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Showing posts from 2016

Men's Grooming : Luxury

NYFW Men is literally right in three weeks,  so how does a male model keep his hair camera ready? We did some research on the best products that would keep a man 's hair camera ready. Julien Farel Salon This salon has the best anti aging haircare products for men. They also do all of the models for the Nick Graham Show. Those models are the best! Martial Vivot We came across this salon on the side of MOMA in June for the annual French Wink   Father's Day Event. This salon has the best hair care products in terms of being all natural. The manager explained to me  mass market products are okay, but as a man ages the harshness of the products causes premature hair loss. Wow! Who knew... They also sell their products at Barney 's, in addition to the salon. John Allen Salons They have the coolest vibe in Saks,  in terms of high profile salon. To get that ultimate surfer look the pomade is amazing with out being heavy or greasy. For luxury hair care service and products,

Beauty Spot : Our Picks for 2017

We read some research and got some really great products for you to have that "slay" look. In the Northeast winter lasts now til April , so the harsh elements can dry out a person 's skin and hair. New Products that we tried are: 1. 24k Gold by Miss Spa  this retails for 3.99 at Target, but we found out that Kylie Jenner swears by this mask. And I can see why, this mask adds so much moisture to your skin it is  amazing. 2. YES to Carrots Primrose Face Mask with a Face Oil. The both products are great, but we all agreed on the Face Oil, which is amazing! 3. Oh My Brow by European Wax Studio : This is great as a highlighter for your face to contour, does such a wonderful job, forget your brow, use this as a highlighter for real. 4. Klorane Olive Shampoo: This is such a great product that does not strip the hair at all. 5. Vaseline Lip Therapy: Rosy Lips This is such an amazing product, we use this at night and when we don't have events to go to  and it leaves

Thanks to You! Positive Peeps

Thanks again for reading Positivexpert. We were on a hiatus of sorts and instead of bringing you garbage, we decided to take a  break and come back strong for 2017! We have never taken our audience for granted, nor have we not been working hard on bringing you the best in content for this publication. We are back to the grind January 2, 2017 and looking forward to making it awesome. Thanks again and as always. .. Cheers, Positivexpert Family

Men's Grooming :Mass Retailers

Men's Grooming making a comeback,  especially with mass retailers. It use to be Axe was the only option for men. However,  what we noticed was the influx of several other brands that specifically  catered to the men's Grooming market. There are now several varieties of: Old Spice,  there is Old Spice Sport,  Old Spice Regular and Old Spice Swagger. Yes Old Spice Swagger,  not only is the scent amazing, but from what we heard the longevity of it is great as well. Yes Axe does have different varieties such as Black Phoenix,  Tropical,  and other scent, but they have a full range of hair care products from pomades, to hair spritzer for that crunchy spiky look. Then, there is Dove for Men,  that  are not as highly scented and are great for Men with sensitive skin. The key to these  products are they have a  layering effect, the body wash is the foundation, then there is the lotion and the body spray. They all build in combination of each other. So for the perfect date night

Beauty Spot : Fall Review

We didn't forget about the our favorite thing beauty! These are the amazing results we found at Target and other mass retailers: Yes to Carrots: They have an amazing Primrose Oil that works well with their Mud Mask with a Primrose Base. Mascara: Maybelline We went full out on this : Falsie and Angel Falsie will give you the full on Glam look while we use Angel to separate the lashes. Eyeshadow: Maybelline They have an amazing eyeshadow in bold colors for the fall and holiday season. Lips: Loreal There are so many lip kits out there that we specifically bought the Loreal Nude Lip Kit,  we also bought a brown lip liner to use for the kit results are pretty fab. Bronzer: Physicians Formula Many women are now for going blush or highlighters,  for  a great glow, which can be found in this Physicians Formula. So there is  our best in the mass retailers to get you looking amazing for the Fall and beyond. Cheers to great beauty!

Men's Fashion: Where It Started

Last week was a great time to attend Fashionista Con 's conference. The first panel was Men’s Moment in Fashion  and the founder of Todd's, Timo Weiland,  the Vice President of Barney 's was addressing why men's Fashion is so big today. Then, I those thought about the research I did for a job for a luxury men fashion group. Men has always had a  great force in fashion. Many of the early immigrants in this country were artisans in fashion  from Europe. Early luxury department stores such as Martins, catered to the custom man's suit, in fact many men suiting were more expensive than a  bridal gown. The pocket watch and the  signet pinky ring. Ties made out of silk, and silk blend, many  men wore there best wherever. All men's suit's and shoes were custom made and although Levi's is an American jeans company, men never wore jeans to work or even around the house. In the days of Sinatra and all the crooners,  American Men’s Fashion became commerciali

Monday Motivation

Did you ever get that jealous ting when someone talks about their achievements and you are still figuring out what to wear to work the next day. Well the good news is that whatever you want in life is right in front of you. In fact I always wanted to transition to a plant based diet but didn't know how until someone contacted me about joining a 21 Day Challenge.  Then I saw a PBS special on the same thing, but two totally different sources. This was definitely confirmation that what I wanted was right in front of me and God or the Universe was giving me what I wanted or needed. A lot of people think that the law of attraction or manifestation is all about money. But, it can be applied to all areas of your life. Another simple example was I needed to provide a Big Grab Bang for a  workshop that I am personally doing. How could I afford this??? Well it turns out that a major store was having a Grand Opening and all my coupons that I had planned for the Big Grab Bag I could use,

Beauty Spot : Fall Review Part1

Ok, so it's the second week in October and most of the new beauty products for the rest of the year have been released. This is what we learned : Highlighters, Sephora has a great one in champagne and when you mix it with your  foundation, especially for under the the eye it does the most amazing job. Better than a concealer would have done. Plus it brightens your entire eyes. Maybelline Cosmetics : We had a ton of coupons for this line we went to a high end CVS, yes they have those in NYC and we tried their bold line. The Bold Line is highly pigmented and really shocking colors. So we took the Violet Bold Lipstick and Color Jolt from their New York line in 40 Violet Rebel.  The results were amazing and beautiful. We lined the lips with Violet Bold Lipstick  and filled in the lips with Color Jolt which is a gloss. And we paired this with a bright blue blouse and it looked amazing. Also from Maybelline the new macaras, one is Falsie Drama and the other is Angel. The Drama i

Personal Care: Why Everyone Needs It

Personal Care we all hear about it, it is the latest catch phrase, but really what is it? It is taking care of yourself, your physical,  emotional and mental needs. I learned that when I stopped bending over backwards to please people that were never going to like me, that  emotionally I experienced a joy and freedom and peace. Physically,  I am  not a big gym person,  but I love to walk it clears the mind. Plus it isn't damaging as running or other forms  of excerise. Mentally,  I make sure I read or research something twice a week. It keeps the brain agile and you become more aware of people around you. Deflect anything negative,  no news,  only positive music and people who don't  complain or take themselves too seriously. A sign of someone great is someone, who  doesn't take themselves seriously.  I am fortunate to have met a lot of people who you would  never know,  what families they are from,  etc. Because they don't take themselves seriously. Personal car

Character vs Position

Many people are super impressed with people who have excelled in their careers and some who have amassed a fortune on the way. However,  as we have seen in this election,  and we at Positivexpert have said it is character that will sustain your success. We are not saying that everyone has and will make mistakes, however it is  dangerous to only  put in high regard those in society with wealth and power, and  disregard who they are as a person. Society has long given passes to people whom have such positions, while disrespecting people who don't have a  voice or do not know how to  articulate that voice. Even in our own families, how many times do we allow a sibling, an aunt or an uncle, cousin, etc. to say anything about anyone. Or if someone gets into trouble we make excuses instead of holding them accountable for their actions. If we start where we are in our communities by not tolerating bad behavior especially with our children,  then we can begin to see a true  civil soci

Glam Lifestyle For Less

We see a lot of people who promote how glamorous their lives are and event website that only promote invite only events. As a result we have seen in society such jealousy and hatred of skyrocketing proportions, which really isn't good or positive. So we complied a list of resources that you can go to, be in the know about fab events so you can enjoy the GLAM LIFE for LESS . 1. You Are On the List: They have great events such as going to a fashion presentation at Bloomingdales  with the Fashion Director of Bloomingdales. 2. Samsung 837 This is such an amazing store with all Samsung products, but they also have free concerts and Timo Weiland had his fashion presentation at that location for September NYFW. 3. The Microsoft Store The Fifth Avenue location has events from viewing a fashion show to football fans getting an autograph by their favorite star to previewing the latest in gaming and X box features. 4. Co working spaces They have a  ton of events from securing free c

Fall is for Love: Watch Your Pattern !

Are you or do you know a person who always has relationship drama? This season many women and men want to cuddle by the fire place with someone make sure it is the right person. 1. You need to take inventory of your  dating history : 1a. Are you attracted to  emotionally unavailable men? Men or women who are in a  committed relationship. Men or women who are in jail or in another state or country. Have you broken the girlfriend or man code, which is not to date any of people whom your squad has been intimate. 2. Do you want a relationship with someone to enhance your social status? Men and women are guilty of this men get involved and stay involved strictly for looks and how they are viewed by their peers. Women get involved strictly for money they want the good life and know their looks in certain cases is the fastest way to get them to a financial goal. 3. Do you want children or not want children? Many women want children with wealthy men to secure their financial status b

Last Quarter Goals: Cautious Frugality

Where have we been? Well we were prepping for a speaking engagement and for those who cannot attend here is what we learned about money and savings : 1. A true deal is one that you can get without traveling more than 10 miles from your home to get. 2. Take monthly inventory of what you already have in terms of Beauty, household items, clothes. 3. When you shop only go into stores with cash, no credit cards  or debit. Make sure you have transportation and only buy what the  cash in your hand can afford. 4. Don't spend so much time looking for deals that you don't have time to go out and enjoy your new outfit or make up that you scored below retail. 5. If people ask you about your style don't tell them and don't show off essentially  don't make people angry or envious. 6. Take time to join activities independent from work and getting deals. 7. Pay full price for something at least twice a week. This would break any type of addictive pattern for "getting &

Subscription Boxes Review

So  we said in the name of  frugality we would turn to subscription boxes for our beauty needs. We chose Allure and Essence because they were associated with major media publications. We'll while Essence Beauty Box was heavy on the hair care products,  we didn't mind so much, they had this amazing Keratin Treatment Conditioner that left our hair so silky. They just stopped the beauty boxes,  no explanation September was the last one, it was nice. Allure who doesn't love the beauty boxes from them, until we started to see the same company with different products, most customers want beauty samples like their beauty editors. So, after spending 60.00 on drugstore brands we looked at the beauty box list,  our fingers are crossed we chose an old player in the field and we chose America's favorite beauty store that is rolling out their subscription boxes as well. We decided not to mess around with skin care too much but, if we wanted to be on trend with latest make up, t

The Beauty Spot: Fall Review

Beginning of September equals the start of new products. This is what we are in love with: Maybelline Falsie Mascara: The name says it all, it gives anyone that amazing false eyelash look with two coats. Smash Box Facial Primer it goes on so smooth and you make  up will stay on for the rest of the day with this product amazing. Hair Care: So what it is beginning to cool down in terms of weather, but some places will give you the frizzy look, especially if you are trying to do the latest up do. Garnier Products are amazing! From the Anti Frizz Milk that you use with your blow outs to the oil for that added shine. All products are worth the money. Nails We had a field day buying all the different reds in Sally Hansen Collection. Also  they have a great brown color which is a  sparkling rasin. Again worth  the money. H&M and there beauty line well we tried the nail polish and with four coats they look great. Skin Care The new product that is amazing is Garnier Mud Facial M

The Next Fashion Billionaire

Every generation as that one break out designer who choose to be different and embrace societal change,  which  catapults them to the  stratosphere. It was on Project Runway when we first heard of  Christian Sirrano, his designs where  amazing and he shared his pain of being bullied to million of viewers. So, when the light of the 15 minutes of fame go out, he kept going. By first  designing for Christina Hendricks of then Mad Man fame. As Hollywood began to cast more women who are larger than a size 4 , other designers wouldn't have anything to do with them, but he embraces being a designer for all types. When this NYFW  there was buzz about his show, but his show was the most positive out of them all because not only  did it show a range of sizes from the models. The garments were well crafted, elegant and classy. If I am a  buyer for any major retailer, part of my job is to now is to look for designers that know how to design for the plus size woman. Not only did he nail 

NYFW:What to Expect? ?

Fashion Week or Month is here so what can you expect. As fashion becomes more accessible to everyone, the traditional exclusive fashion shows have changed. Designers who are used to having exclusive shows for the top editors of publications, buyers and celebrities now are at a quandary. Bloggers are now being replaced by traditional publications at an alarming rate and designers still don't know which ones have a true followers or what if they have the skills to write about fashion in the traditional way. Most established designers who can't adapt to the new changes, they are not on the schedule but they are having private viewings and parties for the traditional editors and celebrity clients or their stylists. The ones who have embrace the change such are making their clothes accessible in the form of official pop up shops. Many are live streaming their shows in large viewing areas so the public can be a part of the Fashion Week excitement, which would translate into inst

Labor Day Feast

We think labor day is the last weekend that  you can get away with eating everything you want, after all it is the last hooray before we get back to the business. Favorite Labor Day Feast Foods: 1. Grilled Brats Boil brats in beer with a bay leaf and a chopped onion. Until they are boiled until 15 minutes. Take them out and throw them on the grill. 2. BBQ Ribs Another pot take fresh pork ribs and boil them with a bay leaf or mustard seeds boil them for fifteen minutes,  then put on the grill and slow cook them. 3. Fried Chicken Overnight soak in buttermilk with thyme and garlic. Take out the next day dredge in seasoned flour of garlic powder, cayenne pepper and in a pot of hot oil fry for 15 to 20 minutes. Take out of the fryer and drizzle with hot honey and salt. Brats serve with brown mustard in hot dog buns. Ribs take from the grill after 30 min and slather with BBQ sauce. Serve immediately with a basket of Corn Bread and a simple salad. Dessert is a peach pie with ic

Tip of the Iceberg: The 1 Percent

Over the past few weeks, I have read several motivation books and listened to numerous pod casts. Here's why the one percent or as I think of it top 10 percent of people achieve great success. Characteristics of Successful People : 1. Willingness to fail. 2. Willingness to have your character malaligned. 3. Willingness to be betrayed. 4. Willingness to do something repetition. 5. Willingness to be alone. 6. Giving Spirit Most people at the first chance of adversity they pivot or course  correct,  or take themselves out of the game completely. In listening to several successful people they all were willing to do the work. Lisa Nichols: Sat in a  workshop 42 times, until they asked her to facilitate the workshop and she is  now an owner of the first publicly traded  motivation company in the world. Tony Robbins : He read more than 200 books and worked for a motivational speaker before being one. Simon Cowell After he declared bankruptcy,  went back to work,  he sat in

Thanks for Four Years

l started the best thing of my life, which is this blog. Every day for  four years I would  think,  what piece of happiness can I share with the world.  What will be  my legacy in terms of writing. Regardless, of what I write I want to thank each of you who read an article, shared an article that you read on this site. It keeps me going knowing that I have impacted a lot of people worldwide. It is also humbling to know that with good  intentions you can change the world. The reason why I kept anonymous for these four years without blogger parties, commercial endorsements,  etc. Is I wanted to give you the reader the best in unfiltered and unbiased information. Terry  McMillan said it the best "A true  writer is first an observer of life, then  we create the stories based on our intuition." My goal of Positivexpert is get everyone to see the beauty of life and for every one to know that there is always a  rainbow in everything. As my father laid in bed this past June,

Foodie Friday's : Chicken BBQ Dinner

It's the end of the summer and most people have been to BBQ or two and now you have to host. Here's our take on the  classic chicken BBQ. Clean chicken with lemon juice and vinegar. Season with salt, pepper,  and garlic powder overnight. Next day bring the chicken up to  room temperature and par cook it, til done. Then put on the  grill for a  smokey flavor. BBQ Sauce: We used Sticky Fingers Sweet and Sour Sauce with a  Kick. We gave a generous slather to all of  our pieces of chicken. Sides: Bean Salad 1. Can Kidney beans 2. Can of Chick  Peas 3. Can of Corn 4. Can of Black Beans All rinsed and drained. Put in a  bowl of balsamic vinegar, one stalk of green onions,  and dried cranberries. Let this marinade overnight. Corn Bread 1. 3 Cups Corn Meal 2. 2 Cups flower 3. 3 teaspoons of baking powder 4. 1 tablespoon of sugar 5.  2 beaten eggs 6.  Sharp Cheese grated 7. 1 Cup of Milk 8. 1 Can of Cream Corn Mix in a  mixing bowl and transfer to a  melted butt

The Truth About Natural Beauty

Okay, every one is all about going natural and embracing an all natural way of life. We have are trying to just that and this is what we found: 1. Most natural products especially beauty products are not going to smell wonderful, in fact some of them stink. This is because most plants and things found in nature do have an earthy scent. 2. A little goes a long way,  I was using 100 percent pure charcoal soap every day and it dried out my very oily skin to the  point where I had to double up on moisturizer. If I had followed instructions and used the soap every two days, my face would not have dried out. 3. A little of scents go a long way as well.  If you are using pure organic aroma therapy oils,  don't put the entire bottle on your  skin in a week. It will be overbearing and you could get sick. 4. Lather and suds don't expect it.  100 percent organic body washes and shampoo do not have a lot of suds. This is because they don't have chemicals that cause that Sud produc

Back to Fall Savings

Yeah  we are in the middle of  August and when I went into a  Target or Wal-Mart  it took me two hours to leave. Because Of back to school shoppers. But, in a  recent article by Refinery 29, they  said that Target prices  aren't always the cheapest. So, I had to find out if this was true. I  found for certain new items that you can get great  deals such as  Method and Seventh Generation products. Especially if they are launching a  new seasonal scent. However,  the best place to purchase bulk cleaning items and paper goods is.... Home Depot. Yup, Home Depot has the best prices in terms of everything that you need to  clean. There prices best Target,  Cosco, BJ'S  and Wal Mart by at least 15.00 in savings. Another thing that I found to be  true is savings on meats. Again,  I read this in Good Housekeeping,  a person advocating buying all ready  frozen meat, instead of fresh meat. Again, I put this to the test with 50.00 dollars,  I went to the grocery store that sells

Beauty Spot : Subcription Boxes

A couple of months ago we said we were going back to subcription boxes. Because we checked out our beauty bills for the month and it was  outrageous. Especially since we noticed we were always buying new products. So how did we do... First thing there are so many beauty boxes out there, it's  so hard to believe and choose. However, we whittled it down to  two and it's the two that are associated  with major media publications. So you ask??? We noticed that other subscription boxes had a  two for one  deal on boxes that  didn't  sell. Red Flag this means they  are  giving  you old beauty products,  which  is not cool. Allure is the most popular of all the  beauty  boxes and last month the samples coincided with the  Nordstrom Annual  Beauty Sale, so  that was a  plus  and we went to get  our  mid summer needs. Essence is another box for women of color  and is also associated with magazine. Note Allure is owned by Conde Nast and Essence is own by Time Inc. Therefore t

Fall Lifestyle Trends

We have been around looking at what will  trend high this fall in terms of  lifestyle. Old Fashion American Cusine : Americans will return to  pot roast and carrots, pancakes and waffles, grilled cheese and tomato soup. And Roasted Chicken with rice pilaf. See more of Brooklyn  Dinners , Big Daddys restaurants make a comeback. And traditional steakhouses will see great growth. Cuban Influence : Since we think it is only a matter of months before there is a direct flight from the US to Cuba this is what is going to trend high: 1. Traditional Red Wine Sangria the kind you let rest for three days. 2. Rum and Rum drinks. 3. Cigar clubs that were big in the 90's now are going to have authentic Cuba cigars of course at a  premium. 4. More women are going for large flowers in the hair. 5. 12 piece Samba Music will also make a comeback. 6. And family style paella dishes will be added to menus as will Roasted Suckling Pig. Curvy Women’s World Many women will embrace their natura

Re-think: Communications Career

When most people think of communications  careers they think of journalism,  public relations, writers, etc. We noticed a trend with people who have  careers in communications, which  was often thought of as a fluff job, which all you do was go to fancy parties, meet cool  people and get unlimited swag. However, publicists and corporate communication officers are almost as important as  the finance person. They have to craft strategies that  would  maximize exposure hence revenue for the company.  They are constantly  monitoring their field and counter acting any mistakes that  leadership may make in public or social media. So,  it is  no coincidence that  the  CEO of HBO was the head of Communications and the famed director Ava DuVarnay who spent over 15 years  in public  relations  before she went to  direct  movies and  was recently tapped to direct  a major high budget film from Disney. Before you jump ship to learn how to  code, think about  all the skills  needed to be  a  g

Case Study : Eataly

It's  Foodie Friday, so naturally we had to  end with a  case study on food. The food establishment we chose is Eataly. It is a wonderful Italian marketplace and restaurants in one. It's the only place where you can get authentic  olive oil, grilled puplo  or octopus and get the freshest  veal for authentic  Osco Busco. So, why does this make our case study, it makes our cases because one of the  owners is Mario Batali, the world renowned chef and TV personality. He knows how to select the finest  products for this concept store and restaurants, however in terms  of  expansion and business development and operations, he realized that  he needed the best business minds to do that without compromising what he knows best food. Last spring at NYU he went to the  business school  and gave a wonderful  presentation on his business, why the food and beverage industry needs MBA 's. Most of the people in business school are looking to be a founder,  Co founder and exit from the

Case Study: Allure Beauty Box

The July Allure Beauty Box had  samples from prestige luxury brands. If you  never tried  products  such as  Glam Glow, LA Mer,  Estee  Lauder, Allure gave you a  chance  to try what celebrities  rave about. So why was this so special? Because it coincided with Nordstrom ' s annual Anniversary Sale. So, if you really  loved that  Glam Glow Mud Mask, or the Clinique cubby lipstick, and  wanted more all you had to  do was log on  to  Nordstrom 's website and get  the product,  but so many wonderful products  such as Jo Malone was on sale that you  spent more than  you intended. Also, if you went into any  Nordstrom before a certain date you could get your own  free sample  of a Bobby  Brown product. Allure along with  Nordstrom increased Web traffic and sales that not only  contributed to the beauty products, but to other products. They also contributed to increased foot traffic because you  had to  go into their physical store to get the free sample, plus I am certain custo

Case Study: J. Hilburn

J. Hilburn is the direct men custom made  suits and shirts and shirts. So why do they  deserve  a case study? During NYFW  Men this Dallas based company  did something so ingenious  with regards to  marketing. Most of the shows where spilt  from the Skylight Clarkson venue  to the  Cadillac House. However, all participants had to pass by this  one corner on your way going  to the shows. J. Hilburn figured this corner out an set up a  cabana  style atmosphere  with a lounge and tables, free amazing  appetizers,  sure there were drinks, but you had to go into their air conditioned  showroom where you were shown all the latest  in their collection. They also timed this so they had models come  out when people were in between shows and knew when other shows  were being let out to offer a cold beverage on a 90 degree day. Why is this so ingenious? 1. They knew where there market was located. 2. They figured out  ideal time capture the most  foot traffic. 3. They created an enticin

Case Study : Ashley Stewart Stores

The plus size  market is on the  verge of becoming the next  multi billion market and could  attribute to steady sales within the overall  fashion industry. Around five years ago many of the initial plus size  stores began to  close as straight  sizes began  to incorporate clothing  up to  a size 18  into  their  lines. Specialty stores such  as Ashley  Stewart  began to tinker on bankruptcy. Until  the new Executive Chairman  and  CEO took  over the  Ashley  Stewart  stores, so what  did he do  differently??? He realized that  the internal infrastructure  needed work  and through  technology began  to  overhaul the inventory system, he studied  the demographics  of the  market, which  was  maturing  and needed a designer  overhaul  from trendy club outfits to career, weekend and specialty occasions. After redesigning the main  product clothing, the next  step  was to figure  out  their  customer base, which were AfricanAmerican  women. A successful relaunch takes partners! The 

Beauty Spot: Elizabeth Arden Cosmetics

It's  back  to work  and though  it's  fun wearing  turquoise eyeliner on the  weekends. We need  what  I  call investment  make  up that  we go into  the  work place and be taken  seriously. The brand  that is long lasting , elegant  and will  win you the contracts and can give you a  great  date night  is Elizabeth Arden. The  lipsticks  in Iced Coffee  the brown  that  is not  too  dark. Rose Berry this is  a soft  mauve  that is a great  substitute  for  the completely nude look. Iced Grape which  is a again a soft  purple  that  doesn't  need toning down. Bold Red in Matte , has great  brown  under tones. The  eyeshadow in Golden  Ivy gives a subtle  shimmer  to the  brow bone. Iridescent Pink is so subtle and feminine it gives  a great finish  to your  nude look. Innocence again is in the  gray family  and looks amazing Desert Rose again gives that pulled  together  look . The lipsticks retail  for approximately  28.00 per tube. The eyeshadow retail

Getting Ready for School and Life

All college  campuses  have career offices, but  realistically; How many times  have you  ever  been  to  them ? Three young  women  who decided  to take career  development along  with women 's empowerment head on and created organizations that  give college  women  a head start  in their  lives. Intern Queen That's right  the Intern Queen  is a  national  organization  that  assists in finding  any college  student  an internship. These internships can range  from coding at a  start up, banking, fashion, and traditional marketing at a  variety if companies and non- profits. When  I attended the  Intern Queen Party in NYC what  I  really  appreciate was the willingness  of the  interns giving  tips  to each  other on how to  get ahead.  We also  observed  many of  the  Intern Queens staff  were former office  staff  members, who came  to  assist  at the  event. Some  former staff members  work  for prestigious  PR companies, others were working at  non profits,  etc. In

Half of Summer Recap: NYFW Men

We have not been on the beach in St. Tropez or Antigua. But we have been extremely busy covering numerous events while our founder mourns the death of her beloved father. NYFW MEN: This season was better than last in terms of the ease of check in, and  the quality of  fashion presentations. Our standouts were: MarniRo: This designer makes clothes that are unisex. The ultimate piece that I fell in love with was the Navy Blue Men's constructed lace shirt, which is stunning. Also this designer had a floral two piece, a classic baby blue two piece, which was a throw back to the 90's. Another stunner was the white two piece with the lace inset for men. MarniRo in terms of creating quality unique pieces for men that is well constructed and took the cake is amazing. OAK OAK is another designer that gave you a deconstructed feel. The stand out piece for me was the male duster, which was awesome. As well as the splatter sneakers in white with black splatter or black with whi

Tips for NYFW Men

Congrats you got your press credentials and NYFW Men is about to begin. 1. Make certain you RSVPed YES to all the shows you were INVITED. 2. Don't show up anywhere, where you are not invited. Due to space and security reasons shows will not allow anyone not on their list in. 3. Make certain you have Googled wear your shows are and you know where you are going. Cross reference this with Fashion GPS. 4. Many people in the public eye or celebrities will be there, if you have a scheduled interview, then speak to them. Most celebrities are on tight schedules and again for security reasons don't approach them or take pictures. 5. Be respectful of the brands time, if you are scheduled to take photographs during a certain time before the collection, then show up at that time. 6. Keep hydrated, wear comfortable shoes and have your party shoes in your bag along with a change of tops. 7. Be prepared shows may not start on time due to a variety of things, keep patient and keep it l

Foodie Friday: Blueberry Muffin Cobbler

You hosted a brunch and your not so csrb loving friends didn't touch the muffin tray. But you have so many blueberry muffins. What do you do? Create Blueberry Muffin Cobbler. This is want you will need: 1. Have a dozen blueberry muffins sliced into discs drizzled in @WolfferEstate hard cider. 2. 6 pints of fresh blueberries rinsed and drained. 3. Organic unsalted butter 4. Lemon Juice fresh 1/2 lemon 5. 3 jars of @StonewallKitchen Wild Maine Blueberry Jam. In a casserole dish butter the dish, place blueberry muffins discs on one layer. Mix blueberries lemon juice and jam. Place on the second layer the blueberry mixture. Layer until all the mixture and muffins are done. Place in the fridge for 5 hours to have it set. After 5 hours take out the casserole serve as a dessert to a wonderful dinner. Vanilla Ice Cream is optional! Cheers to a wonderful dessert!

Beauty Spot: Trendy Make Up

So, we did it and broke tradition and bought trendy make up, here's our results: 1. SinfulColors Kylie Jenner line: There's this one color of metallic green and blue and if we can wear it all week, we would. Lasting time if you don't do any house work it is one week. She also has a suede nail polish that is matte in blue and maroon, which is amazing. Again last time a couple of days apply any gel top coat to get that lasting effect. 2. NYX This LA line has been launching stores all over NYC even one next to a MAC store! We bought for 28.00 1. The Vinyl Eyeliner which is a  high gloss  eye liner that is cheaper than Loreal Butterfly brand and it does last ! 2. Next thing we heard about their Lingerie Lipstick which rivals AHBV which is a matte lipstick and it goes on creamy and dries matte, we choose a light mauve that would go well from day to night. 3. Gold creamy texture eye shadow and we used of course a primer with the Vinyl Eyeliner looks amazing! Especially f

Healthy Summer Eating

It's summer and the BBQ's are glaring with creamy potato salad or mayo based lobster rolls. Here's our alternative that is sure to keep your waist line trim and have you eating delicious all summer. 1. Eat tons of fresh water based fruits, melons, pears, peaches, plums,etc. 2. Eat small amounts of protein on big portions of salad greens. 3. Drink plenty of cold water and infuse it with mint, basil or fresh citrus. 4. If you are out and about in the city make certain you carry cold mini bottles of water and raw nuts so you can avoid dehydration and your blood sugar doesn't drastically dip. 5. If you are going to drink, choose white or rose and champagne. Excessive alcohol tends to dehydrate. 6. Instead of simple carbs in the morning choose fresh fruit, organic yogurt and raw nuts. Cheers to enjoying the summer the Healthy way!

Beauty Spot: Battle of the Nudes

You have this wonderful tan maybe you have been to San Tropez, Ibiza or St. Barts, or the Hamptons. But you want to show off this gorgeous tan how do you do that?? We found out the only real way to this is through nude lipstick because it contrasts and high lights your tan. So here's our battle... Sephora brand It's So Peachy NYX                    Gold Glimmering lip gloss Neutrogena       Ultimate Nude We tried all three brands and this what we found: Sephora brand lasted through out the day with a couple of touch ups but it didn't get cakey at the end of the corner of a person's lips The NYX brand immediately turned cakey at the corner of the lips and with this brand you have to use lip primer in order for it to really stay. Neutrogena we liked because you can go in the sun with this on because it has SPF built in, but for after the sun we had to switch to our Sephora It's Peachy brand. So next time you want to go NUDE just remember our guide for the p

What to Wear to an All White Party

So you snagged an invite to an All White Party or Soiree, you look in your closet and you have nothing. Here's our pick for the High and Low outfits: High End: Milly they have a great all white off the shoulder jumpsuit with spaghetti straps. Excellent quality and a classic investment piece. Calpyso White Eyelet jumpsuit it is perfect for a beach party or even a fancy soiree. Suppose you want to go BoHo Chic High End Free People has a wonderful lace dress that is sure to please. Also they have white off the shoulder tops. Lower Range: H&M has a lovely lace dress that is great for these events. H&M Concious Collection also has silky white tunics and off the shoulder tops. Accessories: My suggestion is to wear gold hoops with the jumpsuits, and if you are going BoHo Chic and for the lace dresses, pearls or diamonds. Cheers to enjoying your all white soiree!

Men Saving Luxury Fashion

Many key fashion decision makers want to know how to save luxury fashion. With the rise of fast fashion Zara, H&M, capsule collections for affordable chain stores, most women especially of means have embraced this type of life style. However, with NYFW Men just one week away. It is men who hold the key to keeping traditional luxury fashion alive. Men will spend on great fitting suits, silk ties, because of the quality. In fact in certain professions the type of suit you wear determines whether you receive a promotion. Also, unlike women luxury fashion, menswear is extremely hard to duplicate because to obtain a great fit everything must be customized, which fast fashion can't replicate. Additionally, many men have higher monetary disposable income therefore they can afford to pay the price for several suits and other luxury clothing items. So, there purchasing cycle is a lot greater than women. Women also tend to be impulse shoppers so an item from a fast fashion store is

Foodie Friday: Luxury Cocoa with Smores

You are sitting around the campfire late at night the wind is blowing, plus it is already chilly. This recipe for campfire or fire pit will have all your guests raving. 1. Pure Cocoa we bought ours at Le Maison du Chocolat. 2. Take your choice of organic milk almond, cashew, etc. 3. Use cane sugar, vanilla bean, bay leaf, cinnamon bark and cloves. In a pot boil all of the ingredients together on a slow boil for 2 hours.Serve with a strainer hot to your guests. This is an old South American recipe that would certainly please all of your guests especially around a campfire. Cheers to delicious campfire cocoa!

Beauty Spot Splurge Edition

This edition of the Beauty Spot is not how well you can save money, but it is about the best natural products on the market. Store: RAIN in Rockefeller Center,NYC This store is 100 percent organic with free trade agreements from all over Africa and South America. Bath Fizz The one I chose is Rose Petal and lavender infused so drop that into your bath and let the week's worries drain out of your system. Baobab and Olive Oil Soap This soap is Olive Oil and charcoal based but is infused with rosemary and eucalyptus for healing properties. Vanilla Essential Oils When you infuse this with Sweet Orange oil in coconut oil and use as a moisturerizer don't be surprised if your boyfriend or husband begins to notice you a lot more. Cape Malva Essential Oil Again you can infuse this with pure organic Olive Oil and you mood will balance out especially due to PMS depression will be lifted. This is how powerful the oil is, but is the most expensive oil. Total price for everything w

Summer Home Entertainment Tips

Summer time is when everyone comes to visit especially if you live near a big city. Here are ways to cut costs: 1. Stock up on laundry detergent, ran into Target and there was this sale on a new brand, plus two dollar off coupon, plus a 5.00 off Target gift card. 2. Toilet paper stock up on the economy size plus paper towels. 3. Clorox wipes as you see your guest leave things just wipe up behind them it takes the load off after they leave.Especially the bathrooms. 4. Have Liquid Plumber Pro on hand for showers as well. 5. Food- Prepare one meal you love to do then, make it clear to your guests that the rest of the meals are on their own. Take them out to dinner one night. 6. Have a hospitality basket in their rooms, with all the things you would find in a beauty box for men and women. 7. Don't put out anything that you would regret later on hence remove your La Mer face cream and your SK II facial masks. Also, put away all valueables and breakable items. 8. Unless your gue

Father's Day Gift Guide: French Style

It's the last minute and you need a gift for your Father, but he has everything, so what do you do? Give him a bit of France and here is our gift guide thanks to www.frenchwink.com and www.martialvivot.com. If your dad is a traveler for business or pleasure, then it is: Jean Rousseau- This company specializes in traditional leather craftsmanship from bags, smartphone and tablet cases. This slipper will be the ultimate rage because of it's uniqueness, which is an amazing blend of felt and suede lined with fleece it comes in all colors from bright blue to navy to black. The company is Manufacture Degorce. If had wears glasses then Emmanuelle Kirsch glasses cases in rare leather and animal inspired embellishments makes him stand out in a crowd. Monsieur Brunold is a gentleman's clothier and made to measure atelier creating suits, jackets, shirts, and topcoats. Every dad needs socks and what better than La Chaussette Francaise which is a family owned company that contin

Thanks for NoT Completing ME

Everyone says that old Jerry McGuire Film messed a lot of people men and women. By this one sentence You Complete Me. I never gave it much thought, until recently when a person I know put all her time and energy into a marriage and children and career. Those were the world's and orbits and any chance for another to come into her life it was all about those three orbits. So much so that people were turned off by this person because she talked about the orbits or in psychology she was enmeshed. As time went on children left, marriage came to and end and career took it's course. I know this could be any story line on any Real Housewives Franchise, which is really where I got this. Anyway, the real question remains who are you without any of the titles or trappings of "success." The real answer or challenge is your character strong enough to withstand anything, can you listen to people with out one upping them or cutting them off mid sentence? Are you professiona

Work vs. Therapy

Recently, I was on a job interview or recruitment session and when people were asked "Why they would want to come to work in the morning?" The answers that I heard was so awkward for a moment, I thought I was in group therapy. I mean one person answered "I need things that would keep me busy, etc." Until I remembered Sheryl Samberg's book Lean In when she pointed out that the main reason women don't get promoted is because they want their bosses to be there therapist. At first I thought that was snarky, until I went to the recruitment event and no one said anything about how they can contribute to mission of the organization. In a day of cause based marketing, social entrepreneurship, women empowerment, and tons of books and shows. We should be aware that when you go on a job interview it is what skills and talents are you bringing to the table to help the organization. Cheers to Leaning In!

Subscription Boxes vs. Stores

I have always spent a lot of money on beauty items, my first paycheck at 16 was getting false nails. When ever I got extra money I was in either a department store or a drug store buying beauty items. Until, Subscription boxes came out and it saved me show much money, until UPS and postal service got angry at our boxes. So back to drugstores and department stores, until recently I calculated how much I spend on beauty products! And, how time I would go to beauty events for the swag where I could be doing a lot more with my time. But, the positive side is the beauty Subscription market has greatly improved, most of the companies that didn't understand beauty or business folded. Leaving now only the true mature companies that can withstand high volume and great customer service, but giving their audience the best in beauty products. So for 15.00 a month I have reconnected to my monthly swag, only going to events that I truly enjoy. Also, my bank account has seen a positive ca

Three Day Rule& Glamour Night of Beauty

It's June and you are watching your best friends show up at events with their significant others. Are you that woman who keeps on getting invites for a plus one and shows up alone. Well, the dating firm the Three Day Rule has partnered with Glamour Magazine to provide you on Thursday, June 16, 2016 with an awesome Night of Beauty. After you get your touch up hair, nails, but your self a piece of jewelry from Kendra Scott, head down stairs to the bar. There will be the most interesting and eligible bachelors in New York City. So if you are tired of Tinder and your friends have tried to set you up with all their friends, it is worth a try. The event will take place Thursday, June 16, 2016 at the Hudson Terrace from 6:00pm, please register at https://www.eventbrite/nightofbeauty.com All of our readers will get 50 percent off General Admission tickets with code POSITIVEVIP. It's never too late for love! Cheers!!

Beauty Spot: Does This Work??

We all have heard that benefits of drinking lemon water. All the celebrities have touted this practice but does this work? We tried it for three weeks and the results were amazing! Not only was it a Thurston quencher, but it eliminates tons of toxins that you never knew existed. Which means you go to the bathroom a lot, but the benefits are amazing. My skin cleared up and looks so clear people think I am wearing foundation, but I am not. PMS migraines I use to get are no more because a doctor explained that hormone levels and the body's ph is neutralized. It also detoxifies the liver and kidneys so there is no build up of toxins to cause migraines. So yes does drinking lemon water help? Yes it does it does a total body cleanse without the cost. Another Does this work??? Charcoal based facial cleansing products, we tried several on the market and for a person who has oily skin, especially with the summer it was amazing. I can't believe how my face cleared up, which is ama

Summer Entertaining

You have friends coming over for the weekend what do you do? Here's a menu that will please everyone: Crackers with herbed cream cheese. Herbed Cream Cheese: Soften cream cheese and add chopped garlic, parsley, chives. Put in a small mold in the fridge over night. Cold Pickled Fish Salad 1. Soak salted cod or any salted fish overnight. 2. Change water add a little more water, for the rest of the day. 3.Remove the water. Add white vinegar, onions, fresh dill, vodka, and cappers cover for 48 hours. Go to the market: Get crackers, vegetables- salad greens, carrots, and radishes. Get: Fresh Chicken, Sausage- kielbasa, chorizo, Italian, Rice, Smoked Paprika, Saffron, peas and carrots, small corn on the cob. Get: Liquid egg whites and chives. Get: Various Fruits Main course: Paella 1. Clean chicken with lemon juice and fresh ground pepper. 2. Cut up various sausages. 3. In a large wok or pot add water to cover meats, put saffron and smoked paprika and rice. 4. Put sto

Foodie Alert :Tropical Bread Pudding

It's the summer time and you eat more bread than the winter with hamburgers, hotdogs, bread for the grilled chicken sandwichs. So, one day I was looking at a day old bread and asked myself what am I going to do? Tropical Bread Pudding: 1. Tear pieces of bread in a mixing bowl into shreds. 2. Take 4 eggs beat them with coconut milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and rum, moisten the bread till soaked. 3. Mix in golden raisins, and shredded coconut and pineapple. 4. Line your baking dish with 1/4  stick of melted unsalted butter. 5. Pour mixture in the baking dish at 350 degrees until a clean knife comes out. Make this in the morning and refridge until ready to serve, Serve in slices heat in microwave for 10 seconds serve with bananas rum and flambe individually table side. Cheers to tropical bread pudding!

Our Summer Picks

Memorial Day weekend is officially here and if you are staying in the city you may want to check out: @NYX make up is having there grand store opening at Kings Plaza in Brooklyn Friday, May 27, 2016. @Samsung837 every Sunday at 11:00am is Yoga by Wanderlust. June is such a busy month: June 2 is a Bridal Evening at Bloomingdales from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. June 3 is a Pit Bull concert part of GMA Summer Concerts Series June 6-12, 2016 Williamsburg, Brooklyn is turned into the SWSX when for four days all of Williamsburg has the most creative and innovative minds descend badges are still on sale at northsidefestival.com This year Rebecca and Uri Minkoff will be discussing Fashion Innovation. Amazon's CTO will be discussing the latest trends in technology. Of course there is an extra day devoted to content. And if that doesn't keep you in sync... Our friends @TheThreeDay Rule along with Glamour Magazine is sponsoring an Night of Beauty June 16 and Hudson Terrace. General Ad

Real Lemonade: Nicky the Brow Lady

No, we didn't get an interview with Beyonce! But, we did have a chance to meet the most inspiring women in the beauty business "The Brow Lady." This weekend an esthetician named Nicky did a pop- up shop for Eyebrows in NYC. While speaking to Nicky, I wanted to know what made her solely focus on eyebrows. She informed me that she was a West Coast make up artists for a major movie studio, until her mother and aunt had breast cancer at different times of her life. Nicky notice that eyebrows are the first thing that a person loses when they are under going chemotherapy. She wanted both her mom and aunt to feel special so, she rededicated her craft to eyebrows. Nicky works her magic by not only giving all women that perfect shaped brow, but  if a person wants tattoo eyebrows she is highly skilled in that, her unique technique allows her to use mircofibers to give a woman that perfect shaped brow, which last two years. Nicky has launched her own eyebrow kit, which include

Likes and Followers Doesn't Matter

Most people when I say that I am a blogger, and we get to speaking, they want to know how many Unique Views, Twitter Followers, Instagram, and the list goes on.... In the early days of me applying to every accelerator program there was, I noticed bloggers who only had a blog for less than a year with 7 million views and 100,000 Twitter followers. My analytic side said that this was not quite right, so as I saw the early bloggers rise and endorsement deals pour in, they did not translate this into in store sales or book purchases. Why??? It really doesn't matter the followers, but the quality of followers, and the articles that are being posted. If you have 10 Followers and all are a major media company, Saks, Bill Gates, and Stanford, then those Followers are equal to 10 million. More than likely you will have a better sales with those than if you would a large followers. Just remember that when you are looking to hire a blogger and besides to include that in your media blog

Beauty Spot: Prepping for Summer

We found some really amazing products that you can all find to give you that glow. Sally Hensen: Air Brush Legs If you are like me who has some bruised legs but likes to wear shorts and dresses in the Spring and Summer. This product is for YOU. It gives amazing coverage and blends well. Khiel's Vitamin C and Midnight Recovery: Can't afford laser treatments. If used consistently these two products along with sleep will give you amazing results after 4 weeks of consistent use. Dream Dry They have an amazing product that covers all the gray hair with looking very natural. It is amazing and you can go light and it still will cover the gray. Nails: Lavender is truly the color of the season for nail polish. It's neutral enough, but gives you that pop of color that is not distracting. Lips: Neutrogena has made some wonderful chubby lipsticks that are amazing. Carmel Red Berry Dark Plum These lipsticks give a more polished look, with a hint of color, so if you are at

Food Friday: Tamale Pie

We're back!!! So is Foodie Friday, today we are cooking tamale pie. First Step: Brown Turkey Meat in a skillet with olive oil, garlic, and Latin Adobo seasoning. Drain and rinse one can of kidney beans stir in skillet and allow that to marry of the heat. Second Step: Corn Batter 1. 1/2 cup of Masa 2. 1 can of Sweet Corn 3. 2 cups of Unsweetened Coconut Milk Blend my hand until it is of a soupy consistency. Take a baking dish put the ground meat and bean mixture in the bottom of the dish. Pour the corn batter over the ground meat mixture. Bake at 350 degrees until corn mixture is half cooked at 20 min. Then sprinkle sharp cheddar and gueyre cheese bake for another 15 minutes. Serve hot with a salad. And a glass of Sangria. Cheers to Cinco de Mayo weekend dinner or brunch.

The Social Good and Goods of Business

The other day I went to an interesting panel discussion on how businesses can reach Millennials to incorporate technology and social good. Truth is Millennials are more socially responsible and aware than many marketing executives believe. This is a generation that was taught critical thinking skills at a very early age. They were exposed to an actual war 9-11 was real and was a war. Gen X might have had Cold War drills, but that never happened. Millennials are more health conscious, we have had a 12 year campaign to end obesity. Many of them are now home cooks, they demand transparency in the food chain and won't eat GMO foods. Also, Millennials just were made aware of bullying and are intolerant of inappropriate sexual advances from either sex. Millennials still can't figure out why therey cousins who are black are being killed by police who are white and they are white. Now back to entrepreneurs who are Millilenials, Facebook was started to connect people together afte

ARROJO Salons: A Beauty Must !

Remember that TLC show "What Not To Wear" It was my Friday night staple as Clinton, Stacey, Nick and Carmindy transformed people into frummy to age appropriate amazing! We know Clinton is on The Chew, Stacy, has her own show and does The View Deals and Steals segment, Carmindy, launched her own beauty line, but.... Whatever happened to Nick Arrojo? The amazing hairstylist that knows all hair textures and how to make anyone's hair look like a million. In November, I went to Fashionista beauty and fashion conference, which was excellent. In the swag bag, there was the most amazing Dry Shampoo from Arrojo, thought nothing of the name, until NOW! I am coming from a conference and in bold letters ARROJO Studio I walk in and it is Nick Arrojo happy doing a client's hair. As he finished one client, he happily met with another and took a question from a staff member. I was so impressed because Mr. Arrojo looked so happy and blissful. The receptionist told me he is alwa

Serious Game Changer in HR

Recently, I read an article from a HR manager in a reputable business magazine. This person said they can spot a liar, instantly because: 1. A candidates education does not match their current experience. 2. A candidate doesn't fit the type that would come from that school. 3. A candidate doesn't have the years in a particular field that would match the job description. Okay I have to stop. In 2008 when the markets for finance and consulting literally bottomed out. 1. Many people with advanced degrees had to learn new skills set for new digital economy. Look for transferable skills-- financial management, team work, negotiation skills, who they partnered with in the past. 2. Digital, Social and Content Marketing are less than 10 years old. In fact Facebook just turned 12. So job specs or hiring managers can't demand a candidate to have over 10 years experience in a field that just turned 10. 3. What does a fit from a particular school mean, I was at a professional

How to Deal with Workplace Stress

Everyone has experienced some type of workplace stress. In these days every seems angry and ready to pop off, even when I went for vitamin shots. So, how do keep your cool and not let things get to you especially on the job. 1. Realize that YOU are not the founder of the company. 2. Your job does not compromise your identity. We are very skilled and talented beyond the 8 hours we give to our employers. 3. Compartmentalize your life, these are my co workers who I share a mutual employer with, these are not my therapist, BFF's, future husbands, wives, etc. 4. Develop relationships with people outside your work environment, even outside your industry, so your stress is minimal. 5. Never take business decisions personal, it is just that business. Businesses are designed to make money and maximize profits. 6. After every layoff downsizing, say thank God, you are moving closer to your purpose. When I graduated from graduate school in 2006, I found myself out of a job by 2008 bec

Why Less Is More

When I tried the latest beauty trends such as strobe and highlights, with blue eye shadow and pink hair extensions, This what I got.... 1. Face rash from all that foundation, primer and blush and highlights. 2. Blue eyeshadow, a lot of laughs. 3. Pink hair extensions, or clip ons, some asking me if I was into magic. When I didn't where any of that stuff: 1. My face cleared up. 2. Eyes were simple, eyeliner  or mascara. 3. Simple nude lip gloss with a slight shimmer. 4. Natural hair color The results: 1. Felt better about myself. 2. No one laughing. 3. More people were attracted to me. 4. Better business offers. What I learned??? 1.Most people who wear excessive make up are seen as insecure and having some thing to hide. 2. Most trends should not be tried by people who have extremely sensitive skin, such as myself. 3. Make Up even drugstore brands are expensive! 4. Experimental trends are great to try once and while, but know your industry and the people that you