Let me tell you, bellas!

Last night I attended a special event, courtesy of Dove Visibly Smooth deodorant. At a gorgeous place called Spa Soak in the trendy Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago, I recieved a “piticure.” On my way back home, I tweeted the following:

“Just had a Dove deodorant “PitiCure” – just so you know, I have baby smooth Beyonce armpits now.”

The response was overwhelming! Everyone wanted to know — what on earth is a piticure, and where can I get one?

It’s super easy and you can totally DIY.

It’s as simple as that! Click here to learn all about it

My piticure began with a very necessary neck and shoulder massage — I seem to store all my tension there and the muscles are always insanely tight. Sarah, my masseuse worked it OUT for me, and today I am so grateful. I love a good, theraputic massage and clearly I needed one!

After that she cleansed my armpits with Dove’s Cool Moisture Cleansing Cloths — they’re refreshing and durable, and gently exfoliate your skin. Love em!

Then she moisturized my armpits with a little lotion — I believe it was Nourishing Moisture Beauty Body Lotion. Then to end the piticure, I applied some Dove Visibly Smooth deodorant in Nature Fresh.

I’ve been using Visibly Smooth in Wild Rose for maybe the past month or so, and I really have noticed a difference. My underarm hair grows in softer and finer, less prickly and thick. It hasn’t reduced the growth of it at all, but it makes for easier shaving and depilatory use.

After my piticure, I got my nails done by Rachel, a super cute manicurist. We were cracking each other up — and together we came up with a killer color combination!

That’s OPI’s brand new skates, and Essie nail polish in Classical, a really interesting sheer, shimmery pale green for my accent nail. Apparently Classical is a rare enough shade that it’s going for $16 on Ebay. Who knew?

And I gotta tell y’all – I LOVE the layout of Spa Soak! This place is awesome for bridal showers or girls’ afternoons out, or just to go with your BFF. Pedicure stations are set up right next to each other so you can gab the whole time. I love spas set up for socializing!

So even though it may sound weird to have a stranger pamper your armpits, I thoroughly enjoyed my piticure and I’m definitely going to continue the trend at home. I’ll have Beyonce armpits someday!

Related posts:

1. Latest, Greatest Drugstore Buys
2. My Week Without Deodorant
3. My Armpits Smell like Ice Cream!

One of the most popular questions I get from my Trinidadian afrobellas is – where can I get these products you speak of? It’s true – in the USA we’ve got a wealth of natural hair goodness at ready disposal. When these products are imported and sold elsewhere, they’re often marked up to high heaven or imported in quantities that don’t meet demand.

Well Trini bellas, there’s a new store for you to check out. Body Beautiful, a brand new beauty supply store has just opened on Ariapita Avenue. I learned of this via my high school listserv — yes indeed, the owner is an alumni of my high school. Hilarians forever!

The store is offering natural bath, body, and hair care products. I’m not sure if Miss Jessie’s or Curls is available yet, but one of my favorite brands, Kinky Curly, is finally available for sale. Click here to read my review from 2006. Since then the brand has expanded to include some new products (the shampoo, the children’s line, and Midnight Miracle which I think I NEED in my LIFE). For now I’ll just say, start with the Knot Today. It remains one of my natural hair must-haves because it is THAT good.

Click here to check out Body Beautiful’s Facebook page, and if you’re in the neighborhood stop by and get what your hair needs!

Related posts:

1. Ask Afrobella — Curly, Coily, Kinky, or Coarse
2. Get Kinky!
3. Winter Hair Care Advice from Curly Nikki

For real, my cute little ballet flats aren’t gonna cut it anymore in this weather.

Currently I have two pairs of boots, and I’m definitely looking for more.

I’ve been stomping the streets of Chitown in my Knot-Tie Ankle Boots, courtesy of Silhouettes. They’re comfortable, stylish, flat (which is very important for me, with my flat-as-a-board feetsies) and be dressed up or down. I’ve worn these with a little black dress and tights, and I’ve worn em with jeans. They look chic with both! I’ve got my eye on those Double Buckle Sport Boots, too!

I was looking for a cold-weather knee high boot that could keep my feet dry and warm while still looking fly with jeans. Also, I have plus size calves (to support my fabulous plus size body, hello) and I need boots that fit comfortably. Most leather zip-up boots don’t do the job.

I found what I was looking for last week at Bloomingdales! But they’re not on their website for some reason… so here’s a link. My salesfriend at Bloomies (shout out to Danielle!) got a real vibe for what I needed, and clued me into Pajar. She says these boots are known for lasting a long time and withstanding the elements amazingly. They fit like a dream, are made of all man-made materials (no fur for me, thanks!) and cost less than $200! SOLD!

Because of my foot-related issues, I can’t afford to mess around with a pair of boots that are purely fashionable. I need boots that are flat, fly, and functional. Boots that I’ll want to wear regardless of season, that feel good and reflect my funky fashion sensibilities. So right now I’m seriously contemplating investing in a pair of iconic Dr. Martens 14-eye boots. My husband swears by his Dr. Martens, and I know they last forever. The other shoes I’m looking at prefer to be known as “anti shoes.”

The MBT Goti boots have a clunky, funky, retro-futuristic Tank Girl kind of pizzazz, and I’d work them with pride.

MBT stands for Masai Barefoot Technology — the shoes have a curved sole and “activate your muscles instead of undermining them.” Hmmm. I’ve read blog posts that sound a cautionary note, but my curiosity continues unabated. I tried on a pair of MBT’s recently and absolutely loved the sensation as I strolled around the store. But are they comfortable for like, a day of walking around the city and going up and down subway stairs? I wanna know. If you’ve worn a pair of these – leave me a comment and let me know if they’re worth the money!

Those are the boots currently on my radar. They’re not the all-the-rage stiletto heeled over-the-knee variety, but I gotta think of comfort first – because if I’m not comfortable, I don’t feel at my most attractive anyway.

I’ll work on another post for you footwear fiends — all about boots for gals with calves like mine! What kind of boots are you buying for the holidays?

Related posts:

1. Summer Footwear, Having a Blast
2. Big Girl Pants
3. Summer Shoes!

When I had the opportunity to talk with Doe Deere, also known as Xenia, the creator of controversial cosmetics brand Lime Crime, I was both excited and hesitant.

Excited because her makeup brand has a lot of buzz around it right now — Lime Crime is featured in the November issue of Nylon magazine, and I’ve heard many a beauty blogger rave over the range of crazy colors available in their Magic Dust eyeshadows and Candyfuture Lipsticks.

Hesitant because I’ve also noticed many a beauty blogger talking umbrage with Doe Deere herself, and disparaging Lime Crime as a brand.

You can read some of those posts:

here, at Gothique

here at Funny Face’s Place

here at the Examiner (those comments are off the chain)

here at Jessica Allison’s blog

here at Lipstick and Lightsabers (WHAT a great blog name!)

here at Sparkle is My Crack

here at Sparklecrack Central

and…you get the picture.

But for every hater, there’s a congratulator. There’s an army of Lime Crime and Doe Deere fans out there — say hello to Team Candyfuture! And besides the people who admire Doe’s appearance and personality, there are those who really are intrigued by the makeup itself, all chatter aside. I fall into the latter camp.

I heard of Lime Crime before all of the brou-ha-ha began, and the reason I heard about them was because people were raving over this hot new makeup brand, all packaged in pink with sparkly unicorns, dedicated to super intense pigments and bright colors. And I realize there’s a reason just about every post about Doe Deere online generates hundreds of bickering comments — she’s a fascinating figure. And the creator of a makeup brand that targets a very passionate audience.

When we started our interview, I offered Doe two options. We can start out fun and lighthearted and talk about the makeup itself…or we can wade immediately into the controversy and address it right off the bat. Doe chose the latter.

“From what I’ve seen so far, I’m getting positive responses. I’m getting overwhelming support. And it’s just a handful of people who are all linking to each other, First it was one blog, then there were a few more, but they’re all regurgitating the same stuff,” she declared. Doe is soft spoken, she’s got a charming Russian accent, she’s polite and quite sweet to converse with. But make no mistake, homegirl is about her business, and she has worked hard to build her brand.

I broached the topic of the offensive online comments that had been circulating, supposedly written by Doe herself. One that only an extremely foolish businesswoman would write. She denied writing that outright, and in no uncertain terms.

“Certainly not. I would at least know my own company’s name and how to spell it. It’s Lime Crime. Two words,” she retorted, much to my relief.

Doe carefully applying lashes on her model, Atim

That’s one of the major things that’s been bugging me about the complaints against Lime Crime — e mails and online comments supposedly left by Doe seemed so misguided, and out of character for someone who presents themselves as being dedicated to their business. A business owner leaving public messages in which they refer to their customers as idiots = business suicide in this online age. It didn’t make sense to me, and Doe was quick to refute it.

“The only reliable source of information is my blog and my Twitter. I do not comment on other blogs. So any comments that are being passed around aren’t from me.”

“I built my brand on the internet, and I of all people would recognize the power of the internet. I am an internet phenomenon. So I knew I had to address this directly, online,” she explained, in reference to the YouTube video she recently released, in which she speaks out against the critics.

To counteract the accusations that Lime Crime was merely repackaging makeup made by wholesale companies, Doe released a YouTube video in which she makes eyeshadow and a post on her blogazine titled So How Do You Make Lipstick? — and that’s where she draws the line.

“I think they have set an unreasonable standard. Of course I am not going to tell you who is my manufacturer, what are my formulas. Not alot of companies would be as open as I have been. But from now on, I will document every single thing I make.”

Lest you think making makeup is a glamorous task, Doe assures me — “It can be quite laborious and tedious.”

The whole Lime Crime controversy and interview made me realize — WOW this is a world I am completely unfamiliar with. Also, I really don’t think enough about makeup. Or what goes into it. For the most part (with obvious exceptions like Valana Minerals and B.L.A.C, brands I’ve blogged about before), I tend to wear mainstream brands that are available in the drugstore or department store. And it has never occurred to me to try to find out — hey, can I find a replica for Bobbi Brown or MAC or NARS or Kat Von D’s makeup or Lauren Luke’s makeup from a cosmetics pigment wholesaler and make it myself, at home? But there are ardent makeup fans who are doing just that — swatching, comparing and experimenting, blogging about their experience and repping niche makeup brands that truly provide something for everyone. That is awesome. The internet, it is vast and amazing. And I learn something new from it every day.

I knew there was much more I could ask Doe about the online witch hunt going on against her, I could have asked her more about the ongoing Mineral Makeup Mutiny and her thoughts on what else she could do to appease her critics…but I honestly don’t know enough about this online world and the manufacturing of cosmetics to ask more pointed questions. She was certainly willing to answer them, and I appreciated that. But I was ready to talk about this makeup!

Lime Crime is not for the timid. It’s for the young and the young at heart, girly girls who love pink and unicorns and bright colors, who may cite Rainbow Bright or Punky Brewster as style influences. As Doe describes it, it’s “statement makeup.”

I was lucky enough to review two Lime Crime lipsticks, so allow me to break down my results for you.

The packaging is SUPER cute and in the tube the colors are vibrant. On my lips, My Beautiful Rocket was way more subdued than I hoped.

Apparently I need a deeper orange to really make an impact on my skin tone. Also I tend to have dry lips that are prone to peeling…this particular lip color called attention to my peeling lips RIGHT AWAY. I had to rub it off, scrub my lips (a little MAC Volcanic Ash Scrub worked marvelously), then reapply. And the claim that the lipsticks go from tube to lips in one stroke…that didn’t happen for me with My Beautiful Rocket. I had to really layer it on, for it to be even and opaque on my lips.

I think this color would work best for those with lighter complexions, or darker complexions. On a darker skin tone this color would pop! On me it just kind of looked peachy and regular.

But Centrifuchsia, that was a whole different story! Here I am, trying to give you fierce.

Did that work? I was trying to “smile with my eyes”!

I really like this color. I went into it expecting an uber bright obnoxious fuchsia, but instead it turned out to be really wearable and the kind of lippie that would add fun impact to my winter wardrobe. And it lived up to the claim, and totally covered my lips with high impact color with one stroke. REALLY high impact color. In fact, I washed my face, went to bed, and woke up the next day to find my lips were still really, really pink. This worked almost like a lip stain, for me. So if you’re looking for a hot pink lippie that lasts, this could be it.

Lime Crime lipsticks are smooth, not drying (but I always slick on a little regular balm first, because of my dry lips), and the packaging is youthful, fun, super cute. They cost $16 a tube.

What’s next for Lime Crime? Lots.

“We are coming out with an expansion line of our lipsticks. There are going to be a lot of surprises — colors that are wearable, but still unusual. I mean, it’s Lime Crime!” says Doe.

Now that she’s been fashion forward and released the wildest colors in the wheel, is Lime Crime going back to make the kind of colors that are considered more traditionally wearable?

“It’s not going back, it’s going forward! But before it was about being as bright as possible. Now it’s about sheen, or how about a duo tone. Now it’s not as loud. It’ll be a more well rounded collection.”

And there you have it. The stunning model of color you see in photos above is Atim Birungi – I love her hair, I love her lips, I love her style! Gorgeous! And if you click on the Lime Crime site, you can see her lips modeling different lipstick shades, to give you an idea of the color impact on women of varied ethnicities.

Now that you know the Lime Crime story from Doe’s perspective, what do you think? Would this be a brand you support? Or do you agree with the dissidents? I would love to hear your views either way — and Doe’s reading, too! If you’re new to Afrobella — hello and welcome! I do monitor my comments closely for profanity and offensive content. But if you’ve got some respectful and constructive advice for Doe, or her makeup brand in general, please feel free to leave a comment!

Related posts:

1. Buy or DIY? – Brown Sugar Lip Scrub
2. Nails of the Season
3. Patrice meets Patrece!

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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1. Comfortably Numb
2. Ask Afrobella – For Men
3. 5 Save Your Skin Winter Moisture Solutions

Gone are the days when people shopped with whimsy. Now I go armed with a list, and double guess myself on every item I buy. Now instead of ooh that’s really cute I want it, it’s ooh that’s really cute but will I ever wear it? Probably not, get the sensible item instead you know you’ll wear that more than once.

I have a beer budget, but oh those champagne dreams won’t go away. So I’ve had to become an expert in my own right. I’ve had to learn how to get what I want, for cheap. And now I’m gonna pass along some of my best discoveries.

You want — hot Fall fashion.

How to get it — avoid the regular retail stores and bypass those trendy boutiques. As cute as everything is there, you’ll wind up paying more there than you will at an off-price store like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, or my latest haunt, Filene’s Basement. (Sadly, there is no Ross in Illinois. I miss Ross!)

If you’re not used to shopping at stores like these, a brief tutorial. This won’t be an in-and-out shopping trip. Be prepared to spend time sifting through disorganized racks of clothes.

Also, know your stores: TJ Maxx is more about trendy clothes and beauty products, Marshalls is more about shoes, purses, and fly accessories — and the hip teen section in the middle called The Cube. Many of the items available at these off price stores aren’t previous season duds, they’re currently being sold in stores or online… but the vendor may have ordered more than they can sell to department stores. Their miscalculation = your shopportunity, as they say! My recent purchases include a super fly retro-styled denim jacket from TJ Maxx, a cosy and classic V-neck Jones New York sweater from Marshalls, and a stunning crinkled parachute-material skirt from XCVI, that I recall seeing on Zappos for like, $100, I got at Filene’s Basement for $29.95. SO glad I waited and didn’t rush to buy it online. I’d say a good 95% of my shopping is done at off-price stores. These three are my favorites, then there’s Nordstrom Rack which has amazing high end finds…but the prices still aren’t as affordable as the Maxx, Marshalls, or Filene’s. FYI.

You want… furniture for your home.

Where to get it… NOT at a mainstream furniture store, that’s for sure. Have you ever been to a Thomasville store before? The prices are insane! Like, you’re gonna need to have a special credit card just for this purchase, insane. I don’t know about you, but I just can’t afford to pay full price for items like that right now. But I did get a relatively new, great-looking Thomasville dresser about a month ago, from a most unexpected source.

Three words: hotel furniture liquidators.

Do a Google search to see if there are any near where you live. I got lucky — here in Chicago there are THREE hotel furniture liquidation centers. For my Chicago bellas and fellas, I’ll save you some time right now. Cooper Furniture and Carpet is five floors of crazy. Seriously, they could film a horror movie here — the upper floors are just piles and piles of lampshades, old carpet and ugly chairs, and what’s that in the stairwell? Is that a dead pigeon or just a huge pile of feathers? What’s that…smell? Yikes. There are finds for sure, but they’re probably all on the first floor and I wish you all the best in getting someone to help you.

The shopping experience was like night and day, when I went to Fort Pitt Furniture. This place is on a whole ‘nother level. For a super fun shopping experience, you need to go in on Monday or Friday, when Phyllis is working. Who’s Phyllis? She’s a 6-foot-tall sista who will break it down for you, when it comes to finding the best deals in the store. And oh, there are some deals to be had. I got a beautiful, mahogany, marble topped kitchen cabinet/pantry thingy for $120. A Thomasville dresser for $150. And best of all, an enormous wood armoire to hold all my clothes, makeup, and hair products for $99. I said $99! Try finding something like THAT at any other furniture store.

Not the best photo, I took it with my phone. Sorry =(

For other affordable furniture purchases, there’s always IKEA and Craigslist….but Craigslist requires patience and sometimes you just can’t wait forever. For accent pieces and accessories, you need to find out where the nearest Home Goods is. Home Goods is the domestic branch of the TJ Maxx/Marshalls company, and there are fantastic finds there. I bought a gorgeous rug for my bathroom for less than $10, and this was the kind of fluffy rug that would retail at Pier One or Bed Bath and Beyond for over $20.

Another way to find furniture and home decor on the cheap is to look for store closings. Sadly, not every retail chain is sailing through these rough economic seas. But where there’s a store closing, there are items being sold for insanely cheap. This past weekend, I found out that a local Cost Plus World Market was closing. Floor models were moving fast, but the shelves weren’t yet picked clean… and I managed to get the most amazing fluffy white shag rug — originally $300, now $130. SCORE! Even the shelves and fixtures are up for grabs, so if you’re in the Orland Park area — go now!

I’m gonna return to this subject soon — look out for future tips on affordable food shopping, and beauty buys! Where are YOUR affordable shopping secret places? Share with me!

Related posts:

1. You Should Go!
2. Big Girl Pants
3. Fashion Mission — Bright Yellow Top

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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1. Magical Minerals
2. Ask Afrobella – Be A Bella Bride
3. b.l.a.c is beautiful

Is it just Caribbean parents who believe in giving their children weekly laxatives? I’ve heard tales from some of my Southern friends about their grandparents doing the same thing, but hardly with the same commonality as island families did.

My mother spared me from the experience she had as a little one, but my grandmother apparently was a tyrant with it. Weekly doses of senna were washed down with a spoonful of castor oil. And this wasn’t the unscented castor oil you see on drugstore shelves today, oh no. This was the real deal Holyfield, the pungent, dark, strong castor oil. Down your throat and through your pipes with a quickness.

My mom has awful memories of castor oil, but she also recalls it being of tremendous help to her during pregnancies, and difficult child deliveries. And most recently, castor oil has been of tremendous help to me — although not by internal ingestion. Castor oil has proven to be an island remede par excellence, and the holy grail my hair so desperately needed!

Before you run out and buy a bottle, be forewarned. Castor oil is thick and sticky. If you buy Jamaican Black Castor Oil, the kind made popular by regulars on the super popular and informative Long Hair Care Forums, you’ll also notice it’s an unrefined and um, pungent product. But if you overlook the initial ick factor and stick with it, you just might notice the kind of differences I have!

Castor oil has been known to help with hair growth (even on eyebrows, according to Rashida B!), and according to Sam’s 24/7, where it’s available for sale, castor oil “is known to cleanse toxins from the scalp, nourish and thicken the hair, stimulate hair growth, moisturize dry brittle hair, repair split ends, and give hair body and bounce.”

I can testify that it’s helped me to keep my hair soft and moist, and it’s practically solved my ongoing dry, flaky scalp issues. So how do you use castor oil for your hair? There are SO many ways!

– as a sealant for your ends, to keep in moisture

– as a scalp massage oil after a brown sugar scalp scrub

– add it to your conditioner for additional moisturizing power

– for a hair mask with a plastic cap. Add honey and a thick conditioner, like Queen Helene’s cholesterol

– as a pre-shampoo oil treatment with your favorite other oils (jojoba, grapeseed, olive, coconut… indulge your inner mixtress!)

– as a post-conditioner styling oil when hair is still wet

And I know there are other ways to use this wonder oil that I haven’t thought of or tried yet for both hair and skin. I know quite a few beautiful women who have used castor oil on their lips, or paired with sugar or salt for a body scrub. The possibilities are endless!

Have you tried castor oil in your beauty regimen? Let me know how you’ve used it, and if it’s worked for you!

Related posts:

1. Island Remede: Coconut Oil
2. Island Rem̬de РBrown Sugar Babe
3. AKA Snake Oil

That was then.

There’s been a HUGE renaissance in fiber arts in recent years. Thanks in part to Bust Magazine’s Debbie Stoller, there’s been a new wave of women versed in the needle arts, who proudly refer to themselves as Stitch and Bitch. There are craft mafias. Knitting, sewing, and crochet have become tools of self expression. Your grandma or aunty’s hobby of choice has become a fresh avenue of fashion for today’s generation. Allow me to share some of my favorite crochet finds with you!

If you want to dip a toe into the world of crochet, I think the best place to begin is with accessories.
Lovenia Leapart, designer of StarCrochet Creations, makes gorgeous earrings that will for sure get you noticed. Check me out in her Purple Lacie Teardrops. $20, and the color and style is so on trend for Fall it isn’t even funny!

StarCrochet designs are colorful, funky, and bright without being childlike. Her Looptyloops are interlocking crochet circles that move individually and come in alternating colors. Tres chic! And the Peace Signs look awesome with jeans, especially in shades of blue. Love Lovenia’s work, and love the prices!

You can add a little crochet to your look AND support fair trade initiatives, look no further than Harriet and Leo. Their Hand Crocheted Butterfly Pins are $15 for a set of two, and they’re made in Peru out of local wool.

I love the purple pair — and I totally wore one to the Blogalicious bash here in Chicago, to compliment my La Grande Dame lilac dress! I know — how Mariah of me! But I couldn’t help it. These clever little crochet butterflies are very cute, very whimsical, and as summer wends towards autumn, they’ll allow me to keep a touch of warmth and sunshine in my style.

Those crochet designs whet my appetite for wanting to master the art myself. But I can barely tie my shoelaces, dare I dream of being a skilled crocheter? According to wonder twins Erika and Monika Simmons — it isn’t as difficult as it may seem, and practice can definitely make perfect!

Together Erika and Monika are known as the Double Stitch Twins, and they make crochet that’s sexy and fashion forward.

The twins picked up their skills when they were in the 4th grade. “One of our favorite teachers, Mrs. Pugh, taught us in an after school program. I remember making a hair item. But Erika made an afghan and won a school competition!”

The sisters admit to coming to be skilled quite quickly. They’re both great with their hands (and are also amazing hair braiders!). But they make things accessible for those willing to learn with their pattern book, Double Stitch Designs for the Crochet Fashionista. $20 and it comes personally autographed by the twins! The book includes patterns for some of their sickest fashions, which range in price from $50 for a hat to $450 for a dress. They’ve made items for Common and Eve in the past, and their future is limitless.

“Crochet is so endless. You can make home accents, children’s clothing, jewelry… and it’s not even the items it’s the way we do it. We tend to make items that are brighter, we use feathers… we feel free to dive into the world of home accents now.”

Check out some of the fly stuff Monika and Erika have made!

You can learn more at Double Stitch Twins.com, purchase items from the Double Stitch Etsy page, and the twins host a program and feature videos on Virtue One Radio.com, a contemporary Christian network where they uplift listeners and viewers through their handicraft.

Don’t be surprised if someday soon you see these gorgeous twins hosting their own crafts show on television, teaching classes around Chicago, or (and I LOVE this idea) hosting a craft cruise! I’d love to learn in that kind of environment!

Do you already know how to crochet? What kind of stuff have you made? Or are you like me and just want to learn?

Related posts:

1. Worth a Click — Unique Chic
2. Curvy, Chic, and Crafty
3. Wanted: Chicago’s Most Chic and Curvy Maxxinista!

I love a teeshirt that says exactly what’s on my mind, and not in a here-sketchy-dude-read-my-chest kind of way.

I love a teeshirt with impact.

I love a tee with a message that actually makes you think.

So when I was introduced to Cut It Out Apparel via Twitter, I fell in love hard and fast.

Cut It Out’s creators, Tirinda & Noricia, are bellas after my own heart. The Brooklyn based company is all about clothing with integrity, powerful, positive messages, and dope style. Their tees declare messages I know many a bella has wanted to shout to the world. My Facebook friend Carolyn Edgar came immediately to mind — she needs the My Name is NOT Shorty tee for the days when she wants to go running outdoors! Stop those neighborhood dudes in their tracks!

Cut It Out clothing ranges from $10 tees that are dope enough to make you holla and scream, to the $25 Cut It Out logo dress. And oooh, is this Grace Jones tee not the bomb.com? I think so!

I’m happy and proud to support Cut It Out, and I know this is the kind of giveaway bellas will go bananas for. AND I’m gonna be moving and busy and on blogcation for the rest of the week — I plan to be back with a fresh post Friday!

So here’s the giveaway. Cut It Out is offering THREE tees.

– Destroy Stereotypes
– CIO Peace
– My Name Is Not Shorty

And here’s how you can win.

Leave a comment below telling us which tee you want, and why. Maybe it applies to your life, or something you’ve been through, or it’s just a message you want to share with the world. I wanna know!

When I get back to being online at the end of this week, I’ll close the comments and choose three lucky winners.

Deal? Deal!

For more info, visit www.cutitoutapparel.com or call (877) 7-CUT-OUT.

Good luck, bellas!

** edited Friday – comments are now closed! Thanks to everyone for entering. I’ll be choosing winners early next week!

Related posts:

1. Cut It Out Giveaway Winners!
2. Peace Earrings Giveaway Winners
3. Avon 3-in-1 Giveaway Winners!