Backstage at London Fashion Week – Amanda Wakely Show Feb 2011
AFROBLUSH
"Musings of an Afropean" – Afropean culture and lifestyle blog
Archive for April, 2011
For many women, perfect skin – skin that is free of impurities, even in tone and has a generally radiant glow – is something that tops their beauty wish list, yet remains elusive. With that in mind, STYLIST magazine asked skincare specialist Frances Prenna Jones, whose eponymous beauty line has developed a serious cult following, to share her expert advice for achieving beautifully perfect skin. Simply follow the doctor’s orders…
1. CREATE A REGIME
Follow a strict cleansing routine that is suited to your skin type – this is the most important step in your skincare regime and is the best way to achieve clean, healthy skin. I’ve created Clean + Prepare which contains protease, a mild exfoliant that stimulates cell regeneration, and Shea butter to heal and moisture. Your skincare regime should be simple, consistent and effective.
2. STAY IN THE SHADE
Wear an SPF of 15 or higher every day and stay out of the sun as much as possible. To ensure you get your dose of Vitamin D, take supplements or try a Vitamin D injection every few months.
3. LOOK OUR FOR ANTIOXIDANTS
Choose products containing antioxidants to combat pollutants – this is especially important for those of us who work in the city. Formula 2006 is an infusion of vitamins, antioxidants and anti-ageing ingredients that work together not only to rejuvenate and protect the skin, but more importantly to strengthen and maintain it over time.
4. USE VASELINE
To boost the power of your eye cream, put a layer of Vaseline over the top at night. This gives an extra moisture injection. It is safe, non-irritant and will give you the additional moisture this delicate area requires.
5. TAKE OFF YOUR MAKE-UP AT NIGHT
Night-time is when cells renew themselves, so this is when we need products that encourage cell renewal. It is vital to wash the skin properly to set the correct pH and then apply night cream.
6. RELAX
Stress, lack of sleep and dehydration all show very quickly on the face. To stem the ageing process ensure you take time to relax, try and get eight hours of sleep and keep the skin hydrated with a good moisturizer and by drinking plenty of water.
7. SHOP CAREFULLY
When looking for products, price and packaging are not always indications that the product will be effective. Many designer and high street products have similar ingredients, but what sets the ‘aesthetic grade’ products apart is that they have a much higher percentage of active ingredients.
8. ASK THE EXPERTS
Don’t be afraid to seek advice from a skincare professional. They will help prescribe the most effective products for your skin type and skin concerns, and help guide you to which ingredients to look out for and which products will be best suited to your skin type.
9. DON’T SMOKE
It’s absolutely the worst thing you can do for your skin.
10. ADAPT
The needs of your skin change with the seasons, weather and age, so it is important to make allowances for this and to ensure that your skin is always protected, comfortable and catered to.
For LaQuan Smith’s LQS Spring/Summer 2011 collection, titled Hard Candy, the young designer used childhood sweets as inspiration, knighting each piece with names like Tangerine Dream, Pralines & Cream, Mimosa, and Marzipan. Hues like rose bonbon, cotton candy blue, lemon yellow, and bubblegum pink played on minimalist miniskirts, tanks, and cocktails.
Geared towards the young and sexy, this season’s line up includes second skin catsuits and mini dresses, structured, stretch ensembles marrying royal blue jackets with orange crush bottoms, puff sleeved jackets with slimming straight legged pants, and sequin addled pencil skirts with racerback tanks. Hollywood’s youngest starlets are already fans – Rihanna has a predlection for the Bubblegum dress, Cassie and Selita Ebanks have both worn the Strawberries & Cream cocktail, and Nicki Minaj has sidled to the look LaQuan calls Lollipop.
Gallery of LaQuan Smiths Hard Candy collection (including some of his celebrity clientele)
Gorgeous actress Gabrielle Union gave her twitter followers a glimpse of her natural hair whilst in a US salon. She commented “I’ve reunited with my scalp and it feels so good”
BET commented
”It’s so touching when a beautiful actress like Gabrielle Union takes it back to the basics and gives her fans a glimpse of what she really looks like without the makeup, weave, relaxer or hot comb. The 38-old actress recently shared two photos via Twitter of her smiling, natural face and looking as pretty off the screen as she does in front of the cameras”
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How to create a modern sculpted eye look with M.A.C makeup artist Bianca. Enjoy ;-)
M∙A∙C Spring Colour 2011 is the feminine force that saves the day!
“No nemesis can match her super-sized Mineralize Skinfinish, Eye Shadows, Lipsticks and Powder Blush for this transformation! Our Artists work wonders every day – now with the help of one of the most exciting feminist figures…”
Wonder Woman Opulash:
A superhero mascara! Lashes go dense and dramatic with an anti-gravity high volume curled effect. Longwear, fighting-fit formula offers up to 15 hours of wimp-free wear. Courageously shaded. Bravely stylish! With colour matched casing and comic book-style carton this is WW-wonderful! Limited edition. £14.50
Wonder Woman Eyeshadow- X4 Valiant:
An Eye Shadow quad that reveals Wonder Woman’s power to transform! Bold in colour and design. Glossy red/blue/yellow WW compact with comic book-style packaging. The shades: Valiant, Spinning Transformation, Diana Undercover and Manila Paper. £36.50
Wonder Woman 48 Lash:
Longer wispy bundles with an even edge create a flirty fringe that verges on the dramatic. £10.00 Lash glue NOT included.
Wonder Woman 2011 Collection Looks:
“Deep truth”
“Definance”
“Golden Lariat”
“Marine Ultra”
“Mighty Aphrodite”
“Wonder Woman”
A funky mix, like the ones designers have brought back on the catwalks for this season.
We’re bringing it up to describe the look that Solange Knowles opted for to walk the pink carpet of the Victoria’s Secret party in Hollywood: Boxing Kitten top, long skirt and afro.
Photo: Courtesy of Vogue Italia: http://www.vogue.it/en/vogue-black/look-of-the-day/2011/04/solange-knowles
Tips for Natural Hair care from our expert Bernadette NWosu
While it is important to pay attention to the products and methods you use on your hair, one should not underestimate how important it is to pay even greater attention to what you put in your body. Certain poor eating behaviours and patterns are known to trigger certain health conditions which affect the hair and sometimes cause hair loss.
Consuming large amounts of high-glycemic foods i.e. foods high in refined sugars such as white rice, white bread, cakes and biscuits, over a long period of time can bring about insulin-related conditions which can affect your hair quality, making it thinner and more prone to breakage, or even cause it to fall out.
If you fall into this category, you may find that following a low GI diet, incorporating a greater proportion of fruit and particularly vegetables (especially dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, rocket, and other nutrient-rich vegetables) will help give your hair the nourishment it needs to grow well. It is also commonly believed that taking multivitamins, especially ones with a vitamin B-complex, will help your hair to thrive.
Drinking large amounts of water will also help reduce this problem, and help moisturise your hair from the inside!!
Similarly, individuals who severely undereat for a prolonged period of time may also find that their hair thins or falls out over time, so try to get the right proportion of all the essential food groups.
Thank goodness it’s Friday! Here’s my best bits from this week ;- )
Kurt Geiger £280
Combining a neutral camel with a vibrant turquoise, these beautiful sandals are a summer essential
£95, Cath Kidston Crepe Dress,
Kurt Geiger £180
These chocolate and orange suede sandals with a raffia platform tick off both the tribal and safari trends at once.
£60, Warehouse Colour Block Wrap Dress, Multi
£159, Planet Citrine Colour Block Dress, Lime
£140, Carvela Assess Triple Strap Layered Platforms,
“Generally you have to listen to your hair, because we all have different hair types and they all react differently. A lot of it is trial and error; you have to do what works for you and your hair. Here are my top 10 natural hair rules, with the help of natural hair queen Bernadette. Enjoy!”
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- Always wear a satin/silk sleeping hat/scarf when going to sleep, or sleep on a satin or silk pillow
- Deep condition at least once a week unless your hair is in extensions/weaves
- AVOID HEAT WHEREVER POSSIBLE – i.e. avoid blow-drying and hot-comb and all that stuff. Not good for our hair. Some people use occasionally (like once or twice a year) – I haven’t so far
- Using protective styling is essential!! (e.g. two strand twists, coils, cornrows, or occasional weaves and extensions). Don’t go for too many days without a protective style in your hair, especially in winter
- If you are not wearing extensions or weaves, I think you should wash your hair least every 7-10 days to hydrate your hair, cleanse your scalp and to avoid product build-up. My personal opinion.
- When combing your hair, use a wide tooth comb only (preferably a “seamless one”. Some people use “denman brushes”. I DON’T!
- When combing, start at the ends and comb gently working your way to the roots – never start combing straight from the roots!!
- Only wash your scalp, never wash the hair itself, the hair will be cleansed in the process.
- After wash/conditioning gently blot your hair dry with a very soft towel or paper towels. Never rub your hair dry.
- Blot, and then add some leave-in, then air dry. If you find your pressed for time, pencil this in a ‘night before’ activity.
Deborah Anne Dyer, aka Skin, lead singer and front girl of the British rock band Skunk Anansie, soloist of two albums, Fleshwounds released in 2003 and Fake Chemical State dated 2006, an extraordinary DJ in Ibiza and at Bungalow 8 in London where she sets the atmosphere creating a mix of indie-rock and dark-disco, inventor of unique sounds and tracks, political and social activist is stuck in her bedroom with an achingly painful backache due, according to well-informed sources, to a wild night in Milan the day before when she paid a flying visit to the underground venue Atomic enthusiastically cheered, if not literally hailed as you would do with an apparition by the raving crowd.
Having reunited with her band in 2009 after a eight years’ separation, last February 12th, the singer/muse of photographers of the calibre of Mario Testino and Nick Knight came to Mediolanum Forum in Milan where she had her only long-awaited and therefore immediately sold out Italian gig of her European tour.
She came to Venice to receive the Cavalchina Award during the eponymous charity carnival ball whose tradition dates back to the eighteenth century and that will be held at Gran Teatro La Fenice reinterpreted for the occasion by Matteo Corvino. She smiles glowing. Her hair totally shaved as she is accustomed to, she has perfect features like those of Benin’s sculptures, a long and elegant neck, big hypnotizing eyes and has flawless make-up. She is wearing an extraordinary piece of couture clothes: a black dreadlock jacket with a very low neck, a surreal, almost Dadaist piece designed exclusively for her by her friend Liborio Capizzi.
She speaks softly but with a determined tone of voice, unfalteringly, about the beginnings, and the multi-ethnic melting pot, though predominantly Jamaican, typical if Brixton, in the South of London where she grew up. She broaches complex and delicate issues such as tolerance, the difficulties experienced by the Third World countries, the African roots, her campaign against female genital mutilation and her music therapy activity with children with disabilities.
Quite obviously music features strongly and often in the conversation, especially reggae and the much loved hip-hop but also Blondie, the Sex Pistols and electro-pop not to mention an inevitable reference to Skunk Anansie’s third and hugely popular album released in 1999, Post Orgasmic Chill and the legendary single, Secretly. Up to the latest hit Wonderlustre released in 2010.
She even shares with us her opinion on fashion which, she admits, is a matter of great fascination to her, although she prefers to create and interpret her own style independently; she talks about her relationship with Alexander McQueen and Philip Treacy and about the great chemistry with Liborio whom she got to know when he worked for Gianfranco Ferré and for whom she even walked the runway a couple of years ago.
And yet, this is the same girl, Skin – the hard, the activist who once, perhaps to make fun of the media, invented clit-rock, the one who stresses the importance of anger seen, in certain times and on certain occasions, as invigorating, as a necessary sensation to feed passions, to stay alert and to keep creativity and civic battles up and going.
Cesare Cunaccia Published: 04/04/2011 courtesy of Vogue Italia http://www.vogue.it/en/vogue-black/the-style-of-/2011/04/skin-in-venice
I know that in the afro hair community “how to wash afro hair” is a topic that has been debating on for centuries. I believe its up to most people to examine and determine the right technique for them, however, I would like to bust some myths regarding how to or how not to wash your hair.
Myth –
Hair grows better when it’s dirty.
This has to be one of the worst (and grossest) black hair care growth promoting myths out there. The only thing not washing your hair ever did was leave your scalp itchy and smelling musty. It also makes your hair so stiff that it can’t be styled and has absolutely no movement.
Truth -
Hair grows best when it’s clean and moisturized.
Washing your hair is one of the best things you can do for it for lots of reasons.
- It cleans it thoroughly so you hair has life and movement (plus smell good too).
- It gets rid of gunk, buildup and product residues so your products will keep on working (a film over the hair prevents conditioners and treatments from penetrating the strands).
- Water is the only thing that adds moisture to your hair. Washing regularly lets your hair get this much needed hydration boost.
- It sets the stage for what is probably the most important step in hair care which is conditioning.
One of the big secrets of black hair care growth enhancement is washing and deep conditioning often. Don’t let this myth keep you from having the kind of hair you want.
Myth –
Trimming makes hair grow faster.
Trimming your hair makes it shorter…period. What you do to the ends of your hair has absolutely nothing to do with what happens at the roots. To be perfectly clear, trimming does not make your hair grow faster, never has and never will.
Truth –
Trimming makes hair ends healthier so length accumulates faster.
The real truth behind hair trimming is what it does for the health of your hair.
- Prevents split ends from traveling up the length of the hair.
- Removes ‘dead’ ends (all hair is dead of course) and damage allowing your hair to get longer because it’s healthier.
- Keeps ends strong and resistant to breakage.
- Gives hair ends new life and lets them hold a style better.
The key to accumulating length with trimming is to cut less hair than what grows out. That way your ends stay healthy, your hair looks great and over time you’ll see the inches start to add up.
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Personally, my hair is quite light in terms of weight and colour, so when I over wash and over oil it, it looks dead and greasy. So my stylist at YANA Hair Sanctuary recommended that I wash it thoroughly every three weeks, and wash it lightly in the mid week; use an oil based spritz spray instead of a moisturizer and allow as much hair between the strands when blow drying. I find that since I have my hair out most of the time, its much lighter, less greasy and more flowy, so see if it works for you and let me know :- )
P.s it might help to go to a stylist first, so they can thoroughly induct you on how to maintain your hair in the long term. I will try and post a tutorial video this weekend if that helps ;-)
I also came across this article on the Guardian which talks about this further:
“Washing your hair for three minutes will help ensure its long-term health”
according to trichologist Frank Cunningham.
“Wash your hair for less time and you risk leaving in much of the shampoo, which can give you a flaky scalp.”
Before you turn on the shower, brush your hair with a wide-tooth comb to prevent tangles; then wet your hair, and apply shampoo.
“Use a clawlike movement, rather than a flat hand,” Cunningham says, “and if your hair’s long, don’t apply the shampoo directly to the ends – lift the length of the hair and squeeze the crown so that the shampoo flows down to it.”
Once you’ve rinsed out the shampoo, it’s time to apply conditioner – but, Cunningham warns, “don’t apply the conditioner to the roots – only to the ends – and make sure you don’t rub your hair. That can cause splitting.”
Then rinse your hair until the water runs clear, and comb out any tangles using the same wide-tooth comb – never a plastic brush. “If you saw a brush under a microscope,” Cunningham says, “you’d see that its bristles act like a saw. You really have to watch what you’re doing, especially with long hair. I always tell my clients that they should treat long hair as they would a silk blouse – extremely carefully.”
