Snapped: WE tv 'Growing Up Hip Hop' NYC Premiere

Raven Symone

Romeo 

Angela Simmons

Lil Kim 

Photo Cred: Getty Images for We tv

GROWING UP HIP HOP premieres Thursday, January 7th at 10pm ET/PT and follows Angela Simmons, Romeo Miller, Damon "Boogie" Dash, Kristinia DeBarge, TJ Mizell and Egypt Criss, the children of hip hop legends. 

Stocking Stuffer Alert: Serenity Acres Farms Fresh Goat's Milk Soap

I have come across the cutest soaps from Serenity Acres Farm. Serenity Acres Farm is a local farm in Madison County, Florida with a goal to provide its customers with locally created products. The farm is so personable that they not only offer tours, but they also offer customers a chance to get to meet the goats whose milk is used to create their Fresh Goat's Milk Soap. Click here to meet Luna, Cocopuff, Dorothy, and Admiral Frodo.

Created by Serenity Acres owner Julia Shewchuck, the soaps come in scents and include rich, natural goat's milk. I am so excited about these soaps that I am telling anyone who will listen about them. The soaps do not include chemical or artificial dyes, alcohols, drying agents, or preservatives. They are also stuffed full of vitamins like Vitamin A, C, D, and E and are handmade.  As many of my readers already know, I have sensitive skin and can not use heavily scented soaps. These soaps are scented but calming, and leave your skin feeling soft. For those of you that are still concerned about scents, Fresh Goat's Milk Soaps also have an Unscented option. Below are a few of my favorites:

The Arabian Wood Goat's Milk Shaving Soap, $8.99, is the perfect pick for the men in your life this holiday.

 

The Lavender Vanilla soap, $6.50, smells earthy like lavender yet sweet like vanilla. 

Sweet and minty best describes the Cucumber Melon Mint soap. It is light, $6.50, and a perfect scent for the spring and summer. 

The Stress Relief soap, $6.50, is my holiday favorite. It literally smells like a peppermint candy cane. 

Interested in learning more about the Serenity Acres Farms Fresh Goat's Milk Soaps? Click here.

It's Tea Time: Hyley's Tea Review

I love tea! It's no secret: I drink it every morning. So, imagine how excited I was when I got my Hyley's Tea in mail!

So far, my favorite teas are the Hyley's Sleep Teas in Mint and Chamomile, which can be purchased here for $5.99 a piece. I know that a lot of people drink their sleep teas at night, but I have a cup in the morning when I first get up as well as at night. The morning cup helps to calm me in order to prep for the day while my night cup, naturally, relaxes me to have a good night's rest. 

Hyley's also has Slim Teas in a variety of flavors. Their Slim Teas can be purchased here for $5.99 as well. Like a lot of women, I make a vow to lose weight every New Year's and end up falling flat by February. Hopefully, these Slim Teas can help. In combination with a healthy diet, the teas can help you lose weight. They are all natural and contain ingredients that help to boost your metabolism in order to shed pounds. The teas also help you cleanse and detox. Since I already love my daily cup of tea, adding this to my diet should help me FINALLY obtain some results. 

If you are not interested in the Sleep or Slim Teas, that is fine. Hyley's also has green, black, and wellness teas that may be more your style. View their tea collection here.

Review: 1500-Watt 1.5 L Double Wall Kettle

I drink about a pot of tea a day. I am not sure if this is a good thing, lol, but just as many people can not live without their coffee in the morning, I cannot live without my tea. Before getting the Rosewill 1500 Watt 1.5 Double Wall Kettle, I would make my tea in a small pot on the stove and would have to reheat it throughout the day. However, with the Rosewill 1500 Watt 1.5 Double Wall Kettle, all I have to do is plug in the kettle and add water and my tea bag for hot tea all day. 

So here are the cool things about the Rosewill 1500 Watt 1.5 Double Wall Kettle. It automatically shuts off when it gets hot. This is perfect for me, who has left the stove on numerous times. And, while the water is hot on the inside, the outside of the kettle remains cool, so no burns! And, on the aesthetic side, the kettle is really sleek and makes my otherwise drab kitchen look modern. If you are the type to get something for yourself to put under the tea, the Rosewill 1500 Watt 1.5 Double Wall Kettle would be the perfect choice. 

Snapped: Charlotte Tilbury's Naughty Christmas Party and Launch of her Flagship Beauty Boudoir

Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury and Kate Bosworth

Selma Hayek and Charlotte Tilbury 

Charlotte Tilbury and Kate Moss

IMAGE CREDIT: Charlotte Tilbury Covent Garden Store Launch

Tres Gives the Scoop on Being Married at First Sight!

        

Many of us can't even imagine what it is like to get married. However, Tres, a 28-year-old Brand Specialist at Audi not only got married, but he got married at first sight! Yes, "Married At First Sight" is back for a new season on FYI, and Tres is one of its newlyweds. Check out the Q&A below to learn more about Tres and what lit was like for him to be a participant on the popular TV show. 

• What made you decide to participate in the show?

I decided to participate in the show because it was such a unique opportunity. After college, finding the right person gets harder and harder, so having the opportunity to have 4 experts match me up with someone looking for the same thing as me was something that I couldn't pass up on.

·         What has been the reaction of your family and friends?

At first everyone thought I had completely lost my mind, which I expected because it sounds like such an insane thing to do. But after watching the previous seasons and seeing how intense the vetting process for the matchmaking was, they became very supportive and have been by my side the entire way.

·         What are some of the pluses of getting married at first sight as opposed to a traditional marriage?

I didn't have to plan some extravagant proposal and I didn't have to be too involved in the wedding planning. I see that as a big plus because I have helped with some of my friends' weddings, and the stress that they had on them during the process was unbelievable.

·         Would you suggest to others to get married at first sight? 

I would suggest it to certain people, but it takes a special person. You have to be willing to take a huge chance and open yourself up in ways that you never have. There is nothing easy about it. You definitely have to let yourself be vulnerable.

·         What was it like being on a reality show?

I guess it hasn't really hit me that I was on a reality TV show yet. It was definitely weird having cameras follow you around all the time. I could just be sitting right there watching SportsCenter, which isn't interesting at all, and there was a camera sitting in my face. I guess it will all hit me when it airs!

·         What effect does being taped have on a relationship?

I think that being taped definitely makes it harder to get to know someone, especially early on in a relationship. As much as they tell you to act natural and just be yourself, it is easier said than done when you are mic'ed up and have multiple cameras around you. But once adjusted, you quickly forget the cameras are there.

Get The Look: The Rimmel Holiday Look

The holiday season is upon us, which means office parties and New Year's Eve shindigs. Deciding what to wear is a chore in itself, never mind how you are going to do your makeup. Luckily, Rimmel London has us covered with their "Holiday Star" look, demonstrated above on  Rimmel London Spokeswoman Georgia May Jagger. Use the products below to create the look. 

Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation with Comfort Serum, $7.99

ScandalEyes Eye Shadow Sticks $4.99

ScandalEyes XX-Treme Volume and Length Mascara, $6.99

Rimmel London Professional Eyebrow Pencil, $4.59

Rimmel London's Natural Bronzer, $5.99

 Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick, $7.49

Giveaway: $50 Spa & Wellness Black Gift Card from Spa Week

Happy Cyber Monday! This day is not only a great day to get online deals, but also serves as our officially ushering into the holiday season. Yes, the next few weeks are going to be full of making holiday reservations and trying to find the perfect gift for family and friends. By New Year's, you are definitely going to need to relax, and what better way to do so than with a $50 Spa & Wellness Black Gift Card from Spa Week?

The cool things about this card: it doesn't expire and can be used at 8,000 spa and wellness locations around North America. How can you win it? Send an email to hjclaypr@gmail.com including your full name and email address for your chance to win. Good Luck! 

Spa Week Subscribers Receive Discounts and Promotions All Year Round on the website www.spaweek.com. To take advantage of the holiday promotions and other great deals please sign up at www.spaweek.com for exclusive savings, the latest spa deals and amazing giveaways. 

Snapped: BACARDI Hosts Untameable House Party Tour in Atlanta with Meek Mill

Pretty Read: The Little Book of Skin Care

I am probably one of the few women on the planet left that doesn't believe that being beautiful boils downs to pins and needles in your face. But I will not lie. I will be 31 in about a month, and I find myself paying more and more attention to my skin. Thankfully, Charlotte Cho has written The Little Book of Skin Care: Korean Beauty Secrets for Healthy, Glowing Skin to give me some solutions that don't include going under the knife. 

This book is full of pages and pages of awesome skincare advice. One thing that I found interesting is how Cho suggests "Double Cleansing"; first with an oil cleanser and secondly with a water-based cleanser. This is interesting for me, because I was always told that applying oil to the skin would cause breakouts. She also discusses the importance of moisturizing and using sunscreen. While giving readers these hot skincare tidbits, also gives readers a peak into Korean beauty culture. 

I am making it a goal to take better care of my skin in 2016 and this book is definitely going to be a big help. Learn more about the book here.

Review: Dove Quench Absolute Shampoo and Conditioner

Many curly girls say that the hardest thing about having curls is finding the right hair style, but for me, the hardest thing about being a girl with curls has been finding the right products. Fans of this blog will tell you that I have essentially tried everything and that I have my favorites. I am now adding the new Dove Quench Absolute Shampoo and Conditioner to this list.

First and foremost, I have been a fan of Dove soap for years! Sadly, my skin is too sensitive to use fancy, scented soaps. However, when I heard that they were coming out with not only a hair care line, but one with products for textured hair, I was skeptical. I was also wrong. I am in LOVE with their shampoo and conditioner. I am a sucker for products that smell good, and these products smell amazing! Combined, I found the shampoo and conditioner to cleanse my hair without stripping it. After towel drying,  my fro was soft and fluffy.While twisting my hair once it dried, I also found that my hair was detangled and easier to manage. 

The Dove Quench Absolute Creme Serum is also a great product. I use it as a daily leave-in conditioner. It is very light and doesn't weigh down the hair. It also doesn't leave a residue like other serums that I have tried and it isn't oily. It is great for when you just want to pull your hair back and go without a lot of fuss. My aunt has also become a big fan of the serum. We are sharing a jar, lol. Her hair is very course and she is a product junkie, trying any and everything she hears about on Youtube vlogs. She also tends to overuse products on her hair. However,we have found that the Quench Creme Serum is all she needs. It elongates her hair and leaves it looking full. WE ARE FANS!

Check out this adorable, touching commercial about embracing your curls. 

Review: Carmex Moisture Plus

We all can agree that our lips need extra attention in the winter. Luckily, Carmex has our backs with the Carmex Moisture Plus sticks. These snicks come in trendy packaging, but the real treat is what is inside. 

Carmex Moisture Plus includes ingredients such as Aloe, Vitamin E, and Shea Butter to hydrate and moisturize lips. I love it because, unlike a lot of chap sticks, it is not thick and doesn't cake on the lips. It is smooth and soothes lips, and works well with lip sticks and gloss. It would also make an awesome stocking stuffer;)

Learn more about Carmex at  www.mycarmex.com.

Snapped: Celebs at the Global Spin Awards

Swizz Beatz

Swizz Beatz and Rev. Jesse Jackson 

Timbaland

Mark Ronson 

Ty Dolla $ign

Holiday Sips with Smirnoff Peppermint Twist

Smirnoff is coming out with its Peppermint Twist just in time for the holidays! A splash of the vodka in your favorite winter drinks will add the taste of our most beloved holiday treat. Below, see recipes for yummy holiday Smirnoff Peppermint Twist cocktails. 

Smirnoff Peppermint Twist Shot

·         1.5 oz Smirnoff Peppermint Twist

Shake over ice and strain into a chilled shot glass with crushed peppermint rim.

Smirnoff Peppermint Martini

·         1.25 oz Smirnoff Peppermint Twist

·         0.5 oz Baileys Original Irish Cream

Shake ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.  Garnish with grated nutmeg and a mini candy cane.

Smirnoff Peppermint Hot Chocolate

• 1.5 oz Smirnoff Peppermint Twist
• 6 oz hot chocolate

Pour shot of Smirnoff Peppermint Twist into hot chocolate.  Garnish with whipped cream and a peppermint stick