No, this isn’t my kitty, Max. But it could be, if I got him a present from Kitty Wigs for Christmas! By the way, since he scampered into my life, I’ve become a total cat dork who LOLs at I Can Has Cheezeburger and everything. This is how dorky I’ve become — last weekend I made him a little kitty sweater out of a sleeve of one of my old sweaters. So cute… for like five minutes. Then, just like he would with one of these $50 wigs, he tore the thing off lickety-split.

This morning we had our at-home Christmas gift exchange, because I got my husband a really big, heavy present that I couldn’t take with me. And yes, I did get Max some presents too. He’s already loving the Boogie Mat, and as I write this, he’s completely enraptured with the Swat n’ Swing. I wanted to get him a toy to keep him occupied in our absence, because we’re leaving for Christmas in Chicago today! I’m sad to leave my kitty at home, but at the same time — I’m totally excited. LOVE me some Chi-town!

We’ll be bar and restaurant hopping downtown tonight, but Christmas day will probably find us deep in the suburbs, all warm and cozy around the fireplace, while the world is frozen, white, and cold outside. That’s light years away from the holiday traditions I grew up with.

What’s Christmas in Trinidad like, you ask? I wrote a little about it last year, but this year I’ve got some audio clips to illustrate. It’s almost as festive as Carnival, in its own way. Trinis love to lime (there’s a definition of that in this NY Times article), party, and drink, and our Christmas music reflects that. For example, Drink a Rum is a popular classic, and that captures the essence of how we celebrate — it’s all about drinking, gathering, and eating fabulous food.

Traditional Trini Christmas music is called Parang, and the queen of parang was the late, great Daisy Voisin.

Her voice was sweet, and her deep religious devotion to La Divina Pastora was reflected in her music, which was pretty much all sung in Spanish and Spanish patois. Keep in mind, Trinidad is a Caribbean island, but we’re extremely close to Venezuela, so there’s definitely an overlap of certain traditions. Ask a Trini and they’ll most likely tell you — Daisy’s trademark trill, “ayiee, ayiee” is the sound of Christmas itself. For my Trinis and those of you with curious ears, this is one of her most popular songs, Alegria by Daisy Voisin. That, along with Hurray, Hurrah is THE soundtrack of my childhood Christmases. Very different from Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole, right?

Daisy Voisin is no longer with us, and I can’t find any video clips of her legendary performances, so here’s a taste of more authentic parang — the Lara Brothers.

One of the many events my father is involved with in Trinidad is an annual parang fest, and the Lara Brothers are mainstays. I hope you enjoy them, even if you’re hearing parang for the first time. Nothing makes me feel more Christmassy.

I’m feeling the holiday spirit right now — our home is redolent with my favorite new holiday scent, the Body Shop’s Pumpkin Nectarine home oil, mmmmmm…. so warm and inviting and delicious. And SPEAKING of the Body Shop, allow me to announce the winners of the Holiday Glam giveaway!

Storme

Katrina

NYC/Caribbean Ragazza

Auragirl

and Soulestrella.

Congratulations and Merry Christmas, bellas! Please e mail me at bella@afrobella.com, if you can — or I’ll try my bestest to e mail you while I am away. As you may have realized, I really fell down on the giveaway announcements and e mailing this week. Which leads me to this.

I made an executive decision last night, bellas and fellas. I need a break. Afrobella is supposed to be a joy for me to write, and hopefully, a joy for you to read. Because of the responsibilities I’ve been shouldering in my life — extra work deadlines (this week I had what amounts to two and a half deadlines… very stressful), tons of product reviews I needed to fit in, stacks of Ask Afrobellas I haven’t had time to get around to, promises I made that I just can’t keep, and oh yeah, that bout of bronchitis that I’m just getting over — within the past week it’s been feeling like a burden. And I never, ever want it to feel that way. I do promise to make good on those additional two giveaways, but at least one of them will have to wait till January. In less than two hours, we leave for Chicago to enjoy the company of family and friends. I may get around to writing a post or two, I might not. I’ll try… but for the moment, the only promise I can make and actually keep, is to have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. And I wish all of you the same.

Happy holidays and lots of love to you all!

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!

Yesterday I noticed that many of the top gossip sites — TMZ- Extra TV, Perez, Oh No They Didn’t — all posted the audio recording of the 911 call made by Dr. Donda West’s friends just before her death. How disgustingly tacky, I thought. Why would anyone even do such a thing, I wondered.

I read the comments on those posts — I don’t really feel like linking to them, it’s too depressing. If you really, really want to hear more about this phone call, Google it yourself. On every blog I visited, the readers almost unanimously agreed that it was horrific and wrong to share this as though it was merely gossip. How tragic that this woman’s death is still such a salacious story in the media. How unnecessary and morbid and just generally f’d up it was that this phone call was being posted online. People were asking the gossip sites to take the posts down.

So imagine my reaction as this morning, I’m in the kitchen unloading the dishwasher, CNN Headline News blaring in the background… and I hear that the 911 phone call is one of the “top stories” on CNN. Really, CNN? Am I alone in thinking, WTF? How is this a top story? On CNN, no less — a channel I turn to for news about the war in Iraq, politics, and y’know, NEWS? I don’t quite get it. I noticed that as of yesterday, black gossip blogs pretty much seem to have left this story alone out of respect for Kanye and the memory of his mother. I know it’s common practice to release 911 phone calls to the public, and Dr. West was a public figure. But I honestly don’t understand why her final moments and the desperate attempts to resuscitate her should be the lead story on the most prominent news channel. The whole thing has me irritated, shook, and seriously questioning what defines news and good taste nowadays.

What do you guys think?

Without further ado- the Nail Aid contest winners are…

ShaBoogie

Shaneka

Chellz

SJay,

and Kisha.

Congrats! If you read this before you hear from me via e mail, drop me a line at bella@afrobella.com with your full name and mailing address, so we can try to get you your prize before Christmas. And don’t give up if you didn’t win this time, bellas — I’ve got at least two more giveaways in me before the holidays are over. So keep reading and keep entering. And notice – that Body Shop makeup giveaway is STILL OPEN! I’ll close the comments by Wednesday.

So now for that word to the wise I mentioned. Remember two weeks or so ago I discussed a nasty cold I’d come down with? I noticed that the horrible, hacking cough I had wasn’t going away. I was tackling it with over-the-counter meds, but there was no real progress. I was like, I can’t be THAT sick, I have too much work to do! My husband kept nagging me, “go to the doctor, go to the doctor,” but for a myriad of reasons, I didn’t manage to make an appointment (have you tried to make a doctor’s appointment in the height of holiday season? I swear, it’s damn near impossible).

It hit the fan at that wedding I attended on Friday night – in an effort to suppress a cough during the ceremony, I wound up erupting in a coughing fit that brought tears to my eyes and forced me to leave the room to pretty much hack my lungs out. I couldn’t deny it any longer – I needed medical attention. Well, turns out your girl has acute bronchitis. Ugh. I mentioned to the doctor that I am heading to Chicago at the end of this week, and he was aghast. “It’s good you caught this now before it develops into pneumonia,” he said. Yikes. I never made it to that holiday party I was so psyched about. =(
I’m now being treated with prescription meds, and actually on my way to recovery. So if you’re stubborn like me and tend to postpone doctor’s appointments, DON’T! Check yourself before you wreck yourself. I’ll be back later with a longer post, and like I said, keep your eyes peeled for giveaways this week! I might be a little down, but I’m far from out.

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!!

I’ve been digging Kid Sister’s Pro Nails for more than a minute now, and finally there’s a video! I think it’s adorable. It makes me want to hit the salon and get my toes done up. With the fingernails matching!

I love the finger dancing but I must say, some of those manicures are a bit too Flo Jo for me. And here’s a fun fact – the chorus of Pro Nails comes from Project Pat’s Good Googly Moogly. What can I say — I live in Miamuh, the southernmost part of the Dirty South. But let’s talk about my random musical taste some other time. This post really is all about nails!

It’s been a while since my last Kid Sister referencing nailpolish post, and tis the season for holiday glam. For Christmas party season, I like to do it up from head to toe. This year, my work holiday party has a black and white color theme, so I am contemplating the reverse French manicure. It’s a little bold, right? The look was quite popular at the fall fashion shows, and I know we’re in a different season now, but it’ll work with the dress I’m wearing. For some fun tips on reverse french manicures, check out All Lacquered Up, a blog dedicated to keeping your nails fly. I really love the glitter silver reverse French, and if I could possibly make my nails look that perfect myself, I’d be seriously proud.

Polish painted on stubby nubs bitten to the quick isn’t a cute look, and losing your Lee Press Ons is embarrassing to say the least. Step number one to pretty nails is letting them grow to be healthy and strong. I generally don’t keep my nails extra long – some of them start splitting at the corners when they pass a certain length. It was pretty heartbreaking to have an almost-uniformly long hand of four nails, then the one short, sad nail that had to be cut. But thanks to Nail Aid clear liquid bandage, I can stop a breaking nail in its tracks and maintain an almost-perfect mani. Hooray!

Nail Aid is the perfect product for bellas who are interested in healthy, beautiful nails — emphasis on healthy. Check out their values. Nail Aid has partnered with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Breast Cancer Fund in an effort to prevent the production and sale of dangerous cosmetics. They’re the first and only nail treatment company to do so. That means no formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate, or any of those known carcinogenic chemicals that are the foundation of every other nail product on the market. Also, no animal testing. They’re certified by PETA and the Leaping Bunny Organization. And the company also supports the Green Belt Movement International, which is a truly admirable cause. And besides all of the wonderful do-gooderiness, even better — their products actually work!

I’ve been using the Grow Tougher, which promises longer, harder nails in just 5 days. This stuff definitely helped cure one of my nagging nail problems — splitting and peeling of the top layers of my nails. When my nails crack on the corners, I dab on a little liquid bandage and I’m good to go. I haven’t yet tried the Brush On Wrap treatment, but I bet it’d help my splitting and peeling problem. The ultimate test that this stuff is working for me? Recently, I went to get a manicure with my friend Raina, and she says, “your nails look fake. In a good way.” Hey, thanks!

What are your nail problems, bellas? Let me know — I’m giving away FIVE NAIL AID products! Leave a comment below telling me about your specific nail problem and the Nail Aid product you need. Together with the good people of Nail Aid, five comments will be chosen, and the winners will get their item of choice. I’ll close these comments on Friday. Keep your eyes peeled for more giveaways – they’re about to start coming fast and furious for the holiday season! It’s Christmas, and you just might get the presents!

Psst… Looking for nail color without the toxic chemicals? Check out Anise — they’ve got a gorgeous range.