Style

Macy’s Celebrates Black History Month: Eras of Black Style

The Macy’s in Center City Philadelphia planned an inspiring and educational event on Wednesday just in time before the huge snow storm set in. With this month being February I enjoyed Macy’s Celebrates Black History Month: Eras of Black Style. The reception was kicked off with music by Chelsea Green, the violinist, and the Green Project, a variety of appetizers, along with wine and cocktails.

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Chelsea Green and the Green Project

Radio One Philadelphia on-air personality, Dayana Williams, hosted the “in conversation” discussion with journalist and style expert Constance White and super model Beverly Johnson. There were so many beautiful women who came out to support the celebration of different ages, shapes, and shades. During the conversation topics were discussed like what influence African-Americans have on fashion, how the hip-hop culture helped to shape the fashion industry, reasons for the lack of African-American models on the runway and social justice issues like the Barney’s profiling dispute against a Black consumer.

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From left to right: Dyana Williams, Constance White, and Beverly Johnson

Beverley Johnson talked about when she decided to start her collection of hair extensions after seeing them as another form of an accessory for women. At first Johnson partnered with Korean investors but soon found her brand being limited to only Korean beauty supply stores and a certain demographic. Now she has created an e-commerce store to house her brand, BeverlyJohnson.com, and has also made the change to Indian hair for superior quality.

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Beverly Johnson and I

In addition to a night of history, culture and appreciation customers who made a purchase of $50 or more the day of the event received an exclusive preview copy of the new book “Constance White Presents the Queens & Kings of Style.” I went home with a new leather Fossil Wallet and the book preview. I can start my coffee table book collection for when I start apartment hunting!

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A sneak peak of the images from the book

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News, Style

Peter Pilotto X Target

Right at the peek of fashion week Target breaks out with a collaboration that will make all the girls scream for ice cream… or Peter Pilotto for that matter! On Thursday night my Instagram timeline was filled with images and 10 second videos of Pilotto’s kaleidoscopic collection at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2014. The duo dynamic, Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, behind the London brand is known for their mood changing designs and brings every ounce of it to Target. Not to mention everything is available for purchase today!

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I love just about everything about this collection because I am a huge fan of bold mix & match prints and it makes you excited for the warmer weather. There are a variety of women’s swimwear, dresses, skirts, and accessories ranging from $14.99- $79.99. My favorite look is the model above in the middle with the Color Block blazer $49.99, Long Sleeve Shirt (underneath) $19.99, Black Check/Print Pant $34.99, and Slip on Shoes $29.99. I’m a pretty dress down, comfy kind of girl and this is perfect to run errands in or for a late night stroll downtown.

Here is the list of ALL the Targets carrying the Peter Pilotto collection so click here to double check before heading out to do your shopping. If you don’t want to be bothered with the anticipated crowd, you can also snag these designs through Target.com and the online luxury fashion destination Net-a-porter.com so hurry before its all sold out!

Hair, Hair Care, Reviews

Original Moxie Product Review + Two Strand Twist Demo

Disclaimer: From time to time I am given products in exchange for a review. Although products and items are gifted to me by brands/companies, this does not have any affect on my judgment or the Organix Locs brand. Therefore all written content is my opinion and voice only. 

Photo Credit: Anthony Jamill James (TheFashionableJoe.com)

I’ve been following Original Moxie for some time now and when I received an email from their Community and Content Coordinator, Crystal, about working with the Michigan Super Natural Hair Care brand I was more than honored! If your not familiar with Original Moxie you can learn more about the owner, Rachel Blistein, and the brand in my previous blog post by clicking here.

To get things moving a consultation was necessary in order for Original Moxie to provide me with the right products. By using their 3-D Diagnostic System, also created by Blistein, to determine one’s density, degree of curl, and dryness, my hair is described as thick, kinky, and dry. With all of those characteristics identified my hair would benefit from the Extra Moisturizing line which caters to dry hair. In addition to reviewing the Get Clean! No-Foam ShampooIntense Quench Deep ConditionerEveryday Leave-In Detangling Conditioner, and Lux Locks Styling & Shine I learned more about the company as a whole and each of the individual products from the informational packet I also received.

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Along with the product review I will demonstrate my favorite protective hair style which is the two strand twists method. When I first started to wear my hair in it’s natural state learning method saved my life! Even though most of the time people thought I was starting to loc my hair, two strand twists are a great way to retain moisture, length, and to achieve multiple styles whether you decide to keep your hair twisted or not.

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1. I cleansed my hair twice with the with the gentle and creamy Get Clean! No-Foam Shampoo. It contains Wildharvested Yucca, Soapnut, Organic Neem Leaves, and Karanja Oil. These ingredients help to cleanse the scalp while preventing disorders like dandruff , eczema, and psoriasis. I massaged the shampoo into my scalp and ran the product to the very tips of my hair in sections. Since the shampoo has no sulfates there was not lather (hint its name no-foam) so it may feel weird to someone who is used to the soapy suds when washing their hair. However, sudsy shampoos tend to be harsh on my hair and leaves it dry and stringy. With this no-foam shampoo my hair was completely cleansed and retained moisture during the process. The consistency is light but thick and creamy like a conditioner so it’s definitely not your average shampoo. The scent was light and refreshing with a hint of spice to it as well.

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2. I conditioned my hair with the Intense Quench Deep Conditioner. The botanical ingredients in the conditioner are very potent so there is no need to sit for hours before it penetrates the hair (that’s only if you choose to do so). It contains Hibiscus and Strawberries which help promote strong growth and a natural shine. I applied the conditioner to each section of my hair from the root down to the ends and took my time while finger detangling. My hair texture is very fragile when it’s wet so I either detangle with my fingers or with a wide detangling comb and I always start at the ends and work my way up to the roots. The product provides great slip and stimulates the scalp and mind from the refreshing tingle to the minty floral aroma.

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3. My hair was already sectioned during the shampoo and conditioning steps so I went ahead to prep my hair for the two strand twists. I applied the Everyday Leave-In Detangling Conditioner to the entire section of hair I am working on first for added moisture and to keep my curls knot free. It contains Pumpkin Seed Oil and Shea Butter for hydration.

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4. To create my partings and sections I like to use my fingers as a personal preference. I don’t mind if my parts aren’t straight but use a comb if you like clean partings. After making a vertical part I applied the Lux Locks Styling & Shine to seal in all the good stuff from the leave-in conditioner. This styling creme has Shea Butter and Ucuuba which left my hair shiny and moist with a firm enough hold to keep the frizz at bay.

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5. From the smaller sub section I picked up a medium sized section and dived it into two separate pieces to began my twist. With the two sections of hair in each hand, I overlaped the sections in a clock wise motion to create the twist affect.

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6. About half way toward the end of the twist I twirl the end around my finger to give a nice curl to it.

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7. Repeat steps 3-6 until the entire head is complete.

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I have never used products with so many nutrient rich ingredients and using them all together gave my hair the experience of a lifetime! I highly recommend trying Original Moxie but be sure to use the shampoo in addition to the conditioners and styling agents for maximum results. If you have any allergies make sure you check out the ingredients first or try a sample size if your unsure about liking it. On a scale from 1-10 I rate these products a 9 following two thumbs up. Thanks again Original Moxie!

Style

The Latest Fashion at Madewell

On Thursday Madewell released some new items and I had a chance to stop by the Philadelphia store right between 16th and 17th Street on Walnut Street. While I was there I caught up with the Store Director, Gina, and Morgan, the Events Coordinator, to scout out some cool finds. As I searched for my latest obsessions, I enjoyed flavorful macrons and coffee from Elixr (There are a mix of images I’ve taken at the store and a few from the Madewell site. The lighting around the clothing racks varies and some images came out to dark).

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Gina showed me her favorite Madewell beauty product you can see above. The Kala Swedish Dream Sea Salt Soap is $6.50 and she really likes how it makes her skin feel when using it. Gina hasn’t tried the Joa Brand Goe Oil (right behind the soap) so I can’t wait to buy it and give it a try. The semi solid oil costs $44.00 which is pretty pricey, but I don’t mind since I can use it on my hair+skin and it’s packed with natural oils.

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On the other hand, Morgan is a fan of the Mini Transport. It’s available in a Pecan Brown, shown above, and True Black for $148.00. I would have to stick with the Transport Tote because I carry way to many necessities that won’t fit into the mini!

m2The Lighthouse Jacket comes in one color, Almost Black, and is $188.00. The form of the jacket is very similar to an actual lighthouse because its starts out slimmer up top and tapers out slightly towards the hem of the jacket. The material has a wax coating over it which gives it a nice textured matte look. In addition to the jacket being waterproof, the buckles on the front have fastenings on them. The buckle detailing adds to this modernized rain jacket and it’s made to perfection! Look at how Madewell Philly styled the jacket.

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I always find myself attracted to anything with stripes which is why I like the Mainsail Tee for $72.00 so much. The wide red and navy stripes at the bottom break up the stripped pattern throughout the tee and creates a very nautical look. I can be really picky about sleeves on a shirt because my arms are more on the husky side so the fit has to be just right or else I’ll go crazy. The sleeves on this tee is not to short of an elbow length and that works even better for me. I would so wear this tee with a pair of Kate Spade Keds or my worn down Vans. When you get a chance browse their website if you can’t make it to the location in Rittenhouse Square. All of the new pieces released makes me even more excited for the weather to break. And the countdown towards the first day of spring begins!

Hair

A Family Road Trip to Indiana

Its been a few days since my last blog post and I didn’t mean to keep everyone waiting this long. Last week Jamill (TheFashionableJoe.com), his mother, her fiancée, and I all drove about 10 hours (at least 20 hours round trip) to the Midwest to visit family and the new born baby Aaliyah Ava Marie. It was great to see the little town of Lafayette, Indiana that is home of the research school Purdue University. I wasn’t able to see as much as I would have liked too, and the weather wasn’t the best at this time of year to go town exploring with temperatures as low as -4 degrees (which is why I’m wrapped up like the abominable snow man!), but I enjoyed all the time away from home. I stayed up late (I do this every day but I’m working on going to bed earlier…Really!), hung out with the family at a local coffee house, went thrift hunting at local second-hand stores, and ran into some women with amazing curly hair. Seeing healthy hair, defined curls, and stylish naturals in this weather made me jump for joy and Jamill kindly helped with the photos. 

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The inside front view of the coffee house, Java Roaster, near Purdue University and below is the balcony view

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Caridad and I at the Goodwill where I happen to find a really great book!

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Shaela and I in Hooters in Lafayette, Indiana. Cool fact: She was a cheerleader for the Colts Football team

Are you not a fan of the icy cold below zero weather? Then plan your trip to the Midwest during the summer. I highly recommend spending some time in Chicago while your in the area and try their native “312” beer that is a special Chicago brew. It’s a light tasting beer with a great taste!

News, Skin Care

Meow Meow Tweet’s Newest Winter Essential

From the title of the posting your probably wondering what the heck is a Meow Meow Tweet! It sounds like something you would pick up from the pet store, right? Meow Meow Tweet is a Brooklyn based “small batch natural apothecary [who] hope to encourage small changes in the lives of our customers through the physical, emotional and ecological healthfulness of completely natural goods for body and home.” -Meow Meow Tweet

Their products are made from organic plant-based and fair grade ingredients which means all products are vegan and cruelty-free. A while back I was doing some web browsing on the Urban Outfitters site around the Christmas holiday when I found this fun and heartwarming packaging of a Meow Meow Tweet face+body tonic which was packed with essential oils, vegetable glycerin, rose water and a few other beneficial ingredients. This kind of product was worth both my attention and a fair try since during the winter season I rather moisture my skin with natural oils and butters instead of your typical body lotions. My skin doesn’t dry out as fast. In fact, my skin stays supple and soft the entire day when I use natural/organic products as a posed to a Jergens or a Suave. Meow Meow Tweet is my kind of brand and I will always support entrepreneurs and products that keep the environment and the individual health of others in mind.

Urban Outfitters happen to be one of Meow Meow Tweet’s stockist but there were only a limited amount of products (no more than three) on the site. I had to go the extra mile and make my way over to the actual website to see all of their products and boy was I amazed at what I found. This small brand mixes their products by hand but also has a large variety of items like organic soaps (even a bar soap for dogs I want to test out on my boyfriend’s Pitbull Tyson), body oils, tonic sprays, soy candles, lip balms, and gift kits filled with an assortment of items. Recently they came out with a new item, the Repair Balm, that is great for this time of year. The balm comes in a tin with a biodegradable label so it’s easy to carry the balm everywhere you go and you can recycle everything when you’re finished. The balm has, sesame oil, shea butter, candelilla wax, and myrrh (mur), chamomile & vetiver essential oils. The  myrrh oil has healing properties and was known to have been used by the Ancient Egyptians. With all the ingredients combined you can protect your hands, feet, lips, and even you hair from dryness.

What’s your favorite winter essential and would you try the Repair Balm by Meow Meow Tweet?

Hair Care, News

Have You Heard of the Myavana Hair & Beauty App?

I ran into some information about an amazing beauty resource for women. If you’ve heard of the Myavana app and have already downloaded it then consider yourself a beauty techie! If you have no idea what I am talking about then you can learn more about it below because I like to keep everyone up to date 😉 Earlier during the spring time I was flipping through the pages of Black Enterprise’s March issue and read an article about a start up technology company created by a group of women scientist and engineers. The co-founders of Techturized Inc., Candace Mitchell, Chanel Martin, Joy Buolamwini, and Jess Watson, won the 2013 Blacks in Technology Business (BiT) Pitch Competition at SXSW Interactive for combining technology and science to transform the hair industry for African-American women.

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Three of the four Techturized Inc. founders: (from left to right) Chanel Martin, Candace Mitchell, and Jess Watson

Well on December 23, 2013 Myavana, which was formerly known as MadamYou, was launched. It is a platform used to share advice and comments about all things hair and beauty and is the first and “the only hair and beauty app designed to help Black women find the best hairstyles, tips and local stylists no matter their hair texture”– Myavana

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Myavana encourages women to form communities based on hair texture, desired hairstyles, or geography. Users can upload hairstyles, share beauty tips (including information about styling products and preferred salons), and styling techniques. Users can follow desired hairstyles by “Girlfriending” users who post images with that style. Each time a user accepts a Girlfriend request, the community can follow that user’s hair journey and learn her secrets to hair nirvana. Myavana supports its communities with tools that will best fit the user’s lifestyle and hair needs including access to the best bloggers, youtubers, shampoos, conditioners and stylists. Chief Beauty Officer Chanel Martin notes, “We understand that that in order to get that perfect style, you need the right products. Myavana is the place to get up to date styles and product information to ensure that everyday is a good hair day!”‘-Myavana

This idea is brilliant and it’s great to have a resource as advanced as the Myavana app to help women avoid a lot of the bad experiences and horror stories we encounter when it comes to caring for natural and chemically treated hair. This also makes finding specific information, like natural hair salons much easier (trust me I know how difficult and painful it can be to find a great stylist). On the flip side, the brand changing its name may be somewhat confusing but we’ll get used to it. It’s best to make major changes like that in the beginning stages of a new business rather than later. Besides the logo remains the same it’s just the name that’s different. The app is free of charge but is currently only available for download for iOS devices through the Apple App Store. That’s great for the iPhone users and saddening for the Andorid users like myself who have to wait until Spring of this year for Myavana to hit the Google Play Store. Until that time comes I will wait patiently but I will keep everyone informed once the date drops. Techturized Inc. has my full support and I look forward to seeing great things develop from these entrepreneurial women.

News, Skin & Beauty, Skin Care

LUSH Spa Opens In Two Exclusive Locations!

Having my first LUSH experience opened my eyes to a whole new world of natural and hand crafted skin, hair and body care products that I wasn’t fully aware of. But I have even greater news for you! LUSH is opening its first spa Locations in North America and I attended the pre-opening event for the Philadelphia Spa located on 1525 Walnut Street. Now with two locations, Philadelphia and New York, everyone can enjoy the The traditional English themed spa which started in 1977 by co-founders Mark and Mo Constantine, Liz Bennett and Rowena Bird.

In addition to a night full of networking with local bloggers, chatting with LUSH experts about products, sipping special cocktails and listening to live music by UK folk musician Simone Emmerson, they gave us an exclusive tour of the new facility. The small groups of six people learned about each massage service offered–Synaesthesia, Validation, The Good Hour, The Spell, and The Comforter–its benefits, and the products used while the live demonstration was performed by a therapist. All of the handmade products used during the massage can be found and purchased from the LUSH store while some products where made especially for the spa. Another cool fact I learned is that each massage has its own sound track also created by Simone Emmerson. Between the manipulations alone and the music being played, LUSH spa will take your mind, body, and soul on a delightful journey. The spa officially opens on Monday, January 13th so get ready to make your appointment. Just a side note, I was unable to capture images of the actual spa rooms because of the dim lighting but get a feel for the cool atmosphere from the pictures below.

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Sparkling Rose Cocktail: wine, rose syrup and cotton candy

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Looking back at the different services I’m sold on the The Comforter because the hot chocolate body scrub is exactly what I need during this drying weather and its followed by a handmade body polisher. Between the great aromatic scents and the natural ingredients in all the products my skin will always scream for LUSH!

Hair Care, News

Myleik Teele Launches curlBOX TV!

If you haven’t heard the stunning news I am here to bring it to you! The CEO of the first monthly subscription for natural hair, Myleik Teele, has been changing the hair care industry since the company’s launch in November 2011 and today she launches a new feature: curlBOX TV! Earlier today the curlBOX crew hosted a Twitter chat on the topic of “Is it better for black women”  to kick off the launch. In this first episode, “Myleik Uncensored,” Teele shares with us the “Rules, Rumors & What She Really Thinks of curlBOX Criticism.” I will be on the lookout for more curlBOX TV episodes and in the meantime tell us what you think of it!

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Hair

The Top Naturals of 2013

Before we say good bye to the old year and move into the new one, I want to take the time to recognize and celebrate some fantastic women through the Top Naturals of 2013! I love to see women accomplishing great things with their natural and healthy hair in such a confident and uplifting manner. I also didn’t want to be like every other site writing about the best dressed celebs or top trends of 2013 and that’s when I came up with this topic. All of these women are phenomenal in their own way and has shared their special talents with each of us and the world. I hope you enjoy this post, leave a comment, and go ahead and share the link with a friend. I will see you in the New Year!

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Viola Davis

Mrs. Davis has been in and out of the box offices this year and has starred in four movies including Ender’s Game and Prisoners. Depending on the character she morphs into on screen her hair tends to change more than usual but you can always catch her sporting her natural coils off screen.

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Lupita Nyong’o

I didn’t discover who this amazing actress/filmmaker was until after I watched a segment of “The View” with my Grandmom. Lupita Nyong’0 appeared on the show as a guest, along with cast member Chiwetel Ejiofor, as they both talked about their experiences being in the film 12 Years a Slave. The Kenyan native born in New Mexico was a recent graduate from the Yale School of Drama when she snagged the role as slave mistress Patsey. What an amazing accomplishment for her and I am ready to see what other movies she will play in the new year!

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Solange Knowles

She has partnered with Puma as the new art director for the sneaker brand, founded her Saint  Records label, and finds time to mash up music on the turntables when she’s not on tour. Little sister has definitely been just as busy as her big sister. After Solange’s big chop and natural hair journey began in 2009 I loved her radiant psychedelic style and hair moments even more.

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Erykah Badu

It’s great to see a style icon like Eryka Badu become the face for Givenchy’s new Spring ’14 campaign. She was chosen by Ricardo Tisci, Creative Director for Givenchy womenswear and haute couture, to be a part of this collection inspired by the clashing of the African and Japanese cultures which is all modeled by women of color. Whether she wears her hair long and wild, big with volume, or short and sleek her style and voice sets her a part from many.

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Janelle Monáe

The queen of funk has captured my heart in more ways than many and she has the most stylish protective hair styles around! Janelle has just about covered a magazine issue for each month in this year like Bust, Vibe, Essence, and many more. She is a CoverGirl spokes person and a natural hair inspiration I love to watch evolve.