I thought it would be fun to show you a beauty recap of what shenanigans’ I’ve been getting into during the week.  A lot of times, I’m dabbling with my hair and makeup but am too lazy to take photos, because life gets in the way.  So this week, I made a conscious effort to document my beauty experiments.

Beauty Experiments Hair

To achieve this look, I did a braid out on dry natural hair using about 7 braided sections.  I very lightly sprayed each of those sections with water, applied a quarter sized amount of African Pride Shea Butter Miracle Leave-In Conditioner.  Then, I detangled each section using a large tooth shower comb and finished it off by applying a dime sized amount of Africa’s Best Herbal Oil to seal in the moisture.   Next I braided each section and let them air dry for a few hours.    

They were about 90% dry when I took the braids down, so the roots were still slightly damp.  But that’s no problem,  I like doing that sometimes because it gives my hair a much fuller look. 

My hair below was right after a fresh wash & conditioning.  I added Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter Leave-In while it was damp and a bit of Herbal Oil then let my hair air dry.   I didn’t apply any further product, so the shrinkage was bananas. 

Oh and of course I can’t fool around with my hair without doing a periodic length check.  It’s growing pretty nicely and I’m noticing less and less postpartum shedding going on each week.  Thank goodness!! 

Beauty Experiments Makeup

This past weekend I was playing with my e.l.f. Prism creme eyeshadow palette in Sunset.  I love the colors and these shadows are so much easier to apply than my other powder shadows.  They are way more pigmented and go from creme to a powder finish, so blending is no problem.   I also notice that these last a lot longer than my regular shadows. 

I really like how my eyes came out this time and it’s been a Loooonnnnggg time since I’ve worn false lashes.  These are the Kiss True Volume lashes – Chic.   I really like them because they give a very natural look.  They don’t feel heavy on my lids and they blend very nicely with my own lashes.  

What I used to get this look:

Face: Maybelline FitMe Foundation Stick in 330 Toffee/Caramel, FitMe Finishing Powder in 330 Toffee, e.l.f. blush in Berry Merry was lightly dusted on cheeks, chin

Lips – Maybelline Cream Matte in Vibrant Violet along my lip line and corners of both lips.   Then I used, Satin Finish Brazen Berry in the middle of both lips and blended for a nice ombre effect.

Eyes:  3 Shades from e.l.f. Prism Eyeshadow Palette in Sunset.   e.l.f. Liquid Precision Liner.  Kiss True Volume lashes and Kiss lash glue with Aloe for lash application. The eyes were finished off by applying, e.l.f. 3-in-1 Mascara to my top and outer lower lashes

Brows: e.l.f. Perfect Brows Gel in dark.  I used my e.l.f. brow brush to groom and blend to perfection.

Beauty Experiments Nails

This week I experimented with using Kiss Press On Manicure Nails in Blown Kiss.  I got this set at a press event last summer and had them sitting in my beauty drawer since then.   I’ve been hesitant to try them because of the whole stigma of press on nails and I didn’t think they would work for me.   But since I’ve decided to make 2016 my year for experimenting and putting away my pre-judgements, I cracked open the package and decided to give it a go.    

Yeah I know…horrible.  I’m still dealing with my nail biting, which is a pretty bad habit, but one I know a lot of beauties struggle with.   Anyway, I’m trying to do what I can to stop so why not try some press on nails to protect my natural nails for while and give me the look I want. 

So basically I measured each nail by lining up the ones that fit closest to each of my nails on both hands.  I set those aside, lined up in the order that I would apply them.   Next, I prepped my nails for application.  I washed my hands and applied nail polish remover to each nail to remove any traces of oils.   I then used a cuticle pusher to make sure my cuticles weren’t in the way of where I’d be placing the nails.   Then I started applying the nails by peeling off the plastic covering from under the artificial nail and pressing the nail firmly in place on top of my own. 

I was in total shock at how great these nails looked after I was done.  They’re SUPERB!!  For real, the adhesive is pretty strong.   Honestly, I would probably add a tiny touch of nail glue to the outside corners of these for extra security.   I can’t risk losing a nail out in public.   But really, the adhesive on these is pretty great.

I’m still trippin’ over the way these were designed.  The way they taper naturally at the cuticle area and on the sides make them look like a natural mani.  I doubt anyone would be able to tell the difference if they saw them in public. 

Gear

This weekend I also rocked my dope natural hair tee from Sensationally Nappy.  I love the fit and this one suits my personality so well.   You gotta check out their designs!   For more information about the brand, check out SensationallyNappy.com

So What Beauty Experiments Have You Gotten Into This Week?