Ask Afrobella — A $5 Makeover??

If you’ve been on this Afrobella journey with me for any length of time, hopefully you’ll realize — I am all about bellas on a budget. I believe that just about every woman wants to feel beautiful every now and then, whether they’re stacking lots of paper, or struggling to get by. These almost-recession days aren’t easy, and some of those glossy magazines would have you believe that beauty products need to cost you a pretty penny. But I’ll tell you this — you don’t need to buy all your products at Sephora to be gorgeous. There are often bargains to be had at the drugstore, or even right in your own pantry. Having said that, I also think it’s important to recognize that sometimes, you get what you pay for. Take for example, this recent Ask Afrobella question.

Dear Afrobella,
I just found your blog. I am in a wedding in two weeks. I have been told by the bride(zilla) that we can either do our own make or she will have someone there to do our make up for $5. So I’m like, what kind of make up are they doin for 5 bucks? I am worried that this make up chick will have me looking crazy, but I’m not confident that I can do my own make up.
The only make up I own is lipstick and I don’t have an appropriate color for a wedding, I don’t think. I generally prefer dark lipstick. I would just go without make-up and just wear lipstick and mascara, but I don’t want to look odd against the other bridesmaids. I’m a full-time student so I can’t afford to spend a lot on make-up, especially that I won’t wear everyday. Should I let the $5 lady do my make up? Go to the drug store and get some stuff and do my own? I don’t even know what to get or how to apply it. Or just go without and put on some lipstick? I have dry skin. I get a few pimples on my forehead and chin around my period. I’ve attached a pic so you can see what I’m working with. I’m just wearing lipgloss.
Y

OK, so I didn’t post Y’s photo in the interest of protecting her privacy — wouldn’t want the bride-to-be to find out that she’s a bridezilla on the internet! But just so you know, this is a lovely, luminous bella with wonderful chocolate brown skin. She’s got her hair pulled back with a head wrap, and from the photo, her skin’s got nary a blemish. So Y, my first bit o’ advice is, you’re naturally beautiful so don’t worry about comparing or looking odd next to the other bridesmaids. It’s entirely possible that this makeup artist is an apprentice, an amateur, or a professional family friend who’s offered an insanely affordable price…? I dunno, $5 is pretty cheap if you ask me, so I can understand your skepticism. I’ve never heard of a professional makeup artist who’s that affordable. I’d be interested to know how that turns out for the other bellas in the bridal party. So for the wedding, I’d advise you wear some fabulous accessories, and with these basic makeup tips, you’ll be the one of the loveliest ladies in the room (besides the bride, of course)!

I think it would probably stand you in good stead just to have some basic ideas of how to wear makeup in your arsenal, lest there isn’t a makeover artist handy. But we’re trying to not spend more than oh, let’s say $20. $25, tops. So let’s go to the drugstore!

I am a big believer in eyeliner, and I really think a bold eye could set this wedding look apart from your everyday style. First stop, Milani. Did you already guess? I really like this super cheap makeup line. The colors actually stand out on women of color, unlike many other drugstore brands. I seriously rock their eyeliner almost daily, and I get compliments on them all the time. So first you might want to consider the color of your bridesmaid gown. Is it bold, or is it demure? Either way you might want to start with basic black or dark brown liner along your lower lash line, and I think the new Color Brilliance eyeliners are the bomb. They glide on effortlessly, and the pencil is soft but doesn’t break easily. The black pencil is my new daily eyeliner. Love it. Also, I might be partial because I’m a Pisces, but I think aqua shades look divine on brown skin. Just lining your top lid with a thin splash of color could be a fun way to jazz up the wedding day. If I’m not using some kind of primer, I usually lightly powder my eyelid before applying eyeliner. And trust me when I tell you, that aqua pencil is FIRE. And Milani being Milani, there’s no website that tells you the exact cost, and they’re not sold on Drugstore.com… But I will guarantee you that these are less than $4 a pop.

OK, maybe you aren’t quite ready for blue eyeliner, LOL. I always tend to reach for brights, and they’re not for everyone. For a more subtle way to dazzle, consider using a touch of golden shimmer on your eyelid.

I am partial to Physician’s Formula Shimmer Strips — they’re flattering, user friendly, and can be used as bronzer, blush, and eyeshadow… but I pretty much only use them as eyeshadow. I love the warm, golden pink shades — just applying a little to your eyelid, then lining your upper lash line with black could really make your eyes pop. This Temptalia look will give you an idea of what I mean, close up. Temptalia has great makeup tips in general, and if you’re not sure which part of the eye to apply makeup to, their eye diagram is tremendously helpful.

Now. On to the rest of your face!

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Ask Afrobella — That Furry Feeling

I am ashamed at how long it’s taken me to slog through these Ask Afrobellas. I need an intern! I am literally drowning in e mail. Mea maxima culpa, bellas who have asked questions in 2008. I will make it up to you! Here’s one I’ve been meaning to get to from a regular reader.

Bella-

I am happy to actually feel comfortable enough to send you a question. Sometimes while reading the posts on your site, I hear “i know that’s right” in the background of my mind. I truly value your opinion as someone who has devoted quite a bit of time to help strangers with their beauty predicaments. I recently became engaged and am completely overwhelmed with happiness. But now the emotions of planning the wedding have rushed in so quickly that I sometimes forget that it is supposed to be a joyous occasion.

Lauren

Lauren, girl - I hope I made this answer in time for the wedding! The weeks have become months and just flown by. I am so sorry for taking so long to write back. BUT in that time, I’ve been doing quite a bit of personal research on the topic of hair removal, so I’ve got answers for you!

Before I dive headfirst into answering, I gotta say… the topic of body hair removal has been surprisingly touchy on this blog in the past. The decision of whether or not to shave your legs, or to wax the hair off your body, goes directly against some natural women’s definition of “natural.” I respect that completely. I won’t let a chemical straightener touch the hair on my head, but I’ll willingly slather on Nair anywhere else? It’s an inconsistency that I think about often. Also, it goes against the sensibilities of most feminists — why should we conform to male standards of beauty? Why is looking like a prepubescent girl the standard for women in Western society? The Europeans don’t do it, so why should we? All good, valid questions that are worth considering before you make a decision.

So why do I choose to inflict pain on myself and remove my body hair? Because I love feeling clean. I love feeling smooth and pretty and feminine, and for me, hair removal adds to that. My husband loves it, and he does things to make me happy, and I know this makes him happy. If I’m going to the beach, I don’t want to be worried about having a hairline if you know what I mean. If I’m wearing a skirt, I want to know my legs go well with the general appearance of manicured beauty I try to present from head to toe. I’ve got quite a few reasons why I choose to wax, thread, and shave away unwanted body hair. You should consider yours before you take any kind of plunge. OK — having said all of that, let me tell you what works!

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Meeting Billy B

I’ve been pretty much obsessed with the makeup wizardry of Billy B. since I first saw the video for Lauryn Hill’s Ex-Factor. Or no wait, it was Missy Elliott’s “She’s a Bitch.” Or maybe it was the video for Independent Women by Destiny’s Child. When I was soaking up all that beauty inspiration, I had no idea who Billy B was, of course. I just knew that here were strong, beautiful black women and I wanted to look just as beautiful as they did.

Billy B has been behind the scenes of music videos and television shows, beating the faces of celebs from Sharon Stone and Natalie Maines to Mary J. Blige and Tina Turner. Oh yes. When I interviewed Billy on the phone — he was visiting Miami for The Makeup Show — he had just come from doing Tina Turner’s makeup for her performance of Proud Mary at the Grammys. She looked amazing (aside from her Robocop couture), but still Billy doubted his work. “I would make some different choices after seeing it. I’m not sure about the red mouth in hindsight, not sure about the contour. I was standing there with her, thinking how did this happen? How did I go from Aberdeen Mississippi to doing Tina Turner for the Grammys? There’s still these moments of clarity for me where you’re sort of, how did I get here? And when are they going to figure out that this is the biggest scam ever? This is one of the few living American… not even just American. Icons. Ever. And here I am!” Billy attributes his continued success to humility. He is a very real, very humble kind of guy. “I never fully feel like I deserve to be there. I think that’s what keeps me successful, and I think that’s something new makeup artists can learn from. Most think their s*%t don’t stink, and they’re better than everybody, and they deserve so much more than they already have. The reality is, none of us do.”

Billy has been at the top of the game, and at the bottom of the heap. He has had to eat humble pie quite a few times in the biz. Billy B.’s fairytale life story is well known to anyone who’s obsessed with makeup and music videos — as my homegirl Lianne The Makeup Girl said in her interview with him, “small town boy with big town dreams.” In the Eighties, by day Billy B. worked the makeup counter at Macy’s in Times Square. By night he was cleaning up vomit at nightclubs in New York City. Sick skills and one lucky break led to him making $500 an hour. Now he’s done just about every celebrity you can think of, for print, television, fashion shows, whatever.

I had an great telephone interview with Billy before the show, we chatted at length about his career and his new line of brushes, which are professional quality, and designed especially to avoid the pitfalls Billy has encountered with other brushes. They’re short, light, and very specifically designed for particular tasks. He is especially proud of his eyelash curler ($15, a steal) and he uses brush #9 to build the bottom lashes with mascara. More on that later.

So following a fun phoner, I was ready to meet Billy B. at The Makeup Show Miami. I got to the convention center in the afternoon, an hour or so before he was about to begin his keynote presentation. And excuse me while I gush for a moment, but something quite exciting happened. I got recognized! By a complete stranger! So there I am, walking into the Miami Beach Convention Center, when a lovely bella with adorable twists comes jogging after me. “Excuse me… are you Afrobella?” she asked. Yes I am! OMG YAY! She was super sweet. Her name is Ethanie, she’s a makeup artist from… Philly? And we took a couple of photos together. E mail me, Ethanie! It was a pleasure to meet you.

OK, so then I entered the main atrium and was instantly dazzled. There were booths from product lines I knew well — MAC, Stila, Make Up For Ever. And there were some new niche products there, like Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics which has a great range of loose color, and Big Girl Cosmetics. Lots of you have asked me to specifically highlight products made for women of color by women of color. Look no further! I met Kiley Russell the founder and CEO, and she is a fly and self possessed sista. I got one of their Diva Glosses in my to-go bag, and I LOVE it! Definitely check em out, bellas.

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Black Woman, Know That You Are Beautiful

The March issue of Glamour magazine features a six-page spread titled Your Race, Your Looks.” The article is a response to the publication’s professional hair debacle of last year. In November, Glamour magazine rounded up a panel of esteemed journalists, beauty entrepreneurs, and academic figures to discuss the current state of the depiction of black women in the media and ways to create a future that embraces all shades and textures of beauty. The article featured a chorus of voices that revealed the same experience that I’ve shared with you, and so many of you have shared here with me — most of us have been made to feel less than beautiful at some point in our lives. Less than feminine. Less than desirable. It comes from your family, your friends, your work environment, from the media, and sometimes, from within ourselves.

Subtle slings and arrows are constantly flung at black beauty, and they come from all sides. There’s the ever-notable lack of inclusion on television, in movies, in fashion magazines and fashion shows. Fun fact, did you know that before they used the stunning Jourdana Dunn this season, Prada hadn’t used a black model on the runway since 1997? And despite that, Prada still was more inclusive than some of the other designers. Many of this year’s hottest shows at fashion week could be described as a whitewash.

The fashion issue’s been panel-discussed to death both Stateside — read this Jezebel article about last year’s panel discussion titled “Out Of Fashion: The Absence Of Color,” and in England. When the issue was vigorously debated recently, ever-outspoken designer Vivienne Westwood lambasted the racist industry. Now she’s chosen striking Kenyan model Ajuma Nasenyana as the face of her latest campaign, and the Juergen Teller photos reveal her posed with a spear, a machine gun, and alongside bananas and African masks. Some bloggers think it’s fly, others, most notably Make Fetch Happen (one of my new fave blogs on the block), critique the yawn-worthy “safari chic” theme models of color are so often photographed in. A “colorful native” version of the kind of fashion shoots that have also been analyzed over at Racialicious, if you will. I’d love to hear your views on this one.

Sometimes the people who love you will dim your shine without necessarily meaning to step on your self esteem. It can be a little off-the-cuff quip, like “is that what you’re wearing?” If you wear your hair in a natural style, you’ll probably hear, “aren’t you going to do something with that?” in reference to your style of choice. Or the offer of a well meaning older relative to help you “fix your hair.” Because in her eyes, it’s broken and bad.

Sometimes, it’s an incident with your employer or coworkers. I read this post on Racialicious
(penned by the super intelligent blogger of What Tami Said) and felt my pulse race with recognition at that feeling of not being considered just as female, sexy, and attractive as a lighter (or whiter) skinned counterpart. And I agreed most of all with her conclusion — “Sometimes it is freaking tiring being a black woman in America.” But not just America — these are situations and emotions that women of color all over the world can identify with. Sometimes it’s enough to chip away at even the most confident bella’s self esteem.

I don’t know about y’all, but I have had enough of doubting my beauty and my worth as a woman. I am not going to take it anymore — from the media, or from the people I interact with regularly. If you’re with me, can I get an amen?

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Ask Afrobella — Easy, Breezy, Beautiful… Worth It?

Heyo!

I got a recent Ask Afrobella question that dovetails nicely into this review/giveaway I’ve been working on. Away we go!

I just came across your website yesterday. It is indeed great! I found it through temptalia’s website (ed — which I adore. Check em out for makeup tips!).

Anyway, I did come across on your blog about afrobella’s on a budget. I am really interested in Queen Latifah’s collection for covergirl. To further my fascination with make-up, I decided to use the CG make up mirror on the website. It gave me the opportunity to choose colors based on a photo that I could upload from my computer (but of course it would have to meet the requirements of the mirror) or use one of the models instead. But my question is, since I am on budget right now, and can’t afford to indulge in MAC, benefit, and all the other brands that I am a fiend for. Could cover girl, Maybelline, and other drugstore make-up can up hold to the other pricier brands? Could I still look fabulous with cheaper make-up? Especially foundation, I have been worrying about that.

From a trouble el cheapo afrobella…..

Hola, el cheapo afrobella! In a nutshell, my answer to your questions are… sometimes, and definitely yes!

I’ve been extremely disappointed in pricey Sephora brands, and thrilled at the quality of drugstore brands. And honey, you can look fabulous beyond belief with just items you get at the drugstore. I’ve given loving reviews to Milani and HIP, two of my favorite drugstore brands. Now let me focus on what you’re most interested in — Cover Girl’s Queen Collection.

Few makeup lines have provoked such a polarized response. I think the bad feelings started with that misguided casting call last year, but look, even as recently as my last post, announcing the Every Woman is a Queen Contest I got totally opposing comments. One reader loves it, another called it a “a low-rent knock off of Iman’s collection.” Ouch. Every bella is more than entitled to her own opinion, but I’d definitely say don’t knock it till you tried it. I tried it. There are wonderful aspects of Latifah’s makeup line. And there’s some not-so-impressive aspects too. Allow me to break it down for you item-by-item, so your shopping decisions can be informed. And yes, there’s a giveaway offer at the end of this post, so keep reading!
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How I Cleared Up My Skin Without Really Trying

True story.

The month before Thanksgiving, my face was a total mess. Stress, sloppy skincare, and bad eating led me towards an almost teenage state of acne. I tried everything in my skincare arsenal - clay masques, strong cleansers and scrubs. Nothing offered a lasting solution, and I was becoming extremely frustrated. Desperate times led me to a desperate measure. I signed up for a skin care research trial at the University of Miami Cosmetics Center.

At my first appointment, I filled out what seemed like a small booklet of release forms, and the friendly physician’s assistant (or medical student, not sure) counted my “lesions and pustules.” Yuck. Then they asked me what I’d been using on my skin. Do you have a few hours? I joked. As I went down the list, they noted that I was using a lot of the typical acne fighters - salicylic acid, alpha hydroxy, kaolin clay cleansers. All harsh treatments that would clash with the four-part regimen I was signing up to try.

The docs ordered me to do a two-week “wash out” period. They told me to stop popping my pustules (again, eeeww), and to only use the face wash they gave me. They handed me a big bottle of Cetaphil. I had heard of Cetaphil before, but never tried it. I must admit, I wasn’t impressed at first use. It kinda felt like I was washing my face with weak, scentless lotion. I personally prefer a face wash that leaves my skin with that fresh, clean, almost-stripped feeling. Cetaphil wasn’t it. I mean, you can use this stuff without water. It’s exceedingly gentle, and I wasn’t sure I liked the way my skin still felt internally moist after washing it, if that makes any sense. It took me a while to get used to Cetaphil’s mild-mannered ways.

To supplement the not-exactly-squeaky clean of Cetaphil and to exfoliate my skin in lieu of harsh scrubs, I used my Clarisonic brush. I’ve mentioned this before, but let me say it again - Clarisonic brushes are the bomb. No wonder they’re among Oprah’s favorite things!

The system claims to remove six times more makeup than mere soap and water. Using it takes only a minute out of your day, and the brush beeps to let you know when to move on to the next section of your face. The sonic technology of this gadget cleansed and clarified my skin in its time of need. The hardest part of the wash out period was keeping my hands off my face, and leaving my zits well enough alone.

Two weeks passed and when it was time to return to the lab for the trial to begin, I didn’t have a single pustule in sight! The overall appearance of my skin had improved that significantly. The acne problems that had led me to the research trial to begin with were practically gone. Hooray for Cetaphil and Clarisonic!

I hear you, bellas, and I feel you. The Clarisonic brush sounds amazing, but at $195 for the system, it’s not exactly affordable for bellas on a budget. So allow me to kick off 2008 with a very special giveaway, one I meant to give in December. I’ve got TWO Clarisonic brushes to bestow unto you, and here’s how you can get one.

Leave me a comment below that begins with the sentence “Clear skin in 2008!” and then tell me what skin care problems you’ve been having, and what products you’ve been using that just aren’t cutting it for you. I’m gonna leave these comments open until Thursday, and take my time and sift through the many answers. Because I’ve only got TWO items to give this time, I implore any of you who won giveaways last time to let this one be for the first time giveaway contest entries. Thanks much, bellas– and good luck!

Happy Monday!

** edited at 8:35 p.m. — WOW! I did NOT expect such an overwhelming response. As of right now, it’s 70 comments and counting. That’s a lot to choose from, bellas! So I’m making an editorial decision to close these comments by noon Tuesday, not Thursday. At this point, I’ll have over 100 comments by tomorrow! I only wish I have more of these awesome brushes to give away.
This makes me happy — it truly is a joy to bring these offers to you all. My new goal is a giveaway for every month of 2008. So keep reading and keep entering, even if you don’t win this one. International readers can feel free to enter as well — I remember how it felt to live in Trinidad and see all of the cool sweepstakes and contests in “foreign” and to not be able to participate. I’ve been lucky enough to find fantastic beauty companies who have gladly sent complimentary products to places as far away as Wales, Germany, and Jamaica.

It’s a good feeling to share the love, and I want to say a big thank you to the PR peeps I’ve gotten to work with on these. You’ve all been great. If you’ve got a beauty product you’d like me to review, or you’d like to host a giveaway on Afrobella, please e mail me at bella@afrobella.com!

Get That Holiday Glam!

This photo of fabulous Brazilian model Rojane Fradique perfectly illustrates what I’ve been saying for so long — bright colors look so stunning on beautiful black skin. Seriously, how fierce is she? I wish I could do such stunning eye makeup. Someday, bellas, someday.

The holiday season is upon us, and that means parties and get togethers and lots of opportunities to go out and look fabulous. This is the makeup that will help you get there.

Anyone remember my fake eyelash hell from last year? I think enough time has passed for me to consider a retry for New Year’s Eve. This time, instead of individually glued in lashes, I’m dying to try some Shu Uemura lashes. And the time is right — the company known for producing the best fake lashes on the market is having a friends and family event! From 12:01am EST on Thursday, December 13th through 11:59pm EST on Monday, December 17th, you can get 20% off when you enter the promotion code HOLIDAY07 at checkout. This offer isn’t available in stores, you gotta buy online at Shuuemura-USA.com, and if you sign up on their website (registration is free) and spend over $75, your shipping is free. Click here to check out some of their craziest lash styles. I’m not THAT out there - I’ve got my eye on the Premium Lashes Set. Hint hint, Santa baby!

I’ve been doing more makeup reviews recently, and trying out quite a few new brands. Some of the best stuff I’ve tried recently is by MESS mineral makeup, which stands for Making Everyone Soo Sexy — If you don’t know, now you know! I am seriously impressed by the quality of this brand. They’re based in New York, and all of their products are named for the city’s streets and areas of interests. They were able to perfectly match my skin tone, and sent me William Street bronzer, Grand Central Station blush, and Houston Street loose eyeshadow, which is the most perfect golden shimmer shadow I’ve used, possibly ever. Want to look a pretty MESS? Right now it’s their Tis the Season to Go Glam Holiday sale, and you get sweet discounts! Buy any 2-3 items and receive 25% off, and the discounts increase if you buy more stuff. Check out their beautiful lipgloss selection! Oooh. Next, I’m dying to try their mineral foundation. I bet it’s incredible.

My holiday party is Saturday, and tonight, I’ve got a wedding to attend — this will be an all-out glamtastic weekend for me. So I’m already thinking of the looks I want. My holiday party has a black and white theme and isn’t in a super glitzy location, so I got an understated wear-anywhere LBD from Old Navy that I can dress up or dress down for future events, and adorable black and silver embellished Steve Madden flats (the party’s taking place here, so apparently there’s sand and walkways where you’ll sink in heels. Lots of the ladies in my office were like, no heels? And I was like, yay, flats!). So because I’m wearing a relatively understated ensemble, I’m going all-out fab with the makeup. My inspiration is the amazing Estelle, and the look she sports in the video for Wait a Minute (Just a Touch).

Retro but modern and oh so gorgeous. Love Estelle! That eye makeup is killing it right now. Besides that soft silvery-white shadow, she’s also rocking some fierce fake lashes. I’m not going that route just yet, but I’ve got some amazing new mascara that’ll do the trick just fine. Prescriptives False Eyelashes plush mascara is my current favorite thing. It’s thick without being too clumpy, lengthens without making my lashes hard and spiky, and leaves my lashes looking super long, thick, and sexy. Plus it removes easily, which is a big plus for the laziest gal in town.

How does this mascara stack up to the hundreds of others on the market, price wise? Pretty well, I think. It’s 19.50, so it ain’t cheap, but it isn’t insanely expensive. Oh, and if you’re not sure what Prescriptives mascara you need, check out Lash Finder, which suggests a product based on your needs.

Do you want a taste of holiday glamour? Well then bella, I’ve got a giveaway for you! As soon as one ends, another begins I tell ya. This one’s pretty sweet if I do say so myself — the Body Shop’s Metallic Eye and Cheek Palette. It’s simply gorgeous. The little kit comes with five gleaming metallic shades. Use a little for daytime, and a lot for nighttime dazzle. Body Shop makeup artist and consultant Chase Aston is feeling me on the eye drama. “Women should be a little more adventurous with shades and textures but be sure to enhance just one key feature. For holiday, it should be all about the eyes!” says he. I agree!

He advises you go for a nude lip (for bellas with darker skin tones, I think a sheer pink gives that perfect barely-there pout), a sheer pink with shimmering silver highlighter for cheeks, then smudge metallic washes of gold and bronze around the eyes. Compliment with liquid liner, and you’re holiday glamorous. Want a fabulous Body Shop metallic eye and cheek palette of your very own? Of course you do!
Leave a comment below that begins with the sentence - I want that holiday glam! And tell me what you go for when you want to look extra special for a night on the town. I’ll close these comments on Monday night, and pick five lucky winners next week.

Happy Friday!!

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.

Hey Rastabella!

I’ve always been fascinated by Rastafarianism as a belief system, the mysticism and grandeur and ceremony of it. Although Morgan Heritage sang “Don’t Haffi Dread” to be Rasta (this is not a dreadlocks thing, a divine conception of the heart), I think most would agree that the majesty of Rastafari is most beautifully represented by dreadlocks.

A proud Rasta wears their locks with pride, long and loose, or bound up, Bobo Shanti style. Those who really believe in the particular tenets of the faith take the Nazarite Vow — Leviticus 21:5 — “They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard nor make any cuttings in their flesh.”

Now not every person with dreadlocks is a Rasta, but most of the people I know — especially my Caribbean people — grow their locks after being inspired by the belief. And even if they don’t adhere closely to the rules and tenets of Rastafari, they treat their locks with sacred care.

Check out the lovely and amazing locks on the two beautiful black women in the photo here. The sister on the left is Trinidad born, New York based dancer, choreographer and artistic director Makeda Thomas.

The sister on the right is the one and only Attilah Springer, brilliant writer, social activist, blogger extraordinare. In her own words, she “is a writer and activist, born to writer and activist parents at a time when it was still cool to be an activist in Trinidad.” She’s involved in the Rights Action Group, and is passionate about the anti-smelter movement that rallies against the introduction of aluminum smelters to the south-western peninsula of Trinidad. Attillah produces and co-presents New Voices, a weekly youth activism magazine on T&T’s first community television station Gayelle. She also writes a weekly social and political commentary column for the Trinidad Guardian and serves as Assistant Secretary of the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago. And in her free time, she’s busy blogging at Four Fingers and a Thumb. Whew. Got all that?

Attilah and I went to high school together, and I’ve known her since I was like, fourteen years old. She’s always been cool people. When I decided to do a loving homage to dreads, I had to reach out to her. Please note — I am not sure if Attilah would identify herself as Rasta in terms of her spiritual beliefs. We just talked about her fabulous hair!

The first thing I had to ask her was about the word itself. Dread. Locks. I’ve been told by readers that people just call them locs nowadays, and “dread” is no longer acceptable to some. But having grown up in that Caribbean sphere where the hair is often not just a style, I’ve ALWAYS known and referred to people as “dread.” Aye dread.” “Whappenin’, dread?”

“I don’t know about this not calling them dreads anymore. that sounds like people trying to prettify having their hair natty. I don’t have a specific name for my hair. Is mih hair!” declares Attilah. All semantics aside — whether you call them locs or locks or dreadlocks or dreads, they’re a beautiful, regal extension of self, and a proud indicator of afrocentric identity. Attilah takes great care of her hair. So I had to ask her about products and maintainance.

“I like to keep it basic most of the time. Because I’m a fussy vegan, I use this Nature’s Gate Tea Tree Shampoo and re-moisturize with olive oil that i’ve put a few drops of my favorite perfume in. When i was in Babylon-don, I used to use a Body Shop Coconut Oil hair thing which was as close to hair products as i ever got! Suffice to say i’m not a ‘Revlon Rasta,” says Tillah.

So what does this dreadlocked empress do to pamper her locks?

“My idea of a hair treat is to go to a river or waterfall and crush the pulp of a youngish cocoa pod, slather it on my hair, sit on a rock and let it soak een while I think about life. Then I take a good dip. This is classic cheesy Bob Marley-esque dread behavior,” she explains.

Cocoa? In your hair? Yup yup. Attilah explained it all. “The cocoa in its natural form is excellent for a variety of reasons, and of course it smells great. And the water makes your hair feel so soft, it’s unreal. Hmmm, i need to make a river lime soon…” she mused.

So there you have it, rastabellas — straight from a Caribbean woman’s mouth. Of course mighty mixtress Anita Grant knows quite a bit about cocoa for skin and hair use, and that link has great recipes for those of us who aren’t so lucky to have cocoa trees readily available.

This is just part one of a little feature on loc maintainance. I’ll be hitting y’all with part two — a long overdue feature on the fave hair products of the amazing Andrea Kane — later this week.

Holla back, rastabellas! What are your favorite all-natural hair products?

Pro Nails

Afrobella is all about beauty and bath products, but you all may have noticed one gaping hole in my beauty review resume. I’ve never done a post on nails.

I’ve just never been a manicure kind of girl. I’ve always been into some kind of art — I love painting when I can find the time, and I was a sculpture minor in college (handbuilding, not the wheel. I suck at the wheel). Either way, I often had paint or clay under my fingernails, so it was almost impossible to maintain a mani. In high school I bit my nails to the nub, but I managed to quit the habit with the use of a nasty-tasting nail treatment. But now, my nails are long and strong and looking good. I can attribute that to regular use of Sally Hansen’s Teflon Tuff Extra Strength Nail Protector. It definitely helps to keep my nails hard enough to use for random everyday tasks, and has helped my nails to grow. It’s a very shiny nail protecting treatment that I use all the time, or as a base and top coat when I actually do wear polish. The product needs reapplication every two days or so — it definitely doesn’t stay on long enough. And please keep in mind, what works for me may not work for everybody. The epinions on this product are all over the map. If you’ve got a 100% guaranteed nail hardening treatment, let me know about it!

When I was growing up, my mom always wore Theons #5. I should buy a bottle, just for the nostalgia value. The color stained her nails a light yellow-orange, a color that has only faded now that she goes for regular manicures. When I have gotten a mani, I usually go for the basic French. But now that my nails are clean, pretty, and long, I’m seriously thinking about some nail art. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not Flo Jo — but I’m feeling some of these funky new looks. My nails will never look like SWV’s in the video for Downtown. I’m still a little conservative, but I’m finding inspiration on some of my favorite websites.

The ladies over at Missbehave Magazine have an entire tag devoted to fly nail art. I’m not slick with the details, so my personal favorite look is the glitter and sparkles fadeout. It’s a look that would be easy to achieve with a sparkling top coat like Cover Girl’s Goddess for starters. Sephora’s scented glitter polish also looks cute, and they’re $3.50 a pop! (who cares if they’re marketed to kids? How many kids do you see shopping at Sephora?)

My beauty inspiration, Tia Williams just gave a glowing review to the YSL Sun Line Nail Touch Brush Pen, but at $23, I can’t justify that purchase. Plus it’s unavailable at Nordstroms. You all know that I’m a bella on a budget, so I’m riding with this post on The Frugal Face. I tend to buy nail polishes that cost less than $5. Her suggestions on using arts and crafts glitter and old eye shadows to create custom polishes (all you need is a bottle of clear polish) are intriguing. I’ll give them a try and let you see my results. If that doesn’t work out, Milani has some great summer colors that are just $2.99.

According to the latest (last?) issue of Vibe Vixen, nail artist Bernadette Thompson says yellow and white are the new trends of the summer. These days, I’m obsessed with bright yellow. Women of color, bright colors are your friend! And yellow looks absolutely stunning on black skin. So when I saw this adorable toenail art over at one of my favorite blogs, Fly, I was immediately inspired. Rakia’s polka dots are too cute! That’s the kind of style I can do.

If you head to your neighborhood Sally’s, there are loads of super bright, cheap nail polishes and stick-on nail art accessories you can experiment with. Remember, always use a good base and top coat to maintain your polish as long as possible, and experiment away!

Listen to Kid Sister for nail decoration inspiration. Pro Nails is the jam, and I’m feeling her flow!

Do you have a favorite fingernail look for the summer? Tell me about it!