Memoirs of a Beauty Blogger | Chantel Keona

Happy Wednesday, ladies! If you were here for my Memoirs of a Fashionista series last spring, then you probably know how much I love chatting it up with my fellow blogger boos. With this series, I was able to get an inside look at the lives of some of my favorite personal style bloggers. Not only did they dish details on their favorite stores and other fashionistas they admired, they also gave timeless style tips and fun anecdotes about their own adventures in finding their personal style.

And since this series was so much fun for me, not only will I be continuing it this fall, I've added the "Memoirs of a Beauty Blogger" series. This new series, Memoirs of a Beauty Blogger, features my fellow beauty lovers and blogger besties in my head. The mission of the "Memoirs of a Beauty Blogger" series is to highlight beauty bloggers I admire while allowing them to share the love of all things beauty from their unique perspectives.

And what better way to start this segment than with my dear friend and West Coast beauty, Chantel Keona.

Chantel Keona is a beauty writer and influencer at Chantel Keona. There, she shares the latest trends in beauty, tried and true beauty favorites, style inspiration, and personal accounts of her everyday life. She is also a contributor to The Runway Plus as well as the Style + Beauty Editor to digital lifestyle magazine Werk Chic Mag, where she also keeps readers up on the latest in beauty. Always connecting with a kind word and rocking a fierce lipstick, Chantel has been a positive and inspiring force in my blogging journey and I'm happy to be sharing more about her here in this space! Ladies, I present to you Chantel of Chantel Keona.

Currently: After The Hurricane

It's been several weeks since I've done a personal check-in here on the blog, so I thought now would be a great time to do a currently post. I haven't shared much about anything going on in my life for a while, so I hope if you've been reading here for a minute (or even a short period of time) you find connection in the words I share. I thank you for stopping by my little spot on the Internet to check me out for a spell and I appreciate each of you that have been texting me, hitting me up via email, and sending me DMs.

Even when you think no one thinks of you when you've wrapped up in your own cocoon to sort out everything going on within + around you, you guys show up for me and for that I am overwhelmed with gratitude. This here blog of mine is one way I get to share my passion for writing and connecting with others and I am thankful for those of you who continue to rock with me, "no matterrrr, whatevvvverrrr" (in my Lil' Wayne voice). Here I go again!

FALL MANICURE | Sinful Colors Polish in Feel The Vibe

Around the end of October while many were brainstorming Halloween costumes and creating fantasy beauty looks, I considered trying a new lipstick color or nail polish. Maybe. I really wanted to come up with a creative beauty look with my makeup to fit the mood of the season. And while playing in my makeup is always a great idea in my mind, the truth is--- I got lazy. I didn't feel like putting on makeup most days to try out those fantasy looks I had visualized. And a new lipstick didn't make the cut in materialized plans, either. However, I did decide to groom my nails and pick up a new nail polish. Even if I wasn't in the mood to play in makeup, I didn't mind finding a new nail color that would brighten my mood and make my plain nails look a bit better.

And what color could bring out my usual sunny disposition while still being on trend? Why I sure will take a bright orange for $1.00, Alex. One trip to Walgreens and an episode of The Real later, and I was "feeling the vibe" this vibrant polish from Sinful Colors was giving me.

New Beauty Products from Honest Beauty

Since the re-launch of Jessica Alba's Honest Beauty line, I had the opportunity to try a few of the new products last month. If you aren't familiar with Honest Beauty, it is a beauty extension of Jessica Alba's brand, The Honest Company. This brand boasts "high performance color cosmetics, skincare, and beauty products" that are free of harsh chemicals and cruelty-free.

And lucky for me, they are three must-have items in my beauty arsenal: a primer to hold me and my foundation down (no matter, whatever), mascara that makes my nearly nonexistent eyelashes look full and lush (or at least visible), and you guessed it--- a lip product that is flattering and makes me feel amazing when wearing it. Now did these three items I received from Honest Beauty meet my standards when it comes to beauty needs? Read below the jump to find out more!

REVIEW | Intercepted by Alexa Martin

I thoroughly enjoyed Alexa Martin’s debut book, Intercepted. It’s a spicy, sports romance complete with complicated relationships, love triangles, unrequited love, and (dare I say) MEAN GIRLS. These are all the makings of a fun read.

Intercepted lured me in from the very beginning. I felt like I was in an early episode of The Game, smack- dab in the middle of a Sunbeam meeting. I don't know too much about football, so many of my thoughts on the “sport star’s lifestyle” has been jaded by that show and a few other reality-shows I won’t mention. I apologize in advance. But anyways, the main character Marlee was smart, quick-witted, and just a wee bit of a hot mess. And I was all the way here for her.

LIPSTICK LOVE | NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Copenhagen

There's nothing on a late summer or early fall evening quite like a deep burgundy or plum colored lipstick. It's alluring. It's mysterious. It demands attention. And something about wearing one makes me feel so fierce!

I've had my fair share of experience with deep wine, burgundy, and plum lipsticks over the years, forever chasing that power I felt when applying my auntie's burgundy Fashion Fair lipstick as a little girl. And now as an adult, I make sure to keep a few in my arsenal to remind me of that powerful woman I've grown to be. One that never leaves my makeup bag is NYX Soft Lip Cream in Copenhagen. This lipstick has been a hero in my beauty arsenal for quite some time and is an instant repurchase each time I run out. Read the details below to find out just why I always come running back to her after the jump.