The Questions Every Stylista Looking for a Steal Must Ask Herself

Before you make that next purchase, there are a few things you MUST ask yourself. The savvy stylista NEVER buys before thinking and is ALWAYS in control of her coins!

• Can I REALLY afford this?

I once had a friend tell me that she only buys something if she can afford to pay for it TWICE WITH CASH...and still maintain her current standard of living. She applied that theory to handbags, shoes, her car, her condo...everything. Look ladies, if you have to eat Mac & Cheese for the next 2 weeks because you bought a pair of Jimmy Choos...guess what, you couldn't afford it!! Take a lesson from Sex and the City. Before Carrie landed her book deal, she had closet full of fabulous clothes...and not much else. Unless you're creating the next great collection of American short stories, let's try not to end up borrowing money from friends to satisfy your shopping addiction.

• Why am I paying full price for this?

In this economy there aren't a whole lot of reasons to pay full price for anything. In ANY economy, you should only pay full price for the following items (and only if you have no other choice):

1. Skin Care & Makeup



2. Jeans that ACTUALLY fit



3. Any item that will be a staple in your wardrobe: Black Suit, Little Black Dress, Crisp White Shirt, Classic Black Pumps, etc.



4. Hair Care

• Before you buy anything you have to ask yourself the following three questions in this order:

1. Am I buying this because it looks good on HER?



2. Am I buying this because it looks good on me?



3. Am I buying this because it's the new, hot trend?

If your answer to #1 is yes...I BEG of you, PLEASE make sure your answer to #2 is also yes. Not everything was made to look good on everybody. If your answer to #3 is yes, you'd better not be paying full price!

• Why am I buying this fake ass handbag?

If you have to buy a knockoff, please scroll to the top of this post and see the first question you should be asking yourself. Don't settle for fake! If the label is important to you, save for the real thing!

• What will happen if I don't buy this RIGHT NOW?

Ummmm...children will not die if you don't buy that scarf. In fact, you'll probably just end up wearing something you already own that's just as cute. Just like buying a car, always make sure to maintain your "walk away" power.

The moral of the story is...think before you buy. If your wardrobe is worth more than your house, you have a problem.

The Importance of Sunscreen!!

Sunscreen is such an afterthought for most folks, whether they are brown, clear or mocha, but the reality is that we all need to slather that mess on…especially on our faces! The sun’s rays will have your butt looking well over 40 long before your time if you don’t protect your skin…and that goes for all my brown and mocha lovelies out there too!



I know many of us who have already been blessed with sun kissed skin (African-American, Indian and Latinas just to name a few) don’t believe that the sun harms us, but the reality is the minute you begin to get “darker” or “tan” the sun has damaged your skin PERIOD! And since I know that I’m not trying to walk around all leathery and wrinkled (that ain’t cute), I protect my face EVERYDAY by choosing to wear a moisturizer that has sunscreen already in it! Now I hope y’all are wearing a moisturizer everyday which is a whole different post, but your face is a canvas and you cannot paint a pretty picture with a dry ass, parched canvas! I digress…back to Sunscreen.

I personally own Bath & body Works, Patricia Wexler M.D. Skin Brightening Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 (for dry skin types) which I wear during the winter and early spring months when my skin is dry. I’m the summer months I switch to Neutorgena’s Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 45 (for normal skin types), which is light weight and perfect for hot, humid and steamy weather. Both products can be worn under your make up.

Patricia Wexler M.D. Skin Brightening Daily Moisturizer SPF cost about $40, but is well worth it and last a very long time, while the Neutorgena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 45 cost about $13.

Here is a TIP!!! When applying these products or any creamy product use a foundation brush (you can get a cheap one from Target or Wal-Mart and dedicate it to applying your moisturizer)!!! First of all your product will last longer because you aren’t using as much. When you apply product with your hands, half of it is being absorbed into your hands, plus by using a foundation brush you aren’t pulling on your skin, especially the sensitive eye area. And so y’all know I ain’t lying..lol here is a picture of my stash, complete with a cheap foundation brush for application.
Since I don’t review things I haven’t personally tried, if anyone knows of a good facial sunscreen/moisturizer combination for sensitive skin feel free to share it with us. We all have to preserve our sexy no matter what our skin type!

~Nikki