To Weave or Not to Weave?

Let me start this off by saying I LOVE WEAVE!! I have been wearing weave for so long I like to call my something a weaveologist. YES! Weaveologist! I know the differences between yaki, remy, indian, malayasian and everything in between. Prices, colors, where to buy, what hair is best for certain hairstyles, etc. If I knew how to braid I could sew in my own weaves. Because I know the proper technique to achieve the "natural looking" weave. But lately I've been missing my real hair.

Why? Well I miss feeling the water through my hair weekly and feeling the air on my scalp! LOL Buuuuutttttttttt!!! Natural hair is a damn science experiment. Its time consuming and I feel like I do more damage to my hair when I'm not wearing a weave. Plus I don't have a perm so it takes a lot more work, conditioning, straightening, the whole nine. But I don't got time for all that. I got things to do. LOL And its summer time and once that heat come..I will be looking like Diana Ross! No!

Shoot, I wouldn't wear weaves if GOD blessed us black women with long straight hair that didn't need perms and gets puffy when any hint of humidity hits it. But he didn't so this is the next best thing.But most of the men I meet say, "They love a woman who weares their real hair." Well go get a natural chick because this brownie has chosen WEAVE! (preferably remy hair lol) And if you don't like it you can choke on a piece of cheap ass yaki hair strand. Plus I know that regardless if I wear my real hair or a weave they still gonna want the digits. Two packs of Remy Velvet #1 don't stop no man from wanting a woman! Hello!

So in conclusion I CHOOSE TO WEAVE AND I AM DAMN PROUD!!

Always BSB,
Miss BSB

RE-LAUNCH OF BSB!

I'm starting the re-launch of BrownSkinBeauties. New logo, new ideas,NEW EVERYTHING!! I want BrownSkinBeauties to be a world known beauty brand for woman of color. So I need your guys help with any new ideas to help promote BSB!! So email me bsbthecompany@gmail.com
Can't wait to hear from you!!

Always BSB,
Miss BSB

HOW TO GET SOFT SKIN YEAR LONG!!

Men have always been amazed at how soft my skin is and its so weird to me. Because I thought all women had soft skin but according to my sources this is not true. So here is a few methods I use to keep my skin soft. So ladies take notes because ain't nothing sexy bout rough/dry skin.

1. EXFOLIATE. I exfoliate at least twice a week. Exfoliating gets rid of dead skin cells and noticeably leaves your skin softer. These scrubs don't leave your skin dry like a lot of other scrubs. Some of my favorites are:

Lush Ocean Salt Scrub: This scrub is made of fresh sea salt, lime juice, vodka, avocado butters and coconut fat. It really is a facial scrub but its strong enough for your face and body.

The Body Shop Raspberry Body Scrub: Its made of raspberry seeds and ground walnut shells and it doesn't dry your skin out. If you can't find this one The Body Shop has other great scrubs.



Homemade Brown Sugar Scrub: This is a scrub you can make at home that leaves your skin uber-soft!!!

1 -1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of olive oil or coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract

couple drops of lemon juice





2. MOISTURIZER I am not fond of lotions because towards the end of the day my skin feels like I never put on lotion. I prefer oils and body butters.

Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter: You cant go wrong with these two they are the best for brown skin. In the winter I use these day and night but in the summer I only put them on during the night. Try to get African shea butter and cocoa butter it works so much better than Palmer's. Trust me.

Johnson's Baby Oil Gel with Cocoa and Shea Butter: Put this on directly after a shower and before bed and your skin feels just like a Johnson's baby.

Vaseline Cocoa Butter Vitalizing Gel Body Oil w/ Brazilian Nut &Almond Oils: This works good during day and night but in the summer time I only apply during the night.

The only con is the bottle can go really fast!

Nivea Body Essentially Enriched: This is the best lotion I have ever used. Your skin automatically has a glow and it feels moisturized all day. Make sure to buy the blue bottle not white.



If i really want to feel silky smooth I apply a few drops of Africa's Best Oil (find at local beauty supply store) mix it with cocoa butter & shea butter with a few drops of The Body Shop vanilla perfume oil and baby you smell good and feel good all day long!!!!!



3. Bath Oils and Body Washes Now bath oils are looked over because most of us take showers. But once a week you should take a cleansing bath with some oils and it will transform your skin. There are so many body washes that claim to be moisturizing but really are not. Here are my favs:

True Blue Spa Lay it On Thick Shower Cream: This body wash has shea butter in it and leaves your skin soft and not drying.
AVON Skin So Soft Bath Oil: This is a classic and still works to this day. A few drops in a warm bath and your skin will thank you. For more moisture apply the AVON bath oil spray directly on your skin while wet and pat dry.
Olay Complete Body Wash for Dry Skin: Even thought this geared towards dry skin it works for all skin types. It has shea butter in it and it works wonders.


Final Tips:
1. Exfoliate 1 to 2 times a week. Use a salt or sugar based scrub instead of exfoliating beads or one that seems to be more of a gel texture. Those kinds do not work as well.
2. Apply a moisturizer in the day and night. Cocoa butter and shea butter works best for brown skin. Use an oil/baby oil gel at night. Use a lotion like Nivea during the day.
3. Take an oil based bath once a week and apply a bath oil spray directly after while skin is still moist.
4. Use a non drying soap like Caress, Olay, or Dove and try to use moisturizing body washes daily. Washes that are geared to dry skin gives your skin the best moisture!!
5. Shhhhhh......my secret... twice a month apply Vaseline to your entire body. Leave on skin for about an hour and than wash thoroughly.

HOPE THIS HELP YOU LADIES ON YOUR ROAD TO SOFT GLOWING SKIN!!

Always BSB,
Miss BSB

BEING GREEN AIN'T EASY BUT SOMEBODY GOT TO DO IT!

OK I am trying to reduce my carbon footprint and to be totally honest its HARD! Hard like trying to be a diet and your mother cooking up her world famous fried chicken. Hard like trying to stick to a budget but you catch these GUCCI shoes you've been waiting and now their only $200 when they use to be 400! Hard like going into Target with a list but resisting the urge to buy everything you "think" you need. Hard like laying in the bed with Trey Songz after you just made a commitment to GOD that you'll be celibate. Ummm...Jesus can I start my celibacy tomorrow? LOL

So you get my drift. I live in a apartment complex so my options to be green are limited. They don't even recycle here. But I am going to get my Rosa Parks and get a recycling program ASAP! I cant compost because I don't have a backyard. So I try to limit my usage of plastic and paper goods. And its HELL! Even though you save trees and money you are washing dishes and cloths all the time and its irking. I have cloth napkins, dish towels, plates, and silverware that I am constantly cleaning. Because I am trying to retire paper and plastic goods. Ugh.. But in the words of my brother Kyle, "I rather fight lions then wash dishes!" And that's how I feel now. Being green isn't easy but we gotta do it. TO BE CONTINUED...

Always BSB,
Miss BSB

ERYKAH BADU NEW VIDEO: " WINDOW SEAT" ARTISTIC OR NOT?

As I write this blog entry I am actually listening to Erykah Badu "Next Lifetime" and I so love this song. What a coincidence right? But as the world knows Ms. Badu bared all for her new video "Window Seat". Now unless you were living under a rock you heard all about her body (emphasis on her booty) via twitter, facebook and my ex friend myspace. LOL But did anybody really listen to the song or get her message that she was trying to send? GROUPTHINK. Now I actually thought the video was bland compared to her others the hype was not necessary but anytime people see nudity or a big butt they get excited. (plus I been knew she had a booty) It's just human reaction. But did her undressing to her birthday suit take away from her message?

I say yes. Because all I heard was, "Damn I didn't know Badu had a body like that?" and one of my fb friends said he was "Ready, to get airport security rough with himself to that video." If you get my drift. But I heard few comments on the song or even GROUPTHINK. I also heard a lady say it was like watching a Calgon commercial. Really? I guess. But my question to you is if Beyonce, Rihanna, or even Nicki Minaj did this same exact video would it still be so beautiful and artistic? Or would it be another woman using her sex appeal to sell records? Or another female artist making black females look like sexual objects? I really wonder if it was another black female doing a nude inspired video like this would we really praise her for her "creativity" like people are doing to Ms. Badu. Now don't think I am not an Erykah badu fan because I am a FAN! I am not hating at all. But it's just funny to me how people praise a person for doing something that is taboo but criticize another based on their image. Mmmmmm..... funny right?

But I read on necolebitchie.com , an old interview of Badu, where she sarcastically talks about how to make it the music industry. She discusses how you have to be naked and wear heels and glitter and do something wild to get attention etc. Did she take her own advice? Not necessarily to "make it in the music industry" because she has already done that but to grab our attention. Because I wonder if she had never gotten naked in the video would people still talk about the video? Think about it. But if you know the definition of GROUPTHINK than you can understand why she went to that extreme. She is trying to be the opposite of GROUPTHINK and the video represents that. But does the video represent creativity and art or is it just Erykah Badu undressing in the park. You make that decision.

Always BSB,
Miss BSB

**watch video on her website erykahbadu.com and to all those excited about the video GO BUY HER ALBUM!! New Amerykah Part Two: Return of Ankh IN STORES NOW