Natural Wedding Look 2/17

Hi Beautiful People,

      Recently after the craziness of New York Fashion Week I had a wedding to work on with a great artist by the name of VaNessa Williams we had an awesome time with the ladies who were game for lots of color as bright as their personalities. So here are the four ladies that I worked on. All the ladies wanted a very minimal look with lots of lashes and color on the lips.

The Bride whom VaNessa worked on

Au Naturally Tuesday Look

Hello Beautiful People!


           Today as it is the 3rd day of the heat wave didn't want to go to in with the shadow today decided I'd love to be natural today but there was no way I was stepping out the house without an eye, a brow, lip and a lashes to boot so I decided I'd be "au natural" with my look. I'm excited about the upcoming giveaway that I have ready for posting by the tomorrow (look out for that) I think you guys will love it, it's some of Miss Merli's favorite things. I'm thinking about doing a super special grand prize I have 1st 2nd and 3rd prize. What do you think it should be? Leave a comment below and I'll choose a grand prize based on what is affordable of course. Till then enjoy my "Au Natural" look for Tuesday. Have a great day everyone stay hydrated and oil free :)

Here are the items I used to achieve the look:

Eyes:  MAC Embark e/s,  MAC Saddle e/s, MAC Parfait amour e/s, Clinique High Impact Mascara, MAC Blacktrack Fluid Liner

Face: MAC Prep and Prime protect SPF 50, Eve Pearl Dual Salmon Concealer in Deep Dark,  MAC Fever blush, MAC mineralize skinfinish powder in Deep Dark

Lips: Wicked ways gloss from the Disney Villains Collection (no longer available), Mac lip prep and prime

Natural Hair Newbie... the Emotional Journey.

Hello Beautiful People!

    Can I just tell you the process of learning to love this new me, a natural newbie, has been quite a process not only has it been an adjustment physically but emotionally my goodness. You don't realize how much of an impact your physical has on your mental, and the outlook you have on yourself until you make a drastic change. For me that was making the drastic of going natural and dawning a low hair cut with just natural hair.

     Why did I do it? For a long time I wanted to go natural but always had a million and one excuses as to why I couldn't do it my scalp being tender is number one and the second being that I felt like my grade of hair was not a good one and finally that it wouldn't look good on me. Before the big chop in about a year span i had ran a gammit of short permed hairstyles after not doing so for reasons well basically my boyfriend preferred long hair. All along following with Rihanna's hair journey (lol it was fun I stopped at the Loud album no fire engine red hair for me). The last cut, a Mohawk cut that had grew out was what made me really ponder what my next course of action would be, would I grow out my hair to go back to long hair which meant monthly perms and wash and sets with my lovely Dominicans? The only draw back with a mohawk I'd have to go really short in order to do so. Then I thought to myself that maybe that if this was the only way I may as well take a chance and finally try going back all the way back to the natural me, a girl I haven't seen since 6th grade.

       What gave me the courage was an event I went to in Harlem for master artist Sam Fine who was promoting his amazing DVD (Sam Fine Beauty)  (which you should def buy) and I was in my wig and surrounded in a sea of beautiful sistas whom all seem to be coincidently natural and just lovely. As I looked around at wide array of natural styles and colors I was inspired and got a sense of pride to see that so many made the transition. Talking with Danielle (the style doctor) further liberated me with her freshly cropped do and beautiful red lip, her signature and my all time favorite look. I took this as a sign that the stars were aligned, no I didn't lol but one from God that it was time to let go of the creamy crack that had taken over my life. From that night I was on a mission, I knew that with the momentum I had from that night I had to cut all the straight hair off and make the change quick before Rihanna did something else that I would really love. So after some advice and research I went to a natural salon in downtown [Brooklyn called Sol. Rob would be the one to the honors and he made it a not so bad process by talking to me and telling me how beautiful I was. So I sat and sat and wondered when he would stop (lol I'm so dramatic)

       ...And then it was done... No matter how much he said how beautiful I was I wanted to cry. Unconsciously I had equated my beauty with hair... And now there was a short crop of it. Fast forward the next day I went to the Makeup Show where I saw beauty friends and was reassured how much this cut suited me. It took sometime but with more compliments I slowly built my self esteem back up but the question is now what next? It's a month layer and I have what I call an unruly fro my plan is to grow it out friends say cut it low again, so many decisions what do I do? Leave your comments below, email me photos of possible styles, colors or hit me on twitter @MissMerli

March 2009

Fall 2009

Nov 2008










March 2009

I gotta new attitude February 2010

March 2011

One of my favorite looks April 2011

 The new Miss Merli May 2011

Unruly Fro June 2011

???

What is next for July and August help me decide

Live, Laugh, Love and Learn

Miss Merli

Going Natural the Journey to the Big Cut

       So it's been quite a process not only has it been an adjustment physically emotionally. You  don't realize how much of an impact your physical has on your mental the outlook you have on yourself until you make a drastic change. For me that was making the drastic of going natural and dawning a low hair cut with just natural hair. Why did I do it? Well for a long time I wanted to go natural but always had a million and one excuses as to why I couldn't do it my scalp being tender is number one and the second being that I felt like more grade of hair was not good hair grade and that it wouldn't look good on me. 
     Before the big chop I had a mohawk cut that had grew out and my plan was to grow out my hair but I'd have to go really short in order to do so. I thought to myself that maybe that if this was my chance maybe I should take it. What pushed me over the edge was the event I went to in Harlem for master artist Sam Fine who was promoting his amazing DVD Fine Beauty (which you should def buy) and I was in my wig and surrounded in a sea of beautiful sistas whom all seem to be natural and just lovely. Was this a sign from God that it was time to let go of the creamy crack that had taken over my life? I think so and from that night I was on a mission, I knew that with the momentum I had from that night I had to cut all the straight hair off and make the change. So after some advice I went to a  natural salon in downtown Brooklyn called Sol. Rob would be the one to the honors and he made it a not so bad process by talking to me and telling me how beautiful I was. It still didn't stop me from tearing up at the finish product i looked at myself and quickly put my hat on left. I didnt want to look at myself in the mirror longer than a second which is not the norm for me I was almost certain I looked like a feminine boy. 
       In the days to come after I was still beautiful the very features that people say are beautiful about me are still the same now my real features are on display for the world to see. Thanks to my friends and ladies I met at the makeup show who began to guide me as to the products I should use and Sam Fine who said girl youre glamorous just put your big earrings on. So I've finally embraced my new look but still haven't found the right products so I'll take advice below and will update you on the status. So far I've used Shea moisture shampoo which is good but the curly concoction (whose name escapes me) leaves my hair looking white. Ugghh! What I thought would be a whole lot easier is not as easy as I thought it would. I'm also thinking of coloring my hair what color should I do? I'm a daredevil if you didn't know. Thanks for reading beautiful people. :) 

 

        Live, Laugh, Love and Learn

     Miss Merli

All Natural Woman Look

Natural look using makeup forever flash colors in brown and black as well as Stila Barbie palette in Gold lip stick by maybeline in cinnamon stick

Earrings by Bebe