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Friday, December 14, 2012

LoveBrownSugar Holiday Shopping Event NYC

NYC folks, it's that time!! I'm having an official launch event for my new nail lacquer "LoveBrownSugar" for LiSi Cosmetics and I would love for you guys to join me tomorrow afternoon in celebration. In addition to my nail lacquer, there are tons of amazing new Holiday products in-store at LiSi Cosmetics. As I've told you guys before, I'm a huge fan of the brand and I absolutely love all of their products. Aside from the amazing quality of the products, everything retails under $15! It's a win-win, seriously. There are pro makeup artists to guide you through the products and you can actually TEST the products in-store (unlike drugstore brands).

LoveBrownSugar Holiday Shopping Event
December 15th, 2012 
1:00PM - 4:00PM
LiSi Cosmetics Flagship Store
741 Broadway (at Astor Pl), New York, NY 10003

I'll be at the store from 1:00-4:00PM to mingle, chat with you guys about my favorite products and help you shop for all your holiday needs. We'll be giving away door prizes, serving sweets and partying it up in celebration so don't miss it! No RSVP necessary, just pop by the store and tell them you're here for LoveBrownSugar!

See you tomorrow!
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Thursday, December 13, 2012

12 Days of LoveBrownSugar: Day 1

It's Day 1 of the 12 Days of LoveBrownSugar giveaway series and we're kicking things off with all things beauty! You guys know I love gabbing about hair, nails and makeup so today's gift pack includes a few of my absolute faves courtesy chic mega-retailer Target. For those of you like me who really can't afford to dig deep into your pockets for holiday gifts this season, Target is the quintessential one-stop-shop. It's dangerous, y'all. I've been known to walk in there for toothpaste and walk out with a whole new lineup of beauty products, a new bedroom set and toys for my nephews. It's a trap!

But today, you officially have permission to get caught up. Get a load of this faboosh beauty bundle LoveBrownSugar is gifting one reader with:

 1 Mixed Chicks Deep Conditioner, $13.99


1 IMAN Adorned Cosmetic Kit, $10.00

1 IMAN Makeup Brush Collection - 4 pc, $22.00



1 e.l.f. Nail Polish Collection – 15 pc, $15.00


Rules for Entry:
1. You must be following LoveBrownSugar on Twitter and Facebook.
2. Leave a comment below about why you should win.
3. For bonus entry, tweet @LoveBrownSugar @Target using the hashtag #TargetHoliday.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Target beauty bundle of 4 total products valued at $60.99. Sweepstakes ends 11:59PM EST 12/25/12. Open to U.S. residents 18 years of age or older. Winner drawn at random. Winner has 72 hours to respond with contact information before new winner is selected. Winning prize and compensation provided by Target. This program is not administered or sponsored by Target or its affiliates, but solely by LoveBrownSugar.
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Holiday Giveaway: 12 Days of LoveBrownSugar

It’s that time of the year again guys! It’s my time to show my sincere appreciation for all your amazing support over the year and to give you guys a few of my absolute “favorite” things. So those of you who are OG LoveBrownSugar fans and have been around for a while know that I normally kick off my giveaway series on December 1st and do a full 25 Day giveaway blitz. I normally pull out all the stops and rack up amazing gifts that span over the entire month.

So the reason this year’s giveaway blitz is consolidated to 12 Days has nothing to do with the price of gas. The downscale of the giveaway blitz comes really as a result of my overwhelming growth over the past year, which I have to thank you all for. The site has grown so much and is honestly keeping me (and the LBS staff) busier than ever before! Not to mention that this year for the first time I ran a second giveaway blitz in July for my 3 Year Anniversary. I really had my hands full this year!

In the interest of offering you guys the best of the best in quality gifts, we’ve decided to consolidate and bang it out with 12 amazing days of giveaways. And I promise you these gifts won’t disappoint! From fab fashion goodies to glam accessories and beauty must-haves, as per usual I'll be giving away everything a girl could want under her Xmas tree this year. Check back once a day at 3PM from today December, 13th until Christmas Day, December 25th for your chance to win big.

Note: There is no limit to the amount of times you can win. Comment everyday and if you happen to win 5 times, that's your luck! Also, there will be a few exclusive Facebook-only and Twitter-only, Pinterest-only, Instagram-only prizes throughout the month so make sure you're following along on all my social pages. Twitter peeps, hit me up with the hashtag #12DaysofLBS if you see something you love.

Good luck and Happy Holidays from LoveBrownSugar! 
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Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Style Play Polish: Glitter-Dipped LoveBrownSugar Nails

What are all girls made of? Polish, glitter and everything that shimmers! With the holidays right around the corner, sometimes glam just isn’t glam enough. Insert glitter-dipped tips!

On November 20th, we celebrated the release of our very own “Love Brown Sugar” polish with Lisi Cosmetics. Finding the perfect polish color is hard enough, but finding one with great quality and versatility is just as important. LoveBrownSugar polish ($4.90) + Glitter = Perfection. Here's what you need to create a long-lasting design for your perfect mistletoe moment:

What you will need:


Step 1: Apply a base coat to protect your nails.

Step 2: Apply two coats of Love Brown Sugar (or any color of your choice).

Step 3: Find a matching glitter to apply on top of your polish. You can do a small swipe at the bottom, similar to a french manicure for a slightly-dipped look.

Here's how Christina's nails turned out using this method with the "Deja Vu" polish from LiSi Cosmetics:

If you want an even more luxe look, you can apply your glitter polish all over like I did. I used the "Millionaire" polish by Nailtini. Below is how mine came out. I've done this method with the "LoveBrownSugar" nail lacquer and with other festive colors:

Step 4: Seal and shine with a top coat.

One thing we love about glitter polish is that it will last a long time and you can use it to touch up any chips or cracks. Every girl deserves a little glitter in her life!


- Gracie J
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Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Home Improvement: Funky Dada


Here at LBS, we're always on the prowl for great finds. If we can glam it up with fly wardrobe, we can do the same in our humble abodes. You guys remember our Home Improvement series started this past summer, right? Well, we've stumbled on an online treasure in trendy home decor that we can't keep quiet about. Allow us to introduce you to Funky Dada.

Funky Dada, who's tagline is "Live With Style", is marked by an eccentric mix of bold colors, textures, and ankara prints that bring out personality in any home space.

From artisan painted dining ware to beautifully embroidered pillows, their handcrafted merchandise includes everything from bedding, lighting, and lifestyle Accessories. No one ever went wrong with a little dash of color in their life. 

Who doesn't enjoy a touch of custom art and eclectic prints around the home? 

These works of art make the perfect gift for the highly anticipated holiday gatherings or a good friend's house warming party.

To check out more of these funky pieces check out Funky Dada online HERE.


Would you adorn your home with Funky Dada pieces?


- Gracie J
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Monday, December 10, 2012

My Instaweek 12.10.12

Happy Monday y'all! Hoping you guys had fab weekends filled with holiday cheer, shopping sprees and cupcakes. No? Me either lol. See below for my weekly recap:

Holiday Fetes

'Tis the season for festive cocktails & chic attire. I party-hopped to quite a few holiday parties last week.  One was the Miss Jessie's annual holiday party. Love me some Miss Jessie's. Founders and fab sisters Titi and Miko were both in attendance.

Miko of Miss Jessie's & I (Photo c/o Glamazons Blog)
DJ DimePiece (who's gorgeous by the way) was on the 1's & 2's, and my fave bloggers and editors were in attendance shimmying down to the tunes. The Miss Jessie's salon in Soho is absolutely gorgeous. Any shindig that has me surrounded by curly hair products from wall to wall is a helluva party in my book.
Me & Gia of Curly Girl Collective
I opted for a sheer blouse, a plum lip and a top knot for the occasion. 

I also sashayed up and through the Nylon Pop-Up Shop launch event at 72 Gansevoort St, NYC. They're hosting their pop-up shop all month. They had everything from mini manicures courtesy Essie, beauty makeovers by Smashbox, cupcakes by Georgetown Cupcakes (why are these SO good??), to cocktails by Svedka and Suntory Whisky. Nylon did an amazing job of vetting out some amazing brands for their shop. You should totally check it out!

Sugar & Spice

So you guys already know I'm obsessed with my new "LoveBrownSugar" nail lacquer for LiSi Cosmetics. I've been finding cool ways of mixing. the polish with fun holiday trends like glitter polish  and nail appliques, and so have other folks. Coming up this week will be a Style.Play.Polish post about how to create the glitter-tipped look so stay tuned.
Left: My nails | Middle: LBS Assistant Grace | Right: Danielle Young of Hello Beautiful
Speaking of "mixing", I been cooking! Yes, your girl is finally embracing the pot & pan. I guess now that I'm getting older, I feel like I need to pick up the torch and start contributing more than just brownies and sugar cookies at the family holiday parties. So this weekend I made a southern meal for myself and my roomies. Fried chicken, macaroni & cheese and green beans. (*pats self on back*). And now I'll proceed to the gym to burn off those calories. Deep sigh. (It was good though y'all. Real good.)

What did you guys get into this weekend? Do tell!
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Friday, December 7, 2012

5 Ways To Get Glam For The Holidays


It's holiday time y'all! Get ready for sparkly dresses, killer heels and bold makeup looks. During the holidays, party-hopping can take its toll, especially when you have to figure out what beauty looks to pair with each outfit. To make things simple and chic, here my 5 top tips for getting super glam for the holiday season:

1. Pick a Glam Hairstyle
The perfect hair look ties your whole holiday look together. So start here with a style that compliments your face, goes well from day to night (for the party-hoppers like myself) and make you feel glamorous. This holiday season I got my hair straightened so for this tutorial I opted for a half-up/half-down look with a chic side-swept bang.

2. Make Your Eyes Pop
My eyes are my favorite facial feature so I always play them up. They're the keys to the soul after all. For a glam eye look, try COVERGIRL's newest mascara innovation; COVERGIRL Clump Crusher Mascara.

It's been proven to increase lash volume by up to 200% with ZERO clumps. I hate mascara clumps, so this product is definitely going to be a beauty mainstay this holiday season.

3. Go For Bold (Lips)
Next up - lips! You guys know how much I love red lips. Nothing says holiday chic like a bold lip. Whether you opt for bright red or deep plum, a bold lip always makes a statement. Plus, who doesn't love a little lip stain around the champagne glass rim? So very ladylike.

4. Accessorize For Your Life
Accessories provide the absolute best toppers for your holiday outfits. A statement necklace like this one can really take a simple top or a little black dress to another level. Also, festive rings, bracelets and earrings are perfect compliments. Just be sure not to overdo it!

5. Nail It
Glamorous nails are the quintessential accessory for the holiday season. There are so many awesome color options during the holidays. You don't have to stick with the traditional red or green colors to say festive either. COVERGIRL Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss provide a nice array of holiday-appropriate colors. Check out the 15 colors available now with more coming in January (including Snow Storm which I am wearing in the photo above)!

What I love about these nail glosses is that the colors come through really potent and saturated even with only one coat. And the glossy color lasts for up to a week with out the need for a top coat. Love love love this collection of nail lacquers.

What makes YOU feel glam during the holidays and what are your go-to tricks?
Leave a comment below to be automatically entered into a sweepstakes for a $100 Visa Gift Card sponsored by COVERGIRL to spend on whatever you need in the new year!

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No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
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b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion, including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: #SweepstakesEntry and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post.
c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post.
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to respond, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 12/7 - 12/31.

Be sure to visit the COVERGIRL brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggersĂ­ reviews and find more chances to win!
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Flavor of Friday: MAC Viva Glam, Miu Miu Jewels & More



Happy Friday folks! Here's the tea with fashion, beauty & lifestyle this week:

Everyone's favorite barbie Nicki Minaj has partnered up with MAC once again to support their Viva Glam collection. All proceeds of the collection go toward supporting HIV/AIDS research. The lipstick and lipglass are available from February 9, 2013 to August 2013 and retail at $15 each.


It's officially the Holidays. The notorious time of the year when physical, mental and emotional health are incredibly important. Whether you're chowing down on Mama's mac & cheese or reminscing about loved ones who aren't with you during this holiday season, make sure your health is in a good place. New website Black Health Matters targets relevant issues about health & wellness.


I'll never forget my first pair of high-end designer shoes. It was a pair of Miu Miu patent leather Mary Janes and I purchased them using my employee discount as intern at Saks 5th Avenue. Sigh...the good old days. Anyway, it's safe to say I'm a STAN of Miu Miu and I hava been for years. The line, a trendier younger sister to Prada, has just recently explanded to included glitzy jewels and baubles. I'm living and dying.


NYC-based divas, one of my curly-haired staple brands SheaMoisture is back for a second year hosting a Bryant Park Holiday Shop. They're offering personalized hair and skin consultations, expert styling and grooming services, specials, giveaways and fun events from now until December 16th. 3 products for $25 (products regularly $9.99 each) and bar soap: 3 for $10 (soaps regularly $4.99).

My girl Jenell Stewart from KinkyCurlyCoilyMe.com will be there on December 15th 3PM-7PM hosting the shop, so make sure you stop by!

Enjoy your weekend guys!
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