Tangerine Tango is Pantone’s color of the year, and we’re officially in the midst of Spring – Chicago’s dismal weather aside. Orange is sizzling hot right now for lips, cheeks, nails, and even eyes. Yes ma’am, just the other day I gave Make Up For Ever’s orange Aqua Cream a try on my eyelids under a bold, black cat eye, with peachy cheeks and a shimmery nude lip. Lately I’ve been rocking orange lips in varying degrees of intensity, and it’s a head turner of a look. If done wrong, it can be very eighties. (When I told my mom I was writing a post on orange lips she said “IT’S BACK!!!” with tremendous excitement. That was her signature for a while!

Photo via Fashion Bomb Daily.

Recently a friend on Twitter asked me if I had a recommendation for THE perfect orange lip for brown skin. I didn’t know if there was one special orange for all of us. I had to ask incredible makeup artist Tia Dantzler, who offered some helpful orange lip tips. “That orange can be tricky. I like to use a pencil first to fill in. Sometimes you have an orange that’s too bright. So I like to use a brown or burgundy pencil as a base to tone it down. Or you can use a gloss or an orange lip balm. I like to tone it down before I turn it up.”

I dug deep into my own orange-or-in-the-orange-family lippie stash to see which were the best. Photographed here with my camera phone, apologies for photo quality:

MAC lipstick in Watch Me Shimmer from Shop MAC Cook MAC, which is a coral pink that’s super pretty and wearable

Black|Up Cosmetics lipstick in RAL 26 – creamy, bright, buildable orange with a touch of red coral to it, if you feel me

OCC Lip Tar in Safety Orange – the gold standard of longlasting orange lippies, with a touch of red for the bravest among us

Lancome color design lipstick in Corset, a matte coral peach that is so smooth and fabulous

Milani Lip Flash pencil in Flash Light – coral with red shimmer, very shimmery, great over lip pencil

Cover Girl blast flipstick in Cheeky, interesting orangey coral you customize – one side is shimmer, the other cream

Avon Glow Lip Gloss in Coral, the safest, sheerest, shiniest option for those who are a tad too shy for overt orange. Just a hint of creamsicle orange that’s super sheer, excellent when layered over a lipstick or pencil.

Those are the few I have – couldn’t find my tube of MAC Morange for the photo. Classic shade, one I LOVE.  Check out this post by Style And Beauty Doc for a few more classic MAC oranges.

If you’re looking for a brand new orange lippie, might I recommend Sephora? I stopped by the one on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue recently to check out their orange lip collection. And there were some GREAT oranges in store.

Urban Decay’s Super Saturated lip pencils are chubby and slick and highly pigmented and full of win, and Punch Drunk is a delicious orange cream. A Go Go by Kat Von D is a hot coral color. And then I hit the motherlode — Sephora has a Pantone Color of the Year collaboration that you can shop in store or online! Check out this display with all the Tangerine Tango you could want. Look!

So if you’re looking for your ideal orange, check out Sephora. And if you want to know how to wear them, consider the advice I got from Tia Dantzler. “It’s best to use a scrub on your lips first, because with bright lip colors they really show if your lips are peeling.” TRUE STORY.

Have you found YOUR perfect orange lip color? Tell me about it!

Part of the motivation for starting my blog was the fact that I wasn’t seeing a reflection of myself in the media. Five years ago, there was nobody looking like me in magazines or in advertisements. If you had told me five years ago — in the not-too-distant future, there’ll be natural haired women in more ads than you can think of, and plus size fashionistas will be representing bigtime online…I would have been hopeful but skeptical. And if you’d told me that I’d be the one doing some of the ad campaigns…I would have asked you what you were tripping on.

But five years have passed. And dreams I never dreamed of before are coming true.

When Style Coalition asked me to create a short video for Lancome, to show the inspiration I found in Lancome’s Color Design 5 Pan palette, I was honored and delighted. And the palette I got — Teal Fury — couldn’t have been more perfect.

The first thing I thought of when I saw that teal? Trinidad. How much I miss seeing warm water and sky that come in those colors. I miss taking blue sky for granted. And that became the inspiration for my video. Because the greatest luxury I have in this world right now, is time. Time to enjoy life. Time to enjoy the fleeting windows of warmth and blue sky that we get to experience here in Chicago.

Lancome’s Color Design 5 Pan palette in Teal Fury is bold and bright, yes. But as we soak up spring and move into summer, it’s already become a staple for me. There’s a sizzling sparkle in the teal that makes it really pop. I love traveling with eyeshadow palettes, and this has been making some serious trips with me so far. Next stop, NYC! (again!)

Can’t wait to wear Teal Fury in Trinidad, where the inspiration came from.

You can see other amazing Style Coalition Lancome videos over on the Style Coalition YouTube channel, and you can keep up with all things Lancome on Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook.

Thanks again to Lancome and StyleCoalition for choosing me and allowing me to share my culture with the world. This Trini is always proud to represent!

Post sponsored by Lancome.

Whew! I needed days of recovery after the madness that was Lollapalooza. More to come on this soon — you can read my first review here!

Over the weekend I dealt with the extremes of Chicago weather. Rain on Friday and blistering heat Saturday and Sunday. But through it all, my eyemakeup stayed in tact. How? I’ll tell you my latest little secret.

Gel eyeliner is my new best friend.

My hands are too shaky for liquid, and eyeliner pencils are frequently too waxy and smudgy for me. So when I want to get that kapow! liquid liner cat’s eye look, I reach for the gel. It’s forgiving and easy and lasts forever. Add a little eyeshadow primer and it gets even better!

Most department store brands have a gel or powder liner amongst their stock, but these brands are my favorites!

Bobbi Brown has this here on lock. Their long wear gel eyeliner is so precise, so easy, and comes in so many gorgeous shades. Their new fall color is Forest, mossy green with a subtle gold shimmer. It’s very low key and works great for bellas who like their makeup subtle and stunning. I prefer a bit more pop, so I need to get my hands on violet — purple makes my baby brown eyes look amazing (and it’s my favorite color!) These cost $21 a piece but they’ll last you forever and a day as long as you keep the jar tightly sealed.

Are you up on Lancome’s Fall 09 collection? It’s called Declaring Indigo, and the shades are sharp, bright, and classic. This isn’t the kind of makeup you buy that loses its allure next season. Gold and navy blue aren’t going anywhere anytime soon! Their Ink Artliner longwear calligraphy gel liner in Indigo Charm is nautical, and really stands out on brown skin tones. It’s $23.50, but you already knew Lancome is on the higher end of the makeup scale, right? And in this case you really do get what you pay for.

Cream to powder liner is an alternative to gel that’s equally long lasting, and a new one I’ve had the pleasure of trying recently is by Christopher Drummond. If you’re new to his lline, sit up and take notice! Christopher Drummond is all about 100% natural, organic based, high quality cosmetics. If you’re a fiend for good ingredients in your products, definitely check him out.

His cream to powder eyeliner is meant to be used as a brow filler as well as an eyeliner, so it’s super subtle and very complimentary to a variety of skin tones. I will be gushing more about his products soon, but for now I’ll just say this — the Sateen Blush is gorgeous, and the cream to powder liner surprised me for two reasons. 1. the name of the color, soft black, led me to believe that it was in fact, black. It came out more of a deep raisin on me. But surprise #2 – I love the color! It’s rich, soft, subtle, and very very pretty. It’s $22.50, and I’m anxious to see if this product is eventually released in even more shades.

Last but not least, let’s hear it one time for my bellas on a budget! If you aren’t up on Sonia Kashuk’s line of makeup at Target, you need to get there in a hurry. I can’t tell you how impressed I am with the quality of these items! Most of all, her gel liner. For some reason it isn’t on Target’s website but I know it’s available in stores. (I got this photo from Makeup Alley). Sonia Kashuk’s liner lasted me all afternoon in the blazing Lollapalooza heat, and with her equally affordable angled liner brush, application is a breeze. It costs less than $10, and the color is flawlessly dark and longlasting!

I’ve noticed a lack of available swatches for brown skinned beauties, so here’s my first attempt at swatching colors for you. From left to right, Bobbi Brown’s Forest, Lancome’s Indigo, Christopher Drummond Soft Black, and Sonia Kashuk’s black liners.

Whew! Do you prefer gel, liquid, or pencil eyeliner? Got a fave brand? Share!

It’s still summertime, kids – don’t let the back to school displays in stores fool you! It’s still all about bright, beautiful colors, sunshine, and popsicles.

But at the makeup counter, something new and wicked this way comes. I’m hearing the new fall makeup lines will be quite gothy and dark and edgy. Oh my!

Just last week I was sent a few sample items to review, by my friends at Lancome. In addition to their amazing new Fall collection, Declaring Indigo (much more to come on this soon!)

And included in the package was a delightful and unexpected leftover from Aaron de Mey’s Spring 2009 Collection: Pink Irreverence. A special limited edition Color Fever gloss called Piha Black. The description:

“Back by popular demand, Piha Black adds an irreverent twist to the spring collection with its deep black and sparkly, volcanic beach inspired color. Used as a topcoat, the gloss brings a subtle dark intensity and brightness to other lip shades. Use alone for an edgier look.”

When I got the package, I was like – whoa, black sparkly lip gloss? That kind of dark lip look hasn’t even occurred to me since high school when I was a black lipstick junkie. This is so not a look for everyone.

When I announced it on Twitter, the response was instantaneous. Whaa? Pictures, please!!!

So I came up with a look to compliment this black lipgloss. I used the Benefit Cosmetics Smokin’ Eyes kit, MAKE UP FOR EVER Smoky Lash mascara, and MAC Style Warrior blush in On a Mission — which is a really pretty plum for brown skin. Fancy all the way.

Then I topped it all off with the gloss — which is more sheer than I expected, and brought out a dark plum in my lips. Added my hot new Coffy earrings by Peace Images, and I was fresh dressed like a million bucks.

Then I took a picture for the people.

Wowza. I did NOT expect the tremendous response I got from this lipgloss!

Overwhelming response — OMG, I love it! Where can I get it? I even wound up inspiring my homegirl Heather Park, who twerked the look with MAC eyeliner. SO inventive, I love it!

Well bellas, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is, this limited edition gloss is hardly available for purchase anywhere. One of my Twitter friends was able to get it at Bloomingdale’s, and paid $25. But it’s no longer on Lancome’s site.

BUT! I reached out to my amiga at Lancome, and I’ve got THREE Piha Black lip glosses for giveaway right here on Afrobella!!

All you have to do is leave a comment and tell me — how would you rock this black lip gloss?

I’m looking for makeup and style inspiration, bellas. Share with me, and I’ll choose three winners at the end of the week.

Can’t wait to read your responses! May the flyest bella win!

Summertime is in full swing and it’s all about wearing your cutest sandals and letting your fingers and toes do the talking! I love the season, and it’s the perfect time to take risks with your safe, typical mani/pedi. Of course being a bella on a budget, you might be giving yourself a lot of at-home touch-ups. Here’s the hottest trends I’ve seen, and the polishes you need to pull them off!

#1 — Multicolored Nails.

So fun, so cute, so perfect for summer! The multicolored nail trend is very youthful and perfect for those who love to be trendsetters.

Super fly ATL blogger Necole Bitchie’s making it a phenomenon in hot, bright pink and black. How does my Twitter homegirl do it? — with a different color on the ring left hand, and on the pointer finger of the right hand. I had to ask what colors she’s rocking and Necole admitted that she gets her nails done at the salon, but she believes the color is called “Electrick Pink.” The closest match I could find for that name was by my beloved and super-cheap Milani. Check out the reviews on Makeup Alley! Bright neon pink is guaranteed to turn heads. Get yours at CVS.

Necole’s been rocking the pink and black, but recently she switched it up and went zebra on one nail.

I’ve been seeing some great variations of the multicolored nail trend — Erika at Makeup Bag did some lovely red and blue “patriotic nails” over the holiday weekend. So cute! You can alternate two different colors, or you could go all the way with “Skittles nails” as my homegirl Brittany from Clumps of Mascara calls it. You can stay in the same color family or go for the jewel toned brights like Brittany did. Fun, fun, fun!

#2 — Pale and classy

As a little one, I always wondered why my Aunty Gemma always wore the same shimmery white nailpolish all the time. Now that I’m older, I totally get it! Pale nails can be tame enough to wear to work, but they look oh so beautiful on brown skin. Pale toenails with a pair of gold or silver sandals = so sexy.

OPI Bubble Bath is just such a shade — pale, pale pink that brushes on so perfectly the first application around, you’ll swear you had a professional manicure done. Subtle, classy, clean, sexy. Love it! And if you purchase OPI’s Bubble Bath in July or August, you’ll be supporting Look Good…Feel Better, a national public service program that helps women cope with appearance-related changes from cancer treatment. During July and August, OPI will contribute a portion of the proceeds of every bottle of Bubble Bath Nail Lacquer sold, with a minimum contribution of $25,000, to Look Good…Feel Better. Sweet deal, right?

#3 — Glitz and Glamour

I know most of my bellas on a budget hit the drugstore for their nailpolish fix…but every now and then it can be worth it, splurging on a fancy polish that makes you feel like a superstar from the minute you slick it on. I’m talking about putting some essie Limted Edition Love, Beverly Hills xx Nail Colour with 24K Pure Gold in the mix. $16.99 is nothing to sneeze at when it comes to nailpolish. Achoo!

Lancome Le Vernis in Exotique Kiss is a limited edition coral pink with an iridescent gold shimmer that looks so stunningly gorgeous in the sun. $18 a bottle, but you’ll want to wear it again and again to get your money’s worth.

And the bangin’ bronzy gold I’m sporting in this pic is MAC’s Style Warrior in Mercenary. They describe the $11 polish as “frosted blackened bronze,” but I describe it as PURE FIRE. Stunning in the light. Photo doesn’t do it justice.

and trend #4 — DIY Nail Art

I am so not skilled with nailpolish — when I do my nails I do them sloppy and wait till the next shower to peel away the spillage around my fingernails. But more and more of my amigas are trying sweet DIY nail art, and I’m almost inspired to try it myself! The PBG at 52 Flavors frequently wears fabulously bright nail colors with cool diagonals and funky patterns. Homegirl’s got skills! And thanks to nail art pens like those by Sally Hansen, it’s easier than ever to jazz up your hands with some unexpected patterns. Love it!

However you rock your mani/pedi, work it to the fullest! How are you wearing your nails this season, bellas?

Did you see the photos from Monday night’s star-studded Costume Institute gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Black Voices and Concrete Loop did a great features of the red carpet glitz and glamour if you’re looking for makeup inspiration. You probably already know, Kanye’s lady Amber Rose was resplendent in red, and Rihanna looked sleek and stunning in a tuxedo, working the smokey eye and nude lip for all it’s worth.

I got a whole lot of makeup inspiration from the photos I saw, and you already know I love a good product-by-product breakdown of what the pretty people are using! My amigas at The Lancome Blog broke down the products used on some of my favorite model muses who were present at the event. These aren’t products priced for my bellas on a budget, but at least you’ll get an idea of which colors look hottest on the most stunning women of color in the modeling game. Then it’s just a matter of finding affordable alternatives!

First up: Alek Wek!

Celebrity makeup artist Oslyn Holder went bold — deep burgundy reds for the eternally stunning supermodel. She lined the upper lash line with Lancome Le Stylo Eyeliner in Noir and blended Color Design Eyeshadow in Statuesque (black) and Backstage Pass (deep burgundy red) on the eyelid. To make Alek’s eyes pop, she applied several coats of Lancome Hypnose Mascara in Deep Black.
Oslyn added color to Alek’s cheeks using Color Design Cream Blush in Chic Cassis — a deep, bricky color. She used Color Fever Gloss in Intense — a bold merlot color — to finish the look.

Lancôme makeup artist Tarek Abbas created Lancôme spokesmodel Arlenis Sosa’s soft, polished look.

Tarek lined Le Crayon Kohl in Black Ebony on the upper lash line and followed with Le Stylo Waterproof in Noir, smudging it on the lower lashes. Tarek added Color Design Eyeshadow in Kitten Heel (shimmery baby pink) to the eyelid. Lancome Oscillating mascara in Black created a faux-lash effect. For a high-shine pout, he lined the lips with Le Lipstique in Amandelle and topped it with La Laque Fever in Neutral Current, a pretty, sparkling, translucent brown.

Afrobella primarily focuses on darker hues of beautiful, but I’ve gotten so many wonderful e mails from Asian readers who are looking for their beauty fix as well. I know y’all are right there with me on the lack of representation in the beauty industry! I found out the secrets to the radiant look that
Lancôme makeup artist Andrew Sotomayor created for stunning Chinese supermodel Du Juan. Read on for more!

He used Lancome Artliner Precision Point EyeLiner in Brown on the upper lash line and added a few coats of Lancôme Virtuôse Black Carat Mascara. Andrew stepped outside of the Lancome family and added just a touch of color to the eyes with Shu Uemura Eyeshadow in ME Brown 860 and ME Pink 100. He lined the lips with Lancôme Le Lipstique in Natural Mauve and topped it with La Laque Fever gloss in Pink Dimension, and dusted Du Juan with Lancome Star Bronzer.

Pretty! And now I’ve got a list a mile-long of Lancome products I’m dying to try. Starting with that oscillating mascara!

Who wore your favorite look at the MET, bellas? Tell me and I’ll try to get their makeup breakdown for you!