Well Damn.

Hola chicas,
Well, well, well! Aren't I having a major media moment?! Check me out in today's New York Times' Style Section! It's all about the rising power of the beauty blogger...and they photographed me in my "beauty" room, where I cram all my products and write SYB (there's the pic, on the left)! I have to say, even though I'm clearly loving the splashy photo, the article left me rather insulted. I mean, the implication that I write SYB for the swag is beyond ludicrous, and really broadcasts the writers complete non-understanding of the way the beauty industry operates. No, I wasn't allowed to accept gifts at Teen People, but during my days at Elle, Glamour, and Lucky, I was a virtual swag magnet (and quite honestly, my sqeals over free stuff abated circa 2001). I started SYB because, at the time, there were no brown girl blogs written by a bonafide beauty insider. I wanted to proved a service for my ladies...no mas, no menos! The idea that I'm in this for any other reason is actually quite offensive.

Plus, I've NEVER "censored" myself in order not to offend a major company. I only write about stuff that works, products I know you'll love...why discuss the ones that suck? Sigh. Must concentrate on the fact that my hair looks fab in the photo...

And now, let's get back to today's regularly scheduled gush-fest!


Girls, I'm getting to that mid-winter moment where, despite all my best efforts, I look in the mirror and see a "before" shot. In the beauty world, we call this a Looks Crisis. And it's serious. You know you're in the throes of an LC when, despite your best beauty efforts, nothing seems to make you look hot, sexy, or even passably cute. The only known cure for said rut is to make a profoundly dramatic change in your beauty routine. If you ordinarily wouldn't dream of rocking a red lip, break out the Nars Scarlet Empress! If you're a haircolor virgin, splurge on some face-framing highlights! In my case, I decided it was high time I dabbled in some "cat eye"-style liquid liner (I mean, how profoundly chic are Zoe Saldana and Joy Bryant with their sultry, subtly winged liner? Meeoow!).

For weeks, I've been searching high and low for a user-friendly liquid liner (you know, one that doesn't smudge, or go on all shaky, or looks like drag) and girls, I finally found The One. Le Metier de Beaute Precision Liquid Liner in Noir ($42) is utterly goof-proof. It's all about the delicate, quill-tipped applicator--it gives you tons of control, so you don't get that quivery finish. Literally, you just use it like a pen! Here's how: Place the tip just beyond (and a wee bit above) the outside corner of your eye. Then, holding it at a slight angle, slowly drag the pen along your lashline, until you get to the inside corner. Somehow, with minimum effort, you end up with a perfect cat-eye! And believe me, I've tried practically every liquid liner in the market. This one is HEAVEN. Girls, my Looks Crisis has officially gone the way of John Edwards. Sexy time!
xoxo,
Tia