Jeffrey Campbell Score; Take II

Zebra Tick Wedge

Yup, those are tacks on the bottom of those puppies. - Here are a few more pics of the shoes scored at the LF Warehouse Sale! This set of shoes is a bit more "out there" vs the previous set.

To everyone that sent emails asking the "stock names" of the shoes from the previous post, I will send you that info today!

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Mary Jane Platform Boot

Shiny Patent Alexa Wedge: The shoes my mom hates; she says they look like Ice Skating Boots. She has a point.

EDEN

.Lovely Inspiration.

1. MOVIES THAT MIX MUSIC AND LOVE

"500 DAYS OF SUMMER"

"HIGH FIDELITY"

2. FUN WAYS TO HANG DRESSES

3. COLORFUL HOUSES

4. NOT TOO "GIRLY" SHOES

5. FLORAL DECORATION

6. INDOOR TENTS 

7. RED BOWS

These are tattoos. Aren´t they just lovely?

8. HUGE SUNGLASSES

9. POSITIVE MESSAGES ABOUT FEAR

10. AMERICAN GOLD FALL/WINTER ´10 "TO DIE FOR" COLLECTION 

"The Virgin And The Gypsy"

For more of this preview... Visit Suzanna´s "Spanish Moss Vintage" blog

(tumblr, vi.sualize.us, weheartit.com, creativeinspiration.tumblr.com, latestfashion.tumblr.com)

My Updated Skincare Regimen

I received a lot of questions about my skin, so I wanted to list my skin care regimen. - I have VERY acne prone skin that can flare up out of nowhere, so I have to first start off by consuming at least 2 bottles of water a day. If I start slacking on my water intake..."Houston, We Have a Problem"- Also, if I use a hair product that contains insane amounts of Shea Butter, I have to change my pillowcase every few days.

Next; Dermalogica products are really the only products that have consistently given me results. I use their line exclusively, and I haven't tried a Dermalogica product I didn't like. I honestly don't know many lines I can say that about.

As you can see, I have two regimens. I alternate between the two daily; I like to switch between the Dermal Clay Cleanser [this is a heavy duty deep cleanser], and the Clearing Skin Wash [this is a great basic skin cleanser]. So for example, I may use Regimen 1 on Sunday, and Regimen 2 on Monday.

You may also notice that I use the oil cleansing method at night; this is because using Dermalogica night AND day has a tendency to make my face somewhat dry and tight. To eliminate that; I oil cleanse at night, and moisturize my face w/Grapeseed Oil [a wonderful light oil for people who have oil, acne prone skin; this oil acts as a natural astringent]. 

I know Dermalogica products can be a tad pricey, so do what I do; I buy trial size versions of their products [can easily be found on Amazon], and when my money permits, I buy the full size.

Regimen 1: 
Pre Cleanse face w/Dermalogica Pre Cleanse
Cleanse face w/ Dermalogica Dermal Clay Cleanser
Gently exfoliate w/ Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Apply Dermalogica Skin Clearing Mattifier to acne prone, oil spots [That is usually my "T" zone, and the areas next to my hairline]
Moisturize skin w/Cetaphil Skin Moisturizer

Night Regimen:
Oil Cleanse w/Olive Oil
Moisturize w/Grapeseed

Regimen 2:
Pre Cleanse Face w/Dermalogica Pre Cleanse
Cleanse face w/Clearing Skin facial wash
Apply Dermalogica Skin Clearing Mattifier to acne prone, oil spots [That is usually my "T" zone, and the areas next to my hairline]
Moisturize skin w/Cetaphil Skin Moisturizer

Night Regimen:
Oil Cleanse w/Olive Oil
Moisturize w/Grapeseed

Friday Link Love!

 [source: tfs]

I am so happy to finally see the interview with Kim [better known as the face behind Kimmaytube] at Afroniquely You! [GO]

I think it's a sign [I have been fighting off the urge to roller set], here lately, everywhere I turn I see curlies w/fabulous roller sets; and she is no exception! [GO]

I love passing time reading her makeup reviews, she has the best taste in shadows [Did I mention she also opened a store where you can buy makeup for little of nothing?], and color combos! [GO]

Fermodyl 619 for Curly & Coarse Hair was one of my tried and true staple products [I say was because I am too lazy to include that extra step anymore] - You can use it on transitioning hair, relaxed, or natural! Robyn is hosting a giveaway on her blog! So join now for a chance to win! [GO]

Milan shares w/us how to cleanse your scalp while in twists! [GO]

Layne Reese

Mini Eye Shadow Haul + Face of The Day

So in keeping with the spirit of playing with colors; I purchased a few NYX eye shadows over the weekend [$1.99ea], and I am extremely pleased with them all! I was eager to try the NYX eye shadows [after falling in love with those pencils mentioned in this post.], and I am glad I did!

I really wanted to do a youtube video of this look, but the lighting was all types of crazy.  So I just resorted to doing this face of the day instead. I am going to have to do my makeup videos during the day. Duly noted.

I used the following to achieve this look:
- Urban Decay Primer Potion
- NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Gold [as a base all over lid]
- NYX Yellow Pearl [inner lid]
- NYX Charcoal [outer "v"]
- Ulta Lip Liner in Flesh
- Nars Lipgloss in Giza
- MAC Blush in Love Rush
- Stila Bad Gal Mascara [my fav for more of a natural dark lash]

Here are the shadows I purchased over the weekend; All of them go on smooth, and are highly pigmented!

Princess Pink [Dupe for MAC Expensive Pink]

Navy

Charcoal [Dupe for MAC Knight Divine]

Yellow Pearl [Dupe for MAC Going Bananas]

Swatched Colors [Left to Right]: Yellow Pearl, Charcoal, Princess Pink, Navy

90 Days to a Better You | Not in His Goals, But in His Transitions Man is Great - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Here lately, I have been doing a lot of reflecting, prayer, meditation and self discovery; all in the hopes of becoming a better person. As we know, in order to evolve in life, we must first asses our short comings, and work like hell to change them. Assessing those pesky bad habits with an objective eye can be very hard, especially when you find fault within yourself.

Changing your life, begins with changing your attitude; and changing your attitude begins with changing your mindset. So that is where I began. I began to analyze my inner thoughts, challenge my motivation and desires; and I must say through it all, it has been somewhat of a cathartic experience. Granted my life hasn't changed over night, but my outlook [once pessimistic] has changed, my work habits [once a procrastinator] have improved, and my attitude [once cautious and reserved] is slowly blossoming into the person I was meant to be.

I want to share these tips with all of you, in hopes that you too can apply this information to your daily life. I am not here to preach, but to pay it forward. I am breaking this up into 3 easy to digest posts [one a week], to spare you the novel!

Here are a few tasks that should be completed during Day 1 - 30
Decide whether or not you want to make a change. This may sound ludicrous, but changing your mindset requires a considerable amount of commitment. - Are you happy [not content] with your life as it is now? If you aren't happy, but aren't willing to make the change as of yet; ask yourself why. - If you are ready for this undertaking, write out a contract to yourself; in this contract outline your expectations, and consequences should you happen to breach your contract.


Write down your short term, and long term goals. Be as specific as possible; the more specific your goals, the more real your visions become. [Don't worry or stress yourself about setting dates at this point

Organize your goals; [For example. Finances, Career, Education, Marriage]

Assess the motivation behind your goals. Is it greed? Is it to prove yourself? Is it to keep up with the Joneses? Is it pressure? Is it guilt? Or is it passion? The key here is to eliminate the narcissistic motivation behind your goals. In other words, do not let selfishness order your steps. The key to successfully completing this task is h o n e s t y.

Start a journal and record your thoughts about steps 1-4. I recommend writing in a journal at least once a week. Things I normally write about are;
Everyday struggles
How to WIN the battle [between what I know is right, and taking the easy way out]
How to make MORE progress

Take baby steps; work slowly and methodically towards those goals you listed in step 2. Try to put in an hours worth of work each week towards a goal. The purpose of this is to get you used to consistently working towards goals, in hopes that it systematically changes those bad habits that prohibits growth and success. This is part of the re-wiring process. 

As you can see, days 1-30 consists more of writing in your journal and slowly [one hour a week] chipping towards those goals mentioned in step 2. 

Stay tuned next week for days 30-60!  

Kinky Curly Winner

 [source: we heart it]

According to random.org, the winner is: African Latina! Please email me {at} nikole@themoptopmaven.com to claim your prize!

Thank you so much to all that entered!! If you didn't win this time, by the looks of things it seems as though another giveaway is around the corner!!

As always, I appreciate all of you that tune in, and if I could gift every one of you to show my appreciation I would. You have all made my time on the internet loads of fun, and I have met some really cool people along the way.  Thank You :-)

Quick Tip #2 My Pre Poo Routine

[This YT vid was filmed in HD; however the vid is still processing, so quality kind of sucks for now]

I always talk about doing anything and everything related to your hair in sections. It is much easier that way. Whether natural [keeps those coils from tangling/snapping], or transitioning [keeps the hair from matting/breaking] you will definitely start to notice a difference in length retention once you utilize this technique.

I detangle in sections!
I shampoo in sections!
I condition in sections!

This quick tip video just gives a basic over-view on how I do my pre-poo routine. I switch back and forth between the mixture demonstrated in my video, and the one from this post [there is also a pretty snazzy ayurvedic recipe]; I do the latter when I have more time. 

Here's a overview on how adding a pre-poo step in your regimen can be beneficial to your hair;

Simply put, using shampoo [especially shampoo's formulated with sulfates] strips the hair of it's natural oils [sebum]. Sebum is very important because it plays a vital role in protecting the protein structure of the hair. Doing a Pre-Poo/Pre-Shampoo Treatment preps the hair by adding moisture, therefore minimizing [in most cases eliminating] the harsh effects of shampoo. 

I used the following products in my video:
Vatika Coconut Oil [this stuff is AMAZING; actually it is better than amazing]
Navratna Oil [This is an Indian Oil I purchased from Pioneer Cash & Carry in Artesia Ca; You can sub your favorite oil if you can't find this one]
Lustrasilk Shea & Mango Butter Conditioner

You may also notice I lightly detangle AFTER adding the oil:
I find it best if I detangle my hair with some type of lubricant; as it acts somewhat like a protectant. I also like to lightly detangle while my hair is dry; it makes the detangling process much smoother later [as you know your hair is at is most fragile point when wet; get those major kinks out while dry, and it should be smooth sailing after your wash].

Knocks Me Off My Feet

I see us in the park //
Strolling the summer days of imaginings in my head //
And words from our hearts //
Told only to the wind felt even without being said //
I don't want to bore you with my trouble //
But there's somethin' bout your love //
That makes me weak and //
Knocks me off my feet //

So this is the camisole, and leather skirt that I thrifted [you may recall seeing the pics in this post] this past weekend. -

Cami: Thrifted
High Waist Leather Skirt: Thrifted
Bracelets: Forever 21
Necklace: DIY
Ring: Picnic [San Francisco]
Bow: LF Stores
Socks: American Apparel
Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell
---------------------------------------------------------

There is one thing I noticed after starting this blog, and that is the amount of married women that comment on my posts. Oddly enough; the readers on my blog comprise most [if not all] of the married women I know. - I started to wonder if living in the suburbs breeds more of a monogamous attitude vs city living.

I have a dear friend who is a single mother of two, and a few years ago she uprooted her family and moved to a small city in Texas. One of the motivating factors was her urge to settle down and get married. She felt that she would be single as long as she stayed and L.A, so on a whim, she left. Six months later that very same friend met her future husband. And so the story goes..they lived happily ever after.

What is it about those smaller cities? Is there more pressure to fall in line, have children and get married? Is it that there is less to do, less opportunities, less "options"? I am interested on hearing your thoughts on this.

Barbie

.And when my mind is free. You know a melody can move me. And when Im feeling blue. The guitars coming through to soothe me.

(weheartit, creativeinspiration.tumblr.com, ffffffffound, smvblog.com, stripedzebra.tumblr.com)