New Year: Let’s Get Cracking
Hey beautiful people!!! I am so glad to be back up and going — back on the blogging scene. A lot has happened in the last two years that has been both full of ups and downs, but I have triumphed over all obstacles, and I am happy to say I am still standing strong.
Fashion and entertainment, haircare and beauty, and skin and healthcare are still among my top focus because I always want everyone to feel their best, be their healthiest, and feel the greatest about themselves.
What am I doing these days? In 2024 I obtained my first image and fashion consultant certificate. This has opened doors for me to press forward in achieving my number one goal in being an image and fashion consultants to individuals from all walks of life.
I really wanted to get back in the blogging scene because Black History Month is just about here, and because so much is happening with our great country. And plus I really miss blogging. It had become a great part of my life and I had gotten so many great response. So let’s get back in the game and keep it pushing.
And because so much is happening with our country lately and hearing how so many are greatly being impacted, I want to create a platform that would give my AtStudio5 community a platform to share your thoughts and opinions, and your view points.
With everything that’s going on, this is just the beginning. I don’t think that we have tipped the top of the mountain of what is yet to come. Did you hear that since the launch of the AI technology, cyber attacks are on the rise? It is highly important that we be and stay on alert to keep ourselves and our family, and our finances protected.
So, what’s up for 2025? If you have been following my blog from day one, you know that I talked about entertainment events, I spotlighted fashion trends, I shared favorite shoes for the year, touched on hair and beauty, and health, I made every efforted to keep the blog site engaging and to keep you coming back for more. I intend to keep that same energy in 2025.
Let me hear from you!!! How have the previous years been for you? What are your new year’s resolutions? I didn’t make any, except to be happy and healthy.
I am glad to be back on the scene.
Disclaimer: I am not a professional hair stylist or expert. All of my information about hair comes from personal experience, having worked with fantastic hairstylists over the years as well as not so great hairstylists, mistakes I’ve made and what I’ve learned to correct those mistakes, and talking to professional hairstylists about the best hair growth advice for healthy hair. The information I provide is for informational purposes only.
I have been asked a few times now about Clairol’s Textures & Tones hair dye and if it can be used on white women’s hair (sorry, no time for being politically correct). Here’s the thing….this product, in my opinion — and having used it a few times — was designed with black women’s hair in mind. The one advantage that this product does have that I have not seen other brands have is that it can be used on the same day as a relaxer, especially if you are doing it at home yourself. Now, since using the product, I have spoken with former hairstylists, including my current hairstylists and they have all said it is better to wait approximately two weeks if you are contemplating using a permanent hair color as apposed to a semi-permanent hair color like I use now, which takes to the hair a lot better when the hair is freshly relaxed.
Clairol does offer information on using a permanent hair color on relaxed hair on their Relaxed Hair Solutions page, which I recommend reading especially if you have relaxed hair and you want to apply a permanent color to your hair. While the general consensus from professional hairstylists is to not perform a same day color using a permanent hair color, this page may provide you with some helpful information into this process.
Now, semi-permanent color is a whole different ballgame because it is more like rinse that washes out and has to be touched up…something like…every 6 – 8 weeks or after 23 washes, or as the color starts to get lighter and lighter and starts to fade out.
For example, this is my hair just washed on 01/01/22. My hair has two different colors. The one you see is a sapphire blue, and the other color is a mixture of a pink and ruby red. I originally had this done in November right before Thanksgiving. As the weeks have passed and I have regularly washed my hair, the blue is getting lighter and lighter and the color mixture is also getting lighter and lighter an indication that it is time for touchups as I am over the 8 week mark.
I have heard people complaining about semi-permanent colors washing out as soon after washing their hair after the initial application. In order to the rinse to stick and last longer there are other processes you have to follow. The rinse works so well on my hair is because a good chunk of my hair is gray, so that is why the blue is so apparent and the other colors works well because I have had this color combo for a few years. You can try developer that works with it, but you have to understand that there are developers that can be used on relaxed hair as well, so you definitely want to research the different developers to ensure you are using the correct one especially if you do not already have chemically treated hair (i.e., non-relaxed hair).
Now, back to the Textures & Tones hair dye. For the white women who have been asking about using this product on their hair…the best suggestion I can offer is to perform strand tests by following the instructions provided with the product to see how the color takes to your hair. If you are satisfied with the results, then you should be good to go. If you are not satisfied with the results, then maybe the product is not for your hair and perhaps trying a different brand might be an option. And that brings me to my next point…hair type.
You have to keep in mind that not all women have the same hair type. All of the products designed for black women’s hair is just that, designed for our specific kind of hair. Mostly because we have different hair types that falls in line with being kinky (or nappy as us old schoolers know it as), has unique natural curl patterns with some looser and some tighter, and some with a combination curl pattern or no curl pattern at all. There are a lot of products on the market that we just cannot use due to the alcohol content that dries out our hair or other ingredients that are too harsh for our hair. So, having products that are specifically catered to our types of hair give us more options to choose.
In closing, Clairol’s Textures & Tones is one of my favorite hair dye products on the markets because Clairol took the time to create something for us, but has also grabbed the attention of others outside the spectrum. I would be happy to hear about the results of using the product on non-black hair. Email me at savvyhair101@gmail.com and send me a pic with your review of the product.
Thank you for reading!!!
Note from the Moderator: What’s New in 2022?
Happy New Year from my family to yours. I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season. We actually got snow the night of Christmas, and it snowed like crazy for about four or five days. It was beautiful in the state of Washington, of course road conditions were terrible, I limited my traveling as much as possible.
So, it’s been quite a while since I’ve been on, and I am sure that many of you are wondering when am I going to post some new content. Well, we’ve gone through a great deal. My mom was very ill so it’s been taking time talking to her as much as possible, and then we travelled to California to be with her in September. My mother-in-law passed away in August and then following our visit to California, the Monday after we returned from the trip, my mom passed away, so I had to fly back four days later to facilitate her cremation with my sister.
So, now that I am back? What’s new for AtStudio5 and AtStudio5 Enterprises? For starters, it’s a new year, it’s time a new focused direction. I still wan t to see how much further I can take my brain childs (yes I said “childs”), and I want to engage an even wider audience.
We are still not out of the woods of the pandemic, and many people are still being affected. Even people I know and close family members. Are you quarantined at home? Do you have a talent for writing content related to hair, fashion, beauty, the media, I want to hear from you. I am always open to collaborating with others. Do you have a product and you want to buy space to promote your product? Let’s talk!!! Send me your email to atstudio5info@gmail.com and we can brainstorm together.
One of the ideas I have is turning AtStudio5 Enterprises into more of a media site hoping to collaborate with others who will see my vision as something they would want to be a part of.
I am also actively working on being a fashion stylist and consultant to help people rediscover themselves after coming back from tragic losses in their lives or from making a huge turning point and they want to build themselves back up. I do offer 2 hours fashion consultations which can be done via zoom for $75.
What’s involved in the consultation?
- When you are confirmed for a zoom consultation, I will send you a questionnaire. This consists of basic questions to get an idea of your body type, your current style choice, what you are looking to change, if you are looking for short or long-term changes.
- We’ll go over some things you can change in your wardrobe
- We’ll talk about how to shop on a budget if you have limited financial resources
- I’ll go over the best styles and colors, and prints and patterns that best works for your, including accessories
- We’ll talk about how to coordinate
- And at the end of the consultation, there’ll be a Q & A for you to ask questions that were not covered in the consultation.
If anyone is interested in a zoom consultation, send me an email at styledbyrene@live.com.
It’s going to be a good year and I am looking forward to all of you joining me on this journey.
Makeup has changed so much over the years that creativity has more than excelled in technique and style, but it’s also given way to extreme looks that can be transformed into daytime and nighttime looks, and looks for whatever path our minds sets us on.
One technique I have developed a liking for is the Ombre Lips. I have been seeing this on the makeup groups I belong to on Facebook and I have become fascinated by it. The look is very much like how I use a lip liner with lip gloss except there is no blending involved when I wear a lip liner with a lip gloss, to me that is just manipulating the color of the lip gloss.
With doing Ombre Lips, the process is a little different and it all depends on your personal preference on the shades you use and whether you use matte, satin finish or a cream lipstick with a lip liner of choice.
In the process I am going to talk about, the process uses three things, a brown lip liner, a nude shade of lipstick and an optional clear lip gloss. But again, you can use any shades you like to achieve your Ombre look. I just so happen to like the brown lip liner used with a rose colored matte lipstick.
So, over the last month I have watched six or seven videos on achieving the perfect Ombre Lips and what I concluded is that the process can very easily be achieved in three easy steps, four if you want to top it off with a clear lip gloss if you want your lips to pop. There is really no need to pile on lipstick after lipstick or lip glosses over lipsticks, where I saw a total of five used in the process. Believe me I tried the method of using multiple lipsticks and lip glosses and I did not like it because, for one, it was too long of a process and then, two, it just looked messy and just seemed sticky and it was way too much just to achieve something that I later discovered has a more simpler process.
The first thing you want to do is use your lip liner to trace your lips. You can go just around the line of your lips or you can go above the line if you want a fuller look. I prefer to trace just inside the line of my lips. I don’t have large lips and don’t need to create a look on something I don’t have.
You’ll want to make the lines wide enough so when you get the step with the lip stick, you will still have enough lip liner to cover both your top and bottom lip.
Now you are going to create what I call side triangles starting from the far corners of your lips and just color in just enough on both top and bottom lips (see photo) so that you are going to leave wide enough spaces uncolored in. This is the space you are going to use for the lipstick.
This next step you are going to get your lipstick and you are going to fill in the spaces untouched by the lip liner. The last step you are going to use a small blending brush to blend the lipstick into the lip liner or the lip liner into the lipstick lightly patting your lips until it looks blended.
The final step would be to use a clear lip gloss. You pat it on to avoid messing up the blended look. Again, using a lip gloss is optional and can be used if you really want your lips to shine. I prefer not to use a clear lip gloss, although I have some, I just don’t use it for this look.
This Ombre Lip brought out my entire look and in all the makeup series I have done, this is the best look I have done.
What I used:
- Lavish Brown lip liner by Jordana (they are no longer in business as of 12/31/20)
- 211-Risky Rose lipstick by Maybelline
- Small blending brush by Wet & Wild
I tried the Ombre four different times before finally achieving the perfect Ombre Lips. If this is something you’d like to do, I recommend try it out a couple of times using different shades and types of lipsticks and lip glosses to see which one works for you. Mine was done in trial and error before stumbling across this simple process.
I will be starting a YouTube channel in the coming months and I will be talking about how to do this simple three step process, so stay tuned for that.
I hope this post was help to you or someone you know.
Thank you for reading and remember to like this post. If you have a comment please share below. Share with your friends and tell everyone about this post.
Fashion Talk: Why do People Write the Bad Reviews They Write About Apparel They Buy Online?
Have you ever found an item you really liked and before you purchased it, you decided you wanted to read the reviews to learn what other customers thought about that same item? I can understand the reviews that talk about how they received a defected item (i.e., had holes in, rips, stains, etc.). They have pretty good reasons to be disappointed because they paid their money and were expecting a quality product.
When they go on to blatantly tear the item down, you kind of have to read more into it to determine what what the real problem is that they found wrong with the item. I found it interesting when in many of the reviews I have read when I was online shopping for various fashion items, There were always one or two who said:
- Very disappointed because the item looked cheap
- It was poorly made
- Not flattering
- Horrible item
- Photo not accurate
- Color not the same as shown
- Doesn’t fit, way too big or too small
And the more I read these reviews I had a conversation with my daughter and we came to the same conclusion that it just may be something with the customer, that they don’t realize that with online ordering, items are not always as shown in the picture, and you have to take into consideration that depending on where it is coming from, it is going to run small, run big, or fit as expected which is why I read the reviews to see what others in my weight class bought and what they felt about it.
After the last reviews I read the other day, I was prompted to write this post. So, my daughter bought me this amazing sweater on Amazon. I absolutely love the sweater and the detail. She knows I like sweaters that are different, have the right kind of appeal and really stand out, and it was such a coincidence that for Christmas she got the same exact sweater I had been looking at.
It’s the right length, the right size, and the cold shoulder look is what I like, with one extra detail that really caught my attention.
I loved the sweater so much I actually found the sweater again, but in a powder blue, which in this style makes it just even more beautiful, except I got in a size large this time because I am in the process of losing weight. Don’t worry I know how to take in a sweater if it gets too big without have to try and shrink it.
Now when I found the sweater, I wanted to read the reviews to see what others felt about the item. And some of the reviews I read I didn’t quite understand what the actual problem was. I ordered it anyway and I receive it, the sweater was shrink wrapped which let me know they took time to ensure the sweater was protected. One of the reviews I read said it arrived with a noticeable snag in it. I did not use any sharp object to open the package for the purpose of not damaging the product. First thing I noticed is the color was exactly as shown online. No disappointment there.
I laid the sweater out on my bed and inspected every part of the sweater, looking for any defects, snags, holes, tears, anything that would warrant me to return it. I look at the neckline, the sleeves, the entire body of the sweater and I have to say that I found absolutely nothing wrong with the sweater. In fact, it was in perfect condition.
The wrinkles in the sweater come from it having been tightly shrink wrapped which I can only assume they did that to help keep it from being damaged in shipping.
I tried the sweater on and it fit like a charm. I like my sleeves long and I like my sweaters to fit a certain way and this one fit just right. Not only do I love the cold should detail, but I love the open back these sweaters have. That’s why when I tried on the tan one I have, I was like, “Oh, yeah!!!”
Look at that backing!!! Tell me if this is not your regular ultimate sweater. So, you can understand why I got so excited when my daughter got me one for Christmas. If I can find a white me, believe me, I will be ordering that baby lickety-split!
So, let me give you my review of the sweater. I already mentioned how it came packaged. The sweater is soft, the sleeves are the right length. The sweater falls just at my hips which is how I like my sweaters. The quality of the sweater is very nice, no stitching errors. I based the size on my overall body type in order to avoid getting a size too big and too small.
It’s fact that everyone has their own experience when ordering online, but you also have to exercise some common sense to ensure you’re not only getting what you paid for, but you want it worth the money you paid. You have to keep in mind that not everything ordered online is going to be expected. I have had this happen to me several times but I did not return everything because I could live it — it was not too bad to where I had to demand my money back. There were those instances where the seller just said keep the item and they refunded my money because of my dissatisfaction of an item. It will happen, but if you know you can avoid ordering issues, then by all means do so to avoid the headaches that being disappointed can cause.
Don’t be surprise if you write a review that is so bad that the seller will reach out to you personally and ask what can they do for you to get you to amend your review. That’s happened to, but they have to keep in mind that if they did not deliver quality products, misrepresented products, they are bound to get the bad reviews. Nothing they can do there.
In closing, next time you write a review, take the time to think about what you’re writing that review. You could be adding to the popularity of the seller, or adding to their bad reputation.
Shoe Review: The Jessica Simpson Wedge Boots
As we were saying goodbye to 2020, I thought I would see what boots I could find that would be head-turning type of boots. I came across the Jessica Simpson wedge boots that are very nice in style and color combination. Just the kind of boots that are (for me) different.
I think the pink brings the brown and tan tones together, and you can get away with wearing something pink and not take away from the style of the boots. The wedge I would say measures just at or a little below 4 inches, making the boots easy to wear.
There are a few things about the boots I found could have been done better, one is the zipper could have been longer to make for more ease of slipping the boots on.
Secondly, with regards to size, they do run a bit small. Which I found very surprising because I had a pair of her high heel pumps that were a size 6.5 and they fit like a size 7, but then again that was several years ago.
The surprising thing is I wear a size 7 and I got these in a size 7.5 and found them snug around the ankles, and my feet and ankles were not even swollen at the time I tried these on, in fact I had skinny ankles 😉 so getting these a whole size up would not be a bad idea.
Thirdly is they are tight around the calf. Even though they tried to allow for fitting the calves, they should have made them a bit wider because taking them off if you’re not wearing a nylon is going to be a pain in the next. You cannot wear them with thin socks because they will be too tight and too uncomfortable. You stand a better chance wearing them with super thin or sheer nylon socks or stockings just for the easy of getting them on and off. Where they made the boots loose just above the ankles, they should have added some of that looseness down around the ankles to not make it so tough to zip up.
I absolutely love the style of the boots. I’ve seen multi color boots but not in this particular style where the wedge itself is partially covered. The pointed toe adds to the overall style of the boots and gives them a classy rustic look and appeal.
They would be ideal for wearing with a sweater dress, or suede skirt ensemble just to set the off and make them stand out. These do come in all black, but they are not as fun as these here with the color combo. Makes them more fun.
As far as price, I bought these at Ross one day a couple weeks ago when I happened to have gone in looking for a sweater and stopped off in the shoe section to see what they had. There was only one pair in the entire store, and I paid $19.99 plus tax. You can also find these on HSN.com for $103 and on Amazon for about $108, which I don’t see them being worth that much simply because they run small and you would probably have to go up a whole size just for the ease of slipping them on, zipping them up, and getting a good comforting fit.
Overall I love the style, but while zipping them up can be problematic, I can zip them up nonetheless and my toes are not snug. It’s just mostly around the ankles and upper calves. Would I recommend them? I honestly would, but I would also suggest going a whole size up…oh, I already said that, but you know what I mean.
Beyond that, they are super cool boots, no denying that. They are best worn when it’s not raining buckets and pails out here in the Pacific Northwest.
Entertainment: Cardi B’s Beefing With Peppa Pig
In the news today on the internet comes the latest crazy celebrity beef and this time it comes from Cardi B who is said to have beef with the popular cartoon, Peppa Pig. The fact this made headlines on a couple of sites including Billboard, is almost laughable. But you gotta love Cardi B’s fire!
The whole thing is surrounding the very fact that one of the things that Peppa does is stomp in puddles. I don’t think there is a cartoon episode where Peppa is not stomping in a wet puddle, or her little brother. Hey, it’s what makes the day fun for them. At the same time, and because her daughter is obsessed with the cartoon, Cardi B feels it is influencing her daughter in a way she is disagreeing with and probably on all levels. Specifically with messing up shoes, to be quite clear.
I respect Cardi B, and in a very big way. I can honestly say she and her music has somewhat grown on me in the last year or so. I can say she is quite a talented artist who has a no nonsense personality. She relates to her fans and when people bark at her, she barks back with a bigger bite. She becomes momma bear when it comes to her daughter. So, it’s no wonder I am in amazement that she could probably be one to give Peppa Pig a run for her money.
Look, I am a mom, too, and a grandma. When my daughter was growing up, I can’t count how many times she has stomped in wet puddles. I have even stomped in quite a few with her. It’s letting her be a little kid and enjoying all the things that came with with being a little kid. We didn’t have Peppa Pig back then when my daughter was a little girl, in fact she got to see a lot of the old classic cartoons.
Now my daughter is a mom and my granddaughter watches Peppa Pig and other cartoons religiously. I can remember sitting in the living room of our old apartment with my granddaughter watching a marathon of Peppa Pig [twice]. And I admit — after a while I thought I lost brain cells, but she wanted to spend an afternoon watching it and I did not take that away from her.
Look, if you’ve seen the cartoon, I think we are forgetting what the cartoon reflects…kids being kids. And if parents feel watching Peppa Pig stomp in in wet puddles is a bad influence, then stop the kids from watching the show. See how well that goes! Or if you’re going to get bent out of shape over it, do like we do my granddaughter, steer her away from the puddles and/or buy shoes they can wear specifically for stomping in wet puddles.
My granddaughter loves stomping in wet puddles, that is why when we have somewhere to go on a particular day, we make it clear no puddles, but if we’re just messing around for the day and going nowhere in particular, or just running quick errands then we let my granddaughter (now 4) attack the puddles.
I see it as a right of passage to enjoy being a kid before growing up becomes apparent, and having a childhood she can look back on and have happy memories. If the network drops Peppa Pig, we can say Cardi B singled handedly took out a cartoon…literally. Will she do it? I don’t know…there’s no mentioning that she would, but then again…with her fiery attitude and personality, I would not doubt it.
A Note From the Moderator: Saying Goodbye to 2020 and Hello to 2021
This year was definitely a challenging year for a lot of people, but I hope that through the holiday season many of you were able to take comfort in spending time with your loved ones to help take your minds off of the struggles many have faced and are continuing to face even after the Christmas Holiday.
Even through the difficulties we’ve all faced this year, we are still trying to survive the aftermath the pandemic is leaving behind. And many of us have or are rising from it and seeing new days ahead.
With that being said, I can’t thank everyone enough who have continued to stop by to view the blog to see what’s new. And with my Christmas Holiday Edition for 2020, the views are almost at 75,000. I am stoked at that number!!! Because that let’s me know people are paying attention, and that makes me happy.
I know we cannot predict how 2021 will start out, but I am confident it will be off to somewhat a good start even with the many restrictions we are facing in the states we live in that limits how we go out about our day-to-day activities, we can still try to look forward to better days.
Looking forward I hope to be incorporating more into the blog. The newsletter is still in progress. It may not debut at the first of the year as hoped, but know that it is still forthcoming.
I would like to do sample photoshoots, so anyone interested in collaborating with me on this project in 2021 can email me at atstudio5enterprises@gmail.com same with contributing to the newsletter. For the newsletter I’ll looking for beauty tips, product reviews, tutorials on how to apply makeup, and other beauty related information. Later on I’ll be looking to create a more magazine based publication to include beauty, fashion, entertainment and lifestyle, so stay tuned for that information.
I will be revising the guest writer guidelines in the coming weeks. I do not provide the guest writer guidelines until the potential guest writer has had a chance to review the content of the guide to determine of this is a good fit for them to submit their content. I have had emails from individuals requesting to write for AtStudio5, but never respond back to me, which I understand and it does not bother me at all, I just want this blog to be looked at seriously, which is why I am branching out to put the blog on a different level.
In closing, as we are preparing to say goodbye to 2020, let’s look ahead with our heads held high, our optimism at the highest it’s ever been, and think positive because times can only get better. This hardship shall past.
~~I celebrate you all and pray that you all find happiness, love, and strength in each other and in the new year.~~
AtStudio5ENT: Christmas Edition 2020 Featuring Liliane H.
AtStudio5 Enterprises is proud to announce the Christmas Edition 2020. Liliane H., Washington State. Join me in welcoming her as AtStudio5 Enterprises first feature for the Holidays as we close out the year.
AtStudio5ENT: Christmas Edition 2020 Features of the Month
Hello to all my readers, followers, friends and family reading this post tonight. If you are following my Facebook page you would have seen that last night I made an announcement.
I am looking to feature five people on my blog for the Holiday Edition of AtStudio5ENT Features for the month of December. I will be accepting the first 20 photos I receive via email at atstudio5info@gmail.com. AtStudio5 is not about me. It’s about all of you out there who are responsible for AtStudio5 continuing to grow and gain traction, and nearly up to 75,000 views. Let’s keep that number growing and let’s get more followers to join in on the fun.
As I am working continuously to grow my community, I cannot do this alone and need for you to get involved. Get the word out there about the blog in order for to become a name people can become familiar with.
The guidelines to submitting a photo for the Christmas Edition of AtStudio5ENT Features of the Month are as follows:
- Must be 18 or older submitting photos
- Willing to consent to allow the photo to be posted for the month of December
- Send one photo — doesn’t matter that size because it can be resized for posting. If you use more than one email, please use your preferred email for contacting you.
- Photos can be full or half body photos
- No nudity. Any nude shots are not accepted and will be deleted automatically
- Looking for glam photos, not you and your friends acting wild and out
- This is a holiday feature, so the photo must be nicely composed
- Include a short bio about yourself, including where you are from. A few sentences would be fine, please do not send an entire paragraph.
- Photos not selected to be featured, some may be selected for “Beauty of the Month Feature” beginning January 2021. If your photo is not selected, please include in your email if you would be interested.
The deadline to submitting photos is December 15, 2020 if you want the chance to be selected for the Christmas Edition of AtStudio5ENT Features of the Month. Final selection of the photos will be done on December 20, 2020. Those chosen will be emailed immediately, so be sure to be using your correct email address.
If you’re not already following my Facebook page, be sure to do so at AtStudio5.
I can’t wait to hear from you.
~~Happy Holidays to you all~~
AtStudio5 