Beauties It's Been A While...But

Hi Couture Beauties! Yes, it has been a long time since my last post, but I am still here. Since the passing of my mother, I have been going through a tremendous amount of emotions and changes. I must say that I've been struggling and having a hard time bouncing back to life. I am no longer the Nicole I was prior to my Mother's passing. It's like my whole life did a 360 in a day. Things that meant the world to me then, no longer has the same meaning. If any of you beauties have lost a loved one, I know you understand what I am saying. Even though I have had my weak points, I've been very strong with the strength that God has given me to move forward and focus on being positive (as my Mother would say). I cherished every moment I've been able to spend with my Mom and have memories that will last always. She was such a great mother, teacher, friend, and woman. I always looked up to Mom because fits the poem of being a phenomenal woman.

To help with the grieving process, I've indulged myself in studying for my MBA, which was one of my Mom's wishes for me to accomplish that goal. Couture Lace Crowns is still up and running and the focus is on women who suffers from medical hair loss from chemotherapy treatments, alopecia, lupus, and other medical conditions. One thing I missed about my mom is getting all glammed up in her wigs & makeup and never allowing breast cancer to take her beauty or shine away. Also, in my down time from my career and studying, I am putting my makeup kit together to add makeup application services to Couture Lace Crowns. So if I have any beauties located in the Northern Virginia area, stay tuned for more information about my makeup services.

I will be posting more to keep you updated on the latest hair & beauty goodies! Stay tuned.

{Hair Product Review} Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo

I had originally purchased this product for my daughter's hair, but it ended up to be a disaster. Maybe because I sprayed too much on her hair or it was just not meant for her hair type. Instead of throwing the bottle away, I kept it because I know I could find other uses for it. I did today. I ended up using the dry shampoo on my lace system just to see how it would turn out. Because my scalp is very oily, my lace system tends to get oily as well. I sprayed a light mist from the middle to end of the lace system and used a loop brush to brush out the dry shampoo. I added a small amount of Moroccan Oil to my hair to avoid the alcohol from drying out my ends. I must say that I was pleased with my overall look and feel of my hair. I would not use this product too much because of the alcohol content within the dry shampoo.

Tips to Using Dry Shampoo:

• Do not use close to the lace system base.
• Spray lightly from the mid point to end of the hair.
• Use a loop brush to brush out dry shampoo.
• Seal the hair with Moroccan Oil to avoid the hair from drying out from the alcohol.

Beautiful Bold Bald Women 1st Annual Alopecia Anniversary Luncheon

Come & Celebrate with

Bold Beautiful Bold Bald Women

 

Favorite Fall Scents

Hi Beauties!

Fall is almost here and I can smell and feel it in the air. Fall is one of my favorite seasons of the year. I love looking for scents that gives me body that warm, sensual, and sexy smell. Because I cannot wear a lot of perfumes (allergic reactions to some chemicals), I use scented body washes, body lotions, and body sprays. My closet is full of all kinds of lotions, sprays, and body washes. I did some early fall shopping a few weeks ago at Bath & Body Works and picked up two new scents Sexy Dahila Rush and Amber Blush as well as my signature scent Japanese Cherry Blossom. I will be making my next trip to Bath & Body Works this weekend for my fall scented candles.

What are your favorite scents for the fall season?

*All items purchased by me.

{National Alopecia Awareness Month} Blue Beauty Giveaway

Hi Beauties! I'm very excited to announce my second giveaway on my blog and this time its all about beauty. Being a woman having alopecia, we rely a lot on makeup to enhance our beauty and end up becoming addicted to makeup. Yes that is my confession....I love love love makeup! Anyway, I went on a hunt a few days ago to find a few products in blue package and blue in color. If you're wondering why "Blue", it's because that is the color that represents Alopecia Awareness. 

The giveaway starts today and will end on Wednesday, September 18th at midnight. I will announce the winner on Thursday. To enter the giveaway, please follow the instructions below.

Celebrating National Alopecia Awareness Month

Yes, Beauties! It's that time again to celebrate women, men, and children who have been affected by Alopecia. Living with hair loss and its unknown causes is a difficult journey to travel, especially if you are a woman or child. Unexpected hair loss can cause many different types of psychological issues and I feel that it is important to surround yourself with people who are experience the same or similar type of hair loss. Coming together as a community helps to build the first steps of self-esteem to know that you are not the only one suffering from hair loss. Over the years, the number of friends that I have increased quite a bit and majority of us have alopecia. We actually refer to each other as Alopecian sisters. 

Today,  the social media world is full pack with alopecia groups all over the world and it was not like this when I was initially developed alopecia back in 1999. If you or someone you know is living with alopecia refer him or her to one of the alopecia groups and organizations below. I highly recommend these groups because they are responsible for helping me to accept alopecia and move forward in my life. 

Guess Which Celeb Is Rock Her New Short Sassy 'Do

Spotted @ TractHerTrailHer.com

BEYONCE!!! I did not see this one coming at all because Bey stayed with rocking the long blondish tresses.

Bald Girls Rock! Event in Washington D.C.

I hope you've been enjoying your summer and keeping up with the latest trend in hair and beauty.  Speaking of beauty, my Alopecian sister Jameela is having her Bald Girls Rock event in September!

Passing of the Most Beautiful Spirit I Know

Hi Couture Beauties, I know it's been a while since you all have seen any posts from me or activity on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. My mother recently passed on June 28th from battling Metastasized Breast Cancer for a little over seven years. My mother was my best friend and it has been really difficult to accept her passing.

{Hair Product Review} Not Your Mother's Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream

Hey Couture Beauties! If you're following me on Instagram, then you know that I was rocking my Couture Lace Hair System with a deep wave texture last week. I changed the curl pattern with my curling wand and after a couple of days the waves looked limped (I think this may have been the result of the heat). I found a great product the other day called Not Your Mother's Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream that made my waves bounce back and look more defined. See below on how I used the defining cream.

Tips On How To Avoid Overspending At Beauty Superstores

If you are a beauty addict like me, then I know you had that moment when you wanted to drop to your knees when you seen the amount appear on the register and the cashier was not done scanning glam items yet. Yes that's what happens when you shop at those beauty superstores like Ulta and Sephora. My major mistake was going to these store without having a plan! Here are some great tips to follow before shopping at your favorite beauty superstore. I will be heading to one of these stores this weekend....wish me luck :)

1. Plan Your Visit - Without a plan, you go in blind-sided by all beautiful glam goodies and can't decide what to buy
2. Stick To Your List - Yes this is one I have a hard time with too! We must stick to the list or we risk overspending
3. If You Question Yourself, Don't Buy!! - As soon as that question pops into your head, put the product back down and head on up to the register! Yes I know.. we all get caught up by that hot new item when we're on our way to check out. Trust me it's a setup..lol

So that covers it the 3 simple tips that can help us from overspending and keep our beauty budget in tiptop shape!

If He Did It Before...He'll Do It Again

Hi Couture Beauties! I know it's been a while since I have posted anything...but I've been going through a major family crisis with my Mother fighting this nasty cancer battle. Those of you who may not know, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2007 and it aggressively progressed to metastasized breast cancer. So that being said...yes we've been fighting this battle for quite a long time.

Currently my mother has been hospitalized for over a week now and my whole focus and attention has been with my mother. There was this song I heard this morning that made me so teary eyed...it's called "If He Did It Before" by Tye Tribbett. I know God has been seriously working on healing my Mom, giving her the strength to fight all the battles that has come her way with the cancer. I know this time around God will not fail my Mom because as Tye said "If He Did It Before, He'll Do It Again". I dedicate this song to my Mother and all who are fighting the battle with cancer, autoimmune diseases, and any other illnesses.

Loving Yourself...

"How you treat yourself tells the world how you expect others to treat you" ~ Helen MacMillan

Losing your hair at any age can be  extremely devastating physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially. For me, I no longer felt feminine, sexy, or beautiful. It took a very long time (years) when I actually looked in the mirror at myself. It was a long journey that I traveled to find that self-love and still traveling that road. I will admit that the journey can be challenging and you will hit a few rocks and stumps in the road, but you have to keep going to discover that true love for yourself.

Hair 'Nspiration | Essence's Summer Hair Tool Kit: Fishtail

The Fishtail is a style that I have always tried to achieve, but it would never turn out right. The Fishtail hairstyle is that one style for long hair that's perfect for day & night. Essence got an video exclusive with hairstylist Suzette Boozer showing how to do the fishtail from start to finish. This style has me thinking about going for longer lengths this summer.  Click here to watch the video! 

 Source: weheartit.com via Nicole on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Nicole on Pinterest

Wig Making Series | Corporate Chic

Hi Couture Beauties!

YAY! I have finally created another video, but this time showcasing my latest wig creation. The wig within the video is a full wig made with 8" of 100% human hair from the Sensationnel Bump Collection. I call the wig creation it Corporate Chic because it's perfect for the office and those boardroom meetings. Wig making is so therapeutic! Check out the video and let me know your thoughts in the box below!

Thanks for Watching Beautie!

Be sure to visit www.couturelacecrowns.com for my Summer Beach Waves special! Save $50 on any Wavy or Curly Hair System.

Taraji P. Henson Poses for PETA Again As An Angel For Animals

Hi Couture Beauties! I was reading my JET magazine (June 10th Issue) last night and flipped the page to an PETA Ad with the most beautiful & talented actress Taraji P. Henson. I've been a fan of Taraji's since Baby Boy. Not only am I a fan of her acting skills, but also her beautiful tresses. Taraji's hair in this PETA Ad is very sexy with the messy waves that gives her a youthful look. I love that she took the initiative to help spread the word to protect dogs from being chained outside where they are more likely to be aggressive and always be in attack mode. Visit PETA.org to read more about Taraji and her dog Uncle Willie's story. 

Images Source: www.peta.org

Double Dipping Your Makeup Brushes

Hi Couture Beauties! This post is about thoroughly cleaning your makeup brushes not just so you start with a clean brush with each new makeup application, but also to avoid those nasty eye infections. If you have Alopecia like myself and have or started to lose your eyelashes, we are more prone to eye infections because we no longer have those lashes to protect the dirt & dust from getting into our eyes. So it's very important that we keep the eye area free from dirt and always always always deep clean our makeup brushes.

{Video} About Hair Replacement Systems & Challenges People Face When Dealing With Hair Loss

Awesome informational video about hair replacements, types of hair loss, and the challenges that we face as hair loss sufferers. Also in the video is a beautiful Alopecian by the name Rosemary Janeiro, who gets to try and give her opinion on the different types of hair placement systems. Check it out below and share your thoughts in the comment box.

Best Alternative To Ease Into A Short Hairstyle

Hi Couture Beauties! A few weeks ago, I did a post on celebs with short hair that inspired me to go short.   For the past two weekends, I've been wearing my Sensationnel Bump Human Hair Wig - Fab Fringe in color Champagne. I actually had to change the color because the base was jet black and made my complexion look pale. I will do another post on how to lighten jet black hair because it was a huge job and involves multiples to avoid damaging the hair.

If you have long hair and want to experience short hair, wigs are the best alternative to achieve that style you've been dying to try. If you're an alopecian such as myself, it's so much fun to wear various wigs that are short & long because it gives us so much personality. I haven't went short in a long time and this style was just perfect! I was able to switch my bangs from left to right and liked it both ways.

Now I'm ready to design a lace hair system with a short style so that I can part it and have a more natural look. I have to admit that the Sensationnel Bump Human Hair Wig - Fab Fringe felt bulky because I have such a small head, but I love it anyway :-).  This is a great wig to try and see how a short style will look on you and a prep before going short with your natural hair or a lace hair system.

Couture Lace Front Hair Systems & How Long They Last

Hey Couture Beauties! Lately, I've been getting a lot of questions about the life of a lace front wig. Determining how long a lace front wig last all depends on the how often it is worn and the care of the unit.  I've personally wore my lace front wigs for well over six months before the hair started to shed aggressively from the track. By sealing the track you able to extend the life of the lace front wig because this process decreases the shedding of hair. Another reason why I stretch the life in my lace front wig is because I was going to get my money's worth. Let's get real Ladies...lace wigs are an investment that needs to be protected, so our money is not wasted.

Beauty Review | Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm Skin Protector

It's been over a week since I've been using Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm Skin Protector and I must say that I love it! The texture of the beauty balm is liquid and not too creamy and it gives a sheer tint while disguising some facial flaws. I apply the beauty balm by mixing it with my moisturizer and proceed to apply my eyebrows, bronzer, blush, and gloss. Because I have excessive oily skin I do apply my MAC Blotting Powder about twice a day. I want to find a good CC Cream to help fade my dark spots and block the shine. Check out my before and after photos:

Happy Mother's Day

Even though Mother's Day is national celebrated on one day, I celebrate it every day because God has given me such wonderful and beautiful gifts. Take time out this weekend to enjoy the beauty of your gifts. Being a Mother is the most challenging yet rewarding job I ever had. Take time out this weekend to enjoy the beauty of your gifts.

Met Gala 2013 | Fave Hair & Makeup Looks

Hi Couture Beauties! The theme for the Met Gala this year was "Punk: Chaos to Couture" and I must say a lot of the beautiful celebs walked the red carpet with some extremely haute looks. I'm still having a hard time choosing who looked the best. They all looked punked out in a beautiful way! Here are my fave hair & makeup looks that walked the red carpet.

It's A Wrap! A Style That Will Never Go Out Of Style

Prior to Alopecia entering my life, I used to wrap my natural hair faithfully every night since middle school up until 2004. That's a very long time and I still refer to this style with my lace systems that have straight hair. When the hair is properly wrapped, you end up with soft, silky straight hair with a slight bump depending if you curled the hair prior to wrapping.

Here's what you will need to wrap your hair:

Salon Pro 30 SEC Lace Wig Bond Review

Hi Couture Beauties! When it comes to different lace wig adhesives, I like to try them out to see how they hold up on my oily scalp. Being that I have an oily scalp, I find it a little difficult to keep my wigs bonded for a long period of time. I usually have my wigs bonded daily or up to 4 days depending on my daily activities. For my daily bond, I use Salon Pro 30 Sec Lace Wig Daily Hold Bond. I can get at least 8-10 hours bonding time with this adhesive, which is great while I am at work. While shopping online for wig supplies, I purchased Salon Pro 30 Sec Lace Wig Extreme Hold Bond.

RIRI WOO Sold Out!!! Did You Get Yours?

Source: http://urbsocietymagazine.com

I know I did! I received a text from MAC around 12pm yesterday alerting that RiRi Woo was now available to buy online. I clicked the link to add to my shopping cart and it took forever for the screen to proceed to my shopping cart. It took at least 10 minutes, but it was okay because I was already on my lunch break and I had nothing but time. At first I thought I was going to get the message "Sold Out", but there it is was sitting in my shopping cart! I quickly added a few more goodies and checked out. This is actually that first time I was able to purchase an exclusive item without it being sold out. From what I have read and hear this morning, RiRi Woo sold out in 3 hours. Wow...Rihanna is making 2013 her year! I can't wait to try the color. I'm not a red person, but hey doesn't hurt to try it out and add it to my collection.

Did you get RiRi Woo? What was your shopping experience like? 

Hair 'Nspiration | #ShortHairDontCare - Celeb Styles

Happy Friday Couture Beauties! As the weather gets warmer we tend to chop off inch by inch of our hair or decide to go from long to short in a quick minute with wigs. Short styles have always appealed to me because you can have that classy, sexy, sophisticated look all the time. Here are some short styles worn by some haute celebs that inspires me.

Fresh & Flawless Five Piece Complexion Set by EcoTools

Over the weekend, I was on the hunt for a mini brush kit for my handbag so I can always be prepared for when I need to freshen up. I headed to the big beauty store Ulta...mostly because I had a coupon and some beauty points I could use towards my purchase. I found two brush kits one by EcoTools and the other by Real Techniques. I ended up purchasing the

Alopecian GirlTalk | Weekend w/No Makeup...Milestone

Hi Couture Beauties! I am so excited to share with you what I did over the weekend that is like a major milestone in my Alopecia journey. I faced the world with NO MAKEUP...not one bit except my Vaseline Cocoa Butter Jelly for my lips. I was standing in my bathroom mirror staring at myself wondering & pondering if I wanted to put makeup on or not. I've been real excited about the growth of my eyebrows and being able to shape them...thanks to Simplicity Hair Oil. I've been applying this oil on my eyebrows every night since December when I lost a chunk on my left brow and they've been growing in ever since. So I decided to skip the makeup and go bare face.

The last time I actually went without makeup was in 2004 before my Alopecia got extensive. Traveling this Alopecia journey is a huge challenge, so I try not to get my hopes up too high about any of my hair growth because the chances of it falling out again are high. In the same sense, I can't help but to get a little excited about the hair growth that does occur.

Here's a photo I took last night, which is not a good one because I was dead tired and you can see it in my eyes...lol

Nail Inspiration | Watercolor/Marble Nail Art Using Plastic

Source: beautylish.com via Nicole on Pinterest

I spotted this chic nail design via Pinterest (yes...I'm quite the Pinterest addict) and attempted to try this nail art myself. I haven't had any type of nail art on my nails since high school, which was years & years ago...lol. I found this nail activity to be fun & time-consuming at the same time. I used four different types of polishes and a piece of plastic to achieve the watercolor/marble nail look. I followed the same directions that was

Hair 'Nspiration | Ciara's "Body Party" Bob Hairstyle + Video

Hey Couture Beauties! Ciara just released her video this week for her song "Body Party" and it is haute with a capital H. What I love most about the video is Ciara's medium-length classy bob with highlights. It's the perfect length where you can have fun restyling it multiple ways. Straight asymmetrical bobs is like one of my classic hairstyles because you can have a sexy look, corporate look, and causal look in a quick minute. Check out Ciara's pics & video and let me know what you think of Ciara's hair. Enjoy!

Image Source: Google Images

10 Things Every Woman Needs In Her Makeup Wardrobe - Daily Makeover

Source: www.dailymakeover.com

Ladies...Do you truly have all your must needed items in your makeup bag??? After reading this article on Daily Makeover, I had to make a quick list of makeup products I need to have in my bag.

HAPPY EARTH DAY! Recycle Your Wig

Celebrate Earth Day by trading in your gently used wig to Couture Lace Crowns & Receive up to $75 on your purchase of a customize lace system. Email couturelacecrowns@gmail.com for more information.

Visit www.couturelacecrowns.com to visit the Couture Lace System Gallery.

 

Be Green & Recycle Your Wig

Bango Hair Cut Kit By Pro Beauty

Hi Couture Beauties! After I did all that hard work last week trying to cut & trim my bangs multiple times, over the weekend I found this cute chic tool TRM PRO BEAUTY BANGO HAIR CUT KIT flipping through the latest Women Health magazine. I just love it when new tools come out that help you DIY at home without heading to the salon for something simple. This Bango Hair Cut Kit is a must have because it will definitely come in handy when I am styling wigs for clients and myself. I wish I had it prior to cutting my bangs.

Have you tried the TRM PRO BEAUTY BANGO HAIR CUT KIT? If so, let me hear what you you think about this fabulous tool?

Couture Lace Crowns' Spring Sale on All Custom & Semi-Custom Lace Systems

Visit the Couture Lace Systems Gallery to view the luxury collection of Lace systems. Great Mother's Day gift to look fabulous on this special day! Email orders to couturelacecrowns@gmail.com or call 703-651-2593.

Hair 'Nspiration | Picks From Essence's Textured Tresses

Essence posted photos online of celebs sporting their textured tresses and this was perfect timing for the Spring season. I like four of the celeb styles as shown below. I just love waves and curls and having the wind  blow through the hair. Are you lusting after those luscious curls and waves? Visit www.couturelacecrowns.com to design your lace system full of curls and waves. 

Which celeb style do you like?

Wig Making Series | #LongHairDontCare With Bangs (Updated)

Within the past year since opening Couture Lace Crowns, I've been in the process of perfecting my craft in making wigs. I am finally at the point where I can make a wig and actually wear it...lol. I am learning a lot of what it takes to make a simple wig and for it to be perfect. The gurus on YouTube make it look so easy, but when I started making one myself, I quickly realized there's a lot more involved than just weave, string, glue, lace, and a needle. You need a ton of patience and practice, practice, practice.

I decided to make a wig last week to wear to my daughter's hip hop dance performance and I really wanted to sport the bangs, which is currently in trend. I was not able to do a video on this wig because I was extremely busy with working and taking my daughter back & forth to dance practice. I started the wig on Thursday night and finished the final product on Saturday. Overall, it took me about four to five hours to make a full wig. I did manage to take quite a few photos during the wig making process.

Updated Photo w/Bangs thinned out on the sides

Beauty Product Review | Ruby Kisses All Over Glow Bronzing Powder

I am just loving my new bronzer from Ruby Kisses in Flushed Glow! I found this bronzer at my local beauty supply store when I was restocking my wig supply. I've been looking for a bronzer that will give me a pinkish glow and this was it. This bronzer is very pigmented, so I only dab a little on with my ELF blush brush above my jawbone for an added glow.

What are some of your favorite bronzers? 

My Hair Is Thinning....What Should I Do?

Hi Couture Beauties! I hope you all had a great weekend. I had to do my dance mom thing with my daughter who had a hip hop performance over the weekend. Being a dance mom is a lot of work and I'm not even the one dancing...lol. Anyway, a question came up last week from someone I met on if I would recommend hair extensions for thinning hair. It really depends on the method used to install the hair extensions. If the hair extensions will be sewn to the your braided hair, my response would be "No". I understand that hair extensions are a huge trend because you see them being advertised everywhere, but they will only lead to more damage and hair loss when sewn to hair that is thinning. The hair extensions weighs down on your natural hair, which pulls it from the scalp and ultimately leads to hair loss.

Protective Styling for Thinning Hair

Hair 'Nspiration | Bangs & Fringes

I'm in the process of making a quick wig for an event that I will be attending tomorrow. I've been inspired by all these hairstyles with bangs lately, and the wig that I am making will have some bangs. Bangs will always & forever be a constant trend because you can go from a causal to a classy & sexy look in a hot minute! Check out the celebs sporting their bangs & fringes.

Image Source: Google Images

Which celeb style to you like the most? Are you inspired to get bangs?  Visit www.couturelacecrowns.com to design your custom crown with bangs.

Why Can't I Get My Lace Wig To Bond Anymore?

When I was a first-time lace wig wearer, I ran into an issue where I could no longer achieve a good bond the way I did when I first purchased my unit. I washed it several times with my shampoo as instructed, but to no avail the lace wig would still not adhere properly to my skin. Fast-forward through many years of wearing lace wigs and learning how to clean them properly, I found that a regular shampoo wash is just not enough to get the job done of removing all the residue...especially if your lace wig was bonded for more than two weeks. Think about it....sweat, oils, and dirt has been building up on your skin and the lace for over two weeks. Sound nasty, but it's true. This combination sometimes leave behind microscopic residue, if you're only washing your unit with regular shampoo.  I use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo products in addition to my shampoo to help remove any residue left over from removing the adhesive and tape. These two products are powerful and works fast.

How to Use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo To Remove Residue: