This weekend was great! I took Thursday and Friday off from the day job to celebrate my birthday. I had a great time eating (of course…lol) with an old friend (look at us above in this pic from the first grade—why am I smiling so hard and NOBODY could slick back my flyaways?). Then on Saturday I went to the Rock the Bells concert (Slick Rick, Rakim, KRS-One, Lauryn Hill, A Tribe Called Quest, and Wu-Tang Clan—Snoop Dogg was there but I left before he performed) with my homey Living Fly on a Dime. We had a great time! We were both so happy to see Lauryn Hill and thought she sounded great but others vastly disagreed…lol. *shrugs* Chris Rock was there to watch some of hip-hop’s greatest along with a slew of other stars like Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Swizz Beats, John Legend, Nelson George, AJ Calloway, Estelle, and Michael Ealy (or at least that’s all that I could see).

Be sure to check out the Living Fly on a Dime blog for tips on how to score stylish finds on the cheap.

Miss Info has coverage of the performances here if you’re interested.

What’s up with dude in the blue shirt? lol

So now onto what I bought!

After having no skin issues for months, acne of course had to come player hatin’ on all my shine. So I picked up Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare™ ‘Trifix™’ Acne Clearing Lotion at the suggestion of my skincare homey Lipstick Fashion.

I’m hoping it will clear up the 4-5 pimples that have taken up temporary housing on my forehead.

Then I hopscotched down to Sephora to pick up the Carol’s Daughter Khoret Amen Smoothie that I didn’t get last week. This stuff stinks to high heavens, but I hear it’s supposed to do good for those growing out a relaxer so I’ll get a hazmat suit and press on.

And believe it or not, that’s all she bought, folks!

How was your weekend? What did you do/buy?

Summer’s almost over, folks. *kicks rocks*

Everything about how we primp will change as cooler temps are right around the corner. Namely our hair.

So I got a few seconds to get some quick post-summer hair tips straight from the natural hair care duo du jour Miss Jessie’s.

Check out what they had to say about prepping your hair for the upcoming season:

As we approach the change in season it’s time to make adjustments to our hair care regimen. The spring/summer months are heaven to some hair types. This is a time when some women’s hair flourish because of the increase in humidity or the fact that a lot of women do less heat styling giving their hair a time to rest. As they go into the fall/winter months their hair starts to get temperamental. To start the new season, I would suggest these hair types go to a salon and get a trim and a deep conditioning treatment. They should work on maintaining the moisture balance by increasing their at home deep conditioning treatments as well. For styling, a product like our Curly Pudding will help set their curls so that they will have effortless styling in between washings. Also, using a highly moisturizing products for daily upkeep like our Curly Buttercreme will keep their hair nourished and healthy.

For transitioners it is also very important that they keep their hair conditioned and that their styling is gentle so that there is no breakage at the line of demarcation While transitioning from relaxed to natural hair we suggest using our Curly Meringue with flexible rod rollers. This will allow their hair to dry gently under a hood dryer and create a style that has a more consistent curl pattern. This also ensures that the daily styling in between washings is simple with no tugging or direct heat application.

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How will you be wearing your hair this fall?

The Style and Beauty Doctor reader Zanah wrote in asking how to get the hair and makeup seen on the models at the Christian Dior Spring 2010 runway show.

So you all know, I always answer your email questions right away, but sometimes they go into my spam folder and since I usually just check my email from my Blackberry, I forget to check my spam. So this one is a bit overdue. Sorry!

I found this video on You Tube that breaks down the hair better than I could with words. Check it out:

As for the makeup:

Makeup artist Pat McGrath masterfully paired lavender eyes with matte red lips. I’m not sure of what she used exactly, but wouldn’t be surprised if the purple shade in the Dior Lace Collection Spring 2010 Pearl Glow Eyeshadow Palette was used on the lid with the frosty silver shade in the inner corners of the eye. On the lips try a matte red like MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo.

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If you have a style or beauty question, contact me!

If your hairstyle is lacking shine, consider Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine Spray.

• Invisible Veil of Shine
• Enhances Highlights
• Prevents Frizz
• Protects Against the Elements

I received a bottle for review consideration some time ago and have used it to add some kick to my hair when I wear it out. You know that fresh from the salon shine you get from a fresh blow out? Well you can fake it with Glimmer Shine Spray! It’s alcohol free and has that delicious Moroccanoil scent I love that I can only describe as a non-annoying cotton candy smell…lol. Doesn’t do much for hold, but that’s not it’s purpose. A little goes a long way and when you use it, be sure to hold the bottle at least 10 inches away from your hair—the spray can come out a bit too fast and hard if you hold it too close.

Log on to moroccanoil.com for where to buy.

What a wonderful weekend! I took a day trip to Baltimore for an event at the Oyin Handmade store and despite the air conditioning on the bus killing my throat and the bumpy ride causing my stomach to migrate down to my feet, it was a wonderful time! While there I caught up with the homies Lipstick Fashion and Scandalous Beauty (pictured below).

So now here’s the scoop on Oyin if you’re not familiar: they’re a family-owned company who make the most delicious products my nose has ever had the pleasure of smelling. They’re a hit amongst the natural hair crowd, but product junkies like me who still relax believe you can try anything out there…lol. Here’s what I got:

Oyin Handmade Juices & Berries ($11): If you’ve seen Coming to America 50 million times like me, how could you not try a product called Juices & Berries? It’s an oil-free leave-in treatment that can be used on wet hair to detangle, on locs and braids to moisturize, and the scent will make you want to drink it! As soon as I got home I needed to wash the scent of bus off of me so I also washed my hair and used some of the Juices & Berries. My hair has great shine and it smells sooooo good but it feels like I might have put too much in. My hair was a bit “crinkly” and a little hard after it air dried. Will try again with less product.

Cuppa Joe – Invigorating Soap ($7): I knew I had to have this just from reading its description on the Oyin website but smelling it in person really sealed the deal. Can’t wait to try this out!

Shine & Define – Gentle Styling Serum (prices start at $6): Tired of styling products that provide hold but strip moisture with drying alcohols? That promise shine but deliver crispety, crunchety, bulletproof hair? That control frizz but rob you of softness? Oyin Shine & Define is a new philosophy in styling products. Formulated from vegetable sources renowned for their moisturizing & shine-increasing properties, Shine & Define Styling Serum imparts softness, light hold, great shine, and gentle definition. Can’t wait to try this either!

And in the kick myself for not getting it section is their very first product Whipped Pudding. It’s a rich sweet-smelling moisturizer perfect for dry skin and areas prone to excessive dryness like the elbows and knees. I got a sample of it with my purchases and didn’t try it until I got home in NYC. Guess I will be adding it to my online order. Lipstick Fashion also tells me that the Honey Hemp Conditioner is a must-have. I’ll add that to my next order as well.

Not in Baltimore? You can buy all Oyin Handmade products online. Check ‘em out.

A few days ago I decided I must have a pair of leopard print leggings. While I think leggings (worn as leggings not as pants) look great on so many people, I’ve actually never worn them out myself aside from working out or under pants in brutal NYC winter. I’m also a bit nervous about them since my thighs can cause an orange level of threat, but decided to just get over it and buy a funky pair of leopard prints…lol. So I ordered these from Bloomingdale’s:

…in both grey and brown. Wish me luck…lol. I also got these faux leather combo pants from BCBGeneration:

Hope I can pull it off. If not thank goodness for return policies…lol.

I also got this cute Aqua tee (mainly because I’m in love with lace inserts).

And since I had free shipping, might as well add the Yves Saint Laurent Rogue Volupté in #11 Rose Culte to my order, right? Right!

So that was mine—how was your weekend? What did you do/buy?

P.S. If you like my chain and two-finger ring in the picture at the top, get them at PnkElephant.com. They’re super affordable, too.