Swimsuit Looks

Hello, hello, hello. I have some great news. I got a job as an entry-level event planner. Yay me! On another note, I apologize for not updating the blog at all last week as I was so busy with interviews. But better late than never. Here is my official fourth post

If you are a DRAMATIC or NATURAL, your swimsuit should be very provocative and modern-looking. Think monokinis and string bikini tops and bottoms. Since you have a decidedly athletic frame, fortunately you can show more skin. If you are uncomfortable with string bikini bottoms (they can be as uncomfortable as a thong), boy shorts are another option.




If you are a GAMINE, your swimsuit should hip and trendy. There is not much to say on this front since bandeau tops and swimsuits are already seen as trendy.


If you are a ROMANTIC, ETHEREAL or INGENUE, look for a swimsuit that is very retro-looking. ROMANTIC, ETHEREAL and INGENUE are YIN which means "drawing back". Therefore, your look should echo the looks of times past.


Note: Whatever your style identity is, if you are medium to large-chested, however, please invest in some good underwire bikini tops!

Natural Hair Care #1

I am dedicating this post today to all my beautiful chocolate, caramel, espresso or café au lait sistas out there with Type 4 or 3c hair. If you are not familiar with the Kibbe typing system, please visit this link: https://www.truth-is-beauty.com/blog/what-do-they-your-beauty

Many of us #teamnatural ladies are very confused over what products to use on our hair or what methods to use. Never fear! 2 and a half years of not being able to mess with my hair (#teamlocs) has given me plenty of time to mull over and research this very subject. So here I go...

Creams, butters, greases and heavy oils are best if you want to do a no-fuss, no-frills, bohemian, Mother Nature kind of look. Ladies, if you want to use greases, butters, heavy oils or creams on your hair, use them on dry hair! Creams, butters and greases are significantly heavier than gels, so using these products are damp hair would just weight it down! If you fall within the Type 3c-4a range, it might be best to use children's hair products since they tend to be less heavier than your average adult hair care products. The more coiled your hair is, the heavier the product needs to be and vice versa.

Dramatic: Most yang
Natural: Fairly yang
Gamine: Yang
Classic: Balanced
Romantic: Yin
Ingenue: High yin
Ethereal: Mostly yin



See the difference? One side has more definition whereas another side has more volume. If you have more yin features, go for the shingling method. If you have more yang features go for the raking method or pre-poo treatment method. Yin features would be overwhelmed by the volume and yang features would be flattened by the more defined hair.

Mostly Yin: Romantic; Soft Dramatic; Soft Classic; Theatrical Romantic; Classic: Shingling/praying hands method

Balanced: Soft Natural; Gamine; Soft Gamine; Dramatic Classic: Raking method

Mostly Yang: Natural; Flamboyant Natural; Dramatic; Flamboyant Gamine: Pre-poo treatment method

Now that all of that is out of the way, allow me to take you through all three methods...

1. Pre-poo treatment method: This method is quite simple.  All you have to do is take a deep conditioner or moisturizing oil such as coconut or olive oil, cover your head or sit under a hooded dryer for 15-20 mins, then shampoo your hair.
2. Raking method: You use this method when you want to distribute the product through your hair with your fingers. Please use creams, puddings, greases and butters on completely dry hair to achieve this effect.
3. Shingling/Praying Hands method: Shingling should be done on short hair whereas praying hands should be done on medium to long hair. Shingling is done with the fingertips whereas praying hands is done with the palms of your hands. These methods allow you to smooth, not rake the product through your hair. As mentioned above, please use creams, puddings, greases and butters on completely dry hair.

Everyday Makeup Looks for Your Season

Hello, today I want to focus on how to achieve the right casual makeup look based on your season. If you are not familiar with the color typing system, here is a link provided: https://www.truth-is-beauty.com/color-analysis.html. If you have peachy, golden or yellow undertones, you are most definitely a Spring or Autumn. If you have blue, pink or red undertones, you are most definitely a Summer or Winter. If you have olive undertones, you are most likely a Summer.

NOTE: If you are a woman of color such as myself, rest assured that it is possible to fit into ALL seasons, not just Autumn or Winter. Clear Spring, Soft Summer, Warm and Deep Autumn, and Clear and Deep Winter are all possible categories for women of color.

Here is a visual representation of the color palette you are working with, based on your season.


Spring:



Summer:



Autumn:



Winter



I apologize, but these pictures were the only way to provide a simplified, bare-bones representation :) Moving along...


Springtime look should be...fresh-faced, youthful and natural. Think rosy lips and cheeks.

• Barely there foundation. Pressed powder or tinted moisturizer are good alternatives.
• Pink or coral lip gloss/lipstick
• Peachy or coral blush
• Long lashes
• Round doe eyes

 
Summer look should be...ethereal, delicate and understated. Think glowing skin and delicate lashes.

• Light coverage foundation
• Nude or berry lip gloss/lipstick
• Defined brows
• Voluminous, defined lashes
• Highlighter and blush

Autumn look should be...mature, commanding and direct. Neutral eyeshadows and almond-shaped eyes are the most important component.

• Medium coverage foundation
• Nude or brown lipstick
• Almond-shaped eyes
• Natural lashes
• Neutral eyeshadows
• Contouring

Winter look should be...unnerving, fearless and dramatic. Dramatic eye makeup is a must.

• Medium coverage foundation
• Red or berry lipstick/lip gloss
• Heavy eyeliner
• Dramatic brows
• Dark, rich eyeshadows

Thank you for tuning in. I may or may not make another post later today ;)

Foolproof Kibbe Guide to 80's Style

For my first post, I have decided to focus on 80s style, since we, as a society, are currently going through an 80's obsession, and that includes fashion. Probably, the biggest thing that stood out in 80's fashion were the skirts. The 80's breathed new life into the mini skirt trend while introducing more playful hems than that of the past decades. The three skirts that stood out the most in the 80s were the tulip skirt, the bubble skirt and the ruffle/tulle skirt. Those three skirt styles encapsulated everything that we love about 80's fashion: out-there, daring and excessive. Using the Kibbe system, I will attempt to demonstrate how you can use the Kibbe system in order to incorporate that 80's flair in your wardrobe that best fits you. If you are not at all familiar with Kibbe, allow me to direct you to this link. 

 https://www.truth-is-beauty.com/blog/style-identities-part-i-there-are-seven-basic-essences

Dramatic; Natural: Your best bet would be a tulip skirt. Dramatics and Naturals tend to have slim hips which is corresponds well with the tulip hem because of its sharp angles. Couple that with your fairly yang (read: striking) features, you could totally pull it off. If you fall more on the tall side of the spectrum, a midi length could really enhance your height. However, that by no means means you should not show off your legs with a mini length!

Gamine: The best option would be a ruffle or tulle skirt. Ruffle and tulle give off a quite playful vibe which is perfect for the cheeky, mischievous Gamine. Want to make your skirt even more 80s? Pair your ruffle or tulle skirt with colored tights/leggings!

Romantic: Try out a bubble midi skirt. The bubble skirt hem really enhances the the Romantic since it is, well, romantic. It is fun and youthful while still giving off a sophisticated, ladylike feel, something uncommon in the 80s.

Ingenue; Angelic: The bubble skirt, hands down. A short bubble skirt hem evokes girlishness, very fitting for the girlish Ingenue figure. In addition, the bubble skirt evokes the feel of a ball gown, a more-than-perfect match for the ancient-style Angelic.

 

Thank you for the taking the time to read this post. If you are craving more, I promise I will be uploading a lot more content in the next few days. Contrary to popular belief, these fashion posts, take a lot of work and research! So just be patient and stay tuned :)