Kiehl's

That's Me Going into the store. Pure Joy!

I just love Kiehl's Products, I keep coming back to them no matter what. My sister looked at me like I was a stone cold freak because I become extremely excited too excited to see the flagship store at the Mall of America. 

My picks if you haven't tried Kiehl's products, the Midnight Recovery eye cream. It works plain and simple and a very little bit goes a long way. Creme de Corps Soy Milk and Honey Whipped Body Butter Absolutely luxurious and smells heavenly this is my favorite winter time butter. 

If your not in the Twin City area go to www.kiehls.com If your in the Twin City area these products can be found at The Garden of Eden on Grand Ave. in St. Paul, Nordstrom's and of course the Kiehls store Mall of America.

Iconic Beauty

There is only one way to describe Peggy and that she is beautiful in every sense of the word. I have loved and admired her most of my life, and the best thing is that she looks like me. I know most women look to magazines and TV for images of beauty but I found beautiful  images of women to immolate and admire in my church up-close and personal. I know that I base some of my personal style and flare from all of them. For instance,  my stilettos Auntie Lynda, Unique outfit and panache Peggy, and hair Suge. One I haven't quite mastered is Miss Crum's hat game I'm still working on that one.  One of my most fondest memories of Peggy is that one Saturday when I was a little girl, the area baptist churches were having a community softball game. This was back in the day when it didn't matter what church you belong to we all knew each other and fellowshiped together. This particular Saturday my church  New Hope Baptist church was playing a game against Mont Olivet. A friend and I were playing against the wall that led out to the baseball diamond. Peggy rolls up on her bike as usual she is sporting a wide smile and she stopped to talk to us. I remember her getting ready to play and locking her up her bike and then she pulls out this thick red tube that said Bonnie Bell Lipsmaker and it has two big strawberries on it. I said" I didn't  know grown women wore lip gloss" and she said "yes they do".  From that point on I had to have one. I would not let up on begging my mom for one. So finally, she bought me bonnie bell lip smacker tin  that slid to open with the two flavors. I was too thrilled to have one and I have never been without a lip gloss,stick, or balm since. Another  thing that stand out in my mind about Peggy is her warm and kind spirit .  She has a beauty that radiates from the inside out and spills out when she speaks. One Sunday she read the poem Footprints in the Sand by Mary Stevenson to this day it stays within my heart and soul, because you can tell the poem meant something to her. You could see and feel that this was not just a poem to her. It was one of those moments where you wanted to know and serve the God she served. Especially when she got to the part "During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you". Peggy reading that poem in that way I know for sure goes down in our church history finer moments and history. Peggy is iconic to because her beauty never fades, her inner beauty can be seen, and her just being Peggy my greatest beauty icon of all time.

She shared with me her beauty regimen and her it is below in her own words.

 I can not say that I do anything out-of-the-ordinary.  I can say, however, that I love the Lord and His Love which He poured into me I love sharing with others.  I really do want to be a vessel that is fit for the Lord's use!  I give Him the praise, the glory and the honor for His Spirit of LOVE! And I believe that it is His Spirit which you see shining through me ... you call it beauty!  I know that it is His spirit within me.

You might also know that I am a positive individual who looks for the good in every situation and believe that “all things are working together for good”  because of my love for the Lord.

Thirdly, the Lord has given me a desire to be physically fit and it is routine for me to exercise on a regular basis.  I can remember back as early as when I was approximately 5 years old that I had this desire to be physically fit.  And I would do that by running, jumping rope, jumping jacks, sit-ups, and other forms of exercise.  I continue that desire for a temple which is fit - both spiritually and physically - for the Lord's use.  I know that physical exercise has value (yes, it is a good thing!), but spiritual exercise (reading my Word, praying, attending church regularly, etc.) is much more important, for it promises a reward both in this life and in eternity.  I try to maintain that balance.

Lastly, I will reiterate that (what you call beauty) that you see in me does not come from my makeup, my short hairstyle, my high cheekbones, my physical stature, or looking good in a beautiful outfit.  Rather it radiates from the inside out, from a heart that loves the Lord!  "It is in Him that I live, move and have my being"!

Pineapple Your Hair

 For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term, when you pineapple your hair, it’s the procedure used to preserve your curl pattern. What it entails is massaging some of your favorite hair oil my favorite is coconut into your scalp and on your ends. Then using a headband (preferably one that’s semi-worn) and using it to put your hair on top of your head-like a pineapple. Now, by doing this, you can sleep on your head however you want, and your curls won’t become flat or looked worn out. Some women use this method when they’re rocking their curls, and it’s helped preserve them for a week. Below is a video from my favorite video blogger African Export on how to do it.

Uncle Funky's Daughter

One of my favorite hair care lines for natural hair. My picks are the Thirsty Curls and the Defunk. The Defunk I love because you can use it to freshen your hair anytime anywhere. I go back and forth between Defunk and Greg Juice from Oyin Handmade www.oyinhandmade.com. I love this site because it is an one stop shop for natural hair and a great resource to learn your curl pattern and what type of products go with your curl pattern. This  is major because sometimes its easy to waste money on products that are not right for your curl type and pattern.  The online tutorials are very helpful and bring a new dimension on education and how to safely style your hair and  what to use and how to use it. Check it out at www.unclefunkysdaughter.com Or if you live in Houston, TX visit their salon and shop at 2428 Times Boulevard, Houston TX. 77005

Inner Beauty

The recipe for beauty is to have less illusion and more Soul, to retreat from the belief of pain or pleasure in the body into the unchanging calm and glorious freedom of spiritual harmony.

~Mary Baker-Eddy

One of my favorite movies is Waiting to Exhale one my best friends Michelle and I would watch this movie over and over in her apartment over on Thomas Street. When either of us had a bad day or a "situation" we would pop this in the VCR along with our white zin, and it became a ritual and to this day if were getting together we ask, "is this a waiting to exhale moment". This was legendary among our male friends as well and  if they came over to her house and saw the movie in I remember my friend Garland would say "are yall on one of those exhale moments?" One of the lines that stick out to me is when the Whitney character said "well if your ugly on the inside then your ugly on the outside" I still love that line because it is so true. I know from time to time the major focus is fixing whats on the outside but doing soul work and finding inner beauty requires that same amount of attention.  As I form my own recipe card for what is beautiful to me and what I want to project is peace, grace and resilience instantly comes to mind. I use to hate to have conversations or be with people who have a pre conceived idea of who I am and what I'm about based on what they think to be true about who I am. Also because  it was usually  an onesided conversation with the tone of I'm so gald I'm not you. Being a single parent often brings an un welcomed  automatic judgment, ignorance, and entitlement from those who are not single parent(s) and often this comes from people who I have established relationships with or have known for a long time. In the past I would retreat and focus on why do people think their better than me because their married. (maybe because they were literally telling me they thought so)Then it came to me that I was focusing on the wrong thing and putting energy in other's perception and pre conceived notions of me and I did not want to project that I agreed becuase I didn't and  I thought the comments, assessments and diggs where some of the most ignorant self serving string of sentances that I have ever heard in my life.  Once I began to boldly buffer these conversations with talking about my happiness and joy of where I am in life and love these conversations and interactions with people stopped thank God.( I guess I'm not supposed to be happy lol) I began to realize that being calm, confident and also thankful and walking in my belief that what God has for me it is for me no matter what. I began to feel a glorious freedom, spiritual harmony and beautiful.

    

For the No Lye Divas Hair Rules!

From now until November 14th enjoy Hair Rules Special Offer of your favorite 16oz products for 24.99

Also what is excited Dickey will be on Skype for a free hair rules consultations. Get answers to all of your textured questions from one of the best textured multi-cultural stylist and nurturer of natural hair. Be sure you have a camera connection before calling in to hairrules via Skype! Don't miss this its not everyday you get a chance to get your question answered by a game changer in natural hair.

Next call dates: 10/16@5pm,10/24@11:00am and 10/30@ 5pm.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month (self exams)

When I started my blog in 2009, I wanted to share about things that were important to me. Breast Cancer Awareness is one of my personal causes that I champion on the front line for prevention and awareness. Self Exams are important and should be Incorporated in your routine monthly. I always do mine the 1st Sunday of the month.  It's important to set a day and time that you will remember. Breast self-exam (BSE), or regularly examining your breasts on your own, can be an important way to find  breast cancer early, when it's more likely to be treated successfully. Not every cancer can be found this way, but it is a critical step you can and should take for yourself.

Try to get in the habit of doing a breast self-examination once a month to familiarize yourself with how your breasts normally look and feel. Examine yourself several days after your period ends, when your breasts are least likely to be swollen and tender. If you are no longer having periods, choose a day that's easy to remember, such as the first or last day of the month.

Don’t panic if you think you feel a lump. Most women have some lumps or lumpy areas in their breasts all the time. In the United States, only 20% of women who have a suspicious lump biopsied turn out to have breast cancer. Below is a video on how to do one properly.

Breasts tend to have different “neighborhoods.” The upper, outer area — near your armpit — tends to have the most prominent lumps and bumps. The lower half of your breast can feel like a sandy or pebbly beach. The area under the nipple can feel like a collection of large grains. Another part might feel like a lumpy bowl of oatmeal.

What’s important is that you get to know the look and feel of YOUR breasts various neighborhoods. Does something stand out as different from the rest (like a rock on a sandy beach)? Has anything changed? Bring to the attention of your doctor any changes in your breasts that last over a full month's cycle or seem to get worse or more obvious over time.

After my  self exam in October, I look forward to the breast cancer research products because their pink statements,  and I know some of the money is going to a good cause and helping many people.   My favorite this year is the Shower for the Cure by Philosophy. You can find it all month long at Ulta or at www.ulta.com.

Primer

Recently on a trip to the MAC counter on the hunt for the new Matchmaster foundation,  I decided to try a primer. On occasion, I use one by Becca Cosmetics called The Resurfacing Primer  which I love but ran out of, so I thought I would give MAC a shot. I was pleasantly surprised on how it made my face and foundation look. Since it is the change of seasons my skin has been breaking out and giving me the blues so instead of  a little power I need a little more coverage. But adding the primer helps me keep the foundation at a minimum. The primer is in the prep and prime line and it is called Refined Zone. I applied it to my T- zone area, which for me, is the most oiliest part on my skin, especially the cheeks. I love that it is oil free, that helps to cloak visible pores while controlling oil or shine. You can apply it wet, for a gentle exfoliating, that dries instantly to create an invisible long lasting matte finish. Locally, you can find this at Macy's or Nordstoms or at www.maccosmetics.com

Hello All,

I am excited and happy to have my blog updated with new features. A special thanks to Christina at Visual Luxe graphic design studio(www.visualluxe.com) for her fabulous work and patience with me. Please feel free to look at the new features. I will be posting a special post coming soon with one of my favorite people and my all time favorite beauty and style icon. Thanks for reading.

~Leah

Leahlovesbeauty is getting a make over

Stay tuned! Coming soon Leahloves beauty is getting a make over.

DIY DIVAS Watermelon Mask

Watermelon juice contain a variety of important health benefits and beauty of the chemical constituents. Watermelon of these nutrients, easy absorption by the skin, for the facial skin, have the effect of moisture, nutrition, sun protection, whitening.Skin beauty Effects: removal melasma, add Water, sedation
Method 1: cut the white watermelon skin in to 2 mm thickness slice, use the watermelon skin gently massage the face, with the effect of ease sedation and add water.
Method 2: The whole watermelon, wash clean, peel the green skin, and then cut of the white skin into slice, then apply to the face and arms, about five minutes change the new watermelon skin, a total of four times, and then rinse off with clean water.

My favorite cutting the watermelon slice in to 4 cubed chunks and mashing it with or fork or spoon until it becomes smooth. Then apply to the face for a about 20 minutes and then rinse off.

My Latest Obsession!!!

There is nothing like fresh breath. As I was walking down Grand Ave in St. Paul yesterday I decided to walk into one of my favorite places The Garden of Eden. I was browsing and came across this toothpaste. It was kind of pricey but worth it at small tube will run you about 7.00 Marvis Toothpaste. Check it out! Great for late nights and early mornings.

This weekend was "very different"( Tamar voice) for me I faced alot of challenges in places and relationships that I have not explored in ages. Each day of the weekend I faced a situation or person that I put in my "I don't want to deal with it box". I had to stop and think about what it meant and try to come to peace on my terms of course but when I got home Sunday, I began to think about the beauty of it and the gift of peace facing those people, places, and things. To my surprise I got up lighter in Monday and thanked God for his grace and mercy and wrote about it. I'm sharing with yall over my cup of Skin Detox by Yogi Teas. www.yogiproducts.com or at your local coop and whole foods store.

Beauty is integrity, love,kindness, and simplicity. Beauty transcends the physical and focuses on the spellbound. Beauty is the brave of heart and not the faint of heart, It does not react out of fear and does not hold grudges. Beauty is a soft hand and a warm stroke. Beauty is a helping hand and a kind word. Beauty is generous never greedy. Beauty is peace filled and not based on what is happening. Beauty is that UN- speakable joy that fills your heart and bleeds out into your family, friends and community. Beauty can be complex but understated and to understand beauty is timeless and age can never tarnish it.

Nails

Right now I am in love with Vegan Nail polish. Something about the finish and the shades thrill me. My favorite is "Swagger" by Ginger and Liz. It has a nice finish and pops on any skin tones. It can be found at www.gingerandliz.com. I admire and support this company because the company was started and the brainchild of two women of color.

Some salons have not caught on or offer an alternative for those who want to have an all natural and chemically free polish. Here are some alternatives to add to your collection.

Zoya Nail polish can be found at Vizi salon in Uptown, Minneapolis or http://www.zoya.com/.

Another honorable mention is Sparitual Nail Polish line and the shade Its Raining Men. This line can be found at any Juut Salon and at www.sparitual.com.

What I'm Loving For Summer

Just a couple of my picks for summer to keep your skin shine free in the warmer months.


A colorless pressed powder formulated with unique oil blotters that help control shine. It offers a matte finish without leaving a powdery residue. This is a life saver if you don't want to wear color. The cosmetic puff that it comes with is thin so I use a portable brush and buff my face when I notice that I have shine. You can find this at your local Walmart and at www.blackopalbeauty.com
















Vintage Product:

Mint Julep Masque is the original natural home treatment to help dry up pimples, rinse away blackheads and shrink enlarged pores. Simply apply Mint Julep Masque to your clean face and neck. As it firms and hardens within minutes, it draws out impurities from your pores. After the masque is removed, your skin will feel clean, refreshed and smooth. Even for individuals who are fortunate to be free of skin problems, Mint Julep Masque is a refreshing facial treatment that helps relax tired muscles and ease tension lines on the face and neck. You can find this at Walgreen's and or www.queenhelene.com

Mac Fix + can be found at your local Mac Store or counter in Macy's and or other fine department store, and at http://www.maccosmetics.com/

An aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of green tea, chamomile, cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energizing scent of Sugi. Adds radiance, finishes makeup. Spray it on. Skin drinks it up!

I love to use this to after I have applied my finishing power or pressed powder. I find that it gives me a natural finish and perks up my skin. I now don't use powder if I don't have this handy. I love this so much I carry It around in my purse.

Enjoy the summer and let me know what your using to keep your skin fresh for summer.

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