Consider the look of forgotten legend Nina Mae McKinney, who was known as the Black Garbo back in the 1930’s. Flawless. Timeless. Click here to read my Black Voices homage to her.

And behold, my forever inspiration, Josephine Baker. Drink in the stunning photo I found on the amazing Flickr site Discover Black Heritage. To me, Josephine is the definition of gorgeous. I wrote about her for Vogue Black this week, and they’ve posted some amazing photos of her to accompany the article. Click here for that.

If Nina Mae McKinney had any one beauty trademark, it’d be a flawlessly manicured brow. I just got mine whipped into perfect shape at the B Bella Salon. It was one of those perfect walk-in afternoons, and Rosa threaded and waxed my brows into amazing shape! Two thumbs up for B Bella!

Lately I’ve been using MAC’s Brow Set gel to keep the brow situation under control. I hate an over manicured, over darkened, thin, harsh looking brow. That’s how they did it back in the day, but in my opinion, it doesn’t work in today’s day and age. Brow Set in Beguile perfectly matches the color of my eyebrows, and gives me definition without making my brows cartoonishly dark.

When I want a really defined cat’s eye for everyday, I love a bold, strong eyeliner. Right now Avon’s Glimmersticks Eye Liner is giving me everything I need. Rich pigment that doesn’t smudge, lasts for hours AND it’s on sale, so it’s less than $4! Score!

You can’t do Twenties glam without a delicious, dark lip. Right now I’m practically obsessed with Bobbi Brown’s Pot Rouge in chocolate cherry — it’s a deep red brown that manages to not be too bricky. And I just got my hands on Three Custom’s uber hot new Noir Sheer lipstick, and it’s just as gorgeous as I expected. This lippie looks black when you open it, but when you slick it on, it’s more of a deep burgundy plum that is sheer but buildable. It looks super pretty on, regardless of your skin tone — I’m here to testify that this lipstick is glorious on brown girls, but Twenties glam doesn’t have to end with us! According to Gouldylox, Noir looks equally pretty on pale Irish lasses, just so you know.

Twenties glam also calls for uber long lashes – so look out for a lashtastic post next week!

Got any makeup recommendations for Twenties glam, my bellas? Share with me!

Related posts:

1. Get That Holiday Glam!
2. Josephine Baker, beauty eternal
3. Viva Glam! Drag Queen Makeup

With all the traveling I’ve been doing, I’ve had to learn the art of packing intelligently. In these days of rising luggage fees, I need to be economical. That means packing products that are multi-use and uber-effective. Allow me to share some of my latest finds — the items that got road tested in Hawaii!

My Smokey Classics By Lauren Luke. I know, I know – I just raved about this in my Best of 2009 post. But for traveling, this collection is hard to beat. My one complaint? The blush is too pale for my needs. But having a flat package of this much makeup awesomeness warrants no real complaints. This is eye makeup at it’s easiest, and I love it. Totally getting the Fierce Violets next.

Jessicurl Trial Size Collection. I’ve heard great things about Jessicurl, but finally I got a chance to experience what the brand can do for my particular texture of natural. And I really like it so far! I used Awe Inspirialing Spray to refresh my frazzled frizzies in the Hawaii heat, and the Confident Coils Styling Solution gave me moisture that stood up against the humidity. Look out for a longer review when I’ve had a chance to review the Too Shea! Extra Moisturizing Conditioner.

MAC in Lillyland cremeblend blush. I want to shout about this to the rooftops, y’all. MAC in Lillyland is a bright, resort-chic, vibrant and ultra feminine collection. When I was sent this Cremeblend blush in Joie-De-Vivre — a peachy coral that looks like the color of some houses in Miami — I gave it a suspicious raised eyebrow. Then I rubbed it on the apples of my cheeks, as I smiled at myself in the mirror. Love at first try. These colors are ideal for bringing out the glow in darker skin tones. It was so perfect for Hawaii, and now that I’m back in Chicago’s cold, a sheer application gives me a warm, sunshiny glow. Bravo, MAC and Lilly Pulitzer. Bravo.

Jordana easyliner eye pencil. Nothing sucks worse than traveling with your favorite regular eyeliner, then realizing the point’s dull or broken off and you’ve forgotten to pack your sharpener. This $1.99 drugstore pencil is just as effective as its more expensive competitors, plus it is effortless and automatic. Don’t sleep on Jordana, or its equally affordafab counterpart, Milani! You can get the look for a whole lot less!

RX for Brown Skin Protect and Defend Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 15. Dr. Susan Taylor’s products specifically cater to our skin’s needs. I’ve tried most of the products and a more detailed review is really in order. I really dig the sunscreen. It’s thick but not opaque and heavy like some other sunscreens are. A little goes a long way, to protect my face and neck. Good stuff for facing the elements.

And last but not least — Fashion Fair Shine Eliminator. Yes, that’s right. I just said Fashion Fair. The venerable brand for women of color gets a bad rap for being old school and stuck in the past, but FYI, Fashion Fair is in the midst of a major makeover. They’ve got some great new skincare products on the shelves, and this shine eliminating mattifier got me ready for my close up in steamy Hawaii. A creamy potion with the light feel of a serum, it worked great as a foundation primer and allowed me to maintain my glow while preventing me from being shiny.

What are your must-take travel essentials? Made any cool new finds lately? Share!

Related posts:

1. Ask Afrobella – Be A Bella Bride
2. Recent Reviews!
3. Best of 2009 – Makeup

1. MAC’s Mineralize makeup. See, MAC makes me cheat on my list! I’ve gone and chosen a whole category of makeup because I can’t choose ONE item that I love more than others. MAC’s Mineralize eyeshadows and blushes rock my world. The eyeshadow duos pair together perfectly, and you get more bang for your buck thanks to the inspired color combinations. The mineralize blushes are so sheer, pretty, and give my cheeks that pop of color that makes me feel like a rockstar. I just can’t get enough!

2. OCC Lip Tar — yet another product I discovered at the Artist’s Summit this year. And I’m STILL in love! I’ve been using Lip Tar layered over lip pencil for all-day color impact. If you’re used to traditional lipstick, understand that this is a whole new ball game — like a stain but like a gloss. And VERY highly pigmented. This ain’t your everyday lip color!

3. Sally Hansen HD Nailpolish. I am terrible at doing my own nails, but this polish managed to make it a little easier. The initial HD collection was all about the summertime brights, but with colors like Opulent Cloud in their Fall line (see Vampy Varnish for deetz) – it’s become my new favorite range of polishes. At my most dire need for a pedicure, I was able to use this on the beach in the DR, and not only did it glide on smoothly, my pedi lasted — sans base or top coat — for a week and a half! Amazing!

4. By Lauren Luke makeup collection. Love this girl. Love her makeup. And if there’s any one thing you may want to gift yourself with post-holiday season, it’s one of her gorgeous makeup kits. They are perfect for makeup newbies as well as makeup addicts, and for someone like me who travels often – cannot be beat! If I had to choose ONE, it’d be My Smokey Classics — which includes shadow primers, eye shadows, eye liner, blush, and lip color — everything you need to look gorgeous for a night on the town in a slender and attractive little package that’s worth every penny. Each comes with a little note from Lauren to boost your self esteem. I am totally buying more of these, when my recovering bank account allows!

5. Sonia Kashuk gel eyeliner and brush. OK, I wrote about this in August, and there STILL isn’t a link on Target’s site. So you’re gonna need to go to the store and find it yourself! Sonia Kashuk’s Target line is great, great stuff. Lasting, rich color. And this eyeliner changed my whole beauty world — I can finally get that liquid liner cat’s eye look that eluded me for eons! It’s the brush, it’s all about the brush. I tried several gel liners this year and loved almost all of them — but for the price? Sonia Kashuk can’t be beat.

So there you have it! Please share your favorite makeup finds with me! And up next I’ll share my favorite style finds — so keep reading!

Related posts:

1. Makeup, Made For Us
2. Makeup Tips from Damone Roberts!
3. First Giveaway for 2009! Valana Minerals Faux Brushes

How cute is Mally Roncal? Seriously — she’s the living embodiment of adorable. Always impeccably turned out, always smiling, always encouraging regular women like you and me to believe in our own beauty. I think she’s the bees knees.

The celebrity makeup artist earned her stripes by beating the faces of Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Mariah, Mary J. Blige, and Iman. Now her Mally Beauty brand makes big bucks on QVC, because she brings her expert aesthetic and enthusiasm for everyday beauty to life with her products.

Recently she debuted her fragrance, Mally. If you’re looking for a unique, upbeat, fresh, youthful and sexy scent — you need to get a whiff of this. Citrusy, and scented with the Phillipines’ national flower the Sampaguita – Mally is delicious on your pulse points. I had a chance to review the scent and ask Mally some questions about it, via e mail.

I had to learn more about this flower that Mally used — Sampaguita, a tropical jasmine flower. The essence of the flower speaks directly to Mally’s culture and the concept of her whole cosmetics line. Mally passionately believes that beauty is an all-encompassing entity. “Beauty isn’t just about color cosmetics and covering up a blemish,” she says adding, “I wanted to create a scent that embodies who I am…something fresh and feminine that makes you feel joyful and invigorated.” A proud supporter of the Filipino community, Mally’s signature fragrance pays homage to her heritage using notes from the Sampaguita flower. The name translates in English to “I promise you,” and represents a symbol of fidelity, devotion, purity, strength and dedication.

Blooming throughout the year, the Samapaguita produces tiny white, dainty, star-shaped flowers that bloom at night and wilt in less than a day. It’s precious, yet fleeting. “Since I was young, I was taught to appreciate life in the same way. This fragrance reminds me of the philosophy, ‘Live every day as though it’s your last.’”

Mally’s fragrance is for a particular kind of woman. “A true girly girl, who wants to feel invigorated, optimistic, joyful and strong,” says Mally.

Although Mally has worked with the uber famous, she creates beauty products for the American everywoman. And she notes similarities, when it comes to the beauty needs of celebrities versus everyday women.

“No matter how famous women are, we all have the same needs and desires- to look and feel as gorgeous as possible. That’s why I developed bullet proof, high performance make up. When we put our make up on, we want it to stay through the many thing we do in our busy lives. High performance is what I aim for every product!”

I had to know — what’s the one product from Mally Beauty that every woman deserves to have? “Cancellation Concealer because the base of every stunning look is great skin,” she responded.

One essential that I’ve grown to love is Mally’s Eye Performance 3-Piece Bestseller Collection. It’s such an effortlessly beautiful everyday eye kit. The Evercolor Shadow Stick in taupe is super blendable and actually makes a great base for more courageous shades, if you want more eye drama. For me, it’s so perfect for every day glam. For example — by the time you read this, I’m going to be out doing my holiday shopping. And guess what I’ll be wearing on my eyes! The volumizing mascara gives great definition and lasts for hours. And the evercolor starlight waterproof eyeliner is my favorite go-to black liner of the moment. It doesn’t run. It doesn’t smudge. It gives a great, smooth line, and it lasts all day!

The good people of QVC and Mally Beauty are providing me with THREE Mally Beauty Eye Performance kits to give away! All you gotta do is comment below and tell me — what’s your everyday eye makeup look?

I’ll leave this open for the weekend, and close comments next Wednesday. And a winner will be announced before Christmas!

QVC’s contest rules below: please read so your questions can be answered, bellas. Good luck!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Open only to legal residents who are 18 or older. Commencing on Dec 18, 2009 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time (”ET”) and continuing through Dec 23, 2009 at 2 p.m. ET, Afrobella will give away (3) Mally 3 Piece Eye Kits randomly to anyone who posts a comment on the Mally blog post. Limit one prize per household. Total retail value of prize $108. Winners will be notified by email. Offer valid while supplies last. Giveaway sponsored by Afrobella; Prizes selected by Afrobella in its sole discretion. Prize provided by QVC, Inc.

Comments are closed! Thanks, you guys!!

Related posts:

1. Mally Roncal Makeup Winner!
2. Makeup Tips from Damone Roberts!
3. Bare Escentuals Buxom Babes Giveaway!

Me and Julia of All About The Pretty

BAM!

Keep in mind, I’d already done my own face. But by the time Jake was done with me, I felt like a brand new woman.

Do you like? Here’s what he used:

Jake highlighted the apples of my cheeks with Cover Girl Simply Ageless blush #230 (or Lush Berry) – I was a bit apprehensive when he was putting it on. It seemed like A LOT of blush, but it photographed beautifully.

Then he went over my existing liner with Cover Girl’s Outlast Eyeliner in Indigo.

After that he used Cover Girl eyeshadow in Purple Pop, and WOW. Purple shadow with brown eyes FTW. Now there’s even more reason for it to be my favorite color.

On my lips, Jake used delicious Amazemints gloss in shade # 605, AKA Everything’s Rosy.

I was absolutely thrilled with my makeover, and Jake was so sweet and friendly and warm. He made me feel beautiful, and now it’s my turn to pay it forward!

TWO lucky Afrobella readers can win the four items Jake used in my Cover Girl makeover. All you have to do is tell me — do you have a favorite Cover Girl makeup item? If yes, what is it and why?

I’ll close these comments on Monday afternoon. And I’m about to make it rain with giveaways, so get ready! This will be an epic month!

Edited Monday 8:45 pm — Comments are CLOSED! I’ll choose winners at the end of this week!

Related posts:

1. The Winners of the Lexus Giveaway Are…
2. Ask Afrobella — A $5 Makeover??
3. NYFW Day 3 – Plus Size at Fashion Week?

Over the weekend I dealt with the extremes of Chicago weather. Rain on Friday and blistering heat Saturday and Sunday. But through it all, my eyemakeup stayed in tact. How? I’ll tell you my latest little secret.

Gel eyeliner is my new best friend.

My hands are too shaky for liquid, and eyeliner pencils are frequently too waxy and smudgy for me. So when I want to get that kapow! liquid liner cat’s eye look, I reach for the gel. It’s forgiving and easy and lasts forever. Add a little eyeshadow primer and it gets even better!

Most department store brands have a gel or powder liner amongst their stock, but these brands are my favorites!

Bobbi Brown has this here on lock. Their long wear gel eyeliner is so precise, so easy, and comes in so many gorgeous shades. Their new fall color is Forest, mossy green with a subtle gold shimmer. It’s very low key and works great for bellas who like their makeup subtle and stunning. I prefer a bit more pop, so I need to get my hands on violet — purple makes my baby brown eyes look amazing (and it’s my favorite color!) These cost $21 a piece but they’ll last you forever and a day as long as you keep the jar tightly sealed.

Are you up on Lancome’s Fall 09 collection? It’s called Declaring Indigo, and the shades are sharp, bright, and classic. This isn’t the kind of makeup you buy that loses its allure next season. Gold and navy blue aren’t going anywhere anytime soon! Their Ink Artliner longwear calligraphy gel liner in Indigo Charm is nautical, and really stands out on brown skin tones. It’s $23.50, but you already knew Lancome is on the higher end of the makeup scale, right? And in this case you really do get what you pay for.

Cream to powder liner is an alternative to gel that’s equally long lasting, and a new one I’ve had the pleasure of trying recently is by Christopher Drummond. If you’re new to his lline, sit up and take notice! Christopher Drummond is all about 100% natural, organic based, high quality cosmetics. If you’re a fiend for good ingredients in your products, definitely check him out.

His cream to powder eyeliner is meant to be used as a brow filler as well as an eyeliner, so it’s super subtle and very complimentary to a variety of skin tones. I will be gushing more about his products soon, but for now I’ll just say this — the Sateen Blush is gorgeous, and the cream to powder liner surprised me for two reasons. 1. the name of the color, soft black, led me to believe that it was in fact, black. It came out more of a deep raisin on me. But surprise #2 – I love the color! It’s rich, soft, subtle, and very very pretty. It’s $22.50, and I’m anxious to see if this product is eventually released in even more shades.

Last but not least, let’s hear it one time for my bellas on a budget! If you aren’t up on Sonia Kashuk’s line of makeup at Target, you need to get there in a hurry. I can’t tell you how impressed I am with the quality of these items! Most of all, her gel liner. For some reason it isn’t on Target’s website but I know it’s available in stores. (I got this photo from Makeup Alley). Sonia Kashuk’s liner lasted me all afternoon in the blazing Lollapalooza heat, and with her equally affordable angled liner brush, application is a breeze. It costs less than $10, and the color is flawlessly dark and longlasting!

I’ve noticed a lack of available swatches for brown skinned beauties, so here’s my first attempt at swatching colors for you. From left to right, Bobbi Brown’s Forest, Lancome’s Indigo, Christopher Drummond Soft Black, and Sonia Kashuk’s black liners.

Whew! Do you prefer gel, liquid, or pencil eyeliner? Got a fave brand? Share!

Related posts:

1. Those Cleopatra Eyes
2. Best of 2009 – Makeup
3. Patrice meets Patrece!

I know what works best for me, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to turn to some true divas who know makeup from makeup. Beauties who use makeup to transform their look completely from day to night. I reached out to my amigas in gorgeousness — three of Miami’s most fabulous drag queens.

My last post on drag queen makeup was forever and a day ago, so I’m long overdue for a fresh update.

Who better to ask than three of my favorite divas who live, love and entertain in the 305? As a special bonus, I’m gonna throw in my two cents with a special makeup recommendation for each of these faboosh ladies.

Let’s kick things off with the stunning, the electric, the diva Miss Elaine Lancaster. Her glamorous photo is by Howard Austin Feld. You can find her on Facebook, and while you’re at it, join her fan club Friends of Elaine Lancaster. Tell her Afrobella sent ya!

Take it away, Elaine!

1 – What inspires your look? There are so many kinds of drag, what led you to express yourself this way?

I guess my look was inspired, at first, by the ladies of Dynasty. Now I get inspiration from everywhere.

2 – How would you describe your aesthetic?

I want to dress for myself & how I feel that day/evening. Plus i TRY to be appropriate for the event/location.

3 — What are your go-to tools of the trade? What makeup brands work the best for your needs?

I love MAC Cosmetics, but really am learning to love MAKE-UP FOREVER… amazing colors.

4 — What’s your advice for young queens on the come-up — in the physical sense and in the sense of entering this new and exciting world?

It’s the hardest job you’ll ever love if you do it right.

5 — What do you want the world to know about the Diva, Miss Elaine Lancaster?

“I can’t cover up my feelings In the name of love, or play it safe… For a while that was easy… And if living for myself is what I’m guilty of Go on and sentence me I’ll still be free…….IT’S MY TURN…….” Diana Ross

Oh Elaine. Quoting one of my all time beauty icons. LOVES it!

My makeup recommendation for Elaine — Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Eyes Collector. 25 gorgeously pigmented waterproof eyeliner pencils, the better to highlight those gorgeous peepers.

Next up, I had to holla at ADORA. Why? Because her makeup is among the most outlandish and outstanding in the biz.

Look at THAT. I don’t know many other people who can pull that off, and Adora does it so effortlessly every day. I HAD to find out what inspired this look. It was a bit tricky because English is not Adora’s first language. But I think we figured it out! (PS: Adora’s photo is by Alexis Trigouria).

1 – What inspires your look? There are so many kinds of drag, what led you to express yourself this way?

My look was inspire by cartoons, 1950 ’s and 60’s vedettes (which I believe are dancing girls?) and I thought that this kind of drag was the most fun and creative.

2 – How would you describe your aesthetic?

Adora’s aesthetics is a mix of camp and glamour.

3 – What are your go-to tools of the trade? What makeup brands work the best for your needs?

For Adora’s “natural looks” she uses MAC full coverage, with a mix of colors from Coty powder. White pigment as eye shadow from MAC, water proof eye liner from MAC, the eye lashes she just let them grow, contour from MAC , lipstick and lip gloss from whoever and all this depends on the event, time of the day or just the mood.

4 — What’s your advice for young queens on the come-up — in the physical sense and in the sense of entering this new and exciting world?

For the new girls I have advice — BE YOURSELF the looks are second, the talent has to be always first, one can have a fabulous figure and looks… no talent? No thank you! So there you have it girls before you go out there, make sure that you can entertain!

Adora’s web site is AdoraMiami.com.

What’s my product recommendation for Adora? Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. The brand is all about mixing and matching, expressing yourself, and creating your own vision. The multi purpose cosmetics are made for mixing and everyone I know who has tried their lip tar absolutely RAVES about it. And their colors come in a range Adora would adore.

Last but so certainly not least is my friend Shelley Novak — photo by Desi. We clicked with each other years ago, when I interviewed her for Miami New Times.

Since then she’s retired like Cher, and returned for a glorious revival on the SoBe circuit.
Shelley is like no other queen on scene. Gloriously hairy, carefree, hilarious, honest, and extremely knowlegable about many things pop cultural and cinematic, Shelly rocks. Point blank, period.

Take it away, Shelley!

1 – What inspires your look? There are so many kinds of drag, what led you to express yourself this way?

I’m a dash of Donna Mills of Knots Landing mixed with a healthy dose of Divine with a sprinkle of David Lynch.

2 – How would you describe your aesthetic?

Barney Rubble in a dress.

3- What are your go-to tools of the trade? What makeup brands work the best for your needs?

Max Factor pan stick, which is very hard to find now that Max Factor went under thanks to his rapist grandson’s expensive trial.

4 — What’s your advice for young queens on the come-up — in the physical sense and in the sense of entering this new and exciting world?

Take every job you can, get paid in cash and always try to get paid ahead of the event if you can!

5 — What do you want the world to know about the inimitable Shelly Novak?

That I’m on chapter three of my memoirs (finally).

I can’t wait to read them. I wish I was around to help co-write them! Shelley’s got a wealth of material, and she’s fun to interview. TRUST.

You can find Shelley exclusively on Facebook by joining I’ll Shave Tomorrow: The Shelley Novak fan club. Ha!

In terms of makeup, Shelley’s gonna have to upgrade from Max Factor, because boo hoo — the brand responsible for coining the term makeup and countless innovations in the world of beauty is not going to be for sale in the USA for much longer. Now’s the time to expand the makeup horizons.

For super duper unbeatable coverage, I recommend Shelley check out Prescriptives AnyWearMulti-Purpose Makeup Stick with SPF 15. Speaking from experience, this brand gives amazing coverage, comes in just about any shade you can dream of, and will last for ages and protect your skin from the scorching Miami sun.

I’m hoping to interview another fabulous queen about makeup soon, so stay tuned. If you have questions or loving comments for Miami’s most fab, feel free to leave them below.

Thanks Elaine, Adora, and Shelley — keep shining and know that Afrobella loves ya!

Related posts:

1. Viva Glam! Drag Queen Makeup
2. Makeup Tips from Damone Roberts!
3. Get The Look – BET Awards Makeup

In the world of eyebrow shaping, there are the laypeople (the ones who wax you at any standard day spa or mall outlet), and there are the superstars — Anastasia, Damone Roberts, and Miss Rashida B., among them. Rashida flits between Miami and Chicago, beautifying the brows of the truly fabulous in both cities. When she isn’t plucking, shaping, holding down her popular Chicago salon, The B Spot and getting namedropped in the likes of Vogue magazine and Daily Candy — Rashida’s keeping it real on Twitter as @beautyschooled. AND she’s got an awesome blog of the same name — where she drops knowledge and interviews professionals in the world of makeup and the beautifying industry.

My interview with Rashida was unconventional in the sense that we were cracking each other up and bonding like old friends (even though we hadn’t met yet!) So without further ado, here are some of Rashida’s best tips and quips.

I had to ask her about the infamous eyebrow weave video — despite the repeated promise of “celebrity status,” Rashida is not feelin’ it.

“I don’t recommend it. It doesn’t look good in person. Maybe you can use it for photography, to achieve a certain look for a photo shoot…” she suggested. Oh, Rashida you are being too kind.

What about the latest no eyebrows trend, as identified by the New York Times?

“I’m gonna say no to that as well, unless you’re a runway model. If you absolutely have to achieve that look, there’s this stuff called spirit gum which you can use to smooth them down.”

One of the things I loved about interviewing Rashida is, she is no nonsense. She broke down her feelings about waxing and threading, without hesitation. And she got this formerly wax-happy bella to think twice.

“Tweezing is my preference, but I’ll give you the facts. The saddest thing I’ve been hearing lately is about clients going to get their eyebrows waxed and walking away with scabs. That’s when you go to a place that isn’t professional. There should be a consultation form when you go into a professional waxing salon. They don’t do that. What if you’re dealing with a diabetic? Diabetics, you don’t wanna lift the skin off them for fear of infection. Are you on Retin A? Are you on Accutane? These are questions that need to be asked before you get waxed. And don’t get me started on the double dipping and the stick… if you think about it, they’re using the same wax for your eyebrows, your upper lip, and your bikini area. And they’re just double dipping the stick into the same wax.”

Um, EW. I never even thought about that before.

I had to mention a popular chain of wax salons that ahem — I had a ghastly experience with back in Miami. Now they’re offering “celebrity brows,” where you can go in and ask for let’s say, the Megan Fox brow. It sounded ridiculous to me. And Rashida agreed.

“That’s… insane. You don’t have Megan Fox’s face, or her eyebrow shape. You can’t go into an eyebrow shaping like that. Don’t think thin, don’t think thick. Beware of eyebrow trends. It should be all about your face, your brows, and what’s gonna look right on you. It happens all the time, where ladies will say to me “I want eyebrows like my friend.” Well, unless your friend’s gonna give you her face, that’s probably not gonna work.”

So what are the perfect brows, according to Rashida B?

“It’s all about your facial features, your brow shape, and your lifestyle.”

Lifestyle?

“Yes — if you want high sculpted brows, that might not work for an everyday 9 to 5 job. And if you’re a low maintainance person but you want high maintainance brows, you’re gonna have mad stubble for days.”

What about eyebrow stencils?

“They should pile them all up and burn them. I can spot ‘em a mile away. Oh, you’re Anastasia high arch #3, hi!”

What about threading?

“Threading is great if you have alot of thick hair. For your facial hair, sideburns, upper lip… great. But for your eyebrows, you probably don’t have alot of thick hair there. And they lie you down and tell you to pull your forehead. So when you let go, what happens? It looks great up there, but then your face relaxes. I don’t agree with any eyebrow method where they have you recline. That makes your face look completely symmetrical. It’s not a true reflection of what you’re going to look like later on when you’re out and about on the street.”

So if someone perhaps couldn’t afford Rashida’s services, and wanted to do their brows themselves?

“Find a picture in a magazine, of someone who has the same facial features and eyebrow shape as yours. Don’t try to be Megan Fox or Jennifer Connelly or whoever has the hottest brows. Find someone who looks like you. Then take a white eyeliner pencil, or a light colored concealer stick, and use it to create that shape on your face to make sure it’ll look right on your face. Then pluck the hairs that are covered by the white pencil/concealer. Don’t go overboard, don’t get obsessed with getting the one hair in one area… try to look at the big picture.”

I followed Rashida’s advice to the letter and tah-dah! My brows look GREAT. Another tip of advice from personal experience, sit in good light so you can really see the hairs you’ve covered with white pencil, and use a good pair of tweezers. For beauty needs like this, I am LOVING the Tweezerman Lighted Slant Tweezer.

My interview with Rashida couldn’t end without a question I also put to eyebrow king Damone Roberts — is there a particular famous person who’s eyebrows she’d like to work on? Hmmmm?

“Until Michelle Obama showed up, I didn’t have one!” she responded.

Ding ding ding! I knew that’d be the answer. Lord knows I heart the First Lady but it’s undeniable that her eyebrows could use some fresh talent and a little growing in. Rashida more than agreed.

“I’m gonna need someone to work on that, OK? Have you read my brow blog?”

I hadn’t, yet. But in case you were also concerned, click here to read Rashida’s take on Michelle O’s brows, which fully explains why they are the way they are.

As she explains at the end of her post, “Brows should be shaped in a manner that is best suited for the client, in a shape that flatters and compliments their individual facial features, never mind what the eyebrow stylist’s preferences are.”

I agree completely, and here’s hoping Michelle opens up her circle and finds additional people to help keep her as flawless as possible. Like um, Rashida perhaps? Hey, she’s right here in Chicago!

In summary, Rashida B is made of awesome. After this interview I had the good fortune of meeting her at the Blogalicious kickoff party here in Chicago, and it was SO much fun. Can’t wait to visit her salon and get the Rashida B brow treatment for real! You know I’ll review the whole shebang!

Related posts:

1. Ask Afrobella Part Deux — On Brows
2. Makeup Tips from Damone Roberts!
3. That Twenties Glam

Depends on what you’re looking for!

I enjoy wearing colored mascara from time to time, it’s such an effortless way to switch up your look. And it can be surprisingly subtle, too. Depending on the shade of colored mascara that you wear, people may have to do a double take, or catch you blinking in the sun before they notice — hey! Your lashes are a different color! Colored mascara is fun, it’s a trend that comes in and out of style, and it’s a trend that (in my funky opinion) works just as well for teenagers as it would for someone old enough to be a teenager’s mom. Just because you’re not a girl anymore, doesn’t mean you don’t still want to have fun!

I’ve been around the colored mascara block a time or two, so allow me to share with you the outstanding ones, and the ones that could use a little more oomph.

Blue mascaras make big promises. Supposedly they make blue eyes bluer, brown eyes appear golden, and hazel eyes look green. I dunno about all that. But I do know they’re fun, especially if you’ll be in the sunlight.

Benefit’s BADgal blue mascara is rich, royal, and instantly noticeable IMO. I love a bangin’ blue on my lashes, and this delivers pigment from root to tip. it’s $19, but worth it if you want a noticeable shade. This is a true blue through and through, unlike CoverGirl LashBlast in Black Royale, which is really just a black with a hint of blue. The LashBlast Luxe shades are subtler, good for an office or professional environment. But if you’re looking for bam! in your face color, you’ll be sad.

CoverGirl Black Platinum was honestly, a disappointment. I noticed hardly any shimmer or color, even in the sun my lashes just looked kind of washed out. Not even close to “platinum,” as I was hoping they’d be.

For a far better Cover Girl mascara experience, I recommend Exact Eyelights. My mom in law LOVES the Black Sapphire for Blue Eyes, and I’ve been using the Black Pearl for Brown Eyes practically every day since I got my sweaty little hands on it. LOVE how it makes my brown eyes pop. But please search online for reviews – they are kinda mixed when it comes to these mascaras. I love it, not everyone does though!

Benefit BADgal plum mascara hardly made a difference to my lashes — at times it looked like I wasn’t even really wearing mascara, apart from the definition of my lashes. It’s kind of like wearing brown mascara, except — cosign with Bellasugar — it can make your eyes look a little um, red and tired.

Those are the shades I’ve tried most recently. I’m intrigued by Urban Decay’s Big Fatty in teal, and I’ve been hearing raves about LA Splash mascara — YouTube makeup artist Risa really likes em. They’re affordable, come in CRAZY colors, and are available here.

Have you tried colored mascara? Do you have a fave brand?

Related posts:

1. Is It Worth It? Bobbi Brown and Shu Uemura
2. Ask Afrobella — Easy, Breezy, Beautiful… Worth It?
3. … But Is It Worth It?

I missed the BET Awards but I didn’t MISS the BET Awards, if you know what I’m sayin’.

Judging from the various indignant responses on Twitter, it seems I didn’t miss much. But thanks to some of my favorite sites — Oh No They Didn’t and Crunk & Disorderly, I saw all I needed to see. Red carpet fabulousity! And if you’re like me, you might be wondering — exactly how did these stars get so amazingly dolled up?

Today’s your lucky day. Celebrity makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff wanted to share her special makeup tips and tricks exclusively with Afrobella readers, and here’s the scoop on her lush looks for humanitarian award winner Alicia Keys, and one of my favorite child stars who’s gorgeous and all grown up, Tatyana Ali!

Take it away, Ashunta!

Alicia Keys
Inspiration: Moroccan inspired due to her recent trip there in May for the Mawaline Festival. Alicia’s short bejeweled shift dress in its soft aqua truly brought out her golden complexion. I wanted to give her a touch of sun kissed glow and egyptian/moroccan eyes with coral lips remniscent of the colors of a Moroccan Paradise.

Body: my secret weapon body glow mix is a combination of Dior Bronze Sun Powder Spray, Smashbox Bodylights body Lotion shimmer and Girlactik Beauty Gold Shimmer powder. The combination gave Alicia an amazing bronzed sun kissed glow to make her legs and declertage look flawlessly stunning.

Client: Tatyana Ali
Inspiration: Bollywood Princess, bringing out more of Tatyana’s Indian heritage I used metallic earth tones to shape and frame her eyes. Radiant bronzed skin works for her toffee complexion and an iridescent nude topped the look off.

Body: Palmers Organic Olive Oil Body Cream and Smashbox Bodylights Lotion body shimmer to make her legs look flawless.

Did she say Mary Kay? Palmers? Olay? Cover Girl’s Queen Collection? Black Opal? Ashunta is my kinda bella! There’s something so wonderful about knowing celebs are using the same products a bella on a budget might swear by, am I right?

I promise to fill in the complete list of products with links where you can check out these items ASAP! Right now it’s 1:30 a.m. and this blogging bella needs her bed.

Click here to visit Ashunta’s website to see even more of her amazing work, and click here to follow her on Twitter! Look out later today for even more BET Awards looks from the red carpet and the ceremony itself — Janet, Beyonce, Nichelle Nichols and more!

Related posts:

1. Makeup Inspiration — Missy Does Her Best Best
2. Bellas at the BET Awards!
3. Makeup Inspiration — Chrisette Michele