Busting the Sunscreen Myth

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Working as a beauty consultant and makeup artist both behind the counter and otherwise for more than a decade, gave me the opportunity to interact with countless women of all races varying in shades spanning both ends of the spectrum, and with various skin care needs and concerns. Over the years it started to become clear to me that the idea of sunscreen was/is like the holy-grail to some (my fair-skinned peers) while to others, it seemed like a waste of time and money, and a product that one could live without.  Sadly, this self-manufactured notion has to a degree been prompted by the idea that our naturally dark complexion is in itself “sun block.”

While having darker skin does come with the benefit of  protecting the skin from the sun, no matter how you dice it, skin is skin for which the harsh sun-rays have no distinction and certainly no bias. So, although darker skin has its own “built-in barrier” , I will be the bearer of bad news and debunk the belief that because of our naturally dark complexions we are automatically protected from the sun’s deadly UV rays………..We too should, MUST lather up my ebony-skinned sisters. While the damaging effects of unprotected sun exposure may take longer to develop,depending on the amount of melanin, they will overtime become telling. This is not to give the sun a bad wrap, as it is one of the main sources of vitamin D, nor is it to scare you straight, but rather to build an awareness that unfortunately continues to get brushed off and looked at as “The Sunscreen Myth”.

My favorite go to sun screen is Neutrogena’s Sun and Beach defense (water & sun) SPF 30.  6887271_175x175

Aficionado of many, a Master of Some

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While I like to fashion myself an aficionado of many things: fashion, beauty, music, and oh yes, I can’t forget the biggie, wine (ranking in high on the list) but I am by no means  Olivia Pope, yet!  However, as a huge lover of wine, I take every opportunity to indulge in a good glass of vino and exploring  the different brands and types, from the least expensive to the most expensive and everything in between; I do not discriminate.   on my quest to expand my pallet and enhance my knowledge, I am learning that the spectrum of varietals is endless, more than one could imagine. Just last week for instance, as I sat in a quaint gourmet burger establishment going over the drink section of the menu to see what selection I was going to pair with my turkey burger, there was a wine listed that was unfamiliar. Not wanting to run the risk of sounding like an amateur , blowing my cover (after all I am the “aficionado”) I quietly asked the waitress what type of wine it was. She politely rattled off the hard to pronounce name of the mystery spirit, which left me even more confused. Taking notice of my confusion, the waitress gave a me, the aficionado a mini lesson on Sangiovese before asking if I would like to sample a taste. I couldn’t possibly offend her, so I graciously accepted. To my surprise the wine was quite pleasing to taste.

Sangiovese slightly resembles Merlot; however, the texture is finer and it is much more fermented than its distance cousin which takes away from the ability to taste the notes. The taste does however, vary by brand as I experienced with my personally purchased bottle, which differed from the brand I had at the restaurant.
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Sangiovese Characteristics

FRUIT: Tart Cherry, Red Plum, Strawberry, Figbig_red_sangiovese_grapes
OTHER: Roasted Pepper, Tomato, Leather, Clay, Brick, Tobacco, Smoke, Oregano, Thyme, Dried Roses, Potpourri
OAK: Yes. Usually light oak aging in neutral oak barrels.
TANNIN: High
ACIDITY: High
AGEABILITY: Yes. 4-7 years (normal) & 10-18 years (Brunello di Montalcino)
COMMON SYNONYMS & REGIONAL NAMES:
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Prugnolo Gentile, Sangiovese Grosso, Brunello di Montalcino, Nielluccio, Rosso di Montepulciano, Morellino, Rosso di Montalcino, Montefalco Rosso, Chianti, Morellino di Scansano

 

 

Finding Your Fashion Muse

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For decades, fashion has been at the helm of one’s creative expression.  And, as fashion has so boldly shown us over time, there’s no limit to which such creative expression can be expressed; the skies the limit.  Individual style said a lot about the individual; the same holds true today, i.e.,  Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj, and like so many others before them; With that being said, while most of how one dons himself or herself, in part, has a lot do with personality, one’s culture and the environment from which they come also has a strong influence on their stye choice. The Inspiration behind  one’s style can come from just about anywhere, whether from the richly cultured streets of Harlem, one of the meccas of eclectic urban style,  Delhi, or  the urban chic fashion capital, Paris,  and no matter what your fashion sense says about you OWN IT!  LOVE IT!

What inspires your style?

 

 

 

Red Alert

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Nars Lip Pencil
OOH LA LA!

As I have not posted in a while,  I assure you my time away didn’t go by without some fashion and beauty leg work.  In my spare time I perused magazines and websites, and became a familiar face to many cosmetic counters, filling my fancy with new products, which lead me to what is now my new favorite cosmetic bag must have, NARS’s lip pencil in Jungle Red ($22)   As of late, I have become obsessed with having a sexy, pouty, red lip mouth, and thanks to this awesome lip pencil my lips will the main attraction in all my makeup looks… it glides on like butter, but has the staying power of a true matte.  Narscosmetics.com