Last weekend I was in Atlanta for the truly wonderful Fro Fashion Week event at the Hotel Melia downtown. And this weekend, I’ll be in New York during all the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week madness, for two awesome natural hair related events! And you know I’ll be tweeting all of the glitz and glamour for you, right? Follow me! And let me tell you about Curls Unleashed. The brand new product line by Organic Root Stimulator will be hitting store shelves soon. To drum up even more anticipation for the product line, they’ve been throwing some really cool events in major cities!

Last week in Chicago I attended my first Curls Unleashed event — at The Shrine — and it was phenomenal! Swanky and chic, and singers Jaguar Wright and Eric Benet performed. Click here for photos via Uptown!

This Thursday I’ll be in the midst of another Curls Unleashed event in New York City. The Curls Unleashed launch party will be hosted by my amiga, YouTube phenomenon Taren916, and attended by myself and the lovely Kim Coles amongst many other naturalistas! I’ll be your official insider tweeting the news for you all!

And on Saturday night there’s TextureMedia’s Texture on the Runway event which is sure to be BEYOND fabulous, and packed with a veritable who’s who of the natural hair blogger world — be sure to check out their dope website, TextureOnTheRunway.com for the livestream! I’ll be reporting live from Saturday’s event to keep you up to date on the sweetest styles to sashay down the runway.

You can follow on Twitter @Curls_Unleashed, and on the evening of the event follow the hashtag #CurlsUnleashed to see what the brains behind the brand are working on. And on Facebook (at facebook.com/CurlsUnleashed) tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at their inspiration boards and artistic team to see what makes a fashion event come to life! And check out the product line itself at CurlsUnleashed.com – I’ve been testing it out and I love what I’ve tried so far!

See you soon, NYC!

1 – OMG I have to give a speech? And not just be on a panel with other people? Everyone will be looking at me — yikes!

2 — What on earth will I wear?

3 — How am I gonna do this makeup?

I worked on my speech over the course of two or three weeks in fits and starts. I figured out an outfit. And Atlanta’s own makeup artist Nyssa Green, kindly came by to do my makeup before my keynote speech for Fro Fashion Week. In case you aren’t aware, Nyssa is an Emmy Award winning makeup artist, and owner of The Green Room Agency. I was lucky enough to wind up on the Brown Girl Beauty Uncensored panel alongside Nyssa at the Beautylish Beauty Social, and we instantly became homegirls. Despite all of the accomplishments she’s achieved and famous friends she has, Nyssa is one of the most regular, chill, down to earth people I’ve met in this fancypants industry. She’s as cool as it gets, and I was so blessed to have her beat my face? And honey, when I say she beat my face to the gods — believe me!

I’m SAYING, though!

The whole time Nyssa was doing my makeup, I was taking notes on the products she used and asking her why she was using them. Let me take you step by glorious step through this look!

Top – Calvin Klein via Marshalls, skirt by eShakti.com, jewelry Max & Chloe, purse by Moto — check out this brand new, up and coming designer! And haircut by Felicia Leatherwood. And now, the makeup breakdown!

The product list:

Iman and Ben Nye foundations

Iman Powder, to blend.

Kryolan Setting Powder: “This is one of my favorite powders. It will make your makeup last all day and make your skin look flawless. It’s similar to Cover FX powder in that it’s a setting powder that’s waterproof. It gives your makeup all day hold.”

Damone Roberts eyebrow pencils in Minx and Miss Ross

Anastasia Brow Gel

A no-name eyeshadow palette that a fan of Real Housewives of Atlanta ran up and gave her in the street. This led to a longer discussion about upcoming brands and the importance of investing in labeling. Basically because Nyssa was given this package of eyeshadow in a plain black box with not even a business card stuck to it….she has no idea what she’s using. But it works!

To apply eyeliner she used the Stila eyeliner brush and it was so incredibly soft and gentle.

She applied individual lashes that she gets wholesale from the beauty supply store.

To line my waterline, she used NYX Jumbo eye pencil in Black Bean. “It’s one of my fave pencils, because it’s so fat and smooth and soft! I keep them in my fridge because they’re so soft. I LOVE them.”

For my lips she busted out the Make Up For Ever flash color palette and then topped the mix with Iman lip gloss in Glitzy.

My blush and bronzer were from a kit by Pur Minerals.

I had to ask Nyssa what her thoughts were on finishing sprays. “I’m all about making the makeup last and there are safety nets built into my system. From the primer to that Kryolan setting powder. The only two makeup finishing sprays I’ll use are Final Seal, and the Make Up For Ever fix spray. That’s it.

And what about washing it all off? Nyssa is a fan of oil based cleansers, her favorite makeup removers include Shiseido and Bobbi Brown exfoliating cream wash. “it’s one of the best things to wash your face with if you wear a lot of makeup.”

Nyssa made me look and feel GORGEOUS and we had fun the whole time! Thank you for being so amazing, Nyssa! You made me feel so beautiful and blessed!

Click here to follow Nyssa Green on Twitter, and click here for The Green Room Agency’s Facebook page!

Sometimes I really wish that the 32 year old me could go back and talk to 13 year old me, and let her know that everything was going to be alright. I wish I could tell her that the skills and resilience she gained in school would stand her in great stead down the road.

I wish I could show her this photo, of myself speaking at this past weekend’s Fro Fashion Week. To show her someday instead of being too shy to raise her hand and speak up in class, she would be holding a microphone and delivering a keynote speech to a room full of women.

I wish I could convince her to embrace her own beauty at an earlier age. To love herself just the way she is, and to live right in the moment.

I wish I could prove to her that time is just sand trickling through an hourglass, and that she should cherish and live in every moment before she grows up too fast.

I wish I could tell her that although being a teenager might make you feel powerless, all of those collective experiences — the pain, the laughter, the heartbreak, the angst, the embarrassing moments as well as the glorious ones — were necessary because they would someday help to make you pretty powerful.

Pretty Powerful is Bobbi Brown’s campaign to reclaim real beauty, and I find the message behind it to be so very inspiring.

“I believe that beauty comes in all ages, colors, shapes and sizes. It’s not about looking like someone else or trying to be someone you’re not. It’s about figuring out what works for you… Being Pretty Powerful is much bigger than beauty. It’s about confidence and the path you take to achieve it.” — Bobbi Brown.

That says it all right there.

For Pretty Powerful 2.0, Bobbi Brown personally chose 30 women to represent the range of beauty we come in. Visit Bobbi Brown Cosmetics to see “before” and “after” photos, video footage and interviews, testimonials, face charts and inspiring beauty images of the diverse women participating in this campaign, women like Women’s National Basketball Association star Alana Beard, model Jenny Shimuzu and broadcast journalist Mary Alice Williams.

What makes you “pretty powerful?” Is it your spirituality? Your sense of humor? Your life experiences? Share with me!

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Bobbi Brown via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Bobbi Brown.

Let me tell you about when I met Damone Roberts. It was in 2009, I was still living in Miami and still had a regular day job, and I was attending a beauty event dedicated to women of color at Macy’s…I wanna say in Aventura Mall. In those days I was still at the paper, so I would try to feature events I could also write about here on Afrobella! I remember sitting in a small room for employees only at Macy’s, interviewing makeup artist Patrece Williams. The door opened and in walked Damone, with that resplendent mane and glowing skin. Damone is a gorgeous individual from the minute you look at him. And as I interviewed him I came to realize that his beauty shines from within. Damone is a lovely gentleman with a desire to inspire and I really enjoy his company!

In case you don’t already know, Damone Roberts is often called The Eyebrow King. His salons in Beverly Hills and New York are meccas for stars seeking essential beautifying. He is one of the best beauty professionals in the business, and he has plucked perfect brows for the likes of Madonna, Beyonce, Vanessa Williams, Robert Downey Jr., Diana Ross, and… Cicely Tyson.

Which brings me to today’s post. When I learned that Damone was the man behind Cicely Tyson’s gorgeous look at the Screen Actor’s Guild Awards, I needed to learn more! How do you paint the face of a living legend? Find out in my interview with Cicely Tyson’s main makeup artist, Damone Roberts!

Afrobella – I believe you’re Cicely Tyson’s main makeup artist – that is AMAZING to work with such a legend! How long have you been working together? How did it begin?

Damone Roberts — Miss Tyson and I have become dear friends over the years & I now have the pleasure of calling her my “Spiritual Mother”! Her knowledge, energy & legacy always make me leave our times together with my mouth open. I’m actually trying to convince her to write her memoirs. Believe me when i tell you the public only knows the movies & awards, but “the story” is what stops you in your tracks. I absolutely love her! We met randomly one day several years ago, when she was walking by my Beverly Hills Salon and she stopped in after noticing the sign that said “brows”. Can you imagine how blessed I am to look up & see this icon who I watched in major movies since I was literally a baby, walk into my home? The other day I was out front picking something up off the sidewalk & Sidney Poitier walked by and said “Good Morning”. I remember one day I was sitting in my back alley doing a conference call & Diana Ross pulled in. I know it’s a surreal existence & I never take it for granted.

Afrobella — For the SAG Awards, Cicely looked incredible! Can you please share what products you used on her for the occasion, and which are your favorite products for women of color in general? Are there special tips and tricks you use for more mature clients?

Damone Roberts — Thank you for the compliment. She is a beautiful woman so I always play up her features. I’ve done her for all her major Award Show appearances lately, if our schedules allow. For The 2012 Sag Awards I used my new favorite foundation. It’s called “Fit Me” by Maybelline! I love how some of these drugstore brands are really stepping up their game. My loose powder of choice is YSL! I used a combination of The Damone Roberts Brow Shadow in “Minx” & “Miss Ross” for the brows. The eyes were done in several warm tones by MAC. The eyeliner & mascara was by my friend LaLa Vasquez’ new line called “Motives”, while the lashes were by my other friend B Scott called “Bitch, Boo, Bye”. I’m a huge fan of the Queen Latifah Cover Girl Bronzers and use them daily…on Miss Tyson i used “ebony bronze”. Lastly I used my friends A.J Crimson & Keisha Whitakers lipgloss line Kissable Couture in “Tyler”. For more mature clients I always go softer on the powder & thicker on the brows.

Afrobella — Are you already anticipating a look for the Oscars? Can you share your best red carpet makeup tips with me and Afrobella readers? I’ll be working the Oscar red carpet this year and could use all the advice I can get!

Damone Roberts — That’s incredible Afrobella! Good luck with that. I remember one year I actually did brows on the red carpet for the oscars. it was insane! My advice is stay present and take it all in. It’s an experience that is like no other. Literally everyone you ever seen on screen is directly in front of you. This year we are going back to glamour. Movie stars are looking like movie stars again. I’m predicting alot of red lips & dramatic brows. I’m so proud of Viola Davis & Octavia Spencer. Talk about talented! i recently did makeup for a photo shoot with Vanity Fair Magazine with the cast of “The Help” and Viola told me I taught her many things about makeup from watching my TLC TV show “10 years younger” a few years back. We had a good laugh about that, and now she is nominated for Best Actress for the biggest award show on earth. I’ve stopped questioning how these things happen & just look up say Thank You God.

Afrobella – What’s your best advice for an aspiring makeup artist, who strives to have a career as remarkable as yours?

Damone Roberts — I truly feel like I’m just getting started to take my career where I always envisioned. The journey has been long & trying, but I have learned to never put a lid on a dream. With that being said, I believe one must first envision where they want to go. Take your career seriously & show others how serious you are, instead of talking about it. Be on time (actually early, so you’re ready for your client when they walk through the door), keep your brushes & hands clean (nails short), and always respect the privacy of things you may be privy to when you are spending an hour in someones face. Lastly, never think you are to good to not learn something new. A true artist always knows that there is more out there. I was also a makeup artist first, who then started to focus on brows. I was serious & smart enough to know there are plenty of other makeup artists out there…what’s going to make me stand out? Find your own version of “special”.

Afrobella – Are you working on any new, cool projects — a book, a DVD, classes, a product of your own — that I can share with my readers? I know you stay busy!

Damone Roberts — I just joined forces with E! Entertainment TV co-founder Alan Mruvka to launch THELOOKBAG, “a luxury beauty sample club,” where beauties get at-home monthly deliveries of the latest and greatest products to try! The beauty industry is consistently growing and it can be a bit overwhelming to walk into a beauty department and have no direction. THELOOKBAG.com gives subscribers a way to try things out for multiple uses in a resealable container before you decide to purchase. How many products do we all have sitting in the back of a drawer that we only used once? We saw a void in the market and decided to join forces to fill it for a minimal membership fee of $10.00 monthly. We also personalize the samples for you after finding out your skin & hair type, favorite celeb look, etc.

I launched The Damone Roberts Tinted Brow Gels late last year and they are doing extremely well. Kelly Rowland came in recently and tweeted to the world how they changed her life. It comes in several different natural shades & took me over two years in the lab to develop. I just sent over every shade to Beyonce because you never know what look she will be rocking. They are available at my salons in Beverly Hills & New York, or DamoneRoberts.com.

Lastly I’m in the lab working on my own makeup line. I’m not interested in doing makeup that has been done before. I’m interested in taking it to a whole new level & i believe we are in the midst of creating that. These things have not been done before & trust me when i tell you…it’s about to be on & popping!

You can follow Damone Roberts on Twitter @DamoneRoberts, and
like his official Facebook fan page. Damone, you are SO AWESOME! Thank you Damone, for everything! And I can’t wait to see Cicely Tyson’s look at the Academy Awards!

Nobody wants to talk about how beautiful she is, how luminous her skin is, or what she’s wearing. The media is obsessed with issues like weight, size, and how many pairs of Spanx she may or may not be wearing. For the record, Octavia addressed it all very eloquently via her Facebook page — click here to read how she feels about all of THAT. And click here to join the Octavia Spencer fan page!

When I see Octavia Spencer on the red carpet, I see a woman I can relate to. A woman who looks amazing, and has beautiful hair, makeup, and a fabulous dress on — Tadashi Shoji at the SAG’s and at the Golden Globes (will she rock Tadashi at the Oscars, too? Can’t wait to see!)

Octavia Spencer’s makeup artist is the beautiful Val Noble — follow her on Twitter @MissValNoble! I contacted her to ask the hard hitting beauty questions. Like, how did this beautiful relationship begin?

“I met Octavia 6 years ago on the set of a Comedy Central show. I was doing hair and makeup and we stayed in touch after the show and she called me when ever she needed her makeup done or to have some foundation mixed up for her.”

Now that awards season has kicked into high gear, Val Noble is a BUSY woman. Val is a self-taught makeup artist with over 30 years experience doing hair, and she was involved in Octavia’s looks for both the SAG’s and the Golden Globes. “Because I do both hair and make-up, sometimes I have to do one or the other. For the SAG awards I did her hair (The fabulous bun). For the Golden Globes, I did her makeup.”

Here’s the official breakdown on Octavia’s Golden Globes look!

“For foundation I used Iman stick foundation on the T-zone, cheek area and Nars Sheer Matte Foundation in Benares blended out on the forehead and jawline.

Powder is next because you need it to set the makeup and stop shine. Most women need 2 colors because the T-zone, cheek area and forehead jawline are a different colors. I use Nars pressed powder in Mountain on the T-zone and pressed powder in Heat on the forehead and jawline.

I used an ELF pro mini eyeshadow palette for her eyes. Matte mauve on the lid, black along the lash line to outer corners close to the brow bone and a light shimmer right under the brow arch. Individual lashes and Fluidline gel liner by Mac in Blacktrack.

Cheeks are a Mac powder blush in Fever. And Lips are lined with Iman Luxury Lip Pencil in Tan and Nars Lip Gloss in Fever.

My favorite make-up brands are Nars, Elf, NYX, Revlon and L’Oreal. The drugstore brands are pretty nice nowadays, especially the lip colors and mascaras. The Pro Brands do a little better with eye shadows, blushes (deeper pigments) and foundations (more colors for darker skins).”

I loved her mix of high and low, drugstore and department store! That’s my kinda makeup! I had to ask Val her advice for me, seeing as I’m headed to the Oscar red carpet for the very first time.

“For your Oscar look you can’t go wrong with a muted eye with lots of lashes and a nice eyeliner winged up in the corners. I am in love with the new brighter lip colors which will give you a fresh new look with the muted eye. If you want to take it up a notch, add a glitter shimmer on the lid only. It will give a hint of shine and twinkle when you blink. Make sure to have some blotting papers on hand…. They are perfect for absorbing shine without over powdering.” GREAT advice, Val!! Thank you so much!!

For up and coming artists, Val also offered stellar advice: “For a new artist, I would say to never give up… make sure to work neat and clean (clean your brushes after every client), and don’t be afraid to try something new. Sometimes you can use blush for eyeshadow, or eyeshadow for eyebrows or contouring, etc. Also make friends with other successful artists because when they get busy, they will need help.”

For more of Val’s AMAZING work check out her bi-monthly magazine RegardMag.com or follow them on Twitter @RegardMagazine. For more of Val’s awesomeness, follow her @MissValNoble.

Can’t wait to see Octavia Spencer at the Oscars! My fingers and toes are crossed for an interview opportunity!

What was your fave of Octavia’s red carpet looks, bellas?

While I was at home, I made sure to visit Trinidad’s beauty meccas. I went back in time to my earliest beauty experiences, and then visited some boutiques and tried out some products that represent the future of beauty in Trinidad. Allow me to share my experiences!

– Fabi Cosmetique

The lovely gentleman you see in the above photograph is Mr. Frank Blake, better known to me as Uncle Frank (we call family AND friends Uncle and Aunty as a sign of respect where I come from)! When I was seven or eight, I won a question and answer contest at a fashion event. Uncle Frank gifted me with my first fancy beauty item, a bottle of Fendi body wash. That Christmas, I helped out at Uncle Frank’s store — then located in what was known as Westmall, which is now The Falls at Westmall. Fabi Salon was the origin of my beauty story, and helping out there at such a young age shaped who I am today. It was SUCH a pleasure to take a drive down hustling bustling Ariapita Avenue, and find Fabi in a brand new location! And Uncle Frank looking well as ever!

Fabi Salon is now Fabi Cosmetique and it’s located at 62 Ariapita Avenue, Port of Spain which is an utterly brilliant location, especially around Carnival! Besides popular mainstream fragrances and cosmetics, they also offer bottles of liquor for sale, and there’s a large refrigerator with a variety of beers and beverages. It’s a store both men and women wouldn’t mind shopping in!

– Body Beautiful on d’Avenue

One or two stores down from Fabi, and right across the street from excellent, popular Trinidadian restaurant Veni Mange, is Trinidad’s new natural hair mecca. I was SO impressed by Body Beautiful on D’Avenue — click to check out their Facebook page! Fully stocked with all the popular natural hair lines including Kinky Curly, Curls, Shea Moisture and Naturalista Cosmetics, and natural body products like Tree Hut and Afrikan Republic! I stopped by and met Allison Goddard, one of the owners.

She is lovely and so helpful!! And while I was there she hooked me up with some Sunny Isle Jamaican Pimento castor oil and my scalp is LOVING it. Thank you!!

– Hair It Is

I have always loved Woodbrook and the neighborhood has changed so much! Now old timey Trinidadian residences share the street with cool local boutiques, mas camps, and restaurants. At 21 DeVerteuil Street, an old school friend of mine — the stunning and super sweet Danielle Jones — has opened a hair emporium! Hair It Is sells products for locks, weaves & everything in between. If you’re looking for high quality clip in hair, or products like Moroccan Oil and Mixed Chicks, this is where you go! Click here to follow them on Facebook!

– Cher-Mere

If you know anything about Caribbean made hair products then I am sure you are familiar with Cher-Mere, the original natural hair spa and product line of the islands! Most of Cher-Mere’s products are made with extracts of aloe vera, tea tree, and rachette — NOT “ratchet” like how it’s used in American slang today. Rachette is also known as Opuntia Vulgaris, a species of cactus related to the prickly pear, that is popular in West Indian hair care (especially amongst rastas. This Black Hair Media thread breaks it down). Cher-Mere’s creator biochemist Cheryl Bowles is a family friend — I am so in love with her Aunty Joyce, she’s like a godmother to me! And I love stopping by their store in Long Circular Mall to pick up products — another beloved relative, Elsie, runs things there and is quite the expert on what products you should try. Love what they do!

– Immortelle Beauty

Immortelle Beauty is a new product line out of Trinidad, dedicated to giving Caribbean feet the pampering and love they deserve! Formulated by cosmetic chemist Kathryn Nurse, she launched the beauty line in 2008, and last year my sister and mom attended a lovely product launch she had in Trinidad. Immortelle’s foot spa products are made with Himalayan sea salt, and essential oils of Jamaican allspice, African bitter orange, and French lavender, and they smell decadent and delightful. Loving it so far!

– Sacha Cosmetics

Sacha Cosmetics is THE O.G of Caribbean cosmetics. Founded 30 years ago in Trinidad, it is makeup dedicated to the range of skintones that Caribbean skin comes in. I grew up using Sacha — my very first lipstick was Copper Rosa, and when I went home my wonderful Aunty Gemma gave me a special gift — a brand new tube of Copper Rosa! It’s just as beautiful as I remembered. Travelers to Trinidad, keep your eyes peeled for a big, beautiful Sacha Cosmetics booth just past the security checkpoint, where the departure gates are at Piarco!

Those were my greatest finds and experiences at home, regarding beauty products and places to buy them. I didn’t get out of the Port of Spain area so I hope next time to share some finds from the South and the East of Trinidad!

Trini bellas, where did I miss and where should I visit next time?

Photo via CNN.com.

Those were the poignant and wise words uttered by Viola Davis tonight, who was resplendent in Marchesa as she shared the stage with the cast of her film The Help. Alongside her cast mates Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Sissy Spacek and the legendary Cicely Tyson, Viola Davis was gorgeous and glorious and spoke so eloquently for her cast and in celebration of the women who helped to inspire The Help.

It was a beautiful moment, and that capped off an epic night at the SAG Awards for The Help. It proved to be an extra special night for Viola Davis. When she won her individual prize for Best Actress, she offered words of inspiration to kids who currently attend the middle school and high school that she did in Rhode Island – “Dream big. And dream fierce.”

Photo via facebook.com/essence

Viola may have won the award for best dress of the night, BTW! She looked GORGEOUS!

Octavia Spencer was visibly, genuinely moved by her victory, which came early on in the awards ceremony. Spencer looked beautiful, elegant, and safe in her lilac/greige dress by Tadashi Shoji. I wanted to see a touch of boldness, a pop of color…but she looked lovely nevertheless!

Photo via facebook.com/essence

She first explained why this was an honor greater than herself by saying “these women represent our mothers and grandmothers. By honoring me, you’re honoring them.” She then dedicated her award to slain civil rights activist Medgar Evers, and to women like those she portrayed in the film: “…the downtrodden, the under-served, the underprivileged, the overtaxed — whether emotionally, physically, or financially.”

I haven’t yet seen The Help. I’ve avoided seeing the film in the wake of all of the controversy. But now I am in full on Academy Awards preparation mode, and predictions are already being made for Oscar victory for these incredible actresses. So I’ll be seeing it soon!

What do you think, bellas? Did you love or loathe The Help? How did you feel about the film? How do you feel about the amazing awards for the cast? Do you love Viola’s dress as much as I do??

As the star of such films as Love and Basketball, The Wood, The Best Man, Brown Sugar, Out of Time and most recently, Stephen Soderbergh’s Contagion — she began her acting career at Yale, performing in Shakespearean plays while attending the Yale School of Drama. Sanaa has been in top level productions on every level of acting. She’s done stellar work on television — in the early 90′s she cut her teeth on episodes of Moesha, Family Matters, and NYPD Blue, and now she’s the voice of Donna on The Cleveland Show. Her film career made her a household name for young black women like myself, who were looking for beauty icons to admire and be inspired by. On stage Sanaa has won major accolades for her performance in The Vagina Monologues and she won a Tony nomination for her work on Broadway in A Raisin In the Sun alongside Audra McDonald, Phylicia Rashad — and yes, Sean Combs.

Sanaa Lathan is a grown woman, an accomplished actress, and an established force to be reckoned with in Hollywood.

Sanaa Lathan is talented, beautiful, and inspiring. And now she is the new spokesperson for Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion!

I interviewed the lovely actress about this new role that she describes as “a dream.” Listen in to hear Sanaa’s tips on keeping her natural hair safe despite Hollywood’s expectations, and her favorite products, tips, and recommendations when it comes to Pantene’s hair products!

In part 1, we discuss her favorite Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion products, and her feelings on relaxed versus natural versus what I prefer to call “assisted hair” in her industry.

In part 2, we discuss her makeup and fragrance FAVES. Who knew Sanaa Lathan loved MAC’s Ruby Woo and Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume as much as I did??

You can follow Sanaa Lathan on Twitter @JustSanaa or join her Facebook fanpage right here.

Thanks to Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion and to Sanaa for the opportunity! And THANKS to my new video editor Krystle of Kriss Did It for the AMAZING work!

When I got to Coco Reef, Tobago (one of the finest resorts in the Caribbean, trust and believe!) I took this photo of the standout products that I used and loved the most on my trip. So, bellas – here’s the makeup I took with me to my homeland of Trinidad and Tobago, all tried and tested and ideal for island hopping!

 

 

Top row, left to right:

Neutrogena UVA/UVB Sunblock SPF 45 (via my mom. Don’t think they make this anymore)

NARS lipgloss, Wonder and NARS Velvet Gloss lip pencil, Club Mix

Jordana Easyliner Eyeliners in Seagreen, Denim Blue, and Purple Fusion

Jordana Easyliner for Lips in Plush Plum and Cabernet

MAC Brow Set, MAC Haute and Naughty Lash

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil in Perversion and Woodstock, Urban Decay SuperSaturated Lip Color in Apocalypse

Proactiv Oil Blotter Sheets

Mally Evercolor Poreless Face Defender

Mario Badescu oil free moisturizer SPF 30

The Balm eyeshadow palettes, NudeTude and Shady Lady vol 1.

Bottom row, left to right

Fashion Fair Shine Eliminator

Fashion Fair lipsticks from the Siren Call holiday collection – Femme Fatale and Forbidden

Coach Poppy perfume

Secret Natural Mineral deodorant

Cover Girl Clean pressed powder in Soft Honey

Benefit They’re Real mascara

Cover FX Clear Prep FX Matte Foundation primer, Cover FX translucent mineral powder setting FX, Matte FX dark, Cover FX SPF 30 (I wear B35).

Estee Lauder Topaz Chameleon (will be available Jan 29 and it’s to DIE for!)

Yes, all of these items fit into one makeup bag. Yes, my husband made fun of me and asked me why I was bringing so much makeup. No, I don’t wear all of this makeup at once. What can I say, this is what happens when you’re a beauty blogger!

See anything you love, need, or gotta try? I love absolutely all of these items and would highly recommend them to you, if you’re looking to upgrade your makeup stash!

My skin is like, what are you DOING to me?

For each temperature zone I’m in, I’ve noticed changes in my skin’s appearance. In the cold, my skin felt dry and looked really tight around my nose and mouth. In Trinidad I’m greasy and sweaty. Clearly my skincare needs are not one-size fits all! Let me tell you how I deal with changing seasons of skincare, and what I recommend for transitioning from a cold temperature to warmer climes. After all, there’s a reason fashion designers release resort collections of fun, fabulous dresses in light fabrics — that reason could well be called January, and the need to escape the winter blahs.

1 — Going on a trip? Increase your water intake. I know I tend to go on and on about the need to drink more water, but there’s a reason. Nothing I’ve tried topically has made such a tangible difference to my skin. You can use all of the treatments, ointments, cremes and serums money can buy, but if you’re drinking nothing but sugary juices and soda (yep, even diet) it will result in skin that is prone to breakouts and less than luminous. Drinking more water gives my skin the internal hydration it needs to transition from temperature to temperature without totally freaking out. And if you’re like me and hate drinking water, you can drink flavored “spa” water — check out this cool recipe for “Sassy water” that I found on Pinterest! I am totally trying this flavor combination out!

For even more flavor sugggestions, read this helpful article from xoJane, offering survival tips for those of us who gag at the prospect of drinking plain ol’ water.

2 — Time to tone. Skincare confession time — I’m not a regular user of toner and astringent, and I do often beat myself up over that…but when my skin starts acting up, using a toner after I cleanse helps to restore my skin’s balance to what it needs to be. Don’t think you need to pony up for a toner you won’t necessarily use — quite often, instead of brand name toners I go back to basics and use pure organic rosewater (I get it at Whole Foods) or witch hazel (which I also get at Whole Foods, and comes infused with various fragrances like lemon and lavender).

3 — Assess your skin’s needs and find a product that tackles the issues at hand. If you’re having issues with oil, find a product that has oil absorbing mattifying properties. If you’ve got tight, dry skin, look for something that promises to moisturize your skin, For myself right now, I need gentle skincare that cleanses without stripping my face of its natural oils altogether, and still gives my skin the penetrative moisture I clearly need as a woman in her early thirties.

Cindy Crawford’s Meaningful Beauty skincare line is a recent favorite, and the fact that the products are practically travel size is a WIN for me and my suitcase right now!

At night I make sure that I listen to Meagan Shea and cleanse off the day’s detritus with the Skin Softening Cleanser. And no matter if I’m in the winter cold or the tropical heat, I NEED to use a moisturizer with SPF every day, and the Meaningful Beauty Antioxidant Day Cream with SPF 20 rocks my world. Check them out at TryNewMB.com, and you can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.

That’s what has been working for me in the midst of this season of skincare changes!

How do you change your skincare routine throughout the season?

Post sponsored by Meaningful Beauty, but these opinions are absolutely my own.