publications in the near future.

Style Collective:
Style Collective was started by Annie Spanno who was bullied out of her dream job as a product developer a few years ago and noticed a need for bloggers to join and come together, thus Style Collective was born, SC has chapters all over the country and the big culmination is the SC NYFW Party.

What I loved about the party that there were 5 or 6 carefully selected brands who were available through their gift bags or product demo's, at the party it was a party with great music, food, wine, tattoos, and just a great vibe of meeting people from all over the country.

The brands did follow up with every participant there, which was amazing! They offered full size products of course for brand awareness on your social media channel, which is fair game but they were not overly aggressive and wanting to push product, you get turned off.

Style Collective is a great investment in any bloggers career because not only do you get exposure to brands, but you get to be a part of a profession that is growing exponentially.

Thanks SC for not only having a great party, but giving bloggers the tools to make things so simple.

Cheers!

NYFW: Beauty Spot: Hair Care

2017-09-03T08:29:00.000-07:00

So next week we begin to go to the fall independent shows, then the CFDA shows...

How does one keep or maintain those awesome locks?

We discovered a great product by madam cj walker that you can find in sephora.com and it is a detox for your scalp and locks.

This product you sit with it on for 15 min. and let it do it's magic!

Rise then wash with a shampoo that works for your hair and then conditioner.

I must say that with all the product build up in a person's hair that it does work wonders!!

Especially during NYFW when you will be going for multiple hair do and accessories, etc. this is an amazing product!

Madam CJ Walker has the best in terms of pre scalp detox, you must invest in this product for a healthy scalp.

Cheers!

How Addiction Starts...

2017-08-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

When you do your annual physical exam doctors now ask how many drinks do you have in a week?

And a depression screening... weird I thought until this summer. It was filled with so much negativity, multiple betrayals, people who drop the ball then blame me, false accusations, then over the top demanding houseguests... then watching national news.

One day I found myself in a liquor store buying a can of Rose, which happens to be rather good, but I rarely drink, then I am outside on a Friday evening drinking half a can of Rose.

I go to the mall and eat half a bag of BBQ chips, then more stuff keeps on snowballing-- like the cab driver who wanted to give me a lecture of being prepared.

I wanted to reach for the can of Rose, then I found that I used that for my frose and drank the other half when someone came on my deck to ask me something so absurd, I wanted to know if Ashton Kutcher's series Punk'd got a reboot.

Then, I looked at the mini bottle of Jack Daniels and said "Hey this where I draw the line!"

I talked to a friend for 2 hours, who just listened and listened, then I went to therapist to see if I was really losing it and she said NO!

The next day I realized this is how addiction starts, it starts with one incident, then with another incident and taking things so personal that you don't know how to cope. I am one who likes to solves problems myself so I don't tell anyone, mistake number one, tell someone!

I so grateful that my friend was there to listen for those 2 hours and he asked me "Why didn't you call me sooner?" He said when you don't talk to anyone and isolate yourself, then you run the risk of falling into a depression, which I did and the therapist said the same thing!

People who are type A personalities who loads of people place tons of expectations on and you have to deliver, are prone to falling into substance or addiction issues.

Thank goodness I caught myself for real, and I remembered the 4 Agreements, "Don't Take Anything Personal."

Meditation for me is wonderful, therapy is not for the severe mentally ill but it is for people who need reality checks, is this me ? or them?

Having a friends that you are willing to just listen you unconditionally, men are great for that!

Also, scaling back, Fashion Month is coming up, do I need to go to 150 shows in 2 weeks?

In terms of events Do I really need to plan the next Circ Du Solei for 30000? Maybe a nice elegant spa party for 10 and take it from there.

People often underestimate the power of small, but tons of people are now promoting small healthy batches of cooking, make-up, even in fashion many quality designers are forgoing buy now pay later, so they put out a well made collection that is sustainable, hence smaller collections.

So as we move into the last quarter of the year don't load yourself up with trying to do everything, and take on everyone's delusions or else you would end up with a serious addiction problem.

De stress and de toxify your life and you would be fine...

Cheers!

Beauty Spot: NYFW Prep Part Two

2017-08-29T06:31:00.002-07:00

Now that we got our basic makeup it is all about the hands and nails.

A few months ago on either GMA or The View (Deals Show) I bought Glove Treat, paraffin treatments pop in the microwave for 30 seconds on each side and place one hand in one glove and you got something good going on!

Now that our hands are nice and soft our go to for nails...Sally Hansen new nail polish is now a one step gel nail polish, no base and top coat anymore. Two coats and you are good.

We loaded up on metallic because you can use them for day and night shows as well as the office.

Our colors are:

Shimmer- Which is a peach and copper metallic nail polish

Stilettos and Studs- Gray metallic

Adrenaline Crush: Purple metallic

These colors are the latest and the most appropriate since the basics are coming back into style which are black, gray, and white.

So get your hands the softest by using Glove Treatments and the your nails the best by Sally Hansen metallic in one step Gel Nail Polish.

Cheers!

Beauty Spot: NYFW

2017-08-28T06:39:00.001-07:00

It is only a week a way NYFW, how are you coping with the fact that you must be camera ready at all times.?

My finds are not 100 percent "clean beauty" but these will get you through NYFW.

1. Urban Decay- Setting Spray all Night Long- 15.00 at Sephora-it is a larger bottle and will get you through NYFW day and evening shows.

2. Urban Decay- Top Coat Lip Color- This is so amazing because it last longer than a lip gloss and gives your lips that wow factor.

3. Sephora Brand- Red Lipstick- This is the closest you will find to Ruby Woo, it is amazing, I line my lips with this red lipstick and then put the top coat in Sheether over it to give it a orangey sparkle.

4. NARS - Med/Dark Mini Concealer- This works wonders for my skin tone, under the eyes are the best!

5. Sephora Brand- Highlighting Powder in Gold Tone Shade... Before your concealer sets in take this and put it under your eyes, it is amazing! It will last all day with one retouch at midday.

Remember Smoky Eye, Nude Lip/ Bold Lip mascara and concealer.

Cheers to an awesome NYFW!!

Real Reason Why I Stopped Dieting

2017-08-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

Everyone is eating plant based or clean, with non- GMO's and lactose and dairy and sugar free.

OK. Oct. 2 would make my 7 year anniversary that I lost 130 lbs. and everyone who looks at my size 12 or 14 body asks me don't you want to work out?

Which leads me to an article that I read on Refinery 29 about the 67 percent project, that 67 percent of American women are at a size 14.

One day went I went to a local mall, the majority of women were my size some bigger, some had children wasn't too concerned about the baby fat, other women were walking with their boyfriends and were happy.

So, I began some deep introspection if these women are a 14 and up size and are happy, why am I struggling to count calories, drink tons of water, etc.

Trust me I am all for being healthy, but being so concerned to near obsession about losing weight is really unhealthy and led me into old feelings that I because I was not a size 0 or under 100, I was worthy of anything; especially anything good.

I was in a depression and subconsciously started packing on the pounds.

Then, I went to the mall again, and saw more plus size women getting their hair and nails done, talking on the phone and laughing with friends, planning movie and date nights.

One even took out a dress she bought and asked the advice of her friends and one said it didn't show enough of her "assets." ( The woman was a size 20).

Wow! I thought these women are really living!

Then why am I feeling ashamed and down because I am a size 12?

Back to health...

I had a series and I mean a series of healthy exams, my cholesterol was down 45 points, my blood sugar was below the range of being diabetic, and I was told to go to the nearest steak house and eat red meat because I was anemic, which explained the lack of energy. My heart and lung capacity are at 98 percent after a stress test and three echo cardiograms.

What the heck was I stressing and getting myself depressed about?

My doctor told me that I had stats of a 30 year old..

So, if I do have large breasts and a large behind it offends a person don't look! I always wear clothes to suit my size anyway.

Being body positive does not mean unhealthy, shame yourself into not being seen, it means self love taking care of yourself and in my case having a excellent medical stats, doesn't seem that bad after all.

Take of yourself, health is the number one priority and loving who you are is the real movement behind being body positive.

Cheers!

Beauty Spot: Nailpolish Review: Sally Hansen

2017-08-17T04:56:00.002-07:00

Now that summer is winding down, time to put away the bright blues or pastel yellow nail polishes.

Back to work, back to school, and back to the daily grind. But, you still want to have your fun in terms of nails... we found four great colors from Sally Hansen that will give you that polished look.

Sally Hansen Argan Oil Collection we found:

1. Rosy Glow- it is a combination of pink and red, we recommend wearing this color for days where you have an event after work, or date night.

2. Aren't U Relaxed- This is a coral color more on the orangey side of things, but still work appropriate.

3. Freedom of Peach- This color looks great on women of color, it is a peach nude this is the ultimate in a manicure.

4.Rasin the Bar- This color is great and goes with silver it is rose with silver undertones.

Cheers to wonderful nail colors for the back to work and back to grind season!!

The Beauty Spot: IPY BLUSH, Urban Decay, Shea Moisturizer

2017-08-15T05:50:00.002-07:00

We are finally winding down in terms of summer. There are some products that can go into the fall that we just love!!

IPY Blush- Peach Glow- We snagged this actually at BeautyCon and it is amazing! It goes on peach but has a gold under tone, so you don't have to use any highlighting powder, it is so subtle yet gorgeous.

Wild Grow- If you have had any problems with hair breakage and fall out this is the product, I used this in the winter when I saw that I had bald spots and I use this very often, not only did it regrow my hair along with vitamins, but it is amazing. It is plant based and the base of this product is Jamaican Castor Oil, which is known to naturally regrow hair.

Aunt Jackie's Natural Shampoo and Conditioner- We wanted to know what this "natural products" that are not mainstream was all about and we found this brand that was based in flaxseed oil. We tried it and once again, the thickness of our hair was amazing!

Urban Decay- Heat Palate
The Urban Decay Heat Palate is great, we chose the lipstick heat, which is a red brick color with gold tones, it is absolutely amazing!

It is all about the EYES!!

We used Shea Moisturizers crayon eyeliner to create a smoky eye look with Urban Decay's Smoky and Moondust eye palate, and we got amazing compliments! It was amazing how well and how long the products lasted.

Perfume or Scents

We have been wearing Michael Kors Wanderlust, and for whatever reason, people have told us we smell awesome!

That is our mid to end of summer beauty recap....

Cheers!!!

Anti-Inflamation Diets Really Do Work!

2017-08-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

So, I wanted to see what the hype of eating an anti-inflammatory diet was all about since, I still have the 50 lbs. to lose.

I read about the benefits of turmeric, ginger, no red meat, dairy, soda, no salt, or even certain fruits.

Then, I was waiting on line in an ethnic grocery store where someone told me to drink grated turmeric and ginger tea and stop eating red meat, the woman actually put the whole turmeric root in my basket.

So, out of necessity, I began to eat organic turkey and chicken and only season it with turmeric, Hungarian smoked paprika, and ginger. If I ate rice it would throw in some ground turmeric and chives.

Then, I drank nothing but water, still having some sweets but not a lot. I mean water became my best friend that I had to run to BJ's three times a month for cases of water and coconut water as well.

Did I lose a ton of weight. No, but here is what happened...

1. My blood pressure was stabilized

2. The marker to see if you are diabetic or not dropped 8 points.

3. My cholesterol dropped 45 points

4. Plus, I lost 4 inches off my waist.

This is without me working out, another person told me just do yoga and meditate, you can then lose all the weight you want.

I am now going to try to do both of them with a non-profit.

Does a anti-inflammatory diet work?
For myself it works wonders, now is the yoga and meditation along with eliminating even chicken.

Of course you must check with your doctor before starting any regimen, but for me it works wonders!

Cheers to good health!!

Does sampling, subscription boxes, and deals show work?

2017-08-07T05:50:00.000-07:00

Many retailers have cut back on giving free samples to customers, and we have seen since the last few years many subscription services folded.

However, you need to ask with still so many subscription services out there do sampling programs really work? Is it really worth your company to donate samples or full size products to influencer events of swag.

As a consumer first and a blogger and influencer later, it absolutely works!

1. I was given many years ago a swatch of different foundations and concealers from clinique.com they are the only foundation that I can use without having to mix several other foundations to get a perfect finish. When I do make Television appearances, this is my go to foundation, even professional make- up artist say that this is the best brand for my skin tone.

So thanks to a swatch, I am a loyal supporter of the foundation.

2. Clinique.com I was also given a sample for skin wash for oily skin from clinique.com. It was effective, but this summer I had major acne from the heat, moving, stress, etc. I went to a event where clinique.com was the beauty sponsor, they had an acne wash, so I bought the full size of that as well as some amazing lipsticks.

Again, if were not for that sample, I would have never made that full size purchase, so for two samples, I bought over 75.00 worth of product.

Subscription Boxes:
The best and most addictive subscription box if fabfitfun.com for 49.00 you get full size products from beauty to lifestyle, plus there is a section where they reserve for subscribers to get any of the remaining inventory for 70 percent off retail price.

The latest craze is Spongelle's, Kopari Coconut Oil blend, Brazilian Body Cream, Herbivore, an amazing keratin treatment for hands and feet, all for much less than we have seen. What does this mean? Because the prices of current products were so low we ended up buying 200.00 worth of products. Yes, we are using all of them.

Speaking of the Deals Show... All of the morning shows now have a segment of getting something for below market price.

My favorite deals show is GMA and whatever I bought from the vendors on the deals show, I have returned to purchase as full price items, this is from beauty items, to cinnamon rolls, to Omaha Steaks, to even sunscreen. toryjohnson.com and her team have been mentoring business owners for over 18 years and in 2010 when gmadeals.com launched she knew exactly what product viewers would want and for seven years she and her team have not missed a beat in providing viewers that are functional and stylish.

So after much thought and revelation do sampling, subscription, and deals shows work to have consumers as repeat customers, absolutely!!

Cheers to full size purchases!!