When it comes to red lipstick, I try my best to get them all. Not all reds are the same and there are some that I’ll steer clear of.
For example, any lipstick with extremely drying formula is a no go for me. The fall/winter weather is harsh on my skin, I don’t need to add to its demise. That’s why I’m careful to wear lipstick that don’t dry my lips out too much.
I don’t discriminate between matte and gloss colour. It all depends on my mood. Some days I wear matte and some days I don’t.
I’m all about quality. The quality of the lipstick will either give me a boost of confidence or make me feel self conscious.
Hi there! I just want to start off by saying thank you so much for checking out my blog. You could be doing anything, anywhere but here you are with me and this brings me so much joy. Just to let you know that this blog contains products that I’ve received from Influenster for free for testing purposes. Also, I have some affiliate links listed in this blog. If you so happen to want to try these items out and you purchase it from this blog you will be supporting me so that I can keep doing what I love. As always, all opinions expressed are strictly my own and I promise to spill all the absolute truth in this post.
I absolutely love these books and so does my girls. I love them so much I’ve written a review about it. You can check it out here. I love how diverse they are and empowering. I believe these books are amazing.
For the make up lover in your life you cannot go wrong with these items. They are affordable and super easy to use. These items were gifted to me.
The Sephora Collection Wild Eyes Eyeshadow Palette is a 16-pan eyeshadow palette in matte, shimmer, and glitter finishes ranging from wearable-neutral to rich-bold shades. From wearable nudes to rich browns and radiant golds, this eyeshadow palette can be worn day and night.
The Sephora Collection Wild Days Eyeshadow & Face Palette is a multi-palette that includes eight eyeshadows in matte and metallic finishes and three face powders to help you create your festive holiday look. These wearable matte and metallic eyeshadows can be worn with the included blush, bronzer, and highlighter to complete your look. The palette is also made out of a velvety material that feels luxurious to the touch. Personally I found the bronzer to be too light for me but perfect for a body shimmer or eyeshadow.
The Sephora Collection Wild Wishes Cream Lip Stain Set is a matte, liquid lipstick set with six bestselling full-size Cream Lip Stains for the price of two. This silky and long lasting liquid lipsticks are comfortable to wear thanks to the avocado-oil-infused formula. The high-coverage color glides on smoothly, drying with a stunning matte finish. Try (or gift) this top-selling set for an experience that won‘t disappoint.
The Sephora Collection Under the Mistletoe #Lipstories Lipstick Set is a set of six full-size #LIPSTORIES Lipsticks in limited-edition shades perfect for the holiday season. This holiday-themed #LIPSTORIES set. Featuring six new, party-ready shades in creamy and metallic finishes, this set has something for everyone, making it the perfect gift for any beauty lover on your list. I absolutely love how creamy and smooth these lipsticks are.
#liketkit @liketoknow.it http://liketk.it/31rdP whether you need some holiday glam or a gift for your favourite make up lover, Charlotte Tilbury is perfect for this season #LTKunder50 #LTKbeauty #LTKstyletip Shop your screenshot of this pic with the LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app
I was gifted these items by Charlotte Tilbury and I fell in love. So much so that I made a whole vlog about it. Check it out here.
You can purchase all of these at Sephora and if you use Ampli you will get cash back. In fact, by using the code AMPLI5 you will receive $5 just for signing up.
Hi there! Thank you so much for checking out my blog. Today is Sunday and it’s the day I release my blog.
I received some items from Charlotte Tilbury for free and decided to try them out. I hope you like the video.
FYI: Just to let you know that this blog does contain some affiliate links, which I hope you will appreciate. If you so choose to click on these links you will not spend extra money but you will get some cash back with your purchase and for referring you I get some money too. It won’t make me an overnight millionaire but I will be able to continue providing you with some more content like this one.
You can purchase these items here. #liketkit @liketoknow.it http://liketk.it/31rdP whether you need some holiday glam or a gift for your favourite make up lover, Charlotte Tilbury is perfect for this season #LTKunder50 #LTKbeauty #LTKstyletip Shop your screenshot of this pic with the LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app
If you have AMPLI you can receive cash back if you shop these items at Sephora. Ampli is a cash back app that I use to get cash back on my purchases. If you sign up using the code AMPLI5 you will get $5 without purchasing a thing. That’s just for signing up. What do you think about that? There’s tons of places you can use it at not just Sephora. You should check it out.
Hey there! Thank you so very much for checking out my blog. I really appreciate it. You could be anywhere but here you are with me. Just to let you know that this blog does contain some affiliate links, which I hope you will appreciate. If you so choose to click on these links you will not spend extra money but you will get some cash back with your purchase and for referring you I get some money too. It won’t make me an overnight millionaire but I will be able to continue providing you with some more content like this one.
The last time I wrote about Hyaluronic Acid and that did pretty well so today I thought I’d blog about Retinol as part of my #nablopomo challenge. Even though, I’m not a dermatologist I believe that the best data can be found through research and personal experience. Once we have said data, we should be able to share those findings so that you as a consumer can make the right choice for your lifestyle.
I have heard about retinol for a while but it wasn’t until a few of my favourite skin care influencers and dermatologists started talking about retinol that I began to pay attention. As a Black woman, I was always under the impression that since I was Black my face would not crack if I simply washed my face and applied a moisturizer. Then I got older and realized that the signs of ageing do not discriminate simply because I’m black. Also, I realized I needed more than a cleanser and moisturizer to deal with my seasonal temperamental skin.
On a whim I bought Retinol from The Inkey List. I wasn’t expecting much but I knew that I didn’t want to settle for whatever my skin decided to do on any given day. Also, the price point was really good and I got cash back on my Sephora purchase by using a cash back app called AMPLI so of course I was in.
Ampli is a cash back app that I use to get cash back on my purchases. If you sign up using the code AMPLI5 you will get $5 without purchasing a thing. That’s just for signing up. What do you think about that?
Let’s go back.
What is retinol?
Retinol is an alcoholized version of Vitamin A. It is often used to treat Vitamin A deficiency, but that’s not what we’re here to discuss. It is used in skin care to prevent wrinkles and take care of acne, which is right along my alley. More specifically, retinol is known to unclog pores, reduce acne breakouts as a result which therefore decreases acne scarring…because there are less acne appearing. It’s the catalyst to clearer skin so to speak. It’s also known for increasing the cell turnover rate which helps to show your best skin. If you’ve got some hyperpigmentation and/or dark spot, retinol might be a solution to try.
Some people may experience peeling and redness but that’s due to irritation which can be a side effect to retinol usage. Eventually, your skin will toughen up and build a tolerance to it. I personally did not experience irritation or peeling. Thank goodness.
I’ve just been using for a week so I haven’t really noticed much of a change to my skin, except for the hydration, and turns out that it can take up to 12 weeks to see the expected results. It’s also best to wear retinol at night to ensure that it’s not rendered inactive during the day. Not because of the sun but because we tend to do a lot with our faces during the day. As always consistency is king when it comes to long lasting change.
I bought The Inkey List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum from Sephora about two weeks ago. It comes in a white squeeze with black top. Everything about this packaging screams simple. It has no fragrance. The fluid itself has a gel like texture with a slight yellow tint. It’s quite thin for a gel-cream fluid. You don’t need a lot because a little goes a long way. I apply all over my face for an even finish right after using they hyaluronic serum. The serum has 1% retinol, 0.5% retinoid and squalane to hydrate and soothe.
Overall, I like it. The price point is perfect. The packaging is perfect. I can’t wait to see what my skin will look like.
Ampli is a cash back app that I use to get cash back on my purchases. If you sign up using the code AMPLI5 you will get $5 without purchasing a thing. That’s just for signing up. What do you think about that? There’s tons of places you can use it at not just Sephora. You should check it out.
Process. I googled the word “Process” and the definition that came up is “a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end”. Everyone of us is involved in a process of some sort. We all have an end that we have envisioned for ourselves. We have grown up with dreams, fueled by passions and now that we are older, we’ve been given the opportunity to go after them. Our lives can be boiled down to just one word, process.
From the moment we are conceived there is a process of growth that we are subject to. By the time we’ve reached the age of 5 we start going to school and that will last up until we graduate at the age of 17 or 18, for most of us. Then we undergo a different process. All these pathways ultimately are meant to give us a successful end. That end is our destiny.
What is process?
Process is practice for our destiny. Most often when we are going through the process it comes with unfairness, hardship, separation (not isolation), transition and growth. These are just tools used by God to teach us something or to guide and/or influence us into creating the right life habits.
There is good news. The good news is that it’s temporary. None of this is permanent. It may take a long time, depending on how quickly we learn and/or the size of our destiny. However, rest assured you will not die in the process if you keep going through it. Here’s an example.
In the Bible, one of my favourite person is King David. I love his boldness, his swagger, his love for God and just how real he is. This man was a man with great power, he wasn’t perfect, but he loved God and submitted to God. But despite his many successes, there were many times he had to go through the process. It wasn’t always pretty and I’m sure he didn’t enjoy it, but the end result was always worth it. He was always without a doubt better than the way he started.
Unfairness, hardship, separation, transition and growth = fun?!
You’re probably wondering, how am I supposed to go through unfairness, hardship, separation, transition and growth and enjoy it? Transition and growth would make sense to me, personally but the first three, I don’t know. It took me over 10 years to break out of that mindset. I couldn’t enjoy the challenge of going through my experiences because I was looking at it all wrong.
I wanted everything to be simple and easy. I wanted the answers to every question on the test without learning to use the tools I was given to work out the answers to every question on the test. There is no app to answer every inquiry in the world. Google can’t help me figure out why my father chose not to pursue a relationship with me, nor could it help me figure out why I couldn’t just forgive my father for not being in my life. This was an experience I had to go through.
I was so busy being angry, I couldn’t see the lesson that God was teaching me. He was putting me in a position where I could forgive those who hurt me and love them despite their offense towards me. He taught me to take the power of my emotions out of my father’s hands and place them in His hands. He taught me to love despite the hurt I suffered and ultimately become sensitive and empathetic to the needs of those who may have felt rejected and alone, including my father.
It was a dark process, and I don’t wish it on anyone but I’m sure glad I went through it.
Biblical Example:
King David had his fair share of unfairness. I mean as a boy he’s a shepherd. He takes care of sheep and during this time he is faced with a lion and a bear. Alone! I don’t know about you, but these sheep would’ve been food for the lion and the bear if I was their shepherdess. However, David realizes that the sheep are counting on him for their survival, so he rescues them. Alone. At the time David, couldn’t have known that this would’ve been the practice he needed to defeat Goliath, and yet it was. The defeat of Goliath catapulted his fame throughout the land and gave Israel a much-needed victory.
One would think that would’ve been the moment he’d step into his destiny and experience success. I mean everyone knew who he was by now. He even had his own song. Samuel had already anointed him, so it should’ve been easy sailing from that point on, right? That’s what I would’ve expected, in fact that’s what I always expect. But not really, it just led him into another process.
Now he’s got to deal with a hater, the current king of Israel, King Saul. This guy takes David in, gives him his daughter has his wife, and then turns around and tries to kill him. David literally had to run for his life. He was forced to be separated from his home and his comfort. He is doing everything right and now he’s on the run?! The answer is yes. During this time, David sharpened his relationship with God writing some of the most beautiful psalms that we are still reciting today.
Separation allows us to dig deep and let God lead us where he wants us to. David wasn’t just a warrior. During that period of his life, he no longer was a shepherd boy, but he became a worshipper. He became the man that could lead an entire nation back to the altar of God and change the spiritual trajectory of a nation.
Then there’s the slip up. He finally becomes king and he manages to mess it all up. He and Bathsheba (a married woman, at that!) end up having a one-night stand. She gets pregnant. He creates a situation to have her husband killed and then marries the girl in hopes that it all goes away. Unfortunately for him, it doesn’t. He humbles himself, repents and out of him comes Solomon, the future king of Israel. The one who builds the temple of God in Israel.
The Point:
Process isn’t fun, in fact to even say that you’ll enjoy the process is an oxymoron. It’s not meant to be enjoyable. The beauty in going through the process is that at the end of it you will look back and realize that you were simply practicing for a destiny that is bigger than yourself. There’s so much about you that you don’t know, in fact there is a version of yourself that you haven’t even met. That person is kind, thoughtful, wise and full of life lessons. Fortunately, only those who are willing to go through will meet that version of themselves.
So, go through the process and practice. Practice makes perfect. When perfection meets intention then lives are changed, not just yours but the world changes. Be perfect for your destiny.
Hi there! Thank you so much for checking my blog. I’ve decided to switch it up and introduce a portion of my book. I’ve been meaning to release it but I’ve been too scared. In all honesty, it’s more of an essay than a book. However, recently I lost a friend that I knew for a long time. We weren’t really close as of late but she and I kept in touch. She always said something positive.
Life is short. Our time on earth is borrowed. So I decided to put my fears aside and release this introduction. I hope you like it.
Introduction
Hey you! I want to start off by saying thank you for picking up this book. Whether you have a physical copy or an e-book, your support means the world to me. I am so grateful to you and am super excited about sharing what I’ve learned through my life experiences and from the Bible.
Now before you get in too deep, I want to make sure that you fully understand what you’re headed into. I am not famous, I am not rich and am in no way shape or form some social media celebrity. I am just a girl with big dreams and after having them for so long decided to pursue them. I am still pursuing those dreams and I haven’t “made” it yet according to my standards. So, understand me when I say, this book will not give you the secrets of overnight success because, frankly, it doesn’t exist. If that were the case, we would all be overnight successes, sitting in our Bentley’s and buying our fifth mansion.
This book is here to give you perspective on how to view the process and to love the season you are in. Understanding where you are can help you overcome certain situations, avoid repeating the same mistakes and keep you focused when setbacks come. Believe me, they come. I will be as honest as I can be and I promise to keep it real.
Life is full of ups and downs and sometimes there’s so much down that it becomes really easy to give up. The reality is that we can’t give up. We each possess a light inside of us that brings out the best of us. We are each empowered to be world changers. So, if you can read this book and come out with a new outlook in life that propels you forward into the next phase of your life, then I know that you can inspire someone else to do it. In other words, if I can do it you do it too.
At the end of the day this book will not change your life, only you can do that. Only you can ride out the wave and learn the key lessons that will take you and your dreams to the next level. The good news is, one day things will be different, and you’ll get everything you prayed for. You may face different challenges but at the end of the day you’ll know how to “Enjoy The Process!”
Hi there! I just want to start by saying thank you for being here today. I am honestly honored to have you read this blog. I know that life isn’t always easy and there are always curveballs being thrown at us. However, this is not the time to give up but the time to “dig deep”. I’m gonna try to keep it short because I honestly believe that this message doesn’t need embellishment.
You may need to rest but you can not give up. Whatever happens you can not give up. But you need to invest. Whether it’s financial investment or by spending time into yourself, now is the time to do and here’s why.
Your gifts will help others reach their potential
Having the ability to live life on your own terms
Leaving a legacy behind that will create generational wealth
Enjoy life abundantly
You deserve to live life happily. If it can happen to me, it can happen to you too and why not? Better yet, why not now?
Hi there! Thank you so much for being here. You could be anywhere but you chose to be here. I honestly appreciate your support.
Today is going to be a little different because today this post is going to piggy back off of my latest YouTube post. After seeing what we thought was impossible happen south of the border I think it’s safe to say that impossible has a whole different meaning.
You don’t need a whole lot of money to get started so here is the post!
![[GIVEAWAY CLOSED]I got invited to the 30th Anniversary of the Governor General‘s Performing Arts Awards and I’m internally freaking out. I’ve been looking for the perfect dress to wear to this event. Can you guess which one it is?](https://scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/281470190_349325660628143_3109776178685496744_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=8ae9d6&_nc_ohc=3g0X7nk2eCIAX_LjgN2&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&oh=00_AT8eXpkTTfu8Dsb00aaqrGmppEVgAP5pq_GP2qjb5sFXrQ&oe=6296ADEF)
Sandy Esprit 