Beauty Tips for Daughter

This is it...the last day of the 31 day challenge of blogging!!!! I can't believe I actually did this and stuck to it. It was hard as hell, let me tell you. But it was so much fun. I was worried that I wouldn't know what to blog about for 31 days, but I pulled it off. This challege has introduced me to some amazing new blogs and I will include them on my Blog List. If it wasn't for my girl Joy of The Boogie Down Beauty for encouraging me to do the challenge with her...I would not have had these great post and I would not have found some of these blogs. So thanks girl, and thanks to Luvvie's for starting this months challenge. It got us moving and motivated to write, and to do it daily. My most popular post was the one I did on The Benefits of Hair Steaming.  I believe that received about 200 hits. That was amazing!!! This challenge has inspired me to be more consistent with my blogging. So going forward I will blog 3 times a week, Tuesday - Thursday.  I already have th...

YESSSSSSSS....it's Friday baby!!!  Super excited because it's a long wkend for me and most people becauae its Labor Day Weekend. The grill will be fired up and the drinks flowing. I love long weekends because it allows me to do whatever I want to. My plans aren't major for this weekend. I plan on doing some painting and housecleaning.  I'll meetup with my BGR ladies on Saturday morning for our weekly meetup...then the day is mine. I may hit up a few sales...don't you just love holiday sales? So enjoy your weekend and have a wonderful and safe time. How will you spend this Labor Day Weekend?  Will you BBQ,  head out of town, or maybe a family trip to an amusement park or water park? Tell me your plans in the comment section. Until tomorrow...Stay Labor Day Weekend Fabulous and safe!!!

So every Thursday I will bring to you a different produt that I use and I have come to love. I first fell on love with this brand of products in my June curlBOX and have been hooked ever since. I use the Coconut Shea line which include a leave in conditioner, curl defining cream,  and pudding souffle.  I love all three and can't get enough of them. Twistouts are my go to style and when I do them I use the leave in and either the curl defining cream or the pudding souffle. It depends on how much hold I want that determines which one I use. For this style today I used the Curl Defining Cream because I knew the product would yield great definition.   So if you're in the 4 Family hair type, this product will work great for you.  I also prefer to do my twistout on dry hair with a dab of product worked through my hair, because a little truly goes a long way. I maintain my look by retwisting at night and adding product as needed. Even though I retwist every single nigh...

  As we approach the end of summer, there are so many things we are going to miss. Cookouts on the weekends, trips to the beach, or a nice days at the pool. One thing we can carry with us is our beautiful, glowing skin that we showed off the entire summer.  With fall right around the corner, one way to hold to the memory of summer is by exfoliating your skin during the fall and winter months.  Exfoliating has great benefits like: Removes dead skin cells and promotes circulation. Helps even out skin tone. Skin appears to be "glowing" and softer. Helps prevent pores from clogging. Allows moisture to penetrate skin better. There are different types of products out there you can use to exfoliate your skin. However, DO NOT use the same exfoliant for your body on your face. Our face is more delicate and needs a gentler scrub.  When it comes to the body, the base for most scrubs are sugar or salt. I use both and different brands. I also make my own scrubs from time to time....

What's up y'all!!! Now, I was originally was going to get on here and talk about Miley Cyrus and how everyone is going after that young lady....KEY WORD: YOUNG. I'm going to say this and that's it. She is 20...I don't know about you, but I was wild and fancy free when I was 20 and I danced just like she did. Hell, I may still try and twerk it on the dance floor now, if I want to. Let's this chile alone, she is having fun and enjoying herself. The only reason it's a big deal is because it plays out in from of millions of people. She is an entertainer, an actress, and a singer. Now can she twerk...HELL NO, was that latex an absolute disaster with her poor flatcakes showing...YES, but because she is a celebrity, we think we have the right to judge her, but who gave US that right. I say, let her be a young 20 year old who is out here enjoying HER LIFE.... Moving on....as you know I have an event planned here in Austin, TX. It is a Natural Hair and Wellness Event...

Yes....you read it right, it's the first day of school here in Austin and I know the parents are more excited than the kids, lol. BACK TO SCHOOL YOU GO!!! For the first day of school I love to make my babies there FDofS breakfast...whatever they may want. So tomorrow morning I will be making my famous Breakfast Tacos. My son LOVES breakfast tacos...and if your a Texan, you do to. Breakfast is the most important part of the day, especially the day of a child. So send them off with a full tummy. What do you do for your child on the FDofS? Do y'all have a special ritually that you do? Do you walk them to school or take them to school on the first day. For you new school parents, are you more nervous than your child? Whatever you do, make sure their first day is a good day. Tell me how you did on their first day back. Until they get home....Stay Fabulous!!!! BONUS!!!! Breakfast Taco's 6 Eggs or Egg whites (Use the measurement on the carton) 1/4cup Onion 1/4cup Mushroom 1/2cup ...

A few post ago I confessed that I was a product junkie....well being a product junkie does come with a some great benefits. One of those benefits are you get to try different product and find the ones that work best for you. Starting next week I will talk about products I enjoy using on my hair as well as some pics to go along with the style I accomplished. Today I want to talk about Entwine Couture Products www.entwinecouture.com . Entwine Couture products are a luxury brand of haircare products that focus on the overall health of your hair. They contain quality ingredients that are not harmful to the hair which result in less breakage and dryness. The best way to experience the products are through their Audition Kit. The Audition Kit ($24.99) contains the entire product line. Some of my favorite products are The Clique Shampoo and Conditioner as well as the Exotique Butter - Creme Hydrator. If shrinkage is a problem, put the Hydrator on your hair and watch it stretch...OMG. Skrinkag...

That's right y'all, I will be hosting my first meetup as Urbangirl Fabulous!!!! I am super excited. I know some of you are like wait, " Didn't you host and event last year". I did, however that was on a more intimate level hosted at my friends home. This year I am stepping it up a notch so more people can attend. Come out and let your hair down while you mix and mingle with other naturals, transitioners, or anyone who is thinking about going natural...this event is for you!!!  This will be an evening filled with music, food, fun, an little education about hair and your overall wellness.Enjoy a mini facial provided by The Natural Way Massage and learn why regular facials are more than a luxury. Note, I did mention this was a Wellness event also.    I have already contacted some big name in the natural hair industry and they will be sponsoring the event. Well don't you want to know who I'm talking about....well, well, well, should I tell you?!?!? ...

Well loves...that time of year is quickly approaching for the 5th Annual Nzuri Natural Hair Expo. This is where I normally lose my mind. This event is for the entire family and it is a 2 day event. It takes place at the Reliant Center in Houston, TX. Make sure you head over to their website and check it out, www.naturalhairfestival.com . As for me, I will have some very exciting news to share with you tomorrow, so be on the lookout for that. You will  not be disappointed. Until then...Stay Fabulous!!!

Hello... My name is Nikki and I'm a Product Junkie.  While I love all types of products the main that that I can't get enough of are hair products. I've been natural for years, but in the most recent years I told myself I would let my hair grow out without cutting it all off. Which brings me to my current situation at hand. It all stared in 2011 when I went to 3 Natural Hair Expos in 2 different cities. You see, I live in Austin, TX...and we don't have events like that (Be on the lookout for an announcement this Saturday ;-D).  It started in Dallas with the Nappiology Expo www.nappiology.net . I had a great time and I made a few purchases while there. There were also other vendors there that sold TShirts, earring, and other accessories. The next event I went to was the Nzuri Natural Hair Expo www.naturalhairfestival.com . OMG....I was in heaven. There were so many vendors, from Miss Jessie's to Taliah Wajjid. I think I stopped at every single booth. Remember the nat...

Being a natural with 4B/C hair can be very challenging. Our hair tends to break and dry out very easily. That's why moisture is very important to a natural, especially one with a more tighter curl pattern. One of the ways I combat dryness is by steaming my hair at twice a month. There are many ways you can steam your hair if you don't own a hair steamer. Some ways include: Sitting under a heated dryer with a plastic cap on. Make sure the hair is damp and you can also apply a deep conditioner Applying a deep conditioner to damp hair and placing a plastic cap on your hear. Then wrap a warm or hot towel around head for 5-10 min, until towel is no longer warm. Sit in your sauna or steam room at your local gym with plastic cap on while your relaxing, and don't forget to include the deep conditioner. Some of the great benifits that I notice with hair steaming are:    Steam locks in more moisture to my hair, it's not dry or brittle once I steam Hair is a lot softer after I ste...

Yesterday I was tagged by my girl LaRhonda of Naturally Supreme www.natsupreme.com to list 10 random facts about myself. I tag anyone reading this post to leave your facts in the comment section or post them on your blog....so here we go!!! In no particular order: 1. I LOVE Big Red soda. It was started in my hometown of Waco, TX. The best soda hands down  and I'm addicted. 2. I HATE flying. I become really anxious and I cry to myself when the plane takes off. 3. I have 3 children, 2 boys and a girl. Xavier(20), Nijah(14), and Andrew Jr aka AJ (11). I wanted 4 children, but after AJ I changed my mind quickly, lol. 4. I was a Medical Specialist in the U.S.Army for 6 years. One of the best decisions I've made in my life. 5. I've been married for 11 years and I met my husband in the Army. 6. I am part of Black Girls Run (BGR) Austin. I'm not running yet, but I will soon. 7. I enjoy cooking for large groups of people...especially during the holiday's. It's everyday ...

When one decides to go natural,  there are a few things that can help you along your way. I didn't have a quideline or YouTube when I started my journey...so you newly naturals are lucky, lol. Here are some steps to help you along your natural hair journey.    Do it for you - When I say do it for you, I'm saying don't let anyone talk you into or out of "Returning Natural" (I like this phrase a lot). This has to be a choice that is all your own, because no one lives in that skin but you. Big Chop or Transition - There is no right way to return natural, but the only two ways I know of are: Big Chopping or Transitioning. Keep in mind if you have a relaxer it will need to be cut off eventually. Either all at once or little by little through trimming the hair. BUT cutting the hair will be done. Some people are afraid to take that large step of cutting it all off, however, I don't want you to think you can "Grow out of your relaxer". That's not possibl...

I started this Natural Hair journey almost 20 years ago. Before it became a trend or a fad for some. The year was 1995 and I signed up to go to the Army. I enlisted in May 1995, but I wouldn't leave for Basic Training until October 1995. I had the entire summer to decided what I wanted to do with my hair. At the time my hair was relaxed and cut into a short hairstyle. I always rocked my hair short because long hair was not an option for me. Once I accepted that, I was cool rocking the "Toni Braxton or Halle Berry" hairstyle. I trusted my stylist to do want they wanted to with my hair. But, I knew my time for rocking the latest haircut would be coming to and end.    I was on a path to change everything about what was going on in my life. I had just broken up with my first love and that was the extra push I needed to go ahead and enlist in to the Army. I spoke with my recruiter, and I knew I didn't have to do anything extra to my hair...but I want to make the transition...

Whoaaaaa...I almost missed Day 17 of blogging. Well for next week I am going to write all about my natural hair and some techniques I use to maintain my hair. I'm not new to the natural hair scene and it is not a fad for me. I've rocked everything for locs to fades....I love the diversity of my hair. How have you worn your hair in the past few years? What are some tricks you use to keep your hair looking fabulous?  Until next time...Stay Fabulous.

I live for Fridays...or as someone once told me, "Wish for last Friday, that way your not wishing your life away". Friday is the beginning of the weekend....your free time. Time you get to unwind and truly be yourself. Music always puts me in a great mood....it gets me going in the morning...gets my mind right.  And don't let a good mix come on the radio....WHAT!!! Maaaaan, it's going down in Club Charger (that's would be my car, lol).  I gets it crunk. All types of ratchetness comes out of me, and I'm ok with that's.  Speaking of ratchetness....did you hear that Kendrick verse on Big Sean's control? DAMN!!! He has those NYC ninja's feeling a certain kind of way....get yo bars up ninja, lol.  That's what Hip Hop is all about and I LOVE hip Hop....hear, take a listen.  Parental Warning is advised. In other words, listen at your own risk. So now you know how I get in the mood on a Friday. ..add a Leinenkugels https://leinie.com to that once I g...

We all have our days where we don't feel 100% on top of our game. That day is today for me...I hate that I can be someone's biggest supporter and fan, but when you need a helping hand,  no one can be found. I don't support people and their goals with the expectations they will do the same, I do it because I care and I'm to damn loyal as a friend. That has always been my blessing and downfall. Because when someone needs my help, I'm there. You need to get the word out about your new business...I put it out. You need someone to help run a booth, cook a meal, babysit,  or whatever it is....I'M THERE. However, the love is not always returned if I need the same support. Today I was feeling down because I'm in the process of planning my natural hair event and I ran into a few obstacles. ..but I had to reming myself that I AM GREAT!!! And when I put my mind to it...I will succeed. Sometimes when we feel we don't have the support system we deserve it can make us...

Touch is such a huge part of our everyday life. A simple handshake to greet someone, a meaningful embrace shared between two friends, or the calming touch of a loving Mother... touch plays a major role in our everyday lives. Studies have shown that massage is not only good for the body, but it's just as good for the mind and well being. For most of us we look at massage as something of a luxury, when actually it also has great health benefits. Some benefits include: Improved Blood Circulation Relaxation Soft Tissue Stains Detox Lesson depression Digestive Disorders These are just a few benefits from receiving a massage on a regular basis. I recommend getting a massage at least once a month or more if you can afford to. Also, if you have a medical condition that requires therapeutic massage, check with you medical insurance company to see if they cover the cost of your massage and how often you can receive one. Check to see if your spa offers a wellness plan like the spa I go to, Th...

 I'm at a stage in my life where I have so many goals and dream that I want to share with the world...and I don't know where to begin. What I do know is I need to take a leap of faith and just do it. What I know about reaching your goals in life is you need a great support system. People who believe in you more than you believe in yourself. It starts with one single idea, then a plan of action....  Ways to achieve your goal can be as simple or as hard as you would like them to be. I'm no expert, but these are some simple step to help you work toward your goals: Keep a Journal: Write it down. When I have ideas, I write them down and I do my research. I look to the internet and people I know who may have knowledge in my plans. Most of the time reliable people can be your biggest resource, especially if they are just as passionate about the topic as you are. Don't be afraid to ask for help or advice. Surround yourself with positive supporters: This is VERY crucial in he...

This is going to be a short post today. I wanted to come to you with some words of encouragement.  In this day and age we have been forced to believe that beauty comes in a certain color, shape, or size. Well I'm here to tell you that's a bunch of BULLSHIT!!!! Beauty isn't only in a size zero or porcelain skin or the name brand fashions you wear. Beauty is in the black girl from the hood rocking the latest fashion with her personal sytle. Beauty is the Asian chick with chinky eyes who's makeup is always BEAT. Or the young gay boy who just came out to his family...real beauty is Love and Acceptance. You may not have all you desire in life or be where you want to be in life....but one important thing is YOU'RE HERE!!! So look at yourself in the mirror and say, "I am beautiful and I am worthy". Getting to Happy means learning to truly LOVE YOURSELF. There will always be someone out here who gets joy out of making others miserable with their actions or hurtfu...

I'm so happy to see so many women convert back to their natural hair. I was first inspired to go natural back in the 90's when the singing group Zhane came out. I was amazed at how beautiful those ladies were and they were "bald headed" and I loved it!!! They offered me a look I had not seen many women in Texas rock and I wanted that for myself.  Back track to my childhood...I wanted long hair like my middle sister and cousins...but it never happened. My hair never grew long and every 3 years like clockwork it would all fall out. The old folks said I had a "nerve problem" and that was causing my hair to fall out. My grandma was superstitious and she would cut my hair only on the Full Moon or New Moon( I don't remember which one). I hated everything about my hair when I was younger, but like everything else, time helped me to appreciate what I had once I gotten older and I was able to pay to get my hair done during my Senior year in high school. Things wo...

Wrapping up or 2 day stay in Houston and getting the most out of our money with our City Pass, we went to the NASA Space Center and Kemah Boardwalk. The Space Center was really nice and huge. When you first walk in there is a large Angry Birds Space play area for the younger kids who may not be interested in the science of it all, lol. Inside there are so many space shuttle component's and artifacts to see.  There is a reusable engine, inside of a space shuttle command area, Space suits, and so much more. There are information area's set up throughout the center as well as movie theaters and a food court. You can also take a guided Tram Tour to see where people actually work... Yes, this is an actual working NASA Center. How cool is that... After our visit to the Space Center, we went to Kemah Boardwalk, which was nearby. When planning what sites to see, try to plan locations that are near each other that way your not driving all over the place. Kemah Boardwalk is a mini amusem...

On yesterday's post I mentioned we started our mini vacation in Houston. One of the ways we are saving money while in Houston is by using a City Pass. The Houston City Pass is good for 9 days after the first use, that way you're in no rush to visit the sites you plan on seeing. In the Houston City Pass you get 5 of 7 destinations to choose from and they are: Downtown Aquarium, Kemah Boardwalk, Museum of Fine Arts, Children's Museum, Museum of Natural Science, Houston Zoo, and The Space Center. I will talk about the first 3 we decided to visit. If museums are your thing, I recommend the Museum of Natural Science and the Fine Art Museum. I recommend going to the Fine Art Museum first because the parking is free. There are many exhibits to see in both, we learned so much visiting them. The Natural Science museum also has McDonald's inside if  you get a little hungry. After we went to both museums we went to the Downtown Aquarium. Now the aquarium is ok, but it could have b...

Summertime you will find more families going on vacation either near or far. For some money is an object and we want to get the most out of it. This week me and family took a mini vacation to Houston with our youngest son. I'm always looking for ways to save, so I did a little researching. A few cities across America offer a discount booklet called a City Pass www.citypass.com.  What caught my eye about Houston's City Pass are the options of locations to see whole in Houston.  You get to choose from 7 venues you can visit. With the City Pass you get to visit 5 of the 7 venues listed. Ooooooh, I forgot to mention the price... $46 for adults and $36 for children, with a savings up to 50%. We're staying overnight in Houston and since I'm not staying at my favorite hotel, so I got our room on Priceline www.priceline.com. We are staying in the Galleria are at the Hilton Post Oak. By naming my own price I was able to save more than 50% off of our room instead of paying regula...

This is the conclusion to last Tuesday's post where I'm giving you tips on how to claim your financial freedom and being to make better choices with your money. Work on Repairing Your Credit - The first step to repairing your credit is to gather all your bills to establish just how much debt your in. That means opening all your bills or contacting the companies and explaining to them your plans to pay them back. Believe it or not, most companies want to work with you because they want to get their money as well. With credit card companies you can make arrangements to have them lower your interest rate, but you may have to set up automatic payments for a large amount. Also work towards paying down smaller debt first, and pay just the minimum with your larger debt. Once your done with the smaller one, that money can go towards your larger debt. Once you pay off the smaller debt, if you don't need or use that credit card anymore, just cut it up and throw it away. DO NOT CLOSE...

Sooooo....as I'm going through this physical detox aka house cleaning, I have come to realize that I hate cleaning. I mean I REALLY hate it. I have been going through all this old mail and shredding all the things that I don't need and it's taking forever. I swear if this mess didn't have my name on it, I would pick it all up and throw it in the garbage. I promise....NEVER will I hold on to unneeded things again. If I could get a house keeper to come to home twice a week I would absolutely do it. My hat goes off to the women and men who stay home and take care of the household on an regular basis. That is a JOB and a lot can be learned from the stay at home parent. They have to have organizational skills, time management skills, budgeting skills....hell running a household is like running a corporation. One could say that they run a family business, because it takes planning and proper execution to run a successful household. I have decided to make these small changes t...

On my journey to Happy I have come to realize I am a hoarder.  Not like the people on T.V....but it's becoming a problem. I'm off from work this week so I decided to do a thorough cleansing of my bedroom. A detox of my physical surrounding.  And as I am detoxing my room, I have come across so much paper. I mean LOTS of paper. Newspaper, coupons, old cards, letters,  bills....just a whole bunch of junk. I don't know why I have held on to this, but it has been the cause to a many arguments with my husband. Hopefully this will be the last of the arguments. When we hold on to "Junk" it can begin to hold us back and make us sick and cause problems in our lives. When that happens we need to step back and ask ourselves why are we holding on to something that has no meaning or value to me. I can say being lazy and overwhelmed with my personal issues has allowed me to stockpile a bunch of meaningless shit in my life and now it's time for a physical detox. This can be a...

Day 3 of my detox is going great. I did slip up and have a Big Red, but I look at it as my coffee for the beginning of the day, O_o.... This is a lifestyle change I'm making to get to happy. Now let me explain what that is before I have people calling me and asking me if I'm ok....NO intervention need y'all. Getting to Happy is a journey I'm on to be a better me. I have so many goals and dreams that I want to share with the world, but before I can do that, I need to work on me. I'm the person you always want by your side because I'm very loyal,  loving, caring, and most importantly....CRAZY ASS HELL!!! In the most loving way possible of course ;-D. However, the one thing that makes me unhappy is my weight. That's why I'm making changes to improve it. I have no desires to be a size zero...I LOVE my curves, especially my ass. Not to big and not to small...it's just right.  I also want to lose weight for health reason.  In the Black community there are ...

I love to eat....and I mean eat. But the problem is I need to lose some damn weight!!! I pride myself on being a very confident person,  but I have my days when I don't like what I see. Days when I want to get up early and go for a walk, but I stay in bed instead. Change is not easy and it takes time....if only I didn't enjoy eating so much. One way that I'm trying to live a better lifestyle is by changing my eating habits. For the most part, I try to have a healthy balanced diet.  However, sweets and Big Red soda are my weakness (Big Red is a TX thing, but if you've had one you would understand).  I can drink a Big Red every single day...especially if it's ice cold...and you get that burn when you swallow.....ummmmm, lol. Anyway, if I didn't have such a love affair for those two things I would be just fine. One way I try to kick start my lifestyle change is by doing a detox at the beginning of the month.  I only eat fruits, vegetables, certain grains, and lots ...

My girl Joy persuaded me to join her on this 31 Days of Blogging...I accepted the challenge which was started by another blogger named Luvie. So this is my first post....more to come. I'm late as usual :-/