STYLE LIFE: NO BOYFRIEND NO WORRIES

 MY COOL KOREAN KID LOOK INSPIRED BY THE BOYS OF KOREA

TOMBOY CHIC/BOYFRIEND looks are a great style option this season. This cool, comfortable and chic style is a new classic. Whether you are rocking baggy boyfriend jeans, your boyfriend's or ex-boo's tee, or a boyfriend blazer you will revolutionize style. Nothing is more stylish than a simple look you can pull off and the boyfriend look is merely that, simple although fashion forward. Be a dare devil next time you're out shopping, get a pack of men's comfy tee's or just ramble through your favorite man's closet. Be more daring and purchase the loosest jeans or pants you can find and rock them with sneakers or stilettos. Another tip is visit your local vintage or thrift store (i.e. Goodwill) and have a field day in the men's department. I would also invest in the boy's department, you are sure to discover great treasures to spice up your boyfriend/tomboy look. You will never go wrong pulling off this look, it's as simple as wearing black and white. Below are a bevy of versatile street boyfriend and tom boy chic looks that will give you a little help in this area.

TOMBOY CHIC REDEFINED+ SNAP BACK ACTION+ 2PCS SUIT

             TOMBOY+ GIRLISH              

MEN'S SURF SHORTS+ MEN'S SWEATER+ CROP TEE+HEELS

BLOGGER JENNIFER (FURBANANAS.COM) GIVES US TRUE TOMBOY CHIC

FEDORA+LEATHER MOTO JACKET+ CUFF BOYFRIEND JEANS+ BROGUES+VINTAGE BAG

XOXO NECI 

Photo Source: IG; IG @farrow @kiidiosa , heyfranhey.com, Jennifer of FurBananas.blogspot.com, 

HEALTHY LIFE: 5 TIPS TO SPRING CLEAN YOUR BODY

5 TIPS TO SPRING CLEAN YOUR BODY

 
Article brought to you by care2.com

*Add a Hot Water with Lemon Habit
Start your day with hot water and lemon to help alkalize your body and cleanse toxins. This ancient beauty secret is a simple way to cleanse your body and add hydration.

*Drop Toxic Body Products
Many of today’s cosmetics are loaded with carcinogens and other health destroying ingredients, adding to your bodies load of other more unavoidable toxins like air pollution. For starters, go through your cabinets and toss out anything including the word “fragrance”, because that alone can be code for over 26 different toxic chemicals! To learn more about what ingredients to avoid, check out safecosmetics.org.

*Replace Animal Products with Plant Based Alternatives
Meat and dairy products create an acidic environment in the body, which leaves the door open for disease. Give your body a break from the acid, and choose alkalinizing plant based foods like leafy greens, cucumber, and avocados. If you’re looking for plant based protein sources, try lentils, hemp seeds or chia seeds! Consume as many of these foods as close to raw as possible, for an even healthier and more vibrant body! You might even lose a few pounds.

*Sweat it Out
Go to a hot spa, hot yoga class, or take an epsom salts bath. Our skin is our largest organ, and sweating can be an effective method of detox. Some spas have affordable day rates that allow you to enjoy steam rooms, whirlpools and saunas, and special mineral rooms for as long as you like! Take a friend and spend quality time while you flush the toxins out!

*Add Vegetable Juice
A daily dose of fresh (never bottled!) organic vegetable juice will add needed nutrients to your diet, and work as a cleanser for your body too. Focus on leafy greens, the darker the better, and add lemon, ginger and even garlic for extra cleansing power. Beets(include the beet greens!) are known by some as the “special forces” of cleansing, so try adding those every few days as well. As a habit, leave out the sweeter vegetables and fruits, as they add sugar which acidifies the body, allowing an environment for disease to flourish. If you really need something to make it more palatable, use one green apple or try liquid stevia to sweeten it up. Store bought bottled juices are pasturized, killing the majority of the good stuff you want, so make sure you’re either making it yourself, or supporting a local juice bar.

XOXO NECI

SOURCE:photo  heyfranhey.com, article care2.com
Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/5-tips-to-spring-clean-your-body.html#ixzz2RBBvxkMw

BEAUTY LIFE: 11 DIY FACIAL MASK

We all want our skin to look flawless year round, especially during those Summer months when we are no longer battling harsh skin that brutal Winter months bring. I read a interesting article at care2.com regarding DIY facial masks that will help achieve healthy skin year round. Check it out below. Try working with ingredients that are best for you and apply it to your daily skin cleansing regime. Go the extra mile and add some of the below ingredients to a bath for smooth, clean, and glowing skin from head to toe. Currently my favorite is using a banana, apple cider vinegar, 1 fresh squeezed lemon(not listed) and olive oil. Don't forget to drink plenty of water, at least 8 cups daily, and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables to produce to die for flawless skin. 

1. HONEY. Use a cloth damp with warm water and pat skin to open pores. Smear honey onto skin and leave on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water, and pat skin dry with cloth damp with cold water to close pores.

2. RAW EGG YOLK. Spread on face and neck and leave on skin for 30 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

3. RAW EGG WHITE. Beat egg white until frothy and spread on face. Wait until it dries and rinse off with warm water.

4. GRAPES. Cut one grape in half and rub lightly all over face.

5. BANANA. Mash one overripe banana and spread onto face. Rinse off after 15 to 30 minutes with warm water.

6. PLAIN YOGURT. Apply on face after cleansing and leave on for 15 – 20 minutes.

7. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR. Dilute apple cider vinegar with two parts water and apply over face with a cotton ball as a toner after washing face every day and every night.

8. OLIVE OIL. Dab on lips at bedtime if chapped or leave on face overnight.

9. AVOCADO. Mash avocado, leave on skin for ten minutes.

10. BAKING SODA Use and exfoliate your face by adding to your regular cleanser.

11. MILK. Seriously? Yes, seriously. Swab on face with cotton ball, leave on until your skin feels tight. Rinse off with warm water. Your skin will feel super-soft afterwards.

XOXO NECI

SOURCE: heyfranhey.com, care2.com

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/11-one-ingredient-diy-face-masks-for-perfect-skin.html#ixzz2RBEwbwTX

HEALTHY LIFE: WHY WE LOVE SPINACH

Source: Rawbeauty.com

XOXO NECI

COOL ONLINE FINDS

Do you ever get burned out and stressed when online shopping? There are an abundance of e-retailers on the WORLD WIDE WEB that can make you feel overwhelmed. However, the convenience of online shopping is a joy. While living in Korea I try to keep up with American fashion while acquiring Korean fashion. E-retailers reward me in this area along with blogs and social networking sites such as Instagram and Tumblr. Below are some cool reasonable online finds that I've become acquainted with. Flyjane.com, Cierarogers.com, Simplyintricate.com, and Maliromeo.com are a few small business online boutiques offering unique fashionable products that you can't get from your mainstream e-retailers. Tell me what do you think?
 

FLYJANE.COM

CIERAROGERS.COM

SIMPLYINTRICATE.COM 

MALIROMEO.COM 

XOXO NECI 

NOTE FROM NECI: IDENTITY

FAB FEATURE: BEAUTY+ FASHION BLOGGER MCKENZIE RENAE

       Mckenzie Renae       

iLIVE4Neci will be catching up with young and inspiring social CHANGE/TASTEmakers of this generation. We first stopped down South in Atlanta to connect with the beautiful, fabulous, and natural hair goddess McKenzie Renae.  Raised in Austin Texas but currently residing in Atlanta, she is a connoisseur of all things beauty, natural hair, and fashion, just  to name a few.  Some of her projects include publisher of the popular beauty & fashion blog, http://mckenzierenae.tumblr.com, designer of Renae Cut Offs http://renaecutoffs.bigcartel.com/   and former Beauty Editor  for Rolling Out Magazine/Talking Pretty. Some accomplishments include being Featured in Ebony Magazine, selected as a finalist for Allure Magazine’s 2012 Beauty Blogger of the Year Contest, chosen as a guest blogger on natural hair blog Curly Nikki, and selected to be a Power Primer for mobile beauty ap PRIMP.

 

Intrigued by Mckenzie’s beauty and dedication to inspire young women, we reached out to her. By the way, isn’t she gorgeous??? McKenzie is a true inspiration to young women from various ethnic backgrounds as she candidly share a message of truly following your passion and loving what you do.

 

Lastly, we asked this creative beauty a few questions on  how she embarked on her career path.

1. How did you get started in your career as a beauty editor and beauty blogger?
 

I graduated from Hampton University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After I graduated, the only job offer I got was in retail, but they relocated me to Atlanta and that's the city I wanted to move to, so in my eyes that retail job is what got me to Atlanta in the first place. After working there for about a year, I was hired as a Beauty Editor for Rolling Out Magazine for their new beauty brand Talking Pretty which I built from the ground up. I worked there for a year and decided to pursue my own brand and focus on my blog.

I started my beauty blog my senior year in college as a way to educate my friends on various makeup tips and tricks and it evolved into what it is today as, McKenzie Renae. I knew that if I wanted to really get my voice out there then I would have to start taking my blog serious. This year is going on the fourth year of me running McKenzie Renae and it's been an amazing experience. I'm really excited to see what the future has in store for me.

2. What are your favorite beauty trends and products for Spring/Summer 2013? What product brands do you highly recommend?

It's funny, because for this spring/summer I was a little disappointed at the forecasted beauty trends. So I made up my own spring trends with a personal twist (http://mckenzierenae.tumblr.com/post/37914498944/2013-spring-makeup-trends). I'm excited that instead of natural beauty, things are glammed up for the summer! Big lashes, a bold lip, just have fun with it! Some of my go-to makeup brands are NARS, Bobbi Brown, Urban Decay, and Makeup Forever. Some great drugstore brands are Revlon, Maybelline, and Wet & Wild (all for great cheapie lipsticks), and NYX is a hidden gem in the cosmetics aisle.

3. Where do you gain inspiration from for your work?

I gain a lot of my style inspiration from street style and fashion blogs. I really appreciate the way a high end look is translated in the streets with "real" people. As far as beauty inspiration, I'm constantly looking for what's new and different. Many brands carry the same things, but what sets them apart from the next is what I buy into. Trendy celebs like Rihanna always bring something fresh to the table.

4. I notice your work has been featured in many popular magazines, including Ebony, how does it feel to be recognized for something you are die hard passionate about?

It feels amazing! Seeing myself in Ebony Magazine, chosen as a finalist for Allure Magazine's 2012 Beauty Blogger Contest, published in the Conde Nast Traveler, and featured on the cover of curlBOX magazine have all been such rewarding opportunities. But what's even more rewarding is when I receive fan mail and messages from my readers and followers letting me know how much I have helped them. It's very important to me to make a difference in someone's life ... nothing warms my heart more than that.

5. I admire what you are doing as a influential young woman, any advice you have for other young women who are trying to build their careers, find their niche, and do work they are passionate about?

I was really lucky that I knew what my passion was. I definitely think it was a gift from God and everyday I try to do what is pleasing to Him. My advice to other young women who are trying to find their niche and place in life is to do what makes them happy, do what you can't stop thinking about every day, do what comes natural to you, and most importantly don't be afraid to BE YOU! No one likes a copycat anyway. I've had plenty of failures but that's what's made me stronger up until now. Keep people close to you who continue to support and uplift you with positive words and actions. No one can steal your dreams, just go for it and stay positive!

 

Catch more of McKenizie at:

 

Store: www.RenaeCutOffs.bigcartel.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/McKenzieRenaeBlog
Twitter: @McKenzieRenaeInstagram: @McKenzie_Renae
YouTube: www.youtube.com/McKenzieRenae
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/mckenzierenae/

XOXO NECI

 

SPREAD YOUR WINGS

Many of us encounter life changing experiences that help us to blossom into wonderful human beings, I can truly attest. Habitation on the South end of the Korean Peninsula has brought me just that, a magnitude of change. This magnificent journey has availed me more in a year (technically 11 months with one month remaining) than my 24 years of living. I don't regret making the bold decision to leave my comfort and mundane living in Houston, Texas to relocate thousands of miles away in South Korea.  I've re-constructed my life with the help of God and support from my family and friends. There has been an abundance of moments where I was left to rebuild, revitalize, and rejuvenate my life, while allowing God to proceed with his job as the lead architect. It's here in Korea I have finally found my passion and understand my purpose, with the first being to serve. SERVE in leadership, SERVE in giving, SERVE in inspiring, SERVE in building, SERVE in impacting lives, SERVE in following before I can lead, SERVE the less fortunate....SERVE. SERVE. SERVE. My new perspective on life is enriched by the principles of humility, love, service, self-discipline, perseverance, faith, and hope. Also, I've learned to let go and fly. Opportunities are abundant and I refuse to settle for less than who I am capable of becoming and where I am destined to go. I share this in hopes to inspire you to step out on faith with confidence and boldness. Move forward. Discover your true purpose and perform with excellence. We all have power and it can take us anywhere as long as we believe.  

We all live in the richest and freest country in the world, where no man is limited except by his own mental attitude and his own desires. ~Andrew Carnegie

IG PIC @ILIVE4NECI

 



XOXO NECI

STYLE LIFE: SIMPLE SUMMER

Spring is quickly vanishing and Summer will arrive at the blink of an eye. Crazy how time is flying! Temperatures are warming up, therefore its time to warm up our closets. Let the transitioning commence. This Summer opt for comfort yet trend setting threads. I'm all for playing dress up and slaying like a barbie for the Greek Gods. However, living in Korea has inspired me to dress for comfort while still being creative with my looks. Below are a few style picks directly from my closet in Korea I wanted to share.

DENIM ON DENIM+ TAYLOR GANG+ LEATHER BRACELETS 

NEONS+ MINI SKITS+PRINTS+LAYERS                    

 

AZTEC PRINT+ LEGGINGS+ DIY DENIM CUT OFFS+ TAYLOR GANG

 

XOXO NECI

BEAUTY LIFE: DIY SUMMER GLOW

 

My friend shared this on Instagram and tagged me in the post. I thought I'd share the easy DIY Lemon Honey Face Scrub with my readers.  The  concoction can be formulated from staple products found in your kitchen cupboard. All you need is 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup olive oil,  1 tsp of honey, and juice of 1 lemon. With this simple DIY scrub you're bound to have a SUMMER GLOW. Get your face clean, smooth, and glowing.

 

Here are more tips on creating the best SUMMER GLOW

 

*Rub your face with a over ripped banana and leave on for at least 20-30 minutes

*Clean your face daily with black soap or oatmeal soap

*Tone your face with apple cider vinegar and/or fresh lemon juice mixed with water

*Moisturize your face with olive oil every night allowing it to marinate in your skin to enrich your natural beauty

 

XOXO NECI

 

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THIS PHOTO