August 5, 2016. It was like any other day, pretty much. I was talking to my dad on the phone, telling him about a doctor’s appointment I had the day before, telling him about my plans for the 10th anniversary of Afrobella – that would have been August 13th. I had plans and stuff… read all

When I was in high school, I wanted to look like anyone but myself. I thought I was too big, too dark but not dark enough at the same time, with acne and dark marks from picking at my face. My hair wasn’t long enough for my liking. I felt uncomfortable in my own skin…. read all

Bellas, we are living in a time of “fake news.” It’s true in terms of politics, and it’s also true in the beauty world. All over the internet and social media, I’m seeing totally misadvised information disguised as beauty hacks. Some of these so-called hacks are relatively harmless, but what concerns me is the trend… read all

They are beautiful, sparkling, harvested from the earth, and used to adorn our bodies, our homes and our lives. Your self care and wellness-knowledgeable friends may seem to know a lot about them. But how much do you know about crystals, and do you believe in crystal therapy? I’d love to know your thoughts.  … read all

First one I heard about was Macy’s. Then Sears and KMart. Then JC Penney. Then mall staple The Limited closed 250 stores. Then long-beleaguered American Apparel announced store closings. Now BCBG announced plans to close several stores. By the time this post goes live, there’ll likely be more to add to the list. The list of nationwide… read all

This month we suffered a tremendous loss in the multicultural blogging community. If you knew Jewel Figueras, count yourself amongst the lucky. She was a great friend to so many of us, beloved by all who encountered her smile, her laugh, her welcoming warmth. Jewel = LOVE. Her blog was called Jewel’s Fab Life and… read all

It isn’t something we think about or talk about in my family – it just IS. We are a family of caregivers. My grandmother cared for her mother. My mom and my two aunts in turn cared for my grandmother. It’s a generational thing. “Back in the day, older people remained in their homes until… read all

This post was sponsored by SheaMoisture. I’ll never forget the first time I had to buy my own hair products in America. It was late August, 1998. I had just become a freshman at the University of Miami. I had grown up in Trinidad, surrounded by women with similar hair issues to my own. We… read all

Socks and ties and socks and underwear and socks and a nice shirt and maybe a wallet or a belt or some of those whiskey stones — for years I took a very material, literal approach to Father’s Day. My dad could rely on certain gifts every year. It’s always a challenge to think of… read all

My best friend Lauren texted me at 12:23 pm on April 21st. I thought that was odd, it was in the middle of the work day. I was in the middle of a hectic afternoon myself, and hadn’t been paying attention to social media for much of the morning. “OMG, please tell me it’s not… read all