It's been a long time coming.
forever girl crush and voice crush...
In all her glory, the video for Been To The Moon is
quite literally a visual feast and leaves much to be anticipated
from her forthcoming album The Heart Speaks In Whispers due out this May.
Definitely, a more mature being + sound from her debut album,
Not a stretch or unfathomably different....
but, for someone like myself that has grown with her,
And it is more than welcomed....
wild hair and all.
I had a climbing toddler throwing beads all over the living room,
a pot of boiling water screaming at me,
a dryer steaming up the entire house,
and strands of uncooked spaghetti tumbling behind the stove!
Let's just say this day is going....swell.
(I'm not gonna cry! I'm not gonna cry!)
I tried to escape a bit and retreated to fantasy land aka instagram and
stumbled upon one of my favorite mom do-ers
Latonya Yvette posing ever so chicly with a plant while moving house.
First thought was, "Damn it! Now need some funky printed pants." (update: scored some dope ones at H&M for $15!!! Toe-Touch!!)
Then..."Shoot! I forgot to water my plants earlier!"
Afterward, "Wow! What an amazing being she is."
I challenged myself to write about more than a swoon sesh
about her smile, but it is quite infectious and is admittedly, the thing
that lured me in.
The mother of River and Oak has been a breath of fresh air on my feed for
a few years now and a welcomed sense of foundation in this blogging world.
Lending her unique styling tips with a pro-self love undertone and her damn-near poetic takes
on the reality of motherhood and womanhood are resounding.
She has become this sort of muse for me.
Whenever I create a palette for my pieces, I present to
an imaginary panel of women that just get it and have
Pattexlor magic (aka an eye for color, prints, patterns, and texture.
She sits beside Solange, Justina, Tamu and my grandmother and
give nods of approval or scrunched faces of disdain.
Aside from being a urban - bohemian style ingenue, she has willingly
peeled back the layers and allowed us to see (slash read) the good, the bad, and the ugly.
All whilst staying very grounded and veering away from being commercial.
I would definitely say check out her styling portfolio for some serious inspiration
and add her blog to your morning cup routine. (yeah, just drag it on over to your taskbar now and post it note my thank you card for later)
For more peeks at those that inspire check out the Girls That Do section of the blog
Black is the new black. Nope not with dresses or shoes --- skincare
Many companies, mass and indie, are hopping on the Charcoal trend as a
method for cleansing and getting those pores squeaky clean and tight.
I figured I walk you through a few of my favorite Black skincare products that
have changed my skincare game forever and a few that I just lurve.
Shall we....
1. Lancome Genefique:
Okay, so this product is not technically black,
but the packaging is so let's run with it. k? ok
This miracle in a bottle has seriously changed the texture and tone
of my skin within a weeks time.
No, I am not exaggerating. My pores are much smaller and my skin appears
brighter (not to be confused with "lighter" or "bleached")
It has a radiance that has me doing grocery store runs with a bare face.
Say Whaaaat?! This was my first dance in serum land,
and while it is definitely an investment,
I figure I only have 1 face so why not splurge a tad.
2. Charcoal Roll-on Blemish Stick:
For those monthly presents left on your chin,
this is the way to go. Handmade by Alex Elle, this roll-on gently attacks pimples
by pulling the impurities in the surrounding area and clogged pore itself without
leaving the skin feeling stripped.
With all natural ingredients like charcoal, witch hazel and essential oils
your skin will calm le-eff down and maybe even buy you a drink.
3. Origins Charcoal Mask:
Ok, so I am die hard bentonite clay mask lover,
but there are some days when you need something that is going to
tackle those pores without cementing your face.
This mask does just that.
Using it 1 a week (or twice if I sleep with MU on)
re-balances my skin and aids in the reducing of acne and
redness. It's completely refreshing.
4. Black Beauty Blender:
If you are into liquid foundation and don't have a Beauty Blender,
stop what you are doing and go rock back & forth in the corner and
contemplate your whole life.
It is seriously the best this that has happened to MU application
EVER. The dups that you may see at TJ Maxx may look similar,
But they are a far cry from the original. I had the pink one, but to be
honest, with the constant use of darker brown shades, it looks
pretty beat up after a few uses. The black is a great solution, if your
like me and get discouraged by unattractive tools.
5. Boscia Charcoal Sheet Mask:
Yes, it another mask, but I have zero time for spa facials.
The Boscia sheet masks imitate that experience a bit.
Now I must preface by saying that the texture of this mask
is a bit on the slimy side. The cooling effect (especially around the eyes)
totally cancels out any grossness. Not only does it help to diminish puffiness it
refines pores to infancy status and leaves you radiant.
6. Laura Mercier Extra Lash Sculpting Mascara:
You know how you get the best lashes towards the
end of the tube? Well, this somehow allows you to
get that same thickness at the beginning. It has a very lush
plastic brush (oxymoron right?) and an intensely rich black
formula.
7. BareMinerals Lasting Line Long-Wearing Eyeliner:
Everything a cat-eye obsessed gal needs.
Rich formula. Check
Smudge-ibilty. Check
Stays put after you get the flick & tightlines perfected. Check Check!!!
It's a twist up with a built in smudger sponge AND a mini sharpener.
For more peeks inside my makeup bag, follow along @kelcadet on
Instagram & Snapchat
Hello. My name is Kel and I'm a sentimentalist hoarder.
(all chime in: Hello Kel!)
Yes, I hang on to that purse my mom gave me that one time on a whim,
and that blouse my husband proposed to me in. Better yet, those shoes that make the arch of my foot look amazing, but I can't even stand 10 minutes in.
So to combat this... errr...problem,
I decide to follow in the footsteps of Viviana and create a capsule wardrobe.
If you are unfamiliar with what this entails, it is basically putting the cap on your closet collection.
Finding your perfect number of tops, bottoms, dresses, shoes, and outwear
that will make you and your closet feel stylistically complete.You will rotate these designated items for, say 3 months and change seasonally.Whittle out which items you actually wear affectionately and toss (donate or trash) the ones that don't meet the mark. This is not only to help define your style, but is also to help those, like myself, that get a little Asos/Madewell/Jcrew happy,
save a coin or two for investment pieces or down payments on a house.
( my husband LOOOOVES this plan)
Since it is the mark of a new year and a new season,
I figured now is the perfect time to walk through my process and selections for Winter.
