Today Marks My 150th Post!

Today I decided to take the day off and celebrate my 150th post! I just want to thank all of you who have enjoyed reading BGG since I started it last September. Writing about fashion, beauty, music, celebrities, etc. is truly my passion! So to know that other people actually enjoy reading my posts is so gratifying. I am so grateful for all of you, especially my loyal readers like K-Bear, Kwana, Ros, Kitty Vodka, Mimieyes, Ondo Lady, Divine Blackness, Ashley-Nicole, Don, Antithesis, 12Kyle, Afrodite, PCD, Product Junkie, KBL, Ananda and T.

If you have questions about ANYTHING or have any suggestions on what you’d like to see more of on BGG, please let me know by leaving a comment!

Thanks again for your support and I’ll be back tomorrow with Fabulous Photos of the Week!

Enticing Scents

They say men are first attracted to a woman’s scent. If that’s the case, I don’t know what attracted my husband to me because I never wear perfume!

As I have stated before on BGG, I love the scents of lotions and potions, but not really fragrance sprays. That’s until I got a whiff of R&B singer, Usher’s scent, SHE. After sampling the celebrity-endorsed perfume, I started to think, “Perhaps, I really can wear a fragrance without it making me nauseous!” I’m not 100% sure just yet if I’d actually purchase a bottle of perfume, but who knows, I just might give it a try! From light, floral scents to more intense aromas, there is something out there for just about everyone.

BGs, what are some of your favorite fragrances? Guys, does a woman’s scent really get your attention? Please share!

Here are a few popular celebrity scents:


Beyonce True Star for Women available at www.walmart.com for $26.58


Still by Jennifer Lopez available at www.walmart.com for $38.44


Mariah Carey’s Eau de Parfum Spray available at www.macys.com for $52.50


SHE by Usher availalbe at www.macys.com for $68


Baby Phat Fabulosity Collection available at www.macys.com for $45


Sean John Unforgivable Woman available at www.macys.com for $55

Lovely, Luscious Lashes!

One of my very first BGG posts was dedicated to my favorite mascara of all time – Maybelline’s Great Lash in Blackest Black. Although it’s still my everyday, go-to mascara, I have tried a few others that are pretty good as well. The way mascara magically lenghthens, highlights and simply beautifies eyes is something that I just can’t do without.

Recently, my favorite cousin, Kelly, challenged me to forgo my routine eye makeup application of eyeliner & mascara for a day. She told me that she had done the same thing and it gave her a more natural, refreshed look. What woman doesn’t want to look refreshed? So the next morning I lost the liner, but couldn’t bring myself to put down that little black wand! I just couldn’t resist having long, dark lashes that only mascara can create! Although I did appear bright-eyed without the liner, I’m convinced that the mascara really made my eyes pop!

If you had to choose, which could you do without, eyeliner or mascara?

Check out some of these marvelous mascara must-haves:


Maybelline Great Last Mascara available at www.walgreens.com for $4.79


Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara available at www.sephora.com for $9


Covergirl Queen Collection available at drugstores nationwide.


Benefit Bad Gal Lash Mascara available at www.sephora.com for $9


Jane Iredale available at www.janeiredaledirect.com for $32


Too Faced Mascara available at www.sephora.com for $8.50


MAC Pro-Lash Mascara available at www.maccosmetics.com for $11

Springtime Skirts

I will be the first to admit that skirts are not my favorite article of clothing. For some reason I can never find ones that are both pretty and figure-flattering. So when I come across one that catches my eye and actually accentuates my shape, I have to have it! Quite honestly, I’d much rather wear a flirty dress instead, but here are a few that are darling!

Do you prefer skirts or dresses?

Check out some of these:


J. Crew Taffeta Skirt available at www.jcrew.com for $175


J. Crew Python Print Mini available at www.jcrew.com for $75


Polka Dot Skirt available at www.bananarepublic.com for $69


Campaign Skirt available at www.nordstrom.com for $88


INC Eyelet Skirt available at www.macys.com for $89


Campaign “Nora” Skirt available at www.nordstrom.com for $88


Mossimo Pocketed Leaf Skirt available at www.target.com for $19.99


S & D Pencil Skirt available at www.nordstrom.com for $88

Wedding Bells for Beyonce & Jay-Z!


Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin

One of our favorite celebrity BGs, Beyonce Knowles seems to have finally tied the knot with her longtime boyfriend, Jay-Z. According to People magazine, the couple got hitched yesterday in a ceremony taking place at the rapper’s penthouse in New York City. Guests included, Mathew & Tina Knowles, Solange, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin, Kanye West and others.

Reps for the couple neither confirmed or denied these reports. If it’s true, congratulations to the happy couple!

To read the story visit www.people.com.

Music Spotlight: Mariah Carey


My favorite singer of all time is the 8-octave-hitting, Mariah Carey. Now that she’s officially surpassed Elvis’ record of the amount of #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 charts (2nd to the Beatles), Mariah has definitely and justifiably secured her a place in the record books. Her current single, “Touch My Body,” is Mariah’s 18th chart-topper.

I remember the first time I heard her first single, “Vision of Love,” back in 1990 when I was 10-years-old. I thought, “Wow, this person sounds like Whitney Houston.” I don’t know, maybe it was because I was only a kid and couldn’t differentiate voices that well, but nonetheless I loved what I heard!

Now nearly 2 decades later I’m still enjoying Mariah’s music. No one can sing a pop/R&B tune like her!! That’s why I am anxiously awaiting the release of her latest CD, E=MC2 on April 16th.

What is your favorite Mariah song?


Mariah Carey, 1990


Emotions, 1991


Merry Christmas, 1994


Daydream, 1995


Butterfly, 1997


Rainbow, 1999


Glitter, 2001


Charmbracelet, 2002


The Emancipation of Mimi, 2005


E=MC2, 2008

Classic BG: Diahann Carroll

Diahann Carroll is a classic BG who never seems to get acknowledged as much as she should. Her career helped pave the way for all of the African-American actresses who have made it and who are still struggling to make it in Hollywood today.

Her role as a widowed nurse on Julia, back in the late 1960s was one of the first African-American characters on a weekly TV series that didn’t depict a stereotype. She also played the infamous Dominique Deveraux on the legendary show, Dynasty for several years.

Since those popular shows were before my time, I had the opportunity to watch her on my all-time favorite TV show, A Different World as, Marion, Whitley Gilbert’s undeniably bourgeois mother. She later made a few guest appearances as, Aunt Ruth, the Joseph sisters’nosy aunt on my other beloved show, Soul Food (the Showtime series). I’m sure you Grey’s Anatomy fans have seen her on that hit show, as well as many others.

So today I give Ms. Carroll praise for being a pioneer in bringing positive portrayals of African-American women to television!

Here are a few facts about her:

Her birthname is Carol Diahann Johnson

She was born on July 17, 1935

She’s an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

Is one of only 7 African-American actresses to receive the Best Actress Oscar nomination. The others in chronological order are: Dorothy Dandridge, Diana Ross, Cicely Tyson, Whoopi Goldberg, Angela Bassett and Halle Berry.