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…
skincare
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…
What’s A Hydrafacial? Inside My Exfoliating, Moisturizing Skin Improving Experience
My experience with facials goes back a long way. Back in high school when my teenage hormones caused my skin to wild out, my mom started sending me for regular facials at a popular chain of Caribbean aestheticians. Back in my Miami days, I wrote a popular spa review column and got facials all the…
Adios, Itchy Winter Skin – How Olay Moisture Ribbons Came to The Rescue
This post was sponsored by Olay, but these experiences are all mine! I’ve been living in Chicago since 2009 and at this point I’ve seen my share of winters. Some have been mild, some have been horrendous. I’ve definitely had my experiences with winter’s specific beauty and personal care issues and come to learn a…
Great News! Now You Can BUY My Limited Edition We Are ONYX Box! No Subscription Needed
This month kicked off on a high note when I announced that I curated a limited edition beauty box for We Are ONYX! I’m honored to have had the opportunity to collaborate with one of my favorite beauty subscription boxes in the game, and we have a new announcement to make. Now you can click…
Get Into my We Are ONYX December BOGO Box!
I’ve been a fan of the We Are ONYX box since 2013, and I love the space they have carved out for themselves in the subscription box space. To me, they are amongst the very best in catering specifically to beauty for us and presenting a variety of independent brands. So when they approached me…
Products with Purpose — Beelove, Raw Honey Beauty That Helps Former Convicts Find Work
Some brands donate proceeds for a day, others do it for a whole month. And some brands are based completely on charitable donation and through their purchase, we the consumer can support an important cause in an ongoing way. That’s what this new category is all about. Every month I’ll be featuring Products With Purpose, beauty,…
Ask a Beauty Expert — 11 Things African American Women Should Know About Makeup
We’ve got “alternative facts” in media and politics, and they don’t stop there – I’ve seen quite a few beauty “tips” or “hacks” that I’d definitely categorize as potentially harmful, couched as advice from a beauty or wellness pro. I’ll admit, I’ve had my concerns when I watch these well-edited, ill-advised video clips of beautiful…
Afrobella on the Tom Joyner Morning Show — All About the EWG “Skin Deep” Study
The first week of the year kicked off on a great note – on Tuesday, 3rd January I appeared on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, chatting with the incomparable Jacque Reid about beauty, hair and health. Click here to listen if you missed it! The topic we discussed was the recent study by the Environmental…
Beauty Brand Spotlight — Nubian Heritage
It was my first ever trip to New York City and we were staying with a college friend who lived in Harlem. He lived in a cool little walk-up above a neighborhood bar, on Manhattan Avenue. It was a sunny afternoon, my husband and I explored as much of Harlem as possible. Strolling along the…