Unwind Your Mind

How stressed out are you? If your response is “very,” “OMG, let me tell you,” or just an incredulous, slightly delirious cackle — believe me, I can more than identify. Working hard, working late, making money and trying to pay the bills while also making time for family, friends, side projects, and — last but not least, yourself — can seem almost impossible at times. The question is, how do you de-stressify? What do you do when your blood pressure’s high, your head’s aching with the pressure of unfulfilled expectations, and you need to somehow shut off the insistent voices in your ear?

I’ve been incredibly stressed out recently — my parents are in town for the rest of the month, work’s been killing me, and I feel the constant threat of deadlines over my head like a miniature storm cloud. Sometimes I feel dizzy with stress. Sick with it. I’ve had to seek out healthy methods to deal with my stress issues.

For Christmas a few years ago, my mother-in-law gave me a slender little book called Destress — 100 Natural Ways to Relax. It’s one of those chock-full-o-illustrations books, very simple, cute little drawings throughout. But the advice within it has helped me figure out an after-work routine that takes the edge off the day I just endured. Here’s some of the tips I’ve adapted to my own life.

After a long, arduous day at the office, all I want to do is collapse on the couch, preferably with a cocktail in hand. But I’ve been trying to deny myself that decadence. That’s an ideal time for me to work out, shake my B.O.O.T.A.Y to some Spank Rock and Santogold (watch out for raunchy lyrics if you click that link, BTW), and take out all the day’s aggression on the elliptical trainer. Another great form of venting that aggression is high tech and often hard to find these days… but I’ll put it out there… have any of you played the Nintendo Wii? I LOVE it. It’s so, so, SO much fun. I love that a video game system can get you up and on your feet, and if you’re sick of Wii Sports, now there’s Wii Fit, which I am dying to try. It sounds really cool.

After working all day then working up a sweat, I settle down to a simple, early dinner. Eating too late means I’ll literally fall asleep on the couch with a heavy belly of food, and that’s no good. So I try to eat dinner soon after I’ve come home from work, by 8:30 p.m. for the latest. If I am totally sapped of energy, I might splurge on something pre-cooked from the neighborhood gourmet grocery, but that really adds up for this bella on a budget. So most often I make a simple dinner salad — grill some chicken, skirt steak, fish, or shrimp on my indoor grill, place it on top of my bag salad of choice, add cherry tomatoes, diced strawberries, or almond accents or all of the above, toss with some kind of light dressing. And because my husband loves them, I serve the meal with Pillsbury whole wheat rolls, which are awesome. I have no idea how healthy (or unhealthy) they are, though.

Every night I wind up sitting at the computer, working until the wee hours. At one point, I was regularly falling asleep at the keyboard, fading out in the middle of an Afrobella post. Now I know that I need to tear myself away from the glowing screen, and let my mind slowly shut down before bedtime. So after Colbert, my favorite way to wind down before bed is with a hot, fragrant shower. My husband thinks it’s so weird — why would you take a shower so late at night, when you usually just take one in the morning before work? But the warm water cascading down on me really soothes my spirit, and I know my body wash of choice really helps as well — Johnson’s new Melt Away Stress products really are exactly what the doctor ordered. You’ve probably seen these ads splashed all over some of your favorite blogs recently (including this one). Allow me to share my experience with them so far.

The products are infused with their patented Aromasoothe fragrance, which is subtle, mild, and infinitely calming. Wafts of chamomile and hints of lavender — which is known as a stress reliever. A few drops of lavender essential oil to a bath tub can help to destress your body and mind. If you don’t have a bathtub (like me), the Johnson’s Melt Away Stress moisturizing wash is a great way to get the soothing effects of lavender without making your shower all slippery. It’s the kind of wash that I let lather on my bath sponge, then hold to my nose to inhale the scent before I start showering. Very moisturizing, and the bottle’s tall and big — 20 oz for $6. Good deal. I follow up the body wash with the body lotion — they claim that it’s clinically shown to help you sleep better and melt away daily muscle tension. It’s been working well for me — a hot, soothing shower and body rub with these two products, and I’m infinitely relaxed and ready for sleep.

My two favorites are the body wash and lotion, but there are two other items in the line — the massaging moisturizer is really best used for couple massages, it warms up wonderfully between your hands and makes for a sensual, slippery experience, but it’s a little sticky and runny if I use it on its own. The dreamy night cream is great for your hands, feet, knees, elbows, and any of those arid areas of your skin. But for my money, $10 to $12 for the body wash and lotion combo is totally worth it. After my shower, I collapse happily into bed. Recently, instead of lying there recounting my list of the 1001 things I didn’t do that day, my sleep has been dreamless and deep — exactly what I want it to be. I wake up smelling like an angel, and my skin is so smooth and soft. Click here to get $1 off any Johnson’s Melt Away Stress product.

Whew. It’s Monday morning and I’m already ready for my post-work ritual, bellas! What helps you unwind your mind after a long day?

Smelling Like The Stars

This is supposed to be a beauty blog, right? Damn. All of this politricks is raising my blood pressure right now. I had planned a pissed-off rant about Geraldine Ferraro, but I might blow a gasket if I really start to analyze her comments… and Keith Olbermann said it all better than I ever could. So let’s keep it light and positive. I’m way behind on product reviews. So today I’m gonna write about perfume instead. YAY, perfume!

I’ve revealed my reluctant fondness for celebrity perfumes — sometimes even if they’re by celebrities I can’t stand. Like J Lo. I can’t even name a song of hers that I’ve enjoyed. Ever. But I gotta admit, Live smells like heaven on me. As does M by Mariah Carey. As much as this might horrify a singer’s singer like Mizz Mariah — her perfume kinda reminds me of J Lo’s. Just a tad. It’s the sweet base notes that cling to my skin so warmly — Live features a caramel base, M is a base of marshmallow. Both scents are feminine and seductive with an inner core of sweet deliciousness.

So because I put myself out there as the beauty blogger who loves celeb scents, I was asked to review another one. And all I can say is, oh Britney. Britney, Britney, Britney. Why do you make your PR people work so hard?

In 2004, Britney was still the most covered celebrity, but more or less she was a pop star known for her songs and dancing talent as well as the inescapable paparazzi presence. She kicked off the year with a quickie marriage to Jason Alexander. She was coasting on the success of songs like Toxic, and about to release a greatest hits album and her (completely unnecessary desecration) of Bobby Brown’s My Prerogative. KFed and Chaotic wouldn’t hit the fan for another year. In 2004, people definitely wanted to smell like Britney Spears. In fact, when she released Curious, the fragrance made more than $100 million in sales, and was the best selling fragrance of the year!

Since 2004, Britney has been through a LOT. Is it even worth adding to the list of articles that have gleefully recounted her downward spiral? I ride with Chris Crocker — leave Britney alone! Seriously! I’m kinda sick of hearing about her!

For a long while it was Brit Brit overkill, and she seemed poised (and willing) to be America’s Next Anna Nicole Smith. I didn’t want to write about her perfume just yet and kick a girl when she was down, so I sat back and waited. And waited. Now Britney’s life shows some positive signs of turnaround. She’s got a better weave, her daddy’s got her on lock down, and she’s guest starring on How I Met Your Mother. Good for her! Finally, I feel ready to speak my mind about her latest scent reincarnation. In my opinion, there’s nothing special at all about Curious ♥ Heart. Sorry, Britney. I gotta call it like I see it.

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Paging Dr. Miracle

I’ve got a couple of posts from 2006 that I get new comments on regularly. There’s the Titi Branch interview, and the first Miss Jessie’s post — it’s become its own little message board, seriously. Another is titled AKA Snake Oil, and it’s a slam on those magical grow potions we black women continue to spend our hard earned dollars on. Every time I go to Sally’s, I swear I see some new special treatment that promises to reduce breakage and encourage length.

Anyhoo, in that post, I admitted that I hadn’t tried any of these items, but they stunk of BS to me. Lots of them are chock-a-block with unhealthy hair ingredients, and they’ll throw in some kind of tingle-inducing additive to make you think “it’s working.” One of the product lines I dissed outright was Dr. Miracle, even though I hadn’t tried it yet. I personally can’t stand their ads — see it here in case you haven’t before.

I. Hate. It. I find the implication that natural or kinky textured hair is ugly or unruly and needs some kind of chemical intervention to be tamed and therefore “saved,” deeply offensive. I was so not considering giving Dr. Miracle a try, just on principle. Then their public relations manager Joelle wrote me the sweetest, most sincere e mail I’ve ever gotten from a company before. I let her know exactly how I felt about their advertising, and she admitted that for every one person who felt like I did, there were 15 who loved and responded to the ads. But she did see my point, and we were able to talk about it. I appreciated her candor.

Dr. Miracle, you owe Joelle a nice raise. She got an obstinate hater like me to consider giving your products a try.

Now allow me to break down my Dr. Miracle experience, so that you can make an informed decision the next time you’re wandering the ethnic hair care aisle, unsure of what to purchase.

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Valentine’s Day Hangover

Thursday was Valentine’s Day, and it’s such an over-the-top, retail-driven celebration. You either love it or you hate it. I personally enjoy it, but this year we were too busy to even celebrate Valentine’s Day on Valentine’s Day. Today is my V-Day, so I’d like to wish a happy belated day of love to everyone! If you’ve got a significant other in your life, he or she probably got you a lil somethin’ somethin’ on Thursday. Sometimes it’s a gift you like, sometimes it leaves you scratching your head in confusion. If you feel like you deserve a lovegift to yourself (in the middle of Fall In Love With Your Heart Month, no less), no worries. I got your back! I’ve been checking out some super sexy products that will make you purr with delight. Will this review end in a giveaway? Hmmm. Come along and we’ll see!

First stop, Lush Cosmetics. I am in LOVE with Lush! Their bath bombs are the bomb.

Their soaps are spectacular — I swear, Honey I Washed the Kids is one of the sweetest, most high quality handmade soaps I’ve ever tried. Quality is key for the makers of Lush. Their stuff is hand made, organic, and they never ever do animal testing. Some of their products are so fresh, there are expiration dates on them. They’ve got a fantastic bath items, the Ocean Salt body scrub is made with real ocean water, fresh lemons and limes, avocado and coconut butters, and violet leaf. It smells like a dream and makes my skin feel incredibly smooth. It’s definitely one of the finest body scrubs I’ve ever used. A 4.2 oz tub is $18.55.

Don’t even get me started on the shampoo!!! I really had low expectations, and I was so blown away, it’ll take a separate review. Seriously, it is rare to find a company where every single item seems to be exactly what you were looking for, and that’s been my experience with Lush so far. I even love the Lush website — customer reviews posted after every product, and of course you can order online, but if you live in a major city, there’s probably a store near you. I’d definitely go armed with a list — Lush is affordable, but it’d be really easy to overspend there. Too easy. But I’d be hard pressed to suggest another store where you could get yourself a cooler after V-Day present. Actually… hang on a second. There’s always The Body Shop, which you know I adore. (fun fact… In 1978, Lush sold their first product to the Body Shop! Then they went on to have stores of their own).

This year’s Body Shop Valentine’s Day scent is Japanese cherry blossom. I am SO planning to get myself that reed diffuser. Having a pet that jumps and climbs all over everything doesn’t make me feel safe with scented candles, oil burners, or incense in the house. Have any of you tried reed diffusers? Do they really make your house smell wonderful? Please let me know before I spend unwisely.

Next up, product reviews for the grown and sexy.
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Favorite Things of 2007

Happy New Year!!

I missed you guys so much. After a beautiful vacation in Chicago — complete with fun with friends in the city, family time in the suburbs, and a big ol’ family reunion in Findlay, Ohio — I am back at home and settling happily into 2008. I hope all of you had beautiful, nurturing holiday seasons. Last year I was invited by the wonderful Annie of Blogdorf Goodman to participate in the favorite things of 2006. This year, I’m back for the 2007 list, and as you have probably come to expect from me, it’s a bit unusual. I’ll separate things into categories to make a bit more sense of it all.

Hair Care

Favorite Shampoo — Devacurl No Poo. I first discovered this when I got my Curl Cut from Larramy at GBS — that reminds me, I need to make an appointment with him early in ‘08, my curls are taking on that shapeless mass again — and no shampoo makes my hair feel or look healthier, happier, sproingier, or shinier. I try a LOT of different hair products, and I always come back to DevaCurl when my hair feels over producty or dry or clumpy. This stuff is definitely the gentle rescue my hair deserves. And it’s only $13.95. Score!

Conditioner — Miss Jessie’s Recovery Treatment. At $48 for 12 oz, it ain’t cheap, but I gotta give it up to Miss Jessie’s. They’re at the top of the curly hair product heap for a reason. They deliver. When my hair’s at it’s coarsest and most matted, I can soothe it and restore it to maximum comb-throughability with this. Fingers crossed they come out with a 6 oz jar in an affordable mid-range this year.

Hair Styling Stuff — Ohm Body Crown of Glory Hair Custard and Avocado Hair Energy Oil. I tried Ohm fairly recently, and liked it, but these two nourishing, moisturizing hair products came to the rescue during my holiday vacation to the Windy City. Being a lifelong warm weather gal, I really notice the effects of cold on my hair and skin. I took the teeny travel size items I’d gotten in the Saturday Morning Sampler, and they helped keep my coif shiny and soft in the harsh elements. I look forward to trying more of Ohm’s hair products, and keeping you all posted. Judging from this sampler, Ohm is definitely heading in a good direction.

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Presents That Pamper

If you haven’t gotten all your Christmas shopping done yet, it’s time to get crackin’! Cause we all know the mall’s BEEN a nightmare and it’s about to get even worse. Last week, I made the mistake of trying to stop by Ross on a weekday afternoon after work. More fool me. You know it’s a bad sign when you walk into a store and there are no shopping carts at the front. And the checkout line is at least 15 people long. Oy vey, it was a mess. To save your sanity, I strongly recommend shopping online while the getting’s still good. So get clicking, bellas - here’s your official tried-and-true Afrobella gift guide for the kind of products that any beauty-treatment loving lady would be ecstatic to discover under the tree.

Around the time of my Ash Begone post, I was contacted by the owners of Shea Radiance. I was already ready to love this stuff — it’s the kind of business I love supporting best — small, family owned (awwww! Those kids are beautiful!), and seriously into quality products. Shea Radiance makes 100% natural unrefined shea butter products. They make specialty products for eczema and other skin ailments, also soaps, body oils, nurturing products for moms and babies, and lotion bars. I was fortunate enough to try the whipped body butter, and I was totally impressed. This stuff is dreamy, creamy, whipped to perfection. And it smells DIVINE! I tried the jasmine and coconut, and ooh wee, y’all. They melt into my skin and make me smell heavenly. Two thumbs up for Shea Radiance! You get an 8 oz jar for $18.96 which is a bit pricey, but consider this — you’re paying for a high quality all-natural product, and supporting a small business owner. Shea Radiance is currently offering free shipping on orders over $50, and for bellas on a budget, they are featuring gifts under $20.

What if you’re looking for something beyond luxurious body butters and oils? Check out Ohm Body. If the bella in your life is dying for some bonafide hair pampering goodness, I think the Ohm Saturday Morning Hair Care Essential Sampler might be the present you’re looking for. I gotta be completely honest — the Crown of Glory conditioner didn’t work for my hair texture. But everything else in the sampler was deeeeeelightful. I especially loved the Avocado Hair Energy Oil, and the Crown of Glory Hair Deodorizer has been in my purse for those on-the-go-my-hair’s-a-little-funkdafied moments. Can’t beat that.

Ohm is all about natural, non-toxic, environmentally friendly, no animal testing products for ethnic skin and hair. I think my absolute favorite product I tried so far is the Scented Body Oil, which comes in a tall, elegant bottle and features a flower inside the bottle. Seriously, I opened this package and said, “oooh!” It looks so pretty. Then I tried it — Lavendar Luv’s got it going on, and Empress is also a lovely scent — and I LOVE this stuff! It’s perfect for right after a hot shower, and makes me feel sensual and slick.

If you’re looking for a gift for the bella who’s on her feet all day and could use some pampering for her soles, most definitely check out NettieScrub! Made by licensed manicurist Nettie Davis, this scrub is handmade and absolutely delightful. And unlike lots of other sugar scrubs I’ve tried, it hasn’t left my tub feeling like a slippery-when-wet danger zone. (That being said, I’d still be careful in there!) They come in adorable little jars, and the lemon scrub makes me smell like a yummy dessert while leaving my skin incredibly soft and polished.

The mini variety pack is $22, and the 4 oz mini me jar is $8.99 plus shipping. And if you want to continue the hand and feet pampering, spring for SpaSentials one-step moisturizing and conditioning socks or gloves that contain aloe, avocado and jojoba. The package promises to soothe and deeply moisturize dry, cracked skin in just 15 minutes, and it did turn back the clock on my hardened feet. After giving my tootsies a good scrubbing, I slipped into these and kicked my feet up for a while. When I removed them, even the hard underside of my big toe felt softer. Of course, you can achieve that with some good ol’ shea butter and a standard pair of socks, but this makes a much prettier package for under the tree. Spasentials foot treatment is $19.99, and available on Amazon.

I love shining a light on upcoming businesses, especially those owned by women like me, aimed at women like me. So if you are too, you’re gonna like the aforementioned companies. But be forewarned — I just saw a report on CNN that today is the drop-dead last day to order online if you’re hoping to get your Christmas present delivered just in time for next Tuesday. So what’re you waiting for? Get clicking! (psst — The Makeup Girl has been waaaay more up on her holiday gift posting than I, so check out her selections).

All is not lost if you aren’t planning to shop online. There are awesome gift sets at Sephora and every department store, but if you’re looking for luxe gifts without a semblance of sticker shock, might I recommend Target? The Boots Mediterranean Almond Gift Collection is to die for, especially if you love the scent of almond anything. Which I do! The collection is luxe, indulgent, and just $20. This collection is an even sweeter deal at $12.99. I’ve loved everything I’ve tried from Boots no 7, from the bath and body stuff, to the makeup. You can’t go wrong!

And now, here’s my chance to offer you some pampering. I’m making it rain with these giveaways this week — before one’s done, here’s another one for ya! I already introduced you all to a company named Soaptopia, out of California. They. Are. Amazing.

I’ve been lucky enough to try their soaps — hello, Ms. Afro D. Sheak! And I really love the 50/50 Body Balms. Just in time for the holidays, Soaptopia wants to give Afrobella readers a present! Leave a comment that begins with the phrase “Pamper Me!” and let me know what item you want — a 50/50 Balm, or The Good Rubs, a lush oil, honey and salt mixture infused with essential oils to make you smell amazing. Don’t forget to let me know what scent you’d like the most! I will choose five winners by Saturday morning before I leave for Chicago. Promise! As an added Soaptopia bonus, if you spend $45, you’ll get a large inLIGHTin massage candle free! Just enter the promo code “Afrobella” after you order. You got the hookup!

And guess what, bellas — I have TWO more giveaways to go before this week is through! So stay on your toes, and keep leaving those comments!

Ask Afrobella — Ash, Begone!

I got a recent Ask Afrobella question that cracked me up and reminded me of an old college friend. You’d like to hear it? Here it goes.

Hey Bella-ella-ella,

When I was growing up on the island, my knees and legs would sometimes get ashy. But now that I live in cold-ass Canada, ashy has a whole new meaning! Any advice for a dark skin bella with extra dry skin in the cold winter months?

Luv ya, BajanBeauty

So BajanBeauty, your question took me back to a memory from my sophomore year. In college, I had a friend from Germany. His name was Ben. Imaginatively, everyone called him German Ben. He’s as blonde and blue eyed as you could possibly imagine, and being from the area of Germany he was from, I imagine he had somewhat limited exposure to people of color. I imagine this because he every so often he would ask me the craziest questions ever, but in the sweetest, most genuinely curious way.

So one time he came to my dorm room to play me some new Kruder and Dorfmeister song or something (he was super into them), and out of the blue German Ben asks me, “what does ashy mean?” I gotta tell you, I cracked up. I think the context for the question was that he had just discovered Biggie and wanted to know what “from ashy to classy” meant. So he turned to me as his own personal urban dictionary, bless him. We were close enough friends that could talk about almost anything, so I gladly answered his question. At least he didn’t have to ask on Yahoo Answers.

To break it down quite simply — when black skin gets really dry, it can take on a grey or “ashy” appearance. The darker your overall skin tone, the more apparent the dryness can become. Certain areas of your body are more likely to look ashy than others — knees, legs, arms, and elbows are always common ashy areas. For example, I always get really ashy right at the back of my ankle, regardless of the time of year. It just stays arid back there.

Ben’s question was funny to me at the time, but as the weather gets colder for bellas up north can tell you — ashy skin is no joke. Lots of people of color deal with dry skin issues in colder climates. So come along, BajanBeauty, I’ll show you the way to avoid looking like Ashy Larry.

The only way to combat ashiness is through lots of moisture, both internally and externally. I am not a water lover by any means - it’s a struggle to get my daily requirement sometimes. But I know and understand that Diet Coke, iced tea, or Crystal Light don’t measure up to the pure healthy, internally moisturizing, thirst quenching power of 100% H2O. So definitely drink your eight glasses a day, or however you choose to measure your current daily recommended amount of agua. That’ll take care of your insides.

Now for external moisture, which is crucial. You can stop ash before it starts by using a moisturizing body wash with one of those loofah things for added exfoliation. Then you should slather on a long-lasting lotion as soon as your shower’s over, when your skin is still moist. Let the lotion sink in. Then take a to-go lotion with you so you can soothe your skin anytime you need it. Allow me to share some of the great moisturizing products I’ve tried recently.

In terms of body washes, I absolutely adore the Caress Exotic Oil Infusions. A total steal for less than $7, and I agree with eccentric diva JCD — the Moroccan scent is lovely and amazing. And the bottle is tres cute for the bathtub, no? This is a super creamy wash with a delightful floral scent.

I’ve been trying lots of these of late, and I am also fond of Dove’s Body Wash Cream Oil in Jasmine Vanilla. I am admittedly partial to this scent combination, but unlike Bath and Body Works jasmine vanilla combo, Dove’s scent is milder and somehow more soapy and unisex. Dove’s scent is just like a sweet body wash/lotion, whereas the Bath and Body Works jasmine vanilla is sexy and decidedly feminine. In case you can’t tell, I LOVE Bath and Body Works jasmine vanilla, but they’ve apparently stopped making the body wash. The lotion is still available, though. I’ll stop rambling about my favorite scents… now.

As a Dove-related side note, their Nourishing Hand Wash is the most moisturizing soap I’ve ever used. It’s practically lotion, I swear — but leaves my hands soft and most importantly, clean. It’s perfect for the kitchen sink area to leave your hands happy after dishes.

Mama Bella is especially partial to Olay Body Wash Plus with Body Butter Ribbons and yes, it’s good stuff. The Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Wash is also supposed to be great. Shiksai moisturizing shower gel is especially formulated for dry skin, and is a great choice for vegan bellas who really care about natural ingredients. It’s a combination of oatmeal and aloe and it’s on sale right now, score!

I recently was fortunate enough to try some of the super skin saturating products by Skin Milk, and I like them a lot. The shower gel foams up wonderfully into cleansing vanilla-scented goodness, and leaves my skin feeling so soft. The body cream is off the chain — this stuff completely absorbs into my skin and just leaves a feeling of soft satisfaction, without grease or an oily residue. It’s thick stuff, so a little goes a long way. And this is a little off-topic, but if you’re seeking an incredible shave, the shaving milk will change your life. It’s so much more than a foamy shave gel. I haven’t nicked myself at all since I’ve been using it, and the husband loves it as well.
Let’s talk body lotion. In my opinion, the lotions that are best to combat ashiness are thick but not greasy, and absorb easily into your skin. There’s no point in replacing your ashy patches with cream that won’t rub all the way in.

Most of my favorite moisturizers include cocoa butter - the scent is so soothing and nurturing. I know many a bella who won’t use anything but Palmer’s, and now Vaseline is getting knee deep in the cocoa butter action with their Natural Glow collection. This goes with their whole “keeping skin amazing” campaign. I tried the vitalizing gel body oil, and WOW, it’s so not what I expected. It’s a thick gel that slicks on super shiny, and lasts for hours. I think the body oil would be perfect for ladies who like their legs to look shiny and sleek, but for every day use it’s a bit much IMO. I slathered it on after my shower recently, and when I looked at myself after, it was like I had been dipped in butter. Shiny, shiny! It took a long time to absorb, but definitely kept me moisturized.

My co-worker Raina has gorgeous dark skin with a tendency towards ashy areas, so I gave her the smoothing body butter with cocoa and shea butter, which comes in a tub and smells like buttery heaven. “I liked it. It kept me moisturized but didn’t melt off in the Miami humidity, and it lasted pretty long throughout the day too. Emphasis on pretty long, if you scratched me at the end of the day it would look like you had swiped me with a piece of chalk,” says she. So if you’re looking for a long-lasting, thick cocoa buttery product to keep on your desk at work, for example - check it out. It’s great for those problem areas - the back of my ankle, for example… as well as your knees, elbows, and feet.

For you bellas who prefer your products without any petrolatum thankyouverymuch, I’d like to introduce you to an exciting new line that I love, love, love. Behold - the magnificence of Soaptopia!

In their own terms, their body care products are environmentally friendly, and “100% JUNK-FREE.” Their products are all natural, handmade, many of them are vegan (some do contain wildcrafted honey and beeswax), petroleum free and cruelty free. And besides being great for the environment, they’re just GREAT period. Their soaps are very emollient and smell HEAVENLY. I also adore the 50/50 body balms — deep therapy creme swirled with moisturizing essential oils for extra glide. These are great for couple massages or just for you to treat yourself. I tried the rose and it’s a thing of beauty. A big tub costs $20, but you’re definitely paying for a high quality product made with love. Soaptopia’s coming out with some fabulous Christmas products I’ll tell you about soon, and keep your eyes peeled for a giveaway from this cool California-based company. Hope that helps ya, BajanBeauty!
What do you turn to when ashiness attacks, cold weather bellas? I know you’ve got an amazing go-to product you always use. Share!

Hot Pink Products!

As a wee follow up to the earlier post about my relative, I wanted to shine a light on some of the cool Breast Cancer Awareness Month products that are available this month. Between The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Susan G. Komen, the list of stuff to stock up on is practically endless. This year, the range of items goes way beyond cheesy scarves, brooches, and teeshirts. I’m gonna clue you all in to the products I personally plan to purchase.

There are some really great, healthy Breast Cancer Awareness Month products available at your grocery store right now. I think I already mentioned the Fresh Express Baby Blends salads I picked up this week. 10 cents of each purchase is for the cure, and the veggie spring mix is the bomb.

I love the entire line of Emergen-C products, and they’ve just released a sweet pink lemonade flavor in honor of this month. It’s chock full of vitamins C and B, and 50% of proceeds go to the cause. Love that.

The Republic of Tea is big into supporting breast cancer research. Together with Susan G. Komen, they created Sip For the Cure, a special line of green teas. I’d drink the rose green tea hot, but just imagine the pink grapefruit, lady apple, or pink lemonade green tea served in a tall, frosty glass with lots of ice? Mmmmmm. 75% of sales benefit the cure.

Sephora has every pretty pink makeup item you want. The thing with pink is, if the shade’s too pale, it may not really pop on beautiful brown skin. Pale pink lipstick just looks silly on me, and pale pink blush washes me out. I am very particular about my shade of pink makeup, bellas!

Which is why the Clinique BCA Kit is CALLING MY NAME. It comes with a gorgeous Fresh Bloom Allover Colour compact in Peony. OK, that compact so belongs on my (ridiculously overcrowded) dresser. And I love that there’s two lush, complimentary shades of shimmering pink. And I have an almost identical lipgloss that looks magnificent when layered over my beloved Vincent Longo lip stain in Baby Boo. That’s an effortlessly lush hot pink lip that can go from the office to the after work happy hour with just a dab of extra gloss for insurance. (an aside — are those new pearlessence gel stains I see? Oh boy!). That Tarte Inside Out Vitamin Lipstick in Zen would also look incredible on brown skin of all shades, IMO. And a portion of the $22 purchase goes to the Young Survival Coalition, a non-profit for young women with breast cancer.

If you’re looking for an affordable, undeniably luxurious product for the cure, you need to check out Philosophy’s Shower for the Cure. It costs $20, but 100% of the philosophy and our profit from this product are donated to the Women’s Cancer Research Fund! Way to truly committ to the cause, Philosophy! I can’t wait to get my hands on this.

For those of you who can afford to shop at Bergdorf Goodman, fancy French essential oil producer Darphin is offering a special limited edition bottle of rose aromatic care oil this month. For $75, you can indulge in rose oil, hazelnut, evening primrose, and sweet almond oil luxury, and 10% benefits the BCRF. I’ve tried the Tangerine Aromatic Bath and Body Oil, and it. is. AMAZING. It leaves my skin feeling incredibly silky and luxurious. But… it comes in a teeny tiny bottle for $75, so I kind of think of it as the kind of stuff JLo, Kimora, or Mariah Carey would insist on filling a claw-footed bathtub with. Which is to say, it’s incredible but well out of my price league. I gotta keep it real, you know.

Speaking of stuff I want that’s out of my price league… are these Kitchen Aid appliances not freakin’ adorable? All of my kitchen appliances are dark blue. But I could go for that beautiful tea kettle! Besides appliances, they offer pink handled kitchen necessities aplenty, from a cute measuring utensil set, to the tres cute pink silicone heart pan.

Bake your loved one a Betty Crocker cake in it for extra fundraising fun. General Mills supports a number of breast cancer awareness initiatives, including Pink Together, a MySpace community for survivors. Oh, and Kitchen Aid does more than just sell adorable pale pink products this month. They also host Cook for the Cure, where passionate chefs can host special fundraising parties for breast cancer charities of their choice. Check out the website for customizable invitations, party suggestions, recipes and entertaining tips.

Have you seen any cool pink products on store shelves? Let me know! And check out the products mentioned on some of my favorite beauty blogs — 55 Secret Street (yo quiero that Smashbox brush), The Makeup Girl, and Clutch Magazine.

Me and Mariah

I seriously laughed out loud when I read about the back-and-forth perfume beef between Sean Diddy Combs and Mariah Carey. In case you haven’t heard, here’s the silliness.

Diddy declares: “I send out a challenge. I challenge all of my female counterparts that have fragrances, that my fragrance is better than theirs. I’m a man and I know how women should smell.”

To which Mariah retorts: “I heard about this competition, and I wish Puff all the best with his new fragrance, but I think we’re actually appealing to different types of women. M by Mariah Carey is about being unforgettable, not unforgivable. It’s not about a ménage à trois or a one night stand, it’s for the woman who wants the man to fall in love with her immediately, stay in love, and treat her like royalty.”

My response? Oh, behave. First of all, Diddy’s quip about knowing how women should smell? Just judging from the track record, I’m not sure that I’d want to smell like his kind of girl. (Um, is that an Unforgivable ad at the top of my site? Yes. Yes it is. So let the record show that I haven’t actually SMELLED the stuff yet. And I stand by my reaction, Diddy’s comment = no thanks, homie). Not that Mariah’s not coming across any better.

Her “intentions” might be sweet on paper, but if really wanted to give that immediate impression, she should have filmed a less risque commercial — I caught it over at funny celeb blog A Hot Mess and it made me shake my head. It’s too Skinemax-y for my liking. I’m halfway expecting to see Shannon Tweed pop up in the next scene. I get it, Mariah — you’ve lost weight, you’re looking fabulous. But showing your bare butt whenever you can doesn’t make you look like “the woman who wants the man to fall in love with her immediately, stay in love, and treat her like royalty.” Just sayin’.

With a penchant for all things fancy and excessive — one needs only look at her infamous MTV Cribs for evidence of that — I had a sinking feeling that I wouldn’t like Miss Carey’s fragrance. But I’m happy to report, I love it! It’s a very non-threatening, easy-to-wear scent that brings out your inner girly-girl.

M sprays on as a light floral, then deepens to fruitier, warmer, spicy Oriental-influenced notes that remain very warm on my skin, and blend well with my body chemistry. According to perfume blog Now Smell This, Mariah created it with perfumer Carlos Benaim, and it’s described as a “floriental”. (Now Smell This reviews the scent here).

Elizabeth Arden describes it like this: “A warm and inviting marshmallow is woven throughout the fragrance, evoking a sense of comfort. This indulgent accord captures Mariah’s fondest childhood memories of being in the kitchen with her father.

The lush floral heart of the fragrance combines a feminine veil of Living Tahitian Tiare flower wrapped in the aura of wet Gardenia petals. This beautiful blend is reminiscent of the fragrant breezes of Hawaii and the Isle of Capri, Mariah’s favorite getaway.

The soul of the fragrance reveals a sexier dimension. Sheer amber, infused with spicy, woody accents of Moroccan incense forms a seductive accord that embodies Mariah’s sensuality, beauty and glamour.”

Ah. So marshmallow is the fruity scent I smell? It is a very sweet scent, with a hint of delicious spice. This is a fragrance that would be the perfect gift for an older teen, or anyone who’s got a forever-young outlook on life. Like Mariah herself, it’s womanly without being in-your-face grown and sexy — it’s perfect for the sensualist whose favorite color might be purple, and who has an unabashed adoration for butterflies. Like me. And hey — like Mariah! I don’t like to show my butt, but apparently we do have some things in common.

M is totally joining the Guilty Pleasures beauty product list, alongside JLo’s Live. And I’m excited to try some of these other celebrity fragrances. I have especially high expectations for Gwen Stefani’s latest, based on the cool bottle alone.

I wanted to end this post with a Mariah video you may noy have seen in a while. So here’s Crybaby, which I love, despite the fact that it continues Mariah’s trend of constant half-nudity. I’m still waiting for her, Toni Braxton, and Janet to realize they’re too grown and too talented to keep relying on that kind of thing.

Bless her heart. Have you tried M, or any of the other celebrity fragrances? What’s your fave?

Ich Don’t Think So

I got a comment on my site recently that made me feel like I was in a glass case of emotions.

“I really enjoy your blog but lately it seems like it has turned into a product blog. It seems like every week some company sends you some product in exchange for you ooohing and awwwing over it and recommending that your readers try it. Don’t get me wrong, I love hair stuff but it just seems like the blog has lost some of that “organic” straight from the hip type thing. It seems that everything you review is your new “best thing ever/holy grail!” product. So much hair stuff is marketed to black women to “fix” our tresses, that sometimes it gets to be too much. Of course, I’m sure most people here will disagree with me but I wanted to put it out there.”

Here are the four stages I went through upon reading that comment.

1. Shock and anger — “I think the last thing Afrobella is, is just another product blog! I work hard to make this site different from all the other beauty sites. I don’t agree with her at all!”

2. Doubt and insecurity — “OMG, what if she’s right? I have done a lot of positive reviews recently, and I’ve tried to be less mean and make my criticism a lot more constructive in recent months. And I do get sent products for review more often than I did when I first started. Good Lord, have I sold out already? My site isn’t even a year old yet, how can that be? Doesn’t selling out mean that you’re making money?”

3. A sense of urgency – “Well, I better do a negative beauty product review right away to prove her wrong! Quick, to the drawer of abandoned products!”

4. Acceptance and dismissal — “Y’know, not everyone’s going to love me 100% of the time, so whatevs. My real life has been eating away my Afrobella time these days, so I’ll just get around to this when I get around to it.”

It’s been over a week now, and just like I’ve come to terms with the conclusion of the Sopranos (click here if you feel me), I am finally ready to deal with this comment like a grown up afrobella should.

You are somewhat correct, my fellow bella, and thanks for speaking your piece. When I started Afrobella back in August of last year, I was just an assistant at my job. I had a backlog of crappy hair products I was itching to vent about, and an idealistic vision of a blogazine that was personal but about beauty products, somehow. But since I started Afrobella, I got a promotion. Now my job keeps me insanely busy. My morning routine — wake up, stretch, dream up a topic to write before I go to work — has changed completely. Now I spend my weekend doing most of my Afrobella stuff, and I pretty much plan out a week’s worth of posts in advance. Because if I don’t, I’ll wind up not writing something every day because I barely have the time right now. So the “straight-from-the-hip” feeling may have vanished because of my schedule, and sadly, there’s nothing I can do about that right now.

Also, my stock has risen in the beauty product-producing community. Whereas before I couldn’t convince someone to mail me a free sample of anything, somewhere along the line, companies started getting my address and sending me stuff. As a product junkie, of course I love that! My response has been to rave about the stuff I really really love, while also mentioning that not all of the products worked well for me. (a perfect example is my recent Elasta QP giveaway. Love the Mango Butter and the DPR-11, but if I let that Intense Conditioner touch my tresses, I come out of the shower looking like Buckwheat). Or I’ll do a very constructive negative review, as I did for Carol’s Daughter Khoret Amen, which made my hair smell funky like an old batch of collard greens. But I need to find a happy balance.

I think part of Afrobella’s unique charm is that I try to write the kinds of very honest product reviews that you don’t usually see in magazines or on other beauty blogs. But somewhere along my path, I’ve struggled to balance music and culture with beauty stuff, which is the genesis and the central focus of this site. I apologize for that. It’s time to stop being polite, and start getting real. I haven’t done a Never Again post in a long time, so I’ll rectify that now. Here are some hair moisturizing products I’ve avoided reviewing because of the high TBS factor.

Ellin LaVar Textures NourishOil Intense Dry Oil Care for Hair and Scalp. I was so psyched when the Ellin Lavar display first hit store shelves at my local CVS. An entire line of high end drugstore products for naturally curly, wavy, or kinky hair? Sign me up! The ingredients even looked alright — Brazil Nut Oil, Pequi Oil, Capuacu Seed Butter, and Maracuja Passion Fruit stand among the exotic additions. The recommended use of this product also attracted me — it’s advised to use it as a nighttime leave-in. From the Ellin LaVar website, “Simply apply to any problem areas of your hair or scalp and cover in plastic wrap while you rest. When you wake, apply OptiMoist before you wet your hair, rinse and follow up with ReconstructMasque and SatinSoft. Your hair has never been softer or shinier!” Upon multiple attempts with this stuff, all it’s made softer and shinier is my pillowcase. Yes, I put on plastic wrap over my head as I slept (and of course the husband just loves that), but inevitably, sleepy tossing and turning + plastic cap + big naturally curly hair = sometime in the night, my plastic cap will slip off. And then I’m left with a pillowcase that looks like a reject from the Soul Glo commercial. Or like Billy Ocean slept over.

Saturated bed linens aside, I had other issues with this product. First of all, the way this bottle is designed leaves A LOT to be desired. I guess the intention was to give the consumer options — there’s actually a caution on the back of the bottle, “product dispenses quickly.” You can either remove the cap completely, which reveals a weird pointy tip with three available holes for this stuff to pour through. Or you can poke a hole in the cap. After spilling oil all down my neck, I opted to poke a hole in the cap. Besides all of THAT, it didn’t do what it promised. The oil just sat on the surface of my hair, but didn’t penetrate the hair itself, so my tresses were shiny, stringy, and overslick but not truly moisturized. I’m thinking this probably works great for straightened hairstyles, moreso than natural curls. At $7.99 it won’t break the bank, but I was disappointed and won’t repurchase.

Maryam’s Soap Nook Japanese Camelia Botanical Hair Oil. I notice on the website this is being called “body and bath oil,” but my bottle is labeled “hair oil.” I haven’t tried it for body oil yet, and here’s why. I just can’t get with the smell. It’s funky and a bit musty and sweet, like an old lady’s bedroom. It just lingers on my hair after I use it, and I actually had to wash it out of my hair the last time I gave this a try. It’s not like, the funk of 40,000 years, but scent is very important to me when it comes to hair products — I don’t need an unpleasant cloud following me around all day. I’ve loved many of Maryam’s other products — her soaps, body washes, and whipped shea butter are amazing. But for this stuff as hair oil, I gotta say the nay-no.

On the opposite end of the hair oil spectrum, there’s Oscar Blandi olio de jasmine. The smell is heaven sent. It’s just incredible. I love jasmine ANYTHING, so I was really expecting this to be the most incredible hair oil ever. (did I mention that it costs $35 for a teeny 1.69 oz bottle?) I came to this product with high expectations, and I was left with a lasting disappointment. This stuff is clearly meant for bellas with straightened hair, or naturally straight hair. It felt gloppy, and did nothing for my hair beyond making it smell amazing. It actually made my hair feel coarser, if that’s even possible. Didn’t like it, can’t recommend it. But if you’ve got chemically treated locks that are straight and need some glamorous shine, this could work wonders for you.

Want a bonus review? Here’s a quickie. Harlem is filled with street entrepreneurs, each hawking a remarkably similar display of products. Incense, shea butter, and a variety of natural soaps are readily available along 125th St. When I was there in March, I absolutely had to stock up on these soaps. I got the Nubian Heritage Coconut & Papaya soap with Vanilla Beans. I opened it right there on the street, and it smelled amazing! I noticed the soap was studded with what looked like natural coconut extracts, but that didn’t bother me. I enjoy a mildly exfoliating soap, and the price was right. But let me warn you — that coconut soap probably shouldn’t be used as an all-over body soap. I have never seen such big chunks of stuff in a beauty product before. I’m talking big pointy pieces of coconut bark that just scratched me, instead of gently exfoliating my skin. So if you’d rather avoid splinters in your most tender areas, avoid this soap like the plague, or use as a hand soap only. The Ivorian Cocoa Butter soap with Milk Chocolate and Hazelnuts also smells amazing, and will be less likely to hurt you in the shower.

Have you tried a product that just left you cold, bellas? Tell me all about it! And if you want to offer criticism, or give me advice on keeping it real, e mail me at bella@afrobella.com.