Yessir! Mr. West Is In The Building!

Kanye is BACK, and I don't think anyone could be happier than I am. Checkout the track and let me know what you think.

K p by user9196076

~HG

Our Favorite Ladies Are Back!

Tonight thousands of ladies will get together with their girlfriends to head out to see the sassiest, most stylish film this year - Sex and the City II. I'm just about positive that alll of them are faced with the same dilemma that I am...what in the world to wear!?!? I won't let what happened to me last year happen to me again. Last year I was dressed "ok" as I headed to see the film in Georgetown, only to be met by hundreds of sleek, sexy ladies wearing their Prada best. Well...I don't have a Prada best, but darnit, I'm gonna be the best HG that I know how to be. Sad thing is, all I have picked out thus far is the dress:

I like it :~) It's my personality, my style (not one of the 4 characters) and more importantly, I can see myself wearing it many places.

What are you wearing to the premiere? Is it important for you to go stylish, or do you care less about the fashion as long as the plot is good?

~HG

NRW: Limoncello

About 3 years ago I was working a company event when my boss and co-worker got on the subject of something that sounded like lemon jello. As I kept eavesdropping, and they kept being secretive, I learned that it was some kind of drink they enjoyed in the summer time and that my co-workers husband was coming by to bring them some. Umm, I like summer time drinks. Sign me up for that! So he did. I learned it was limoncello that he made, and through learning his recipe, I really appreciated the work that went into it. I hope you enjoy making it this summer as well.

INGREDIENTS
10 lemons
1 (750-ml) bottle vodka
3 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the lemon peels; discard the pith.
2. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.
3. Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely.
4. Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.
5. Strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.

~HG

LOTD: Murky Blue Waters

Face:

Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation in Almond 7
MUFE HD Powder

Eyes:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance
MUFE Flash Palette, Brown - lower lid to crease
MAC Painterly Paint Pot - crease to brow
This gorgeous Inglot E/S - lower lid

MAC Guacamole E/S - mid-lower lid to outter V
MAC Sable E/S - btwn brow bone and crease
MUFE Flash Palette, Black - line eyes
DiorShow Extase - Mascara

Lips:
MAC lipstick in Lovin It

Sephora lipgloss in Rosy Glow

Cheeks:
MAC blush in Raisin - below cheek bone
Mehron Cheek Cream in Berry Blush
MAC Mineralize blush in Superduper Natural - On cheek bone

~HG

My Design Dream

I dream of the day that Mr.HG and I have our very own home so that I can decorate like a mad woman. Until then I peruse websites and blogs to find inspiration, and save them in my back pocket (or favorites) for when my time comes.

Did these items tickle your fancy too? They can be found at Gretel Home.

~HG

OPI Burlqesque Collection for the Holidays

OPI is already roping us in for their 2010 Holiday collection inspired by the film Burlesque, Christina Aguilera’s upcoming movie (with Cher).

If you're into shimmery polishes this is the collection for you! This collection will be available starting September 2010.

~HG

The Newbies Introduction to Make Up

This weekend I received an email from a young lady who has never worn a drop of makeup before. She wanted to know how she could slowly introduce herself to makeup without looking, well, made up. There are four basic items that I believe every woman can use everyday to freshen up their look a tad bit. Just follow these steps and you'll be on your way.

Step 1: Start with a fresh face. Wash your face with your favorite cleanser, pat dry, then apply moisturizer.

(me barefaced. You can stop gagging now)

Step 2: Apply a liquid foundation to your face using your fingers. My guess is that if you are literally just starting out in makeup, you don't have a bunch of makeup brushes lying around. Even though I have more than enough makeup brushes, I tend to use my fingers to apply my liquid foundation when I'm going for a natural, everyday look. The great thing about liquid foundation is that it isn't too heavy, and if you find that it's giving you more coverage than you would like, just add a drop of moisturizer to thin it out.

(Me with foundation. See how evened out my skin looks? This morning I used Bobbi Brown's liquid foundation, and because I'm super oily I used Makeup Forevers HD powder in my t-zone)

Step 3: Use these three products to make your face look refreshed: mascara, blush, and gloss. Mascara helps to frame your eyes and bring them out. Blush gives some color/warmth to your face, and gloss gives you that pop. To go a step further I would do bronzer either instead of or with the blush, or use MACs Mineralize Skinfinish in Natural. This helps give your skin a natural sunkissed glow.

(Loreal Voluminous mascara, Mehron cheek cream in Geranium/10, MAC Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks)

Here's a tip: Cream blush can be a two for the price of one deal. Left your lipgloss at home and at a lost as to what to do? You can apply your cream blush to your lips to give them a little color and pop. 

Another tip: Some days I feel like I just have to have some color on my eyes even if it's just one. Blush is wonderful for a little pop of color on your eyes. Just sweep the color over your lids and voila!

I hope this was helpful to the newbies out there, and please keep your questions coming!

~HG

Friend Friday: 10 Random Facts About Me

It's Friend Friday! This is part of a blogger group with Modly Chic. If you're a blogger that would like to participate, go to her blog for the details.

1. My husband and I decided to celebrate our anniversary every month for the first year. Yesterday was our 11th month anniversary. Where does the time go??? 
2. I'm suppose to be focused on weightloss but chocolate keeps holding me back. Today I had not 1 but 2 chocolate glazed donuts, le sigh. Glad I'm having broccoli and fish for dinner. #Don'tjudgeme.
3. I already have my childrens names picked out and I'm super duper anal about not telling people what the names are.
4. I dream of one day having my own makeup line simply so that I can make the bombest raspberry eyeshadow that man kind has ever seen. Yeah, my affair with any color that has even a hint of purple in it runs deep.
5. I'm an only child. Times like this when moms is in the hospital makes that a hard thing to live with. Thank God for family and friends.
6. After the age of 10 I refused to wear a dress except for special occasions/church/and the uniforms my catholic school forced us to wear. It was at the age of 10 that some old guy made an unnecessary comment about how sexy my legs were. Can you say grossed out? I can and did and refused to let that happen again. It's only been in the last 9 months that I've regained my power over that dirty old man, and thus I've fallen in love with dresses again.
7. Technology does IT for me. I am a gadget whore and would own every single new gadget that came out if I could afford it.
8. I wish I could live in NY for a season. Whenever I go up there I immediately feel more mature and focused. Suddenly I know exactly what my goals are and I walk with purpose. I could live with that feeling everyday for the rest of my life. 
9. I fear being an old mother, but I don't feel like this is the right time to have kids. So much to do, so much to accomplish. However, Gods plan is always the plan I want to go with, so we'll see.
10. I love to paint walls. It's very therapeutic for me. I once had a friend who I would talk to for hours on the phone about...paint lol. We would visit all of the paint stores online and come up with different color schemes. I had the best time doing that. I miss her, le sigh.

~HG

LOTD: Pink and Gold

Face:

Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation in Almond 7 - outside of face
Face Atelier #9 - Center of face
MUFE HD Powder

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Porcelain Pink - under eyes, forehead, chin, bridge of nose
MUFE Flash Palette, Brown - Light contour face

Eyes:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Coastal Scents palette 78 (the 3rd pink) - 1st half of lower lid
MAC Pigment in Melon - 2nd half of lower lid
Inglot Purple e/s (didn't see a name for it, sorry) - crease
MAC Pigment in Naked - brow highlighter
Coastal Scents Black E/S - Line eyes
Voluminous by Loreal - Mascara

Lips:
MAC lipstick in Chatterbox

MAC Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks

Cheeks:
MAC blush in Raisin - below cheek bone
MAC blush in Sweet As Cocoa - On cheek bone
MAC Mineralize blush in Superduper Natural - On cheek bone

~HG

Janet Jackson Gets the Big Chop!

*courtesy of TMZ.com

Now this is true get it girl style! I love it. Janet Jackson is cruising around London au naturale aka sans weave! It is my belief (being the weave wearer/detector that I am) that Janet's hair was not this short while wearing weave. It was actually longer than this. Janet has always had fab hair (I'm thinking back to her Penny of Good Times days), so it's nice to see her weaveless and free. What you do you think ladies and gents?

~HG

Face Atelier WOWs Us Again!

At this past weekends Makeup Show in NYC Face Atelier introduced their Ultra Foundation Women of Color line. As you all know from this post, I am a huge Face Atelier fan. The foundation goes on smooth like butter, doesn't seep into the skin, and feels very light. The coverage? Amazing! The women of Color foundation doesn't disappoint either. At a first, quick glance on Sunday morning I felt underwhelmed with the line, however, the more I played with it on myself and on friends, the more I became overwhelmed with the possibilities. Heat is a life saver! Just a small drop was enough to warm up a lot of the foundations to match my skin tone.

However, if you are a fave of Face Atelier's Foundation #10, beware! They changed the formula so that now it has a slight olive undertone. I use to wear #10 so that didn't too well with me, and unfortunately, when I went to purchase two of the #10 pro shade the young lady behind the table failed to tell me about this change. It was during the seminar with Brandalyn Fulton (pictured right) of Face Atelier that I learned of the change. I now know that I am a #11and that works well for me. I contacted Face Atelier and they were sweet enough to ship me their #11 to replace my #10, and for that I'm super greatful. Once again you can't go wrong with Face Atelier. Great products, great customer service! What more could a beauty addict ask for?

~HG

Another One to Add to the Portfolio

I'm not sure if I mentioned this or not, I am slightly scatterbrained, but at the end of April I had another photoshoot. This one was bridal. It was my first time working with this group, but it was good. It wasn't all crazy and fast paced, but much more relaxed than the shoots I'm use to.  Anyway, just wanted to post a couple of my pictures. Please tell me what you think and be honest. I already see a million things I would've done differently, but that's what the next shoot is for right? I just did the one girl, so in the pictures where there are two girls, I cannot take the credit for that lovely lady.

~HG

MAC: Disney Venomous Villains Collection

Start saving your pennies ladies and gents for MAC is bringing the hotness in September. They're teaming up with Disney to bring us the Venomous Villains collection. WWD states:

MAC Cosmetics is teaming up with Disney to create a limited edition color collection, intended to launch globally in late September in all MAC locations. The products will feature four Disney characters, on which the brand is keeping mum at the moment — although with a collection name of Venomous Villains, it is assumed that we’re not talking Donald Duck and Minnie Mouse here. Lipstick, powder, lip gloss and blush shades will be sold, ranging in price from $12 to $29.50.

Am I the only one that gets a tingling sensation just thinking about what this collection could look like??? They better not disappoint because I have high hopes for this one.

~HG

SOUNDBITES @ 930 Club: A Worthy Cause

I'm so excited about this event! On May 23rd 9:30 Club will join up with some of DC's hottest chefs in order to benefit the DC Central Kitchen.

You'll feel great after purchasing your tickets because not only will the proceeds go to feed the the area's neediest people, but you will also get to taste foods from the Burger Joint, Busboys and Poets, Church Key, Commonwealth Gastropub, Cork, EatBar, Fresh Start Catering, Harry’s Tap Room, Indique, Jaleo, Marvin, Maddy’s Bar and Grill, Masa 14, Mie N Yu, Radius Pizza, Sauca, Taylor Gourmet, and Zola.

Not a foodie, just all about the music? There's something for you too! DJ Will Eastman, US Royalty, Bluebrain, Fatback DJs, Beautiful Swimmers and Midnight Kids will rock you supremely throughout the event.

Tickets are just $30! You can purchase them now from the 9:30 Club box office or via www.ticketfly.com.

Come enjoy the food and entertainment, and don't forget to spread the word. What an awesome cause right?

~HG

My dream hair?...

She has it.

*Swoon*

~HG

What a Time to Feel Self Conscious - The Natural Hair Ordeal

Since going natural I've paid more attention to my hair than I ever have before in my life. This means having standard days for co-washes, deep conditioning, etc. etc. Typically I co-wash on Tuesdays, and DC on Saturdays. This past saturday was no different. I jumped in the shower and co-washed my hair, then I jumped out, towel dried quickly, threw some DC on it, and contemplated about what to do next. I took a huge gulp as I realized what I was about to do. I decided to wear my natural hair in all of it's glory for the rest of the day, eep!

What you must realize is that the world has not seen my natural hair since, oh, I dunno, 2006? I never wear it out. Well, I have a few times, but very rarely, and never EVER to the mall! This is mainly due to the fact that I have not one clue what to do with my hair in it's natural state. I don't like twists, or knots, or any other braided up style. I want to be able to wear my hair with little product and just wildly tamed, if that makes sense. Plus I'm not the girl to spend a million dollars on hair products just to see if they work, so I don't have many products for styling my natural due. However, I started to twist my hair back so that I could throw on my wig and go when I took a look and thought hey, this is actually kind of cute! Maybe I should... ehhh, I don't know. Yes, I had a whole conversation with myself about whether or not I should leave my hair out.

The problem is, I have a big face and two chins. I'm so use to having long hair to make my face look less full, and my second chin slightly less noticeable. With my hair drawn up in tight coils, everything is there for the world to see. No hiding! But then I thought to myself "heeey, no hiding...that sounds really good!" So, I did it! I stepped outside with no one else's hair on my head except my own. Imagine that! I was so proud of myself, but then....

Everyone kept staring at me! W.T.F.! I was so self-conscious. I was like oh dear God, I look like a bald headed oompa loompah! I'm never doing this again! I walked into the mall and up to the Bobbi Brown/MAC counter to return a product when suddenly multiple women started coming up to me saying "your makeup is GORGEOUS!". Normally that would send me over the cloud, but I couldn't even concentrate on that. All I heard was "people aren't staring at you because of your hair". That's all that mattered to me. Wait, could India Arie possibly be right? Am I truly not my hair? For the first time in a long time, I got it, and I'm going to keep it. I am NOT my hair. I'm ok just the way I am.

Don't get it twisted though. I love my lace fronts. Lurve the versatility and I will rock them supremely for a very long time. However, now I feel much better about letting my hair be it's natural free self in public.

So, help me natural hair gurus. What products should I use to help my hair stay curly, not frizzy and poofy? I need some major natural hair care h.e.l.p. And don't send me a product that costs over $20 because I can promise you it's not for the kid ;~)

~HG

NRW: Spicy Sausage Dip

INGREDIENTS
1lb jimmy dean sage sausage
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 green chiles, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 8oz packages of cream cheese
2tblsp of butter
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a dutch oven; add garlic cloves and onion. Saute for two minutes.
2. Add sausage black pepper and cayenne pepper and cook until browned
3. Add tomatoes, chiles and cream cheese. Turn heat up to medium - high. Stir ingredients and cook until piping hot.

Enjoy!

~HG

LOTD: Au Naturel...almost!

Face:

Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation in Almond 7
MUFE HD Powder

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Dark
MUFE Flash Palette, Brown - Light contour face

Eyes:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance
MAC E/S in Artic Grey - Lower lid
MAC E/S in Handwritten - Crease
MAC E/S in Sable - Above Crease
MAC E/S in Seedy Pearl - Brow highlighter
Coastal Scents palette 78 (the lightest pink) - Over Seedy Pearl
Coastal Scents Black E/S - Line eyes
MUFE Flash Palette, Silver - Under lower lash line
Voluminous by Loreal - Mascara

Lips:

Bobbi Brown lipgloss in Nude

Cheeks:
MAC blush in Raisin - below cheek bone
MAC Mineralize blush in Superduper Natural - On cheek bone

~HG

Thank You Lena Horne...

for blessing us with your talent, beauty, and grace...

...from all the brown girls in the world who watched your fierceness and felt confident in knowing that their black will always be beautiful.

Lena Horne 1917 - 2010

~HG

It's Love! - China Glaze's Awaken

Ok, so I know I'm late on this by like, a year, but yeah, I'm totally in love!

It’s China Glaze Awaken from the Romantique collection for Spring 2009. I'm not a polish fanatic, but this one makes me drool. That tis all :~)

~HG 

Beauty From the Earth Cosmetics Sale!

Always wanted to try BFTE cosmetics, but you're on a budget? Then this is your time! BFTE is having a moving sale. You can even get one random item for 25 cents! Run.Get.That!

~HG

China Glaze Vintage Vixen Fall 2010 Collection

If you know anything about me you know that vintage anything makes me drool! So this collection? Right here? Induces a major cosmetic drool factor. Seriously.

The available shades are:

Vintage Vixen will be available in July.

LOTD: With Love, Pink & Green

Face:

Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation in Almond 7
MUFE HD Powder

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Dark

Eyes:

MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre - All over
Urban Decay E/S in Chopper - packed on lower lid, blend up into crease
Coastal Scents palette number 78, last column, 3rd green - outter V lower lid
Urban Decay E/S in Mildew- middle of lower lid
MAC E/S in Handwritten- Crease
MAC Naked Pigment - Brow bone and inner corner 
Coastal Scents Black E/S - Line eyes
Coastal Scents palette number 78, last column, last green - line under lower lash line
Voluminous by Loreal - Mascara

Lips:
Coastal Scents lip palette, column 10, 3rd color down
Covergirl Wetslicks amazement lipgloss in Red Riot

Cheeks:
MAC blush in Raisin - below cheek bone
MAC Mineralize blush in Superduper Natural - On cheek bone

~HG

Cherry Culture Sale

~HG

LOTD - Brown Downed

Face:

Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation in Almond 7

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Dark

Eyes:

MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre - All over
Urban Decay E/S in Chopper - lower lid, blend up into crease
MAC E/S in Handwritten- Crease
Urban Decay E/S in Oil Slick - outter V
Coastal Scents Black E/S - Line eyes
Voluminous by Loreal - Mascara

Lips:
Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Nude 8

Cheeks:
MAC blush in Raisin - below cheek bone
MAC Mineralize blush in Superduper Natural - On cheek bone
Bobbi Brown blush in Coral - Just above cheekbone
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Northern Light - Under eyes

~HG

Becca Cosmetics - Up to 50% Off!

For the next 47hrs Becca Cosmetics will be on sale on HauteLook.com.

Interested in purchasing Becca foundation, but confused about what color to select? No worries! Check out the foundation chart found here and below. Happy shopping!

~HG