J.Lo Realizes A Big Dream

J.Lo has announced that something new is on the way for her. In 2021, she will officially realize a long-time dream.

It was announced several months ago that she was coming out with, you guessed, a skincare line. This is a no-brainer. She’s long been known for having beautiful, glowing skin along with a serious skincare regimen. J.Lo definitely realizes the importance of taking care of her skin. It has served her well.

Her brand, dubbed JLo Beauty (of course!), will launch on January, 1, 2021 on its respective website. The brand will launch with eight skincare products including eye cream, a dietary supplement, and sunscreen.

J.Lo is pretty amazing and I expect that this product will be no less. One product she mentions that is used in her brand is olive oil. She says that the oil is part of her mother and aunt’s beauty secret. To be honest, it has been one of my long-time favorites to because it’s really an oil made for the skin. The prices vary for each of the launch items. So far, there have been rave reviews from those who were fortunate enough to test the products before they are released to the public.

Save ya coins so you can be part of this brand’s historic launch in a few weeks!

Celebrating Women Series: Remembering Katherine Johnson

When I think of the contributions of someone like Katherine Johnson, I’m always reminded that delay is not denial and for the hundreds and thousands of celebrities and famous people we know as members of the general public, there are thousands-dare I say millions-who go down in history unknown on a big scale that shape or have shaped the world we know and live in right now.

Katherine Johnson was born August 26, 1918 in West Virginia. Her extraordinary life started out with meager beginnings. She passed away February 24, 2020 at the age of 101. She worked for NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) many years and retired in 1986. The book, Hidden Figures, by Margot Lee Shetterly highlighted the stories and accomplishments of amazing and innovative women in science. The book was published in 2016 and later released as a film under the same title in early 2017. I am so grateful to authors and writers who are passionate about getting stories told. The movie brought people together in the way that only art can.

It was so touching to witness her being honored in the national spotlight. While one could argue that this recognition was long overdue, it can also be argued that maybe it was right on time. In her 90s, she was able to attend these shows, be recognized and be loved on by a completely new generation of admirers. Dreams and rewards don’t have expiration dates. Life doesn’t have to stop or slow down at a certain age.

From my artist standpoint, I must say that she was always quite beautiful. She had age appropriate makeup that wasn’t heavy or overly done. Her makeup enhanced her beauty and she looked great on camera. Her beautiful gowns were always the right color and she had a very regal elegance about her.

To hear she had passed was a bit sad, yet, I had gratutide for her and her accomplishments. Today, she will be laid to rest with a memorial service at Hampton University. May we always remember her and speak her name.

Remembering B. Smith

Over the weekend, we received news that the legendary and beautiful B. Smith passed away. The annoucement came via her husband, Dan Gasby’s, Facebook page.

As the condolences started to make their way around, I thought about my own experiences with her and her impact on me.

I first remember seeing the iconic model, author, restuaranteur and history maker on her television show, B. Smith Style, where I spefically remember the segment on how she cared for her makeup brushes (of course that had me hooked!).

I knew she was a model and that she’d made history in the 70s as the first African American model to grace the cover of Mademoiselle but I didn’t know a lot about her brand and what she offered. All I can say that is I’m glad to have experienced it in some way.

In addition to watching the tv show, I also attended an event where she was also in attendance, along with her husband here in Richmond. They were very personable and down to earth. It’s one thing to see people on stage or from afar and another to experience them up close and personal.

Later, I had the opportunity to eat at her restaurant-both the DC and NYC locations. The fare was different at each spot-both eateries were upscale and simply elegant. I enjoyed my food and her interpretation of each dish was both culturally and regionally befitting.

I am so grateful for the beauty icon that we knew as B. Smith. She will be greatly missed.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPOTLIGHT: Pat McGrath

This Black History Month, I celebrate the legendary and iconic makeup artist and entreprenuer Pat McGrath.

From Great Britian, McGrath always had a knack for beauty and art. She knew she wanted to pursue a creative role when the time came. Her success is legendary.

Pat McGrath is known for her creative and artistic ability and can be seen on the runways of major fashion powerhouses season after season and year after year. McGrath’s vision and influence are far reaching-influencing beauty trends for the masses. Her talents have taken her career to heights that many only dream of.

I can recall her saying that she always wanted her own makeup line and in 2015, the world was introduced to Pat McGrath Labs. It is only right (and natural) for her to have a beauty line. If anyone knows makeup, this woman does! She has used her expertise and knowledge to help launch and grow other famous big-name brands. This experience only prepared her for her own line. I love how this worked for her!

Besides having a stellar artistic career, I chose to highlight this icon because she answered a desperate need in the beauty industry-inclusivity. Her foundation, for instance has a ton of shades, guaranteeing that there is something for everyone. Foundation tends to be the most difficult find for woman of color and to see a brand such as this one answer that definitely deserves recognition.

I also respect this fellow artist’s drive to get things right and do things right. For instance, did you know that her foundation took 6 years of research and preparation before doing to market? That’s pretty amazing! The work that was put into making this a success is not to be taken lightly.

I’m looking forward to hearing and seeing more from this billion-dollar brand in the near future. As a matter of fact, the brand is scheduled to release several new products-in the coming days including concealer, eye shadows and powders.

Thank you Pat McGrath for all of your amazing contributions to beauty!

Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez

Today, Selena Gomez announced her new makeup line that will be coming out in the US this summer. Gomez, 27, made her announcement by way of social media (including Instagram and Twitter), that she is teaming up with Sephora for distribution.

The products will be available exclusively through Sephora and Sephora J.C. Penney. As Gomez joins the growing list of celebs coming out with beauty lines, I am looking forward to seeing what the brand has to offer when it officially launches this summer.

For more information, you can follow the brand using the IG handle @rarebeauty.

Threading

In this post, I am going to talk about threading. I'm pretty sure you guessed that by the title but anyway, I digress. 

So, what is threading? 

Threading is the removal of unwanted hair using, you guessed it, thread. Threading has been around for centuries. It started growing in popularity in the United States within the last 15 years or so. 

The thread is the same thread that can be found in craft and fabric stores around the country. The hair removal specialist 'shapes' the thread in her hand and between her fingers in a unique way that creates a 'catch' for the hair. The hairs are removed one by one, row by row until the desired shape is achieved. 

In doing so, the hair is removed without removing any skin. I have found this method to be pretty amazing! The shape is different from waxing. It's fuller (in my experience) and it lasts about 3 weeks. 

In this post, as with the last one, I'm speaking more of the brow vs. other areas of the body. 

So, I'm sure one wants to know if this hurts. Um, yes! So, here's the deal, the first time was the most painful. It also depends on how skilled your technician is because the more she is comfortable with this method, the better your experience will be. I have been going to the same awesome person for years. She is amazing! 

The pain is definitely something that you get used to and it doesn't hurt every time. You do want to be consistent with your appointments because going without for a length of time will cause more pain. The longer the hair (or more hair), the greater potential for pain. So, keep your appointments consistent. 

Another tip is to use ice on the brow before going. This can help to numb the pain. In order for this method to be effective, however you have to use the ice to numb as close to your appointment as possible. So, like 5-10 minutes before your appointment, ice would be great. You would place it on the brow and let it numb the area. Beware of the 'frostbite effect' because too much ice for too long is not good for the skin either. 

Anyway, this method is effective for me and I have found it to be the best for long-term use in brow hair removal.