Kickin' It: Kmart Fashion Remix Challenge

A few weeks back, the lovely folks at Kmart invited me to their Tribeca studio to take part in the Kmart Fashion #MoneyCantBuyStyle Remix Challenge. Hosted by fashion expert and Fashion Police co-host George Kotsiopoulos, each blogger invited was asked to create a head-to-toe look using the Jaclyn Smith utility shirt and either pieces from the Kmart wardrobe or pieces of your own.

We were allowed to pick from any of the colors above. Given my obsession with turquoise, I opted for the solid one!

There were alot of really fun options to choose from. Everything from patterned pants to bright-colored skinny jeans. To truly display my personal style, I decided to stick with the leather mini-dress I wore to the event and layer that with the Jaclyn Smith utility shirt and a fun neon pink Bongo crossbody bag.

The photos for the event were taken by famed photographer Chris Heads. He's awesome, I felt like a superstar!

Me being silly! He told me to show off my cool henna forearm tattoo. So much fun!

I had a blast at Kmart's Remix Challenge. Considering I've never been a fan of Kmart's style selections, I have to say that going to the Remix Challenge really opened up my eyes to all the cool pieces they have to offer these days. Everything from staples like oxfords and denim skinnies, to patterned tops and stylish mini-dresses. Kudos to them for upping the style factor and keeping it affordable for budget fashionistas nationwide.

To take the #MoneyCantBuyStyle challenge yourself (and for the chance to win a $500 shopping spree   or Grand Prize trip to NYC) enter HERE at Kmart's Facebook Page.

Shop Kmart Fashion | Follow Kmart updates 

Have you shopped at Kmart lately? What was your experience?

LoveBrownSugar Chic: One Dress From Work to Play

For the fashionista who lives a professional lifestyle from 9-5, and an active social life after hours, finding the perfect piece to make the transition from work to happy hour seamless is no easy feat. If this sounds like you, a tailored dress in a a great color and a figure-flattering shape will do the trick. Check out how I take this Casey Peplum Dress ($178.00) from Ivy & Blu Maggy Boutique, from work to play:

The Work Look

Depending on how corporate your office is, a simple well-tailored peplum dress is a great option for girls with curves. What's great about a dress like this is its versatility. You can wear it under a suit jacket or just by itself. The ruffle detailing on the front makes it unique and the v-shaped neckline is flattering without being too revealing for the office.

Pair the look with simple, yet functional accessories like black pumps (Steve Madden, similar here for only $42) and a leather carryall (Zara, similar here). Makeup is minimal with a lined eye and a neutral lip!

The Play Look

To spice things up for nighttime, pack a change of shoes and your favorite statement clutch.

Adding in a bright-colored clutch and printed peep-toe heels takes the look from corporate to cocktail.

As for makeup, I added a matching pink lip - MAC's Girl About Town ($15), to complete the look.

Dress c/o Ivy & Blu Maggy Boutique ($178.00) | Shoes: Nine West (similar here) | Clutch: Nordstrom Rack (similar here) | Watch c/o Caravelle by Bulova | Cuff c/o Stella & Dot | Lips: MAC "Girl About Town"

How do YOU take your work look from day to night? Leave a style tip in the comments section.

Get The Look:

Steal Her Chic: Model Nazanin Mandi at Billboard Music Awards

The first step to overcoming an addiction is admitting to having a problem, and Nazanin Mandi stylishly contributing to our leather obsession is SO not helping. Spotted at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas with her long time love & musical sensation Miguel Jontel Pimentel (we just had to put his full government in there, has a ring to it) she was rocking a simple leather tube top and Saint Laurent chain-trimmed leather mini skirt complimenting her shape and personal edgy style.

Showing so much skin has never looked so minimal and tasteful. She topped her look off with silver ankle strapped heels. We loved this look because it was edgy, yet appropriate. Not to mention her flawless natural make-up. 2 snaps and a twirl! The skirt alone was over $2,000, but you all know how we do it here, ballin' on a fab LBS budget. Steal her chic? Why not if you can get it for less and still feel good about your pockets. Hover over the links below to shop the look:

Would you wear this look for a night out?

- Gracie J

Instaweek 5.21.13

Back In Action

I'm back guys! After spending the good part of last week in San Juan, I was pleasantly surprised to return to beautiful sunny weather here in NYC. I had such a great time relaxing (and working!) beachside. San Juan is a beautiful city. This week, look out for a full review of places to eat, sleep & play in San Juan.

All About Hair 

First off, can we talk about how Solange SLAYED her Complex Magazine shoot. That girl looks flawless!

Speaking of hair, I'm still going strong with my Indique Mix & Match curly look! I posted a video back when I was prepping for LBS at Coachella, and these curls seem to get better with every wash. I'm currently planning my summer look. Contemplating box braids once again. We'll see!

New Products I Love

I was invited to Brush Salon in NYC last week for a launch event featuring John Frieda Styling Tools by Conair. When it comes to styling your hair, the tools can really make or break your look. John Frieda by Conair has a new line of styling tools including a flat-iron, a hairdryer and a hot air brush that use advance ionic technology to prevent frizzies, especially good for curly-haired gals like myself. I used the blowdryer to on my curls with the diffuser attachement and it revealed the beautiful head of hair you see above. I'm sold!

Ann Taylor LOFT invited me to their Summer Fridays launch party last week and revealed the newest pieces from their summer collection - amazing stuff! I scored the lace minidress above, and I'm also obsessed with a tribal print jumpsuit that isn't coming out until July. I don't normally shop at LOFT but their new collection definitely gives me a reason to make a faithful return.

Like I promised in last week's Instaweek, I finally did a review of MAC RiRi Woo and compared it side by side with my fave Ruby Woo. Check out the results here.

I hope you lovelies have a wonderful week! Any plans for Memorial Day weekend?

LBS Beauty Review: MAC RiRi Woo vs. Ruby Woo

You guys remember how hyped I was for the release of bad gyal Rihanna's very first lipstick collaboration with MAC Cosmetics, right? I practically had my shopping cart ready to go 24 hours before the grand premiere. I was one of the lucky hopefuls who scored a stick of Rihanna's MAC RiRi Woo greatness before it sold out online only hours before going on sale.

As a red lipstick fanatic, I'm obsessed with finding new ones to try and obsess over. And now that I have RiRi Woo in my beauty arsenal, here's a snapshot of the main differences I see between RiRi Woo and my absolute fave MAC Ruby Woo. Check out the review below:

So upon first glance, RiRi Woo looks VERY similar to MAC's classic Ruby Woo. It's a matte, highly pigmented red that works for a myriad of skin complexions. That's what drew me to the color originally - so many recommendations from women of different shades.

Looking at them side by side from afar they look basically identical. On the left is MAC RiRi Woo and on the right is my highly-used (I literally wear it almost daily) Ruby Woo stick.

Upon closer inspection though, you'll notice that RiRi Woo has a deeper tint with more bluish undertones. This works perfect for skin shades that are deeper because the color really comes through with a bold finish. Here's a swatch of the two on my skin:

Top: RiRi Woo, Bottom: Ruby Woo

Here you can see against my skin that RiRi Woo (top) is a little deeper with a bluish base. It has more of a sultry night-time feel to it.

 Next up, I took pictures in both colors. Here's how they look on (don't mind me coloring outside the lines lol):

Very subtle difference between the two that's barely noticeable but there's a difference for sure. So for those of you wondering which one works best for you (or whether to splurge on RiRi Woo once it comes back out later this summer), here's a snapshot of what they look like.

Wearing MAC Ruby Woo

I'm still obsessed with my Ruby Woo. I don't think anything can separate me from my first love.

Wearing MAC RiRi Woo

But I'll be rocking out with Rihanna's namesake this summer as well. I'll probably alternate between the two. For you lovelies of different skin complexions, here are links to some of my favorite fellow bloggers doing reviews of Ruby Woo vs. RiRi Woo debate:

For deeper-skinned beauties, check out Danielle of Style & Beauty Doctor 

The Glamazons also have a review featuring Glamazons Jessica and Margo

Caramel-skinned beauties, check out Melanie of OSoChic's review

Olive-skinned ladies, check out Marisa of You Had Me at Makeup

Would you purchase RiRi Woo? What are your red lip faves? Soundoff below!

LBS Salon Review: Mirror Salon at Carol's Daughter in Harlem

I first stepped into the Mirror Salon at the Carol's Daughter flagship in Harlem, NY with the expectation that it would be wildly similar to many other hair salons I'd been to. You know how it is - salon chairs, hooded dryers and stylists. Very simple. Upon walking into the Mirror Salon however, you quickly come to realize there's way more to this salon than meets the eye. 

From the attentive salon hostess to the stylists that not only make it a point to know your hair goals and challenges but actually educate you on the condition of your hair and the steps necessary to get it at its best. Oh, and don't forget about the enchanting mirrors above and below that reassure you that stylists are focusing on your hair's health and doing it in a transparent way.

Check out my experience at the Mirror Salon:

Walking into the Carol's Daughter flagship in Harlem has always been an enchanting experience for me. What makes it even more beautiful now is the hair oasis that is waiting for you towards the back of the location, now equipped with hair stylists who specialize in curls and kinks.

Your treatment at the Mirror Salon starts off with a thorough consultation. Before they even touch your hair, they make it their mission to find out as much about your hair as possible. They have you fill out a questionnaire about your hair challenges, your hair goals and your hair type. They focus on finding out your hair's porosity as well as texture before recommending a hair treatment and regimen for you. I found out I have high porosity curls with a cotton texture.

My wonderful stylist Tlisha did a thorough evaluation of my scalp and hair and then told me what she planned to do for my hair including a cleansing, deep conditioning treatment and a twist set using Carol's Daughter products.

I love that they have mirrors in the ceiling right above the wash/treatment chairs so you can see everything your stylist is doing, from the products they use to the techniques they implement.

After my shampoo, Tlisha had me sit under the steamer for a deep moisturizing treatment. She explained the benefits of steam treatments to me in locking in essential moisturizing properties for the hair.

After my steam treatment, Tlisha went to work detangling my hair from root to tip in sections.

Next up, she twisted my hair (both my natural curls and my Indique extensions) using the Macadamia Heat Setting Foam ($18.00). She sat me under the hooded dryer for about 30 minutes but since I had to skip out to run some errands, I just allowed the rest of the hair to air dry out and about. See my results below:

Here are my two-strand twists before unraveling!

They are flat twists at the crown and then two-strand twisted at the ends. This really helped with curl definition!

Love how defined the curls came out!

Overall I'm thoroughly pleased with my Mirror Salon experience. It was by far one of the best salon experiences I've ever had. From the warm atmosphere, to the seasoned stylists and the personalized service, I would recommend this for anyone who wants a really educating and luxurious hair pampering session.

Here's a snapshot of the services offered & prices:

If you're in the NYC area, head on over to the Mirror Salon and tell 'em LoveBrownSugar sent you! Also, for those of you in other major cities in the US, stay tuned for announcements as Carol's Daughter has plans to open up a few more locations nationwide before the end of the year!

Mirror Salon at Carol's Daughter

24 West 125th St (between 5th & Lenox Ave)

New York, NY 10027

212-828-6757

Disclosure: The Mirror Salon provided me with a complimentary hair service for this review. As always, all opinions expressed herein are mine and not reflective of the company.

5 Ways to Protect Curls from Sun & Heat Damage

Aren't you guys extremely excited about how warm the weather has been?! On a scale of 1 to 10 we're at 20 right now - that is until it gets too unbearable to part from the AC. As the temperature rises, we are continuously reminded of how important it is to protect our skin and sunscreen becomes a top priority.

While putting all the focus on our skin, we tend to overlook protecting one of our most valued assets - our hair! The sun can cause just as much damage to your tresses as excessive ironing and blow-drying.

Here are 5 ways to protect your hair from sun and heat damage while stylishly weathering the elements:

1. Turban It Up: Take advantage of the turban trend. It will keep the sun from deep frying your hair. Just wear a silk bonnet underneath and you're set! There are no limits to which colors and patterns you can rock. Need a little inspiration? Stylists June Ambrose & Joy Adaeze are known for their turban-wear.

2. Hats Off To Ya: As curly girls we tend to make excuses as to why we aren't able to wear hats. Newsflash ladies! Natural hair artist Janelle Monae knows how to rock a hat or two. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. A cute bowler hat or any hat of your choice will shade your hair and prevent any unwanted crispy split ends.

3. That's A Wrap: You don't have to completely tuck it all in. Head wraps are hassle free, cute, and simple. This method keeps your hair out of the way and can also serve as an alternative to sprucing up an old hairdo. Just make sure the exposed hair is well moisturized and sealed with a natural sunscreen.

4. Betcha didn't know! Avocado, Sesame, Jojoba, Coconut and Macadamia Nut oils are all natural sunscreens. Stumped?! Yeah, we were too. If you're not into the whole head-wear shabang, this little piece of info will go a long way.

5. Gimme Moisture: Natural Hair Care 101: Moisture is your hair's best friend. Keeping your hair moisturized is crucial, especially in hotter & drier weather. It's simple, use your favorite H2O-based leave-in or moisturizer and seal in with one of the oils listed above.

Snag our cheatsheet below so you don't forget!

How do you protect your curls? Soundoff below!

- Gracie J