Being gentle with myself is my new thing especially since
over-thinking, doubts and worrying haven’t exactly done me good or given me positive
results so far. It’s hard but I’m taking all the punches life is throwing at me
now with a calm chilled spirit. For this I’m grateful.
Some things and people are helping me through this time so
they feature a lot in this taking stock episode, I am:
Making: efforts to incorporate James Altucher's Daily Practice into my life. It's helped me a lot.
Making: efforts to incorporate James Altucher's Daily Practice into my life. It's helped me a lot.
Eating: Guguru (popcorn) and groundnut now. My appetite is
the pits nowadays, so these keep me filled for long periods.
Drinking: no soda and little to no alcohol of recent. I like it.
Reading: James Altucher’s website everyday. Google and follow
him on LinkedIn, if you haven't already. I am not into inspirational/self-help gurus, so trust that
this guy is not one of those. From his ‘Daily practice’ to his writing style,
he’s a gem. He’s a successful business man too, so there's much to learn from him, check him out.
Smelling: my Versace ‘Woman’ fragrance. It was recently
gifted to me and I’m trying to learn to like it, so I wear it every other day
now.
Fascinated: by beauty photography and retouching. It’s one key area that I
want to master with my photography and editing.
Wanting: to learn how to make a new dish. I'm usually safe and regular with my food choices, now i'm bored and wish to learn other easy stuff. I've been following Woven Blends on her blog and Instagram, her meals seem delicious and very easy.
Wanting: to learn how to make a new dish. I'm usually safe and regular with my food choices, now i'm bored and wish to learn other easy stuff. I've been following Woven Blends on her blog and Instagram, her meals seem delicious and very easy.
Learning: the dangers of procrastination. I almost lost
something very important to me because I did not do what I was supposed to do
on time. It was a close call that taught me a very hard lesson.
Off of this, during this close-call, I solved a big problem that came up, with diligent research and persistence.
Lesson learnt for me was that I can actually do anything if I put my mind to it. No really, I’m not just saying this. You literally can do anything (apart from create life) if you dedicate your time, effort and mind for as long as it might take to do it.
Off of this, during this close-call, I solved a big problem that came up, with diligent research and persistence.
Lesson learnt for me was that I can actually do anything if I put my mind to it. No really, I’m not just saying this. You literally can do anything (apart from create life) if you dedicate your time, effort and mind for as long as it might take to do it.
Annoyed: by the way my skin right now. Guys, stress break-out
is a thing. As if the breakouts are not bad enough, my hands are peeling like
that of a week-old baby! I have intensified my moisturizing but no dice. Anyone
has any idea for what I can use? Please help!
Feeling: calm and pragmatic about the future, sometimes even
optimistic.
Enjoying: ‘The Son I Never Knew’ on Telemundo. Mario Cimarro
is such a dreamboat.. and who killed Ignacio?!
Thanking: God for life. We lost my closest friend's mum earlier this month, after a long period of illness. It made me reflect of things and become more conscientious to the people i still have around me. I hope to do better by my family and friends going forward.
This is me now. How have y'all been? Hope good?
Thanking: God for life. We lost my closest friend's mum earlier this month, after a long period of illness. It made me reflect of things and become more conscientious to the people i still have around me. I hope to do better by my family and friends going forward.
This is me now. How have y'all been? Hope good?
Peace & Happiness.
In fact, Nigerian consumers these days are getting more and more options for whatever
goods or services they want, options that feature both international and local
brands side-by-side.
Late last year, I was opportune to meet with one of such
local businesses, Ebony & Indigo.
My first contact with them was at the 2016 GT Bank Fashion Weekend and i later went on to visit their Lekki, Lagos offices, saw their range of products and had a small chat with the owner and founder of the brand Ms. Nicki.
My first contact with them was at the 2016 GT Bank Fashion Weekend and i later went on to visit their Lekki, Lagos offices, saw their range of products and had a small chat with the owner and founder of the brand Ms. Nicki.
Ebony & Indigo is a Nigeria-based brand in the business of
manufacturing and selling natural and organic personal, skin care and home care products,
ranging from soaps, creams/lotions, balms, bath tools, towels, stationery, etc., for everyone; women, men and even babies.
My session with Ms. Nicki covered a summary of her career journey, how she
started the Ebony & Indigo brand, challenges in running the business in Nigeria so far and her
hopes for the business.
Some key takeaway from the chat includes:
- Ms. Nicki- A legal practitioner for over two decades in the UK, started the Ebony & Indigo brand in March of 2015, first with skin care, and then later grew to include the other categories she carries now.
- Natural versus organic. I learnt that the two terms are not the same. Natural products contain non-artificial ingredients that have been grown in a mixture of natural conditions and artificial chemicals, often enhanced with synthetic fertilizers, coloring, flavors and fragrances, etc. while Organic means products made from purely earth-grown, non-artificial ingredients that have been grown under strictly natural conditions and containing NO artificial or synthetic flavors, fertilizers, fragrances or parabens. Ebony & Indigo carries products under both categories, including the very popular and my personal fave; the Sweet Mint Lip Balm that i featured in my last skincare post and on my Instagram @skynotfancy .
- Her hope and plan is for Ebony & Indigo to be the go-to source for natural and organic personal, beauty and home care products in the nearest future.
It was a great experience for me as I got a closer look at
how challenging building brands can be, especially in our market
here. I came away with more knowledge about the Ebony & Indigo brand, as
well as a higher respect and appreciation for our local business owners.
You can see more of and shop for all Ebony & Indigo products via their e-commerce site www.ebonyandindigo.com and there is A LOT to see and love, so check them out.
They can also be reached on Instagram and Twitter @ebonyandindigo .
They can also be reached on Instagram and Twitter @ebonyandindigo .
If you own a brand or know any brands that we can meet and
showcase, feel free to contact me at skynotfancy@gmail.com,
I would love to hear and tell your brand story.
P.S: This is NOT a sponsored post.
x.
Hey hey hey it’s February the month of Valentine and love, how are y’all feeling? Good?
For those of you lovers and likers, including the ones that are 'just chilling' and those travelling on the journey of relationships without any destination in mind, AKA, 'let's see how it goes', y'all are giddy and ready to paint the world passion-red this season, right?
Whatever umbrella you fall under, doxology.
For those of you lovers and likers, including the ones that are 'just chilling' and those travelling on the journey of relationships without any destination in mind, AKA, 'let's see how it goes', y'all are giddy and ready to paint the world passion-red this season, right?
Whatever umbrella you fall under, doxology.
For us chronically-single ones, it’s the month in which our emotions roller-coast from mixed feelings that range from the following:
- Glee and relief that we don’t have to buy anyone gifts, because recession.
- Sadness and a strong FOMO that we don’t have anyone to buy anyone gifts 😢
- Loneliness.
- Re-affirmation that maybe being single at this very point in time might actually be a good thing, because who cares, no energy, honestly.
- A distant indifference to the whole thing.
- Creative high and inspiration from seeing all the love/passion themed ads and content in varying forms and platforms including fashion, makeup, events, religion, television, hospitality, etc., Even the god-awful, gawdy, cringe-inducing ones featuring horrid fake plastic flowers and dusty greeting cards. Except the unbearable WhatsApp and BBM broadcast messages, just shoot me instead.
I, personally, am more of a spectator than participant, and no, it’s not just because I’m single-pringu and have been for practically centuries. I, in fact, get very tickled happy when people around me celebrate the season, giving and getting cheesy gifts, going out to places and the occasional cheese-fest of proposals read on Bella Naija. I enjoy watching the whole thing, but, yyahh.
Now with blogging, I have fun imagining and creating content and ideas for different situations, like this Valentines season for instance, for folks who participate in the love-fest and for my fellow spectators. Nothing stops us from wearing the sweetest, fleekiest makeup and clothes, only just to go to Cold Stone and indulge in a medium-sized (or what the heck, the largest size) cup of ice-cream, particularly the combo of chocolate + Sweet cream baileys or cake batter + Browned waffle broken and mixed in. Yuuummmmmm...*crosses eyes*
Face:
Eyes:
Black Opal 'Sand' , 'Port' Eye-shadow, Random Mauve Satin Eye-shadow| Zaron Cosmetics 'Jazz' gel liner| Random liquid liner| Mark Kay 'Ultimate' mascara| Davis brow pencil
Lips:
Zaron 'Prune Juice' Lip Liner| Jordana 'Lavender' lipstick
The hair style was purely serendipitous, as this is how I wear
my hair out most of the time and I was wearing it the day I shot the look, but
it’s a perfect option for short-to-medium length haired girls like me.
I roller-set it, did some didi (inverted weaving) from the neck up and sides to back, weaving up and pining the tails. I also pinned-down some of the curls on top. Don't comb out of the curls, leave them as is from the rollers.
I roller-set it, did some didi (inverted weaving) from the neck up and sides to back, weaving up and pining the tails. I also pinned-down some of the curls on top. Don't comb out of the curls, leave them as is from the rollers.
You can also try it if your hair is long, the same process
as with short hair but with more pins and volume at the top.
You like?
You like?
Peace & Happiness to you.
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