JOY LOVES FASHION

Nothing like a gorgeous sunny day to put you in a good mood! I’m loving the weather today! It’s total perfection. Definitely a day for shorts and a tee, so I whipped out my brand spankin’ new Prabal Gurung for Target printed shorts (the color on this makes my heart skip a beat! Yeow!), Zara tee and my fave leopard YSL heels! I always treat animal prints (leopard, cheetah, etc) like neutrals and the results are amazing. They spice it up, every time. The secret weapon of this look comes by way of my Forever 21 statement necklace. Like, why not throw a bold piece like this over a tee?! Legendary. You can literally change the game lol. But, really it’s a great play on casual-cool style. Oh and these Nigerian leather beaded bracelets? They are a tad different than my other staples and I’ve had them for waaaay longer. My grandmother gave me these when I was 10 when she came to America for the first time. I was living in Houston then (H-Town!!!). They are very, very special to me and very delicate- hand beaded. I love their vibrant splash of hues.

Back to the Prabal shorts!! Now, that Prabal sure knows how to throw a party! I attended the launch for his Target line back in February, the day before NYFW and I had a blast. It was carnival themed and Ne-Yo performed! Plus…we got to shop the new collection before it came out in stores. I got these shorts, a blazer, this sporty blue dress I wore Day 1 NYFW, and a pretty-pretty blouse. Love ya, Prabal : )

-xoxo-

Joy 

Captured by Ashley Naomi

The other day I just couldn’t seem to find what to wear. The weather was warm but still a lil breezy. Decisions! What to wear for that pesky in-between weather?! Then, I saw it…my boyfriends checkered shirt! It lay ever so casually on the living room couch and I knew it was the missing equation. He wore it the night before to our friend’s house warming party. I paired it with a Forever 21 chocolate faux leather mini skirt, H&M tank and Urban Outfitters flats (not pictured). My bf wears an XL so I made sure to tuck it all the way in (the shirt literally almost reaches my skirt hem lol!) and roll the sleeves up in a ruggedly-chic manner. And voila, there you have it: a fun layered look thats equal parts casual and sexy! Of course, of course we must get into today’s accessories! I am wearing an H&M scarf tied into my “Rosebud” turban (1 of the 5 turban styles I love to rock), H&M cuff, vintage necklace & clutch, and last buy certainly not least: my all time fave African bangles that I scored one day while randomly  in Montclair, NJ at South Moon Over. (I got them over a year and half ago, so sadly they no longer carry them!) Plus, my friend Julee Wilson (Style & Beauty Editor at Huffington Post) and I have the same exact ones (we wore them to lunch one day and it was so funny!). And she got hers while in South Africa for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week! lol

My reading material for the day: the May issue of Bazaar, my obsession. Go Gwyneth! 

Stay tuned below for today’s style recipe!

Boyfriend’s shirt/Forever 21 skirt/H&M scarf/Vintage necklace & clutch (my mom’s!)/Urban Outfitters shades/South Moon Over bangles (old)

Today’s Style Recipe: The Boyfriend Shirt

What You’ll Need:

-Your boyfriend/gay BFF/brother/random dude’s printed shirt! (Or of course, you can just buy one. But stealing’s more fun!)

-A super short mini (extra points if its leather!)

-Statement jewelry (pick one place to highlight, today I did bangles!)

-Chic flats

-Equally chic shades

-A pumped up pout! (Today I’m wearing my signature pink: MAC Magenta liner with Makeup Forever #36 on top!)

Why It’s a Fab Look:

You’re playing with proportions, you gorgeous gal! A loose shirt just looks amazing with a super short mini. You’re showin’ a lil leg, having some fun! And the flats tone down the sexy just a tad! Rock on!

I’d love to see how you rock your bf shirt ‘n skirt combo! Tag me on Instagram #joylovesfashionblog so I can peep your look! I’ll shout out my fave! (Oh, btw I am @joy_adaeze on Insta!)

How do you like my new style recipes?

-xoxo-

Joy 

Captured by Ashley Naomi

I’ve started a new beauty feature here on JoyLovesFashion.com, where I’ll be sharing my skin, makeup, and haircare faves/tips! I’m such a girly-girl, so this was a natural addition to the blog! I’m starting it off with skincare, where every gorg face begins. Here are my everyday products that I use on my skin. My skin type is oily and sensitive, so I stay away from harsh ingredients and things of that nature. I’ve been using this particualr bunch of products together for the last year and they’ve been great! Oh, and almost everything’s under $10 : ).

1. THE WASH

Each day and night, I wash my face with . At night, I start off by taking off my eye makeup with Almay Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover Pads, which does a great job of getting rid of even the most stubborn traces of mascara! I’ve been using this for years. Next, I wash my face with the Neutrogena cleanser, which also has makeup remover and gets it nice and clean!

2. TREAT

My skin is also acne prone, so to treat it with Daniel Kern’s Acne.org’s Benzoyl Peroxide Treatment 2.5%. I’ve been using this for about 4 years and it works very well! It’s gentle and also helps get rid of dark marks over time. The only thing is you must be consistent! Thats means using it everyday. Sometimes I forget when I get home super late or just feel lazy! But with consistent use it works wonders and give you a gorgeous clear complexion! About once a week, I use Queen Helene’s Mint Julep Masque and I love this stuff. I first discovered it on a trip to Mexico with my boyfriend in 2011. It’s pretty awesome. The mask works by drying out existing blemishes and also refreshes your skin. I use it at night (but not on the same nights as the acne treatment) and afterwards I apply moisturizer, since the clay can be a bit drying. Definitely worth giving a try!

3. MOISTURIZE YOUR SEXY!

Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate the power of moisturizing. My skin is oily so I used to think I didn’t need to moisturize. Wrong! Moisturizing actually helps keep the extra oil at bay. When skin isn’t properly moisturized, it produces more sebum (your skin’s natural oils) causing it to look greasy. So like Diddy says, “Moisturize your sexy!” Your face will thank you. This is what my morning looks like: after I wash my face with the Neutrogena  cleanser, I wait a couple of minutes, then I apply a thin layer of Dan Kerns acne treatment, wait a couple mins to dry and apply a thin layer of this Up & Up Oil-Free Facial Moisturizing Lotion in SPF 15 from Target. Next, I apply my faveeee (this stuff is seriously awesome) lip balm from Burt’s Bees in Mango Butter. So, so good! And all natural. Afterwards, I use a tiny dot of this Boots Sensitive Hydrating Eye Cream around my eyes. And voila, done! 

What are your skincare staples?

-xoxo-

Joy