Bellas, I’m still basking in the afterglow. Last weekend, Texture on the Runway hit NYC. It was everything we dreamed it would be. The room was packed, the crowd was dressed to the nines, and the people behind the scenes and on the stage were a veritable who’s who of the natural hair world. It…
Beauty
Bold, Not Cold — My Winter Style in Simply Be
This winter, Chicago temperatures have been all over the place. One recent weekend got down into the negatives — a bone chilling, skin burning, utterly disrespectful kind of dangerous cold. Then there was substantial snow. But as I write this today, temperatures are edging towards 40 degrees, the sun is shining and the last of the…
Afrobella’s Hair Trend Forecast 2016 – Predictions, Product Picks and A Big Announcement!
Bellas, I’m happy to kick off 2016 (and my 10th year of Afrobella) with some big, awesome news. I’m going to New York for Fashion Week, to emcee TextureMedia’s Texture On the Runway event! I’m so super excited for so many reasons. I attended Texture on the Runway in 2012 (click here to see the…
So Fresh and So Clean – Why I Use Noxzema In Summer AND Winter
Bellas, as you know by now, I love a beauty brand with a heritage. If a brand has been around for longer than 20 years, believe me they’ve figured something out. 50 years, they’re popular for good reason. And if a brand has lasted more than 100 years, that is a true testimony to its…
Let Me Tell You Why The Ava DuVernay Barbie Means Everything
Like most little girls, I totally grew up playing with Barbie. For the most part, these were Barbies that didn’t look like me. They were Barbies with lives I couldn’t relate to, who couldn’t be more opposite than me. With my brown skin, sturdy frame and Trinidadian identity, there was nothing for me to identify…
The Afrobella Holiday Gift Guide – Beauty Presents You’ll Love
Christmas is right around the corner and I am NOT READY! I know I’m not alone. Bellas, I’m here to help you make your Christmas list, OR find the perfect gift for the beauty lover in your life. Here are my tried and tested favorites in makeup products that are gift-ready. I’m talking beautiful packaging and presentation…
350+ Independent Black Owned Businesses to Support This Holiday Season and BEYOND
Last year I wrote an extensive list of 101 Independent Black Owned Businesses to support for Blackout Friday. It proved to be amongst the most popular posts I’ve ever written. In 2014, I wrote that post in response to the Blackout Friday movement that arose from protests in Ferguson, Missouri. This year I had already planned to…
You Deserve — The Dyson Humidifier
I grew up in Trinidad and lived in Miami for more than a decade. I’ll admit, I didn’t know much about humidifiers when I lived in the tropics. There it’s unimaginable that you might need a little device in your home that adds humidity to the air. Now that I live in Chicago, I think…
Experiencing Equitance – All About The New 6-Part Japanese Skincare Regimen
I have a fascination with international skincare routines and regimens. In recent years there’s been so much buzz and heat around the Asian skincare market. There’s an awareness that the products tend to be highly tested and come from a long tradition of quality skincare practices. There’s also a perception that it’s a process with…
How to Find the Perfect Foundation + 8 Affordable Foundations For Brown Skin
Foundation is one of those makeup products that so many of us have a hard time mastering. Many of us have issues finding the right shade – women of color are women with tones and undertones. Makeup brands are just now catching up with our needs and expanding their shade ranges to suit. Also, there…