Black owned beauty companies

Here is a list of beauty companies I know of. This is the perfect time to check them out since the holidays are coming up! You can add it to your Christmas wishlist or buy some for your loved ones :) I added stars next to the ones I've personally used and endorse. If you know of more, leave a comment and I'll add it. I may even put this last as a sidebar on the blog.

Hair:

darcy's botanicals*

oyin handmade*

shea moisture*

dudley hair care

jane carter solutions

ohemet biologics

komaza hair care*

bee mine

products of the earth

Skin:

dermHA

Vienna's Herbal

Warm Spirit

Skin Salon Gold

Rx for Brown Skin*

Clear Essence

Soul Purpose

Emily Jayne (butters)

Belle Butters

Cosmetics:

iman*

fashion fair*

black opal*

ada cosmetics

shany

lamik

vera moore cosmetics*** (my fav!)

blackup*

Soft, Feminine Makeup: Product Recommendations

Here are recommendations for makeup products for someone who wants to wear makeup but isn't into bright, in-your-face colors. These are soft, neutral and complimentary to most skin tones.

Base
I chose BB Cream, Tinted Moisturizer because most women don't need foundation. I don't have perfect skin. I have scars that are taking months to fade but what I have found is I look waaaaaay better if I apply concealer on the spots then put some powder on. It looks like I naturally have flawless skin and my face doesn't get oily and look like my makeup is melting off. If you wear full coverage foundation, give it a try and let me know how it works.

Budget: ELF BB Cream ($6)

Mid: I haven't tried any mid priced TM or BB creams. Only ELF and pricey ones =/

HE:  Nars Tinted Moisturizer ($42 at Sephora)

Eyeshadow Palettes

Budget: Covergirl Eye Enhancer 4 Shadow Kit in "Daring Nudes", "Fairy Tale" and "Prima Donna" ($4-$6 at your local drugstore)

Mid: Clinique A Black Honey Affair ($36 at Sephora)

HE: Guerlain  Écrin 6 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette - Rue des Francs-Bourgeois ($90 at Sephora)

Mascara

Budget: Wet N Wild Mega Volume Mascara ($2 at local drugstore). This is the first brand of makeup that I've tried and I will always love. They produce great quality at amazing prices.

Mid: L'oreal Voluminous Mascara ($9 at CVS)

HE: Benefit They're Real Mascara ($23 at Sephora). Most would consider this mid range and not high end but $23 for a small tube of mascara is expensive to me LOL This is the one I currently use. The formula is pretty wet though so I suggest not blinking rapidly for a minute until it dries

Lips

Budget: NYX Megashine Lipglosses ($2-$5 depending on where you buy; CVS, Ulta or online)

^^ Since our lips tend to be pigmented, the brighter pinks still don't look very bright so you can get away with Tea Rose in an everyday look

Maybelline Baby Lips ($4). These are more like chapstick but certain flavors have a tint to them

Mid: Revlon Lip Butters ($6-$8)

^^They look scary lol but they are sheer versions of lipsticks. Like with the nyx lipglosses, since our lips are more pigmented, they don't show up as bright. My favorite is Brown Sugar :)

HE: Stila Lip Glaze ($22). They are pretty thick and goopy so use sparingly. A little goes a long way

Cheeks
I usually don't wear blush in the daytime but if you aren't wearing a bold eye or lip, color on your cheeks won't clash.

Budget: NYX blush in "Terracotta" or "Raisin" ($3 at cherryculture.com)

Mid: L'Oreal True Match Blush in "Sweet Ginger" ($7 at CVS)

HE: MAC blushes in "Sweet As Cocoa", "Raisin", or "Format" ($22 at MAC)

Sweet As Cocoa

Raizin

Format

You can also wear a little bronzer instead of blush. Covergirl queen collection has a few that are beautiful! They contain shimmer, which bring attention to the area so if you have large pores and/or acne on your cheeks I would stay away from shimmer and use a color that's matte or satin finish.

Did you notice the color palette for these products? Using soft colors on your face will give a natural and soft feminine look. Brown, pink, purple all look good on brown skin, no matter the hue. I left out eyeliner on purpose as I think it looks pretty harsh in the daytime. If you'd like to wear eyeliner, try a dark brown instead of black.If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below. Thanks! 

Attaching your ego to frivolous things

One thing I have noticed about women is that our egos are commonly attached to things that aren't that important. If I had a nickel for every time a woman thought she was better than the next because she didn't wear makeup or has a certain body shape or a college degree, I would be a millionaire!

I think women do this because they have created standards and set of rules in their mind on how others should live their lives. They get on their pedestal and preach about how men like this or men don't like that or "women who do this are _____". In reality they aren't concerned at all about teaching or helping people improve their lives. They attach their body shape, skin condition, lack of plastic surgery or makeup or their relationship status to their self worth. Well, guess what? You are no better than the person who does the opposite.

I blog about femininity and feminine things. I have an interest in makeup, dating, romance, fitness, being a homemaker, etc but I don't dislike women who do not care about this. I believe we all have a place in this world and if we are all the same life would be terribly boring. That may sound corny but that's the way I was raised. The smallest ant is no less significant than a human being, we have our purpose in life. Our Creator made me a biological woman for a reason and I intend to embrace it as much as I can in this modern world that tries it's best to convince me that I'm wrong.

To the women, especially BW, if you feel you do not need makeup then GOOD FOR YOU. I am glad that you are confident but you aren't more "real" than the next women who wears cosmetics. Sorry to break it to you. The amount of makeup you don't wear does not represent your character. You may be more natural but your attitude and judgement of others is an uglier trait than the acne scars someone else is covering up. Now THAT is what is unattractive to men. And when women don't wear makeup or wear perfume, it doesn't mean they don't care about themselves.

I know it's impossible to get all women to stop attacking and judging one another but I just had to get this off my chest. I have seen it all my life and it has always bugged me. Especially in this day and age where material things seem to be more important than human beings. If you do not have an expensive car, designer clothes or other unnecessary stuff than you are not "normal". I don't know about you but I would rather be around people with morals and values than people who don't. I'd rather have a best friend with acne and a kind heart than one with beautiful skin and is a backstabber.

ALSO, I have noticed BW go out of their way to diss women of other races. You are making yourself look bad. You know how people think we are jealous of them? Well, that's how you look when you go out of your way to attack another woman. What's the point of going to a WW's youtube channel and saying that we BW age better? Who are you trying to convince? We know that our melanin affords us to look more youthful, there's no need to brag about it. The world can see our beauty, we don't need to shout it from the rooftop. The things that I have heard from WM who date BW is that not only do we stay youthful but we are more down to earth and humble than most women nowadays. Being humble is an attractive trait.The goal is to be confident in yourself, not bring other people down.

Feminine Tips-General Beauty (kind of long post)

Hey sweethearts, how are you and how was your 4th of July weekend?

I've been reading many articles and books on helping women recognize their femininity and improve on it. I think it's been a struggle for ALL women to look and feel like the woman they want to be because the society we live in now encourages women to be the opposite. Here are some that I have noted:

1. Highlight your positive features.
Do you have big eyes? Wear mascara. Small waist? Wear a pencil skirt. A nice smile? Smile more often. Knowing that there's something about you that you like and that is attractive builds confidence.

2. Style your hair in a flattering way.
Find a style that frames your face shape, a color that suits your skin tone and an appropriate length and maintenance that fits your lifestyle. I'm not into the whole natural versus relaxed debate. I believe it's up to the individual to assess what fits their wants and needs. I happen to love braids, updos, twist outs and layered straight styles on Black women.

3. Embrace your curves but maintain a healthy weight.
This is a big problem among Black women. Yes, we are naturally curvy but many seem to take that as a reason to not take care of their figure. There is a thin line between curvy and thick and sloppy. Not only is a toned body more attractive and feminine but it's a lot healthier to maintain a healthy weight. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney and heart diseases are well known risks of being overweight.

These women range from thin to average to bigger/muscular. All very toned, in shape and feminine.

4. Have clear, soft, buttery skin.
Black women come in various shades. Which one you are does not matter. What is more important is having clear, healthy and blemish free skin. I advocate for an effective skin care regimen, which should include a cleanser, serum, mask and do NOT forget sunscreen. Black people aren't immune to skin cancer; in fact there are forms of skin cancer exclusive to people with melanin. There are many vitamins and supplements that can help with achieving beautiful skin.

5. Wear pretty lingerie.
It's hard to explain in words but there's something satisfying and sexy about wearing lingerie, especially lacy lingerie. Give it a try ;)

6. Smell good.
Wear a perfume or some kind of scent all the time (if you can). It will brighten your mood and attract men lol. A high quality perfume can be pretty pricey but there are alternatives. Eau de parfums are slightly less concentrated than perfumes but still strong. Eau de toilette is even less concentrated and lasts less time on the skin. Eau fraiche has less than 3% of perfume oil. I do not suggest body sprays as they do not last longer than an hour and can smell very alcohol-y.

I also suggest layering scents. What that means is use bar soap and/or body wash, then lotion and then perfume, all the same scent of course. For instance, use vanilla scented body bar soap to cleanse, then slather on vanilla scented body butter then apply a perfume that goes along with it. You will smell good all day.

7. Don't smell cheap or artificial.
Stick to scents found in nature, like floral, citrus, or spicy scents. Nothing like sugar or bubble gum, as it screams fake and juvenile.

8. Keep your nails done.
Whether you prefer your natural nails, shellac or acrylic/gel overlay, keeping your nails done makes you look more polished. Nude or pink nails fit every occasion. Red nail polish is sophisticated and perfect for an important event. Bright, fun colors look best on the toes. As for designs, that's up to you but there's a very thin line between creative and tacky.

9. Smile sincerely or not at all.
I am all for Black women smiling but don't do it unless it is genuine. It will come off like this:

instead of this:

10. Wear clothes that fit and stick to a classic style.
Not only does this look good but it saves you money. Buying staples/classics and leaving the trends to the accessories is more cost effective.

You can use accessories like jewelry, watches, scarves and handbags (purses) to try out new trends and colors.

11. Wear dresses and skirts, flowy material and feminine patterns.
They look so beautiful!

Those are just a few of my tips. I have more for your inner femininity, too. However, it's very late and I need my beauty sleep :) I will post more soon. Please leave comments and questions below! I love to hear from you all! I read all my comments and can be reached via email at enlightenedfemme (at) gmail.com

Thanks for reading! xoxo

Feminine Makeup: Examples

For those of you that enjoy wearing makeup, this post is for you! We are all born beautiful and our various shades of brown skin are absolutely amazing but there's no harm in a little "extra". Looking put together and polished will make anyone feel a lot better.

Nowadays, heavy makeup is in style. Because of youtube and instagram, many women think thick drawn on eyebrows, glittery cut creases and bold lipstick with blush is cute and "expressive". Yes, makeup is an art but looking like a drag queen isn't a good look for the feminine young Black woman.

Makeup shouldn't look like it is melting off your face. In the daytime , it should look like that's what you naturally look like or even a little bit more, like this:

Here are some good looks for the evening:

Do you see how they added color to their eyes and toned their lips and cheeks down?

Bold lips and glowy skin are the perfect combo for the evening. Bold and beautiful!

Stay tuned for the next posts in the Feminine Makeup series: Do's and Don'ts, General tips, Best blogs for woc makeup and Product Reccomendations.