2012 in Retrospect

It has been a great year, and I am grateful to God to be alive to see 2012 come to an end. A lot has happened to me this year, I have experienced some happy times, and some not so happy moments.

I remember at the beginning of this year, I was jobless. I had my makeup business alright, but that's just an added income. And depending solely on that was not that easy. But I strongly believed I was going to get a job soon and to God's glory, I did. A good paying job that has been a blessing. The job came with it's own baggage(time consuming), but nothing I couldn't handle, The good thing is, it did not disturb my other passion, which is makeup.

As each month comes and goes, there were times I would be depressed basically cause, there were some things or should I say goals I had set for myself, and I did not see myself achieving any of them or coming close to achieving them. But as the days goes by, my spirit is gingered(best way i can describe it) and I realize that, some people have gone through worst situations and they came out on top, so there is always a brighter side to life, we just need to open up our hearts and mind to see it.

Today is the last day of the year 2012, and looking back, I would say the year has been good. This year, I celebrated one year of marriage and so far so good still waxing strong. I saw a lot of homes crash this year, grateful mine is growing strongly. All I can say is Na God. My families have been wonderful, I have the best in-laws one can ever wish for and all this has made my 2012 really great. I pray my single friends find their own perfect match in the coming year( I need to eat more wedding food next year o..lol)

My business Tolu Makeovers has been good this year as well. worked with quite a number of talented and great people in the Fashion and photography industry. To name a few- Hakeem Salaami Photography(HSP) www.hspstudio.com ,  Babs Bamiro Photography- www.babzbamiro.com , Fotovid studios - https://www.facebook.com/fotovidstudio, Oluwaseun Raphael Lens(ORL) - https://www.facebook.com/oluwaseunraphael.lens.3?fref=ts, Chinny Designs,  Anuba, Aqwa by Dobi, Swan Beauty to name a few. Am sure if you Google them up you would get their details. I also have worked with a lot of models, brides and am grateful to you all for giving my outfit a chance to work on your faces.

I am also grateful to everyone that has followed, commented and viewed this blog. You have all giving me a reason to keep posting.

As we cross into the new year 2013, I pray everyone finds their most deserved happiness. I pray the year ushers in peace, joy and smiles on all our faces. Remember the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams and do not lose hold of your dreams or aspirations. For if you do, you may still exist but you have ceased to live.

Happy New Year guys.......Love you all

Merry Christmas Everyone.....

To everyone that has made this year a success for me, viewed my blog, contributed to my many many posts both on Facebook, Twitter and here as well, I wish you all a merry Merry Christmas, full of wonderful blessings and pleasant surprises. See you all in 2013 by God's grace.

Miss USA-Olivia Culpo crowned 2012 Miss Universe

20 years old Olivia Culpo from USA won the 2012 Miss Universe pageant. Congrats to her.

The Kardashian-Jenner Clan Release Their 2012 Christmas Card

Getting into the holiday spirit, Kim Kardashian posted a picture of her family's annual Christmas card on Monday (December 17).

The photo features the members of the Kardashian-Jenner clan all decked out in white while being surrounded by falling confetti.

Of the photo, the 32 year-old star wrote, "Here it is!! Our 2012 family Christmas card shot by the amazing Nick Saglimbeni! We had such a fun time shooting this! What do you think of the final pic??"

The reality family also kept Kim's beloved and recently departed cat, Mercy, in the picture as a tribute. Although Mercy was lucky enough to make it in the photo, Khloe previously explained that getting the whole family together for a group shot can be difficult.

"I have to be Photoshopped in [this year]," KoKo told Ellen DeGeneres, adding, "We pretend that we're always together, [but it's really] the power of cameras and Photoshop."

view their Christmas cards from previous years after the break

AIR-POWERED CAR

This car runs on the ultimate emissions-free fuel: air.

A compressed air car engine works in a way similar to the internal combustion version: Fuel forces pistons to turn a crankshaft and power the car. The difference is that in a compressed air engine, the pistons are moved by air and not gasoline.

The only problem is power. Air compression alone only gets a car moving to about 30 to 35 miles per hour. So to supplement that, the car could take in more air as it moves faster, using an onboard air compressor. The air compressor could be electric or, more likely, gasoline-powered. But even that would reduce emissions a lot, since the gasoline engine wouldn't be running at lower speeds.


Range is also an issue. Like all vehicles, an air-powered car can drive only as far as the amount of fuel in its tank. And storing compressed air requires "fuel" tanks that are stronger than steel to contain the thousands of pounds per square inch necessary.

On the bright side, compressing air in such a tank is a lot less dangerous than natural gas or hydrogen. Then there is the issue of filling the car's tank -- most air compressors would take at least a couple of hours to do that.

Tata seems to be the only manufacturer that has committed to actually building an air-powered car. Honda unveiled an air-powered concept car in 2010, and a company called Zero Pollution Motors had promised to deliver one to the United States -- but that was two years ago. (The company's website domain is no longer in use.) If Tata is successful, it will go a long way toward reducing emissions in India -- and perhaps freeing cars from fossil fuels completely.

Photo: The latest version of the AirPod, a car powered by compressed air.

Credit: Motor Development International

* * * *

Now this is interesting....doubt it would work in 9ja, enough bad belle no go gree am even survive. And me I still want to work in an oil and gas company o.

Pics of The Day

Big is curvy, sexy and beautiful....to all the plus size ladies out there, just me appreciating you guys. Please love yourself.

Chocolate For a Glowing Skin

I discovered something interesting through my many surfing of the web and I just had to share it with you all. Maybe it'll do someone some good.......

The fact that chocolates can be good for skin is making them more and more popular among this generation. Chocolates contain flavonoids that act as powerful antioxidants and protect the body from aging. They also act as a relaxing agent and balance certain hormones in the body that leads to a healthy looking skin. They do have the ability to reduce sun damage, improve skin texture along with increased skin density, thickness, and hydration in a more rapid way than any other natural product. That is why various chocolate beauty care products, chocolate treatments, and wraps have become an instant success these days. The article will throw some light on the way chocolate can do wonders to your skin.

Skin care chocolate is not the same as the chocolate we eat and it solely contains cocoa beans and cocoa butter. This incredible ingredient has reached to the common household by transforming it into various beauty skin care products by many companies. There are various reasons why chocolate products are good for your skin.
Chocolate contains flavonoids, which have powerful antioxidant properties and is considered a health food.
It contains cocoa butter, which helps in softening the skin.
The antioxidant properties prevent the free radicals from causing damage to the skin.
It has a nourishing effect and exfoliates the skin.
Besides keeping it smooth, moist and non-scaly, it helps in making the skin thicker, thus protecting it from the sun’s harmful rays.
A person can exfoliate the dead skin cells in order to regenerate news ones.
Hydration of the skin is possible.
Chocolate is a good moisturizer.
It rejuvenates the skin.
Due to the antioxidant properties, it helps to get rid of wrinkles.

My Product Review

This is a new aspect to my blog. I am going to give my reviews on some beauty products, most especially the ones I have used. I get a lot of people adding my pin and asking my opinion on this or that products, so this segment should be able to help some of you answer those questions. I would also welcome reviews from you guys aswell. So you can send me your product reviews aswell and I'll blog about it. Or you can comment on the ones I post.

Note: This is just my own opinion on how the product fared. It might have had a different reaction to you, so please feel free to share your own opinions. And I might also diversify to other products aswell (I mean, I am not limited to beauty products), so don't be surprised to see me talking about cars or shoes etc....

So for starters, I recently started using a new scrub to exfoliate and I have to say, I like the results I have been getting from this particular product. Am talking of The Body Shop- Shea Body Scrub 

It keeps my skin moist for a long period. and it does not leave my skin greasy after using it. It has a light fragrance, which is very subtle and not overpowering at all. In summary, it's been doing exactly what I want it to do as a scrub.

Please if you have used it, what has your experience been, share.

Dazzle like Marilyn - The Mac Marilyn Monroe Collection

When you talk about the epitome of beauty and sensuality, one name always springs into mind – that of the Hollywood’s original blonde icon, Marilyn Monroe. As a tribute to the legendary star, MAC, one of the world’s leading cosmetics brands, has launched their MAC Marilyn Monroe Collection.

MAC goes a long way in capturing the essence of Marilyn by introducing formulas and shades inspired by the screen siren’s overwhelming beauty and sex appeal. If you are a Marilyn fan, you will not be disappointed by MAC’s 2012 Fall line.

The MAC Marilyn Monroe Product Mix

Eyes

So, you want your eyes to look as sexy and expressive as Marilyn’s? MAC has it all for you.

If you are an eye shadow girl, you get to handpick from a number of options likeHow to Marry (soft white), Silver Screen (true silver), Preferred Blonde (pale champagne beige) and Showgirl (dark blue grey).

If eye kohl is more up your alley, you can choose from Fascinating (intense matte white) and Smolder (intense black).

Want to have perfect brows like Marilyn? Go for the Clear brow finisher or theUniversal penultimate brow marker.

If fluttery eyelashes is what you long for, MAC offers you Extreme Black false lashes or the 35 lash.

There’s also the MAC Marilyn Monroe Collection penultimate eyeliner,Rapidblack (rich deep carbon black).

Lips

The MAC Marilyn Monroe Collection lipstick line includes Deeply Adored (deep scarlet – matte), Charmed I’m Sure (dark true red – matte), Pure Zen – (warm nude – cremesheen), Scarlet Ibis (bright orange red – matte) and Love Goddess (mid-tone pink red – satin).

You can also choose from two varieties of dazzleglasses – Phiff! (sheer yellow peach) and Little Rock (soft sheer white with pearlized pigments).

The lip pencil range includes Beet (vivid reddish-pink), Redd (clearly red) and Cherry (vivid bright blue-red).

Face

To make your face glow like a Hollywood star, you can choose from the MAC Marilyn Monroe Collection beauty powder (Forever Marilyn – sheer pale peach highlighter) and two variants of powder blush –Legendary (pale soft coral – satin) and The Perfect Cheek (neutral pink beige – matte).

MAC never seems to cease amazing the beauty industry. Maybe someday, it will be the Mac Tolu Collection.....*winks*


Source: beautyramp

Looking Beautiful through the dry season.....

Having a clear, healthy and fair skin is something every individual yearns for especially during the dry and extremely sunny season we are experiencing in this parts of the world. In order to have a great skin, we often find ourselves heaping up cosmetics products that are available in the market on our face. However, what you do not realize is that the beauty that you are getting with the aid of those products is purely artificial and actually damages your skin to immense level without even coming in your notice until the damage is too much to be repaired. Thus, if is always safe to go for some likely solutions and make your skin glow naturally instead of relying on the beauty products throughout your day. Here are some of the quick home remedies that you can adopt for a naturally beautiful skin:

• Check your eating habits: Avoid eating all the oily and badly cooked fast food and instead grab on to the healthy items like fresh fruits, green vegetables and fish as they heal your skin internally and make it glow all the time. 

• Drinking habits: Drink as much cold water as you can in a day. Water is the best medium to flush off all the toxic that reside inside your skin and make it look damaged. Avoiding the intake of caffeinated drinks as well as alcohols can act as the bonus provisions for a beautiful skin.

• Exfoliate your skin: Exfoliate your skin regularly to clear out all the dust particles off your face that can make the way for an acne skin. However, make sure that you do not over exfoliate it as it can lead to breakouts in your skin.

No matter how what, natural beauty is something that makes a person always look the prettiest and no artificial products can make you look that much beautiful. Learn to appreciate your own beauty and enhance it by adopting natural methods instead of punishing your skin by using the artificial products that consist of chemicals which can make your skin suffer in the long run.

Source: beautyramp

Nas and His Father Olu Dara for The Gap’s Holiday 2012 Campaign

Nas and His Father, blues musician Olu Dara, for The Gap’s
Holiday 2012 Campaign.

I had always heard the gist that Nas is a Nigerian, never truly believed it. But now I do....wonder which state his dad hails from??

Ghanaian Fashion Label Duaba Serwa presents “Preciosa” for Spring/Summer 2013 – The Lookbook

Browsing through the internet, I found this on http://www.bellanaija.com/style/page/3/ and I just had to share it cuz I just loved the designs so much. It's so simple and classy.

Ghanaian fashion label Duaba Serwa was one of the new wave of African design talent that received Pan-African attention after showing at the ARISE Magazine Fashion Week Lagos in March 2012.Since then, the label has rocked the runway at the 2012 Ghana Fashion & Design Week and also the Mercedes Benz Africa Fashion Week in Johannesburg just a few weeks ago.

 More designs after the cut

Makeup by Yours Truly

Here are some of the recent faces I worked on, Please rate it and tell me what you think. Did I hit or miss?????

And I also make jewelries with our African Anakra pieces aswell....So it you want, its quite affordable

View more pics after the cut....

40 Ways You Can Line Your Eyes.....

So let's get practicing......

Photos via pinterest

Designer Remi Lagos Has Passed Away

One of the pioneers of fashion in Nigeria is gone. Remi Osholake, the talented designer behind pioneer fashion house, Remi Lagos, died at noon on November 3, 2012 at the Harley Street Clinic, London, after a battle with cancer. She was 51.

The ever smiling Remi Osholake's designs have been showcased on runways across the world. In my modeling years, I was privileged to wear one of her collections. It's so sad. May her soul rest in peace and God grant her family the strength to accept her death.  

Hurricane Sandy Wreaks Havoc in the U.S

Though no longer a hurricane, "post-tropical" superstorm Sandy packed a hurricane-sized punch as it slammed into the Jersey Shore on Monday, killing at least 11 people from West Virginia to North Carolina and Connecticut.

Sandy whipped torrents of water over the streets of Atlantic City, stretching for blocks inland and ripping up part of the vacation spot's fabled boardwalk. The storm surge set records in Lower Manhattan, where flooded substations caused a widespread power outage. It swamped beachfronts on both sides of Long Island Sound and delivered hurricane-force winds from Virginia to Cape Cod as it came ashore.

Sandy's wrath also prompted the evacuation of about 200 patients at NYU Langone Medical Center.

"We are having intermittent telephone access issues, and for this reason the receiving hospital will notify the families of their arrival," spokeswoman Lisa Greiner said.

In addition, the basement of New York's Bellevue Hospital Center flooded, and the hospital was running off of emergency backup power. Ian Michaels of the Office of Emergency Management said the main priority is to help secure additional power and obtain additional fuel and pumps for the hospital.

The storm hit near Atlantic City about 8 p.m. ET, the National Hurricane Center reported. It packed 80-mph winds at landfall, down from the 90 mph clocked earlier Monday.

I pray everyone stays safe and away from harms way. I have lots of family members in the US especially the affected parts, I pray every one is ok and hope the flood and storm calms down asap. Like they av all said, aim for high grounds and away from the water, cuz you don't know if there are high tension wires underneath. Also check to make sure your homes are secure. And I guess we will leave the rest to God.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/29/us/tropical-weather-sandy/index.html

Lagos Fashion and Design Week Day 2 - House of Marie

 View more designs after the cut

Lagos Fashion and Design Week Day 2 - Ituen Basi

Ituen Basi closed the Day 2 of Lagos Fashion and Design Week 2012 with her statement designs and prints.....

Skills Everyone Can Learn For a Dramatic Eye Makeup

So When you think of a dramatic eye makeup what comes to your mind? Is it:

• Special occasion eyes for a night out. 
• Want to make a statement look or 
• Over the top drama look

Regardless of which look you are after you need to start your eye makeup application with some basic steps.

• Prepare the surface of the eye with an eye primer to create a smooth surface. In order for your makeup to adhere and make the color pop, it is absolutely necessary you do not skip this step. 
• Apply necessary concealer to the under eye area of the eye. If the corner of your eyes is very dark also apply concealer in this area with a brush. 
• Groom your brows. If you want drama in your eye makeup, your brow plays a major role in the overall look. Drama has to extend to the brow with the correct shape and filled in to act as the frame for your eyes.

When choosing color everything will depend on how dramatic you want to go. The technique will be the same. For over the top choose wild colors that meet your fancy.

For the softest dramatic look choose a darker version of what you are currently doing. And for basic dramatic eye makeup you will most likely be working with charcoal grays, dark browns and purples or any dark color.

You will notice in all of these pictures the application is basically the same. There is lots of color over the entire eye especially in the crease and on the brow bone.Notice how nicely the area under the brow is highlighted with a very light shimmer eye shadow.What makes this look so dramatic is making sure you blend, blend, and blend some more. Don't be afraid to use and mix colors. Experiment on the back of your hand before applying to the eye.

Let's Create......Just Follow Step by Step....

source: carolthompsonbeautysecrets

View Fun Photos from Chidinma’s New Photo Shoot

MTN Project Fame Winner, Chidinma in new photo shoot, showing us the fun side of life with her Afrocentric style.....

Photography: Obi Somto

Stylist: Jane Michael Ekanem
Culled from: bellanaija

The Scariest/Ugliest Shoes of All Time

I have never seen anything like this. Imagine wearing shoes like these ones, it must be the most uncomfortable shoe ever......to think she even tried walking with it...

The shoes are a collaboration between artist Leanie van der Vyver and Dutch shoe designer René van den Berg.

Iris Schieferstein hoof heels-

This German artist uses dead animals in her work...if taxidermied, wearable hooves are your style, these have your name on them!

culled from yahoo

view more weird shoes after the cut

Introducing Colours and Aesthetics by Oladimeji Funmilayo

Introducing to you the CEO of Colours and Aesthetics the ever pretty Oladimeji Funmi. 

Colours and Aesthetics caters for all your bridal makeup looks, fashion looks and photography. They also specialize in Semi permanent eyelash application and also design fashion accessories for all your occasions.

Contact details:

Bb- 29d21d96

Tel- 08034146171
Twitter-@funmiverte

 view more after the cut