Blaq Vixen Beauty

As a continuation of my previous Johnson's Baby post ("Baby Got Your Back: The Johnson Triangle of Baby Oil, Baby Powder and Baby Wash"), I was recently invited to take their "Blog For Beauty Challenge" in which I have to use Johnson's Baby products for one month and report my findings at least once a week. I also have to find inventive beauty and household uses for them as well. I already know how challenging that will be! (more...)

Editor's Note: The products mentioned in this article was sent for editorial consideration.

Although Design Essentials doesn't have an official celebrity spokesperson, I've counted singer Fantasia as one.

Back when Vibe Vixen was alive and strutting, Fantasia made the cover of their February/March 2007 issue. I know you're wondering why I am bringing this up when it around three years ago, right? Well, this is the only time that I really remember Design Essentials, particularly the Herbal Complex 4 Hair. It was one of her product picks.

Last year, Design Essentials reached out to me and sent me a couple of products to try - a styling product and one for hair growth. I admit that I was skeptical to test the Herbal Complex 4 Hair because at first glance, it reminded me of a more expensive version of Softee Hair Food with Vitamin E.

In my opinion the Herbal Complex 4 smells better - it has a sort of coconut smell and it's also light. You'd think that such a product would be wonderful for keeping your hair on point during the warmer months, right? Well, you'd probably have a pleasant experience if you don't suffer from dandruff or extremely dry scalp.

It would be just my luck that I happen to suffer from dry scalp.  I had a feeling that combined with the Herbal Complex 4 Hair, I'd have a mess on my hands. A couple of days later, just as I expected, I had greasy flakes all throughout my scalp.  However, I had also applied the same treatment to my sister's hair. Needless to say, her hair and scalp stayed moisturized the entire week.

While I am excited that my sister has found success with another hair product (see how much she loved the Dr. Miracles Tingling Intensive Deep Conditioning Treatment), I'm a little sad that the Herbal Complex 4 didn't work quite as well for me. However, I hope you'll stick around to find out which Design Essentials products I actually enjoy using!

I am.

Baze Mpinja, beauty editor at Vibe Vixen, Suede and now Glamour, used to be until she took the Fake Lash Challenge last year. After writing that she was taking a break from false lashes, a reader wrote in to say that she was "shocked" that a beauty editor would shy away from falsies.

I can understand where Baze is coming from though. I know falsies have been around way before the glamorous days of  Dorothy Dandridge and Marilyn Monroe but still.  Furthermore, Essence has said that lashes with unexpected shapes are in this season, especially if you want to be a Makeup Diva.

When I read that, I was like, "I still haven't mastered Lashes 101 and now you're telling me I should be hitting up Shu Uemura to upgrade my lash game? Are you kidding me?!" Yeah, I was losing it until I chatted with Tia this afternoon.

Shu Uemura false lashes

She was telling me that she had fallen in love with NYX lashes. I told her that I wanted to try them as well but every time I muster the courage to apply lashes, it always looks a hot mess.

nyx lashes

She asked me how I apply them. First, I apply glue on the band. I wait a few seconds, and then I try to fit them to the curve of my lash line with tweezers. That's where I mess up. Even with the Revlon Fantasy Lengths Maximum Wear Self Adhesive Eyelashes, I still had trouble. However, my sister were able to apply them perfectly. This aggravated me to no end. Why? Because her specialty is hair, not beauty, yet ol' girl were able to get a flirty look within seconds. Hmph.

revlon fantasy lengths

However, Tia recommended the Sephora Brand Lash Placement Kit. This soft-tipped applicator promises to "provide the perfect placement of lashes and then, removes them with ease." It has a soft, anti-bacterial storage stand that retains the natural lash curve. You'll save time and you won't have to worry about making a mess.

Lash kit

Do you know that when I purchase this, it'lll be my first purchase from Sephora? Ever? Please, no photos! I know that might be unheard of but I'm used to being the exception. Maybe I'll inspired me to build my beauty bank...who knows?

Back to Baze. Inspired by Baze's previous "too thick, too long and too distracting" fiasco with falsies, Glamour challenged her to embrace the trend once more. She wrote that she was relieved that the false lashes in Glamour's beauty closet looked real and she settled on Sugar Cosmetics Flirt False Lashes in Angel, $9. Click here to read the rest!

Image via Fatima Siad's Facebook page

Editor's Note: You may remember reading this post back in September of 2008. Because I always felt I left out some important details about me and my focus towards Blaq Vixen Beauty, I have decided to edit it and expand on it. I hope it answers any questions that you may have. If it doesn't, feel free to contact me on Twitter, by leaving a comment on this post or by email. Thank you!

When I first started my blog, it was originally titled “Blaq Vixen.” The “Beauty” part didn’t come until later, after I discovered the plethora of beauty blogs by women of fall ages, ethnicities, races and motives. Besides that, I found myself writing about beauty products than anything else.

Still interested? Read on!