Archives for January 2012

With so many of us women of color embracing our natural hair textures, it’s no surprise that many of us grappling with finding styles that work well with our newfound curls, kinks, and coils. While I didn’t go for the BC (big chop), I found styles that would camouflage my chemically-straightened strands with my newly grown thicker texture.

Throughout my journey, roller sets and two-strand twists were my go-to styles while I learned how to care for my natural hair. Those styles made my mane manageable while still looking chic and polished. In addition to those common transitioning styles, I also opted for top-knots and buns (with a scarf or simple headband), which I still wear if I’m too lazy to style it after a wash.

What styles did you or do you currently wear as you transitioned to natural hair?

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I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the one and only Damone Roberts. For those few who aren’t familiar with Roberts, he’s THE king of eyebrows. From Oprah to Beyonce, Roberts has been shaping the brows and beautifying some of Hollywood’s elite for years.

In addition to running his brow beauty empire, which includes two salons, Roberts has been tapped by TheLookBag.com to bring beauty buffs the hottest makeup and skincare products to their doorsteps.

His beauty expertise, credibility and positive influence within the industry caught the attention of TheLookBag.com, which lead to their partnership earlier this year. “We wanted to align ourselves with the best and most relevant celebrity beauty guru out there. Damone has a great reputation, and his artistry can be seen on the most famous faces,” Lookbag.com executive Tia Valenciano said.

Through an affordable monthly $10 membership, consumers can customize their profile to match the kinds of product samples they’ll receive. TheLookBag.com makes it simple for members to test five products for women who may find it difficult to find products that work for them without breaking the bank.

Proving that he’s not just a face of the company, Roberts takes his role seriously. “We only include the good stuff,” he said. He scours the market for deluxe, high-quality products that will work for all women. Currently, members can choose from a variety of luxurious moisturizers, body creams, and other reputable products picked by the celebrity beauty guru.

Next up, Roberts hopes to include La La Vazquez’s new makeup line and Kimble hair care products.

Damone’s Do’s and Don’ts:

“You’re never too big to keep learning.”

“Brown girls should never be afraid to experiment with color. Our skin-tones can carry colors.”

“Don’t over-tweeze!”

For more information on TheLookBag.com click here.

Are you familiar with Damone Roberts? If not, be sure to follow him on Twitter @DamoneRoberts

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While I’m known to be a shower gel kind of girl, I still can’t help picking up pretty soaps. From those luxurious handmade bars at Lush to Sabon’s beautifully-scented soaps, I’m a sucker for sudsy bars that are wrapped in eye-catching designs or adorned with decorative packaging.

Plus, if they’re made with fresh ingredients that combine a mixture of colors and textures, I’m even more inclined to buy. If you’re like me and don’t actually use these these lady-like toiletries, they make great gifts for house guests or lovely eye-candy for your bathroom’s vanity.

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Baby it’s cold outside! With blustering cold winds and arctic-like air blowing across the country, our lips definitely need extra TLC. To prevent dry, chapped lips I admittedly alternate between several balms depending on what I pull out from my bag first.

But right now, I make an extra effort to sift through my bevy of balms to grab my current go-to: L’Occitane’s Moisturizing Organic Shea Lip Balm.

It glides on easily and instantly restores moisture to my pucker. Plus, the shea butter acts as a protectant against dryness. Oh and the absolute best part is that it doesn’t leave that unsightly white film that so many others leave behind, which is never a good look. So if you’re on the hunt for a new balm, this is a  great buy.

What are your favorite lip treatments to use during the cold winter months?


**The winners of the Twisted Sista collection are: SuchAnAfroholic, Nicole Rogers, GaPeach_est1083, Jesusismygrace, MissMika – congratulations ladies! Please email me your mailing address at info@browngirlgumbo.com by next Friday, January 27th. Thanks to all who left comments and reTweeted. They’ll be more giveaways so stay tuned!


Also, be sure to check out Red Tails in theaters today. Support movies that tell our stories.  😉

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