Mango, Sherbet, Neon, Lady Bug... Summer

Polish: Essie "Action"

Fun, sweet, happy, yummy things come to mind when I look down at my new manicure and I can't help but to beg for summer to come quicker! For now, I'll just imagine and live vicariously thru my summer nails ....

It's MY Birthday Month!!!

The BIRTHDAY Nails

My Birthday month officially started on Sunday and I couldn't be happier. And yes, you heard me right... my birthday MONTH... I celebrate the entire month of April with no shame and no holds barred! I mean you only get one day (or in my case, only one month) out of an entire year to really celebrate and treat yourself so I say do it to the fullest! I know many people like to think there are only a handful of birthdays in a lifetime that warrant going over the top for and basically after you turn 21 you need to chill out and just usher birthdays in and out peacefully and without much flare, but I'm not one who likes to follow customs and policies that are detrimental to my well being and happiness so ummm... that nonsense doesn't apply to me!!! In fact, I feel like it's more important now to take advantage of an opportunity to treat yourself, celebrate your growth and have a good time... you work hard at being a grown up so you deserve a treat.  So I dedicate the entire month to having a good old time celebrating life and the past year's accomplishment and the current year's goals with some of my favorite people. I do a little extra shopping, partying, dinning, and pampering just because it's my MONTH.  I treat myself way above and beyond I want someone else to treat me.


I even go so far as to set a theme or something like that to set the mood. This year, I'm kinda thinking of "good girl gone bad" type of vibe.  I don't know why but that's what came to mind so I'm gonna go ahead and run with it and try my best to conform my entire birthday celebrations to that idea...whatever it turns out to mean.  I'll be sure to keep you guys posted and in the loop as I figure it all out with my crazy self.  


In the meantime, do you guys and Honeeyz like my Birthday Nails?? I think they are just one more rhinestone away from ghetto heaven but I still like them and for some reason they are giving me the "good girl gone bad" with the pretty perriwinkle blue type color and the stones, which are reminding me of spikes (that's the bad girl part)!! :-)))

The Milk and Honeeyz of it: 

You should never shy away from an opportunity to celebrate yourself and your accomplishments just because of your age or circumstances. If you work hard and love everyone else when it's their day and time, there is nothing wrong with a little self love.  You deserve it and the rest of the world deserves to see how you expect be treated! 

Strong Brows, Sexy Curls & A Hint of Mint!!

This past weekend was my get it all the way right weekend... hair, nails and brows done...yaayy! However, I switched it up a little and I'm happy I did.  I usually get my nails and brows done at Hollywood Nails in Wilmington, DE every 3-4 weeks by my favorite nail tech, Trinny; but it has become more and more apparent that I was gonna need a replacement or at least a backup.  I don't live in the Philly area anymore and although I'm up there bi-weekly to pick up my babies, my time is still really limited and beyond PRECIOUS (time is money, time is yours and you don't get it back)! The wait and the nonsense at Hollywood is at an all time high lately and I can't deal...(as Jay says, I'm impatient and I hate waiting).  The dilemma I faced in finding a replacement tech, is that I'm beyond particular about my brows and my nails...it's kinda mental.  LOL. But the reality is there is not only one place and one person from VA to PA that can do what I need them to do and do it right.  The only way I would find that person, is by trying someone else.  And that's where I lucked up at this weekend!!

As usual I was in one of my favorite establishments, Bliss Elements Salon and Spa, Friday afternoon getting my hair all the way done (praise the Lord, b/c after I got my hair done the Friday before last, I took my Princess to the spa for the day in celebration of her 13th birthday (ummm yea, 13 at the darn spa...I didn't get there til I was in college but that's a whole other story!!) and I spent a little too much time in the sauna and clearly forgot I'm relaxer free b/c when I came up out of that joint my hair was all the way over before it ever even started)!  While I was there getting my hair all cute (how cute are those curls), my stylist kept suggesting I let the new aesthetician do my brows.  I was resistant at first (NOOOO!!), but he convinced me enough and she was such a sweetie pie and professional it wasn't that hard.  Well much to my surprise, she did the thang and I think I got myself a new brow girl!!!  Not only did she produce good results, but this experience was beyond expectation! It was straight up spa quality...I honestly felt like I was getting a lux facial when I was really only getting my brows..that good.  I say its an absolute do!! So check out Ms. JoVanna Butler, licensed aesthetician and new edition to the Bliss family. You pay a little more but you get a whole lot (including the convenience and value of my time) and you support black professionals and black business.  That's what I call Milk AND Honeey!! What do you honeeyz think about my fab brows? 

After I got my brows and hair all Blissed up, I was still left with the dilemma of getting these nails done.  They were looking a hot mess and the whole Valentine's Day theme I was rocking was sooooo beat down and over but again, Trinny was out of commission.  So I decided to give the nail salon across from my house here in the DMV another try.  I used them one other time last summer and I was less than happy, but the reality is everyone in even the best places aren't qualified to do nails (or at least mine!! lol).  So I went back and I went to a different person and I watched and directed her like a hawk...told u I was crazy.  And it all worked out just fine.  I went with a mint color and a splash of gold (you know I need that little extra).  I think they turned out awesome! Mint is the color of the moment and I'm still debating on a few clothing pieces to add to my wardrobe so i figured I could be in the moment by putting it on my nails.  This choice is an OPI color and I totally forgot the name but it had "grandma" and "apple" in the name somewhere.  :-)) 

For more candid pics of my curls, brows and nails click below!! :-)))

A Single Honeeyz Guide to Surviving and Loving Valentine's Day!

It's Valentine's Day and love is on the brain!! I love any holiday (true or made up) or tradition that promotes love, family and fun!!  February is one of my favorite months thanks to Valentine's, not to mention my Princess' bday is the following day on February 15th.  I get knee deep in the holiday b/c LOVE is the best feeling to have. My nails, my mood, my attitude and activities all reflect the feelings of love! I'm a happily single woman and it disappoints me when I see or hear women who aren't in a relationship deciding that Valentine's day is not for them simply b/c they don't have a man or when they start pretending they aren't interested in the occasion or that it's sooooo overrated (only b/c they don't have a Valentine to share it with bc we all know if someone offered them something they would be screaming off the nearest mountain top).   I personally don't need a significant other to be in love.  I love everything about God and everything he created about me and I jump for an opportunity to celebrate it and get in the spirit of love.  In addition to my love of God and the me he created,  as long as I live I will always have the loves of my life, Brycen and Cierra!  I say to those honeeyz that have given up on LOVE,  you don't need a man to celebrate love of yourself, love of God and love of those around you.  You have to know if you can't find love in yourself, appreciate the unconditional love of God, and learn to love your family and friends that blessing you with a man is the last thing on God's to do list so you gotta pull it together and starts where it matters the most!

Although I have 4 different dudes asking to be my Valentine and trying to line things up for the evening, I made sure to take care of myself first  so that I don't have to be dependent on some dude to make anything happen for me or piss me off and take me off of my LOVE square.  Here are a few things I've accomplished or plan to do in the interest of LOVE and any of you that fit in the above category should try one or all of the below:

1) Vday themed nails - you honeeyz should know by now that my nails are my personal art canvas and I figured love should be on display. Together they ready Love Lee as in "Love, Lee"or "lovely!" Loves it!! You can do the same with your attire or accessories. It does the trick. I look at my nails and have to think love! I don't even have a choice.  

2) Vday gifts purchased by Moi for Moi!- I picked out 2 super cute gifts from Marc Jacobs. They won't be in my possession until Thursday but I'm happy. I treated myself to exactly what I want so if nothing else comes I'm good! 


More ways to spoil yourself and get into the Vday mood with or without a significant other:

Nailed It Again!!!

A few weeks ago...

As most of you honeeyz know, my manicures are one of my favorite accessories and also 1 of 25 "you look like a million bucks must haves."  I love to have fun with my nails and do something funky from time to time to keep things exciting!  Like many women, OPI brand is one of my favorite brands because it not only boasts great quality, but it has one of the most extensive lines in terms of color selection and designs.  But even still, I have to say I prefer Essie brand above all.  The only issue with Essie, which is actually made by OPI, is that it doesn't have as much of an extensive color selection but their quality far surpasses OPI.  They are a little more sophisticated and conservative with their colors but no one does a muted, or matte, or dark polish like Essie! I love it! And with age, I honestly prefer the more sophisticated colors that aren't as loud and ghetto fabulous as others.  What I absolutely can NOT do is the cheap corner store brands b/c as far as I'm concerned you can definitely tell the difference in the finish.  My manicurist tends to disagree with this theory and she sometimes tries to convince me to just grab any brand provided it has a color that I like. I never do. I can't. She says that it is more about the color than the brand of the polish that dictates the finish.  Again, I disagree.  At my hair salon, Bliss Elements, they carry CND's shellac polish in addition to OPI in their nail bar.  Shellac and other nail gel polishes (Axxium by OPI, Gelaxy, Nexium, Gelish, etc) are all the rage as of late.  Gel nail colors are intended to last longer, usually up to 2 weeks without chipping.  Many people love them but some complain that some brands don't last as long as they say and some people complain that it takes too much time and process and product to get the gel off.  I actually use a crystal acrylic overlay on my nails because I gnaw them down to nothingness when in their natural state.  The crystal overlay is followed by my polish choice and then a gel coat.  Crystal is less harsh and potent than straight acrylic.  It also looks way more natural on top of the nails, like a true overlay rather than artificial nails, which I really don't like.  The crystal overlay is a little more expensive but well worth it.  Anyways,  here are a few of my designs and color choices of  recent months.  I'll try to keep you honeeyz and guys updated with my nail fun and different designs and ideas I come across in my researching and perusing of sites, magazines, and other people's fingers (lol).   I hope you are willing to share your nail and manicure creativity with the rest of us honeeyz!!! We need ideas and collaboration!!!

Click below for more nail pictures!