I may be a little late to commenting on the Grammys, but watching my evening Wendy update (are you watching the Wendy Williams show with me?) last night, I found that I agreed with her statement.

What was it? Let's break out the milk carton. Remember the "Have you seen _______" or the "Missing" signs on the milk cartons? Nearly everyone consumes milk, no? So let me know... have you seen these gals and fellas at the Grammys?

Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston were not nominated, but surely, if the cast of the Jersey Shore snags an invite... well you know.

Chris Brown and Kanye West (and Amber Rose) were absent. Huge shrug here. Reminds me of foolishness like Justin Timberlake hitting up shows after the 'football fiasco' and Janet Jackson going AWOL.

Did you miss any of them at the Grammys? Did you even watch?

I personally watched it and had an unimpressed shrug to take away from it but watched performance recaps of the BET Awards and kicked myself for missing it.

Your verdict?

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Hey there kiddies. As I rummaged through the MOJ archives, I realized that the last Talk It Out Tuesday was over a month ago! So of course, it's time to ask some questions and talk it out.

How does your partner treat your shopping habits? This could be a current or past instance.

Whenever I go rummaging for beauty products, my other half prefers to stay out of it. Not that he will refuse to go, just that when he does go he has nothing to do, so he ends up standing there. It's really because he has no interest in glosses or mascaras, or if China Glaze has a new collection out, or which celebrity was last seen getting a mani with it. Also, being that this isn't necessarily his passion, I don't get the ooh and ahh shared excitement of a new glitter or holo polish, or shadow. I like to do the beauty shopping alone or with the gals. Shopping for clothes is much easier because I like to get his input and point out ridiculous outfits, and I can alternate between men's stores where we can find stuff for him, and then stores for me.


I actually consider myself lucky. I have plenty friends who face shopping with their ladies for anything as an extreme hassle and are just party poopers throughout the whole experience. I've dated a guy or two in the past that was like this, and it just ruined the whole stinkin' experience for me (and if you know me - you'll know it's always a good experience lol!).

What about you? Is your partner your shopping partner?

I can sure babble about something right? So the topic (obviously) is the shift in weather. I want to know how y'all are dealing with your skin when the weather changes.

I can actually feel my skin get dry more and more as it gets colder, so that means I double up on the amount of times I lotion up. That and I go to bed with socks on. This gives me a perfect excuse to have soft toes and heels as I'll slather on my thickest lotions and put on fuzzy socks with polka dots and such (that never see the outside of my house).

Is your skin stable enough that you stick to the same routine? Do you moisturize more or less? What's your secret?

Happy Tuesday! Happy December as well!

How are your nails doing? The reason I ask is because I tend to use my nails as tools and more often than not, abuse them. I use them to open boxes, cans, plastic packaging, scrub away tough spots, etc. No surprise then that they often break.

I also have to admit that I have been slacking on the vitamin intake and those darn white spots have popped up on my nails. Call it silly, but the reason I hate seeing them is because they show other people my business. Snitches!

But it's not just me. When I used to work in retail, that whole year of handling clothing, hangers, and tags on a daily basis caused unimaginable havoc on my nails and cuticles. And when I went nutso shopping this past weekend? All the hangers and clothing molestation (you know when you walk through the store just running your hand over all the fabric... lol) had me in the car on the way back filing my nails and muttering to myself like a madwoman.

I'm glad to have my health and all the people in my life that make my life such a joy to wake up to every morning. And of course, for readers like you!

The holidays aren't just creeping, they're galloping at us. But when we talk it out, it's not to usher in some unnecessary pressure, but rather to understand each other.

I'm the type of shopper that sees and hears things year round. I pay attention to what people say in passing conversation as "oh it would be nice to have..." and continue on with my daily life. When I pass such things, be it May or December, I pick them up and store them at home.

Sometimes I store them so well that I don't find them until next year, and for that, my listening skills come in handy, because the people I tend to give gifts to, I also happen to be in communication with.

So as I start to embark on my posting journey of gift guides and product recommendations, I want to hear about you. I don't want to just let you know what I think is awesome, I want to help out. Chances are, my half hoarding and half psychotic habits will get my shopping nearly done before most of y'all even start. Or at least in my head (because money doesn't always move as fast as the brain). What kind of shopper/gifter are you? Do you shop two days before, or months in advance?

Does the wishlist or the sale list dictate what your loved ones get? Are you the infamous giftcard for all occasions gifter? Everyone has a style! What's yours?

It's that time again!

When a financial crisis was reported, I felt bad for the fact that my bank account wasn't ready for any dilemma. If I were to lose either of my jobs (I got 2), how would I pay off my retail habit debt and my education (let alone rent)? Not sure. And yet, I still purchased things here and there. I mean really. Yes, you have to be more of a savvy finance-ista (?) :) but you can't just stop living.

So I ventured into stores and spent a bit here and there. Did you?

Stores weren't as optimistic about the future, so they toned down their spending. They tried to sell what they had, and trimmed their orders for the future (aka now & the coming seasons). In comparison to their smaller orders, it seems that they are getting closer to a happier bottom line. As a matter of fact, many news reports say shelves may actually be out of stock sooner due to the quantity of items available and people and their darn holiday gift lists.

With that said, every week when I read a financial overview of the week past, I hear the same thing: Consumers are spending again. But I wonder, are they really? Has the spending stayed the same? Are people feeling "safer"? Are you shopping?

Tell me all about it!

My mother is an aesthetician. There! When young girls were just getting into skincare and beauty products, I already had it stuck in my head. The no nos and rules of sunscreen? I thought it was a given (I would've caught a whooped bum if I had ventured out without it during the summer). What I thought was a basic understanding of skin care and the business behind it, seemed to be more of an education.

Apart from teaching me to be extra kind to my skin, my mother was strict about not letting me wear makeup. This was a mixed blessing. When I was young and thought I knew it all, I didn't understand how it could hurt. I'd sneak out and wear makeup sometimes (but if I came home with it still on... war started before dinner), though that was rare. My mom kept saying the youth of my skin was all the ornament I needed. Now that I'm older of course understand what she meant.

But that doesn't mean I always listened! Though listening to my mom (or trying to keep my butt from being beaten too much) has gotten me used to a more natural look (i.e. lipgloss for the most), as well as familiar with addressing my skin's needs, I have still committed plenty of mistakes in the cosmetics department.

When I was younger black liner seemed to be the one stop solution. I had horrendous raccoon eyes on special events and though way too highly of myself. I would stand in the mirror and sometimes take pictures (pre-digital cam age - plenty of annoying pictures to develop & waste money on!)for hours.

Now I know just how much black liner needs to slide on my waterline, or if any at all. I have befriended the shadow and liquid liners, and discovered makeup brushes (and YouTube gurus). I dare say, my only mistakes now are when I pair the wrong colors or brands together. Who knows, though? I may even come back years later and say my makeup habits currently turn out to be atrocious.

But more on the here and now, what beauty mistakes/crimes are you guilty of committing?

We all know that this is the month of pink. I've posted previously about various companies that are partnering with research groups and fundraisers, such as Three Custom Color, PurpleLab, etc. But are you buying any of the items?

I like to participate in the walks by either sponsoring a participant, or participating myself (3 day Relay, Avon Walk, Race for the Cure, etc.) and raise money around the workplace for each time that I do. I also like to purchase the pins and bracelets that Payless sells for the cause each year, and just drop a dollar or two at fundraisers into the box. This year of course, I am looking at a plethora of items and am tempted to buy all.

But what about you? Are you buying anything?

Tuesday is upon us yet again, and I have plenty to pick your brain about!

Today's question is about make up practices in another's eyes. This is the men vs. women debate.

Last weekend, I was preparing to go out for dinner and a movie with my someone special, and I was trying to pull all the stops. Now let's clarify: I am not a makeup everyday kind of girl. The daily product addiction you can convict me of would be gloss and perfume.

There are plenty days when I wake up and realize the bags under my eyes are threatening (usually this is just in my head b/c no one else seems to get the hysteria) to overpower the ginormous bags on my shoulders. Those days, I extend into concealer on my eyelids and under my eyes. If I have pimples, the last thing I do is conceal them (as I have found that to be the number one agitator for it, personally).

When I have to do face pictures, or meet with companies, I dig a little deeper into my bag containing the kitchen sink & use some mascara and light bronzer, and maybe some eyeshadow. This is all usually done on the subway, en route to said locations/meetings. The only times that I stay home and apply makeup is for when there is an abundance of time (rare) or when there is an event.

The last prep reasoning is a recent phenomenon. I used to use the same products for getting ready as I mentioned (mascara & light bronzer) for nights out as well. Then I started reading blogs. Then I started one of my own. Then I discovered YouTube tutorials. It's been slightly downhill since then. All my new knowledge of shading, and contouring just has to be put into action now. That's what I said when I was asked why my beauty regimen nearly doubled in practice. And then I heard this: Have you ever gotten a male's opinion about makeup?

Now this was a question that should've been put into a script probably. I could just hear the background harp & the light go on above my head. Have I? The men in my family didn't care much for it, the dates I've went on didn't either. Overall, my face seemed to get the best reviews when bare.

I try not to justify my outfits or makeup for someone else. That's a dangerous practice, as you're always going to run into a comparison, and eventually you'll always find something else to change. So I try to do it all for me. Do I get caught up in the hype? Plenty of times. But I do try.

So now I'm seeking the male opinion. What have y'all heard from the other sex Ladies & Gents? What's the verdict on the war paint?

I'll still be makeup my face, but I'm going to try to keep any excuse out. If I'm wearing it, it'll most likely (look y'all I said I try...) be because I just want to... for me.

I don't know about you guys, but my inbox is always bursting at the seams with sales offers and notices. Most of these I can certainly do without, but who wants to miss a sale, right? A lot of people offer the great advice of separating e-mail addresses so that you have one for sales and one for personal use, but I must have missed the memo on that one. The only separation for my e-mail addresses are personal vs blog (and even there I have spillover).

Recently though, there has been a new phenomenon in my mailbox. The apology marketing strategy as I've come to see it.

Companies will send out mailers, and follow up a day or two with an apology and a new offer. Most of the time they say it was due to a typo or an improper code. The best one was an apology for high traffic and a resolution to the dilemma with a sale extension. All of which at one point or other seems okay. But now? It's a bit too contrived and just feels like another marketing ploy.

What about you? Have you received an apology sale invite? What do you think about them?

Talk it out!

I have spent the last couple of days in different environments. I will let you guys in on the photographical journey I embarked a bit later on in the post countdown, but I can discuss things now.

Being from NY, I am much more used to climate changes, higher humidity, and generally "whatever goes." Our weather switches with seasons and then within switches as well. Sometimes it won't make sense why it's snowing in April or hot in December, but you roll with the punches and make it work a la Tim Gunn with whatever your closet holds at the time.

The same applies to your makeup and skincare stash. My NY self arrived in Florida to the definition of southern hospitality from the ClumpsofMascara fam. But I also arrived overpacked. There was much less humidity and wind factor, so my hair behaved a bit more than usual (and I wasn't expecting it to be so hot in the fall because I am a New Yorker, but that's besides the point!), and my skin didn't need as much support with the various options I usually have (moisturizer, SPF, etc.).

Which got me thinking about how much my global positioning has to do with what my makeup and skincare stash holds.

Does your geographic location have any impact on what products you need or use? Talk it out!

As y'all take a peek at the calendar date and the last time I posted, I'm sure many are sitting there giving me a side eye. Almost a week y'all. That's how long I took time off from blogging and even scheduling any posts because I felt like first thing's first. No internet for me.

I spent the days enjoying my birthday week (as I like to call it) meeting with people and sometimes just napping the day away. Maybe it's that I was tired, but really - I was trying to catch back up to the things in life you can never get back. Time with friends, enjoying the moments as they come, and letting your body do what's natural.

Now, I'm also a junkie for events and places that are all about expanding my box of memories and my mind. I'll always look for new places to go and check out, and this week was no different.

As part of the UrbanWorld Film Festival in New York City, I got to see the premiere of Good Hair (and Mississippi Damned - but that's another story). I loved it to strands [ :) ] just so you know.

The movie comes out October 9, 2009 in select theaters and on October 23, 2009 nationally. I can't recommend this movie to everyone enough.

Chris Rock did a great job addressing hair and more specifically "bad vs. good hair" and how a lot of people viewed it. Most of the world views the "European" straight and sleek look as the constant optimum.

While I am the first person to say do what makes you feel good, I would love to see more people embracing their natural them and realize that good hair only means "well taken care of." Bad hair to me is the same as bad skin, or bad anything really- if it's left alone, uncared for, & unaddressed, what do you expect?

What do you consider good hair?

This Tuesday is a simple Tuesday. Yesterday was Labor Day for me and my fellow US readers, and we also have this odd rule that goes with it.

"Don't wear white after Labor Day"

Now the only reason for the rule that makes sense to me is the weather change. The federal holiday marks a start of the oncoming fall weather, and thus it would make more sense to wear colors that attract sunlight, and thus warmth.

But really, there are white sweaters out there! :)

This Tuesday I want to hear what other funky rules y'all have heard or observe. Regarding clothing though - 'cause we can go on forever!

p.s. disregard the 'Read more' for this post. This is all she wrote!

So this is it y'all. September has hit and so starts the countdown to that special day. What day? My birthday!! As the 23rd fast approaches, so do my bills.

See there's this phenomenon that occurs around this time every year recently. September hits, and I hit the stores. No matter the resolve, the goals, nothing. Yaya hits up the plastic dreams (and future nightmares lol). I start to buy a thing here and there as my "birthday essentials" and as the purchases get bigger, they become "gifts for myself" ... then it becomes "well if no one else gets this for me..."

Right... Well yesterday - as August waved it's last goodbye and the autumn breeze threw a teaser into the streets of New York, Yaya hit up the stores. I noticed one thing. I have a haphazard shopping pattern in a store.

I walk from front to back and collect everything I like in my size and maybe a size smaller or bigger depending on how questionable the fabric is. Then I get to the fitting room. Most often almost 90% of the items I try on don't work. As I walk to the register with my feeble shopping cart, I unearth a million and five items I missed but love. This time around, I don't want to venture back to the fitting room, and once I buy it, I might not even come back in time to return it. I'm trapped.

Now y'all are all shoppers - at one point or another. I'm guilty of falling into this trap even with groceries. Are you just as guilty? Talk to me all about it! :)

Yesterday, when Anna Wintour was on Letterman to promote Vogue's September Issue documentary, she was asked what a person with a fashion budget of $20 should do with the money.

Miss thang said "Well, you could buy lipstick."

Now - I am sure I am not the only one that is around stores that have $5 shirts and such, along with clearance places (I got Missoni heels for $19 once!). At the same time, there is a transformation that occurs with a woman's confidence no matter what the item is. It could be a lipstick, it could be a mascara. It might even be chocolate. :)

But - if you were to answer it, or to do it- What would you recommend to spend the $20 on?

Crazy how time flies eh?

This Talk It Out Tuesday is a no frill question for all product junkies and occasional shoppers alike.

The question is: What convinces you to make the purchase?

The other day I was in the drugstore looking for something I haven't seen before. It's a terrible method to save money, but a great way to educate yourself with what is out there. I usually always see something different or new to me.

But what happens then? If I'm in a store that's tester friendly (i.e. Sephora) I check out the product and usually leave. It has to be working my senses over something spectacular to make me walk right up to the register. But even then, by day two I usually have buyer's remorse. I'm a firm believer in the fact that you aren't present in the store enough to fully experience the product enough (most of the time) to commit to a purchase.

So, I've learned to test if possible, and return the next day if the product delivers (this works best with perfumes as the scents change and linger). Other times, I've found requesting samples may get you a surprising answer almost everywhere you go. The most effective method to date though, is reading other reviews and researching the product online. I know - it's a hassle - but so is wasting money!

What convincing argument does a product need to make for you?

Hey readers!

We haven't talked it out in a whole week, and I've been itching to know this one thing. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but in addition - plenty people say she gets it from her momma!

There are a million occasions throughout the day in which I find myself mimicking my mother or other people in my fam. We're all crazy mind you. But I love it. Miss Yaya wouldn't be so if it wasn't for the fam.

My mom taught me to stay sunny but to keep my behind out of the sun. Thanks to her, I have never come back from the beach or any vacation with my skin burnt. She's the one who let me know that Olive Oil is my friend and that my hair requires some deep deep lovin' (or conditioning) once in a while. Momma always said to never go to sleep with my makeup on and to use as little makeup as possible/needed.


So bring your evidence forward and talk it out! What have you gotten from your momma? Or from someone else in your tree?

What day is today? It's Tuesday, so we gotta Talk It Out! But! Today is also Pampering Day!

No - really. Straight from the Oval Offices at PrettyCity.com, Today is National Pampering Day, so do your duty and get yourself pampered.

The Talk It Out Tuesday segment of this post is this: For all you financially savvy recessionistas - how do you pamper on a budget?

I like to do my own nails and toes (esp b/c I like to switch up the color at least twice a week & I'm notorious for peeling my polish - don't scold!) and I'm not a fan of coloring or straightening my hair so that saves a bundle. NaturallyCurly.com has some good ideas for recession proof treatments for curly hair here.

What do you do (inexpensive or expensive...) to pamper yourself?

Here is the image they have to give you some ideas if you need a workplace diversion...

From NaturallyCurly.com: "We asked our CurlTalkers for their biggest concerns about your curls and kinks, and they told us. The answers covered a wide range of topics, from self-image issues to finding a good stylist. Here are the ones that rose to the top of the list"

2. Finding a stylist who understands how to work with curls.

“Finding a stylist who knows how to deal with curly hair without making their curly client look like a mushoom when done. (nightmare process! I just went 6 years without a professional cut!),” said CurlyCassieRo.

4. Unpredictability.

“With the same routine every single day for 30 days, I can have 20 different heads of hair in a month, and maybe only half of them are good, if I’m lucky,” says PrettyPorcupine. “I know you’re just supposed to ‘embrace’ its “unique” personality and be all “free and easy,” but let’s face it. That is just not realistic when you have to look decent for work every day, want to be sure you look good on a date or for a special event, or because you just are so fricking tired of not knowing how the hell your hair is going to look at any given time.”

5. Acceptance of curls in society and in the workplace..

“Every time I pick up a magazine or see a segment on a TV show about “how to manage your curls,” the answer is always to straighten them! It’s insulting,”says Tinah. “The mainstream media pushes straight hair as the only acceptable option. Just once I’d like to read an article on how to manage curly hair that actually tells me how to manage curly hair, not how to make curly hair straight. I’m pretty sure we ALL know how to make it straight! We’ve spent years doing it!”

I'm a crazy curls kinda girl y'all and I love it. When I was little I would have it because it was such trouble for other people to brush my hair. I would wear braids a lot. Also - since I was little, whoever did my hair never put products in it, just brush it into a poof and voila - yaya. Not cool.





Once I got the hang of it, it became my trademark. I have only straightened my hair three times in my entire life.

What are your hair concerns? (no matter curly or not!)

Is it hard to maintain it? Do people always ask you why you don't change it? Tell all!