Fashion 101: The Building Blocks of a Balanced Wardrobe

   A great way to make sure your clothing budget stays intact is to first take the time to build a solid wardrobe foundation. Meaning your clothing should consist of more than various cut jeans.lol...and also should not only contain career wear. At its most functional a wardrobe should be a balance of casual and career wear with select pieces for special occasions/evening attire & events. Also a diverse color palette is optimal...of course indulge in the love for black, as most people do. But also do not forget the other flattering colors available such as taupe, navy, grays, white, and a few vibrant "pop" colors. We can go into how to find the most flattering colors for your complexion and body type on a different blog. However on this article I would like to share a few steps on how to get your wardrobe balanced.
...Get ready to take a few notes...
Step#1: Divide and Conquer
Before your next shopping trip I invite you to take a personal challenge. Clean out your closet.
Pull every item of clothing out of your closet and separate it...casual wear, career, special occasions/evening.
Of those 3 categories make a separate section of clothes you have not worn in over 2 years, outdated trendy pieces, bad fit, just don't want anymore.  Put those items in a bag and take it to a donation center. This can be used as a tax write off as a charitable donation. Or if you have couture and designer clothing in good condition take them to a consignment shop, Plato's Closet, and/or sell them on Ebay.

Step#2: Re-Evaluate what you currently have in those three categories
Casual Wear:
Is it diverse...or only consisting of jeans and t-shirts.
Do the pieces make a complete outfit?....if not note what you are missing to complete the look.

Career Wear:
Is everything black and white?...or do you have a navy, gray, and beige suit attire as well.
Are the career separates interchangeable to create more looks with less pieces?
Note what career separates, suit pieces, accessories are needed to update or complete any looks.

Special Occasions/Evening:
Note a look you desire and find similar looks in magazines, online etc that depict the look you are going for. When you are ready to achieve the look, you won't get overwhelmed putting it together because you have a game plan established. Also deters straying from a beauty budget..shopping for nightlife and special occasions its easy to get caught up in the glamour and overspend.
Do you have a "little black dress" that properly fits?
Do you have proper undergarments for evening wear? never underestimate the power of proper undergarments, it can change the way you look and feel in an evening dress. 

Step#3: Organize Your Clothing 
 Re-place your clothing back in the closet...but not randomly. Organize the flow of your closet space, one end should representing your casual/day wear...going to your career attire and followed by evening and special occasion clothing. By organizing your closet by the type of look you can see at a glance what you may need to focus on purchasing.  This also helps avoid buying duplicate items....i.e. some people buy several black shirts, making their style seem redundant. If its the style of the shirt you like purchase a different color in that style.

Step#4 Complete the Looks
Now is the perfect time to take a shopping trip... you will feel the rewards of taking the closet cleaning challenge:0)....This is where the NOTES really are awesome because they provide you with a focused shopping game plan. With those notes you know exactly what you need without guessing about what you already have.

Other things:
Details matter...be sure your fashion trinkets and accessories are in good shape. Not faded or tarnished...Juicy Bracelets and trinkets are notorious for changing colors.:0/

Belts are your friend. Belts are a powerful accessory because they can create a waist line with proper positioning. They can also bring an outfit together, especially when layering.

Bags...Just my own personal preference I prefer to have a top of the line Kenneth Cole bag..than waste my money on a fake Gucci or Vuitton bag. Its about quality, not the cost.
 Either way its good to keep a clutch...tote...and carry all "speedy type" bag. These 3 styles are very versatile and are timeless pieces.
A personal tip: I recommend that my clients purchase newer trendy bags from Aldo, Nine West, DSW, Macy's etc...but in the designer collections purchase vintage bags. Like the Vuitton Speedy 25 or 30 and the Gucci satchel. The reason I recommend this is because those are iconic timeless bags. Most fashionistas are aware of release dates of the trendy designer bags... so certain designs look dated. However with the iconic vintage bags thats a none issue...the look always looks polished and current. Saves money with the same overall results with the look.

I hope these tips help you gain a better balance of your overall wardrobe, and help you enhance your everyday and after 5 looks.
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Kickin Oil Slick Skin to the Curb! Amazing Bentonite Clay

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June is right around the corner and that means hot humid weather. If you have combo skin like me, this also means annoying oily skin and a shiny forehead..lol. As much as I LoVe summer, I hate dealing with my oily t-zone. Not to fret a powerhouse of nature can help not only clear out pores and remove oil and debris...but also tighten the skin and reduce the size of pores...thus reducing those nasty forehead oil slicks. Its the power of the pulse also known as Aztec Bentonite Green Clay here to save the day.
*Bonus* this quick summer facial only takes 10 mins of your day to see great results, you could do this once a week or bi-weekly.
All you need:

(l-r) Coconut Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar, Vitamin E, Aztec Healing Clay and a mixing bowl & teaspoonI prefer to use Coconut Vinegar in my facial mixtures and ACV in my hair mixtures, due to the acidity levels. Coconut Vinegar is slightly less acidic but not by much. 

  Take 3 teaspoons of Aztec Clay add it to the mixing bowl...

  Add 6-8 drops of Vitamin E and stir together.

  Then slowly add vinegar while stirring. Adding just enough so that the mixture is smooth but not runny. 

Stir until its a evenly smooth consistency and not too runny or thick.

As shown on the video clip it should glide on the face and adhere. This not only minimizes any mess, but also insures your skin is getting all the benefits from the clay mixture. Also make sure its evenly spread and not too thick in any area on your face. If its too think it will be difficult to rinse off later. 

Now that you have it applied get ready to feel the pulse:0)....Don't be alarmed this is the clay doing its magic; detoxing the skin and tightening those enlarged pores.

I applied it over my entire face. But it could also just be applied to problem oily areas like the T-zone.

As the mask dries it will start to harden and crack, this is normal.  Allow it to sit for about 10 mins.

It takes about 8-10 minutes for the mask to harden and you can loosen it with a white steamy face clothe. Just tilt head back and place the hot damp towel on the face for a minute or 2. Then remove the mask with  warm water or a facial brush if you have one. I then follow up by swiping my T-zone with witch hazel and applying an oil free facial moisturizer with SPF for sun protection. When its hot and sticky out, I skip on the makeup and just allow my skin to breath and sweat.
Healthy skin never goes out of style and this simple mask is a key element in my skin care regimen:0)

Product Review: Hair Rules...Not all Rules are Bad

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 Hair Rules is a line of haircare developed by J. Dickey `aka` Haircare Guru and author of HairRules haircare guide. I personally have wanted to try HairRules for a long time because it is free of paraben, sulfates, sodium chloride, artificial colorants etc....Not all haircare marketed towards natural haircare are like this. Plus of course if you view their website you can see the beautiful before and after testimonies. I tend to take those with a grain of salt...I'm sure some people get those results, but not everyone...and I tend to fall into the not everyone category often. http://www.hairrules.com/index_flash.cfm
 One reason that has hindered me a bit has been the cost $$...I'm not cheap, but neither is this product.lol. Average cost for a 8oz bottle of any of the products is about $20.00+. Travel sized 2oz bottles are also available for about $10 bucks. Keeping in mind its recommended to saturate and be heavy handed with the product, also means buying it often at this price.
 However fortunately for me I had a stoke of shoppers luck! I was in Ulta browsing after my 2nd Big Chop *yup I'm starting over yet again*. Anyway post BC I felt the need to try new products this time around, so I looked thru all the  natural curly hair products. I was tempted buy Mazani or Curly Dejavu...but just wasn't impressed with the ingredients. I happen to walk thru the clearance and noticed all the Hair Rule products were 50% off...so of course I saw that as a sign to finally try the entire line:0)

I purchased the following products:

L-R: Kinky Curly Cream, Leave-in Conditioner, Quench Conditioner, Daily Cleanse no sud Shampoo....
Not shown but also purchased: Hydrating Finishing Cream, Blow Out your Kinks Straight Styling Cream.

I wanted to know the full effect of the product as a complete line so I use each of the products on every wash day. Eventually I will probably only use the Daily Cleanse no sud Shampoo on heavier product days, and simply co-wash with Quench Conditioner.
 I'm following the rules
#1 Wet hair and apply the Daily Cleanse Cream. What I enjoy about this shampoo is that its so rich and really doesn't strip the hair. Nice and clean...but not squeaky clean is good.
#2 Rinse then saturate the hair with Quench Ultra Rich Conditioner. The ingredients are what I adore about this conditioner along with its moisture boost power. Shea Butter, Honey, Glycerin, Coconut, and Olive Oil...this conditioner delivers and I think is worth the price. I started with a small bottle just to give it a try...and went back for the large bottle after the first use! Awesome stuff...plus of course it doubles as a deep conditioner. Just put on a plastic cap and sit under the dryer for 20 min's. Quench has landed directly on my staple list.
#3 Cool water rinse and apply Nourishment Leave-In Conditioner. I like this leave-in because it only requires a nickel sized amount to be highly effective, plus it contains coconut oil which my hair loves. Just rub it in from tip to root...I apply it while I'm still in the shower. Its suggested that its applied to wet hair.
#4 Follow with Kinky Curling Cream...or the wave mousse, whichever is best for your hair type. I have type 4 coils so I chose the Kinky cream. Its stated to elongate, stretch and define tightly wound kinks transforming them into bouncy spiral curls. I currently cannot vouch that this cream does all of that at the moment, due to I recently cut my hair. BUT I can tell a difference in the definition of the coils of my hair...

Wet Hair Results 

Normally it would require the use of Eco gel and several other products to get this type of coil definition. These pictures are the results of using the HairRules system only. Once I apply the Kinky Curl Cream and set the coils/style, I don't touch my hair again until it is completely dry. I prefer to air dry, but could also use the blowdryer with a diffuser attachment if  time is limited and need my hair to set faster. Once dry I apply a light oil to my scalp and gently massage. Right now I use pure argan oil mixed with peppermint oil as my preferred scalp mixture.

Hair is Dry and the Coils are softly set and frizz free

 The next day my hair is actually still nice and soft, just to refreshen I spritz it with purified water and apply a small amount of the Hydrating Finishing Cream, which is rule #5.

Right now Rule#5 isn't too vital to my hair because it is so short I normally wash it daily. I have tried the hydrating cream on my hair and its a wonderful daily leave in. When my hair is longer I think I'm going to fall in love with it. Its not to heavy, but packs alot of moisture power.

When its time to use heat I look forward to updating how Rule #6 performs.

#6 Blow your Kinks is the heat protection and styling aid designed to help kinky hair not get frizzy and damaged during the straightening process. Once my hair is neck length again I will give this a try:0)

I must say Im upset I did not try this product one sooner. Thumbs up! on all of the products I've tried so far. I look forward to seeing great results as my hair gets longer.