Music is a vital part of my day at all times. I have to have it. I keep it on my phone, my Itouch, my laptops. Everything. I’m sure I’m not the only one that needs to pushed to make things happen. They each highlight something amazing to me. Let’s get it!
1. So Ambitious by Jay-Z (The chorus says it all!)
2. Beach Chair by Jay-Z (Quote: My last will and testiment I leave my heir, my share of Roc-A-Fella Records and a shiny new beach chair) I go nuts everytime I hear that line!
3. Shine by Estelle (Quote: I’ma shine while my light’s still on!)
4. Diva by Beyonce (Yeah, I’m pretty sick of it now. But when it came out, WOW.)
5. Encourage Yourself-Donald Lawrence (Words can’t even express how this song moves my heart.)
6. God in Me-Mary Mary ft. Kiki Sheard (Quote:You don’t know how much I’ve prayed, you don’t know how much I’ve gained, You don’t know how much I’ve changed)
7. No Hook by Jay-Z (Quote: Hustle c**n, hustle clothes or hustle music, but hard in ANY hustle you pick!) YES!
8. Late by Kanye West (Quote: Will I make it from the student loans to a Benz-O? Like old folks pi*sin’ I guess it all depands, oh!)
9. 5 Dolla Mic by Dwele (Basically, he makes a hot interlude using a cheap mic, and that’s what the song is about. Moral: Make it happen with what you can get!)
10. I Did it My Way by Jay-Z (Seriously, you just need to hear it.)
Yes, the list is mostly Jay-Z (and his wife and protege). So, it’s only fitting that I tell Jay-Z Happy Birthday!!!! I’ve been a fan since I heard him on “Can I Get A” back in Middle School!
It’s true! You can get gorgeous liner for way cheap
Before you shell out a bunch of cash on makeup for those holiday parties, check out this roundup of the best eyeliners under $10. There are tons of shades and types, from pencils to liquids, so there’s no reason you can’t get the look you want for cheap.
There’s nothing more therapeutic than a good cup of hot tea. I’m a lipton girl, I use tea bags. This will hopefully give you an understanding about how confused I was when I realized this was loose tea. Much to my surprise, I’ve been sipping this stuff daily. My mother had a cup as well, and now she’s dipping into my tea stash too! First of all, I’m a sucker for packaging. These little cardboard canisters are chic and simple, making them fabulous.
All you do is scoop a spoonful into the clothbag and steep it into your mug or tea kettle of hot water. A little honey and sugar, and it’s perfection! At first I thought, this is going to be way too much work for a cup of tea! But the 8 seconds of labor really, really pays off. I’m an old fashioned girl, so I was completely content with theRoyal English Breakfastblend ($13.95). Apparently, Beyonce and Taylor Swift love the Sassy Green Tea with Acai. Smart choice ladies. Acai (pronounced Ah-Sah-Yee) is amazing for the body! For the more eclectic tea drinker, Tea Village Co. also offers white, jasmine, oolong and an assortment of other varieties. One canister will yield 40-45 servings of tea. Yes, anything over $5 is a bit pricey for tea, but don’t we all love a little relaxing getaway every once and awhile. I think so. I’m re-ordering!
Note: This product was sent to me by a PR representative for review.
As a teenager and into my early twenties, reading magazines served as a blueprint for me. It helped me decide the clothes I wanted to wear, the new music I should listen to, and the relationship drama that I never wanted to get into. Now, months shy of my 25th birthday, the state of the glossies has changed. I remember purchasing the issue of Honey Mag with D’Angelo on the cover and thinking how unique and grungy it look. Years later, I purchased the August 2003 issue with Nia Long on the cover and noted in my planner to check out MAC Ruby Woo lipstick, the color Nia wore on the cover. I was beyond elated when I was offered a position to blog for them in 2007!
Speaking of 2007, while trying to beat the morning transportation rush at my Columbia University subway stop, I purchased one of many copies of Vibe Vixen (the Summer Beauty issue, right up my alley!). It was the first time that I ever saw lace nail art. Definitely can’t leave out the issue with Janet in a fitted black and white polka dot dress, makeup nude and flawless. Suede, oh Suede. Editorial heaven. I have clippings of inspirational style on my wall to this day. They were so unique. Last night, I stayed up for an hour reading the March 2005 as if it were hot off the press. June Ambrose’s posh NYC pad and the the 40 hottest names in fashion were just too good to turn from.
But now, all that we are left with are digital versions of Honey and Clutch Magazines. I feel like I almost have no where to turn to. Sure, I read Essence Magazine, and I always have. But I rarely relate. I subscribe to Bazaar and Elle, but I almost never see anyone who even looks like me (although this month, Zoe Saldana is on the cover of Elle). The moral of this post is that I am yearning, longing, craving, and praying that another glossy comes along to fill my need (our need) for something we relate to. Please note that the digital magazines do take the edge off of my necessity. The Solange Knowles feature in Honey, wow. They did us proud, huh?! I have no idea what it takes to create and keep up with a magazine, but I do know that it includes tons of hard work, and even more money. I’ll leave this post by saying that I’m so grateful to have experienced the magazines that were, and even more excited to see what the digi-glossies will present us with in the future!
How excited are we all that Sam Fine is finally coming out with a makeup video? Finally, we’ll get to learn the tricks of the trade (or just the tricks that he wants to expose). He can highlight and contour a face like I’ve never seen. When I attended his seminar back in 2007, he used over five foundations to sculpt his model’s face. The launch party went down at the Warren Tricomi Salon at the luxurious Plaza Hotel in NYC. Here he is looking so fresh and so clean with Iman (the host of the party), Deborah Cox and Vanessa L. Williams.
Sam Fine, Vanessa L. Williams and Dr. Lisa Iran
Sam Fine and Taraji P. Henson (Damn T, that hair though? Yuck!)
Apparently, the drink of choice was Nuvo! (I popped a bottle or two of this on my birthday in May, I really wanted to like it but it was overly flavored in my opinion. It was as if they wanted to hide the champagne taste with fruity syrup. I’ll stick to white wine.) The DVD will retail for $24.99, available of Samfine.com and Amazon.com. Can’t Wait!!!
If you’re looking for a great beauty read, you can’t go wrong with this! The Beauty of Color is a girly girl’s classic coffee table book. Large, glossy images of makeup in every sense of the word are right at your fingertips. Supermodel Iman and beauty editor turned blogger (And should be model) Tia Williams created this go to book. Within its pages you’ll find the definitions of makeup products, how to use them, and step-by-step makeup guides. The interesting thing is that it highlights not only Black women, but Middle Eastern, Asian, Caucasian, Hispanic and everything in between. ANTM’s Jay Manuel does quite a bit of the makeup for this book.
If you want a colorful guide to makeup products, this bad boy is for you. Want to see which brushes do what? Read on. If I were a beginner, I’d depend on this book. At least until the Makeup 101 series debuts on the Scandalous Beauty Youtube Channel! Hehe!!! Take a look inside the pages below. If you’d like to purchase a copy, hard or soft cover, check out Amazon.com. They have some really great prices on used books!
A co-worker introduced me to the Post Secret books about a year ago. People anonymously send in postcards telling a secret, and a man in Germantown, MD compiles them into books, or his blog. Post Secret is taking over the world, I have to get my fix via his blog every Sunday!
There is a new edition of the book dropping soon, titled Life, Death & God. Can’t wait for this one! Check out the Postsecret Bookshere! They are the perfect coffee table accessories!
The image above is that of my wall. My entire room reflects the things that inspire me. I believe that if I see it, feel it, breathe it and believe in it, it has to happen. I lived in NYC for a mere 3 months. Every second, every crowded subway, every illegal honk from cabbies, every smirk or glare from passers by…all amazing. I search Craig’s List daily, just searching for my first apartment in the Big Apple. I thanked God for every morning that I awoke to the hustle and bustle of my residence on the Upper West Side.
So, this blog is my inspiration hub. It’s the things that make me happy, the things that I want to share. I wanted to start a blog about scarves, candles and Starbucks. And my love for city life. And for amazing music, not the crap that’s on the radio. And all other great treasures of the world! So, here’s a deeper look into the life of Erin, the lady you know as Scandalous Beauty…
I’m telling you, I have the best adventures with Warren B. He is the best “boyfriend” ever!!! This time around, we went to see Estelle and Solange in concert. Not only did I do a review on the concert, but I go over two of the hottest lip colors I own, Gladiola Lipstick by MAC and Funny Face Lipstick by Nars. Ladies, if you are looking for a new, hot shade for Spring, please don’t forget to check out these two! Since I am going through a lipstick phase, these two really helped fill my craving! I model both lipsticks in the video, don’t forget to check it out!
AJ Crimson is such a great guy! He’s personable and he’s definitely a cutie! And you know his Myspace page is a hot spot, full of pictures and great info!!
There’s nothing more therapeutic than a good cup of hot tea. I’m a lipton girl, I use tea bags. This will hopefully give you an understanding about how confused I was when I realized this was loose tea. Much to my surprise, I’ve been sipping this stuff daily. My mother had a cup as well, and now she’s dipping into my tea stash too! First of all, I’m a sucker for packaging. These little cardboard canisters are chic and simple, making them fabulous.
, you’re NUTS! Go get it!!! It’s a classic amongst classics!!!!
here! They are the perfect coffee table accessories! 
