My natural curls didn't always look like this. Heck who am I kidding? There are still times when my natural curls are my worst nightmare. However, the past few months, they have been a breeze to work with and have really made me begin to question why I was flat ironing my hair for so many years.
So here is an easy way to get full and soft bouncy curls (without any heat) with your natural hair.
(The styling products that I use for my curls)
First, make sure that you cleanse your hair with a Co-Wash Conditioning Cleanser. For the past few months, I've been using the Coconut & Hibiscus Co-Wash Conditioning Cleanser from SheaMoisture which helps to remove any build up and gives my hair the satisfaction of a shampoo wash without stripping my hair of its natural oils and still moisturizes my curls.
After cleansing my hair, I normally let it air dry and depending on how much time I have I may let it air dry for an hour to overnight before installing my styling tools. Now for my styling tools, I love using my flexi rods to give me defined curls without using any heat. I use the Diane By Fromm 42-pack Twist-flex Rods pack because it has a variety of rod sizes which I use throughout my hair for volume and definition. 
Now you're ready to begin! You want to start off by sectioning off your hair which will make it easier to apply your styling products and flexi rods. Next, you may want to lightly spritz your hair with some water before adding in your oil and leave-in conditioner depending on how moisturized your hair is. I lightly mist my hair before applying anything just to help smooth out my hair and I also find that it helps to hold the curl longer (it does make the drying time a little bit longer though).
Once that is done, I take my Coconut Oil by OGX and mix it together with the Curling Gel Souffle from SheaMoisture and rake that through my hair. I follow this up by adding in the Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioner because it works as a sealant to close the hair cuticle and locks in all of the moisture that I just added.
Now, you can take your flexi rods and start placing them in your hair. There are many different techniques to applying your flexi rods so try playing around with them to find out which works with your hair. I like to install them by starting at the end of my hair and then rolling them up to the roots. Once I reach the top of my head, I secure the rods by bending them in a comfortable position that will hold the curls.
And that's it! Normally, I will let these dry in my hair overnight or if I need a quick curl touch up in the morning, I will repeat all of these steps and let it sit for about 30 minutes to an hour. Just to make it a little bit easier, I put together this quick pictorial to show you how I achieved these curls with no heat.
And the final outcome...
Now we want to be able to preserve these curls for about 4 to 7 days. So before getting ready for bed, pull your hair up into a Pineapple on the top of your head with a hair tie wrapped around the hair once to lightly hold it in place. Then, wrap a satin scarf around your hair to help preserve the curls and keep them from frizzing. In the morning, all you have to do is unwrap your hair, remove your hair tie and shake out your curls. 
Oh and here's a tip! Once you get the hang of this, your second and third day curls will look even better than your first day of curls. The photos from this post (of me in the blazer and blue shirt as well as the pineapple picture) are of me rocking my curls on Day 4. Yeah...let that set in for a second.
Products used: Coconut & Hibiscus Co-Wash Conditioning Cleanser from SheaMoisture Diane By Fromm 42-pack Twist-flex Rods Coconut Oil by OGX Curling Gel Souffle from SheaMoisture Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioner
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Hello lovebugs! It's time to reveal this month's Essence Beauty Box! This months theme was designed to have you "Shine Like a Star" so let's dive right on in shall we?
First up, let's take a look at the Soak it Up Oil Cocktail from Dark & Lovely. The Soak it Up Oil is the 2nd step of the Moisture L.O.C. regimen, inspired by the “O” in the LOC Method. The LOC method is a natural hair care routine that you can use to moisturize and protect your hair and then seal in the moisture with a hair butter or oil, so that all of the moisture is locked in. The "L" stands for Leave-In, the "O" stands for Oil and the "C" stands for Cream.
This Soak it Up Oil from Dark & Lovely contains blends of 5 Oils: Sunflower oil, Apricot oil, Coconut oil, Avocado Oil and Moringa Oil that's great for hydrating your hair and nourishing curls and coils.
While we're talking about hair care, let's jump right on into the next product: the Coily Custard from Miss Jessie’s. The Coily Custard is a slippery emulsion that coats each frizzy strand with a dose of super moisture and shine that enhances and defines your curl pattern, reduces frizz, and fights curl shrinkage. It's best described as a wash-n-go styler. I'll update you in a few days once I test this out.
Next, the box included a set of Looks So Natural Lashes by KISS. These are soft and tapered false lashes that are designed to blend seamlessly with your natural lashes. My box also included a clear strip lash adhesive.
Do I need to say anything about this CoverFX sample? I mean, IG fam, you guys know how I feel about this brand -holy grail-. Well, since we are here... This is the Mattifying Primer with Anti-Acne Treatment by CoverFX. It's a lightweight gel primer that imparts an instant matte finish as well as extended shine control while minimizing the appearance of pores and preventing & healing acne blemishes. This clinically tested primer is vegan and free of the Inflammatory Five: gluten, mineral oil, fragrance, parabens or talc.
Lastly, there is a sample lipstick from IMAN Cosmetics. Apparently, the box this month alternated between a lipstick or a lip shimmer and I received an orange-red lipstick. It's a luxurious and creamy semi-matte lipstick, however, it's another lipstick in a color that doesn't suit me. We talked about this during last month's box so I'm really hoping that the preference center starts working on the Essence Beauty Box website because I feel as if I'm wasting my money on lipsticks that I'm not going to use again (after swatching for you guys of course).
And lastly, they decided to surprise us with a travel size sample of Optic White Toothpaste by Colgate.
Overall, I'm impressed with everything in this box except the lip color. I'm really excited to try out this lashes and hair care products so I'll let you guys know what I think after giving them all a thorough test run.
What did you think of the February Essence Beauty Box? Are you subscribed yet?
So it's a brand New Year which means we all have these fabulous resolutions that we need to try to stick to. I don't know about you, but every year I try to tell myself to relax, and just continue doing what I'm doing - working as hard as I can everyday. Realistically, it's just another day that ends with a new number right? Since I'm always working, I hardly have time to go out and pamper myself, so I was excited to hear that the January Essence Beauty Box was a Pamper Party Box.
If you guys remember from my other posts, the Essence Beauty Box is a beauty subscription box that was designed for women of color by the experts from Essence magazine. Each box will contain 5 deluxe samples and you can sign up for $15 a month, however, they have been running sales for $10 a month.
As for the January box, it contains 5 deluxe samples that was curated together to create the ultimate pamper party box. First, there is a deluxe sample of SheaTerra Organics Rose Hips Black Soap Facial Wash. This is designed to gently exfoliate your skin and remove dead layers without any harsh ingredients - which is great if you have sensitive skin.
Next, there is a fat lip pencil by Laqa & Co. There are three different shades that are floating around online that people have received in their box and I received this orange shade that has subtle hints of red in it. It's a cute color and I love the thickness of the pencil itself, however, I did not like this shade for my skin tone. Personally, I do not favor lipsticks that have an orange shade or undertone to it. I mostly go for lipsticks with more of a blue based undertone just because I find that it suits my complexion better. I would love to be able to include these personal preferences to the subscription box.
The next sample is from tgin - Thank God It's Natural Green Tea super moist leave in conditioner. Now this is my favorite product in this month's box because I love trying new leave in conditioners to moisturize my curls and this is one of the quickest and most affordable ways that I've been able to test out new products that may or may not work for my hair.
A pamper party box wouldn't be complete without a nail polish for a manicure. This box included the Julep Jess nail polish. It's kind of like a brown color with hints of red in it. I've tried a lot of the Julep nail polishes before so I know that they have a great formula, however, I wasn't a big fan of this color. Lately, I've been more into the bright and holographic colors so I'm not going to get much use out of this product in the box. It is a great color though if you're looking for something a bit more subtle.
Lastly, the box included a Baby Soft Foot Mask by Leaders Insolution. This is a rejuvenating foot mask that has aloe vera extract and bees wax in it and I'll be honest, in the winter time, I tend to neglect my feet - I know I'm not the only one! This is going to rejuvenate the skin and leave your feet feeling as smooth as butter!
Did you guys get the January box? What did you think about it? Don't forget that if you sign up, please use my referral code 992-4D8B-00F2.
Normally, I try to avoid doing this when a new year rolls around but I figured this year would be the one and only exception.
For the past few years, I've been going through this transition with myself physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially (have I used every -ly word that I can to describe this change?). What I'm trying to say is that it took me a long time to find myself and basically what really made me happy as a person. Just me. Not anybody else. Not my boyfriend, not my parents, not my family, not my friends, not my boss. Just me.
While I'm sure I haven't fully figured that out 100% yet and I'm still trying to find a balance for myself in the real world, I am excited about the progress that I've made so far and everything that I have planned for myself, my career and for you all!
So with that said, here's looking at 2015!
Well, this has been a very eventful week. My head is still spinning from trying to navigate my schedule around work, fashion week and all of the events, parties and deadlines that surrounds one of the biggest weeks in New York. Despite the long hours, no sleep and the humongous pile of clothes, accessories and make up scattered throughout my room, one thing remains the same... this week has been awesome and I can't wait to bring you more news on the fashion and beauty trends during Spring 2015 Fashion week!
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Every time I look at the Mia Limited Edition Vixen Platform Pumps, I can't help but smile when I think about the frenzy that surrounds "limited edition" collections. Whether you're a collector of baseball cards, comic books, make-up or shoes, I'm sure you have something in your possession that's "BNIB" and stored away never to be open.
Since I started blogging three years ago, I've discovered the hoarder in me that gives the side eye to anyone in my family who dares to go near my special fridge that is solely used for storing my MAC lipsticks. Yes, a refrigerator for lipsticks...not for food...for lipsticks. Get it together. I had to pull all-nighters just to order the entire Rihanna collection for retail, so...yeah.
Outfit details: Top: Dots Pants: Dots Earrings: Body Central Bracelet: Betsey Johnson Clutch: DSW Shoes: Mia Limited Edition Vixen Platform Pump
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Lately, I've been feeling a bit torn on which direction I should take when it comes to my career in publishing and media. Should I focus more on the writing and editing aspect of the industry or should I channel my efforts into the creative side of styling and photography?
"Life's full of tough choices, ain't it?" - Yes, I mock myself in Disney character voices!
Anyway, until I figure my next move out, I'm doing what any working, fashion conscious, soon-to-be 28 year old would do....spend money! :-) At least this time it's money that is being well spent on research.
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Hi loves! I hope you're all having a fantastic day. I've been running around like crazy trying to get a handle on things and catch up on all of my work. I've been posting a lot on my Instagram page so if you aren't following me there make sure you do now @Candycoatedclosets. I'm going to have a few surprises coming up in the next few weeks. Now onto this outfit...
For the past five months or so, I've been deep into the pencil skirt trend. I'm not sure if it's because it's too hot to wear pants or if I'm just too fat to fit into my jeans anymore but I have an arsenal of tight pencil skirts to wear everywhere now. So I really wanted to put together a look surrounding that that could easily transition from day to night.
Outfit details: Earrings: Amrita Singh Shirt: Kohl's Pencil Skirt: Kohl's Ring: Kohl's Bracelet: Local boutique store Shoes: Justfab Saige
Now for my favorite part...this entire look cost me less than $100 (accessories not included). I caught the skirt on sale from Kohl's for only $9.80. How incredible is that?!
Like I said, this is an amazing and easy look that you can wear to work and then out for happy hour - but of course you know for happy hour I'm expecting you to change into higher heels. ;-)
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-Door knocking- Oh hello opportunity! It’s nice to meet you.
Ok I know that was kind of cheesy but that one line pretty much explains the reason for my absence. I told you all that I had to take a little break from my writing duties, reviews and posting pictures because I had to adjust to a few new things happening in my life.
Of course one can never fully adjust and I’m realizing there just isn’t enough time in the day to do everything that I need to do along with the things that I want to do (and sleep right?) but I’m figuring it all out day by day.
With all of that said, I’m slowly getting back into the swing of things, so it’s time to catch you all up on the pretty little things happening in Candy Coated Closets! Yes, my shoe pictures may have dwindled but that didn’t mean I would stop shopping! I mean, honestly!
Make sure you’re following me on Instagram @Candycoatedclosets Since I’m on the go so much now, I’ll be able to engage and interact with a lot more of you on there!
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Since there was no live stream for the Gala this year, fashion addicts had to wait until photos popped up on various social media websites to see what the stars wore to this year's fashion prom. Now that we've seen all of the looks from the festivities...it's time to round up some of the best and worst looks of the night!
I absolutely love Cara Delevingne in this Stella McCartney outfit. The two piece pant and crop top is definitely a step away from the traditional fitted dresses or ball gowns that we are used to seeing on the red carpet and Cara pulls this look together flawlessly.
Janelle Monáe added a Tadashi Shoji cape to her signature black and white ensemble. The cape is absolutely stunning and paired very well with her red bold lip and side braid.
I can't really say much about Rihanna in Stella McCartney. The star was just featured as CFDA's 2014 fashion icon and she certainly lived up to the award wearing this all white two-piece to the Gala.
Hailee Steinfeld donned a classic rise-fall custom dress designed by Prabal Gurung. This was one of my favorite looks of the night because she looks effortlessly put together in this simple number. The pink lining that peeks through the bottom of the dress is a beautiful subtle touch of detail.
Hands down my favorite look (and couple of the night) comes from Blake Lively in a gorgeous custom designed Gucci silk chiffon blush gown that was emboridered with rose gold paillettes. She can do no wrong in this dress.
I'm not sure about Kate Upton in this Dolce & Gabbana dress. I swear every time I look at this picture, I must stare at it for at least five minutes before finding one thing I like about this look. She's wearing pretty accessories? Her makeup looks flawless? No? Seriously, Kate Upton is a gorgeous girl but personally, I don't think this dress flatters her at all.
Hmm, Katie Holmes in Marchesa...Now I thoroughly believe that she was watching Beauty and the Beast with Suri and then had the bright idea to have Belle's ball gown recreated for the Gala, which is a great idea but execution wise, I think someone missed the mark here.
What were some of your favorite looks from the night? Sound off in the comments!
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The posted photos are not my own and have been found during an online Google search.
I would have never thought that I would have to stop my coverage on the Met Gala to do a style spotlight on Crazy Eyes From Orange Is The New Black but the world needs to marvel at this beauty!
Uzo Aduba, better known as Crazy Eyes from Netflix's breakout series Orange Is The New Black attended the 100th Annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. Check out her beautiful transformation...
Uzo Aduba at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner
Yes, I know you had to do a double take at your screen right now. Aduba lost her Bantu knots and literally let her hair down with a shoulder-length bob and side-swept bangs. She glammed up her look with metallic gold eye makeup and a light glossy magenta lip!
She is absolutely stunning and this makes me even more excited for the new upcoming episodes of OITNB Season 2 (which was also renewed for a third season).
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Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Long Island Bridal Expo at the Marriott Hotel. It was one of those events that sounded great on paper but something fell through during the execution phase of it.
The expo advertised about 40 different displays from varying vendors to showcase photography, china, gowns, jewelry, dj's, invitations and more! You know the kind of thing every bride and her party is excited to spend a girls night out at. Unfortunately, this one dropped the ball and it's sad to say that one of the best things at the show was the flower display.
Normally, I would adjust my expectations because hey not every event is going to have high fashion, new trends, and tons of giveaways. However, this one completely missed the mark. The fashion show was a complete waste of time - the dresses were falling off of the models and most of the models looked way too nervous to be on stage showcasing a collection. It just was not a good look.
I was also disappointed with the "free dinner buffet". This buffet consisted of 5 noodles with sauce and no drinks (not even water). Again, I may have needed to adjust my expectations but I've gotten used to event planners making sure to keep the women attending their event very fat and happy because that's when they (we - me included) tend to spend the most money and that's what these events are normally about.
On a scale of 1-10, I give this event a 3 and that's only because I really liked the flower display.
Xoxo,
CCC
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Welcome to Fashion - Long Island style!
Last week, I was so excited to attend the Simon Fashion Now event hosted at Roosevelt Field. This was a fantastic event that showcased the latest and hottest fall fashion trends for two days through runway fashion shows, product demonstrations, freebies and some great giveaways. The event was free to the public so it was definitely the place to be with your friends.
This was my first time attending a fashion event this big and it was an amazing experience to see all of the planning, marketing, and design that went into such a big event. The clothes were of course just as fabulous!
When I arrived there, I promptly signed up for my free exclusive Simon Fashion Now swag bag that was filled with all sorts of goodies from varying stores inside the mall. Then I took a walk around the stage to check out all of the different vendors there. If you ever have the opportunity, I highly recommend going to events like these because it's a great way to find out about different stores in your area as well as receive some freebies and coupons.
At 1:00 the fashion shows started and of course I took a front row seat! The shows ran every hour and brands like JcPenney, Macy's, Guess, Marciano by Guess, Aerosoles, Call it Spring had some fabulous pieces working the runway (see some pictures below). In between the shows, Simon Fashion Now hosted different games to keep the audience involved. They hosted a game called Ready, Set, Style where they picked stylish fashionistas from the audience to join them on stage for an interactive styling competition to win a SImon giftcard. Go ahead and think about it...a styling competition...fashionistas....win a giftcard? Um yeah I was so going up there (lol).
Who's that on stage? She, me, her! She did that!
Myself and a partner had two minutes to style a model from head to toe and the crowd had to pick their favorite look and yes I won! My model is the one with the cream jacket and emerald necklace and handbag. So me right?!
After that, Simon Fashion now had these different texting games to win giftcards to stores in the mall and I won a $50 to Bobby Burger Palace as well!
Overall, the fashion show was a huge success and a great night out. Here's a quick list of a few things I learned:
1. Have your outfit picked out a few days before the event. No matter how many times I say I'm going to pick out my outfit early, I never learn and I wake up rushing trying to go through everything. I hate all of my clothes and of course that's the day you get pulled on stage.
2. Do not use a brand new flat iron days before the event. I just used a brand new Izunami Flat Iron that I ordered (review coming up) and my hair was absolutely pin straight. I had absolutely no body or bounce to it and then I had to stare at the beautiful models with their curls and bounce...hated them (lol).
3. Don't attend the show unless you plan on spending money very soon! The new styles I saw made me want to change my entire wardrobe!
Here's a few pictures from the event (courtesy of the Roosevelt Field Facebook page)
Were you at the show? What'd you think of it? Sound off in the comments!
Xoxo,
CCC
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The last week of September was super busy! I finally finished celebrating my birthday (September babies wooo) and now I need to catch up on everything thing else that I've been neglecting. So stay tuned for tons of updates on my latest hauls on make up, jewelry and of course fashion!
Yesterday, I walked into my glam room and decided I wanted to style an outfit that was dedicated to my favorite colors for fall: burgundy, emerald and cobalt blue. I love these colors because they are so rich and can easily be paired with some of your favorite neutrals that you already have in your closet.
I kept this look very classic and light on the accessories because I wanted the colors to do all of the work so let's take a look!
What I’m wearing:
Shirt: XSRE Shoes: Vince Camuto Skirt: 2cuute Ring: XSRE Handbag: Audrey Brooke Sunglasses: Gucci Lipcolor: MAC Cosmetics Magenta lipliner with Lust for life lipgloss Nailpolish: Anise Nailpolish
Xoxo,
CCC
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The end of summer is always bitter sweet for me. I'm going to miss rocking my summer maxi dresses and cute sparkly sandals but I'm ready to rock some boots! This past weekend in NY it wasn't too hot but it definitely wasn't fall weather, so I decided to rock a cute and casual look that will easily transition me into fall.
For the last picture I actually changed my lip color. I lined my lips with MAC Nightmoth lipliner, then used MAC sweet succulence.
What I’m wearing:
Jacket: Rainbow's Shops Flats: Vince Camuto Lipstick: MAC Cosmetics Sunglasses: Alexander McQueen Earrings: Body Central
Xoxo,
CCC
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So if you haven't heard already this month is my birthday....yay for 27! So I'm doing a huge birthday celebration giving away prizes to one (or more) of you everyday for the rest of the month. Check out the information on my 27 Days - A Birthday Celebration Page.
When I think of being an 80's baby, I think of cartoons shows like Darkwing Duck, Talespin and Ducktales. Ah the memories! But when it comes to fashion, I can only go by what I've seen in some of my mom's pictures...the huge hair and big earrings. So I was inspired by that for this outfit.
Plus, I picked up a new pair of cowboys boots and had to show off the sparkle. Yes, items with a lot of bling are "my precious"!
Haha, I never thought there would be a day I would wear boots with shorts but hey never say never.
What I'm wearing:
Top: Dots Bottom: Rainbows Boots: Not Rated Tailspin Lipstick: Milani Cosmetics 21-Sangria
xoxo,
CCC
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Sometimes when I'm having a bad day, I like to play dress up in my closet. I put on everything that makes me smile. That means diamonds, pearls and tons of accessories. Basically anything girly!!
What I wore:
Dress & Flower ring: Kohl's -- Shoes: Zigi Supreme -- Earrings: Amrita Singh -- Glasses: XSRE Lipstick: Marc Jacobs Neo-Noir -- Hat: Amazon
xoxo,
CCC
All opinions expressed herein are my own.
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The best part of summer is the long days and the hot sun! So I took a little bit of inspiration from mother nature when pairing this outfit!
What I'm wearing:
Shoes: Naughty Monkey Marionette - Shirt: Dots - Ring & Earrings: XSRE - Bangles: Chamak by Priya Kakkar
xoxo,
CCC
All opinions expressed herein are my own.
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I planned to take these pictures outside but mother nature is not cooperating today. So inside it is!
I picked up this new shirt from Rainbow's Shops yesterday and I couldn't wait to pair it with my Giuseppe's!
Top: Rainbows Bottom: Dots Bracelet: Amrita Singh & BodyC.com Shoes: Giuseppe Zanotti Bag: Urban Expressions
xoxo,
CCC
All opinions expressed herein are my own.
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