Father’s Day is right around the corner! Have you gotten your Dad the perfect gift yet? If you are like me, then no. For me, getting a gift for my Dad can be very challenging. I’ve decided to switch up the usual gifts of ties and gift cards. Here are some quick and thoughtful gift ideas that will make Dad’s of all ages and styles happy. Personalized Dad Cookies How cute are these!? Why not treat Dad to a sweet treat all for him. These personalized cookies came all the way from Columbus, Ohio from Adrienne Ray of Rayning Sweet Treats. Here you can see cookies spelled out “D-A-D” with some delicious tools. What Dad wouldn't want some treats dedicated solely to them, even though Dad's seem to eat everyone's food anyway :) This is a perfect gift for the Dad who has everything already. Beard Oil Dad’s can look good too! It’s been the year of the “beard” so whether its Dad or Zaddy, give Dad the gift of self care with this beard oil from Rooted by Herbaceous. This all natural beard oil has great benefits such as: increases blood flow circulation, slows premature greying, penetrates hair shaft to moisture, strengthens and promotes hair thickness and soothes itchy and dry skin. This would be a perfect gift for those Dad's who take pride in their beard care. Personalized Dad Cup What Dad doesn’t like his own cup to himself? This custom glass was made by Dove-vinely Inspired Creations, they make custom-made monogrammed glasses and tumblers. This is the perfect gift for the Dad who enjoys watching sports, movies or just wants everyone to know over dinner that they are #1. Here they customized a glass for my Dad :) I hope he doesn't read this before Sunday. :) Masculine Candle This is a perfect gift for the “man cave.” This candle by Elon Wick Candle Company entitled, “Grey” smells masculine and clean. Your Dad will love to light this while enjoying his favorite drink or getting work done in his home office. The website describes it as, "GREY is made with six essential oils creating a sensual touch for the suit & tie type of guy. It works equally well as a masculine or feminine fragrance, so ladies who love grey sweatpants- this is for you too!" Sidenote: Ladies, you will love this candle scent as well. It was giving me all the FEELS of what I would want my man to smell like. Thank me later Lapel Pin
Cool Dad alert. This Biggie Lapel pin is for the Dad’s who are cool and hip enough to rock Biggie on their suit jacket or everyday polo or tee around town. If you want some out of the box gifts for Father’s Day that your Dad won’t have in his accessory collection, check out Glamhoarders. All these business are small and minority owned. Please make sure you support these small business entrepreneurs not just during holidays but year round, they would sincerely appreciate it!
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Hey ya'll! As you know, I've started back on my journey to growing my curls back out. 3 years ago I decided I wanted something new (around my 30th birthday) and wanted to go blonde! The blonde definitely was fun and exciting but it made me have to cut my hair :( I then transitioned to a cinnamon red color for a few months and decided my hair was never going to get back to the length I wanted if I did not go back dark and let my natural hair breathe. So here we are :) Over the course of time I will share what I've been doing to my hair to get my hair moisturized especially during the summer months and how I keep my curls poppin! I tried this deep conditioning treatment from Hollywood Beauty Products. Now, most of you may have heard of them before, most may not. I tried the Olive Oil that helps with hair breakage and Olive Cholesterol which is a deep conditioning product. Here is what I did: 1. Shower and Condition your hair as normal. I did comb my hair while wet in the shower. 2. Apply the Olive Cholesterol and added a few drops of the Olive Oil for maximum results. 3. Let sit for 15-20 minutes. The directions also said you could do this in the shower for 2 minutes if you are doing a quick treatment. If you decide to sit for 15-20 minutes you don't have to put heat on it, just wrap the hair in a moist towel. 4. Don't forget to Rinse! 5. I did apply some curl product to my hair after but that was really it! Overall I really enjoyed these two products! I could see that my curls were reactivating and my hair felt so soft and manageable. They also smell really good!! I had an easy time finding the oil but the hair cholesterol took some searching, but I finally found it at my local CVS. You can also find products at your local beauty supply, Target, Sally Beauty and more. Is this something you would try? Answer below👇🏼Rock it or Knock it?
Neon is back on trend for nails this Summer! I even decided to try the encapsulated nail with it. Make sure you visit my blog to see the other Summer trends that are my favorites. So, would you rock this nail look? Never in my lifetime did I think I’d be fighting the same battle as my great-grandparents, grandparents and parents.
My mom grew up in Richmond, Indiana a town where a lot of her relatives could pass as white. Her mother, my grandmother also told me she was the only colored baby in the neighborhood. When I was in 2nd grade, I brought a picture of my grandmother in to show the class for a project. One of my white classmates said, “At least someone in your family is White!” No one said anything. Not even my teacher. I was a 2nd grader, I had to defend that my grandmother was BLACK. This wasn’t the first time and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. In college, at Miami University I took a journalism class. We had a group assignment to make up a character and describe their education, appearance, etc. One of the groups character name was “Jemima Jones” she was an illiterate woman. I was FURIOUS. “Jemima” is a long time figure depicting Blacks as stupid, low-class and degrading. The teacher said NOTHING. There were 2 Black students in the class including myself and guy. I didn’t want to address it in class or I’d be viewed as the “angry Black woman”. After class, I emailed my professor the historical context of “Jemima” and how I was deeply disturbed. She wrote back with an apology saying she had no idea. You are a JOURNALISM Professor at a Public Ivy School and you had no idea!? The next class we addressed it. Most of the class look annoyed of it being discussed, I asked if the other Black student had any thoughts and he said, “It didn’t bother me.” I was FURIOUS again. The only person in the room with compassion was a white student who started to cry. She told me she came from a rural town with no minorities and had no idea. I saw hope. In times of protest, struggle and uncertainty. I just want to share with my audience to continue to look for hope. Continue to look for ally’s but also severe ties to those who don’t SEE YOU. I am a Black Woman. I come from generations of strong Black Women. I’m reminded everyday of who I am - and I wouldn’t change anything about it. I’m not the one who needs changing. Update: I was on Fox19 for this!! Watch Here Summer is here! Kind of. I know some people are venturing back outside while some are still being cautious and staying put inside. Whether you’re inside or outside you can still participate in some trending summer trends! Check out these and let me know which ones you are going to try. Press on Nails These aren't your grandma or mom's press on's! Press on nails have really stepped their game up. These are a great way to try out summer nail trends of neon and design without making a big commitment. You also don’t have to go into a nail salon to achieve this look. You can go to your local drugstore or support local nail techs by purchasing custom press on nail sets! The sets featured below are from two local nail tech artist Dearra Hill and Chani Johnson. Summer Lip Bright colors are back on trend. Swap out your usual nude, pink or red and try a bright orange, purple or neon pink. You don’t have to make a huge investment in a new lipstick either, I found some hot summer lipsticks all under $5 at my local drugstore. Wet n Wild Lip Color, Honolulu Is Calling OKAY! Online this is only $1.19!! I paid a little more in store I think around $3 dollars, but this is still a great deal. The lipstick comes in a tube and applies that regular tube lipsticks. My lips were moisturized and the color orange was very pigmented but not overpowering. It also removes great too ladies! CoverGirl Colorlicious Melting Pout Lipstick, Gel-Ful This beauty was only $4.99!! I got it on sale in store but it's still only $7.99. It comes out of a tube with gel like consistency. It is very smooth and easy to apply. My lips felt very moisturized and not dry. I also liked that it was very easy to take off. Makeup Great For Your Skin Summer time means HEAT, so you don’t have to wear as much makeup. Sweating while wearing makeup is not great for our skin so swap out the full coverage foundations for a great tinted moisturizer that has a SPF or an “Clean” Foundation that is lightweight and won’t clog your pores. Everyone should be wearing sunscreen year around and not just during the summer. Sunscreen should even be worn when people are working from home and should be reapplied when out in the sun. Organic Acne Safe Foundation: Pure Beauty Glow What's a better foundation then created by someone who is an expert in skin. This foundation line is created by Pure Beauty Skin Bar. PBSB is a skin care clinic based in Cincinnati, Ohio specializing in the prevention & treatment of acne & hyperpigmentation. This foundation won't clog your pores its available in 17 diverse shades, this long-lasting, weightless mousse foundation goes on smooth to enhance your complexion while letting your skin's natural radiance shine through. Tinted Moisturizer: Nars Skin Tint SPF 30 This is a lightweight tinted buildable moisturizer/foundation that has a broad spectrum SPF 30 already built in. It helps your skin’s overall condition and will leave your skin looking natural and glowing. Sparkling Fruit Cocktails
If you like infused water then you will love these light and refreshing sparkling fruit cocktails. They are super simple to make. These are perfect to put in a pitcher and sit outside to enjoy. The main ingredients are fresh fruit of your choice, fruit juice, prosecco or sparkling water for a non-alcoholic option, mint, lemon and lime. For my fruit cocktail I used:
What's so great about this is you can't get it wrong, no recipe and all. I added the ingredients over ice and enjoyed! Which one of these Summer trends are you trying first? Honestly, this is the longest I’ve been at home in my loft for a very long time. I’ve never spent this much time “living at home” so I never really put much effort in my decor outside of when I had it professionally done a couple years ago. Since then I got a puppy (now 1 years old) and he tore my bathroom up ya’ll! I mean to the bathroom carpets (peeing on it), to pulling on my shower curtain, to basically doing what puppies do and ruining all my nice things. Now that Ralph is a bit bigger and not as out of control, I decided to spend some time and redo rooms in my loft. Starting with the bathroom, because that’s the smallest project. Decor is not really my ministry and I defer that to the professionals, but with Covid-19, I’ve had to take matters into my own hand. Also if you are looking to redecorate your space, you don’t have to spend a million dollars, during this time I have to budget my coins due to the unknown - I redid this space so far by only spending around $100! I started with these six products I found online at Target. Floral Towel Black/White - Threshold I got both the hand towel and and bath towel. I love the black and white floral prints. These were only $9.99-12.99 Arielle Printed Metallic Shower Curtain Before this curtain I had a multi colored shower curtain. I decided to go with a chic and more of my personality shower curtain with beautiful gold accents. Do you typically iron shower curtains? LOL I am hoping the creases fall out soon. This is currently on sale for $30! 4.1" x 4" Artificial Succulent Glass Terrarium Gold - Opalhouse™ How cute is this glass terrarium?! I've never had one and always thought they were so cute and chic. For only $14.99 how could I pass this up. Solid Soap Pump Faceted Gold - Threshold™ Who knew a soap pump could be so fancy. I am loving the all gold soap pump for only $12.99! 14oz Lidded Glass Jar Candle Wild Hibiscus Sangria - Floral Collection - Opalhouse™ This candle smells amazing! If you love candles, definitely check this one out. This made a great addition as well to my bathroom decor. Lavender & Bergamot Liquidless Reed Diffuser - 3ct - Everspring™ This is my newest obsession, this reed diffuser is oil less - so no mess! It makes my bathroom smell amazing! I still need to find the perfect toothbrush holder, bathroom rug (hopefully Ralph won’t ruin it), trashcan, maybe add something floral in there - and I need to figure out what I want to put in this empty space. Any thoughts? How did I do so far? I realize now I should have taken before pictures, but I was so excited to get rid of the old stuff LOL
Many of you may know my father, but do you know a lot about my mother Marchelle? I was able to participate in a Mother’s Day campaign for Kroger and Influenster and it let me reflect on Mother’s Day during quarantine, I’ve had time to really think about the impact and fullness my mother adds to my life. I get my love of fashion, decor and food all from her. Growing up in a house full of men (dad and two brothers), my mother and I had a close relationship from the start. My earliest memories of her was watching her get ready to go to an event or Links meeting. Her closet was truly #goals. She did not just have one, but several. The shoe closet however was my favorite. The walls were lined up with shoe boxes with beautiful shoes. In her bathroom I watched her put on her makeup and perfume. I was in complete awe. My mother is truly the most beautiful woman to me, not because of her looks (thank goodness I’m starting to look like her now LOL), but because she is the most kind hearted person from the inside out. There are many memories that I will alway cherish, but one of my favorites was when I became a member of her chapter of the Links, Incorporated. I had practically grown up watching my mother in action as a Link. The Links is an organization of African American women founded in 1946 that is devoted to strengthening African American communities through fund-raising, education, advocacy, and volunteering. After 33 years I finally got to join an organization that my mother and I could serve in together. It has been a great experience and journey. My mother has helped me stand strong when I thought I couldn’t, she's taught me how to pray and stay confident in God when I lost sight, she let me know my best is always good enough, she has showed me what grace looks like and I hope one day I can be a great mother like she is. I love you mommy! Although Mother’s Day looked a little different this year, the feeling will always remain.
How did you celebrate your mother or yourself? Hey ya’ll! I decided to try out some Bliss products and thought I’d do a video for the first time ever! Let me know what you think :) Step 1: Cleanse face with Bliss Makeup Melt -The texture is like jelly but not sticky :) This works much better if you do not wet your face first, apply the melt directly to the skin to get makeup off, make sure you cleanse for twenty seconds or more! Rinse your face and pat dry with a white paper towel. Pro tip: my friend Sylvia taught me that. A white paper towel has less chemicals and colors like hand towels that you don’t want to put on your face. Plus, a white paper towel you simply toss and don’t reuse. Lesser the chance to put more bacteria on your face. Step 2: Apply Bliss Mint Chip Mania Mask. -I am in LOVE with this mask. It smells just has it sounds. It goes on smooth and it smells AMAZING. Since I am trying to get my body together, no mint chip ice cream - so a facial mask it is! When the mask is applied it has a cooling sensation but not overpowering. Allow the mask to sit for 10 minutes. In the video I steamed while having the mask on, you don’t have to be fancy like me and use a steamer however. Now, when you cleanse your face there is an extra bonus with this mask. The “chips” are exfoliates! You are giving your face a double whammy cleanse. Step 3: Moisturize with Bliss Drench and Quench -After pat drying again with a white paper towel, I apply the moisturizer. This moisturizer is a fun blue color but goes on clear. This moisturizer is supposed to last all day long giving extra moisture to the face. Now, if you run a little oily - I would suggest getting a more matte moisturizer for the day. However if you are doing this a night, I think you will be okay. Interested in trying this 3 step skincare routine? You can find all the products here. Tell me how you like it! Get your glow on, sis! I remember celebrating my very first Cinco De Mayo with my father. He took me to a festival happening in Cincinnati Ohio. I was blown away with all the culture, food and family vibes. If you don’t know my father’s mother was part Mexican, no wonder I am so caliente! :) Since we are quarantined and I can’t celebrate with my friends and family, I decided to have my very own little “Cinco De May-Mo!” Here is what I did: Picked up these super cute decorations, dishes and cups from Target you can find them here Made a super easy taco dip Ingredients
-Mix cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning (about 3-4 tablespoons) in bowl. I got fancy and mixed it with my electronic hand mixer my mother gave to me -Spread mix in a square or round pan - I used a 12 X 9 inch pan -Top with cheese, lettuce, tomato, olives and any other toppings you wish -Serve with Chips! (Make sure you refrigerate until ready to serve.) Enjoyed a delicious tequila cocktail from Hidden Spirits Cocktails (PS this is a black woman owned liquor brand and this drink was AMAZING). Hidden Spirits Cocktails is a black woman owned liquor brand and I got to try a bottle of the Strawberry. It’s already mixed with tequila and ready to serve. I loved it! The cocktail was not overpowering, the tequila is subtle and smooth. Unlike most pre-made mixed drinks it tasted as if it was just made in front of me at the bar. Please go check out their brand here Hope you enjoyed my fiesta!!
Alright, this was the most low maintenance meal but was SO GOOD. I promise, if I can do this - so can you! So lately, I’ve been keeping it low carb/high protein but it was Friday so I decided to treat myself to some carbs, responsibly. Also, I decided to cook with whatever was in my fridge because my bank account told me to sit down somewhere. Here is what I made and the sauce is only 4 ingredients! (Minus seasoning, gotta have seasoning). Here is what you need:
Shrimp:
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AuthorMorgan Angelique Owens is the author of "Finding My Sparkle" and Founder & CEO of the MAO Brand, Professional Pretty, and Curvy Cardio, LLC. Archives
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