R.I.P. Heavy D.

Heavy D. was the man. In the late 80s and 90s, I didn't know anyone who wasn't a fan of the Overweight Lover. I used to get so tickled over how a man his size could move. This brotha could dance, and more importantly, he rapped without ever disrespecting women. The passing of this Hip Hop legend is so sad to me because he was on his way to making a comeback.

Dwight Arrington Myers(May 24, 1967 – November 8, 2011)

May you rest in peace in Soul Heaven.

Things I Like Tuesday

In honor of the Muppet Movie coming out around Thanksgiving, OPI released a 12 color Muppet Collection for this winter! I love the Muppets! Check out the colors and watch the trailer.

Fresh Frog of Bel Air! OPI Nail Lacquer

Rainbow Connection! OPI Nail Lacquer

Warm & Fozzie! OPI Nail Lacquer

Designer… de Better! OPI Nail Lacquer

Treat Your Feet

Epsom salts in warm water is a great way to soothe tired feet! I hate achy feet! Personally, I have to soak my feet once or twice a week just to get through the week. So, if you have weary feet like me, check this out.

    What You'll Need:  

Foot spa or large tub

1 cup epsom salts

1/2 cup honey

2 drops of lavender essential oil

2 cups warm whole milk

1 gallon warm water

Mix well and ENJOY!

Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice Margarita

Ingredients

2 cups triple sec  

2 cups of silver tequila  

1 cup ruby red grapefruit juice

1 tablespoon superfine sugar  

2 limes, cut into wedges  

Salt for rimming the glasses

ice


ENJOY

Question of the Day

Disposable panties...

When getting a bikini wax, do you modestly ask for paper panties or are you more, ahem, free?

Why or why not?

Reflexology

Okay, so you're tired of traditional spa treatments: facials, massages, body wraps. Have you ever thought about reflexology? It's not your typical service, but it's so worth it. Who doesn't love having their feet touched? Ahh. Just the thought relaxes me. 

The theory behind reflexology is that certain areas on the feet and hands are linked to muscles, systems and organs of the body. For instance, low back and intestines are towards the heel and the heart and chest are around the ball of the foot. Therefore, applying pressure to these areas can promote health and relaxation. 

A typical treatment lasts from 45 minutes to an hour and usually begins with a consultation about your health and lifestyle. A reclining chair or massage table is used for you to lie on, and then a lotion or oil is used as your reflexologist applies pressure from your toes to the heel.

Many people use reflexology alongside other treatments to address conditions such as cancer treatment, anxiety, asthma, diabetes, headaches, kidney function, and PMS. 

Have you ever tried this service?

Things I Like Tuesday

Dior's Velvet Eyes reusable eyeliner patches.  How cool are these, ladies?

Okay, so, Dior has made liquid-liner, stick-on, eye decals. Alas, you can achieve the sexy, winged look a whole lot easier. Why? because Dior Velvet Eyes are adhesive eyeliner patches that are applied directly onto the lid for a flawless finish.

The reusable decals come in a set of four: Two pairs of matte black patches called Effeft Velours. Effet Haute Couture is embroidered with Swarovski crystals at the corner of each eye and Effeft Brilliant is decorated with black Swarovski micro-crystals. 

You can snag Dior Velvet Eyes, $55, exclusively at Sephora.

So. if you're anything like me, you love low-rise jeans but hate visible butt-crack showings every time you take a seat.

Plummer's crack is tacky and so declasse. I get tired of tugging my shirt down or facing my butt towards walls just so I can sit comfortably without mooning the world. Well, there's a solution to this crack epidemic--Jaks. One of my clients turned me on to them. So what are JAKs?

 JAKs are lacy, top extenders that look like underwear without the crotch area. You wear them over your jeans and they give the illusion of a layered top underneath. Yes! We can continue wearing low-rise jeans without embarrassing butt-crack showings. 

JAKs are $20 and come in three colors: beige, black, or white.

So, what do you think of these finds?

Relief From Eczema

Dry, red, itchy, swollen, cracked, scaly skin. Argh! Eczema!

Approximately 15 million Americans have eczema.
The most common type of eczema is atopic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis is chronic and usually affects babies and children but can affect adults.

Other types of eczema include contact eczema, allergic contact eczema, stasis dermatitis, neurodermatitis, nummular eczema, dyshidrotic eczema, and seborrheic eczema.

How Do You Know if You Have Eczema
This disease causes an intense urge to scratch, and is often associated with skin irritations. If you have dark skin, the itchy, affected areas may be either darker or lighter than your natural skin color, and  if you have lighter skin, the itchy, affected areas may appear reddish or brown. Eczema can appear on your face, neck, scalp, hands, insides of the elbows, the skin behind the knees and even your buttocks.

What Causes Eczema
Atopic dermatitis is an allergic condition in which the immune system turns on itself and attacks healthy skin tissue. The exact cause of this disease is unknown, but it is believed to be more common in families that have other allergic conditions such as hay fever and asthma.

On the other hand, allergic contact eczema is a delayed reaction to an allergen such as nickel. Contact eczema is a reaction to an irritant such as a cleaning detergent, or other chemicals.

How Do You Prevent Eczema Flare-ups
Certain triggers may make eczema worse. Pay attention to when you have flare-ups. What did you eat? Foods such as peanuts, eggs, milk, fish, wheat or soy products are triggers. What did you touch? Soaps, cleaners, perfumes and cosmetics, mineral oil, dust or sand may be the issue. How were you feeling? Stress is a biggie. Keeping track of the flare-ups may help you identify the triggers and prevent attacks.

Other Tips

• Take short (15 to 20 minutes) cool or lukewarm showers or baths using only mild soaps such as Dove, Aveeno, and Cetaphil.
• Immediately after showers or baths, moisturize your skin. Keep a moisturizer handy to moisturize throughout the day. Use a plain, fragrance-free, thick moisturizer to  protect skin from allergens and irritants. Aveeno Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream and Vaseline works wonders.
• Over the counter barrier-repair creams such as CeraVe and TriCeram help rebuild the skin with an ingredient called ceramide. Prescribed ceramide-containing creams such as Atopiclair and Mimyx are also very helpful.
• Corticosteroids, antibiotics, or antihistamines yield great results as well. 

If you have eczema, how do you control flare-ups?