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…. read all

I still remember exactly where I was when I heard the news, that awful day that the world lost Aaliyah. I was in college in Miami. Aaliyah was born in 1979, like I was. Her music was undeniably part of the soundtrack of my upbringing. Seeing the dates of her life flash across the news… read all

Fun fact – sometimes on blustery days when the Chicago wind is howling and I still, for some reason absolutely have to venture out of my home, I don’t wear anything on my face but moisturizer, mattifying primer, sunglasses and lipstick. Gotta have the lipstick. It pulls the look together and makes me look like… read all

On Instagram, I use the hashtag #IndieBrandLove to highlight and celebrate the independent brands I’ve tried and can vouch for in terms of product quality. And now I’m sharing that spotlight here on Afrobella.com! Get to know some of my favorite independent fashion, beauty, food and cultural brands and let’s show them a little #IndieBrandLove!… read all

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

The photos of Angela Bassett at the Emmys have been floating around my timeline and getting tons of social media likes, with good reason. Because Angela Bassett looks AMAZING. The word flawless gets tossed around a lot. Here, I’d say it applies. Behold. Angela Bassett is never one to half-step and she SLAYED at the… read all

I gotta admit, it was kind of a bummer to come back to a windy and chilly-for-no-reason Chicago, following a spectacular getaway with minimal WiFi access, spent basking on the beach and soaking up the sun. If you follow me on Instagram, you already know – I thoroughly enjoyed my visit back to Miami to… read all

I love wearing a bold, bright lip. But honestly, sometimes a bold, bright lip doesn’t love me back. Chapped, dry lips are the enemy of bright lipsticks and glosses. There’s no better way to point out “HEY, I’ve got dry skin issues” than to slather on a creamy matte lipstick, pre-exfoliation. It’s like pointing a big… read all

  New year, same you – but with a fresh new chance to update and upgrade your life. Maybe it’s time to invest in a new wardrobe. Maybe get those running shoes you’vebeen meaning to invest in. It’s also time to consider upgrading your beauty product collection, and acquiring some new makeup, skincare, body products… read all

I’ve been hearing from quite a few of my readers lately, that makeup is challenging and intimidating. For those of us who aren’t used to wearing makeup on a day to day basis, when we’re presented with an event where we’re expected to wear makeup it can cause anxiety and stress. I’m here to tell… read all