Beauté/Beauty

Africa inspires...body painting Please have a look at some african face painting and you will discover how inspirational this is...   People, please be proud of your origins because Africa really worth to be praised. Do you agree? The Myth of Black Mascara OK, so everyone has a tube of black mascara. Some of us even have tubes of exotic colors like purple and green but if you're over 29, they really shouldn't be worn unless it's Halloween or Disco Night. A lot of beauty experts say to use two coats of black for night events. This is not necessary either. Another coat just on the tips of your lashes will give you all the drama without creating the shadows that age eyes in any light. I hate black mascara. Partly because everyone thinks they need to wear it and partly because nothing ages you faster than lashes that look like furry caterpillars on your face. The only women who should be wearing black mascara are women with NATURALLY black hair. No one else. Black is the color most heavily photographed and advertised because it shows up on film. That does NOT mean it's the most appropriate shade for you unless you qualify under the stipulation above. I know, I know, your mom used it, your junior high friends used it, all the girls at high school had some weird competition to see who could slather the most of that goop on and still look awake. Bleah, I say. So what are you supposed to wear if not black? Brown hair of any shade should wear brown/black mascara. No darker. You are not a drag queen (most likely) and a certain level of "natural" is expected and encouraged in the workplace and out. SuperExtend Mascara in brown/black from Avon gives you the look of lash extensions instantly without clumps. Redheads and blondes should wear (you guessed it) brown mascara. Why? Because dark black eyelashes paired with light hair looks ridiculous. The best curling mascara I have tried is Avon's SuperCurlacious Mascara in brown. When applying, don't use a sawing motion. Place the brush at the base of your lashes and ROLL it up and over the tips. One pass should do it and you\'ll see the fantastic definition you crave in a color that is incredibly flattering. Do the same on your lower lashes being careful not to smudge. Go one better and use an easy-to-remove waterproof like Avon's Supershock Waterproof Mascara for extra staying power and killer volume. If you want to look more sophisticated and be taken seriously you have to look competent. It does not take a lot of money or a heavy hand; information is really all you need.   Information About Essential Oils Essential Oils are highly concentrated and potent oils extracted from plants, leaves, flowers, roots, buds, twigs, rhizomes, heartwood, bark, resin, seeds and fruits. Essential Oils are found in special secretory glands or cells within plant life. The aromatic substances are formed and stored in certain organs of a plant as a by-product or because of its metabolism. Each essential oil has its very own blueprint that is absolutely unique. The combination of the plants blueprints, the energy of the sun, soil, air and water gives each oil its individual perfume and beneficial healing properties ( antibacterial, moisturizing, therapeutic etc.) and its individual fragrance( citrus, floral, woody and herbal). It must be also said that ethereal oils have beneficial influence on our mental and spiritual disposition. The top note (head) is invigorating, refreshing and enhances concentration. These are ethereal, delicate ad fresh fragrances which last for about half an hour (citrus oils). The heart note (middle) gives harmony and peace. This note accounts for a sensuous side of the fragrance .These are floral aromas that develop in higher temperatures and last for about 4-6 hours. The base note (bottom) is stabilizing, reinforcing and helps regain energy. These are heavy, balmy, deep and long lasting oils which develop after 30-60 min and last for about 8 hours (woody and resinous). Some essences are included into top-heart or heart–bottom notes. They have a twofold effect. Firstly, the top-heart note is stimulating, smoothing and settling, whereas the heart-bottom note strengthens and brings harmony.   Le Karité
Le beurre de Karité est utilisé en Afrique depuis des millénaires. On raconte ainsi que la reine Néfertiti lui devait sa grande beauté car ce beurre renferme d'extraordinaires vertus réparatrices de la peau.
L’arbre à karité Le karité est un produit biologique par nature car son arbre (Butyrospermum Parkii) pousse uniquement à l'état sauvage dans les savanes arborées des pays d'Afrique de l'Ouest et du Centre. On le retrouve au Nigeria, premier producteur mondial, au Burkina Faso ou encore au Sénégal. L'arbre de karité peut vivre jusqu'à 3 siècles. Il commence à donner des fruits seulement à l'âge de 15 ans, mais n'atteindra sa pleine production qu'à partir de 25ans. La production moyenne est de 15 à 20 kilos de fruits frais par arbre.
Ses fruits sont des noix ovoïdes de la forme de l'avocat, de couleur vert sombre et de taille moyenne. A l'intérieur de la noix se trouve une amande blanchâtre très grasse qui donnera après transformation le fameux " beurre de karité ".
Fabrication du beurre de Karité Selon la méthode traditionnelle, les amandes sont pilées, réduites en une pâte qui est ensuite plongée dans une marmite d'eau bouillante. Une fois refroidie, la graisse surnage et la pâte huileuse recueillie est malaxée pour donner le beurre de karité. Jamais blanc, il a souvent une couleur jaunâtre et une odeur plus ou moins rance selon sa provenance. Dans l'industrie cosmétique, on utilise deux procédés d'extraction plus rapides qui sont la pression mécanique et l'extraction par solvant.
Un Marché en forte croissance... La récolte et l'extraction du karité sont surtout effectuées par les femmes des zones rurales : cette activité occupe de 300 000 à 400 000 femmes dans le seul Burkina Faso et au Mali, trois millions de femmes tireraient 80% de leurs revenus de cette culture informelle. L'exportation du beurre de Karité vers l'occident se développe de plus en plus avec une demande très forte sur le marché du cosmétique et surtout de l'agroalimentaire (essentiellement pour le chocolat). Là commencent les problèmes, ce marché occidental est un nouveau débouché pour les femmes burkinabés qui en sont ravies, mais le prix auquel leur est acheté le beurre est dérisoire et le plus souvent elles vendent à perte. Autre soucis : la production de karité est largement excédentaire par rapport aux débouchés. Nos beurres de karité et savons sont achetés selon les critères du commerce équitable (Importateurs : Arc en Sels et Andines) à des groupements de femmes burkinabés : le goupement "LAAFI" pour Andines et la coopérative SONGTAABA pour Arc en Sels ( www.songtaaba.net ).
Usage cosmétique du karité Le karité possède de réelles vertus pour la peau: il hydrate, adoucit, protège et embellit grâce à sa composition exceptionnellement riche en insaponifiables, en vitamines (A, D, E, F) et en latex. Il est utilisé dans les pays africains par les mères qui enduisent leurs bébés de beurre de karité pour prévenir ou guérir les endroits irrités. Dans tous les cas, bien faire fondre le beurre dans le creux de la main avant application. Le beurre de karité doit être parfaitement liquide. Masser une dizaine de minutes et vous obtiendrez tous ses bienfaits. Hydratation et Protection de la peau du visage Bien insister sur les zones inertes (bases du nez, commissures des lèvres). L’usage quotidien du beurre de karité vous permettra de bénéficier de ces trois vertus : 1) Une meilleure élasticité de la peau. En palpant votre peau après le massage, vous sentez la différence. 2) L’hydratation des couches supérieures de l’épiderme 3) La protection contre le vent, le froid et le soleil. L’utilisation du karité est particulièrement recommandée en hiver pour lutter contre le dessèchement et le vieillissement accéléré de la peau. Très efficace pour lutter contre les lèvres gercées. Les lèvres l'absorbent plus rapidement et en période de grand froid, vous devrez régulièrement les enduire de karité qui constitue un merveilleux brillant à lèvres. Bien-être et Relaxation Ajouter une cuillère dans votre bain chaud et une fine couche invisible se déposera sur tout le corps. Bien se masser les bras et les cuisses. La sensation de bien-être musculaire est immédiate. Le massage des muscles avant et après l’effort leur apportent souplesse et permet une meilleure récupération. Le karité est très utilisé par les sportifs africains.

Essence Hires White Fashion Director, Leaves Loyal Readers Asking Why

 

“I feel like a girlfriend has died.” – Michaela Angela Davis

On Friday evening, cultural critic and writer Michaela Angela Davis tweeted: “It is with a heavy heavy heart I have learned that Essence magazine has engaged a white fashion director, this hurts, literally, spiritually.” Michaela’s tweet erupted a series of reactions, re-tweets, and scores of Facebook comments. Responses ranged from shock, disappointment to utter confusion.

Our immediate reaction? As the publication unofficially deemed “Essence‘s little sister”—a growing young urban women’s online brand for news, critical commentary, lifestyle, fashion and beauty—it felt like our Mom walked us hand in hand to the center of the biggest shopping mall in the state, turned around, and left us. But we are no longer the little girls eyeballing the glossy giant who taught us how to love ourselves. We’ve been finding our way through the life, love and labels for quite sometime now; and the likely abandonment of the counselor who taught us everything we know is now evolving into clearer overstanding. The pressing question for many of us is how much does Time Warner have to do with the hiring.

In 2000, media giant Time Warner acquired 49 percent of Essence Communications Partners, and in 2005, the conglomerate purchased the remaining 51 percent. The news was met with a strong contention by the Black community who viewed the transaction as yet another Black business takeover. Time Warner’s purchase of the beloved Essence brand came on the heels of Viacom’s acquisition of Black Entertainment Television.

Essence announced it’s search for a Fashion Director in March after Agnes Cammock left the post several years before. The print’s latest Fashion Director was celebrity stylist Billie Causieestko, who had a brief stint with the magazine lasting less than a year. No information released on why Causieestko no longer holds the spot. The company has yet to officially announce the new hire. However, media industry site Media Bistro released an article on Monday revealing the pick is Ellianna Placas, formerly of O: The Oprah Magazine and US Weekly. The report confirms Placas will make her official debut with Essence in their 40th anniversary commemorative issue in September. According to the brand’s announcement, the Fashion Director is responsible for developing and conceiving five to seven fashion stories and one feature per month. The position also requires the person to communicate the “Essence style mission on sales calls and represent the brand on television” among other managerial tasks.

CLUTCH spoke with Michaela angela Davis, a former fashion editor for Essence, and a current writer for the print, and fashion media personality Najwa Moses. Both women were gracious enough to share their honest and candid thoughts on the news.

Offering her immediate reaction to the hiring, Michaela says, “I am so so hurt and confused and frankly angry by this news. I feel like a girlfriend has died.” Michaela’s tweets and Facebook comments on the hiring informed many media insiders, and former Essence staff members who had no clue. “I am going against my own advice and publicly speaking when I’m so emotionally driven.” Michaela says she reached out to Angela Burt-Murray, current Editor-in-Chief of Essence. “I emailed her as a respectful heads up informing her that I would be speaking up.” Michaela says her feelings on the news have much to do with black women’s hostile history with the fashion industry. Further explaining her concerns around the issue, Michaela wrote on Facebook: “It is personal and it’s also professional. If there were balance in the industry; if we didn’t have a history of being ignored and disrespected; if more mainstream fashion media included people of color before the ONE magazine dedicated to black women ‘diversified’, it would feel different.”

Commenting on if the hiring of a White fashion director has to do with a possible Time Warner strong-hold, Michaela tells CLUTCH, “I do not dare speak on whose brand got who. What I do know is that I’ve seen women go to combat with the biggest of corporate big wigs to protect their audience.”

Michaela shares, “I remember when Vibe launched, I overheard Martha Stewart (whose magazine was a Time publication at the time) laying a corporate executive out–literally screaming at him telling him he has ‘no authority’ to tell her what to put in her magazine, and that he had ‘no idea’ what her ‘culture’ is like. Martha Stewart said ‘she was the expert!’ I will never forget that.”

“But closer to home Susan L. Taylor (former Essence Editor-In-Chief and Creative Director) demanded things for her people, and the community, like the free empowerment seminars at the Essence Music Festival.” Michaela continues, “My point is there are examples of people braving corporate pressures for the love of their audience.”

Connecting the news to the Shirley Sherrod controversy, Michaela says, “I think I am also so sensitive to this ‘unprotected Black women’ issue off the heels of Shirley Sherrod. The NAACP didn’t even call her or Google her history.” Michaela says, “How many qualified Black fashion professionals did they [Essence] call?”

Fashion media personality Najwa Moses has her own set of qualified Black women who should have received a call. “I can think of a few qualified Black women, and men too.” Najwa says. “My picks would be celebrity stylists Patti Wilson, June Ambrose, Kithe Brewster, Memsor  Kamaraké, and Sydney Bolden.” Najwa also says that Michaela angela Davis herself would have been a good pick.

Najwa, a dominant force in the world of fashion media—particularly new media–also shared her immediate reaction: “I was blown away—in shock really.” Najwa tells CLUTCH. “I mean, how could such a prestigious title who is deeply rooted in its target audience let someone who is not even apart of the African Diaspora detonate our image?”

Offering further thoughts on the popular Black women’s brand’s very first White Fashion Director, Najwa reveals she doesn’t really look to Essence for fashion anyway. “I only look inward for fashion to be upfront, but I do look to Essence to continue to inspire and enrich the Black woman’s experience.”

Najwa questions, “How can a White woman dictate and decide what style and beauty is for the Black woman?”

But in a ‘post-racial’ world, some people call Michaela and Najwa’s point of view on the hiring reverse racism. One commenter on Facebook wrote, “I’m surprised that everyone assumes this is terrible news simply because the new person is White. We know absolutely zero about them besides that.” Another commenter stated, “What’s makes her not qualified? I hope that beauty can be found in every woman.” The commenter advised us all to consider her performance first.

Still, media insiders are not buying it. Joan Morgan, an award-winning journalist, author and long-time writer for Essence says she could care less how qualified the brand’s new white Fashion Director could be. “This is about the fact that the publishing industry, particularly when it comes to mainstream women’s magazines remains just about as segregated in its hiring practices as it did in 1988.” Joan referenced a 1988 Folio article about Blacks who are discouraged by the publishing industry’s “laissez-faire attitude toward recruitment.” Joan says, “When these same institutions (naming Conde Nast, Hachette and others) start to employ hiring practices that allow Black publishing professionals the same access to their publications, that’s when I can get all ‘Kumbaya’ about Essence‘s new fashion director.”

For many, the magazine’s bold step of hiring a white Fashion Director signals a new era–or the end of one. When we asked if this is an attempt to broaden the print’s demo, Michaela said, “Having worked at Essence, Vibe and Honey, I know all too well how incredibly difficult it is to get ad sales support. This is such a treacherous time for print.” But Michaela also says that Essence‘s long time cultural standpoint is the brand’s strongest selling point. “The greatest asset a brand can have is a unique promotable position. There is so much brand value there for Black and non-Black readers.” Michaela says if Essence forgoes it’s Black women’s posture, what would make its fashion pages any different from Vogue, In Style, or even O: the Oprah magazine?

Loyal Essence readers and media insiders are eagerly awaiting an official announcement from the publication on the shocking decision, or better an explanation.

How will a White Fashion Director affect the 40-year-old Essence brand—the publication that has become a formidable Black American institution? How will long-time subscribers respond—many who include aspiring Black female writers and editors? Najwa says only time will tell. “For the insider’s insider like myself, I’m planning to peep through the issue to see where it goes–but I won’t be buying it.”

Copyright 2010 Tropics Magazine, Inc.