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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Were The Top Makeup Trends of 2011?

With responses from over 100 of my makeup peers: pro makeup artists, YouTube makeup sensations, major cosmetic brands, celebrity makeup artists, beauty bloggers and fashion bloggers alike I’ve complied a list of the top makeup trends of 2011! Inspired by the runway, print, commercial and even the red carpet, these trends took 2011 by storm. Some are old favorites, others finally got the attention they deserved and some were worn to the ground and may not return as big in 2012.

With over 100 responses from my makeup peers, here’s what some had to say on the hottest trends of 2011:

Celebrity Makeup Artist Kevin James Bennett – “The biggest trend..METALLICS. I love all the fabulous reflective (not glittery) finishes. And not just in the expected silver, gold, bronze- Oh no, they’re showing up in a multitude of rich jewel tones and gorgeous saturated brights.”

Fashion blogger CherrieAmore – “…1) the red lip & 2)neutral looks..”

I wish I could list them all. I’ve tried all of these trends and I see many of them being staples for me in 2012. Without further delay, let’s see what makeup trends made the list!

1) Natural Makeup

Also known as the coveted “no makeup” makeup looks. Highlighting and contouring the face, a bit of blush on the cheeks, soft arched brows, perfect mascara laced lashes, and a flesh toned lip completes the look. The key is to have flawless skin and let your ENTIRE face be the focal point of the makeup look. Tasha Smith pulled it off perfectly for the December 2011 cover issue of Essence.

2) Winged Liner

Amy Winehouse wasn’t the only one who loved this look. Icons like Audrey Hepburn wore this look back in the 1960s and it’s since made another debut. Black eyeliner winged upwards gives the illusion of almond shaped and “lifted” eyes. I ALWAYS wing my liner and I don’t see that ever going away. One of my favorite liquid liners to wing my liner with is Maybelline Ultra Liner in Black.

3) Orange Blush/Orange Lip

This trend literally skyrocketed it seemed overnight. Especially for those of us with deeper skin tones, we rediscovered how awesome coral cheeks and lips could be! With a neutral makeup look, a pop of color on the cheeks is just what the makeup doctors have ordered. Here I’m wearing Ruby Kisses All Over Bronzer with Black Radiance “Soft Honey” blush and Cover Girl Queen Collection Lipstick in “Rush”.

4) Matte Red Lips

Whether matte, satin, gloss, tint, stain or even luster the trend that will NEVER die…RED LIPS! Guerlin, a French cosmetic company, introduced us to our first red lipstick back in 1871 and we have never looked back. We now refer to the matte red lip as “timeless” and “classic” because with centuries under it’s belt, it’s definitely not just a trend, red lips were actually trendsetters! Here I’m rocking MACs Ruby Woo.

5) Bronzer

From the red carpet, tv screens, and print ads to our very own vanities — who doesn’t love a sun kissed glow? With Jennifer Lopez leading the way with her signature bronze look, celebrities like Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce and others showed us that bronze skin can be obtained at any shade. That glow from within works on any skin tone too. From high end to drug store, brands are debuting bronzers for you. Lots of shimmer, subtle shimmer and even matte. There is even bronzer in an airbrush formulation. It’s another trend that here to stay. So long to bronze skin only in the summer time. Wake up tomorrow looking as if you just got off the plane after a week in St.Tropes. Here I’m rocking Ruby Kisses All Over Bronzer.

6) Bold Lip Colors

Color, color and more color. The boldest lips have splashed onto the scene. Stepping outside the box was celebrated and encouraged. Fuschias, purples, pastel pinks and even blue and black lips were seen worn all around the world. With so many different shades of lipgloss and lipstick, a bold lip is just the tip of the iceberg on the color wheel and the combinations are limitless! Here I am wearing Covergirl Queen Collection Lipstick in “Seduction” and NYX lipgloss in “African Queen”. Patrice is rocking her very own MAC lipglass in “All Of My Purple Life”.

7) Metallic Eyeshadows

Duochromes ruled here! Makeup looks that were amplified by reflective tones, shimmer and brought to life by light. Metallics are not for the faint of heart. We can’t deny that mettallic eyes are attention grabbing. With the holiday season upon us, why not be daring and stand out (in a good way) at the party? All of the eyeshadows used above are by Inglot!

8 ) Luscious Lashes

Mascara commercials were endless this year, revolutionizing the way women “smile with their eyes”. Lashes complimented every look. Individual lashes, lash extensions, strip lashes and natural lashes with generous amounts of kick behind mascara. Lashes now completed every look. Above is a photo of a model from the Gucci Fall 2011 RTW collection — the lead makeup artist for the team behind the scenes was the legendary Pat McGrath. My favorite mascara to achieve luscious lashes is Maybelline Lash Stiletto (Waterproof).

9) Neutral With A Pop Of Color

Neutral looks are awesome — they go with everything! With color bursting onto the scene neutral looks were taken to the next level with pops of colors in the inner tear ducts and/or lining the bottom water line. We saw teals, purples, pinks even orange! This trend put a whole new spin on the “everyday” neutral look.

10) Color Blocked Makeup

Orange cheeks, pinky red lips and teal eyes!! Color blocking was a hot fashion trend, first seen on the runway that infiltrated the beauty scene. Bold eye and bold lip combos that were not for the faint of heart.

11) Strong Brows

Nothing completes a makeup look like a strong brow, perfectly arched with deep color. The time of thin, overly plucked and waxed brows has passed. Above you see work from my very own makeup portfolio.

Last but not least, This list would not be complete without this trend!

12)NAILS! NAILS! NAILS!

Thanks to Shellac, crackle and opaque polish trends, nails ruled far and wide. With many nail polish collections being just as anticipated as some makeup collections, nail trends went crazy! The craze with nail polish brought the hands into the world of beauty as never seen before.

What trends did you try this year? Which trends will you continue in 2012?

Sherry Blossom is a freelance makeup artist, mom, FDNY EMT, native New Yorker, and beauty blogger/vlogger. I first became aware of Sherry via Twitter, she’s super friendly and is always there to share knowledge, makeup tips and words of inspiration with everyone. Then I checked out her blog and her videos and fell in love with her demonstrations. Sherry really SHOWS YOU how to rock a look! And she will be contributing monthly posts here on Afrobella where she demonstrates how to get the looks you wanna rock!

Sherry’s first post is SO apropos for holiday cocktail party season. I hear from so many women who are afraid of rocking a red lip, but there ARE foolproof ways to do it — depending on the kind of lip color, the product in question, and even your method of application! Take it away, Sherry Blossom!

5 Foolproof Ways To Wear Red Lips

1. Red Tinted Gloss

I’ll admit, sometimes less is more and there are times you may only want just a hint of color. Lipglosses are great for a sheer wash of your favorite shade. The beauty of glosses are their pigmentation: go as sheer as you like or opaque. In a previous post on SherryBlossomBeauty.com, I compiled a list of 5 Lip Glosses To Help You Overcome Your “Wearing Red Lipstick” Fear. A great red lip gloss to start with would be NYX lipgloss in Sunrise…

NYX Lipgloss in “Sunrise”

Wearing NYX Lipgloss in “Sunrise”

2. Red Lip Liner & Gloss/Lip Balm

Yes, you definitely read that right. Sometimes just filling in your lip with a red lip liner and covering with your favorite gloss or lip balm is all you need. It creates a nice natural lip stain that will last and last. I used NYX Lip Liner in “Plush Red” & Aquaphor (lol oh yes I did and I LOVE that stuff!!)….

Wearing NYX Lipliner in “Plush Red” (filled in entire lip) & Aquaphor

Wearing NYX Lipliner in “Plush Red” (filled in entire lip) & Aquaphor

3.Satin Finish Red Lipstick

I find lipsticks that have a little sheen to them sometimes work best when wearing a bold color. Cream finish aka satin finish lipsticks are silicone based, so they lock in moisture and stay put. No lip liner necessary so there is no fighting to perfect your lip line. Pop up the tube, apply and go. I used Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipcolor in Royal Red…

Wearing Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipcolor in Royal Red

Wearing Maybelline’s Royal Red

4. Matte Red Lipstick

It’s the ultimate red lip. Timeless! It definitely doesn’t get any better when you want to achieve a classic red lip. The key here is to exfoliate your lips prior to applying and using just a dab of lip conditioner. Be sure to use a lip liner! Matte lipsticks are unforgiving to your lip line so be sure to apply with a lip brush and use a lip liner to help you create symmetry. My favorite matte red lip is MAC “Ruby Woo” & I also used MAC’s lip conditioner and NYX “Plush Red” lipliner….

Wearing NYX Lipliner in “Plush Red” & MAC “Ruby Woo”

Wearing NYX Lipliner in “Plush Red” & MAC “Ruby Woo”

5. Matte Red Lipstick w/ Brown Lipliner & Highlight

I’ll be the first to admit that I used to fear bold colored lipsticks, ESPECIALLY red lipsticks. I grew up thinking that someone of my skin tone just couldn’t do it. Life as a makeup artist has completely nixed the idea that my skin tone can’t wear certain colors. I can wear ANY color and so can YOU. The trick is in the application and technique. For those who want a smoother transition from your skin tone to the color upon your lips, grab a brown lip liner or a lip liner closest to your skin tone and apply. Be sure to feather the lip liner in at the corners. Apply your lipstick to the area that’s bare. Leave the inner most center sheer. Take your favorite golden colored lipgloss and apply just to the center of your lips. And VOILA…done! You’ll have a red lip with awesome dimension that looks great in person and photographs like a dream! I used Kleancolor lip liner in “Hot Cocoa” , MAC’s lip conditioner, MAC “Ruby Woo” & NYX Lipgloss in “Africa”…

Wearing Kleancolor lipliner in “Hot Cocoa”, MAC “Ruby Woo” & NYX “Africa” (dab just on center of lip for highlight)

So the next time you find yourself shying away from red lips remember that you CAN rock that color and these are 5 FOOLPROOF ways you can do it!

Please give Sherry a warm welcome to Afrobella, and look out for her posts every month! For more Sherry Blossom Beauty, don’t forget to visit her official site, and follow her on Twitter.

Do you remember when you first wore red lipstick? What did you wear and how did you wear it?

As you can probably tell, I LOVE FALL.

Autumn colors look gorgeous on bellas all shades of beautiful, but to my eye there’s something so bewitching about the deep jewel tones of the season on brown skin. I was recently honored to be named part of Glam’s Beauty Board, alongside some of my favorite beauty bloggers in the biz, and our first mission was to assess Fall makeup must haves that were especially chosen by the super fierce, funny and fabulous India-Jewel Jackson of Glamblush — you can follow her on Twitter@onglambeauty!

Allow me to break down the official Glam Beauty Board Fall 2011 Makeup Must Haves!

A few of my favorites!

– Rimmel London Volume Accelerator.

I’m a fan of Rimmel in general! Almost every product I’ve tried from the London based brand has been a winner. I especially love their eyeliners and this mascara stands up to the test. I am a fan of a good cone-shaped bush, and the consistency of this mascara lends itself really well to the spidery lashes trend that’s so huge right now.

– Essie nail polish in Midnight Cami.

In the Fall and Winter, I love to switch up my nail shape and the kinds of colors I use. To me, nothing’s more chic than a shorter, squared off nail with dangerously dark polish. Instead of going all the way black, Essie’s Midnight Cami lets you keep it chic with a deep, dark color, but maintains a certain mystery because it’s midnight blue. Midnight Cami delivers the goods in one coat (LOVE when a nailpolish obscures my nailbed so effortlessly). This color is great on its own, or layered under a fun glitter overlay like Nubar 2010 (which I’m currently OBSESSED with!), or as a base color for nail art!

– Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 006 Matte “Really Red.”

I know. Red lipstick can be intimidating. There are so many tints and tones of red, how do you know it’s the right one for your skin color? I’ve had issues finding my ideal red lip, but this Revlon shade comes close. It’s a universally flattering, creamy, matte lippie that has wonderfully smooth glide to it. As you can see, I’m in <3.

– Maybelline Lasting Drama by Eyestudio Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black.

This fall I’m all about retro looks, from winter coats and sweaters, to my makeup. And I’m absolutely LOVING the Maybelline Lasting Drama gel eyeliner. It’s the easiest thing to create that classic Sophia Loren cat’s eye look that I love this season. And despite the drugstore prices, this is definitely intense color and department store quality. I’m gonna go ahead and say believe the hype on this one, bellas! This gel eyeliner lasts and lasts, and is such a great beauty investment!

– Urban Decay Eyeshadow in S&M. I have yet to use an Urban Decay product I didn’t swoon for, and if you’re seeking a highly pigmented silver shadow to give you a futuristic sexy smoky eye, this could be the one! It’s the kind of shadow you can fingerpaint with, which I love. Less is more, unless you want to wind up channeling a 1970′s LaBelle performance. (speaking from experience here!) This item was already packed in my suitcase by the time I did the photo shoot, so you already know. We’re in love.

– Benefit Brow Zings.

If your eyes are the windows to the soul, think of your eyebrows as the window frame. You want your window frame to be elegant and beautiful, not looking all raggedy, splintered and unacceptable. I’m one of those poor unfortunate souls who tends to let her brows grow out to the point of Hungry Little Caterpillar status. Not cute! And that’s why Benefit’s Brow Zings are EVERYTHING. I’m a big believer in a strong, perfectly maintained brow — without it, your overall look isn’t neat, polished, elegant or beautiful. Brow Zings allow me to maintain my own brows wherever I am, whenever I need to! Like on this flight I’m about to catch!

Despite the darkness of the colors mentioned, don’t think you have to restrict yourself to an evening look with these items. It’s all in the application, and like I said — less is more! A subtle cat’s eye with a toned down matte red lip can play well from the office to after work with minimal effort, and is a very retro Mad Men, Pan Am kind of glam.

I love it. I hope you do too!

Some of my fellow Glam Beauty Board reviewers have done a tremendous job reviewing the beauty board items, so check them out!

I received free samples to review as part of the Glam Beauty Board Program, but the opinions you read here are all my own!

Truth be told, by the time 6 pm rolled around this past Thursday, I did NOT want to go out for Fashion’s Night Out. Why? Because I had my heart set on a homemade dinner, and the forecast called for rain. By the time I finally headed out the door, the fashion forecast looked bleak. I didn’t even try to dress for the occasion – because of the weather, I donned gray jeans, a sheer black shirt, high top Adidas and a leather jacket (and jazzed it up with a Kenneth Jay Lane necklace that I scored from Neiman Marcus Last Call). And I dragged my casual chic self over to the Walgreens on the Magnificent Mile, to meet one of my writing inspirations, Tai Beauchamp. Tai has done it ALL with her career. She was a beauty and fashion editor at o, The Oprah Magazine, she was the first African American beauty diector at Seventeen, she’s contributed to every magazine I’v probably ever read, and now she’s the national correspondent for InStyle magazine. Which is what brought her to Walgreens — Tai was hosting a beauty makeover event presented by In Style Magazine and Maybelline! And even with a broken toe, she was lovely and kind and very encouraging to a blogger like me.

Meeting Tai was the highlight of my Chicago Fashion’s Night Out experience. Follow her on Twitter, she is lovely!

After I left Walgreens, it was POURING rain. Imagine, if you will, shrieking women in dangerously high heels, tipping down Michigan Avenue en route to the new Topshop – many of them huddled under one tiny pocketbook sized umbrella. I was so not in the mood. And this is what led me to do Fashion’s Night Out WRONG.

Instead of checking Twitter to see where my friends were, or going to the known Chicago fashion meccas despite the pouring rain, I decided to simply cross the street to see what was in my immediate vicinity. This led me to check out Banana Republic, which was clearly wrapping up their FNO event well before 8 pm. The store was open and people were standing around talking, but it certainly didn’t seem like there was a Fashion’s Night Out event happening. No cocktails, no music, no mingling. Meh. I left and hailed a cab to Macy’s on State Street, which seemed to be suffering the same fate.

When I walked into Macy’s, it felt like I was about to have A Night At The Museum kind of experience. Imagine being completely alone in an enormous, historic building like the former Marshall Fields. It’s a bit intimidating! Luckily amongst the purses I found women performing “Psychic Fashion Readings.” I was quickly ushered into a seat, where I learned that my fashion aura is “tangerine…almost cantaloupe” in color, and my psychic could envision me in flowing, goddess like robes adorned with a leather and chain belt…but apparently I tend to hold myself back from truly expressing myself, fashion wise. VERY interesting, fashion psychic!

I was beginning to despair that in coming out too late, I’d truly missed all that Chicago’s Fashion’s Night Out had to offer…then I ventured up to the third floor and discovered the ladies of the Macy’s Chicago Fashion Incubator.

What is the Chicago Fashion Incubator? It’s Macy’s way of mentoring local designers, the goal being to get them ready for the big time! I am proud to call quite a few of these current designers my friends. Allow me to introduce them!

You might recognize these ladies from a previous Afrobella post — it’s the Double Stitch Twins!

Kelley of K. Fleye Designs is always such a sweetheart. And always SO FLY!

Kahindo of Modahnik wasn’t there in person, she was showing her designs at Buffalo Fashion Week! But her clothes were definitely on proud display. Love her work so much, click here to follow her on Facebook!

I got to meet another lovely Chicago designer who focuses primarily on curvy girls – Shavonne Dorsey Apparel. Keep an eye out for her, plus size bellas! Her clothes look beautiful and are made in such flattering, soft, touchable fabrics, I was instantly intrigued!

And after that, I headed out to a VERY quiet State Street and hailed a cab home. My expectations of a Fashion’s Night Out comparable with the New York City experience were dashed, but much of that can be blamed on rain and my own laziness. From what I heard, Saks Fifth Avenue and Oak Street were the place to be. So next year, if I’m here, that’s where I’ll be!

Did you go out for Fashion’s Night Out? Did you have fun? Buy anything? Tell me!

Hair

Photo from LeCoil, seen on TheFashionBomb.com

I don’t write nearly enough about locs here on Afrobella, because I just don’t know enough! If you rock locs and would like to be a special loc correspondent, holla at a bella in the comments. I saw this inspiring post and these phenomenal photos over at The Fashion Bomb. Click for 6 Different Ways To Style Your Locs! Now go out and WORK em!

I must’ve been living under the rock next to Curly Nikki’s – I never heard of the Tangle Teezer either! Click here to read her review. I think I need it in my life!

Beauty

If you want to know the best makeup on the market, as reviewed and determined by one of the most respected beauty bloggers – check out Temptalia’s 2011 Editor’s Choice Awards. She breaks it down, from Best New Product (that’d be Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Cream, seen here) to Best Budget Mascara (she chose my beloved Maybelline Full n Soft! I tell you, it NEVER fails!).

Julia from All About The Pretty and I agree – Yes To Cucumbers Facial Towelettes are a travel must! They’re cooling, soothing, and remove makeup really well. A great tip for those of you who are always on the go!

Fashion

Michelle Obama looked AMAZING at the White House State Dinner, resplendent in a red Alexander McQueen gown. 55 Secret Street has the scoop.

Speaking of things that are red and beyond fabulous, the hardworking ladies of The Red Pump Project have kicked off their 500 in 50 program for 2011. What’s that? Well the goal is to get 500 blogs in 50 days, to rock the Red Pump Project widget on their site and support the cause of HIV/AIDS awareness. Click here to join us!

More!

I had a down day recently and my friend Karel of Outlish Magazine cheered me up with a song that in no time at all, has become a personal anthem. This song, I’m Beautiful by up and coming artist Aloe Blacc. You may have seen him on Conan O’Brien last night, rockin out on I Need a Dollar.

Aloe Blacc is an amazing singer – evocative of John Legend and Anthony Hamilton, and also a great rapper. I absolutely adore the message of I’m Beautiful. I hope it lifts your spirits and inspires you today!

Happy Friday!

Love the luxe look on the model below. Winged eye makeup, bangin’ lashes and a bold red lip. Now that, my friends, is holidazzle!

The makeup for the shoot was done by Los Angeles based makeup artist Nicole Evans, and she was kind enough to offer some uber glam holiday makeup tips for anyone looking to up the ante for their upcoming holiday parties!

Take it away Nicole!

#1 -First things first! This season is all about the chilly weather outside and warmth indoors. Protect your skin from this weather and get it in prime condition by drinking lots of water, exfoliating and moisturizing that skin! Cold wind and try heat will cause all skin to be drier than usual. Make sure you use an exfoliator to get rid of that dry skin and keep your complexion smooth. Try the Clarisonic Mia Cleansing System, ($149, Sephora) for a thoroughly clean and smooth complexion. Hydrate your skin with Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentre ($25,embryolisseusa.com), an amazingly light but very hydrating moisturizer.

5) MAC ProLongwear Lip Crème in Prolong -for lips that shame the red,red rose!

Thanks Nicole and Felicia for getting my holiday glam up to par!

Love her tips, and I think I need to advance my red lip game this season! What holiday looks do you plan to try out, bellas?

First off I’ll be talking to amazing model Tomiko Fraser Hines, she has done everything from incredible runway work for Chloe, Chanel, Vera Wang and the list goes on – and she was also the first black model to score an exclusive contract with Maybelline. She’s going to tell us about her career as a model, and her latest endeavors – Tomiko’s Goddess Gathering, and her involvement in Love Your Body Day. Can’t wait!!

My second guest will be the amazing Karen Tappin Saunderson of celebrated natural hair and beauty brand Karen’s Body Beautiful. Karen is an inspiration to any aspiring beauty business owner, she has knowledge to impart on caring for your natural hair, and she just expanded her Brooklyn location to include an amazing spa. Expect to hear more about that, when we go on the air live this morning!

All that, some great music, and my live on-air review of the Huetiful Hair Steamer – AND the announcement of the big winner of the Huetiful Hair Steamer contest!

Click here to tune in to Afrobella Radio, live at 10 am Central, 11 am EST!

Because #1 – the model or celebrity in the ad is most likely wearing fake lashes, and

#2 – if it’s a product that promises to make your lashes grow, there’s most likely a side effect I’m not comfortable with. That “Lashisse” parody scared me straight for a while!

While I remain hesitant about certain forms of lash boosting, I am ALL about trying mascaras and lash primers that add volume. My obsession du jour is DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum – it makes my lashes look ultra lush no matter what!

Sold exclusively at Sephora, this is Dior’s first lash primer. You apply it under mascara, or by itself at night as a deep conditioning treatment for your lashes. It applies white and opaque, but dries clear if you wait.

Dior’s lash primer really helps my lashes stay neatly and uniformly coated and curled – I have a few wonky lashes that always want to tangle or lean to the side, or grow straight when all the others curl. This serum helps to keep my otherwise unruly lashes in line, until my mascara of choice darkens them and keeps them in place.

Usually I apply a coat of DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum, then apply my mascara of choice. And of course they recommend you pair it with DiorShow mascara of course…but the serum makes every mascara glide on smooth, look thicker, and last longer. In these dog days of summer I am LOVING it.

I know I don’t do the bomb.com lash photos like my girl Clumps of Mascara does…but I am wearing DiorShow Maximizer under my stand-by, Maybelline Full and Soft in this pic. Just so you know – it will also give your drugstore faves that extra special Dior oomph.

DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum is exclusively at Sephora and costs $28. And in my opinion – you deserve it in your life!

She goes, “what are your top 5 beauty products?”

And I’m like…huh? What a big question! Do you mean makeup, or skincare? Beauty products? OMG I can’t even begin to wrap my mind around that.

I was getting the vapors just thinking about it.

But Luvvie pressed me to name my top 5 actual items – including both makeup and skincare.

I had to think hard, and fast. What are the products I absolutely can’t do without, can’t recommend a similar product that works just as well, and will happily buy again as soon as my package begins to show signs of running low?

Here were my answers, in order.

1. MAC Studio Fix fluid SPF 15 foundation. I won’t leave home without it. Seriously. Tia Dantzler was able to look at me and tell me my exact shade, and ever since then I have been hooked. If I’m out somewhere special and I’m going to be photographed, I NEED to be wearing my Studio Fix!

2. Maybelline Full and Soft mascara. An oldie but always a goodie. Maybelline Full and Soft is my stand-by, my go-to, the mascara that makes my lashes look lush, for an affordable price. I will happily try any expensive mascara on the market, but I always come back to Full and Soft.

3. NYX lip pencils. I really need to write a big blog post all about NYX sometime soon. I gotta give a hat tip to my homette Clumps of Mascara for convincing me to seek out the brand! NYX is all about high impact and low prices. Their eye pencils are awesome, and their lip pencils are the BOMB, especially for black women looking for color impact and lip pencils that last. I was looking for a lip pencil in the perfect shade of dark brown for a long time, and NYX had my shade and then some! In thin lip pencils and thick. If you’ve had a hard time finding lip pencils in all the tints and tones of brown you need, get thee to an Ulta and get you a piece of their awesome.

4. Jolie MD. I’ve reviewed this product before, so you already know my feelings. All I will say is, I have yet to find another skincare serum that is as effective for my skin’s needs. And believe me, I’ve looked!

And…number 5. Oh man, how to close this list out? Part of me wanted to say the Clarisonic brush. But in the interest of reviewing something new that I’ve been using particularly recently and am head over heels about, I gotta go with the Dr. Lancer Method.

It’s a three part skin care system that makes my skin look and feel clean, fresh and glowing. The skin polish is more refined and effective than just about any I’ve used. The cleanser feels amazing – tingly, refreshing, and I love the little beads! And the Repair AM/PM Nourishing Treatment makes my skin feel replenished. I use it right when I get out of the shower. Then I can add my moisturizer with SPF, foundation etc and I am good to go!

It was super hard to come up with my top 5 products, but that’s what I came up with under pressure. I keep thinking of more products I should and could have added…but those were my top 5 when asked. Now it’s your turn. What are your top 5 beauty products? I know! It’s super hard, right?