8/29/2018

Flesh Make-up Launch Review

Let's get back to the core of what we do here. Bask in the girlie goodness that is make-up, hair and all things PINK. It's been a long time since I've been excited about a launch and I must admit that I'm a bit biased because I work for the company but a good thing is a good thing. I was overly eager when I first witnessed the promotional shoots for the products and I wasn't able to try them during launch because of the hot demand but honey... when I say it was worth the wait I mean it! I absolutely love this line! Particularly the foundation stick that comes in 40 shades! It's a light dewy sheer coverage which I absolutely love and it looks extremely natural on my skin. It definitely isn't a full coverage heavy make up look. Flesh provides a very natural finish that gives you that freshly kissed by the sun polished look without looking overly made up.

They also released the FLESH Flipbook which is basically makeup on paper for the on the go refresh for blush, bronzer and highlighter so that you carry less while on the move. As for lips they have options based on the coverage you're going for. Offering Swipe Flesh lip color which brings back memories of the years past with it's finger application (see picture below). I love the packaging and the branding of the fingerprint embedded on the lipstain but don't get it confused with any other stain because a little definitely went a long way. Heavily pigmented, this lip stain is a keeper (on me color is FIRM). I love a dark lip especially being that the seasons are changing this has set me up for the fall. (colors below: Peck, Siren and lipgloss Bruise). The highlighters called Glisten Drops also offer great variety for multiple skin tones.  So it's safe to say I found my everyday go to that is easy to throw in my bag and apply in the car because 2 hour prep time just isn't for me. I honestly don't know how some of you do it but I'm a drag myself out of bed at the last minute girl but I hate looking washed out throughout the day so this is my new salvation. I'm giving it a thumbs up!

8/23/2018

How to spot a liar

Developing trust is hard and it's especially hard in the workplace. The workplace can be filled with people suffering from crabs in a barrel syndrome which means for us we need to be on top of our game on all levels. That means paying particularly close attention to subtle cues that tell us things we need to know to proactively make the right moves for our future. liar The worse feeling in our working lives is not knowing what will happen next. Being blindsided usually occurs because we aren't able to detect early signs of lies or subtle shifts in character but they are there. It's on us to know what to look for and to possess the knowledge of knowing that people can easily lie to you when they know you're hungry for something. Knowing when someone is lying to you is a great tool to keep in the arsenal and especially beneficial in the workplace when dealing with individuals are are primarily self centered and focusing on their own objectives. This may include your boss. Cues to spot when someone isn't being totally honest with you in the office is a bit easier to detect then in your personal lives but they follow the same patterns.
  1. Attitude is key! If a person wants to assist you their attitude tells you that. If a person is too quick to become defensive it's because they one don't want to offer details or assistance. They become easily agitated or very vague when talking to you. Take notice of shifts in the attitudes and interactions between yourself and others. If you notice that people are being too standoffish, cold or distant there is definitely a reason.
  2. Eye contact. It's typically thought that when people are lying they avoid eye contact but that's been found to be untrue in most cases. People can look you in the eye and lie. Actually too much eye contact or overly engaging eye contact can be a clue that the person is not being completely honest with you. Too much eye contact can be the other person trying to gauge your body language to see if you're believing their story and the conviction they're trying to give off.
  3. In cases where there is a back story a person who is trying to lie will cover certain points specifically. This is a big one and is commonly used by law enforcement when questioning a suspect. People cannot lie or keep their story straight if it's not true when trying to tell it reverse. The timeline wont match up and they'll have events that are unaccounted for. Or if they fail to provide critical details in the timeline because you're having them explain in reverse which is difficult to do when it's not rehearsed in that sequence. An easy indication of this is a person repeating the question before they answer.
  4. No laughing matter! Another signal that is often overlooked is when a person laughs or giggles after they've answered a question or have told you something. It's a natural reaction and triggered from the brain when a person thinks that they've just gotten over and can't believe that their lie is being believed. Sounds insane but it's a trigger from the internal dialog going on in the persons head.  Have you ever caught yourself asking another person why they're laughing when a chuckle or giggle seems so out of place? It's because they have just lied to you in some manner and the outward reaction to their inner dialog is the surprised laugh, chuckle or sly smirk. 

8/14/2018

Beyonce Vogue Video Behind the Scene

Love the vintage feel! Reminiscent of the 70's and reflects how she includes her children in her world as an entertainer.


8/08/2018

Serena Williams Shares Her Working Mothers' Guilt

Serena Williams is being extremely transparent on Instagram with the struggle experienced by a lot of working parents. Typically the most difficult decision for first time mother and any parents to make is the decision to return back to work after a short bonding period with your child. A decision that too often leaves you feeling remorseful and full of anxiety wondering if you're in fact making the best choice. The thought that you're missing milestones at such a pivotal stage in your child's life can be overwhelming. This can be especially the case here in the US with maternity leave being a gray area for to many employees where state laws vary drastically. I've worked for a global company and was shocked when I learned that Canada offers parents a full year off to bond with a child and that is a law enforced by the country. Same company in different countries had a drastic difference in laws that govern maternity leave.


Overwhelmingly the decision causes many mothers to put their careers on hold.  Although Serena has the luxury of entrusting her child to family and her husband during her absence many are left with no other option than to entrusting their children to a complete stranger. It's a horrible feeling and one that I and other moms have experienced first hand. Even in the care of someone you trust it still weighs heavily on your conscious leaving a parent extremely guilt-ridden at times.  When daycare is your only option, you can't help but to worry about scenarios that for many are real cause for concern. Is the childcare employee resentful of their job or having their own obstacles within their personal lives that can lead to neglect of your child/children? This sentiment is extremely prevalent when your child is too young to articulate the actions of their caregiver to you. It's a horrible feeling and one that I and other moms have experienced first hand. This is definitely a topic that is universal to working parents and I appreciate Serena's openness regarding how it has impacted her. Hopefully it can shed light on a taboo topic that a lot of parents battle internally and alone. Especially for women who work and wish to continue progressing within their careers. 

Last week was not easy for me. Not only was I accepting some tough personal stuff, but I just was in a funk. Mostly, I felt like I was not a good mom. I read several articles that said postpartum emotions can last up to 3 years if not dealt with. I like communication best. Talking things through with my mom, my sisters, my friends let me know that my feelings are totally normal. It’s totally normal to feel like I’m not doing enough for my baby. We have all been there. I work a lot, I train, and I’m trying to be the best athlete I can be. However, that means although I have been with her every day of her life, I’m not around as much as I would like to be. Most of you moms deal with the same thing. Whether stay-at-home or working, finding that balance with kids is a true art. You are the true heroes. I’m here to say: if you are having a rough day or week--it’s ok--I am, too!!! There’s always tomm!
A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) on



8/01/2018

Good T.V.

This weekend was one for binge watching and after seeing a commercial for "Snowfall" on the FX channel,  I decided to give it a shot. In the beginning I felt like the show was just another take on the 80's with it's drugs, kingpin idolization and misconduct by the government but I let continue because each episode had it's extreme cliff hanger moments which hooked me.  I was shocked by some of the scenes and couldn't pull myself from it. I went from scrolling through IG and half ass watching to fully invested by episode 3.  Each episode is good with it's own plot twist and sticky situations but 3 took the cake. I  damn near flipped the fuck out with the unanticipated rape scene!!!! I was both appalled and shocked when watching what I at first started with a tough guy getting smacked around to hitting a complete 180 when it turned to an insinuated male on male RAPE scene!!! Immediately I dropped my cell and mixed emotions swept over me. My emotions ranged from shock because I thought the man was getting killed, then to confusion because of the  swift escalation from an altercation to sex. Which led to me being upset because "why the hell was a rape scene needed"?  Then back to shocked.  I'm telling you I was in full blown disbelief at that point which led me to the good ole internet to see who wrote it, just to find out it was John Singleton.

Now if I must refresh your memory John Singleton appears to have been itching for a homosexual scenes in his movies and shows since his attempt with All Eyez on Me was shut down.  It's been rumored that he was fired from directing the biopic film depicting Tupac's life "All Eyez on Me" because he wanted to add a jail rape scene that was not cleared or proven to be factual. Below is an excerpt from an interview with Young Noble of the Outlawz discussing John Singleton's involvement with the movie:
“Lets move forward to John Singleton. He doing interviews saying he quit from directing the film because the producers wasn’t telling Pac story with integrity an they sued Afeni when the truth is he got fired from the job. We got the call the day he got fired an honestly i was kinda upset because i thought he was the perfect guy to direct Pac movie until i heard the reason he got fired. John wrote his own script for the movie an in his script he had a scene insinuating 2pac getting raped in jail an he had Afeni as a lesbian an wanted a scene in there with her doing some lesbian activities. So this dude John Singleton was gonna put all kinda lies an made up shit an give y’all some real Hollywood movie so he got fired on the spot an now he out here doing interviews saying he quit like he was doing something out of honor for Pac & Afeni,” said Young Noble.

Overall I still liked what I was able to catch of Snowfall and will be watching season 2 which airs on Thursday evenings on FX. Episode 3 will be airing tomorrow but I'll have to catch it on the app because I'll be out and about but if you're interested here's the trailer for season 2.