And they also planned their entire wedding on their own! Check out some of the pictures from their lovely wedding! They even had a custom backdrop & red carpet!! Very nice!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Real Wedding - Sandra & Rudy
Today's real wedding feature is on a friend of mine, Sandra & her hubby, Rudy Pierre. The charming couple met in June 2004 at a casting in Long Island, NY. Sandra is an actress and Rudy was the camera man that day! (You may have seen her in some national commercials) They dated four years before getting married on August 8, 2008 at Jericho Terrace, Long Island, NY in front of 250 guests.
And they also planned their entire wedding on their own! Check out some of the pictures from their lovely wedding! They even had a custom backdrop & red carpet!! Very nice!
And they also planned their entire wedding on their own! Check out some of the pictures from their lovely wedding! They even had a custom backdrop & red carpet!! Very nice!
Skincare 101
As an upcoming bride, making sure my skin is flawless on my wedding day is super important. But skincare has always been important to me! Thank God I haven't suffered any constant major acne issues but Ive definitely had the occassional "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON WITH MY FACE" moments as Im sure we all have! For example, in high school my bottom lip turned black... and I mean black!
It started off as a tiny spot and just spread! After going to the derm and getting some bleaching cream, it turned back to normal but she never really gave me a real explanation to what caused it other than a possible allergic reaction. In my early 20's, my face just broke out on one side ....completely out the blue....which was devastating to me because I had never experienced that before. The derm told me that alot of adults who didn't go through teen acne, get adult acne. But after using Retin-A, it went away. Although, as some of you know, when using prescription creams, your face gets worst before it gets better. The meds pretty much bring everything to the surface, then clears it out. So its definitely a little nerve wrecking waiting for it to clear. Not to mention, most of those topical creams are NOT covered by insurance and usually run around $100 or more alot of time! So hopefully, you don't ever have to experience any of that! lol
Ive touched on some skincare tips in another post, but here are a few more! I will be doing regular skincare posts...so stay tuned for more! :)
1) Now this tip was totally new to me when my dermatologist told me. She said that people of color should NOT use exfoliating scrubs on our face. Why?? Well she says that overtime they cause tiny holes in our skin. After thinking about it, it definitely made sense although it seems to go against everything else Ive read on the internet. Needless to say, Ive cut exfoliating scrubs from my beauty regimen! So the choice is yours.
2) Wear sunglasses! Those haute new shades you just bought for the summer should not stay on top of your head. Wearing sunglasses protects the delicate eye-area skin which ages faster than other areas of our bodies.
3) Eat fruits & veggies! Leafy greens, cantaloupe, berries, grapes, watermelon, peaches, plums, and even corn are all great for the skin.
4) Shower after sweating! Our bodies produce more pore-clogging sebum when we sweat. And when pores get blocked by sweat and fail to excrete waste liquids, skin trouble like freckles and acne can arise.
5) Minimize sugar and alcohol! Here's the ugly truth about sugar.....there is recent evidence that suggests consuming excessive amounts of sugar over a long period of time can cause skin to look dull and wrinkled. When blood sugar goes up rapidly, sugar can attach itself to collagen in a process called "glycation," making the skin stiff and inflexible. Losing this elastic resilience of young skin will give you deep wrinkles and make you look old. The same is true when you consume high-fat foods cooked at or in high temperatures, like fried chicken.
Im a sugar feene so you know hearing this makes me sad :(
The ugly truth about alcohol: Too much alcohol can dehydrate skin and even cause broken capillaries. Alcohol also depletes the body of vitamin A, an important anti-oxidant.
And here are a few skincare products Ive used and love!
Murad Age Diffusing Serum
This stuff is awesome!! I tried a sample from Sephora one day and absolutely loved it! But its pricey! If you have a little extra to try it out...definitely do so!
Price: $72 for 1 oz bottle!!!! YIKES
L'Oreal Skin Genesis Daily Treatment Serum
This is what Im currently using right now. I like it ... but its not as good as the Murad. Its a bit more oily but it gets the job done. So if you want a less expensive alternative to Murad, try out this one.
Price: about $20 for 1.7 oz bottle
Palmers Cocoa Butter Moisterizing Gel Oil SPF 15
Ive always been a fan of Palmers Cocoa Butter products. I use the regular cocoa butter stick on all my scars and it always help them fade. This is a new product I ran across. In case you didnt know, Im a sucker for trying new products. I really like this stuff though. Its very moisterizing and its thick.... if you are wearing a dress and want your legs to look great...this is a must! And it has SPF 15
Price: from $6 to 9 depending on where you go
References: http://www.health.discovery.com/, Shape Magazine 2006, Good Housekeeping 2009
It started off as a tiny spot and just spread! After going to the derm and getting some bleaching cream, it turned back to normal but she never really gave me a real explanation to what caused it other than a possible allergic reaction. In my early 20's, my face just broke out on one side ....completely out the blue....which was devastating to me because I had never experienced that before. The derm told me that alot of adults who didn't go through teen acne, get adult acne. But after using Retin-A, it went away. Although, as some of you know, when using prescription creams, your face gets worst before it gets better. The meds pretty much bring everything to the surface, then clears it out. So its definitely a little nerve wrecking waiting for it to clear. Not to mention, most of those topical creams are NOT covered by insurance and usually run around $100 or more alot of time! So hopefully, you don't ever have to experience any of that! lol
Ive touched on some skincare tips in another post, but here are a few more! I will be doing regular skincare posts...so stay tuned for more! :)
1) Now this tip was totally new to me when my dermatologist told me. She said that people of color should NOT use exfoliating scrubs on our face. Why?? Well she says that overtime they cause tiny holes in our skin. After thinking about it, it definitely made sense although it seems to go against everything else Ive read on the internet. Needless to say, Ive cut exfoliating scrubs from my beauty regimen! So the choice is yours.
2) Wear sunglasses! Those haute new shades you just bought for the summer should not stay on top of your head. Wearing sunglasses protects the delicate eye-area skin which ages faster than other areas of our bodies.
3) Eat fruits & veggies! Leafy greens, cantaloupe, berries, grapes, watermelon, peaches, plums, and even corn are all great for the skin.
4) Shower after sweating! Our bodies produce more pore-clogging sebum when we sweat. And when pores get blocked by sweat and fail to excrete waste liquids, skin trouble like freckles and acne can arise.
5) Minimize sugar and alcohol! Here's the ugly truth about sugar.....there is recent evidence that suggests consuming excessive amounts of sugar over a long period of time can cause skin to look dull and wrinkled. When blood sugar goes up rapidly, sugar can attach itself to collagen in a process called "glycation," making the skin stiff and inflexible. Losing this elastic resilience of young skin will give you deep wrinkles and make you look old. The same is true when you consume high-fat foods cooked at or in high temperatures, like fried chicken.
Im a sugar feene so you know hearing this makes me sad :(
The ugly truth about alcohol: Too much alcohol can dehydrate skin and even cause broken capillaries. Alcohol also depletes the body of vitamin A, an important anti-oxidant.
And here are a few skincare products Ive used and love!
Murad Age Diffusing Serum
This stuff is awesome!! I tried a sample from Sephora one day and absolutely loved it! But its pricey! If you have a little extra to try it out...definitely do so!
Price: $72 for 1 oz bottle!!!! YIKES
L'Oreal Skin Genesis Daily Treatment Serum
This is what Im currently using right now. I like it ... but its not as good as the Murad. Its a bit more oily but it gets the job done. So if you want a less expensive alternative to Murad, try out this one.
Price: about $20 for 1.7 oz bottle
Palmers Cocoa Butter Moisterizing Gel Oil SPF 15
Ive always been a fan of Palmers Cocoa Butter products. I use the regular cocoa butter stick on all my scars and it always help them fade. This is a new product I ran across. In case you didnt know, Im a sucker for trying new products. I really like this stuff though. Its very moisterizing and its thick.... if you are wearing a dress and want your legs to look great...this is a must! And it has SPF 15
Price: from $6 to 9 depending on where you go
References: http://www.health.discovery.com/, Shape Magazine 2006, Good Housekeeping 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Black Hollywood Marriages
Okay so I know right now it seems like Im only blogging about wedding related stuff...but dont worry, there will be other topics discussed too! Buttttt I do have "all things wedding" on the brain right now...since Im having my own in October so bare with me :)
In my defense, I have always enjoyed hearing love stories and watching all the wedding shows ... even before I got engaged..so hopefully you all are enjoying all the posts too!
This posting is just to note that in a world where we are constantly hearing about all the celebrity divorces (and non-celeb ones), there are still a good number of couples out there holding strong. And we all know its extra hard to maintain anything let alone a relationship/marriage when in the public eye....so kudos to these guys! These are just a few but check out how long each couple has been married!
Omar Epps & Keisha Spivey - 3 years
Nicole Ari Parker & Boris Kodjoe - 4 years
Mary J Blige & Kendu - 5 years
Sally Richardson & Dondre Whitfield - 6 years
Chante Moore & Kenny Lattimore - 7 years
Toni Braxton & Keri Lewis - 8 years
Flex & Shanice Alexander - 9 years
Grant Hill & Tamia - 10 years
Reagan Gomez & DeWayne Turrentine - 10 years
Lela Rochon & Antione Fuqua - 10 years
Will Smith & Jada Pinkett Smith - 12 years
Angela Bassett & Courtney B Vance - 12 years
Morris Chestnut & Pam Byse - 12 years
Tisha Campbell & Duane Martin - 13 years
Holly Robinson Peete & Rodney - 13 years
Keisha & Forest Whitaker - 13 years
LL Cool J & Symone - 13 years
Blair & Desiree Underwood - 14 years
Rev Run & Justine Simmons - 14 years
Spike Lee & Tonya - 15 years
DL & LaDonna Hughley - 23 years
Denzel & Pauletta Washington - 25 years
Ashford & Simpson - 35 YEARS !!!!
This is my last post for the week....Have a blessed weekend everyone !
Catch ya on Monday :)
In my defense, I have always enjoyed hearing love stories and watching all the wedding shows ... even before I got engaged..so hopefully you all are enjoying all the posts too!
This posting is just to note that in a world where we are constantly hearing about all the celebrity divorces (and non-celeb ones), there are still a good number of couples out there holding strong. And we all know its extra hard to maintain anything let alone a relationship/marriage when in the public eye....so kudos to these guys! These are just a few but check out how long each couple has been married!
Omar Epps & Keisha Spivey - 3 years
Nicole Ari Parker & Boris Kodjoe - 4 years
Mary J Blige & Kendu - 5 years
Sally Richardson & Dondre Whitfield - 6 years
Chante Moore & Kenny Lattimore - 7 years
Toni Braxton & Keri Lewis - 8 years
Flex & Shanice Alexander - 9 years
Grant Hill & Tamia - 10 years
Reagan Gomez & DeWayne Turrentine - 10 years
Lela Rochon & Antione Fuqua - 10 years
Will Smith & Jada Pinkett Smith - 12 years
Angela Bassett & Courtney B Vance - 12 years
Morris Chestnut & Pam Byse - 12 years
Tisha Campbell & Duane Martin - 13 years
Holly Robinson Peete & Rodney - 13 years
Keisha & Forest Whitaker - 13 years
LL Cool J & Symone - 13 years
Blair & Desiree Underwood - 14 years
Rev Run & Justine Simmons - 14 years
Spike Lee & Tonya - 15 years
DL & LaDonna Hughley - 23 years
Denzel & Pauletta Washington - 25 years
Ashford & Simpson - 35 YEARS !!!!
This is my last post for the week....Have a blessed weekend everyone !
Catch ya on Monday :)
Celeb Bride Feature - Laila Ali
Today's celeb bride feature is Laila Ali. Laila met Curtis Conway while accompanying a friend to a small gathering he hosted at his home. The couple married on July 22, 2007 in front of 200 guests. Laila didn't want a poufy dress so she chose a champagne colored silk charmeuse mermaid gown. She looked classic & beautiful!
Check out some of the pics below!
Photos courtesy of: http://www.lailaali.com/
Check out some of the pics below!
Photos courtesy of: http://www.lailaali.com/
Real Wedding - Candice & Jamaal
Today's real wedding feature is on Candice & Jamaal Hicks. The two were introduced by friends in January 1999. They have been together for 10 years and married for 3.5 years. The couple wed on Oct 8, 2005 at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Petersburg, Va in front of 125 guests.Candice is apart of the DIY Club because they made their own programs, cd favors, and candy favors. They pretty much planned their whole wedding on their own.....no wedding planner.
Check out some of the pics from the lovely couple's wedding day! They looked great and I loved Candice's bouquet!!
