Every brand has them – the best sellers, the tried-and-true items, the products they’ve been making for the longest because the people keep coming back for more. In the biz they’re known as hero products, and beauty brands strive to cultivate and maintain them. What makes a product a hero product? Consistency. Quality. It has…
Beauty
Leopard Three Ways — An Indie Brand Lookbook with Coldesina and Pari Passu
I went to the desert outskirts of Las Vegas to do this unforgettable photo shoot, just me, my husband and my mother-in-law, It was a chilly afternoon, right after Christmas. As you can see in the background, it was snowing that weekend and the mountaintops were still white. Such gorgeous juxtaposition and such a beautiful…
Winter Skin Heroes –Drugstore Beauty Brands That Help Me Survive Cold Weather
In 2009 I moved to Chicago from Miami. Ever since, the number one question most people ask me is “what were you thinking??” The question can come from anyone at any time of year, but it really picks up in the winter. It’s “what were you thinking” coupled with “what are you doing here?” and…
Words of the Year — How I Found Mine And How You Can Find Yours
In years past, I used to make a long list of resolutions and then spend too much time feeling bad about not achieving enough of them. This year, I’m intentionally being gentle with myself. I’m not even limiting myself to one word. In 2017 I began the practice of coming up with a WORD of…
Indie Beauty Brand Love — 2019 Holiday Beauty and Hair Gift Guide
I can’t believe it’s almost here! Are you ready for Christmas yet? It’s ALMOST but not quite too late to get that last minute shopping in. Without further ado, here’s my list of independent, mostly Black owned, mostly woman owned brands who are making skincare, body care, beauty and hair care products you will love! Adwoa…
My Pumpkin Skincare Beauty Favorites
Apparently National Pumpkin Day was on October 26th and I totally missed that. I personally celebrate my love of all things pumpkin much closer to Thanksgiving. I love the pumpkin pies, cakes, cookies and muffins – I also love a savory pumpkin stew or other dish. And I take my love of pumpkin to another…
Mented Helped Me Find My Nude Makeup Groove
For years, my lipstick loving life was all about color. The bolder and brighter, the better. Hello, when given the opportunity to come up with my own color I devised All Of My Purple Life. I LOVE a vibrant lip color. But I also realized that I leaned heavily on color to give me courage….