Bodacious & Curvaceous

From girl-next-door to sophisticated-sexy-lady! This is Anne’s simple mini makeover. Take a look and be inspired. A new hair cut and style is an easy, inexpensive way to reinvent your look and bring about a new attitude.

Before

I love before and after pictures. It’s amazing what a little bit of hair color and a new cut can do. In this simple do-it-yourself makeover, my friend Anne went from a dirty blond to a gorgeous brunette.

After

The brown hair shade with reddish tones make Anne’s green eyes pop. The layers add dimension and character to her facial features. With just the right amount of fringe, Anne’s hair style is more mature and sophisticated. Light pink lipstick, purple eyeliner, and green eyeshadow make her facial features sparkle. Anne, you look amazing!

Have you recently had a mini make over? Send me your pics. I’d love to make a page for you.

Natural Hair Color

This past year I tried nearly half a dozen hair colors, lengths and styles. I went through a lot of changes in my life. I ended a bad relationship, moved out on my own, and started university full-time. Basically, for the first time in my life, I became 100% independent. I guess you can say I tested out my freedom through my hair! From what my girlfriends tell me, alot of women change their hair after a significant life change.

Natural Hair color with Blonde Highlights

My first change was to highlight my hair. I went for a medium blonde shade. I went to Top Cuts and they used a cap. They stripped the hair color out first though. Below is the same cut but just a different view. What do you think?

Highlights

One thing I can say about highlights is that they look great in the summer time! I really felt the summer spirit.

Purple Brown Hair

Then I decided I wanted a significant change. I wanted PURPLE-ISH brown hair. Instead of purple brown hair, I got pretty much almost black hair with very few purple tones (they washed out within a month).

Almost Natural Looking Hair Color

In this picture, I have a side-ways poof with a few curls. I purchased one of those style rods that you simply wrap your hair around versus clamping and rolling. It came from the venders in Eaton Centre. I’ll have to write a review about that at some point.

Super Short Hair Cut

And then in December I decided to REALLY cut my hair short. It took some time to figure out how to style it. I wanted a more daring-fashionable style. Instead, I ended up with a very “mom cut”…something, I was trying to avoid.

New Years Eve

I must say just alittle bit of moisture can KILL a short hair style. I also found it almost impossible to keep my hair big and puffy as I wanted it. The backcombing and teasing simply would not hold.

January - My Birthday

When my hair started to grow, I didn’t know what to do with it. It was too short for most hair clips. I can’t wear headbands without getting headaches. So I just kept it simple and blow-dryed my hair.

Short Hair with Volume

Now, I mostly roll my hair in the mornings to give it lots of volume. My current style is mature and sophisticate. I’m planning on growing my hair out. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I think longer hair is more feminine and youthful. Most likely, I’ll be wearing short hair when I get older. Finding the right hair style can be difficult when there are endless possibilities. Maybe I will continue changing it up!

For a sleek, sexier look, I have one simple tip. For longer, leaner looking legs, I have just one simple tip. 

Look at the tip of your shoes!

What do you see?

Are they  square, round, pointed, wide, narrow?

The tip of your shoe can make a significant difference in the look of your legs. No matter if you chose to where high-heels, flats, lace-ups, or boots, the tip of your shoe should be considered. For a longer sleeker looking foot and legs choose a shoe with a point, but not too pointy. Narrow pointed shoes can cause foot pain and may actually make your ankles and foot appear wider.

Here are six pairs of sexy shoes with a suitable point.

Pointed-Toes by ummzahra featuring Forever21 shoes

One of the biggest myths about big girls (and guys) is that they’re lazy. WE ARE NOT! I personally LOVE working out. It’s near impossible for me to work out without music. I mentally focus on the lyrics of the song in order to drive through  difficult workouts. The nature of the music stirs up different energies in  me. Sometimes, I want very positive energy. Those are the songs that say, “Look up to the sky, Vicky. You are strong. You are Beautiful!”  Other times, I need something bitchy. These songs say to the world, “I don’t care about you. I’m the one that’s worth it. I DO THIS FOR ME!”  Other times I want a Party theme playlist that screams, “LETS HAVE FUN!!” I love to mix up genres and styles, although I must admit I lean towards Eurodance, HipHop and R&B. I throw in some Arabic and Spanish music now and then. Sometimes, I add another language that I have no background in if the beat is hot.  Oh, and bringing back old favourites can give you a feeling of nostalgia. It does for me! Anyway, for a moment in time, these songs are my mantras as I sweat and my heart pounds. Now, they can be yours. =)

Inna “Hot”
Favourite line: Fly like you do it… like you’re high like you do it … like a woman

Samantha  “U-Turn”
Favourite Line: Burn Motherfucker, Burn! I push the breaks and make a u-turn.

Pink “U+ Ur Hand”
Favorite Line: Keep the drink, just give me the money!

Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina “Stereo Love”
Favorite Line: I can fix all those lies … But baby, baby I run, but I’m running to you

The Ian Carey Project “Get Shaky”
Favorite Line: Baby go crazy! Break the rules!

“Number 1 Punjabi” from the Bollywood film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke
Favorite Line: I have no clue what they’re saying, but basically since 2002 when I saw the movie, I loved the song. The beat is so catchy, makes me want to break into dance or run, or both!

Alexandra Burke featuring Flo Rida “Bad Boys”
Favorite Line: the Bad Boys are always catching my eye…

Black Eyed Peas “Imma Be”
Favorite Line: Imma be on the next level

Godsmack “Crying Like a Bitch”
Favorite Line: I told you one too many times, And you were crying like a bitch.
*Might I suggest this song for bicep, tricep, or upper body work in general. It makes me feel like a bad ass. Indeed, I am a rockstar.

Alicia Keys “Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart”
Favorite Line: Tonight I’m going to find a way to make it.

Now that’s one awesome set of tracks!

I love being a woman and I don’t mind being a big girl, but I HATE SHOPPING FOR PLUS SIZE CLOTHING IN CANADA! There simply is not enough selection. Here is a quick list of my favorite online plus size clothing stores.  And don’t worry, none of the stores I’m listening below sale pop-tents or granny-clothes(even my granny never would never have worn some of those heidious things I’ve found in plus size stores!). These retailers do ship to Canada!

Women should dress confident, sophisticated, fun, and even sexy no matter their size or body shape.

A Light  http://www.alight.com

The girl next door… A light offers sweet fashions for plus size women and girls in casual, work, and formal styles. The prices are modest and the selection is huge. These aren’t my usual style, but I can vouch that they do ship fast and have great customer service.

Apple Bottoms by Nelly http://www.applebottoms.com

Artist turned designer, Nelly creates styles for the hip-hop mamas! I love the fun and vibrant selection of skinny jeans. The tops are very stylish and it’s hard to go wrong with these styles. They are perfect for the younger crowd (plus size teens) and 20-somethings.

BabyPhat http://www.babyphat.com

These are designer clothes by Kimora Lee Simmons. She offers regular sizes and plus sizes in the oh-so-sexxy hip hop style. The clothes are urban and very trendy. If you haven’t heard of the BabyPhat brand, you must be hiding under a rock!  The site puts up new looks every season and the prices are reasonable. It’s a designer brand you really should own a piece of.

Great Glam http://www.greatglam.com/

Great Glam is an awesome store for trendy, fashionable, and party wear. There prices are very modest. They sale regular and plus size. Be advised, however, that they do run a bit small. Be sure to check the measurements out. I’m 5’7 and I found that the mini dresses were an inch or so too short. If in doubt, order a size up. I can tell you now that they get new merchandise all the time! They are constantly updating and the sight and taking down stuff. So be sure if you see something you like, take it before it sales out. They sale out quickly.

Size Appeal  https://www.sizeappeal.com/

Size appeal has young and urban styled plus size clothing. There’s sexy clothes for clubbing and casual tees for everyday wear. There are clothes here that most teenagers would wear and any fashionable girl might pick up a few of their items. They are low cost items, perfect for shopping on a budget. They sale shoes and other items as well.

Torrid http://www.torrid.com

This is one of my all-time favorite plus size clothing stores. They have everything, including designer Ed Hardy in plus sizes! Tops, dresses, shoes, accesories, purses, everything, everything everything!! The prices are suitable and the service is great. By the way, the beautiful belt I’m wearing in the picture above is from Torrid!

Forever 21 – Faith 21 http://canada.forever21.com/

Forever 21 sales the cutest things and now they’re selling plus sizes under the name Faith 21. I have to warn you that they are sized small so order two sizes up. They should fit a size 18. The styles are really nice and the prices are superb.

Deodorants, deodorants, deodorants! We want our underarms to smell great and stay free from body odors all day. Many chemicals in deodorants have been linked with breast cancer. Other health problems, environmental concerns, and animal welling being too my be factors in your decision to go natural. Whatever the case may be going natural may pose as a challenge. Many products are labeled “natural” or “organic” and fail to live up. Still some are natural and they’re not as effective as needed. Below are a few reviews of some of the deodorants I’ve been using. My advise is to read up on a few articles before you make your purchases and checkout the cosmetics database to see how your product rates overall. Some of the deodorants I bought weren’t as natural as they claimed to be. Also, if you want to know more about why you should switch to a natural deodorant check out Kimberly Snyder’s post about letting the underarms detoxify. Cheers to sweet smelling pitts!

Tom’s of Maine Natural Long-Lasting Deodorant Stick (Apricot)
Score: MEDIUM 4 out 10 Hazards
Works: Average
Scent: Smells great, lasts for a few hours
I enjoyed this one except that it would cause me to have rash and it often BURNT! I could not finish using this product. Having fragrance, skin irritants, propylene glycol, and glyceryl laureate, I wouldn’t recommend it.

JASON Lavender Deodorant Stick
Score: Moderate 3 out 10 Hazards
Works: Low
Scent: Refreshing scent, I enjoyed it.
This product also gave me a rash and when I did use it it didn’t really last long at all. It has methylparaben, tocopheryl acetate, and propylene gylcol all of which are irritants and allergens.

Desert Essence Dry By Nature Deodorant with Chamomile and Calendula
Score: Moderate 3 out of 10 Hazards
Works: Low
Scent: Still can’t smell it…
I couldn’t feel this one glide on the skin nor could I smell it. It didn’t last long either. I wouldn’t buy this one again.

Kiss My Face Liquid Rock Deodorant Roll-On, Lavender
Score: LOW 2 out of 10 hazards
Works: REALLY WELL!
Scent: Doesn’t smell great, doesn’t have a long lasting scent
I was really enjoying this product until I realised it wasn’t so “natural” as it should be. Potassium Alum is the primary ingredient. It’s an antiperspirant (no where on the bottle does it even say antiperspirant) that’s been linked to breast cancer. So much for “obsessively natural”. I’m still using this product at the moment.

What’s interesting to note is that LADY MITCHUM CLEAR GEL ANTIPERSPIRANT & DEODORANT UNSCENTED the antiperspirant I used to use, has a low hazard rating of 1 out of 10, better then all the “natural” ones I’ve been trying. As a comparison consider, DOVE SOLID ANTIPERSPIRANT & DEODORANT POWDER which has a hazard rating of 6 out of 10. Oh and they conduct animal testing unlike the other products I’ve mentioned. Speedstick, Teen Spirit, Tussy, and Suave deoderants didn’t rank well either.
Check out the full list of deodorants at the Cosmetic Database to know more.

When reality starlet Heidi Montag went under the knife for a whopping 10 surgeries, the tabloids went insane. 10 SURGERIES! ONLY 23 YEARS OLD! Cosmetic surgery is nothing new in Hollywood, Bollywood, or pretty much any where there are the rich and the famous.  It’s as common as extreme dieting. This attitude towards the female body is not just popular amongst celebrities. The cosmetic surgery industry is booming and so is the diet industry. There is never a time when the weight of a celebrity isn’t plastered all over the newsstands. It’s either too-high or too-low.  Society is obsessed with the so-called flaws of the human –female – body. Occasionally, an advertisement for natural beauty pops on the television screen but the reality is that mass media is feeding us unrealistic, unnatural, and unhealthy standards of beauty. Moreover, the “beauty” that we usually see is one dimensional and not reflective of the rich diversity that makes up the human race. Women and men come in all heights, shades, statures, and shapes.

So, what? It’s just media right? Not really. Today, self-esteem is on the all-time low. Women, and to a lesser extent men, are constantly berating their bodies. My breasts are too small, low, big…. My bum is too flat, thick, fat,…. my arms !! my nose!! My lips!! My this and my that!! What kind of a mess have we got ourselves into?   But what if we decided to start loving ourselves? Wouldn’t that bring about mental freedom? Freedom from fear of rejection and embarrassment lies at the heart of our self-esteem issues. If we tossed those arbitrary fears and embraced who we are, right now…we could be so much more.

I can give you myself as an example. Not a perfect example…many days I have something to complain about. .. but this is what I know. I know that if I love my body right now on my journey of health and fitness then I will take better care of it. I will love my body and honor it more if I stop complaining about what I don’t like about it. This is the only body I have, might as well love it, right?

Yesterday, I went with over to my dear friend’s house to take pictures so that I can see my beauty as I truly am. My friend Lisa is just a bit less than twice my age and she’s got a lot of wisdom to share. She is currently doing her own project on facebook, entitled, “Big Beautiful Women Claim Your Beauty.” There she posts weekly self-portraits and hosts discussions with fans around self-love and acceptance. Lisa once wrote, “I’m close to 40, either I claim my physical beauty now or it will fade and I will have never known it.” How true is that? I remember feeling fat and disgusting when I was a teenager and now I look back and wonder WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING?  I lost my teenage beauty before I even realized I had it. Don’t look back and think you were beautiful back then. Look at yourself now and find your beauty and most importantly, love who you are… this is the only body you have. Cherish it!

Once a month I usually head out to salon to get my face threaded and/or waxed. Facial threading is great because it’s a chemical-free way to remove unwanted hair. The downside is that it does hurt and takes a bit of time. Waxing in the salon tends to be costly 20-25$ a month or more depending on where you live and also there’s a slight issue around hygiene in salons. Needless to say, I wanted to try a do-it-yourself approach. In the past, I tried Nair and Veet facial creams but ended up with burning skin and a rash. DUH! My skin is super sensitive! Anyway, I picked up a box of Surgi WAX Hair Remover for Face for 5$ at Shoppers Drug Mart.

I was scared at first. I had to heat up the wax longer than the suggested time for 30+15 seconds. I ended up heating it for a minute. I tested on my arm first to make sure I wouldn’t burn my skin. I did my upper lip and followed that with the side burns. I’m very very pleased! I wish I had someone else with me to help me make sure I got all the hairs on the side. It’s hard to see that in the mirror. I did my eyebrows last. I was too scared to get close enough to the baby hairs on my eyebrows. I didn’t want to risk over-waxing and end up with pencil thin brows. So, I’m going to stick to tweezing my eyebrows or at least the most important areas.

Although, it only came with 2 application sticks, I can easily see using this product for 4 or 5 applications. This product is going to save me around 100$.