When I saw the photos of Sammy Sosa that have been circulating online, one dancehall classic came immediately to mind.

There’s a few more photos on Huffington Post that show the sharp difference in his pigmentation.

The story Mr. Sosa is sticking to is that a skin rejuvenation procedure has made his skin appear lighter, and besides that the lighting made him appear significantly fairer skinned than normal.

If that’s true, then it’s a shame that Mr. Sosa had a facial treatment that resulted in such marked discoloration. Any technician worth their salt will tell you, laser treatments can be very problematic for black skin, and deep chemical peels can damage black skin. So I’m curious as to what kind of treatment Mr. Sosa may have had, so I can make sure not to ever get it myself.

Additional conjecture that Sosa may have vitiligo triggered by steroid use has been gathering steam around the blogosphere.

Among many, the concern is that Sammy Sosa is undergoing a Michael Jackson-esque makeover. He’s reportedly wearing colored contact lenses. Sadly, if Sammy Sosa has indeed been bleaching his skin for superficial reasons — he wouldn’t be alone.

Throughout the Caribbean and Africa, skin bleaching is a popular phenomenon. Products like Fair and White, So White, and Nadinola fly off the shelves throughout most Caribbean islands. Just recently in Jamaica, dancehall artist Lisa Hype defended the practice of skin bleaching and even celebrates the practice in her song Proud of Mi Bleaching. The song title alone speaks volumes, and is a mentality that I have a hard time understanding. But it’s real and it’s happening — black people around the world still seek to alter their natural beauty, often by dangerous means. Just this year reports surfaced of a black woman who underwent a questionable operation to change the color of her eyes from brown to blue. And despite the known dangers of skin bleaching — from permanent disfiguration to skin thinning to cancer — there are those who pledge undying loyalty to the practice. For more insight, check out this clip by Current TV about a Jamaican family of skin bleachers.

Sammy Sosa may not be deliberately lightening the color of his skin by chemical means — one photo can’t tell the whole story. Either way, he needs to stop whatever he’s doing that appears to be causing so much change and apparent damage to his skin color. I still want to give him the benefit of the doubt, so I hope he really isn’t using skin whiteners. But I also hope that this current outcry reaches the people out there who are risking long term health effects hoping to achieve a more light skinned appearance, and sends a direct message that the practice is sad, scary, stupid, and unnecessary.
Queen Ifrica said it all better than I ever could.

** edited November 10 at 10:39 p.m. CST — Well, Sammy’s admitted the truth during television interviews with both ESPN Deportes, and Univision. My suspicions were correct.

“”It’s a bleaching cream that I apply before going to bed and whitens my skin some,” said the former slugger during the “Primer Impacto” program at the Univision Spanish network.

“It’s a cream that I have, that I use to soften [my skin], but has bleached me some. I’m not a racist, I live my life happily,” said a smiling Sosa during the interview.”

And he’s joking about marketing the product too. I would write more about this topic, but all of a sudden I have a mysterious headache. SMH.

Photo courtesy the Chicago Tribune.

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I got lucky — by visiting their booth at the Artist’s Summit, I was able to get a skincare analysis by the lovely lady representing the brand. She gave me specific products to deal with my skincare issues, and I’m gonna review them all for you!

My current skincare issues stem directly from climate change. I moved from Miami to Chicago, so I left the heat and humidity I dealt with my whole life and now my skin doesn’t know what to do with itself. Some days I’ve got an overabundance of oil, sometimes it’s super dry. I’m dealing with acne issues regardless of my hormonal cycle — just when I thought I had zits pre-planned into my calendar, they’re just popping up whenever they want! Well, I got just the thing I need to zap ‘em but good — Drying Lotion. This stuff does NOT fool around! So funny – one of you just mentioned this in the Q-Tips giveaway comments and I was like YES she is so spot on!

Clear on top, pink on the bottom – your initial impluse might be to shake this and blend the two liquids together. DON’T. Instead what you do is dip a Q-Tip into the solution all the way to the bottom, and apply to the affected area (the big ol’ zit in question). Put it on at bedtime and let it dry before rolling around on your nice white sheets, BTW. This stuff can sting if you’ve got sensitive skin or any kind of little cut. But it WILL dry your blemish right up and leave nary a mark. LOVING it. A 1 oz bottle is $17, but I don’t think I’m gonna run out of this bottle anytime soon. Just a teeny dab, and my zit’s practically gone the next day? SOLD!

Transitioning into my first winter (the coldest winter ever?) I’ve had to come to the realization that not every moisturizer is gonna cut it. I needed more hydration. So I was prescribed Herbal Hydrating Serum, to layer with my existing moisturizers or alone if I so desired. It’s the BOMB. $30 for 1oz is a pretty penny to pay for something I’m using up so quickly, but I can’t help it! My skin just can’t get enough. I’ve tried quite a few serums and let me tell you, this is exactly the kind of density and absorption that I’ve been needing. Soothing, nourishing, moisturizing but still light on my skin. I wanna take a bath in Herbal Hydrating Serum!

Completing my perfect-so-far Mario Badescu product experience — the Enzyme Revitalizing Mask. I was told that it’d help to clear up the hyperpigmentation I was experiencing as a result of my reoccurring acne. I’d used Alpha Hydroxy masks before, but this was different from those. The masks I’d tried in the past were clear, sticky and highly scented. This is a creamy, beige mask that has a faint citrus scent.

20 minutes later, my skin was GLOWING. Noticeably fresher, brighter, softer. The package recommends using this two to three times a week, but I’d personally just use it once a week, tops. It’s quite effective and I’m interested to see if it really makes a difference in my hyperpigmentation over time.

I’ve got more winter-themed skincare information coming your way soon! Have you tried Mario Badescu products? What’s your favorite?

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Afrobella’s got your back! Here are some of the latest, greatest products I have been lucky enough to review, all available on the cheap at your neighborhood drugstore.

First stop — Palmer’s. The company known best for making delicious cocoa butter-based body creams has expanded their product line. So if you don’t know, now you know — Palmer’s is making coconut oil hair products! And olive oil hair products too!

The coconut oil formula products smell INCREDIBLE. Just recently I was getting off a bus two steps ahead of my Twitter-buddy Luvvie, and she was raving over how great my hair smelled! It’s sweet coconut deliciousness. For my ingredient-conscious bellas, this may not be the best product ever…but if you’re watching your wallet and need a product with great slip for your twice-or-thrice weekly detangling, the repairing conditioner is wonderful.

If you’re more comfortable and accustomed to Palmer’s body care products, then add their lip butter to your list of gotta-have-it products. $1.99 and it’ll leave your lips tasting and smelling like York Peppermint Patties. (double score if your significant other loves that candy!)

Next up, Sally Hansen! I love their nail polishes (HELLO, HD!) but long before I even used Hard As Nails, I was on the Sally Hansen hair remover train. Woo woo, bare legs here we come! Even as we slip from fall towards winter, I’m staving off Chewbacca legs with their personal care items. Want easy breezy depilatory action? Skip the spray on, shower off. It’s slippery in the tub, sprays places you don’t want it to, runs out quickly, and only stays on your legs. Don’t even TRY to use this on your armpits, unless you want lots of stragglers. If you want a Sally Hansen product that WORKS, I recommend the Naturally Bare Creme Hair Remover for fine to medium hair.

In 3 minutes, your armpits will be silky smooth (the way nature never intended them to be, alas). Equipped with mini “moisture-lift” jojoba beads, this product might feel oddly textured, but it’s effective and that’s all that matters to me. I’ve even used it on other embarrassing-hair-removal areas (hello, sideburns) and it’s worked well.

Speaking of silky soft armpits, what’s your deodorant situation these days? I’m on team Dove! The Visibly Smooth line really has helped to soften the feel of my underarms over time. I’m not yet entirely convinced about it “lessening the look” of my underarm hair, but for sure my pits feel softer than they did when I used more harsh deodorant solids. And the Wild Rose scent is fresh, floral, pretty, and soft enough not to clash with my perfume du jour.

It’s getting cold here in the Chi, so I’m having to learn some tough lessons about my skin. Lesson #1 – ashiness is REAL! And it’s EVERYWHERE! Seriously, I am not accustomed to seeing every last scritch-scratch on my skin appear like chalk on a blackboard. To up the moisture ante to my personal hygiene routine, I’ve been using Softsoap NutriSerums. AKA, the only body wash my husband’s actually admitted that he LIKES. Is it the little gold-and-pink “softening serum pearls”? Is it the moisture-retaining Omegas 3 and 6? Is it the clean, subtly-floral scent? I don’t know, but both of us are loving this stuff (and battling to see who can finish the bottle first, apparently).

I’ve been slathering on the Softsoap with my new favorite bath accessory, the Essence of Beauty faux sea sponge, only available at CVS (and $2.79 at the moment, on sale!). I don’t know what it is about this sponge, but it absorbs and lathers like no other. Plus, it’s super soft! I might be totally spoiled for life (and not going back to the net-body wash sponges again)!

To complete my tour-de-drugstore, I’ve gotta mention my latest favorite decorative item for the dresser. Q-Tips Vanity Packs. So chic! So essential! Finally the beauty must-have that I use every day is packaged so prettily I can display it alongside my jewelry boxes. In fact…stay tuned, bellas. I got a giveaway to kick off your Monday!

Even MORE drugstore beauty finds are in store. Keep reading! And tell me – what’s your latest drugstore beauty buy? You know I always need to know!

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Estee Lauder is closing their Prescriptives brand. Yes, Prescriptives, the brand that catered to the specific needs of customers of color, will soon shuffle off this mortal coil. My amiga Shannon, who blogs for Pierce Mattie PR, seems to think the brand can be saved.

I want to hold out hope for Prescriptives, but I think the stars have collided against it.

Brands like Bobbi Brown and MAC tend to steal the limelight as the go-to department store brands for women of color, and despite a range of excellent products that in some ways go beyond what those aforementioned brands offered, Prescriptives was never able to capture that elusive youth market that breathes eternal life into even the most classic brands. The price point factor, the unexciting packaging, the importance of the in-store experience for this particular brand, the focus on skincare and foundation versus hot hot new colors every month to dazzle the consumers… I think many factors came into play here.

But still, ain’t that a shame. Prescriptives isn’t the kind of makeup that jumps off the glossy magazine page or the computer screen and screams, “buy me.” It’s all about the in store experience, where the range of possibilities becomes instantly apparent. If ever there was a time to stock up on custom blended makeup, it’s now.

Before Prescriptives has gone completely, I will highlight my top favorites, the items you absolutely gotta get before they pack up those department store shelves for good.

1 — All Skins Mineral Makeup, SPF 15. My luck with mineral makeup has been hit or miss, but this $32 powder has saved me through many bad-skin days. The coverage is natural looking but buildable, and the range of colors absolutely cannot be beat. If you’ve got issues with hyperpigmentation, now is the time to trek out to your nearest department store and get your skin Colorprinted, so you know exactly what your shade is.

2 — Longwear Kohl Liner. When I know I’m gonna be somewhere all day under conditions where my makeup will be tested — outside at a concert, for example — I reach for my longwear liner. It’s waterproof, creamy, gives great color payoff, and when it sets it lasts for-ev-errrrrr. Plus it’s automatic so no sharpening required. $17.50, and absolutely no regrets. The blue kohl is a deep, delicious navy that makes brown eyes sparkle.

3 — False Eyelashes Plush Mascara. For $19.50, this is a teeny mascara tube. 0.35 oz of glam for $20 might be a fair price to pay for lashes like these. I don’t ever really wear fake lashes, so this is as close as I get to that kind of drama. Two coats and I’m ready to make an entrance.

4 — Good In Bed Skin Restoring Night Moisturizer. I sincerely believe that it’s never too early to start taking care of your skin. I regret not starting even earlier! Now I’m 30 and I keep a battalion of night creams near my bedside table. Prescriptives Good In Bed is among my very faves. Supremely moisturizing and luxe, it makes my skin feel velvety soft and look luminous. $65 – not cheap, but my bellas who use anti-aging creams shouldn’t sleep on this.

5 — the Making Faces Warm Kit. I used to be scared of the blush – but now I recognize its power. A little blush can go a long way in giving your face definition and adding radiance to your complexion. The Making Faces Warm kit comes with a deep, delicious brick-rust colored blush that makes my cheekbones go POW! Love it! $55 for a kit that includes the fresh to death mineral cheek color, a loose lighting powder, and an angled cheek brush for your make up pleasure.

Those are a few of my favorite things — I definitely plan to support Prescriptives in these dark days, and I am still holding out hope for some kind of comeback for the brand.

What are your thoughts on the closing of Prescriptives? Do you have any favorite Prescriptives products? Let a bella know!

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When it comes to body scrubs, there’s no debate. I generally prefer the former. If you have sensitive skin — or heaven forbid have a cut — a salt scrub can bring you to tears. Sugar makes you smell good, makes you practically edible to your significant other, and doesn’t sting at all.

I’m team sugar all the way.

I’ve had some incredible sugar scrub treatments at high end spas (Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne offers a heavenly treatment called Coco-luscious. OMG). I’ve also done some wonderful exfoliating skin treatments right in the peace and serenity of my own bathroom. And guess what – you can too! Here’s my scrubby shower ritual.

1 — Do my basic shower first. Meaning, soap and water to cleanse my essentials.

2 — If I’m doing a conditioner wash, I slather on some condish on my hair from root to tip and let it marinate.

3 — most important — turn off the water. Not only does this save water, but it helps to save your scrub! Your skin is wet enough to enjoy the decadence you’re about to unleash. Scrub a dub dub, and while you’re at it, this is a great time to wet your wide toothed comb and do a little detangling of your hair’s ends.

4 — wash it all off and finish detangling your hair, rinse well

5 — moisturize and finito!

This may all seem very elementary, but just that little tip to turn off the water while doing my sugar scrub was something that didn’t occur to me before, and I washed so many wasted granules down the drain. Be smarter than I was! Sugar scrubs can be way too pricey for that kind of excess.

Having said that, here are some of my latest faves and not-so faves.

If you read my recent feature in Essence Magazine, you saw my shout out to ME Bath Shower Sherbert. The latest installment of Beautyfix included a full size tub of goodness, but if you need your ME! Bath experience ASAP, a tub of sherbert costs $28. Let me tell you, this glycerine based sugar scrub is positively decadent. It smells so yummy you want to slurp it down instead of scrub it on. But if you do the right thing and use it on your skin, you’ll be so smooth and delicious smelling your significant other might want to eat you up instead! Wth flavors like Gotta Have It Pomegranate, and Choco-Holic, it’s an understandable mistake. The glycerine is a special added touch that really makes the texture of the scrub unusually thick. It leaves your skin feeling silky soft and moisturized. This isn’t your everyday sugar scrub, so I’d say yes – $28 is worth it. Any of the ME! Bath products would make a fabulous and unusual gift item. Click here to get yours.

Another really sexy sugar exfoliant is the Sugar Mama Honey Scrub by good-for-you skin care company Noodle & Boo. Ultra fine-milled sugar, blended with honey into a paste so thick you can practically spread it on your body. $26 and it makes your skin insanely touchable and delish. I can’t get enough Noodle and Boo! Their products are largely made for babies, so you know they’re super gentle and good for those with sensitive skin. Click here to get your Sugar Mama on.

On the other hand, there’s Lush. I sincerely love this brand, and I support their environmental friendliness. But I was disappointed by their sugar scrub. The description even warns you, “Get yourself wet in the shower or bath but don’t let the bar get under the running water or it’s lost before it’s has a chance to prove itself.” That’s certainly true. I wish the warning had continued to add, “make sure you put this in a plastic bag or container after you use it, otherwise it’ll drool green ectoplasm looking-stuff all over your shower. This was one instance where Lush’s eco-friendly packaging practices worked against me. Normally I don’t mind the fact that their products come wrapped in recycled paper… but this sugar scrub could have used a container to package it in.

One of my first sugar scrub loves was by Bath & Body Works. I loved the smell and the scrub, but the slippery oil slick left behind in the shower left something to be desired. Bath and Body Works aromatherapy line continues to deliver on scent. The jasmine vanilla is as sensual as you might imagine – a heavenly floral that lingers on the skin long after you’ve sloughed it off. The only issue is, the slick remains. This is a scrub that comes submerged under a layer of oils that feel like heaven on your skin, but can make your bathtub a danger zone if you’re a klutz like me. Proceed with caution, but know that you can expect extremely delightful, beautifully scented results. One real advantage with the Bath and Body Works products for those seeking to get more bang for their buck — it’s $16 a tub but because of all of the highly scented sunflower, safflower, sweet almond and jojoba oils in there, you can add your own coarse brown sugar after you’ve scooped out the $16 worth of sugar, and keep the goodness going for a little longer. Word to the wise for my bellas on a budget! Click here to treat yourself, my dears.

Have you tried any delicious sugar scrubs recently? Let me know your favorites!

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When the days are muggy your makeup can get to melting. And nobody wants to walk around looking like a runny ice cream cone with raccoon eyes. What’s a bella to do? My advice is, use the right products to make your makeup last all day — especially if you plan to be out and about at an event where you might be photographed or something. Think wedding or special date. Here are some product suggestions — some I’ve tried, and some I certainly plan to try!

Being matte and perfectly made up all day starts after you wash your face with your moisturizer of choice. For daytime, I love products by Pur Minerals. The Under Control Mattifying Gel is light and does exactly what it promises, and the See No More pore minimizer leaves your skin super silky and primed for makeup.

For evening I like Lierac Mat-Chrono Creme — it’s an anti-aging, mattifying night cream that will last you FOREVER. That’s because only the teeniest dab will absorb into your skin! Just touch your fingertip to it, rub it on your T-zone and voila, oil begone. I dig it.

After you moisturize, then it’s time to get your prime on. MAC has two great options — Prep & Prime lotion, $23 and it really evens out skin tone, makes makeup last, and keeps oil at bay. Then there’s Prep and Prime transparent finishing powder, which you can dust on over your makeup. I love this stuff, and I hardly leave the house in this summer heat without a little dusting of it on my face.

Need an affordable alternative? I heart Valana Minerals Oasis Oil Control Powder. $15, and it really works. I love everything Valana, you already know that!

I’m intrigued by MakeUpForEver’s HD primers, because if they’re anything like my beloved HD Foundation, I won’t be able to leave home without it! The HD Primers promise to correct complexion and make makeup last under even to the closest examination. It’s made to withstand HD technology, so if it works under Hollywood’s hot lights, it should last in the most sweltering heatwaves.

There are other tips I’m sure many of you savvy bellas know — to make your lipstick last, start out with a lip pencil. Or better yet, line your lips, fill them in almost all the way, and slick on lipgloss for shine.

There are SO many great lip pencils on the market, but these days I’m partial to Prescriptives Deluxe Lip Pencil which comes in delightfully dark shades that last forever and look gorgeous on brown skinned bellas. Benefit’s d’finer d’liner clear lip liner is a clear stick that promises to make your regular lipstick stay put. I’ve tried it, but I gotta be honest – I haven’t put it to the ultimate hot weather test yet.

To make eye makeup stick — now THAT’s tricky. I speaking of Benefit, I personally prefer Benefit’s lemon-aid over Urban Decay’s classic primer potion — but bear in mind I haven’t yet tried the new Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin 0.34 oz Sin. I hear it’s gorgeous, even without shadow.

Lemon Aid is “a warm yellow correcting cream” that hides eyelid discoloration and has the added power to make eyeshadow last for ages in the heat. And like the Lierac, all you need is the teeniest dab. This will last for a LONG time, trust!

I could go on and on about primers — there’s a product to make your makeup stick, from foundation to lashes. But I’ll just wrap it up with my last fave to make your makeup last. If you’re going somewhere special, it’s smart to bring the tools you need to reapply your look. Stroll out the door with an eyepencil, little mascara, and compact in your purse just in case. And always, always – specially in a hot climate if you have oily skin — roll with some blotting linens. Boscia blotting linens are among the very best and now come in new scents. Like vanilla! Not bad for $10, but if you’re a bella on a budget there are cheaper varieties by Clean & Clear and Sonia Kashuk at Target.

Whew! Those are some of my fave products for making your makeup last. My other word to the wise? Stay out of the sun and outdoor elements if you can! No quicker way to ruin your expertly applied makeup than being outside in the summertime!

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I like to use bar soap first, then slough my skin with a decadent, lavishly scented body wash using my trusty bath puff-thingy. And I like to have several options at the ready. How do I choose the body wash du jour? That entirely depends on the day and the vibe I want to enjoy for the next 24 hours (unless I feel like spoiling myself with an evening shower too)!

These are my top 5 current fave body washes. There’s one for every beauty lover’s taste — expensive, affordable, and every price point in between!

1. Caress Evenly Gorgeous Body Wash. OK, I’ll make it a tie with Caress Cashmere Luxury Body Wash, just because I love anything and everything vanilla! But if you have rough skin or just want really soft smooth skin, Evenly Gorgeous is the one for you. It’s infused with burnt brown sugar and karite butter to tone and exfoliate, and I gotta tell ya, it smells delish. And apparently Spoiled Pretty and Kim Kardashian agree with me!

The texture isn’t too grainy so this won’t irritate my sensitive-skinned bellas. Plus it’s affordable and here’s a bonus — coupon, anyone?

Caress has a great initiative with fashion guru Carson Kressley, all about flaunting your skin with the hottest clothing trends. Click here to peep his vids and be inspired!

2. Bodycology Foaming Bath & Shower Gel. If you really like the kind of lush scented body washes available at Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret but don’t want to break a Hamilton, check out Bodycology, a line of bath products that cost under $10 and are typically available at supermarkets and Walmart, but smell like heaven. I’ve tried a number of their scents, but I keep returning to White Gardenia and the delicious Coconut Lime, SO refreshing for summertime!

3. 100% Pure Tahiti Coconut/Vanilla Foaming Body Wash. Just because you’re into organic, pure, natural living doesn’t mean you are forever condemned to smell like patchouli and sweat! I seriously love the 100% Pure line of bath and body products. Their shower gels come in a dazzling and delicious array. This island bella goes gaga for anything vanilla or anything coconut as you’ll notice, so put them two of them together and OMG, foaming bathtime heaven!
For $15 you can cop a taste of Tahiti at Bath & Body Works. Or by clicking right here.

4. Neutrogena Rainbath is the OG of high-end drugstore goodness. Mama Bella has sworn by it for years, and when I was younger I’d occasionally sneak drips of her Rainbath for my own shower experience, just because I wanted to smell like a grown woman should! Rainbath smells fresh, clean, feminine, grown, and sexy IMO. It’s a perfect summer body wash — leaves my skin feeling very soft and lightly moisturized. And one botle can last a while if you’re judicious (and don’t have a pesky teenager stealing from ut all the time)!

5. Kai Fragrances Body Buffer, which I got from PlanetBeauty.com. Ever since I realized Kai was one of Oprah’s favorite things, it’s been on my radar. You know Oprah’s always using good stuff, and this was a no brainer for me. Hints of gardenia and white flowers, evocative of Hawaii — right up my alley!

The body buffer isn’t exactly a traditional body wash, far from it. The $36 package includes two body buffers — round, white sponge-like bath puffs that are heavily saturated with heavenly scented Kai goodness. $36 is a bit steep, but this is high-end goodness, and they’re guaranteed to last at least 30 showers (more if you save them and let em dry out between uses). Soak the buffer, scrub your skin, then smell yourself. Mmmmmm! For even more scent, follow up with the body lotion and the perfume oil. Believe me when I say, someone will ask you about the delicious scent you’re wearing if you rock this stuff.

Whew! I didn’t realize I had so many delicious shower scents at the ready. What’s your favorite body wash? I’m always down to try something new!

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I find myself almost constantly plagued by acne and excess oil. Lucky me – being a beauty blogger I have the privilege of reviewing quite the variety of skin care products, some of which are insanely pricey. I’ll do a review on the latest and greatest soon! But when my skin’s at its most unpredictable, I find myself reaching for the tried and tested, and super affordable. That means good ol’ Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque, which retails for $3.99 online.

It calms down my frazzled face with green kaolin clay goodness, and makes a great overnight spot treatment if I have an especially hellacious zit. Plus, the minty scent and cooling clay make it an ideal summer skin savior.

I kind of can’t believe I’ve never reviewed this product before. But at the same time I can — how often do you really think about your standby beauty favorites? The products your mom used, that sit there patiently at the back of your bathroom cabinet until you realize they’re exactly the thing you’ve been needing all along? I’d also include St. Ives Apricot Scrub and Pond’s Cold Cream.

Queen Helene’s been producing the same goodness for 75 years now, but looky here! A new line of fair trade certified cocoa butter products! I’m gonna have to check em out.

What are your stand-by never fail beauty faves? Do you have any special summertime skin saviors?

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There are some killer bargains to be found in the world of spas these days, bellas. Trust me – look in the ads at the back of your local paper, or take a gander online. Spas are hurting bad (just like so many other service industries are), and the consumer reaps the rewards. There are spa specials galore, if you get to looking. But if you’re in my unemployed condition, sometimes even a spa special isn’t enough to make the experience affordable. Times like these call for at-home spa treatments! Investing a little in a new product can pay off alot. A trip to the spa may leave you glowing and overjoyed, but being able to recreate that effect at home? Priceless.

Here’s a tip I got at the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach. The treatment I enjoyed at the Eau Spa was among the most fantastic spa treatments I have EVER had (and I’ve had some good ones!) It’s called the Elemis Exotic Frangipani Body Nourish Wrap, and involves being anointed with a heavenly scented oil blended from coconut and frangipani flowers and then basically wrapped up in what feels like a giant waterbed that’s inflated while you’re in it. It is the closest thing I can imagine to being in the womb. OK, so that part would be impossible to do at home. But the treatment begins with a dry body scrub using a cactus body brush and let me tell you — this will change your life. Never before could I have imagined skin this soft.

A little research reveals that dry body brushing has a ton of great health benefits — from helping to reduce cellulite to improving immunity. It’s extremely popular in the world of detox, and rumor has it (according to the lady who scrubbed me down), this has been done since the era of the Greeks and Romans.

There are some insanely pricey dry body brushes on the market, but I skipped past all of them and got the $15 cactus body brush from The Body Shop. It’s made from all natural materials and yes – cactus bristles are spiky! Ouch! But brush gently, and it isn’t so bad. Really it isn’t. And the softness of your skin afterwards is sooooooo worth it!

Massage your skin with something decadent, like Kiehls’ Argan Dry Oil, Oyin AfterBath or Carol’s Daughter Body and Bath Oil, and your skin will thank you afterwards.

Body scrubs are popular treatments at spas, but here’s the rub (literally) — your money’s simply being spent on the pleasure of having someone else’s hands on your body. Which can be totally worth it, of course… but bellas on a budget should know that at most spas, they aren’t using anything you can’t whip up at home yourself with a minumum of effort. It’s easy enough — all you need is a whole lotta brown sugar, and some organic coconut, jojoba, sweet almond or olive oil, and a drop or two of your essential oil of choice, et voila! A body scrub as decadent as anything you’ll find at ESPA or the Red Door.

I personally prefer a sugar scrub — my skin’s too soft and easily stung for salt! But salt scrubs are great if you have coarser, less sensitive skin and really want to soften it up. From Nature With Love sells pre-packaged kits to get your DIY on, in Sugar Cookie Scrub and Black Raspberry Salt. Delicious!

Another great at-home or easy on-location spa treatment (and island remede) — beach sand. Ever since I was a wee one, mama bella would sit where the water lapped gently on the sand, and use the wet grains to scrub her feet, hands, elbows and knees. Spa Index features a recipe — all it requires is a little beach sand, some canola oil (I prefer coconut) and drops of rosemary oil. So simple, and that’s the kind of thing a less savvy bella might pay big bucks for at a pricey vacation spa. Keep that cash and collect a little sand whenever you’re at the beach next time! That way you can spa at home for free!

Do you DIY spa treatments at home? Do tell! How do you pamper yourself (and save your money)?

Related posts:

1. Get Your Body Scrub On
2. Buy or DIY? – Brown Sugar Lip Scrub
3. The Winner of the Home Depot Giveaway!

I used to think pink makeup didn’t work so well on women of color. Too pale, too subtle, too washed out = pointless, I assumed. I’d see these new high end department store makeup collections coming out featuring rose, coral, and ballerina pink makeup, and never even consider buying any of it, because the colors didn’t seem meant for me. Well ever since Damone Roberts and Patrece Williams preached the gospel, I’ve become a convert.

Pink makeup can look amazing on brown skin of all shades. You just gotta find the right product. Let me share some new favorites and celebrity makeup artist must-haves!

For lip color, I already told you that Damone swears by Dior Addict Ultra Gloss Reflect Clutch Pink 517, and Rose Satin 657.

But I just teased this earlier, so now here’s the product that Patrece Williams swears “every woman of color needs to have” — Clinique Full Potential duo gloss in Luscious Lilac/Bloom Berry.

For the life of me, I can’t find that *exact* product as a duo gloss. It must have been a limited edition holiday thing, because all I can find is Clinique’s Kissable Six lipgloss set, a limited edition set reviewed by Makeup and Beauty Blog a while back. But fret not, bellas! Clinique’s full potential glosses come seperately, so you can get Luscious Lilac and a similar shade, Blackberry Bloom, online for just $17.50.

So what are Patrece’s other pink recommendations? For cheeks she loves MAC fleur power (a bright pinkish-coral), MAC mocha (a soft, matte plum-pink), and NARS Oasis. Love. This. Color!

The other lippie she loves is Chanel Equinoxe, and for eyes she recommended a product I gushed about a while back — Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact.

The original compact in bronze already had rosy elements to it, but Bobbi Brown’s upped the ante of late with the blushed pink collection, and the platinum pink shimmer brick, which might look scary if you’re a makeup newbie, but if you try it out, you’ll realize it could actually be your best friend.

These five strips of shimmery shades swirl together and are so pretty when lightly swooshed over areas you may want to highlight. I tend to use it on my cheekbones, decolletage, and I use the individual strips as eyeshadows. I heart Bobbi Brown for products like these — truly multi use, multi talented beauty in one package for $40. And it’s not too sheer/unpigmented/flat to show up on your beautiful brown skin, AND it’ll last you forever. Trust!

So I told you Damone’s pink recommendations, and Patrece’s.

Me? I’m head over heels for Benefit’s pinks. I love the soft, pretty barely there Benefit Dandelion blush, or CORALista, which gives my cheeks that I’m-having-a-beautiful-day glow.

And I noticed that nobody mentioned the prospect of pink on your eyelids — yes indeed, that can be very pretty for spring. But on darker skin sometimes it doesn’t show up. If you have oily eyelids (like I do), use a dab of primer before you apply. I love Benefit’s spring collection of creaseless cream eyeshadows — very blendable, shimmery, and stunning. AND versatile – I use them like fingerpaints. Samba-dy Loves Me is a soft golden-pink, and <Flying Down To… is described as orchid purple, but has a slightly silvery shimmer when I use it on my lids. Both very pretty when by themselves for day, or layered with darker shadows for a smokey eye in the evening.

Other pink eye options? Wow, that sounds awful! But to give my eyelids a rosier hue, I’ve got my eye on Dior’s fresh, feminine 5-Colour Eyeshadow kit in Spring Bouquet. I figure this recession can’t last forever. I’m willing to wait until Fall for it, it’s that pretty!

If you’re not yet swayed by my enthusiastic recommendations, do yourself a favor and head out to the mall this weekend! Hit up Macy’s or Nordie’s, and beeline for the makeup counter. Check out the latest spring releases, and try swatches on the back of your hand. Or even better, get a makeover and ask about their prettiest seasonal shades. You’re bound to find a color that’ll put you right in the pink of things.

Got any favorites of your own, bellas? Do you feel pretty in pink? Let me know what works for you — or if you need any drugstore-chic recommendations for my bellas on a budget!

Related posts:

1. Bobbi Brown — Investment Makeup
2. Is It Worth It? Bobbi Brown and Shu Uemura
3. Hot Pink Products!