When I tell you these natural hair products have me all the way in love with my natural hair believe me. To be honest I never really knew what I was about to get myself into when I decided to go natural ….and I have my business WrapQueen to thank for that. If you are new around these parts then.. Hi my name is Kelly and I am a business owner. We sell head wraps and apparel. When I started WrapQueen I had to promote daily so that meant I wore a headwrap daily which worked but I started neglecting my permed hair underneath my wraps.
One day I decided to stop perming my hair since I was covering it anyway and just go natural. Funny story is I always admired girls with natural hair and had an entire pinterest board dedicated to it. But I struggled to find the right natural hair products and let me tell you it wasn’t fun until I found these gems. They have helped made wash day so easy for me that I actually look forward to it…well not necessarily haha but you get it. LOL. I do love seeing my hair growth.
Now let’s get into these products.
The Aloe & Coconut water Pre-Shampoo is everything. My hair has so much slip it always looks great too, super moisturized and hydrated and super detangled. This single product has cut my wash time in half.
TGIN Honey Miracle Mask. Honestly, this product will have your hair feeling like butter, literally melting in your hands.
Mielle Pomegranate Leave-In Conditioner & Shea Moisture Strengthen & restore Leave-In. I love both as they are super hydrating and make my hair so strong.
Wild Growth Hair Oil. This was totally unexpected as I don’t use this oil religiously but “mehnnn” does it work.
24-Hour Edge Tamer. This one is a fave “chef’s kiss” your edges “it won’t move” hahaha; and lasts all day. Just be sure to tie it down with a scarf so the gel can dry.
Are you looking to stay stylish and on-trend this winter without breaking the bank? Look no further than the classic sweater dress and over the knee boots. This winter fashion staple can take any outfit from not to hot in no time! Whether you want to dress it up for a night out or dress it down for a casual lunch date, you can look like a million bucks with just a few simple styling tips. Read on to find out how to style your sweater dress and over the knee boots on a budget.
Well before we get into it, let’s talk about my dress that I’ve had for awhile and I love it. I keep finding new ways to wear it which literally made the hubbz ask me; “Is that New”? lol. We’ve been having some warmer days this Winter and your girl has been taking total advantage of that. What I love about wearing a sweater dress is that it always gives cozy meet sexy and your outfit almost always looks more expensive than it actually is, and we are always here for that. Another thing I love about wearing sweater dresses is that you can eat as much as you want and no one will ever know; so let that tummy be relaxed girl hahaha; unless you are going for a more fitted sweater dress.
When it comes to finding the right sweater dress on a budget, there are so many options to choose from. If you’re looking for something more affordable, try looking in stores like H&M and Zara. You can find great options that won’t break the bank. For more of an investment piece, try browsing department stores or high-end boutiques.
The first thing you may look for in a sweater dress is the neckline, try to figure out which looks more flattering on your body type. Do you prefer a turtle neck style dress or do you prefer more of a V-neck to show cleavage, a V-neck universally looks good on just about anyone. It helps to elongate your body and draws attention to your beautiful face.
The next thing you want to do when looking for a sweater dress is find the perfect shape for your body. Do you prefer a more roomy- loose dress? Do you want it to be a more fitted, longer or shorter style dress? Do you need the waist to be cinched in? Which you can always achieve with a wrap style sweater dress or you can simply do so with a blazer, jacket or a belt.
The next thing you want to look for is the fabric weight and knit. You may prefer a thinner sweater dress or a bulkier look like the one I’m wearing. I honestly love both for different occasions. So in Summary keep in mind the neckline, shape, fabric weight, and knit of the dress as these are key features that will help you find the perfect piece for you!
When it comes to boots or shoes in general the shoe simply has to be comfortable, can I walk around all day or just for several hours? Because let’s face it, if the boots are uncomfy you’re not going to wear them. So be sure to shop from brands that pride themselves in comfort. For example; if you have a wide foot a narrowed toe isn’t going to feel good.
The next thing you want to be sure of is the shoe size; especially for over the knee boots. When choosing your boots, pay close attention to the size of your legs and ankles in order to look flattering. If you have wider calves, look for boots made specifically for wide calves. Boots also stretch so if you buy them loose they will only loosen further. These boots I’m wearing are from Steve Madden. I’m a huge fan of their boots so I always look there first. Be sure to pay close attention to the material. When buying boots, I recommend a leather option as leather is tight, lasts longer and it also stretches.
Ohhh can’t forget this one, when shopping for over-the-knee boots always pay close attention to the heel. The wrong heel can be very uncomfortable. So look for a heel height that is more suitable for you. Lastly, be sure that the boots you’re shopping for as arch support.
Okay there you have it, I hope this post has convinced you to go out and invest in a sweater dress. Sweater dresses are cute and feminine. They will always be in style because of their knit material. You can take it day to night and most importantly it looks good on women of any body shape and age. WIN! WIN!
IslandChic77 is a blog/website where Kelly shares her knowledge and love for all things fashion, beauty, family, and health. She was born in Jamaica and raised in NYC, giving her an eclectic Caribbean-infused fashion sense.
Are you a fan of everything bagels and lox? If so, you’ll love this easy-to-follow recipe for the best lox bagel ever! I’ve been craving it lately and decided to make it. Whether you’re in the mood for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this lox bagel will satisfy all your cravings. With just a few simple ingredients, you can make a delicious, flavorful lox bagel that’s sure to become a staple in your kitchen. So what are you waiting for? Get your lox on and make the best lox bagel recipe ever!
Servings 3
Ingredients:
.3 Everything Bagels
.1 (8oz) pack cream cheese, softened
. 1/2 red onion sliced thinly
.1 Tbsp capers {adjust to taste}
.1 Tbsp Fresh dill, chopped {adjust to taste}
.Black Pepper
.1 Cucumber, sliced Thinly
. 1 Medium sized tomato, sliced
. 8 slices smoked salmon
. Drizzle of olive oil
. Chopped Scallion
Cream Cheese
The Cream Cheese I used was from Trader Joe’s and it was delicious. This tangy, creamy spread is the perfect companion for any lox bagel! To finish off the cream cheese, I added some chives, dill, capers, and a dash of freshly squeezed lemon juice to give the cream cheese an extra kick of flavor. To spread the cream cheese on the bagel, use a butter knife to evenly distribute the cream cheese onto both halves of the bagel. Once the cream cheese has been evenly spread, add some of the chives, dill, and capers for additional flavor and texture! After the cream cheese has been added, the bagel is ready for the next step – adding the lox!
Lox
The lox we had was delicious. it was also bought from Trader Joe’s; we had the smoked salmon lox, which is always a good choice when making bagels with lox. Trader Joe’s has a pretty huge selection.
Capers
The capers we used were from Trader Joe’s as well. I loved adding it to my lox. It provided the right amount of flavor. It was extremely yummy. If you don’t like capers, feel free to omit them or try a different garnish like chives, tomatoes, or red onions.
Red Onions
Red onion is an essential part of making the lox. It’s not complete without it. You’ll want to slice up a medium-sized red onion and mix it in with your lox and cream cheese spread. Not only will this add color and crunch to your bagel, but it also enhances the flavor. If you don’t care for raw onions feel free to give the onions a quick sauté before adding them to your bagel; this will help soften them and bring out their flavor.
How are you guys?! Happy new year can’t believe we are in 2023. Another year older sigh lol I swear when you were a little kid time moved so slowly; I used to pray for birthdays and now I’m like slow down slow down, and I hate the fact that my Lil baby boy is getting older too like why is he 13 this year…anyway I digress. As much as I love color, black & white will always be a classic look. It never fails. We got some good weather recently so I took advantage and let me tell you it felt great. Love the touches of gold with this look so freaking lush!
We took these pix super fast as it was a huge line in front of the Chanel store. After the pix we went to do our favorite thing; eattttt lol. We drove to Brooklyn to our fave poke spot and headed home. Yall know poke is the way to my heart.
What I wore:
Pants sold out; love this one {Here} {Here} {Here}
Okay so by now it’s pretty clear I have an obsession with peplum tops… It’s super feminine and flattering. I love that it can be dressed up or dressed down. I’ll be wearing it next time with denim jeans. I also love that it’s black; black is always chic and classy so whenever in doubt always go with black. Oooh I also love the super cute and unexpected shoulders.
Detailed tops/ statement tops are closet staples, why? because you can always pull it out in a pinch and be confident that you will look great every time.
I decided to go with a pop of color with my headwrap to spice up the look a little …because who am I without color? The neon green seemed perfect. I especially love this look for the holidays, simple yet makes a statement.
Oh and in case you are wondering where my bag is, I forgot it at home smh; I was so upset, sigh…it was my brown clutch LV bag. We were trying to head out before the sun set and totally forgot. If you want to try this look you can always go with a nude bag, brown, black or a clear bag like my heels.
We are in the last month of the year ahhhhhh how did we get here; can someone please explain? I just can’t understand how fast this year is going; anyway I digress because I can seriously go on and on about it gohhh.
The hubz and I took a trip into the city and we had a great time. We actually went to do a Lil bit of shopping and pick up West Indian groceries; that I cannot find where I live. We picked up oxtails, scotch bonnet pepper, pigtail, and JA snacks for Xavier. We then decided to take a few pictures which were my fave part of the trip. It felt so good being out there the sun was shining and the weather was amazing.
I finally got to wear my jeans from ASOS, you guys I purchased it back in March and finally wearing it now; thank god it still fit, I knew I wanted to do an all black look with a pop of red and I had the perfect coat to go with the look….and surpriseeee I’m not wearing a headwrap:)
Makeup Primer is what goes on before your foundation. A makeup primer is going to make sure your makeup doesn’t slip and slide. Invest in a good makeup primer, ladies. My favorite is from the brand Milk Makeup and Elf.
Setting Powder:
A setting powder is very necessary; it’s what helps your makeup to in fact set. However you don’t have to set/bake for a long time, just enough to be sure your makeup stays put. I love Laura Mercier and Huda Beauty.
Setting Spray:
The setting spray is a crucial part to your makeup routine, it’s basically the finishing touch. Your setting spray is what’s going to give your makeup that air brush look that we all love and your makeup will last for hours. I swear by the setting spray from Urban Decay.
Let me know in the comments what your holy grail products are.
Kelly
IslandChic77 is a blog/website where Kelly shares her knowledge and love for all things fashion, beauty, family, and health. She was born in Jamaica and raised in NYC, giving her an eclectic Caribbean-infused fashion sense.
You already know what I’m going to say right? right? How the heck is next week Thanksgiving lord help me. I really need this year to slow tf down because why are you in a rush? I have so much to do in so little time and when I say my anxiety is at a peak believe me ok. Plus it’s so much colder now and I’m not ready. It was all good about a week ago when the weather was 6o here and I definitely felt cute wearing this top, and was happy the world got to see as I did not need a coat.
I literally fell in love with this top at first sight but I was in between this top and this one {Here} both from Express… This black peplum top was adorable and loved it but when I tried on this faux leather one I’m wearing it was like… yes… this is the one. It’s so much more beautiful in person and soft to the touch. I’m obsessed. I may or may not wear it again to an influencer event next week.
I love dainty tops especially when they are peplum. It’s so feminine; I knew I was going to pair it with jeans to balance out the look. And Ummm can we talk about the puff sleeves…I’m in love.
After we were done with the shoot, I had to return an amazon package to the USPS store; then stopped at the supermarket dressed like this hahaha. I indeed got stares; as I live in the burbs and nobody I repeat nobody walks around looking like this. Oh and I may or may not have done a Lil dance while in the supermarket hahaha.
This bag is super cute, and a great size to put all your essentials inside. What I love about this bag is that you can dress it up or down depending on the occasion, I would definitely wear it with jeans like the model with over-the-knee boots. {Here}
So I’m going to start posting your weekly top faves all in one spot so you guys can always come back for reference. The weekly top will consist of all the top purchases based on my recommendations that you guys love. This will be a great way for you guys to check out what others are currently liking or obsessing over. Okay; so since we cleared that up let’s jump right in shall we?
This coat was a huge seller this week. I’m not surprised as each time I’ve posted it you guys go crazy. I honestly love the color and the oversized look. Such a chic coat that can be a great addition to your closet. The one posted sizes are sold out linked similar {Here} Other colors {Here}
Black peplum top
I recently visited the Express store and came across this black top that screamed my name. It was chic and girly and the fact that it was black and the quality was amazing gave it a 10 in my book. I shared it on my IG stories as I loved it so much and to my surprise, many of you loved it too. Oh and if you’re not following me over on IG then you should run:)
OVER-THE-KNEE Boots
This was a banger this week for obvious reasons, A nice pair of over the knee boots should be a staple in your closet; especially if you experience both Fall and the Winter season.
Yankee Cap
I’m never surprised when I see this item weekly as a top fave from you guys. As much as I love my head wraps. I do love a good NY fitted cap. It compliments so many outfits plus it’s a good way to hide your hair on not-so-good hair days. I’m currently drooling over the beige color {Here} next on my list.
Bottega Veneta Dupe
Ahhhh I posted this stunner on my IG feed and you all went crazy so many Dm’s about this. Listen; I was just as shook when I received it- couldn’t believe how great it looked in person and the fact that it was prime was a WIN okay…
Gold Chunky Necklace
I was so happy when I saw a few of you purchase this item; as I promised you guys that I would be on the hunt for a nice gold chunky necklace- and this one didn’t disappoint.
Sunscreen
This was super random but a lot of you picked this up and I couldn’t be happier as it’s one of my faves and a part of my daily regimen.
Thanks for reading and I can’t wait to see what makes the list next week.
Love Uzzz,
Thanks for reading let me know what you think in the comments section below.
Kelly
IslandChic77 is a blog/website where Kelly shares her knowledge and love for all things fashion, beauty, family, and health. She was born in Jamaica and raised in NYC, giving her an eclectic Caribbean-infused fashion sense.
