Because I grew up in Trinidad, I didn’t grow up reading American literature. It was pretty much all British and Caribbean lit until I moved to America and started doing college literature classes. Naturally The Great Gatsby was an early essential, and from the first time I read it I had strong feelings about it. I loved F. Scott Fitzgerald’s lush depiction of jazz age excess, but I found myself hating many of the characters. I saw Nick Carraway as a passive observer of life, the person who lives vicariously, never truly living at all. Tom Buchanan was cartoonish and loathsome but Daisy was worse, and even in the book I couldn’t comprehend Gatsby’s deep, destructive love for a woman so shallow and selfish.

Before I get into this review, I feel like I should disclose my feelings about the film and the source material. I’m a big Leonardo DiCaprio fan, and I think Baz Luhrmann has a truly individualistic and brilliant eye for cinematic possibilities. I loved Romeo and Juliet – and that soundtrack included some absolute gems that have become classic songs (the end credit song, Radiohead’s Exit Music for immediate example). The fact that Jay-Z produced the soundtrack added to my intrigue. I went into The Great Gatsby screening with high hopes, based on the actors, the director and the buzz surrounding soundtrack. I didn’t counterbalance that with my feelings about the source material, so I’ll admit that from the beginning.

There were parts of this film that I loved, and that made me feel absolutely transported into the era. Let’s start with what I loved.

The costume design is absolutely to die for and it’s no small surprise that The Great Gatsby has become a merchandise marketing machine, with brands like Tiffany and Brooks Brothers coming on board to create Gatsby-branded collectors items seeking to capture that glamour for themselves. The party scenes are just as dazzling as you might have imagined them to be. And speaking of dazzling, show us that smile again Leonardo -

YES. HEY LEO, HEY.

Leonardo DiCaprio is the cat’s meow and he is gorgeous and convincing as Jay Gatz AKA Jay Gatsby. He took a role that could easily skew towards caricature, fleshed it out and made it as whole as possible. He’s the biggest draw in the film and ladies who are headed to the theater based on their love of Leo most likely won’t leave disappointed. He’s great in this part.

The soundtrack was hyped so much as an essential and modern twist to the classic tale, but I’ll be honest – it didn’t add much to me, and in some scenes I felt that it detracted, or was used as comic relief (for example, the IZZO scene). Some songs worked way better than others. I loved Emile Sande’s jazz age version of Crazy In Love enough to want the soundtrack on Spotify.

This version of The Great Gatsby is so NOT East Egg – it is lurid, over the top, drenched in ostentatious fashion, style inspiration and dazzling visuals. I loved all of it. But amidst all of the ostentation, I lost the thread of plausibility and the negative aspects that bothered me about the characters in the first place came glaring into the spotlight. Let’s get into what I didn’t like.

It is a daunting and enormous task to bring an American literary classic to life, so I appreciate the reverence that Baz Luhrmann demonstrated for the book. Having said that, some books are just better as books – the written word more powerfully conveys the emotions that explain the plot of The Great Gatsby than this movie was able to, IMO. It seemed that Luhrmann knew that as well, since he used memorable passages of Fitzgerald’s prose, typewritten by Tobey Maguire’s latter period Callahan in a classic film cliché. Fitzgerald’s words are superimposed upon the screen and then they fall away like melting snowflakes, the first few times the effect was used I found it charming but at the film’s end I viewed it through a different lens, and I found it to have worn its welcome. It seemed more like a crutch, issued forth in the hopes of reminding the audience that behind the spectacle and the sets, there is vibrant literature here with a message meant to speak to the death of the American dream.

There were moments where I felt beaten over the head by imagery, like yes, the billboard with the spectacles, YES WE GET IT. I see what Luhrmann was trying to do, but it didn’t work for me, or for the audience it seemed.

I observed a lot from the audience’s cues – by the film’s third act, every time Gatsby called someone “old sport,” the girls in the row behind me started giggling and it occurred to me that The Great Gatsby “Old Sport” drinking game could be a success in the DVD release. The affectation was that ubiquitous.

Fitzgerald’s book is slender but staggering, and the writing keeps the characters three dimensional. That didn’t work for everyone in this film. Carey Mulligan didn’t convince me that Daisy was worthy of Gatsby’s undying, doomed love. Tobey Maguire stayed true to Callahan and reminded me of what drove me nuts about the character in the first place – he’s a device meant to observe but not disrupt the plot, the narrator who only exists to tell someone else’s story. Joel Edgerton’s Tom Buchanan was all bluster and machismo – in some scenes, I found him reminiscent of Bluto from the old Popeye cartoons. And to continue cartoon comparisons, I found Isla Fisher’s character to be equally one-dimensional – a Betty Boop-era flapper with hypersaturated makeup, whose final scene was reminiscent of a music video.

Can there be spoilers in reviewing The Great Gatsby? That would be almost like saying there could be spoilers for Titanic, or Romeo and Juliet. I don’t want to ruin the film for anyone who hasn’t yet read F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic, so I’ll just end the review by saying this – I didn’t expect to leave the theater rejoicing, by any means, but I did feel a tinge of emptiness and vague, unsettled disappointment after seeing The Great Gatsby. Seeing this movie made me want to read the book again and then see the movie again to better grasp what I felt was missing. So I guess, in the grand scheme of ticket sales and DVD rentals, it’s all to the good. This film was initially intended to be released in Oscar season and now it ushers in the summer blockbuster period – but it fits well here. For all of the over-the-top scenery and 3D delight, it works and I think it gives the audience what it wants. Glitter, glitz, fashion and Leo. And the fact that the movie opened to $51.1 million this past weekend, indicates that maybe America got what it was looking for.

What did you think of The Great Gatsby?

Full disclosure – I cohosted a Great Gatsby screening and that’s where I saw the film.

The post Afrobella Film Review – The Great Gatsby appeared first on Afrobella.

When I read it in college, I fell in love with the lavish lifestyle F. Scott Fitzgerald so vividly illustrated in his literary classic, The Great Gatsby. The book is set in the ostentatious 1920’s and inspired by real people and places Fitzgerald hobnobbed with – even today, the mansion that inspired Jay Gatsby’s, is impressive from above. The characters exist in an extravagant, fabulous bubble that you can’t help but want to be in, even though you can tell it’s about to burst.

It’s all about opulent homes, status vehicles, ornate dresses and perfectly cut suits, and over-the-top, competitive entertainment. The plot speaks to our times despite the period setting, and the deeper messages Fitzgerald conveyed are timeless. I think it’s perfect fit to have the visionary Baz Luhrmann bring The Great Gatsby’s over the top world to three dimensional life, and to set it all to a soundtrack starring Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Lana Del Ray.

The film looks AMAZING.

I’ve been excited about the cinematic adaptation of The Great Gatsby for a while now, and tomorrow (Tuesday, May 7), I’m co-hosting an advanced screening of the film and a few lucky Chicago readers can come to the event! Alongside my friends at JET Magazine, we will welcome The Great Gatsby to Chicago before it opens nationwide on May 10.

And 20 of you can come too!

The first twenty people to comment on this post, including their name and using a valid e mail address, will have their names added to the guest list for tomorrow evening’s movie screening at 6 pm at the Kerasotes Showplace Icon in the South Loop.

Entries will be closed at midnight tonight. This will fill up fast, so hurry up and click below to comment!

For even MORE Gatsby, follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thegreatgatsbymovie, and on Twitter: @GatsbyMovie @LeoDiCaprio @TobeyMaguire. For tomorrow night, follow the hashtags #TheGreatGatsby #SummerofGatsbyCHI to see all about the glamorous local screening event!

Thank you to Allied Media and Warner Brothers for this opportunity!

**edited at 8:39 am – the comments are officially closed. Thanks for entering!

The post Chicago! Tomorrow! Come With Me To See The Great Gatsby appeared first on Afrobella.

Tonight on Twitter the news spread like wildfire that Chris Kelly, one half of the 90′s rap duo Kriss Kross, passed away. According to ABC News, reasons are as yet unconfirmed.

I can’t deny that this news made me immediately sad, and brought back so many memories of a particular era of my life. The early 90′s, when life was all about owning a Cross Colors teeshirt and the perfect pair of Keds. When I was just starting to think I like boys and maybe one might like me back (maybe). Such an innocent, angsty time.

I was of that Kriss Kross generation. Jump would be on the soundtrack of my life. That song was a HUGE hit around the world, and the fact that Jamaican dancehall superstar Supercat was on the track made it even bigger in the islands. From the minute that song started, people went wild.

Instant memories!

CNN says Chris Kelly and Chris Smith were just ”13-year-olds when they were discovered in 1991 at an Atlanta mall by Jermaine Dupri.” I was the same age.

The memory that instantly came flooding back to me was when Kriss Kross came to Trinidad – all of my friends from school got to go to the concert, but my parents refused to let me go. We had a family obligation and they weren’t budging, no matter how big my crush was or how much I loved their songs. I remember the cassette of Totally Krossed Out was a highly coveted item amongst my girlfriends. And to this day, when my husband and I are going to reheat a meal, odds are high that one of us might make a reference to their follow up hit, Warm It Up. Cause we’re silly like that.

Hearing that Chris Kelly passed away made me feel like a little sliver of my childhood died. And it made me reflect on what happens to celebrities after their time in the spotlight has ended. What must it have been like to be THAT famous at age 13? And what happens when you have to reinvent yourself and leave fame and fortune behind? Hearing the news made me all kinds of reflective.

I think it’s undeniable Chris Kelly, Chris Smith and Jermaine Dupri created magic in the studio back in 1992. I’ll always love Jump, and hearing that song will always take me back to being 13, when dancing and music and knowing the latest songs was so essential to my being, and not being allowed to go to a concert was the biggest worry I had in the world.

Thank you for the memories, Chris Kelly. RIP.

The post RIP Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly of Kriss Kross. appeared first on Afrobella.

For 40 years, women of color have known and loved Fashion Fair Cosmetics. The venerable beauty brand based in Chicago was a staple in my formative years and I know I’m not the only one who remembers that familiar pink marbleized compact being on their mother’s dresser. The brand has been through so many changes through the years and now Fashion Fair is on an upswing in a new era, thanks in major part to the efforts of Creative Makeup Director Sam Fine. His debut collection set the bar high for makeup lovers and now, to celebrate their 40 years of creating beauty products for women of color, they have released the Fashion Fair Four capsule collection. It’s available in stores and online right here, right now!

Each collection is beautifully packaged featuring stunning images by photographer Victor Skrebneski. Each package features a woman who represents an era of Fashion Fair history on the cover. Via HuffPo:

The 1970’s Foxy Capsule Collection: A tribute to our founder Eunice W. Johnson, containing feminine soft pink pallets to inspire the Fox in us all.

The 1980’s Fresh Capsule Collection: Dedicated to the legacy of the hip-hop era, containing a set of sumptuous warm pink colors evoking fresh beauty.

The 1990’s Sensuous Capsule Collection: Reflecting a new evolved era of beauty featuring rich, modern, and bright pink pallets celebrating the sensuality of a woman.

The 2000’s Divine Capsule Collection: Capturing the latest and hottest trends in beauty; featuring glamorous and bold pink shades that embody the divine power of beauty. (PS: the colors in this particular photo above are a bit brighter than what I experienced in person).

The packaging is gorgeous! It’s absolutely the kind of thing that anybody would be proud to display on the dresser. I’m so proud of Fashion Fair! The collection itself is beautifully presented, but how you feel about the items within entirely depends upon this question: Do you love pink? Do you really really love pink?

If so you are going to go crazy for this collection. Each package comes with a lip teaser, lipstick, nail lacquer and blush – all in shades of pink, evocative of the vintage Fashion Fair packaging swirls of marble.

In terms of packaging, the 1970′s “foxy” box featuring a woman with beautiful large afro is my favorite. In terms of the products within, I must admit I found the pinks to be a little subdued for my personal taste. I like a hot pink. A deep pink. So the 2000’s Divine Capsule was my fave in terms of color – the Divine Pink lipstick has a deeper hue and a violet undertone, and the Divine Pink lip teaser is bright, fun and summertime chic!

I love this new direction that Fashion Fair is heading in and I hope to see them continue to innovate their brand and draw from their rich history. I hope to see them continue to celebrate black beauty for years to come! The overall look of this collection is really encouraging — between this and Sam Fine’s outstanding makeup collection, I feel that the future is very bright for this classic legacy brand.

Is this particular collection made for me? Not so much, but that’s just because I’m not really that into pink. But if you are a diehard pink lover then you should run — don’t walk — to your nearest Fashion Fair counter. And if you’re not that into pink, I hope you’re not sleeping on those Sam Fine collection lipsticks, because they are to DIE for. Click here to shop!

What you think bellas? Are you here for the Fashion Fair Four capsule collection? Or is this a little too much pink for you?

The post Fashion Fair’s 40th Anniversary Collection — All Pink Everything appeared first on Afrobella.

This post has nothing to do with Lil Kim. And everything to do with coming face to face with your TV faves. I’m a big fan of The Daily Show, so when my friends at Dove told me the April Truth Day they wanted me to come to NYC for was being hosted by Samantha Bee, I HAD to go.

Do you watch The Daily Show, bellas? If you do, you already know Samantha Bee as their intrepid correspondent who bravely interviews politicians and newsmakers, tackling tough subjects with assumed, deliberate and brilliant insensitivity and ignorance. And when she isn’t reporting on stories about current affairs, she’s doing stuff like striding around Times Square, interviewing folks in a faux-shower for Dove.

I had to ask her about that, and more. And it’s so cool to come face to face with someone you watch often on TV, only to discover that behind the comedic veneer is a sweet, friendly, down to earth, nice person.

Samantha Bee is Canadian, and I was curious as to whether being an outsider to politics here lent to her perspective on the issues that separate our countries, like health care or gun control – stuff like that. “I think so, to some degree. It can be disconcerting being an inside-outsider. There are tons of cultural similarities, but we’re also totally different. It’s interesting how it informs society.”

Samantha gained a reputation on TDS as being the “always pregnant lady,” as Olivia Munn referred to her.I had to ask her about being a mom and it turns out her Wikipedia entry could use some editing for clarification. Samantha Bee and her husband (and fellow TDS correspondent) Jason Jones might have joked once about having kid #4, but it certainly isn’t happening, ever.

“Jason had a real vasectomy on The Daily Show! So Wikipedia is wrong, they should add that. How do you fix a Wikipedia entry?” As someone who had a Wiki page for all of half an hour, I have no idea.

We chatted about our mutual love of Dove. My history with Dove love goes back a ways, but not as far as Sam Bee’s. “My grandmother used Dove, t was her brand. So I’ve used it since I was a child, before I could even remember. Forever. And I use it on my kids, too.”

Since Samantha had asked so many women about their shower habits on Dove’s behalf (see video above,) we discussed our own shower routines. It turns out, I over shower – using both a bar and a liquid soap cleanser. I also luxuriate, listening to my Shower Songs playlist while I get clean. Samantha is the mother of three little kids. She has zero time to herself. “I do hair first. Hair, out of the way. I feel like then I do these parts (rubs torso) and then these parts (goes lower). Then I have to get out ASAP because a child is banging on the door. Or even worse, it’s too quiet. When it’s too quiet, something’s wrong.”

I had to ask her how she does it all. I don’t even have kids and I feel myself struggling with work/life balance issues. How do you figure out a work/life balance when you’ve got a husband, three kids, and a high profile job on one of television’s most popular programs?

“The secret is, don’t try to do anything very well. Give everything like, 75%,” she says in her usual comedic deadpan. Then she gets real. “I don’t know. Work/life balance? I just do the best that I can. Sometimes I just throw everything to the wind.” Samantha Bee pulls out her cell phone and shows me a photo of her living room floor, absolutely covered in toys. “This is my reality. That’s a good snapshot of what it’s like at our house.” And that made me feel better. We’re all trying our best, right?

Thanks to Dove for the opportunity, and thanks to Samantha Bee for being lovely. You can follow @Dove and @IAmSamBee on Twitter. And visit Dove’s Facebook page for more on the whole April Truth Day concept.

Disclosure: My trip to NYC was sponsored by Dove, but these posts weren’t – just in case you were wondering!

The post Rumble With The Bee – Interview With The Daily Show’s Samantha Bee appeared first on Afrobella.

Dove is one of my favorite beauty brands for many reasons. They’re a legacy brand known for consistently great quality skincare, and advertising I can totally get behind. Their whole brand aesthetic is about healthy beauty on your own terms, which is what I’m about! So when Dove invited me to NYC, to experience and report on their April Truth Day awareness campaign, I was excited to participate. Off I went, to NYC. Come with me, inside my Dove Truth Day adventure!

Dove Truth Day took place the day after April Fool’s Day, and the event was all about revealing the truth about skincare. Your favorite brands of bar soaps and body washes are nowhere NEAR as gentle or good for your skin as you think. Using a miniature doll made out of a corn protein that’s similar to what’s in human skin, they demonstrated this time and time again. Some body washes have high levels of moisturizers, sure. But they also use harsh cleansers that aren’t good for your skin. It was an eye opener to see which brands failed Dove’s test.

As part of Dove’s ongoing campaign to reveal the truth about some of your other favorite skincare brands, they’ve enlisted The Daily Show’s Samantha Bee as their official truth teller. I’m a HUGE Daily Show fan, and I got to meet her and do a quick interview! More to come on that next!

It was a gorgeous and glamorous event, and every last detail was Dove-embellished from the place settings to the cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

I dipped in and dipped out of New York so quickly last week, I didn’t get to see everyone I love. But the Dove event was incredibly fun, and it was great to see so many of my blogger besties! My whole Glam family including Nola, Bianca, Michelle and Valis came out to show love, and so did Kristin of Fashion Style Beauty, Jeannine of Beauty Sweet Spot, Dina of Eye 4 Style, Alia of Second City Style, Danielle the Style and Beauty Doctor, Jessica of The Glamazons Blog, Christine of Love Brown Sugar, Christene of This That Beauty – old friends, new friends, so fun to see everyone! Moments like that are why I love NYC!

Thank you Dove for bringing me out for such a fun event, I was delighted to be there!

OH! And what am I wearing? My spring floral jacket is by UK based brand Simply Be – LOVE their stuff, they recently sent me some fabulous items you’ll be seeing me wear on the blog! With it I’m rocking a camisole I got with a top via Queen Grace Collection, my fave Lucky Jeans, and a fabulous necklace by Lexi Jewelry. And I believe I bought the earrings on Fab.com!

The post Inside Dove’s April Truth Day. Discover The Real Deal With Cleansers appeared first on Afrobella.

Just as with the weather, there are seasons in cinema. There’s awards show season in the fall and beginning of winter. There are the winter doldrums in January, where the terrible movies the studio wants everyone to forget about come to the theaters out of obligation (for example, Movie 43). There’s summer blockbuster season. And there’s spring, when fresh new interesting films can crop up amongst the big-budget superstar vehicles. 2013 is shaping up to be a great year for indie movies, documentaries, and diversity – there are some awesome movies on the horizon!

Let me tell you about the upcoming films I’m most excited about.You gotta see these trailers!

Free Angela And All Political Prisoners

Activist and political icon Angela Davis means so much to so many, and finally her story has been brought to life and told in candid fashion by Angela herself, and the others who experienced the events that catapulted her into the international spotlight 40 years ago. And it’s produced by Overbrook Entertainment & Roc Nation. So ready for this to be on the big screen!

Stories like this need to be seen and supported, and as of right now it’s being screened in major cities – click here to see if it’ll be in your neck of the woods on April 5. If it’s not, you can bring it to your city via Tugg – click here for that. And click here to follow them on Facebook.

Better Mus Come

Caribbean movies have been getting better international exposure, and I LOVE that. Better Mus Come is set in a Jamaica rippling with violence, during the era of the Green Bay Killing – murders committed in Jamaica that changed society and impacted reggae music. (Reggae heads might know Glenroy Richards’ Wicked Can’t Run Away – he was one of the men killed. And this song spawned a popular and timeless riddim. The most well known song about it was by Kojak and I grew up hearing it on Trini radio often). Better Mus Come is a love story set amidst the poverty and gang violence that altered Jamaica in that era, and it’s beautifully captured despite the turmoil and sadness.

It’s been described as a new high point in Jamaican filmmaking. The film had a run in select theaters in March, but through Tugg you can bring it to your city. Click here to learn more.

42

The life story of Jackie Robinson has been brought to the big screen in a big budget production, starring Chadwick Boseman as the legendary and groundbreaking baseball icon, and Harrison Ford as Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey. The prejudice and passion that Jackie Robinson’s life, talent and career inspired makes this such an eminently cinematic story. I haven’t yet seen it, but 42 is the kind of film that I hope really does well at box office. More of our legends need to have their stories told.

It opens April 12. Click here for their website, and click here to follow 42 on Facebook.

The Great Gatsby

I’m an unabashed Leonardo DiCaprio fan, and I have been ever since What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. I think he’s clearly got star quality but in addition to that, DiCaprio has an intellectual mind about the kind of projects he’s willing to pursue and makes really intriguing choices. I love an actor who keeps you guessing and challenges themselves to transform into different roles instead of just depending on looks and charisma. The Great Gatsby will definitely make glorious use of Leo’s looks and charisma, but F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless classic will also allow him to show depth and darkness. And that soundtrack? INSANITY.

Basically this movie has a date with my money. I’ve always been obsessed with the 1920’s in terms of beauty and fashion. And now here comes Baz Luhrmann of Moulin Rouge and Romeo and Juliet to hyper saturate and reimagine this beautiful era of style, and heighten it all by adapting one of literature’s most fascinating and enduring classics into his distinctive style. I am HERE for it. It opens May 10.

Pain And Gain

OK so I was recently forced to admit to my husband that I kinda sorta have a thing for The Rock (it’s OK. He’s got a thing for Beyoncé). That has nothing to do with my interest in seeing Pain and Gain. This new Michael Bay movie is based on a three part story that first ran in the newspaper I worked at, the Miami New Times. And look, this follow up on the true story and what happened to the characters was written by one of my best friends, Francisco Alvarado. This movie looks incredibly entertaining, and I can’t help but feel a little proud to know its history. And alright, the fact that Dwayne Johnson is the star doesn’t hurt at all.

Click to watch the restricted trailer and click to check out their FB page. It opens nationwide April 26.

Home Again

I have been curious about this film ever since I’d heard actresses Tatyana Ali, CCH Pounder and singer/actress Fefe Dobson went to Trinidad to film a movie about deportees. Home Again tells the all too real story of what happens to island people who find themselves deported back home into what’s become an unfamiliar culture. I’ve been wanting to see the film regardless, but then I found out my relative Mandisa Granderson is in it! Now I MUST see it!

Home Again just had screenings in Canada and is currently being screened in Trinidad. Check out their Facebook page for any upcoming international screening information.

Which movies are you excited for?

The post Upcoming Films You Need to Know About appeared first on Afrobella.

My Target Inner Circle trip to Los Angeles in March remains a fabulous memory that feels more like a dream. Within just a few days, I experienced so many amazing things. I already told you about my Essence Black Women in Hollywood experience, and my Napoleon Perdis smoky eye makeover. Now let me tell you about the full luxury hair experience I enjoyed at Umberto Beverly Hills!

From the moment the taxi pulled up to the stunning white building, I felt like I was transported to another dimension. The zip code is 90210, literally. The doors open unto a two storied space with Italian frescos on the walls. For the briefest moment, I felt out of place. But I soon came to realize that I wasn’t in some austere Hollywood hair emporium. In fact, I was about to get my hair done at the fanciest mom and pop operation I’ve ever been in.

Afrobella and Umberto

Umberto Savone is a hair genius. His wife Babette runs the show. During my visit, his daughter stopped by to say hello. In the midst of the family and staff that’s worked there forever (most of the staff has worked with Umberto for a decade or more), there’s a nonstop parade of celebrities and Hollywood influencers coming in to get cut, colored, styled and pampered. During my visit, I entered right behind horror movie innovator Eli Roth, bedraggled and deeply tanned from a film set in South America. We were both greeted with the same friendly professionalism and I immediately felt more at ease.

Umberto doesn’t ask questions, he assesses your situation. And he LOVED my hair. He ran his fingers through it and pronounced it “perfect.” I love when a hairstylist shows appreciation and love for natural hair, and Umberto was totally about it. He gave tips and a general direction to stylist Nina Avitea and we went off to execute the vision.

This is Nina. She is AWESOME. And she knows her stuff! She admitted to me that she’s had clients who have been concerned about her ability to work with their hair texture before, but she prides herself in making every client happy and proving her ability to work with everyone’s hair. Nina especially loves natural hair, and all of the products Nina used are available at Target.

Umberto Beverly Hills sells everything from hairbrushes to shampoos to styling tools – all made to exacting, quality controlled perfection in Umberto’s factory.They pride themselves on creating ahead of the curve products for healthy hair. Some products are available at his salons, and others are available at Target and on Target.com. “I always wanted to create something. I wanted to go to one place, create incredible products and get them to the consumer easily. Target believed in me, and I believed in them,” he told me.

Nina gave me subtle, perfectly placed highlights using Umberto’s color sachets, we cut some of my dead ends off, and we used the following products on my hair:

Umberto Repair Shampoo (it’s sulfate free)!

Umberto Repair Conditioner

Umberto Controller Conditioning Spray

Umberto Roman Oil Serum

And Nina gave me some styling tips that totally have helped. She told me I need to style my hair using a leave in conditioner and then a styling product, and I should section off my hair and apply product from the back sections of my hair and work towards the front, from roots to ends. Nina could tell I wasn’t applying enough product to my ends, or the very front of my hair. And when she styled my hair, she didn’t use her fingers. Using your fingers to style your hair can lead to frizz, and disrupt the curl pattern. Nina used a wide tooth rat-tail comb and used the comb’s end to lift my hair up so my curls wouldn’t dry flat at the root, and poofy at the ends. I’ve been following her tips and it’s definitely made a difference. My hair was totally drying flat on top and in an poofy inverted triangle shape. Now I’m using Umberto’s rat tail comb to give my curls a lift, and I’m loving my wash and go style even more!

I’ll admit to being cautious going into this hair experience. I wasn’t sure my natural hair would be received well or styled right in such an establishment and I’ve experienced my share of hairdresser horrors in the past. I’m happy to report that the folks at Umberto Beverly Hills not only did right by my hair, they made me feel like a princess. While I was under the dryer, I was getting this amazing manicure. My brows got snatched to perfection. When I left, I felt ready for the red carpet and absolutely blessed by the experience.

You can find Umberto’s amazing products online at Target.com, or in his salons (click for locations).

Thanks to everyone at Umberto, and thanks to Target Inner Circle for the experience!

The post The Umberto Beverly Hills Experience appeared first on Afrobella.

One of my earliest hair-related memories was watching Diana Ross’s concert in Central Park, 1983. Of course I wasn’t actually there – the concert was televised, and I remember watching it with my parents in Trinidad. I was so little and I remember watching this goddess of a woman with this resplendent mane of kinky, curly, long hair utterly transfix what seemed like an ocean of people. I even wrote about that memory in my first ever blog post, back in 2006. When I found myself sitting to essentially create this blog, that memory of Diana Ross, singing in the rain, came back to inspire me.

After seeing Diana Ross’ concert, I would take a towel or teeshirt, put it on my head and sashay down the stairs singing “I want muscle!” not even realizing that song was way too grown for me. Back in 1983, Diana Ross directly shaped my ideas about natural hair being beautiful, regal, desirable. For that and for so many things, I thank her.

Today Diana Ross turns 69. I wish her a happy birthday and thank her from the bottom of my heart for the inspiration she gave to me and so many others through all these years – in her music, in her style, in her innate, eternal beauty.

The post Happy Birthday, Diana Ross! Thank You For Everything appeared first on Afrobella.

I just got back from Austin last night, and my voice is doing this Lindsay Lohan/Harvey Feirstein thing that is simply not the business. I’m still basking in the afterglow of my first ever SXSW. I got to Austin on March 9, and stayed till yesterday – and I’m sad I am not there for the musical portion of the conference, because there were SO MANY events this week that I wanted to go to! Alas. I’ll do better in 2014.

What was my first SXSW like? In one word, awesome.

Our Naturally Social panel ROCKED! From left to right me, Kristin Braswell of Carol’s Daughter, Myleik of Curlbox, Jamala Johns of LeCoil, and Chescaleigh our moderator who made this happen!

Random hotel party with Sian Morson, Luvvie, me, Scott Hanselman, Janine, Lynne d Johnson, Chescaleigh, Baratunde, Jbrotherlove!

The experience was hectic and crazy and super fun and mindblowing all at the same time. There were several moments where I had to just look around and soak up the people in my presence and be thankful for the opportunities that have led me to know them. I know some amazing people! I went to fabulous events, including Target’s Fast Company lounge (where they announced their new partnership), Luvvie’s awesome party for the Red Pump Project, Chescaleigh’s Naturally Curly meetup, and Kathryn Finney’s gorgeous event for Digital Undivided, amongst others. I found myself hanging out with some truly impressive and inspiring folks, and I feel enriched by the experiences I had. Let me tell you the things I learned at my first SXSW.

– It can be surprisingly cold in Texas. Be prepared.

When I was frantically packing the night before, everyone I talked to about what to bring told me that I should look forward to sunshine and 80 degree days. I packed accordingly, but also brought key layering pieces just in case. Well just in case turned out to be the case – Austin was SO COLD! I needed my coat AND my gloves on one night. Luckily the sunshine came out on my last day, and I got the chance to soak it up before heading home to chilly Chicago.

– Just say HI, because the people you look up to can be shy too. And more approachable than you might expect.

Afrobella and The Oatmeal

Lynne D. Johnson, me, Adria Richards and Mary Pryor – I admire these women so much!

There are social media and online superstars everywhere at SXSW. You might find yourself waiting in line for tacos alongside the likes of Pete Cashmore or Guy Kawasaki or Scott Hanselman or Baratunde Thurston or Anil Dash. If you recognize them, don’t be afraid to say hello and let them know you’re a fan of their work. I spent time around some people who have created truly inspiring content and who enjoy incredible careers, including Scott, Baratunde, Matthew Inman of The Oatmeal above), Nicholas White of The Daily Dot, Constance White, Kendra Bracken Ferguson, Dustee Jenkins, and Jane Pratt (more on that amazing encounter later).  And everyone I encountered at SXSW was astonishingly approachable and friendly and cool. Which brings me to another thing I learned.

– SXSW is not NYFW.

I went into SXSW expecting it to be similar to other events I’ve been to, like Fashion Week meets Blogworld’s New Media Expo, or something. And it’s totally not like that. SXSW has its own flavor, its own fashion sensibilities. Techies and geeks don’t dress up fancy. Nobody’s wearing heels or tight dresses or trying hard to look cool. It’s all very laid back – think cute teeshirts, blazers, jeans and comfortable shoes because you’ll be doing lots of walking. You can see a real visual difference in the style as SXSW interactive moves into SXSW music – that’s when you start seeing rockstar fashion emerge at the exhibit hall.

-- Online friendships are real. And they are awesome

Me Luvvie Chescaleigh!

I’m so blessed. I’ve made such an incredible group of friends throughout this blogging career. Events like SXSW truly underscore the awesome power of online friendship to me. Every night I came together with guys and girls who I knew only from their Twitter avatars or Facebook pages, and found myself pleasantly surprised by how awesome it is to get to know each other beyond the screen. I roomed with @Luvvie, @Chescaleigh and @SHanselman and every night we laughed ourselves silly. Staying with my homies made this experience EXTRA awesome.

Luvvie and me making a Kathryn Finney sandwich! With our new friend Tori

I got to meet friends I only knew as avatars, and people who have been online associates and friends who have supported my blog for years – people like Craig Brimm, Lynne D. Johnson, and SO MANY MORE. I found myself repeatedly surrounded by awesome people who inspired me to be greater.

– I have so much to learn. So much to execute.

I went to SXSW already bursting with ideas and plans of projects I need to work on. Next for me, I need to focus on writing my book and balancing my life better. Then I came to SXSW and found myself SO inspired. Now I have many more ideas of projects I can execute. I see that the possibilities are limitless. I’m SO excited to move forward on some of the ideas I came up with! Shoutout to @SianMorson and @LisaNicoleBell and Mary Pryor for inspiring me to think bigger and work harder.

– Austin is SUCH a cool city

the tacos from Taco More are to DIE for

I’d heard this for a long time – Austin isn’t like the rest of Texas. It sure isn’t. Austin is proud to be weird and proud to be progressive. The Whole Foods HQ is a sight to see. There are amazing restaurants around downtown – on this visit I had incredible culinary experiences at La Condesa, the Cedar Door Grill, and Japanese restaurant Uchi (which earned me a Bon Appetit badge on Foursquare. The reputation is legendary). From the fabulous food to the fun times, including outdoor parties at the Upper Decks, and all the adventures to be had in downtown Austin – I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Next visit I plan to visit Wahoo Tacos on the recommendation of my friend Johnica Reed, and go thrifting where my friend Jamala Johns of Le Coil went shopping.

I also got to see outside of downtown, when I drove outside of the city with my dear friend and wayback college homie DJ Busca. He took me out to residential neighborhoods (Austin’s houses are cute, cute, CUTE), and we had an incredible, authentic Mexican lunch at Taco More. And then we discovered some amazing graffiti across the train tracks (there is dope graffiti in unexpected places all over Austin) and had drinks at the Yellow Jacket Social Club, which is a cool restaurant/bar with outdoor seating and a punk rock kind of clientele. I loved it. All of it. I can’t wait to go back to Austin!

– Men are just as proud of their beards as women are of our natural hair.

Austin in general and SXSW in particular, is a MECCA for men with beards and remarkable facial hair choices. Some beards are big and bushy. Some are full and fabulous looking. Others could use a little assistance. A fellow blogger clued us into the fact that he used ORS Olive Oil hair moisturizer to keep his beard looking right. Beards with a little touch of product to keep them from looking dry and dusty FTW.

I already can’t wait to go back for 2014!

BONUS! 5 Tips For Surviving SXSW

– Bring comfortable shoes, you’ll be walking more than you expect. And no, I don’t mean the cute flats. Comfortable shoes for walking. Sneakers. Boots. Socks with padding.

– Expect any kind of weather. For this SXSW we encountered rain, surprisingly cold temperatures, and then bright, hot sunshine. So consider bringing cute and comfortable rain flats instead of suede shoes, packing a mini foldable umbrella in your messenger bag, and bringing a few warm sweaters or cardigans for layering.

– Make sure you have cash on you. You never know when you’ll need a pedicab or want to buy a random food truck taco.

– Be smart. Get at least one good night’s sleep. People go CRAZY during SXSW, acting like it’s Carnival and Spring Break rolled into one. And then you can’t wake up for your panels the next day. Do yourself a favor and get a good night of sleep so you’re ready for whatever you need to go to the next morning.

– ALWAYS have business cards. And talk to everyone. You have no idea who you’re standing next to.

For more, check out Luvvie’s recap!

The post 7 Things I Learned At My First SXSW appeared first on Afrobella.