Beauty & Fashion Basics

1.28.2016 / , , , , ,

10 Melanin Goddesses Share Their Secrets to Perfect Skin, Self-love & Confidence


#BlackGirlMagic, #Blackout, #BlackGoddess. Every day there’s a new empowering movement proving to people that representation matters and the beauty of Black girls is just as beautiful as the next. Hashtags like #MelaninMonday fight to destroy twisted ideologies that dark skin doesn’t have any value or visual appeal. Unfortunately many girls begin to hate their skin color only to start their journey to self-hatred. I got the chance to feature some Melanin Goddesses and they’re going to tell you how they achieved self-love, how they promote it and some of their favorite skin products.

Diamond @diamonddnomaid

Her favorite makeup products: Rimmel London's GlamEyes Mascara and on my lips I wear NYC's mahogany lipstick. If not that then it's the cute, mini, pocket-sized Vaseline cocoa butter that'll leave your lips smooth and kiss ready.

“To those who hate darker complexions and favor lighter complexions, I don't hate you. I hurt for you. However you're not going to make me think twice about what beautiful is. The Rihanna’s and Beyonce’s look great...and so do I. There was a time in life where I felt so aware of my dark skin and I always wanted to know what skin tone gradient I fell under. Then I realized that it shouldn't even matter. If my outer appearance bothers you and you've yet to converse with me, it's best we need not to be involved with each other if you're choosing appearance over character anyway. I pray one day you'll be able to love all beautiful things around you especially when it differs from the media's set standard.”

Victoria @finesselori

Fav Makeup Brand: 'BlackUp' is absolutely great and flattering for dark girls! The first time I used it I was so obsessed with it because I couldn't get over how rich it is and it makes our skin look ever more like chocolate (than it naturally does!). I think the contour kit they sell is amazing; I've never come across a contour kit that was perfect until I bought this one - I highly recommend it!

Fav Skin Product:  I can never go without my cocoa butter lotion.  I absolutely love it because it's always been the key to my smooth skin and it's so hydrating. If melanin had a smell, cocoa butter would be it! 


Tayquana @Zdtay

I've disliked my skin for many years. It all started one day, during my 6th grade year, when I had a huge crush on a guy in my English class. Someone ended up telling him and the person that told him, came back to me and said "He says he doesn't like dark skin girls".  After that day, it all of a sudden surfaced everywhere. I saw it all around social media. It never occurred to me that my skin was such a problem until I was hit with that line. When I met my first boyfriend, he loved EVERY inch of me. He made sure he told me I was beautiful every chance he got. Since I've met him, I was over the whole "I'm ugly because I'm dark". You shouldn't need a man to tell you you're beautiful, but that helped on so many levels. Even seeing other beautiful chocolate girls made me feel better about myself. 

My response to Black Men & Women that hate on darker complexions and glamorize lighter complexions: You have a certain preference for what you're attracted to and that's okay but don't ever let a person that doesn't fit your criteria feel bad about their skin. You have a different outlook of beauty but you haven't met EVERY dark skin human so please save the criticism. You're very ignorant if you think the color of your skin determines beauty.

“When I bore a beautiful, chocolate baby girl/boy, I promise to let them know how gorgeous they are from their golden dark skin to their coily kinks and to never let anyone make them think twice about it!”

Faithy @blackpowerprincess

They need to decolonize their minds. Colorism within POC communities is detrimental to it's growth. This way of thinking is decisive. Willie Lynch wrote about how to control slaves without shackles or violence by dividing them by color, features and hair textures. These ideas still permeate our communities today and it makes us look foolish. Darkskin vs Brownskin vs Lightskin is stupid. All Black is beautiful and we should try to recognize that more.

Fav Makeup Brand: NARS/Bobbi Brown
Cannot live without… Coconut oil


Nyzeire

Can’t live without… Black Soap hands down

I love my… red undertones

I used to not like my complexion at all. I wanted to be lighter so bad because it was all I saw in school, videos, TV, etc. I didn't really start loving my skin until my junior year in high school. My mom played a huge part in me regaining my confidence but it was ultimately up to me to look myself in the mirror and remind myself everyday how beautiful I was.
Stéphany (@Young.godess)
Can’t live without… my Black Soap. I don’t really like applying to many products on my face but that is my holy grail. It leaves my face with a natural glow.

I’ve never disliked my complexion but I did not embrace it as much as I do now. Before I wouldn’t really just say to myself, “Wow your skin is so beautiful!” I would just go about my day but when I would go to school many guys would go for the lighter complexions [girls]. They would go as far as calling a dark skin girl dirty because of her skin tone. So I wouldn’t say I disliked my complexion but it was mostly what was being said around me that made me feel as though my complexion did not matter or have as much value as others. It didn’t make me feel like I should even take the time to embrace my skin tone as much as I should. 
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10 Melanin Goddesses Share Their Secrets to Perfect Skin, Self-love & Confidence

1.28.2016
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1.16.2016 / , , , , , , , ,

The Ultimate Hacks to Building Your Organic Beauty Cabinet on a Budget

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Many people have asked me how I manage to shop organic when it comes to my skin care. I must tell you that I am not rich and I really don’t have all this cash to blow in Whole Body or Trader Joe’s. A lot of times people want to make the switch to buying natural products but are instantly turned off by the high-price assumption. Luckily for you, I’ve just come up with one ultimate hack to live by and I’m going to share it with you.

1. Multi-Purpose Soaps. This is probably the most cost efficient way to fill your beauty closet with non-harmful, cruelty-free, vegan, fair trade and natural products. The greatest benefit to you from natural products is that the ingredients are so great that they can be used more than one way.Soaps like Alaffia Authentic African Black Soap and Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soaps are also used for shaving, shampoo, household cleaner and more. By doing this, you’re getting more for your buck. (Read This: Wildflower Botanicals| 18 Uses for Dr. Bronner’s Soaps)

2. Multi-Purpose Oils. Okay so this by far is my favorite makeup hack of all time. I’ve always been hesitant to buy makeup wipes for whatever the reason but after watching Tara Efobi’s Natural Makeup Remover video it has become a staple in my beauty cabinet. Instead of buying pricey, chemical-filled makeup removers – buy an oil. Olive, sweet almond, coconut and jojoba oils are the best options for getting off the toughest of waterproof mascaras and stubborn matte lippies. Not only can you use it as a makeup remover but these oils also provide great benefits for your hair, skin and nails too.  (Read This: Everyday Roots| 107 Everyday Uses for Coconut Oil).

3. Multi-Purpose Butters. Buying raw cocoa, Shea and mango butters are the best thick and creamy scar-fighting, moisture-replenishing, radiance- boosting butters I know. Who needs to dish out an arm and a soul in Target when you can use these butters for your hair, skin and post-pedicure feet?

4. DIY. Doing it yourself is one of the cheapest ways to mirror some of the products that line the walls of Whole Foods and your local Co-op. And for a creative person like me, making things is a fun hobby. You can recreate things from LUSH lip scrubs, face masks, deep conditioners and many more!

5.  Shop Small. Support local boutiques in your area. Boutiques tend to have a bit of a price tag but you should understand that smaller shops need to charge a bit more because they might not have as many people buying their products like other franchises. One of my favorite things to do is shop on Etsy. My favorite shop is Onya'e Naturals by Jasmine Kelley.
                                                           i.        Review. Activated Charcoal Face Scrub
           !! She also gives you coupon codes for your next purchase!!

6. Buy Direct. Sometimes buying directly from the brand’s website can be cheaper than buying it from a secondary source because you don’t have to pay for shipping and extra manufacturing fees. Plus buying from the brand’s website gives you a lot of promotion codes and sales that aren’t in stores. Trust me, those sign up for promotions emails come in handy.


7. Look for Different Variations. A lot of brands have collections of products (like Shea Moisture Nubian Heritage and Alaffia) and within those collections there are variations of products that still contain the same ingredients. Instead of buying the liquid soap buy the bar – it’ll be cheaper.

8. Sizing. I don’t know if it’s just the brands I like but there’s something about natural products where a little goes a long way. Sometimes making the investment is worth it.



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The Ultimate Hacks to Building Your Organic Beauty Cabinet on a Budget

1.16.2016
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1.08.2016 / , , , ,

Raw Honey Beauty Hacks

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I’m thinking of all the recipes I’ve made with honey – honey & peanut butter sandwiches, honey topped over granola and fruits and of course – in my tea. You guys know I always love finding ways to incorporate natural and organic things into my beauty regimens. We know about the endless opportunities with coconut oil and the benefits of coffee scrubs (easy DIY coming later) but do you know about the ways raw honey could be helping you?

If you look at the ingredients of honey it usually just lists one thing: honey. Honey is honey but like oils and [Shea/Cocoa] butters when it hasn’t been heated up and refined it maintains more of its nutrients and healing magic. If honey is just a try-thing for you then it really doesn’t make a difference what brand or type of honey you buy plus you’ll be saving money. If you plan on making it a staple in your beauty cabinet- I do recommend putting in a bit extra cash and buying raw honey. We may not like the bees that make them but we should definitely thank them for these beauty hacks.

Hair
Conditioner. Honey adds extra smoothness and shine to all hair types. For us curly girls, moisture is a major key. Honey is a natural humectant, or moisture magnet, and draws moisture from the air to your hair. I make my own deep conditioners and as soon as I started adding 2 tablespoons of honey in my conditioner I’ve noticed that my hair is shiner and softer.
·        Mix coconut oil and honey to make a quick moisturizing, shine-enhancing hair mask
·        Add honey to your sulfate, silicone, paraben, alcohol-free conditioner
·        Create your own conditioner and use honey as an ingredient


Skin
Face Mask. As stated before, honey attracts moisture from the air. Use honey to suck in long-lasting hydration into the layers of your skin.
·        After damping the face with water, apply a ½-1 teaspoon of honey to the face and massage into the skin for 5-10 minutes. Wash off with warm water and follow up with serum and/or moisturizer.

Acne Treatment. Honey has anti-bacterial and inflammatory properties that fight future breakouts and calm any irritation to the skin.
·        Apply a dot of honey to the area and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Wash off with warm water.
Exfoliator. Add this acne fighting agent to a homemade exfoliator (Read This: Foundations for Exfoliators) and let it do its magic. With the scrubbing agent and properties from your essential oil(s) who needs a store-bought face product?

Skin Brightener & Scar Fader. I’ve always been very hesitant of store-bought fading creams so nevertheless I turned to natural ways to fade my on-going facial scarring. Honey contains properties that helps fade scarring and promotes skin regeneration. Mixed with my skin favorites, coconut and jojoba oil, this is probably my favorite hack.

·        Mix ½-1 teaspoon of honey with an equal amount of an essential oil and massage onto the affected areas for 10-15 minutes. Wash off with warm water.
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Raw Honey Beauty Hacks

1.08.2016
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7.11.2015 / , , ,

My Current 2015 Skin Care Routine


I wasn’t one to really break out until I started using the Maybelline Fit Me foundation. After that, it was a constant battle with breakouts and scars because I would scratch at them. Now, I don’t have many breakouts besides the ones that come once a month, when it’s too hot or when I have too much sugar. The only thing I’m really dealing with currently is the acne scars which have been fading rapidly – and I’m sure it’s because of my new regimen. I will point out that everything I use is cruelty free and vegan/vegetarian.



1.      I use an exfoliator to get off any dead skin before cleaning it. Plus it also helps remove more of my makeup (which I remove with jojoba or coconut oil). I use Alba Botanica Hawaiian Facial Scrub – Pore Purifying Pineapple Enzyme. I do have large pores but I have noticed that when using this product, they have gotten smaller. Obviously they’re not going away but I prefer to not have noticeable holes on my face. I also like that this it has a gentle finish and it’s safe enough to use every day without skin tissue damage. It is a bit pricey but it’s worth it to me and a little goes a long way.



2.      I only do this every other day but I recently found [On] [Ya’e] Naturals on Etsy via Alex Elle and I was very impressed with her ingredients. I purchased the Activated Charcoal Face Scrub because I heard lot of good things about charcoal for acne and deep cleansing. I will start off by saying I am in love with her minimal and earthy packaging. She does sell in small batches so I bought a 2oz container for $10 (plus about $3 for shipping) and it arrived in about a week. It is a bit pricey but considering that it’s all-natural it is expected. I really like this product. I can literally feel the product working on my skin and it has decreased so many of my breakouts (might be a combo of everything I’m doing as well). I wish it came in bigger batches because I would pay for it. One thing that I do not like at all is that even though the product says “scrub” it really isn’t. The sea salt doesn’t stick to anything and ends up falling all over the place. I even tried using honey but nothing. If there is ever an option without the salt that is what I would get instead.





3.      After exfoliating I follow up with my cleanser. I bought my Alaffia Authentic African Black Soap from Whole Foods when it was 2 for $10 but you can buy a bigger bottle (that will last forever) for about $14 (I bought a small bottle last month and I only repurchased one today). I use a face brush to thoroughly clean my face as well. Not only is it a great cleanser but Black soap is great for fighting acne and fading acne scars because of its abundance in antioxidants that come from plantains, Shea butter and cocoa. Then, I rinse with cold water and prepare for my toner.




4.      Toners bring the pH level back to normal after all the washing and scrubbing. It also helps to close the pores to allow less oil to seep through. I use this Alaffia Everyday Coconut Water Face Toner that I purchased from Flatbush Food Co-Op in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn. I love this toner because anything with alcohol or an acidic level close to it will peel my skin. This is gentle and even though it’s about $9 you only need 1 – 2 spritz a day. I still have a full bottle and I bought it in the beginning of June. I only use a toner at night – no moisturizer because my face usually moisturizes itself while I sleep.

In the morning, I just use the Alaffia Authentic African Black Soap and moisturize with Shea butter.

One thing I also love about Alaffia is that they do various empowerment projects like Bicycles for Education, School Project, Reforestation and Gender Equality in [West] African countries. Being from an African background myself but also an American I have noticed that the bigger countries tend to go into smaller countries and strip them of their natural resources. I believe that the bigger countries need to teach the smaller countries how to harvest and earn profit from their own natural resources so that one day they may become a bigger country and continue the cycle. That is one thing I hope to do when I start my own business. Alaffia is also a certified fair trader; which means that the producers (African countries) are receiving the larger amount of profit – which is only fair.




I know it seems like a lot, but I only use 4 products and I’m usually done in 10 minutes tops (waiting for the mask usually takes 5 minutes). These products are all natural and I can definitely say I will repurchase. I will try to find cheaper options for you guys but I hope you got some inspiration!

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My Current 2015 Skin Care Routine

7.11.2015
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3.17.2015 / , , , , , ,

Green Beauty| Green Tea Body Scrub



In honor of St. Patrick’s Day I’d thought I’d do something green-related. Does it count? It’s no secret that green tea has many health benefits. I usually turn to green tea when my skin needs some TLC (tender love & care). I do think that some outside products work for the skin but it ultimately comes down to what’s on the inside. Green tea is a great way to detox the body of any toxins that could be affecting your skin. After drinking my daily cup of tea I got to thinking about tea rinses for the hair then face masks. I went on Pinterest to see some recipes but most of them included Matcha tea powder – which I didn’t have. So I’m going to show you the variation that I created.

Ingredients:
1/ 2 Cup of White Sugar
2 Bags of Green Tea
1 Tbsp. of Coconut Oil
1 Bag of Peppermint Tea (Optional)
1 Tsp of Honey if using without oil / ½ Tsp if using with oil (Optional)



1.      Add oil, sugar & honey to a mixing bowl.

2.      Warm water and then insert one tea bag. The warm water helps to activate the leaves’ nutrients. Don’t boil the water! Boiling the water can weaken the nutrients. Move the bag around to let the tea transfer faster. Once the water has darkened from the tea scoop out 1 tablespoon and add it to the mixture. You can save the unused tea to make a toner, hair rinse or healthy drink!

3.      Once you have your mixture, open the other [green & peppermint] tea bags and dump the loose leaves into your bowl. Now mix it all together!







I usually wipe my body down with water and a loofah just to get off any excess moisturizer. Then I use my scrub and then wash my body with soap. This scrub seemed to brighten my skin and soften it. Be sure to send me pictures or tweets if you try it out. My links are below!


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Green Beauty| Green Tea Body Scrub

3.17.2015
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