AVEDA & ESSENCE PRESENT: #NATURALLYYOURS

Last week, Aveda and Essence Magazine hosted an amazing event at the Houston Galleria. The event; appropriately hash tagged, #NaturallyYours featured Essence.com Hair and Beauty Editor, Deena Campbell (@DeenaCampbell), Aveda Celebrity Hair Stylist, Tippi Shorter (@TippiShorter), and Natural Hair Vlogger, Monica Stevens (@MoKnowsHair).  Aveda's #becurly™product line was the highlight of the affair, as each beauty expert showcased their personal styling routines using their Be Curly products; revealing tips on how they achieve perfect curls, sans the frizz.

Aveda + Essence #NaturallyYours

During the event, there were enlightening convos on the beauty and fortitude of natural hair, and guests were given the opportunity to engage individually with each expert, and an obliging team of Aveda advisors. I was charmingly over-indulged from the moment I waltzed through the door; from a tranquilizing neck and shoulder chirapasia, flavorsome canapés, to the lush signature cocktails by Hendrick's Gin. I also received the most amazing, stress-relieving hand massage from Aveda District Manager, Rhiannon Knapp. I felt so pampered and privileged!

Signature libations provided by Hendrick's Gin
(left to right) Hendrick's Cocktail Bouquet, Hendrick's Harvest Swoon, Hendrick's Lady In White

I especially enjoyed chatting it up with Deena Campbell! She was fun to talk to, and she gave me the deets on her awe-inspiring role as Essence.com Hair and Beauty Editor.

Deena is pictured here, with the Aveda #becurly products she uses to fructify her curly tapered 'fro. I love the honeyed-hued accents in her hair!

Aveda and Essence gifted us with bountiful swag bags, brimming with full-sized staples from the
be curly™product line.

The be curly™ co-wash promises to moisturize curly/coily hair, clean scalp, and fight frizz (SWOON)!

Aveda smooth infusion™ naturally straight. I'll use this for straigntening my natural curls and coils for days that I crave a sleeker, straightened style. 

Aveda dry remedy™ daily moisturizing oil. Oil is a staple  in my home! I use this oil daily,  to combat dryness in my skin and hair, and it works wonders! It's actually one of my faves, as I love a multifunctional product!

Aveda be curly™ intensive detangling masque. I will use this for detangling my curls (& my daughter's), detangling, and combating the dreaded frizz.

Bonus Alert! Aveda nourish-mint™ rehydrating lip glaze, "fire poppy". I can't begin to tell you how happy I was to receive this, as I complimented a woman on the Aveda sales team on her lippie. She told me all about it, & when I checked my swag bag, I had the exact same color as hers!
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a lippie!

I enjoyed every moment of the #NaturallyYours event!
 I am SUPER excited about wash day, thanks to my new Aveda #becurly products! I'll post pictures, or perhaps even a video when I use them. #ProductJunkie

Quick and Easy Summer Pasta Meal

I eat a lot of pasta. I love it. Some nights, I need to make the quickest possible meal, and pasta is always at the top of my "need dinner now" list. I'm always sure to incorporate fresh herbs, and lots of veggies to every dinner I make that includes pasta. It's incredibly easy, insanely quick, and a perfect Summer pasta meal. Tonight's meal took about 15 mins, start to finish. I'll share tonight's recipe with you below.

1. 2-4 (or if you're me 10) chopped Garlic cloves
2. 1 Chopped Onion
3. 2 Tomatoes 
4. 1 cup sliced Mushrooms
5. Fresh Dill Weed (about 1 tbsp)
6. Pompeian White Cooking Wine (a splash, or two...or 3)
7. 1 Bunch Organic Spinach
8. Kalamata Olives 
9. 10 oz. Buitoni Alfredo Sauce
10. 1 bag Central Market H-E-B Armoniche Macaroni 
11. Tuscan Seasoning, found at H-E-B
12. Crumbled Feta Cheese

First, bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. I add salt and a touch of EVOO to the water.  Once water begins to boil, add pasta. While waiting on pasta to boil, begin to chop onion, garlic, tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach. I don't always chop my spinach, but for this dish, I wanted it chopped. 

After the fresh vegetables are chopped, add EVOO to a deep dish skillet (I prefer to use my deep dish skillet for pasta meals, as they can easily hold a lot of pasta, and sauce without any spillage. Easy clean-up)

Add onion and garlic to the deep dish skillet, and sautee'. Be sure not to overcook. Next, add chopped tomatoes. At this point, I add the first tiny splash of Pompeian White Cooking Whine. 

Remove pasta from stove after about 12 mins, or when the pasta is done. Be careful not to overcook pasta. Rinse pasta, and sit aside. 

Next, toss mushrooms into the skillet, and then spinach. Now, add the 10 oz package of Buitoni Alfredo Sauce. Reduce heat to simmer, and stir. Feel free to add extra Pompeian White Cooking Wine at this point.

Stir in pasta, and Tuscan Seasoning. Make sure all pasta is coated with Buitoni Alfredo Sauce, and all veggies are evenly distributed. 

Lastly, sprinkle Dill Weed evenly onto meal. Add Kalamata olives and crumbled feta.

Pour yourself a glass of wine, and enjoy!

#Quick #Easy #Fresh 

Tip:

Since mushrooms and spinach both seem to cook pretty quickly, I do not add these until right before I add the Buitoni Alfredo Sauce and eventually, the pasta. I don't like overly cooked veggies.