Cocoa butter is something so many of us grow up knowing and loving. To me, the smell of cocoa butter is evocative of warmth, softness and love. And chocolate, obviously. It’s something we’re so familiar with but still know so little about. Let me put you up on cocoa butter game, so you’ll know what… read all

  When I was a teenager, I was sent to tennis lessons. I spent weekend mornings running around and picking up tennis balls, all under the tutelage of an elderly gentleman named Mr. Valentine. Mr. Valentine was a very forthright gentleman and after some time had passed, my parents asked him for his opinion on… read all

I’ve been aware of the annual SELF Magazine Workout in the Park event for quite some time now – it’s  been going on for 21 years and I’ve written about it several times, from my Miami newspaper days until now. In all that time that I’ve been aware of this annual, multi-city event, I’ve never… read all

For years, I had such awful, stupid ideas about taking care of myself. For a long time my goals were in weight loss, and I was caught up in limiting ideas about dress sizes instead of considering health and wellness. As a teenager, I was bulimic and that began as a deliberate choice. Dumb. I… read all

I’ve shared my health and fitness journey here off and on, but more often lately that kind of sharing has been off. I figure if I don’t want to talk about it, I should be about it. For me, my journey to wellness has never been about fitting into a specific dress size or being… read all

Welcome to Afrobella’s Obsessions, a new (hopefully monthly) column where I share ALL of my latest favorites. From hair, beauty and bath to fashion, travel and tech – my top recommendations of the month will be collected in one spot! If you’re looking for something new and awesome to enhance your life, stay tuned. Check… read all

  I slather it on every day as soon as I get out of the shower. Some days it’s a cream, some days it’s a butter, some days it’s an oil. As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to realize – daily body moisturizer is essential. When I was a teen and in my twenties, I knew I should’ve been… read all

The time of year is here, bellas. There’s a chill in the air and a snap in the wind here in Chicago. The leaves are rapidly changing from yellow to brown. Tis the season for the butters. Maybe this year you’re looking for a new butter experience. Maybe you don’t want to smell like chocolate… read all

The first time I tried oil pulling, I was at the end of my rope. I had been fighting a disgusting cold for weeks and the coughing and congestion was killing my joie de vivre completely. I was SO OVER IT. I took to Twitter to vent about my ongoing illness and was offered a… read all

In 2012, Afrobella of the Month is BACK! Some months may be written by me, other months may be written by an expert or a contributor! This month’s AOTM is written by Renisha James, fitness expert and personal trainer. Learn more about her philosophies on fitness at RenewedFitness.com, and follow her on Facebook or on… read all