When you think of brilliant makeup artistry, radiant skin therapy and the natural hair movement Rachel O., should come to mind! As a proud wife, mother and business-savvy entrepreneur, Rachel O. encompasses talent that commands her successful company to thrive at extreme heights.
Hello Natural Beauties! After a really great weekend at The Chicago Natural Beauty Expo, I am excited to invite you to a more “intimate” event at the The Body Shop. The Body Shop in River Oaks Mall is having … Continue reading
The Chicago Naturals Meetup Site is experiencing technical difficulties this morning. Please see flyer for address and time of today’s event. Tweet
Guest Post by: Bianca R. Hi beauties! Summertime is quickly approaching! The days are getting longer which means more sun. Before we know it summer will be here and gone. One of the hottest (and timeless) makeup looks for the summer … Continue reading
Guest Post by: Marita A. Aja is a suburban girl who has always dreamed of living in Chicago. These days she can finally say, “I’m from Chicago!” Having lived in Chicago since 2010, Aja has made good use of the … Continue reading
Hey Natural Beauties, a couple of weeks ago I was really honored to have been contacted by the folks over at Carol’s Daughter. This is truly one of favorite brands, I have been using the Tui Hair Oil for years! … Continue reading
I am super excited to announce an exciting partnership with Chicago Natural Beauty Meetup and Miss Jessie’s hair care brand. I have been wanting to do a large natural hair expo since early 2011 and I am ecstatic to have the opportunity … Continue reading
Guest Post by: Marita A.
Twist Out with Design Essentials
I really enjoyed using Design Essentials Daily Moisturizing Lotion. It works great for a wash and go; it can even be used as a second day style refresher or as a daily styling lotion. The scent is clean and perfume-like, very light and lasts throughout the day. The best part about it is that it’s not too oily. It‘s slightly sticky and has the consistency of a lotion but not too thick. Because it is lightweight, it doesn’t make the hair oily or flat. I absolutely love this product as a daily moisturizer, styling aid, and curl refresher. I’ve used this product on wet, dry, and damp hair; it is very moisturizing so use sparingly. I give this product a 4 out of 5 fist picks. It scores high in my book because it provides the hair with plenty of moisture; it gives adequate shine, and revitalizes limp curls. I definitely recommend buying this product and using it as a staple in your hair care routine.
Guest Post by: Marita A.
Twist Out with Design Essentials
I really enjoyed using Design Essentials Daily Moisturizing Lotion. It works great for a wash and go; it can even be used as a second day style refresher or as a daily styling lotion. The scent is clean and perfume-like, very light and lasts throughout the day. The best part about it is that it’s not too oily. It‘s slightly sticky and has the consistency of a lotion but not too thick. Because it is lightweight, it doesn’t make the hair oily or flat. I absolutely love this product as a daily moisturizer, styling aid, and curl refresher. I’ve used this product on wet, dry, and damp hair; it is very moisturizing so use sparingly. I give this product a 4 out of 5 fist picks. It scores high in my book because it provides the hair with plenty of moisture; it gives adequate shine, and revitalizes limp curls. I definitely recommend buying this product and using it as a staple in your hair care routine.
Milani Cosmetics is my new fave drugstore brand, I like what they have to offer because they have a wide range of colors, the makeup is affordable and easy to use. Ladwina Holmes of Ladwina’s Beauty Fetish was the lead Makeup Artist for The Chicago Natural Beauty Expo she and her team of Makeup Artists choose all of the colors for models and helped to create some pretty cool looks. All of the makeup was sponsored by Milani Cosmetics. After the show was over I took the time to look over what was sent to me and wanted to share some of my favs with you.
My favorite blush is the orange color, looks great on all skin tones.
As you can see the color range is ahhhh mazing!
Lauren Y. and Ladwina H. working on models with Milani Cosmetics.
Photos courtesy of Ladwina Holmes. Thank you to Ladwina & team. You did a great job and the models looked gawww juuuuus:) Check out Milani Cosmetics here
The Chicago Natural Beauty Expo was this past Sunday, and it was off the cha cha chain if I must say so myself !!! Over 700 women came out to meet Miko and Titi of Miss Jessie’s and receive MJ goodie bags which included a full size shampoo, styling product and sample from Curls Unleashed. The place was so packed that after just an hour the event was standing room only! Miko, Titi and I decided we wanted the event to feel like a big natural hair party and asked DJ Cruize Control and King MC to provide entertainment for the crowd. From the looks on the faces of the audience members, they certainly did not disappoint.
The fashion show featured two designers; Essential Elements and The Double Stitch Twins. I was really touched by this part of the event because one of my reasons for starting Chicago Natural Beauty Meetup is to celebrate women of color. For the most part the media only shows one stereotypical view of what beauty is. The models were of all shapes and sizes and all walked the runway with confidence and poise. Yes my black is beautiful!
Jacqueline Tarrant of Sophisticate’s Black Hair gave a really great presentation on natural hair trends and how to maintain healthy hair. I learned a lot from her and look forward to seeing more about her new meetup group really soon!
Me with Fashion Stylist/Model Sade Jones showing how to rock a red lip.
It truly was a community effort with lots of volunteers who donated their time, talents and services. I really appreciate all of you and thank you so much for being a part of such a special day. Without your help the event could not have been successful!
I would also like to thank Miko and Titi. Hosting an event with your company really made me feel as if I was having an “Oprah Experience.’ You gave so much that helped to make the event a fun time for everyone. Most of all just the opportunity to work with you enabled me to learn so much about business, and I got to see up close and personal why your products are on the shelves at major retailers across the country. It was an invaluable experience. With the help of your company sponsoring the Chicago Natural Beauty Expo, the Chicago Natural Beauty Meetup hit a milestone of over 1,000 members.
Thank you to the entire Expo crew!
In closing I want to leave you with this photo which speaks volumes. Together we will pass on to the next generation living examples of successful black female entrepreneurs while showing them what it means to love the skin your’re in.
To receive notification of our next schedule event join Chicago Natural Beauty Meetup. For more photos of Sunday’s event click here. Photos courtesy of Olu Alintorin
Guest Post by: Marita A.
Nik is a natural from Chicago who is pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work at Arizona State University. Between school work and her internship at a domestic abuse agency, she has little time for herself. When she can sneak a little time, Nik enjoys listening to music and making her famous sweet potatoes! After graduation Nik plans on returning to The Windy City!
Marita A: How long have you been natural?
Nik: My last relaxer was on January 7, 2011. Shortly after, I decided to “big chop” on April 25, 2011.
Marita A: What inspired you to go natural?
Nik: Two main reasons were the documentary, “Good Hair” and the damage I noticed to my scalp after each relaxer. The chemicals in the relaxer were ruining my scalp. When getting my hair relaxed I did not feel my scalp burning, but a week later I would notice huge scabs falling from my scalp.
Marita A: What was the most part of transitioning to natural?
Nik: The most difficult part of transitioning was making the conscious and intentional decision to resist the habit of relaxing my hair. Before I decided to transition, I had a scheduled appointment in January of 2011, for a relaxer. Instead I decided that I would get a hot oil treatment. When I got there, I wasn’t thinking and I fell back into that old routine. Once I realized what happened, I was so upset.
Marita A: How did your family, friends, spouse or significant other react to your hair’s new kinky texture?
Nik: Everyone, me included, was fascinated by my new texture. It has been sixteen years since we have seen my hair without a relaxer, and twenty years since we have seen it without a press and curl. I’m still making discoveries with my new texture everyday.
Marita A: Have you tried to convert any of your friends or family members into naturalistas?
Nik: I spent over a year researching natural hair prior to my big chop. From time to time, I would show my mother pictures of natural hairstyles. My mom is actually considering returning to natural hair. Other than that, the only way I can attempt to convert people, is to let them see how happy I am with my natural hair.
Marita A: How do you keep your skin naturally beautiful?
Nik: My skin routine consists of Noxema, SeaBreeze, and St. Ives lotion.
Marita A: Did you go through any kind of personal/spiritual transformation while going through the process of going natural?
Nik: I would say yes. For me the transformation began in December 2010 after watching “Good Hair” for the first time. That experience caused me to dislike the torture that I was putting my scalp through , just to fit into someone else’s mold. This transformation has helped me to discover myself by not hiding behind chemically altered hair.
Marita A: What are some of your favorite hairstyles?
Nik: Currently, I have an extremely teeny weeny afro; my curl pattern is really tight and I refuse to put heat in my hair. Instead I accessorize with fashion headbands. I love a huge afro puff; I can’t wait to be able to achieve that style.
Marita A: What encouragement can you give to someone who may be considering going natural?
Nik: There is liberation in going natural! The whole concept is to be your natural self; don’t feel pressured to be girly, sporty, spunky, or anything other than yourself. The natural hair community is versatile, you should only feel obligated to live up to your own expectations. Break the cycle of denying your natural beauty, and get off the boring relaxer assembly line!
Thank you Nik for sharing your natural hair journey!
Hello Natural Beauties! After a really great weekend at The Chicago Natural Beauty Expo, I am excited to invite you to a more “intimate” event at the The Body Shop. The Body Shop in River Oaks Mall is having a Mom’s Night Out that will include special sale prices on body butter and 30% off all gift sets. I will be in store this Thursday from 6 pm to 9pm doing eyebrow waxing and offering makeup and skincare tips. Come out and learn about some of my favorite products from The Body Shop and let’s chat about motherhood while we shop for all of the special women in our lives. See you Thursday!
The Body Shop
River Oaks Center
Calumet City, IL
Thursday May 10, 2012 Meet Me Here 6-9pm!
Hey Natural Beauties, my schedule has been so busy lately that I had to get some help from my new assistant blog writers Marita and Bianca. Bianca blogs mainly about beauty and product reviews, and Marita blogs on natural hair. Thank you ladies for your contributions! I am taking time away from my clients at the spa this week to work with one of my favorite brands, Nars Cosmetics. Working with this brand has been a dream come true. Before I was asked to be apart of their Chicago Makeup Artist team, I used to visit the counter and drool over the color collection. I also love the philosophy of the founder Francois Nars. He believes in keeping makeup simple and creating your own rules. Join me this Thursday and Friday at Nordstrom Michigan Avenue, and don’t forget to check me out on Friday May 4, 2012 Morning on WCIU’s “You & Me In The Morning” I’ll be on to talk about the natural hair revolution.
Guest Post by: Bianca R.
Hi beauties! Summertime is quickly approaching! The days are getting longer which means more sun. Before we know it summer will be here and gone. One of the hottest (and timeless) makeup looks for the summer is the bronzed face. Bronzer helps to give skin a wonderful and beautiful sun kissed glow. As a young professional, I find joy in finding beauty buys that are inexpensive yet have great quality! Below are a few of my favorite drugstore bronzers!
Guest Post by: Bianca R. of BianaCheneBeauty
As a teenager, I would ALWAYS run to the grocery monthly to pick up a new copy of Seventeen or Lucky magazines. I would always check out the new trends in fashion and find style inspiration. As I gotten older, I’ve mostly found fashion inspiration in my Google Reader and Youtube subscription page. There are thousands of beauty and style bloggers and vloggers that give us readers and viewers a up close and personal view into their closets. I’ve been inspired by many bloggers and vloggers but there are a few that stand out above the rest. Below are those women whose blogs and Youtube pages I stalk daily for fashion advice/inspiration.
Lover4fashion
Guest Post by: Marita A.
Happy Wednesday curlies! This weeks’ natural beauty spotlight is Naomi, my fellow Proviso West Alum. Naomi lives in Chicago and works as a Registered Respiratory Therapist. When she’s not saving lives and melting hearts you can find her indulging in cheesecake or dancing with friends all while rocking her fierce fro.
Marita A: How long have you been natural?
Naomi: It’s been five years since I’ve used a relaxer in my hair.
Marita A: What inspired you to go natural?
Naomi: My hair began to break off, so I decided to stop using relaxers.
Marita A: What was the most difficult part of transitioning to natural?
Naomi: When I initially stopped using relaxers I never wore my natural hair out. I did the BC and I was too vain to wear my hair that short. I didn’t know how to take care of my natural hair at that time. The most difficult part was spending 6-8 hours every two to three weeks getting a sew-in done by my mom, it was so time consuming.
Marita A: How did your family, friends, spouse or significant other react to your hair’s new kinky texture?
Naomi: All my family, friends, and co-workers love my hair.
Marita A: Have you tried to convert any of your friends or family members into naturalistas?
Naomi: I tried and succeeded with converting my mother to natural hair. She did the big chop at the end of December 2011 and has been wearing her TWA since then.
Marita A: What’s in your makeup bag?
Naomi: My make-up bag consists of Maybelline transparent mascara and dream matte mousse foundation, clear lip gloss, and a black eyeliner pencil.
Marita A: How did you keep your skin naturally beautiful?
Naomi: I keep my skin beautiful first and foremost being a vegetarian. I also drink plenty of water. Outside of that I use 100% all natural black soap and Neutrogena naturals multi-vitamin nourishing moisturizer daily.
Marita A: Did you go through any kind of personal/spiritual transformation while going through the process of going natural?
Naomi: I feel that my natural hair journey allowed me to show more of my personality. Before, when I was wearing weave, I was hiding behind my hair. In the past I was not really creative with my clothing, now I have a closet full of bright outfits. To tell you the truth I have more accessories than I know what to do with.
Marita A: What are some of your favorite hair styles?
Naomi: I like simple styles. My favorite hairstyle is a puff accessorized by a headband or scarf. I also like wearing a bun and my signature afro after a braid out.
Marita A: What encouragement can you give to someone who maybe considering going natural?
Naomi: I would say just do it, being natural is so freeing. If you feel alone and aren’t sure where to start DON’T! There are so many Facebook pages and websites dedicated to natural hair care and hair styles.
Thank you Naomi for sharing your story. For more natural hair inspiration join Chicago Natural Beauty Meetup, click here
Solange Knowles does it again with this great makeup look, beautiful full brows, big natural hair and smoky eyes. The smoky eye never gets old, as it is one of the most requested looks from my clients. You can try to create this look at home with the rights tools and techniques. Try these “Do It Yourself” quick tips to get this coveted look.
Prime: Apply an eye shadow primer or cream shadow to the lid. This will make the color more intense and help the color to stay on all day. I have noticed a lot of my fellow YouTubers seem to like the pencils from NYX Cosmetics. Take a look.
Tools: You will need a flat brush to layer the shadow on multiple times and create a deep sultry dark smoky eye. Try brush #242 from MAC. I love it because you can use it for concealer too.
Shade: Solange is wearing the most popular shade for a smoky eye, but I love to see the smoky eye in different colors. Be creative. Try creating this look with the classic black, blue or even purple.
Smoky Eye Palette- Bobbi Brown
Line: Line your upper lash line and inner rim of the lower lash line with a black eyeliner. Be sure to smudge the liner to create the smoky effect. Finish with black mascara and a pair of lashes and you’re done. Remember not to over do makeup by keeping the rest of your face neutral. What DIY makeup tips would you like to see here? Please share your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks!