:: REVIEW :: Be Spoiled Sugar Body Scrubs

by Mae on May 16, 2013

When it comes to body sugar scrubs, I’m a tiny bit obsessed. They are wonderful for exfoliation and it always feels like I’m having my own personal spa experience at home when I use them : ) So imagine my delight when I meet Syreeta, owner of “Be Spoiled Natural Body Products” who introduces me to her diverse line of all natural sugar scrubs at this year’s World Natural Hair Show. Syreeta kindly offered me two of her body sugar scrubs to try and I’m definitely a fan!

Image taken from Be Spoiled Natural Body Products

 

The “Be Merry Peppermint Sugar Scrub” is extremely invigorating! The product’s stated benefits such as exfoliation, reduction of pain & tension along with moisturizing effects are true to claim! I felt so relaxed after using this scrub and I didn’t even need to put on lotion after I rinsed it off because the oils in the scrub did a wonderful job of sealing in the moisture! Using this scrub at the end of a long day is such a treat.

When I see a product that has mango or coconut, I MUST try it! This one has BOTH and it was so refreshing. The scent was light, but it was just enough to make you feel like you were relaxing on a beach in the Carribean (well… that’s where I wanted to be while I was using this!)

If you want to learn more about “Be Spoiled Natural Body Products”, you can follow them here:

www.ComeGetSpoiled.com

Be Spoiled Natural Body Products Facebook Page

Twitter: BSpoiled

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:: REVIEW :: Angel Beauty Box

by Mae on May 10, 2013

Angel Beauty Box

This year, a new subscription service for beauty products, catered to women of color was launched and I had the opportunity to review one of their boxes. In my box, I received products from Curls Unleashed, Parnevu, HIPPxRGB, Evologie and Ziaja (pictured above). As you can see, it was a nice mixture of full-sized products and sample packs. My favorite out of this box was the Curls Unleased sulfate-free shampoo.

I loved the packaging and diversity of the products, however, since I tend to use more all-natural products for skin/body care, many of the products did not personally fit my needs. I am told that when you sign up, you do fill out a beauty profile, so the offerings will be more personalized to your needs. I am glad to see more beauty services catering to women of color and am excited to see how Angel Beauty Box grows and develops in the next few years!

[More Information about Angel Beauty Box]

Angel Beauty Box offers women of color the opportunity to sample top hair care, fragrance, skin care, and makeup products–from the top brands–in monthly, quarterly, and yearly subscriptions that are mailed directly to the subscribers doorstep for just $20 per month. 

‘I created Angel Beauty Box to connect the multicultural woman with sample products made exclusively for her to experience at a fraction of the store cost,’ said Angelic Washington, founder of Angel Beauty Box. ‘Angel Beauty Box and its beauty partners are excited to fill a void not satisfied by the other beauty box companies, which ship a high percentage of products not ideal for ladies with ethnic skin and hair.’

Every month, between four to five products–customized to the subscriber’s beauty profile–are packaged in an embossed Angel Beauty Box enclosed with descriptions of the products and their in-store/online purchase availability.  Product samplings will be provided from renowned brands such as evologie, Curly Hair Solutions, Eden Body Works, Lisi Cosmetics and Hipp RGB, to name a few.

Subscribers are encouraged to log on to www.angelbeautybox.com regularly to purchase retail size products they’ve sampled and to view educational content and videos geared toward enhancing their at-home beauty experience.  Regular and interactive posts from beauty experts and product partners will allow the multi-tasking woman to sign in on for a bit of ‘me’ time.

Angel Beauty Box, a subscription-based beauty company that delivers beauty samples into the hands of awaiting costumers is proud to provide women of color the opportunity to explore the latest skin, hair and nail products at a minimal cost. Angel Beauty Box incorporates the latest proprietary technology to learn exactly what each members unique needs are and to provide brand partners the best return on their participation. To learn more about subscribing to Angel Beauty Box or becoming a brand partner please visit angelbeautybox.com

Do you have a subscription to Angel Beauty Box? If so, how do you like your subscription service so far? 

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:: GIVEAWAY :: OBIA Natural Hair Care

by Mae on May 1, 2013

I had the pleasure of meeting Obia of OBIA Natural Hair care at the 2012 Nzuri Hair, Health & Beauty Festival in Houston, TX. It was then that she introduced me to her hair care line, that I ended up loving because of their moisture-rich products! What’s exciting is that I was able to share a blurb about my experience with the OBIA hair care products, which was published in this month’s issue of Essence magazine! I recently ran into Obia again at this year’s World Natural Hair show, and we had a ball catching up and taking a pic with our Essence magazine feature : ) To coincide with their feature, they are sponsoring an incredible giveaway here on NaturalChica.com!
Read on to learn more about the company and for details on how to enter. 
About OBIA Natural Hair Care 
Obia Ewah initially graduated from The University of North Texas with a dual bachelor’s degree in both Chemistry and Biology as a stepping-stone in her quest to become a medical doctor. During her third year in medical school, Obia became sick, and as a result she became extremely cautious about the food and products she allowed into her body; she decided to go natural and improve her overall healt. When she did her big chop in July 2010 Obia couldn’t find products that could both tame her thick hair and had health-conscious ingredients, so she began tinkering with her own formulas for hair products. To Obia’s surprise, the concoctions that she originally created exclusively for her hair, worked great for others as well. Friends began to ask for and purchase any formulations Obia created, and this is how OBIA Natural Hair Care was started.
THE GIVEAWAY 
8 Winners in Total
For more info…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Heat Damage and Repair Remedies by Trichologist, Dr. Kari Williams

by Mae on April 25, 2013

Heat Damage and Repair Remedies

 by Trichologist, Dr. Kari Williams

A number of women are concerned of the type of damage that can be caused by heat styling and the options of repairing the damage to the hair shaft. Each shaft of the hair has about 7 to 12 layers of cuticle scales. Their job is to protect the inside of the shaft, known as the cortex. In healthy hair, the scales should lie flat and compact. There are several ways these scales can be damaged.

Friction caused by combing and brushing; rubber bands and tight hair clips; wrapping a roller too tightly and heat styling will create cracks and damage to the cuticle. The damage caused by heat styling includes blistering and fracturing of the hair. Microscopic examination of the hair shows small nodes seen as grey-white or yellow specks on the affected hair shafts. The hair tends to break at the sites of the nodes, leading to patchy or diffuse hair loss.

The heat from a hot curling iron left on too long or a blow dryer too hot and too close to the hair will cause the hair to become brittle and the cortex can possibly melt. So what do you do to repair the damage that is caused by excessive heat styling and mechanical damage?

To correct this form of hair loss, you must cut off the damaged part of the hair shaft and transition to a style that will create less stress on your hair. There are products on the market that will provide temporary repair to the cuticle, but the key word is “temporary.”  Products that claim to fix damaged hair only put a Band-Aid on the problem because the real damage is at the cortex level of the hair shaft. Removing the damaged portion of the hair completely is the only guaranteed way to get the healthy hair results you desire.

There are a few steps you can take to prevent the damage that comes from excessive heat styling:

  1. Change your hair styling routine- Limit the use of heated instruments on your hair and also try using them on lower settings
  2. Choose heat protectants- Apply a heat protectant to your strands before using any form of heat for an added barrier of protection and for the prevention of breakage
  3. Don’t forget the importance of moisture- One of the main sources of hair damage is dryness. Without sufficient moisture the hair shaft becomes dry, brittle and susceptible to breakage. Make sure you are using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. When conditioning your hair, deep condition, which means to leave the conditioner on 10-15 minutes and incorporate steam or heat for deeper penetration of the hair shaft.

Dr. Kari is a Trichologist and Owner of Mahogany Hair Revolution in Los Angeles, CA. For more information visit: www.drkariwilliams.com and www.mahoganyrevolution.com

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:: Style Sessions :: Graphic Black & White (by Krystal K of “The Feisty House”)

by Mae on April 16, 2013

Hello! 

I’m so excited about guest blogging on Natural Chica and brining you the new “Style Sessions” series. Some of you may have style questions like, “How do I incorporate neon into my work wardrobe?” or “When can I wear a blazer?” or even “What’s the best way to make my outfits more colorful?” I’m hoping the series is a fun way for us to answer these questions and discover ways to wear the season’s hottest trends in real life. Hopefully these “Style Sessions” give you tons of new inspiration!

 XO,

Krystal K.

The Feisty House

All photos via Pinterest.com

Spring is officially here! One of the biggest trends this Spring is black and white. The pairing never really goes out of style, but it’s been updated with bold stripes and geometric patterns. The best thing about the graphic black and white trend is that it works on every body type! And everybody has some black and white in their closet, so feel free to color block your black pencil skirt with a fresh white tee. Accessories in neon yellow and green are PERFECT with black and white.

Photo courtesy of Krystal K. of “The Feisty House”

Here’s “my take” on the graphic black and white trend. I got this dress at Forever 21. I paired it with neon sandals from Target (part of the Prabal Gurung Collection!) This dress is perfect for Spring—even though it’s longsleeved (I rolled up the sleeves when I wore it), the material is really light and breathable. It’s good for work or a casual brunch with friends. And, you can wear it as a blouse underneath your favorite skirt! Another great option is this sleeveless shift dress from Kate Spade Saturday (I have this dress too!), or this Forever 21 find. If you just want a top, try this open-back tank from Urban Outfitters: it’s still work appropriate if you pair it with a light blazer or cardigan. Zara also has a TON of graphic black and white options, and you can find them all on my blog!

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