Top 5 Beauty Must Haves

Hey PGSD, what are your beauty must-haves?

It hardly ever takes me a very long time to get ready for the day. As long as I've got these essentials, I'm ready in a flash and feeling like a million bucks!

1. Cherry or Strawberry Chapstick

It’s not just about the flavor. Although I do love the flavors, I like those for the day because they have a tint to them so they add a bit of color to my lips when I don’t want to wear lipstick, or it’s inappropriate to wear lipstick. I wear Spearmint Chapstick to bed.

2. Palmers Cocoa Butter

I love the smell of cocoa butter and it works wonders for my face. Especially in the winter time.

3. CoverGirl Queen Collection: Mascara in dark brown or black and Loose Powder

I don’t use it just on my eyelashes. It’s handy for filling in my eyebrows, since I have the tendency to occasionally pull at my eyebrows when I’m anxious. I don't usually wear foundation and concealer on a regular day, but I love a light dusting of loose powder from the Queen Collection. It covers and keeps my face feeling light.

4. St. Ives Apricot Scrub

I adore this stuff. Even though I try not to use scrubs everyday, St. Ives is so gentle that it can be used daily without drying out my skin. It makes my face feels ahhh-mazing! Soft like petals.

5. Wen Haircare Products in Fig

You may have seen infomercials for Wen Haircare, the hair system that has shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner and detangler all in one. I am obsessed with what this stuff does for my hair. I actually look forward to washing my hair. It’s great for everybody’s hair too. It makes your hair shiny, soft, manageable and smelling fresh! There are a wide variety of scents like, Sweet Almond, Winter Vanilla, Lavender, and Pomegranate. But my favorite has to be Fig. I like feeling it tingle my scalp when I use it as a deep conditioner. When I don't wash my hair, I use the styling gel every day and I love it. Try Wen! You'll love the results you get and the time you save on styling your mane!

The beauty section of my bathroom is insane. I collect products like a fiend and have a wide variety of products and price points. I'm obsessed with trying new things ,but have a few constant go- to items:

1. Natural oils- Be it almond, coconut, castor, or jojoba I love my all natural oils. They are harmless and can be used for hair or skin without being too heavy. I use a combination on my face and hair and wonder how I survived without them before my discovery. 

2. E.L.F clear brow and lash mascara- This keeps my brows in check and makes sure they are free from stray hairs in between trips to the threader. This is a miracle in a bottle and all for $1

3. C.O. Bigelow lip balms- I absolutely love the variety of flavors and they keep my lips moisturized for long stretches of time. It tastes great and comes in a variety of flavors without worrying about being tinted or a full on color. I'm not a super big lipstick wearer so I love the colorless shine.

4. Mascara- I adore all Maybelline mascaras as well as Dior, Big Girl, and Buxom. Even if I don't have a stitch of makeup anywhere else on my face I will have mascara. No lashes needed. 

5.  Dove bodywashes are A- mazing. I have super sensitive skin and these products lack lanolin which can be irritating for those with skin problems such as eczema  The variety of scents and textures are sure to please everyone.

I’m a fairly simple girl when it comes to beauty products but the things that I do have are things I live by. 

1. There isn’t a day that can go buy without my Clinique 3-step skin care. That consists of a facial soap, clarifying lotion (which is alcohol based cleanser), and a moisturizing lotion. A clear face makes life so much easier.

2. Next on my must have list is cherry Chap Stick. It stays in my wallet. I’m not worried about color or shine. I just need moisturized lips.

3. Smelly goods! I have an everyday scent and a ooh la la scent. I am obsessed with my brown sugar body spray (also body butter and lotion). The sweet scent is addictive. My ooh la la scent would be my flower bomb. Its slight sweet but spring like. It makes me happy.

4. I’m just starting to get in to make up but my two goto’s have always been foundation and mascara. My favorite foundation is Make Up For Ever Professional Paris HD Invisible Cover Foundation. I stumbled upon it in Sephora a few years back and have been hooked ever since. There’s nothing like finding your perfect color and lightweight foundation in one.

5. As for the mascara, I’m an advertisers dream! Maybelline’s volume express mascara commercial reeled me in and continues to do so. I am currently carrying around the Mega Plus Volume Express, only because I still have a couple of tubes to finish but I do plan on moving to the newer one, The Rocket.

So there you have it. My top 5 beauty must haves.

You know that phrase, 'many hands make light work'? Well imagine these products as my extra 'hands'. Here are some items I must have at all times:

1. Coconut Oil-This is top on my list. Used as a moisturizer, this oil really helps to ward off ash and dry skin. I make sure to buy the unrefined, virgin coconut oil. It is all natural and keeps your skin so silky smooth.

2. Benefit 'They're Real' Mascara- I have negative eyelashes. They are naturally short, and whispy. However, after 2 coats of this miracle mascara, I have the most amazingly full lashes. Absolute best mascara I have ever used.

3. Vitamins- This one is a personal one as no one should undertake anything without consulting with a physician. Legal fun aside, I have to have my vitamins everyday. Does this make me old? No. What it does is give me great hair, nails, skin and amazing energy. I have to have my vitamins. Period.

4. MAC Studio Fix Foundation- This is the best cream foundation I've ever had in life. It covers flaws and gives me a great glow. It always keeps me camera ready.

5. Green Tea- I wake up every morning before work to have a large mug of green tea. It gives me great energy and puts a smile on my face in the morning. I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for an alternative to Coffee or energy drinks. It is all natural and doesn't give you that crashy feeling in the middle of the day.

What are some of your daily must-haves?!

People You Should Know: Kehinde Wiley

Art school wasn't fun until I found who I was as an artist. I wasn't able to find myself until I found others like me meaning black. You never realize the importance of your culture until its no longer surrounding you. I found my comfort zone in two professors...the only two black professors at that time. Thanks to them I was able to find what I like and use that in my work. One artist both professors were drawn to was Kehinde Wiley.

Kehinde Wiley is a New York based artist born in California. He is known for his portraits of everyday young black men who are placed in positions similar to those of old european royalty in front of elaborate backgrounds that come to the foreground.

He continues with that theme and traveled the world finding everyday men of color in China, Lagos & Dakar, Brazil, India & Sri Lanka, Israel, and France.

More recently he produced a series of portraits of women. When the series was released I decided that he was going to create my self portrait when I was wealthy enough to afford such a present. God willing.

 The way he is able to capture the skin of these people is so amazing. He is able to turn everyday people into these works of art that leave you speechless. Did I mention that these paintings are life size and larger? Crazy! If you are every given the opportunity to see these works in person I suggest you go.




Images are from http://www.kehindewiley.com/

You embarrass us, you embarrass yourself

I have decided to abandon reality television as my vice. This week I was able to catch a bit of daytime television and I was appalled. There was some trashy talk show on and all I could hear was black women arguing and disrespecting each other. As I watched it I realized that this has become the norm.

It started off as Maury with women loudly proclaiming that one of five men had to be their child's father. Then it was the always angry black roommate on The Real World. Now every show if not filled with banshee, screaming "bitches" it features at least one. I used to live for the attitudes and cat fights of Bad Girls Club, but now as I work in an all white environment I realize that most of these people only interact with black women on television. So i begin to wonder if that's what they imagine I may be like. 

Having gone to an HBCU I have seen a variety of African American women and I know that Rihanna does not represent all Caribbean women and not every woman has the grace and class of Michelle Obama. White women don't face being categorized and stereotyped based on what is represented in the media. Black women do not have that option so when Real Housewives of Atlanta is better known than Scandal, you are automatically seen as a Nene instead of Olivia Pope. Its not fair, it never has been, and guess what it never will be. 

It is a personal decision to abandon Love and Hip Hop (because I have to admit I love Atlanta)  RHOA, Bad Girls Club because I don't want someone who has no regular interaction with African Americans outside of those lost children on the train to meet me and automatically think that I am going to come out of the gate with an attitude. If we don't watch it, the ratings will go down, and it will go off the air. I loved these shows, but there is a greater issue at hand. Think about it. Do it for yourself and your community. 

Switching It Up.

Hey guys! Starting this week we will be posting on Sundays instead of Wednesdays. Make sure to check back this Sunday and every Sunday to see what we are up to! 

                  -Love, your favorite chicks of PGSD 

Une petite thérapie de musique.....

Lianne La Havas is not just an artist, she is a part of a movement. No, I haven't gone rogue and picked up Music Marketing (though I may one day) I wanted to simply share someone whose voice has gotten me through a lot over the past couple of months. The movement is part of the universally gradual return to soulful music. Music that tears into your core and releases that part of you, you buried down long ago. Music that heals and speaks the words, when you don't have anymore to say yourself.

Whenever things are good, bad or indifferent in my life I listen to music. I can remember and place every album that ever had a significant role in my life. When my Grandmother died, I listened to My Chemical Romance's debut album "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" on loop. When I went through a particularly bad heartbreak, Ne-Yo's "The Year of the Gentleman" was pretty much my salvation. Now as I embark on my Twenty-something years, Lianne La Havas' album "Is Your Love Big Enough?" has been my go-to for almost any emotion over the past couple of months.

In one album the UK crooner has managed to make her mark in my Itunes, solidifying herself as probably one of my most played albums. With tracks like "Empty", "They Could Be Wrong", "Lost & Found", the songstress has proved herself a force to reckoned with as she infiltrates the American music scene. I wanted to put my good friends, the readers of PGSD on to this hidden gem of a songbird. Hopefully you will appreciate her music as much as I do!

Here is a sample from a live session of "No Room for Doubt" she recorded through the streets of Paris for La Blogotheque's  Take Away Show series. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Spice Leads to Something Nice

As many of my friends know, I love to run. I don’t do it competitively or anything because I’m not that fast. But I love it. It’s exhilarating and provides me with a moment of clear thinking. It’s definitely the closest thing I can get towards existentialism. Aside from the semi-spiritualism that running brings me, it keeps me in pretty good shape because I am big hungry; I love food! But even the longest run cannot make up for my strong appetite. I need something extra to boost my metabolism. Enter my natural secret weapons: cinnamon, honey and good old hot water. For years, colds, diarrhea, constipation, and all other ailments were met with natural herbs. Of course, for serious problems, I was sent to the doctor’s office, but my mother, paternal grandmother, and great aunts worked hard to limit my consumption of prescription pills. That being said, cinnamon was used often. And as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to appreciate its well-documented benefits.

Every night, I have a cup of cinnamon tea and honey before I go to bed. I boil the water and mix it with a teaspoon of cinnamon. I let it steep for about 20-30 minutes and then I add a tablespoon of honey. I let it steep for that long because it helps to cool off the water. My grandmother always told us never to add honey to hot water because it does something to the enzymes so that the benefits of the honey basically become non-existent.

The benefits of this little tea have been great. First off, I never have morning breath. Like ever. Even if I forget to brush my teeth before bed. Secondly, whenever I pick back up the habit of drinking the tea, my immune system is amazing. I’m hardly ever sick. And if I am, it never lasts long. Thirdly, I have way more energy. Perhaps the most important benefit has to be the fact that my metabolism is pretty great. Even when I eat the heaviest of heavy meals, I don’t feel so heavy because the food gets broken down pretty easily. In other words, I don’t get the “Itis” that often.

I don’t usually endorse things that concern other people’s eating habits or bodies because I don’t like to make people feel like I’m preaching to them about their lifestyles. But this tea is so easy to make and the ingredients are so easily accessible that I felt like I had to share it (actually my mom suggested that I share it). If you want to speed up your metabolism, lose a few inches, improve your digestive tract, or pick up a little extra energy to add a pep to your step, give this tea a try. Even if you don’t want to drink it every day, having it a few times a week will definitely make a difference. 

Date Ideas

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching and its getting down to the wire on date ideas. Be it with a group of friends or the one you love these events make for a fun night on the 14th or any other day you want to celebrate.

• Animal Attractions Breakfast at Lincoln Park Zoo. The event offers the inside scoop on the risqué side of animal courtship and exclusive before hours access to Regenstein Center for African Apes.  Adults aged 18 and older can break bread alongside gorilla babies Patty and Nayembi and enjoy seasonal fresh fruits, yogurt parfaits with granola toppings, baked waffles, breakfast burritos and crisp applewood smoked bacon.  Saturday, February 9, from 9:30 to 11a.m. Tickets are $75 ($65 for Lincoln Park Zoo members) at www.lpzoo.org or by calling 312 742 2000.  Registration closes on February 6. 

• The Joffrey Ballet opens its winter program, “American Legends,” running February 13 – 24 for 10 performances.  The show includes romantic duets by Twyla Tharp,costumes by Oscar de la Renta, choreography by Jerome Robbins, and a contemporary Chicago premiere by Stanton Welch.

• Cupid's Crawl Bar Crawl down Clark Street with your loved ones or a ton of strangers looking to find love. You will be given a wristband at the first bar that will be honored at each location for great specials. 2013 Crawl Lineup:

7PM - Moe's Cantina
8PM - Vines on Clark
9PM - Deuce's and The Diamond Club
10PM - Roadhouse 66
11PM - John Barleycorn 

• Treat the one you love to luxury at this downtown dining destination, located on the 3rd floor of the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago. Terzo Piano will offer a decadent four-course Valentine’s Day dinner, cocktail service, a live band, and a tremendous view of the city! Plus, thanks to the expertise of Chef Tony Mantuano, who is known for serving up four-star Italian cuisine, this will be a meal to remember, for both you and that special someone.