Bring on the drama

So as stated on IG, my friend Kristina (also a jewelry designer) came over my house one rainy day and decided to style & shoot me. She's the bomb.com--a hidden talent was uncovered (photography skills). She took the photos below on her iphone5s--if that's not badass, I don't know what is.

And there you have it, my most dramatic shots ever. 

Kristina's IG: @thewaywild 

Her jewelry: @seethesis seethesis.com 

Braided

On Halloween, I decided to get box braids for the first time... I had no idea what to expect or how my hair would react to it. I was hesitant for months and would set up appointments and then cancel because I'd chicken out--needless to say, it was a lengthy process beforehand and during me getting them done. It took 17 hours with maybe less than an hour break all together. My entire Halloween was spent getting my hair done. Now, I can say I've had them and I probably won't get them again any time in the near future. I really loved having them in and not having to worry about doing my hair, but the weight took a lot for me to get used to and when I took them out, my hair was pretty tangled. However, because I kept them super moisturized during the entire 5 weeks of wearing them, my hair was in decent shape after I took them out (minus the tangles). Check out some of the styles below (all of 3 styles, haha) and see what products I faithfully used everyday to keep them fresh and healthy. I was so inspired by all these natural and protective hair style blogs and IG pages and I just had to try them out. I do think everyone should try braids at least once.

 Yup--I used Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla products on them everyday. I would spray them with the leave-in conditioner and hair sheen and then wrap them with a scarf at night before going to bed. In the morning, I'd use their edge control smoother when necessary and once a week, I'd put their pure hair oil on the root of the braids. This stuff was really a blessing for keeping my hair in great shape while I had the braids in.

New Fave Lip

Thanks Harper's Bazaar for sending me this great new lipstick. It's literally the perfect color for summer! It also keeps my lips moisturized for hours without any weird lines. Check out Clé de Peau Beauté extra rich lipstick  for great neutral/pink/red lip colors. 

Rainy days...

Love this blouse? Check it out: 90's Powder Blue Crinkled Blouse

Love this bodysuit blouse? Check it out: 80's Golden Flower Bodysuit Blouse

Reflections

Photos by  J. "Quazi" King

I feel like 2014 just arrived so quickly. For the last few days, I've been thinking about everything that I have or haven't accomplished in 2013 and  what I seriously would like to do in 2014 (in other words, my new year's resolution). What I do know for sure is that I'm truly grateful for all the experiences from this past year (even the unfavorable ones) and I'm eager to see what God has in store for me for this new year. I'm looking forward to learning, building, growing, and just living life to the fullest... I mean we're only here for a moment in time, so why not make it amazing? As I continue to reflect, I can't help but to remember this cool ass time I had at AfroPunk over the summer--the weather was perfect, the crowds were beautiful, the bands were lovely, and I even ran into amazing photographer Quazi (who captured the moments above). It was just an exceptional day and of course I spent it with my best friend (and beau) Brad (also pictured above ;-)). I'm looking forward to more days like this in the new year (especially in the summer). Moving forward, I can't wait to embark on this next chapter. For all of you who are reading this, let's grab tea sometime... soon... in this new year!

To see more of Quazi's work, visit Quazimottoonwax.com