Empire is one of those shows that frequently gets labeled as a “guilty pleasure.” For me, there is no guilt. There is only pleasure. I enjoy Empire for the glamour, the drama, the sizzling intrigue and especially the STYLE. I grew up on a diet of Dynasty, Falcon Crest and Knots Landing; and Empire gives… read all

Foundation is one of those makeup products that so many of us have a hard time mastering. Many of us have issues finding the right shade – women of color are women with tones and undertones. Makeup brands are just now catching up with our needs and expanding their shade ranges to suit. Also, there… read all

A little backstory before the post: About a week ago, I was in Los Angeles on an assignment and I had the good fortune of going backstage to a taping of The Queen Latifah Show. I went to visit my friend, celebrity makeup artist and beauty influencer Sam Fine — he’s Queen Latifah’s official makeup… read all

Last night I was sponsored by my friends at COVERGIRL, to host their official Black Girls Rock! #EasyBreezyQueen  Twitter party! We discussed beauty and music and fashion, and my friend Sam Fine (@SamFineBeauty) broke down the beauty trends and top products, in his official role as COVERGIRL Beauty Ambassador! I specifically had to press Sam on ALL… read all

    I didn’t realize how subdued my personal fashion palette had become, until this Easter weekend. The first warm holiday weekend in Chicago, and I had THE hardest time finding the right springtime pop of color for the occasion! I haven’t yet turned my winter wardrobe over to spring, but I’m all about spring… read all

Bellas, you LOVED my last collaboration with my favorite Los Angeles makeup artist Nicole Evans. – you guys shared, pinned and tweeted our 25 Best MAC Lipsticks For Women of Color post to the gods! Thank you so much. Via Twitter and in the comments, we kept getting requests for MORE posts like that. More… read all

One of the benefits of being a bit of an OG on the blogging scene – I can look back and truly appreciate how much things have changed and how far I’ve come. Not just for myself, but for others I’ve encountered along the way. Take for example, the talented and beautiful Janelle Monáe. I… read all

Paula Patton is killing the game on just about every level. She’s drop dead gorgeous and has a killer body – as evidenced by her sexy scenes in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (yeah, my husband loved that movie). She’s married to the musical deliciousness that is Robin Thicke. Her career is on fire and her… read all

In 1962 Crayola changed the name of their “Flesh” crayon to “Peach”, out of respect for the then-burgeoning civil rights movement. The crayon company’s cultural sensitivity memo apparently never trickled down to some typically female-oriented industries. You can hit up any department store and find an array of foundation garments labelled “nude.” But if your… read all