Kahlana Barfield Revealed the Brand of Her Signature Red Lip

When I first discovered Kahlana a couple of years ago, I had no idea that she was a Beauty Editor at Large for one of the biggest Style Magazines.  Honestly, I thought she was just a woman with amazing style.

The first thing that drew my eye to Kahlana was her bold red lip that was one of the main elements that make up her signature look.  Kahlana's makeup is typically understated. Her skin is flawless so she highlights her favorite feature, her lips, in a stunning red shade.  

Since she' able to wear a red lip so effortlessly,  I always wondered which brand she chose as her holy grail red lipstick.

5 Skin Actives that are Taking My Skin to the Next Level

After sharing an image on my Instagram story of my favorite new skincare accessory, I received messages asking to share details on which actives I've experimented with.  The list is currently a work in progress but so far, I'm happy with the results thus far.

I'm going to continue to experiment with various raw ingredients but these are the one's that are currently in rotation.

The Tiny Beauty Accessory That's Transforming My Skin Routine.

The older I get, the more I realize that I need to stay on top of my skin regimen.  I've decided to really focus on products and ingredients that truly have the ability to impact my skin.  Instead of purchasing a bunch of new products, I've decided to take on a completely different strategy.

Basically, it involves enhancing my current favorite products so they become even more powerful. How do I do that?  With one simple tool that elevates even the most mediocre of skin products.

Frustrated By Lack of Results? Try This.

It's July, which means we're already halfway through the year.  It's also the perfect time to check in and see how we're doing with our goals.  It's been a while since we set our goals back in January, which is why a mid-year check-in is necessary.

I've had several conversations lately with friends and acquaintances who feel unmotivated and lost.  We've all been there.  We feel like our lives aren't moving forward nor it doesn't look like the vision we have for ourselves.

If you find that you're feeling frustrated and unmotivated, here's my suggestion of what you need to do.

Drink Warm Water & Enjoy These Beauty Benefits

This winter I worked really hard to maintain a consistent habit of drink warm tea each morning.  But once warm weather arrived, that routine quickly fell by the wayside.  Lately, I've replaced my morning tea with room temperature water.  So far, this routine has been working out well for me.  But, I've recently learned that there's a way to make my morning water routine even better.

Style Obsession // Put It In Neutral

Summer is an interesting time.  Sometimes the heat is so unbearable that we often sacrifice style for comfort.  The hotter it is outside, the more I dress down.  Dressing down is great but sometimes you still want to look a bit more polished.  I'm putting together ideas on simple, easy to execute looks that seem completely effortless but look well put together.

While looking for inspiration, I found a simple outfit combination that looks great on pretty much everyone.  It's perfect for casual lunches or errand days. All you have to do is follow one simple fashion rule.

Eat Normally, Do This, and Lose Weight

If you've struggled to alter your diet to lose a little bit of weight, I may have some good news for you.  Perhaps you've eaten properly for a short time, then fall into bad habits again.  Maybe your diet consists of sensible meals but you're still not able to drop stubborn pounds.  In either case, maybe your best bet to fat burning is by changing your strategy entirely. 

The Art of Taking Rapid Action to Multiply Your Manifestation.

Every Monday I like to identify a pattern of behavior that no longer serves me.  These are the behaviors that hold me back from reaching my greatest potential.  One negative habit that I've identified is where I take forever to complete tasks on my list.

Part of the reason why I've allowed this habit to exist is because of the lack of consequences attached to my behavior.   I've been told in the past that I'm motivated by the fear of negative consequences and, with no repercussions in place, I've allowed my inaction to flourish.

Actually, the negative consequences exist.  They just haven't reached critical levels yet. Now I have to make a choice.  I can choose to continue as I have in hopes of delaying the inevitable or I can take a proactive approach and alter the outcome of my future starting now.

Fake Flawlessly Dewy Skin with this Simple Trick

Every summer, I make it a priority to do whatever it takes to produce the healthiest looking skin possible.  Unfortunately, the last few months have been a little hectic and I've slipped a little with my established skin habits. So my skin isn't as healthy and dewy looking as I would like.

Summer waits for no one. We still have to attend events, meet friends at outdoor cafes, go on dinner dates, etc.  We need to employ a quick and easy technique that transforms the skin almost instantly.

...and I think I have just the trick.

FOTD // The Sheer Red Lip

I'm very proud to proclaim that I over half a dozen various variations of red lipstick in my collection.  It took forever to find the shades that most complimented my skin but now I'm good.  Since my skin has improved, I love to rock the unexpected red lip with a toned down makeup look.

For summer, I want to adapt the red lip into something that's a bit more wearable on the daily basis.  Summer is all about effortless beauty.  That's why I'm such a huge fan of the sheer red lip.

Skip Your Morning Motivation Routine & Do This Instead

When I first began my personal development journey, one mantra that I kept hearing about over and over was mastering the morning routine.  I've even written about morning rituals a few times on in the past.  Although you can customize a morning routine, most gurus suggest that we include a combination of gratitude, exercise, prayer/meditation and focusing on your daily goals.

I used to execute a rock solid morning routine.  And doing so made such a difference in the direction of my day (and life).  But over time, I wasn't as diligent about enforcing the morning ritual.  And, once you allow the morning ritual to slip through your fingers, a sense of guilt starts to set in. To combat this, I've developed an alternative that may be just as beneficial.

Embody What You Desire to Attract at a Higher Level.

Every so often, I like to go for a long walk in nature while doing some reflection on my life.  From time to time, I receive a burst of inspiration on what I can do to impact my future.  Since I've recently entered a new decade, I wanted create a theme for the next 10 or so years.  Ultimately, I decided that my current focus for the years to come would be to manifest like crazy.

I've known about the law of attraction for quite some time and I've had plenty of opportunities to practice it.  Now is the time to really expand my ability and level of manifestation.  So far this year, I've come to realize how much impact my level of vibration has on my ability to attract.  I still set a daily intention of trying to feel good as much as possible and it has served me well.

This weekend I decided to take things to the next level by embodying what I wish to attract.

Here's How I'm Transforming My Lemon Water into the Ultimate Beauty Tonic

During the winter time, I make sure to drink multiple cups of tea a day.  When summer rolls around, I like to transition to lemon water.  Not only is it totally refreshing, there are a multitude of health benefits associated with drinking lemon infused water.

This year, I asked myself "is there anything I can add to my lemon water to make even more nutritious?"  It wasn't long before a bunch of ideas started running through my mind.  He's what I've come up with so far.

Monday Mood.

I love Mondays. 

This wasn't always the case.  Once upon a time, Mondays were the bane of my existence.  Fridays & Saturdays were always so amazing but by Sunday afternoon, a feeling of dread started to creep in.  I remember staying up late on Sunday nights in over to avoid the inevitable.  Eventually, the amount of anxiety that invaded my body on Sundays became unbearable. So I decided to implement a plan of action to turn the entire situation around.

Major Hairstyle Inspo for Your Neck Length Bob. Courtesy of Tamia Styles

One of my fantasy hairstyles is to one day have the perfect neck length bob.  It's flattering, chic, modern, and feminine.  The reason why I haven't quite taken the plunge is because I had this limiting belief that a neck length is pretty boring with few styling options.

The other day I stumbled on an Instagram page of a young lady who completely challenged my incorrect notion about short hair.  Although she's a makeup artist who predominantly posts beauty looks, the first thing that stood out to me was how gorgeous her hair was.  More importantly, she demonstrated the versatility of shorter length hair.

#SaladsAllSummer // The Mantra that will Change Your Life this Summer

These last few months I've had a really busy schedule.  Typically this means weeks of takeout and unhealthy eating.  Thankfully, all of my digressions haven't resulted in extra weight gain.  But, it has taken a toll in a different way.  I feel like there's something missing on the inside.  Like the food is taking care of hunger but not much else. 

Typically, I reserve healthy eating for when the pounds start to accumulate but I realize that eating healthy has benefits beyond what's on the surface.  Sometimes we just need a reminder of all the reasons why eating a ton of fruits and veggies is a winning strategy for summer.

[trending.] The Crossbody Mini Bag

Several months ago, I sent a direct message to a friend on Instagram expressing my desire for a designer fanny pack.  She encouraged me to treat myself to one if that was what I wanted.  I then informed her of the hesitations that stopped me from moving forward.

I grew up in the 80's when the fanny pack made its first appearance.  Back then, they were loud, ugly and were the accessory of choice for overweight tourists.  There was nothing fashionable or desirable about them.  But times have changed and fanny packs/belt bags are making a comeback in a major way.

  Several luxury designers have released belt bags that are the modern, trendy version of the fanny pack.  I'm interested but still hesitant. One concern I have is that they're meant to be worn around the waist.  My body often fluctuates and when I gain weight, it often settles on my midsection.  The worst thing one can do is wear a fanny pack or belt bag with a bloated tummy.  That's a huge no-no cause it'll draw too much attention to a problem area.

I thought I would have to give up on my dream of rocking a cute trendy bag this summer until I came across the perfect alternative.

Simone Reminds Us to Step Our Lash Game Up.

In a perfect world, I'd execute a multistep beauty routine every night to ensure that I wake up flawless every morning.  Most days, I do the bare minimum required to keep my face from breaking out.  But this strategy is passive in nature and doesn't create new results.  I need to remember to include steps that not only maintain but also add value.

Thankfully, I was given a timely reminder that cleansing and moisturizing isn't enough.  And if I were to include one additional step, I could be enjoying the lashes of my dreams.

House Smelling Like Luxury! I found the Perfect (Low Cost) Dupe for Jo Malone's Candles.

Just the other day, I visited my local Aldi's grocery store.  It was supposed to be another uneventful trip where I picked up some avocados, leafy greens and maybe a few specialty food items.  Little did I know that this routine stop would land me the biggest find of 2018.

Aldi's is a cross between a low-cost Whole Foods and Big Lots.  Since they're affiliated with Trader Joe's, they often carry organic, healthy food options at a really affordable price. They also have this neat home goods section that stocks random household items on closeout.  Their inventory rotates quite a bit so if you find something you like, it's best to grab it.

Upon entering the store, I made a beeline for the home goods section to see if I'd run into something special.  Within moments, my eyes landed on a display of candles with cute little black bows on the lids. Instinctively, I picked one up to check out the branding.  I thought my eyes were deceiving me because, at first glance, it appeared as if I was holding a Jo Malone candle.  I inhaled the scent of the candle and confirmed that it was indeed the same fragrance of my favorite Jo Malone candle from years ago.  But the price was only $6.99!

What on earth was happening?

America's Next Top Model Runner-Up Reveals Her Favorite Beauty Supply Store Lip Gloss

My favorite Instagram lives are the ones where we tag along for an impromptu get ready with me.  Often, the person is just chit chatting while they execute their entire makeup routine.  Most of the time, we are given a glimpse into the raw, unsponsored, look into their makeup stash.  I've come across a few gems from jumping on these random lives.  One of my favorite mascara's, L'Oreal Telescopic was introduced to me via Kendra Bailey's live.  I talked about it in a previous Instagram Beauty Secrets Post.

Today, I want to share another product that I might pick up thanks to the recommmendation of former America's Next Top Model Runner Up, Tatiana Elizabeth.