Facing Holiday!

The holidays are here and there's no such thing as a complete look without a  fierce and fabulous face! Ndeye-Anna Jones a fashion and beauty expert gives some great tips for keeping a fresh yet glamorous face for the season.

beauty by madameq on Polyvore.com

AJ's and Madame Q's Must Do's and Don'ts for keeping a fresh face.

To Do
1. Stick with a daily cleansing routine that fits in with your schedule
2. Pick a cleanser that doesn't dry out your skin and choose a moisturizer that gives you a natural glow
3. Keep hydrated with water, it pays off with radiant skin
4. Try to wash you brushes once a week the least
5. Carry a small cosmetic bag for the basics like face wipes, lip gloss, eye liner. mascara, etc.

Please Do not
1. Go to sleep with makeup on. It can lead to clogging of pores
2. Share applicators. It can lead to spread of germs and infections
3. Apply makeup on someone else without washing hands or using sanitizer
4.  Apply high concentrated lotion on your face. These products are usually for the /body
5. Leave home without your super hero (cosmetic bag) It always pays to look polish. Sometimes you never know where your heading or who you might see.

beautyzone by madameq on Polyvore.com

NARS Love Thrill, $59
MAC 182 Buffer Brush, $47
MAC 116 Blush Brush, $32
SEPHORA COLLECTION Colorful Artist Lipstick Palette ($51 Value)..., $15
PRO Airbrush FX Face Primer SPF 20, $14
Amazon.com: NYX Trio Eye Shadow: Beauty, $8.25
AVANT GARDE BEAUTY / CRAZY CREATIVE MAKEUP!

AJ's Beauty Faves
1. Black Cup makeup for blushes
2. M.A.C for foundations and blushes
3. Victoria's Secret for lipsticks: Vixen, Adorned and Starlet
4. Lorac makeup collection

What's fierce for the holiday Season?
Smokey eyes and shimmer stories are a girls best friend.

AJ's Beauty Secret: Before bed she washes her face, applies almond oil to prevent eye wrinkles and dry skin. She also uses natural shea butter daily to keep skin moisturized and healthy.

My favorite quote from AJ
"Beauty is everything and everyone has a different kind of beauty"


xoxo Madame Q

A New Relationship

Moving has taken so much of me that I literally enjoy every moment I break away from it. Crazy right? Shouldn't it be the other away around? There's just too many decisions to make, from color stories, creating space, buying the right furniture and decor and not to mention unpacking. Somebody pray for me, seriously, but don't get it twisted I'm super excited I have my own place but the next time I'm hiring an assistant. If styling my rooms were as simple as creating an outfit, I'll be on top of the moon. There are plenty of things that I've bought and now hate and stuff I couldn't imagine buying before, that I'm so in love with. I guess that's how it goes, right?

Funny, my place feels like a new relationship or better yet an old or current.  You can't run away from them, doesn't matter if they're intimate, related, professional or fun, all of them have their ups and downs.  Just like my apartment and many of my other relationships my soul has to connect before thinking about it's flaws or beauty. I'll make a decision to go forward or not because I realized nothing in life is permanent, things are always changing and we can only control what we do on our behalf and take from the relationship exactly what it is. I didn't always think of it this way,  I thought what you put in something, you'll get back the same but the more we experience, then well find out, that is not always the case. So I've learned to either accept things for how they are or move on from them.

There are a few things I don't like about my place but many things that I love and can't wait to experience. In life I deal with things as follows: If the beauty out weighs the flaws I can live with it which allows me to be more free and creative in the process. Whenever I'm not able to be myself and have to explain every little flaw that I have, I feel restricted and captivated. Thats when I know its time to move on and learn from it all.

p.s. I just remembered I need to change my address!
xoxo Madame Q

M.I.A Report

Hey everyone!

I know I've been missing in action but no worries I'm back! There is so much going on in my life right now and Thank GOD it is all for the best! I recently got promoted to another role at work so I'm back in the heart of the city... midtown glamour. I'm Loving my new role and the direction I'm going with it, lets see where it takes me. I also moved from the North Bronx to Queens, I know... I can't believe it either. Me... Q, in Queens? I always thought Queens was in a world of it's own and didn't plan on questing it but you know how life works.

My mom is excited for me and always knew I would live somewhere like Queens or Long Island because growing up in Albany, NY, life is quite similar just without the trains. If you live in the suburbs or small towns then you know exactly what I mean. I knew after high school or college I'd run far away from that lifestyle and move back to Manhattan where I was born and partially raised. After I graduated from college I stayed with my grandmother for a little while and then decided to move out on my own.

Searching for apartments is five times worst then applying to colleges. Little did I know, rent in NYC, especially manhattan, cost more than most mortgages people pay upstate. I just can't get with paying $1800 for a studio apartment so thats how I got to the North Bronx. I was peacefully there for two years until one night in this past July I was mugged in my neighborhood for my damn IPhone. Not to mention the boy lives not too far from where I lived. WTF?

I learned a lot living in the Bronx, For starters never walk home late at night by yourself or at all. Catch a damn cab! Always know what's in your surroundings and the name of your side streets. Can you believe I never knew the name of the side streets in my neighborhood? If something were to happen, I couldn't tell the operator where the hell I was! Never underestimate or put anything pass anyone, I don't care if they're young, old, crippled or blind people are dangerous. Always call someone before you get on the train, cab or bus especially if you're going home alone or living alone. Most of all make friends with a least one of your neighbors so someone can look after you. These are things you think people know but let me tell you I was one who didn't so imagine how many others don't.

How I got to Queens...
Queens wasn't on the radar until my friend mom told me about an apartment next door to them so I checked it out, gave it some thought and moved in two months later. One of the greatest things about Queens is that my God son and bestie is 15 minutes away. There is no way I'm getting away from babysitting! It's all good because I was starting to feel like a dead beat God mother.

P.s.

I'm sure missing the hardwood floors in my last apartment and my roommate who was the best anyone could ask for but there is nothing like having a place of your own.

xoxo Madame Q