Electric Pop Smoky Eye

Earlier this week, I debuted a cute make up look that I will the "Electric Pop Smoky Eye" make up look.  This look features an electric blue smokey eyelid highlighted with metallic silver brow and fuchsia accent streaks below the lower eyelid to create this electric simple look.  This look was very easy to create and I had a great time being adventurous and playing with a variety of color combinations on my eyes, lips, and face.

The Look

Eyes! Which one is your favorite?

It's been a while since I've written a post (as per usual; oh the life of a busy grad student), but today I finally got around to and was inspired to share with you some of my recent personal projects revolving around photography, fashion, inner and outer beauty, and my spiritual faith in God.

Today, I would like to share a few collages I made of me developing my photography skills, experimenting with light make up, and manifesting the light in my life from within me. I had a fun time practicing, and as I grow as a photographer, I hope to showcase the beauty of the people around me.   Here it goes for Eyes!

My Favorite Fashion Colors

If you check out my Tumblr blog, you will notice that amongst all the random techy-, home design-, and faith-based things that I reblog, I like and reblog many photos of fashion ensembles.  You can take your wardrobe wherever you want if you have the following colors in your palette: Teal, Fuschia, Coral, Merlot, Grey, Green (Lime), Turquoise, Mustard, Neutral (Beige, Gold, Tans, Browns).

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the photos presented in this blog post, but you can find the original source by clicking on the links below each category.

Clothes are a powerful tool for displaying your personality and geting your point across without saying a word. It does not matter what you wear or how much you wear, but how you wear it. Confidence is everything. As long as you feel comfortable in the skin you're in, use clothes to accentuate your inner and outer beauty.

What are your favorite fashion colors?

Teal: soft, delicate, and serene

Sources: Teal 1, Teal 2, Teal 3

Embrace Your Body

Today, I decided to message the owner of a blog that I follow on my Tumblr called CurvesInColor.  What prompted me to message him was the realization that I had a change in perspective in how I view the beauty of people, the human body, in different forms (sizes, shapes, colors, ethnicities, etc.).  It's just very interesting how so society perceived nudity to be so wrong, when in reality we were born this way.  It's all about perspective and how it is placed in context.  Here is the message I sent and the response I received tonight.  The response was so heartwarming.

My Message to Curves in Color:

Hi, I just wanted to express that I appreciate the way that you present women of all shapes, sizes, and colors in their truest & most candid forms. It definitely takes a lot of courage to post things that most would view or interpret as obscene. That's where the problem lies. Honestly, it's all about perspective. To be honest, when I first saw your blog, I was a bit startled, because 1) I hadn't really seen images like yours so frequently, 2) I didn't know where you were coming from or what you were trying to portray, 3) and I had a few insecurities of my own that hadn't yet been addressed. After taking some time to look within and examine the root issue, I realized that what's considered "acceptable" is determined by how I view things. The world is not filled completely with negative people who degrade others. I'm just very happy that I can see past what looks unacceptable to others and admire the true essence of beauty as you have presented in your blog. Thank you for providing an outlet for inspiration and admiration of women who look like me.

Response from Curves in Color:

First and foremost I’m moved and humbled by your kind words Maleshia. I also appreciate and want to thank you for supporting the blog. I started this blog because when I joined Tumblr I didn’t see images of real black women or women of color period. I didn’t see stretch marks, textured afro’s, big thighs, and eccentric and eclectic style that I know and love about women of color. I’m from Texas, but I live in Brooklyn and I wanted to create a space that promoted and celebrated all things that’s considered negative by the mainstream. I post raw and real images of women that I believe to be beautiful. I catch a lot of heat for doing so, but people forget that it’s natural and GOD like to be naked in our skins. That’s why we are all born nude. Somewhere on this planet there is a girl with dark skin that she dislikes, somewhere there is a woman with wide hips, somewhere out there is a very skinny young lady with curly hair. Somewhere is a woman that’s a size 22, the point of this blog is to act as a stage of beauty for dark skin, thick hips, big lips and everything in between. So that if any of those lovely women may pass this blog, they will know that they are celebrated to the highest power by individuals that love their beautiful dark skin, thick hips, big lips and everything in between.
— curvesincolor

Check out the blog for yourself and tell me what you think.