OOTD: White Power Shoulder Blazer

This is yet another OOTD post, showing yet another blazer from my insanely growing wardrobe. This blazer sells between £41 and £50 but I actually bought it new without tags on ebay for £17. Let me start with why I love this blazer. First of all, It has a unique design. Personally I feel that it doesn't look like any other common blazer and this is what attracted me to it in the first place. I love the contrasting black on white and the simple yet effective detail of the blazer. HOWEVER...I HATE the fabric that this blazer was made from. I don't know about you but I like my blazers to have some sort of a 'thick' feel to it. I can't stand thin fabric blazers that wrinkle within 5 minutes of putting it on. I'm not sure what material this blazer was made from (as I wore it once and sold it) but It was pretty thin and wrinkly which annoyed me.

But anyways...I'm wearing a red top with high waisted baggy pants to accentuate my freakishly wide hips. I'm also wearing some white lace up wedge trainers which I absolutely adore...

But yeah I think everything works well together and this is my favourite OOTD to date.

My hair is all natural this time LOL...no extensions. It's just in a simple sock bun. (check out my article on buns)

xxx

Ade

(RayRay)

OOTD: Orange Blazer!!!

Some of you may already know that blazers are my absolute obsession!!! especially brightly coloured ones. So I thought I'd share a few photos of the latest addition to my wardrobe...

So I'm wearing a stripy top (which actually used to be a skirt) with a bright  orange blazer from Zara paired with black skinny jeans and  brogues.  Very simple, but it works (: 

I love this outfit most because of the bright colour, which seems appropriate seeing as we're practically in the summer. I have other bright blazers..this is just one of my favourites. 

what i'm wearing....

I'm not wearing any foundation because...well..I ran out lol so on my actual face, i'm
just wearing my Rimmel Stay Matte powder in 'Translucent'

So on my face I'm wearingg a dark brown MUA eyeshadow as well as a mixture of colours from my W7 palette. I'm also wearing MUA's black waterproof liquid eyeliner, blush and lipstick... and I added a little bit of gold to my tear ducts.Lastly, I'm wearing my royal blue MUA eyeliner. (Check out my post on MUA cosmetics) I'm wearing it here specifically as an under eyeliner. (Inspiration: Kelly Rowlands)

xxx

RayRay

BUNS FOR LIFE!!

Still madly in love with buns. Best non time consuming protective style ever. Hands down.

I find that sock buns and faux buns are the best for me because they dont feel too heavy on my head even when i'm using extensions. Unlike my latest box braid bun which is GORGEOUS but in all seriousness isn't ideal for a long day in college as I found out today.... LOL

I got lots of compliments on it and don't get me wrong..the bun was pretty awesome but it left me with a pretty awful headache and by the end of the day, I'd never been so relieved to take down the bun. So...i'm gonna try to think of ways to get around this because I really do love the style and braids are a great protective style...however, for now, I think I will wear my braids in other comfortable styles (:

My hairdresser basically rejected me

So this is just going to be a post on how I started learning to do my own hair...
I went natural (stopped relaxing my hair) about 2 years ago...and before then, my hair had always been done by hairdressers. 
For certain reasons, I decided to stop getting a relaxer (for more info, check my post on why I went natural), And I thought it would be a good idea to chat to my hairdresser about it. I mean...I wasn't just gonna turn up one day with a fro' asking her to do my hair...some people dont like suprises like that.


So basically, she was doing my hair one day and she was combing through my hair... (well..attempting to). Because I stopped relaxing my hair, my roots had grown a few inches. I remember her asking me 'Why haven't you relaxed your hair yet?' 
and then I told her...
Then I noticed she'd stopped doing my hair. She spent the next 10-15 minutes trying to convince me that going natural would cause me to be hated and bullied and that I wouldn't be pretty. (cue sad music...)
Unfortunately for her, my mind was already made up. She finished braiding my hair in silence. And when she was done and I was about to leave, she said 'Don't come back to me because I can't handle your hair anymore'
At that point I was too angry to be upset so I was like 'Fine!!'


I knew going natural was gonna be tough at first..but I never really expected to get a reaction like that from my hairdresser. Anyways...I spent the next few months on youtube...literally. (It's amazing how much help and support is available on there) And gradually I learnt to take care of my natural hair.


Its funny I never really saw myself doing hair..ever and now I've gotten pretty good at doing my hair and sometimes I get paid for doing other people's hair. (which is a bonus not to mention the amount of money i've saved myself)


I personally believe that people have a right to do what they want. Relaxed or natural. I just don't think that people who choose to wear their hair naturally should be given any grief over it. And at the end of the day, it's that person's decision. I'm actually glad I don't have a hairdresser now, because I know exactly what I want for my hair and how to do it (in most cases). Also now I don't get headaches because someone braided or pulled my hair too tight. It just much easier for me now. Time consuming..yes...but better in the long run.


Nevertheless, I think more hairdressers (or at least afro carribbean hairdressers) should learn to be able to deal with BOTH relaxed and natural hair...because at the end of the day you're only gonna be increasing the number of clients that come to you.


Venting Over.

LOTD: Totally MUA

So I'm doing my very first LOTD (look of the day). this is me experimenting with MUA products yet again. I tried to contour my cheekbones this time...Personally I see very little difference as my cheekbones are naturally high.. (thanks to my grandmother). I'm not wearing any foundation. I am wearing MUA products in this photo (eyeshadow, blusher and lipstick) For specific shades, please check out my post on MUA (: 

Solange Knowles Inspired braided bun

So ever since i did my box braids I haven't been able to stop thinking of new ways to style it. This is just to share one of my favourite box braid styles...which is the high bun. (inspired by Solange Knowles...and a whole lot of  other people on youtube...lol) It is super easy to do and I'm obsessed with buns so i really love this style. I will still be experimenting with a lot of other styles while I have my box braids in.

xxx

Ade

(Follow Me on the sidebar)

(:

PROTECTIVE STYLE: Box Braids

Just a quick post on my latest protective style. These are called box braids (or single braids) and these particular set are lower waist length. (longest I've ever had). These took me 4 hours and 45 minutes. I used 'X-pressions' Ultra braids in color 1, color 2 and color 30. I mixed the color 1 and 2 so I only ended up using about half of each pack. and only a little bit of color 30 (brown braids) as I only wanted a little bit of colour. I LOVE these braids and its been a while since I've had them in thanks to my new found love of Crochet braids which I kept doing because they were much easier and took less time. I did these box braids because I just felt like a change. I plan to keep them in for about 6 weeks.

X-Pression Braids
Color 2

MUA Cosmetics

MUA (make up academy) is one of my favourite cosmetic ranges. Why? because:

1) a lot of the products are vibrant and colourful

2) MUA is very popular (in the UK) so the products aren't that hard to find

3) Most of the cosmetics retail for only £1 so its very cheap and affordable. These are just a few of my favourite MUA products.

LIPSTICKS: Shade 3 (Light pink), Shade 13 (Vibrant red), Shade 2 (Dark pink)
LIPGLOSS: Shade 4 (x2)
MASCARA: Shade 1 (Clear)
WATERPROOF LIQUID EYELINER: Black
BLUSHER: Shade 6 (Purple), Shade 4 (Pink)
PENCIL EYELINER:  Royal Blue, Snow White, Jet Black

MUA products can be found at your local Superdrug store, or you can just go straight onto their website (http://www.muastore.co.uk)

I have found most of MUA products to be very vibrant, particularly their lipsticks , pencil eyeliner and eyeshadows. My favourite blusher is the MUA shade 6 which looks purple but actually has quite a nice gold tone to it. Shade 4 is VERY bright which is good because it means I only have to use a little bit each time.

(Clockwise)
Shade 8-Pearl
Shade 19- Matt
Shade 30- Pearl
Shade 6- Pearl

So far, my least favourite MUA eyeshadow is Shade 30 (Pearl) which is the gold one in the lower left corner. It is one of the newer colours and I absolutely hate it. I find that its not the colour that is the problem...its more of the consistency. This eyeshadow is VERY powdery which makes the application for me very messy. I end up with lots of glittery gold eyeshadow particles on my face which won't come off no matter how hard I try....and let me just say I HATE glitter. I don't mind shimmery eyeshadows but this particular MUA eyeshadow is....a mess. (in my opinion)

I try not to waste my stuff no matter how cheap it is so I haven't thrown it away yet. One use I've found for it is highlighting the inner corners of my eye. First of all, I apply one of my NYX jumbo pencils, and then I apply the eyeshadow which helps it to stick better.

MUA eyeshadow shade 8- Pearl
Hair: Crochet braids color 4

MUA eyeshadow shade 6- Pearl

MUA eyeshadow shade 6- Pearl
Hair: Crochet braids color 1b/350
(If you want to know more about
crochet braids, check out  my post on it)

MUA eyeshadow
shade 30- Pearl

MUA blusher shade 6 (purple)
MUA eyeshadow shade 30- Pearl

Overall, I would say that MUA cosmetics are great, especially for the price. There are other products such as foundations and primers which cost up to £4. I haven't tried any of these yet but If I do, I will be sure to do a review on it.

First ever OOTD

So i've randomly decided to start doing OOTD (Outfit of the day) posts. This is my first one. To be honest..I came up with this colour combination by accident..I was just trying different things on. So I'm wearing a size 6 fitted brown blazer with a bright yellow tank top and tight black velvet leggings paired with white brogues. I'm not really wearing any accessories other than some Primark bracelets and my chunky white silicone watch as this was just for a casual day out.

Blazer: New Look

Tank top: George

Leggings: George

Bracelets: Primark

Diamante silicone watch: Ebay

Also a reminder..seeing as i'm pretty new with all this, I've just added a 'FOLLOWER' gadget at the top of the side bar...please follow (:

xxx

Ade

(RayRay)

Why I went natural

Let me just begin by saying that for as long as I could remember, my hair had always been relaxed...like when I look at photos of me when I was about one or two years old...I always saw relaxed hair. 


It got to a point where I believed my hair was naturally straight, and everytime I got a touch up and I would ask the hairdresser what she was doing to my hair, both her and my mum would reply 'Oh this is just going to make your hair softer' and I'd be like 'ok'. Some people would have said 'No!' straight away and refused to having relaxer put in their hair...but if you know anything about African/Carribbean parents...especially mothers..you'd know that 'No' is never an option.


So lots of people know that once you get a relaxer, you have to keep getting touch ups unless you wanna look like a hot mess. Lots of people go natural for different reasons....relaxed hair breakage, hair damage, wanting healthier hair, wanting thicker/longer hair...e-t-c. But me?....I just couldn't be bothered!!!
Call me lazy but everytime my mother told me 'Its time to touch up your relaxer', I would just stand there and cry for about 5 minutes. I HATED...no...I DESPISED the whole process. plus..every now and again I'd be SCREAMING in pain because of the relaxer BURNING my scalp and my hair dresser would be like 'Honey that just means its working...5 more minutes' and then when she washed out the relaxer, all the hair would stick to my scalp...it was just horrible!!! maybe I have a super sensitive scalp...I dunno.
My hair never grew past my shoulders when it was relaxed...it looked a bit like this...

So when I hit 13 (INDEPENDENCE/REBELLIOUS TEENAGE PHASE) I was like 'Mum..STOP the relaxer'. Ok..maybe not literally like that but i remember literally having to argue with my mother about going natural and i remember the argument ending with 'Do what you want!!' 


I didnt want to do the big chop so I just left it to grow out whilst watching MILLIONS of youtube videos to learn how to take care of my natural hair....and I guess it started from there really...
Its been about 29 months now and my hair has grown well past my shoulders (even though you cant see it thanks to SHRINKAGE!!) I'm not really focusing on growing my hair to a certain length, I'm just focusing on keeping my hair healthy...and whatever happens..happens. Apologies for my dry hair picture but it was the only recent one I could find where I had a full fro, i'd just taken down my crochet braids (if you don't know what crochet braids are, check out my post on it )

this was about 3-4 months ago

As you cannot really see the length..I thought i'd stretch out a few strands so you can kinda see how long it is. I have a lot more shrinkage in the back than in the front...but its all good (:

As these photos were taken months ago..my hair is probably about an inch longer..maybe slightly more, I'm not sure but I will check later.


This post is not intended to put down those with relaxed hair...infact both of my sisters have relaxed hair. I believe that people should be able to do whatever they want with their hair. As long as they take good care of it. Relaxed hair suits many people...i just found that it wasn't for me (:

REVIEW: Urban Decay Primer Potion

If you get frustrated with creasing eyeshadow then urban decay primer potion might be the product for you. UDPP creates a smooth, dry base for your eye shadow to stick onto. This makes it last a lot longer than it would If you weren't using a primer.

Before I bought this product, I'd done WEEKS of research on how to make a home made primer. I tried the whole mix your favourite foundation with some moisturiser thing. I also tried using concealer and setting it with powder however non of these worked for me as I have combination skin. My eyelids are oily and will NOT hold make-up for more than half an hour.

The reason I went for UDPP was because after reading MILLIONS of reviews, it seemed to be the one that people preferred the most. (Of course there was also MAC paint pots but the price range at that moment just wasn't for me) 

PROS

1) it keeps my make up on pretty much ALL DAY so it is an effective eye shadow primer
2) It comes in a really cute packaging with a wand so the application is not very messy
3) The 'stuff' is transparent (though it looks peachy) so it doesn't affect any eye shadow that you put on top of it.
4) It has a nice consistency. Not too runny and not too thick.
5) It dries VERY quickly so you don't have to wait ages before applying your make up (like i had to with my foundation+moisturiser mix)

CONS

1) Whilst the packaging is cute, you will end up wasting a significant amount of the product because it is really difficult to get every single drop out of the tube.
2) For the amount of product you're getting, it is pretty expensive.
3) It can sting if you get it in your eyes (which is unlikely. I'm just very clumsy)

Overall, I'd say that this product is a must have if you like to wear make up especially if you have oily or combination skin like me. Though this is a highly valued product for everyone, I must say that it does not work for everyone, however it will work for most people.  There are other alternatives such as Too faced shadow insurance and MAC paint pots which I will be doing a review on later.

Spring&Summer 2012: BLAZERS

When it comes to dressing up, this season is all about colour!!!Adding a brightly coloured jacket or accessory not only makes you stand out from the crowd...but adds that sense of warmth and fun which is the essence of summer....It could be as simple as pairing some plain jeans with a brightly coloured top. or wearing a plain top with a bright print skirt.

If there's any clothing item that can be worn all year long...its BLAZERS!!, which I happen to be slightly obsessed with.
Blazers can be worn with almost anything...they can be dressed up or down and they have the power to transform almost any outfit. Blazers are also available in a variety of colours which can be mixed and matched i.e in the summer...I tend to wear more brightly coloured blazers whereas in the winter I tend to stick with the darker colours...but every now and again I switch it up. 

From left to right:
Hot pink blazer: Zara   
Black blazer: Primark
White Blazer: Ebay
Black and White blazer: Boohoo

Kim Kardashian rocks a hot pink blazer with peachy orange skinnies

Animal print: HOT or NOT?

They say animal print is one of those things you either love or you hate. I'll be honest...whenever I used to see someone in an animal print dress...the word 'CAVEWOMAN' just always came to mind. I'll admit, I used to think animal print was cheap, tasteless and tacky. 

UNTIL...
(dum dum dum)

I saw a picture of Snooki in some high waisted leopard print harem pants and I was like....hmm....
Harem pants have always been one of my many obsessions (again, you either love them or you hate them) so I thought i'd go on a hunt for some leopard print harem pants.

I wasn't really sure how to wear them at first so i went for the simple look and just pared them with a black marks and spencer tank top and a cream pearl detail shrug....
Now, lets just say animal print can be added to my ever growing list of fashion obsessions.

Regardless of whether or not you are wearing animal print,  you should always dress to accentuate your best assets. I have a small chest, waist and freakishly large hips so I tend to wear anything that is high waisted or has an empire waistline. So for me personally,  i only really tend to wear animal print high waisted trousers/ leggings. I also have zebra and leopard print stud earrings and headbands which i wear very often.

I do think that animal print has to be worn in a certain way and it's one of those things that can be easily overdone. The biggest thing to know when wearing animal print is NOT to wear 'matching' print items i.e an animal print top with animal print leggings.

Fashion faux pas

Also.. (and yes some people so this) DON'T wear two different prints, i.e. a zebra print shirt with a leopard print skirt. That just shouldn't happen...ever

Instead, wear animal print with something plain i.e a black/grey top or skirt...and if you're wearing a leopard print dress, pair them up with some plain black heels and minimal accessories.

Black people with blonde hair

So my sister and I were hanging out with our friends recently after she had her hair done, she'd gone from having jet black hair to a blonde/light brown weave. On one hand, she received lots of compliments but on the other hand, lots of people who we thought were friends teased her and made fun of her brightly coloured hair...which I didn't understand because there are dark skinned people out there with rainbow coloured 'smartprice' weaves who look more ridiculous than my sister and her blondish hair.

My sister and I

Granted, some black people look ridiculous with bright hair...i personally think that it depends on your skin tone. Its not necessarily a 'light skin dark skin' thing because my sister and I are similar shades but I would look ridiculous with her hair colour....just like she can't pull off red hair as well as I can.

In my opinion, people should be able to do what they want (within reason) and not be criticised for it or be accused of being 'fake' when clearly they may just be trying out new things...(she's in that awkward teenage rebel stage) And I certainly dont think that it is right to judge others purely by the way they look. There's clearly a difference between having blonde hair because you think it will make you beautiful and having blonde hair because you felt like switching things up once in a while....

Personally i think...its not the thing that's wrong....its how you make use of it. Besides, I've heard of some black people having naturally blonde (or at least light brown) hair....are we supposed to criticise them for that???

PROTECTIVE STYLE: Crochet braids

Ok....so a lot of people in the UK don't know what crochet braids are, so I thought I'd do a post to explain it because I get so many questions when I have crochet braids in.

Crochet braids are a protective style i.e a style that protects your natural hair such as braids, twists, cornrows e-t-c.
Its a very simple (possibly time consuming) process. Basically your natural hair is cornrowed (usually to the back) and then the braids (curly hair extensions: see picture) are attached onto the cornrows.

PROS
1) It looks very natural and it is very good if you want to grow out your hair as its minimal maintenance.
2) If you like big curly hair...then this is your style
3) The older it gets, the more natural it looks
4) All you need is a crochet hook and a comb. No specialist equipment needed
5) Synthetic hair is relatively cheap

CONS
1) It can be very time consuming depending on how fast you are
2) it can be an absolute PAIN to take out
3) Curly hair tends to tangle a lot so you will need a good hair detangler. (I use a home made one)


These were my first set of crochet braids (:

If you are interested in learning how to do crochet braids, here is a video tutorial by one of my favourite youtubers.
Hair used: Freetress waterwave which can be purchased from the Pak Cosmetics website.
Any questions, e-mail me at nubianpride@live.co.uk / tweet me @Ray_Ray49

RECIPE: Natural Hair moisturiser

Ok...i'm hoping this isn't just me but i find that I can never be happy with any store bought hair moisturising product simply because it does not work on my hair. And after two years of experimenting and trying out different things, I took it upon myself to learn how to make my own.

Reasons why home made products may be better suited to your hair

1) The ingredients will be completely natural. You don't need to worry about harsh 'sulfates' or preservatives that may harm your hair strands.
2) The ingredients are usually cheap.
3) The recipe can always be adjusted to suit your hair type.
4) It is usually petroleum free so you can go put your tub of BLUE MAGIC in the bin!!! 

RECIPE
½ /part Vegetable glycerin
½ part rosewater (or normal water)
3 drops of rosemary or peppermint or eucalyptus oil to inhibit mold growth. (this can be substituted for any essential oil of your choice)

Combine ingredients in an spray bottle. Shake well with each use.you can adjust portions to fit your hair type. 

Moisture is the key to growing afro-carribbean hair so I moisturise my hair daily and wear a lot of protective styles. I also use a leave in conditioner as well as a detangler when combing through my hair.

Note: This moisturiser will work for natural AND relaxed hair as afro-carribbean hair IN GENERAL tends to be very dry.

Rosewater can be substituted for water if you cannot get rosewater from your area. I usually order mine from Ebay and I use it because I love the scent.
My hair is super dry so i use 1/2 part glycerine. Glycerine is a humectant (it draws moisture in from the air) so for me, I need quite a bit but not enough to make my hair greasy. If you feel that you only need light moisture, then you do not have to use as much glycerine as I do.
Other humectants include honey  and castor oil. Sometimes I use honey instead of glycerine, sometimes I use both. It really depends on your preference.

Natural Hair Protective style: BUNS

:o :o :o

where to start.....
BUNS are my absolute favourite protective style to do. Buns are considered a protective style because they tuck your hair ends away...sealing in moisture and protecting them from harsh conditions that could potentially strip moisture away from your hair i.e heat and wind.
To be honest, buns still leave the rest of your hair exposed but I find that the most important thing in retaining hair length is protecting your ends. The ends of your hair are the oldest part of your hair strands...and so they're more prone to split ends and breakage. So if you take care of your ends, you will retain more length in your hair. Buns are literally my go-to style because:

• they're quick and easy to do and require little manipulation
• you can adjust them to fit your style/personality i.e high buns/low buns/ faux buns/slick buns/curly buns/messy buns
• they look so freaking fantastic!!!!!

I tend to wear faux buns a lot when my hair isn't in some other protective style, however this requires you to buy extensions which in all fairness are relatively cheap depending on where you buy them from.

The easiest bun to do is a sock bun. You don't really need any extensions and if you dont want to buy a sock bun thingy then you can always make your own out of socks and tights.

Here's a tutorial on how to do a sock bun.
Any questions, please leave a comment or e-mail/tweet me. (nubianpride@live.co.uk / @Ray_Ray49)
(: