A very Happy New Year…

Hello Divas,

These past few weeks have been very hectic for me… The last 2 weeks of 2008 had not been the greatest as good and sad events came across my path… The sudden loss of a loved one made me cherish life even more and realize how grateful each and every one of us should be and how love is the most important thing in life after God…

Christmas this year did not feel like it used to…and neither did New Year’s Eve but I am happy and thankful that I was with the people I love, my family and close friends.

On a makeup note, with so many weddings in Dakar this year, I had the opportunity to do makeup for three brides that were as gorgeous as one can think!!! The most amazing and interesting part about these weddings makeup was that each bride had a very different type of beauty and style and mixing the two to come out with the best makeup look for their big day was just an amazing experience! Bridal makeup is at the same time always so challenging and rewarding as you have to deal with the bride’s stress and make sure both of you are happy with the final work.

I would love to show you the pictures but will need to ask permission before posting them so I will let you know as soon as I can…

I also wanted to share with you my favorite makeup product for brides:  GLOBAL GLOW and WARMED mineralized Powder by MAC. It looks AMAAAAAZING on the skin and gives a soft and natural glow on pictures.

Another product that I absolutely felt in love with is FASHION FAIR LIP TEASER in Tickled Pink. It looked amazing on my bride with a MAC PLUM Liner.

I wish you all again a very Happy New Year!!!

XoXo

eVaDiVa

 

OBAMA!!!

I know this is a makeup blog but I could not help but post his 30 mn prime time ad! He is DEFINATELY the ONE!!!

Now make sure you help him get into the White House on Nov 4th!!!

 

Love & Sympathy to Jennifer Hudson

 

 

All my love and sympathy goes to actress Jennifer Hudson and her sister during this tough time.

Words cannot heal the pain of losing someone dear to you, especially a mother…

May God give them the strength to overcome the pain and bless them always…

eVaDiVa

SKIN BLEACHING/LIGHTENING? YOUR ENNEMY

***WARNING*** WARNING*** DISTURBING PICTURES BELOW

I was watching a documentary that a friend sent me last week and I was horrified by what I found out and saw. I then googled “depigmentation de la peau danger” and almost threw up when I saw the pictures (see below). So I didn’t want this blog to be full of nice and pretty pictures of women with makeup and beautiful skin, I wanted to make sure that beautiful women of color like me and you are aware of the danger of skin lightening.

In Senegal, this practice is called “Khessal” meaning “lightening”. It is done by many women of different social classes. This means that a rich or a poor woman can do it, she will just use different products depending on her budget…In RDC (Republic Democratic of Congo), this has been a practice that even men do… In Gambia, the president Yaya Djame banned it and people are subjected to emprisonment if they are caught bleaching their skin. It is unfortunate that other countries do not apply the same laws knowing that skin bleaching can sometimes kill…

A play Written and performed by Rani Moorthy to raise awareness against skin bleaching

 

Here is an interesting article that I found at: http://www.pressbox.co.uk/detailed/Health/skin_bleaching/_lightening_its_dangers_37431.html that details this phenomenon…

How skin lightening products work

There are two chemicals found in skin lightening products, Hydroquinone or Mercury.

o Hydroquinone (C6H6O2) is a severely toxic and very powerful chemical used in photo processing, the manufacture of rubber and is an active agent in hair dyes.
o Mercury in the form of Mercury Chloride & Ammoniated Mercury is carcinogenic. They appear on the list of toxic substances that can only be purchased via pharmacies with prescribed labels of toxicity.

Both products perform a similar process. In the short term they will initially cause the skin to lighten by inhibiting the production of melanin. Without melanin formation in the basal layer no brown pigmentation will be visible.

The long term effects, however, are those that must be addressed.

The long term effects of using skin lightening products

Hydroquinone or Mercury applied to the skin will react with ultra violet rays and re-oxidise, leading to more pigmentation and premature ageing. More product is then applied in an attempt to correct the darker blotchy appearance.
These are the beginnings of a vicious cycle. By altering the skins natural structure and inhibiting the production of Melanin, it’s natural protection, the skin is more susceptible to skin cancer.

Prolonged use of Hydroquinone will thicken collegen fibres damaging the connective tissues. The result is rough blotchy skin leaving it with a spotty cavier appearance.
Mercury will slowly accumulate within the skin cells striping the skin of it’s natural pigment leaving behind the tell tale signs of gray/ blue pigmentation in the folds of the skin. In the long term the chemical will damage vital organs and lead to liver and kidney failure and mercury poisoning.

 

 

PLEASE DO NOT USE SKIN LIGHTENING PRODUCTS. DO NOT USE ANYTHING THAT CONTAINS ANYTHING HIGHER THAN 2% HYDROQUINONE UNLESS DIRECTED BY A DOCTOR.

FOR ALL MY FRANCOPHONE READERS, READ THIS ARTICLE: http://www.hautcourant.com/Depigmentation-de-la-peau-au-dela,409

Thank you Leyla for sending that…

XoXo

eVaDiVa

I also wanted to give two thumbs up to all these fighting against skin bleaching and that are raising awareness in their communities. For instance, as common as it is here in Senegal, I have not seen one flight attendant from our national airline company using these products…

evadiva in UNWIND Magazine—evadiva dans UNWIND magazine

Divas! Divas! Divas!

I am happy to tell you that your favorite makeup diva has been featured as the beauty expert in Unwind  magazine, a new publication in Nigeria that will be also distributed in Anglophone countries.

Look for the august/September edition available in Nigeria…

XoXo

eVaDiVa

Je suis heureuse de vous annoncer que votre Diva préférée a été présentée comme l’experte beauté du mois dans le magazine Unwind, une nouvelle revue Nigériane qui sera distribuée dans les pays Anglophones.

Procurez-vous la revue du mois d’aout/septembre au Nigeria…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROPER INTRODUCTIONS

 

So…in our virtual community, you can call me Ebene. As Eva, our favorite diva, embarks on new adventures around the world, I will be holding the fort stateside and fashion wise. In tandem, we aim to keep you informed, entertained and empowered. Just as beauty related tools and additives can make you feel strong, so can clothes and accessories. That’s where I come in. While in graduate school, I worked at a retail shop where my affable nature and passion for fashion led me to become a personal shopper. I enthusiastically selected outfits for my clients, their husbands (or significant others), children, grand-children, bankers, nannies and sometimes yes, even for their pets (you’d be amazed at how many dog cashmere sweaters I ordered). I learned a lot about fashion, about people and was able to pay my bills. I will share with you some of these lessons. There are a few universal truths about fashion, tailoring and clothing but I believe in cultivating individuality in all aspects of life, especially when it comes to appearance.

 

The picture above is not me but it could be. I am a young professional hailing from the Continent. I have been wearing my hair natural (and really short) for the past couple of months after spending years brushing a mane that was both thick and long but that grew thinner and thinner until I decided that all of us (my hair, brushes, perms and hair dryers) needed a break. I work in corporate America but will always stand out as the “African.” Why you ask, because my accent, jewelry, style and interests reveal my allegiance to the Continent.

 

Stylewise, I have always been preppy. Blame the nuns in catholic school. Blame Jeune et Jolie. Blame our French colonizers. Blame boarding school in the northeast of the United States. I feel most at ease in a pair of jeans (trousers jeans today, bootcut yesterday), a man’s belt (or tie belt), a white shirt (or a plain t-shirt) with sandals (or flip-flops) and a tote. Following a foot injury, I was unable to run for the past 10 months and because I refused to adjust my epicurean endeavors, I put on about a pound (okay maybe more) per month of inactivity. Hence, I became unable to fit into my $500 suiting (which I got for $100…will explain in another post) and other pants of my liking. Instead of undergoing a complete wardrobe regeneration, I bought about ten dresses (one of which cost $350 but was bought for $40) over a year, for about $300 and became a dress lady. So these days, you are most likely to find me in an Anthropology dress with Madras flip flops and a tote.

My personal style has not impeded my ability to style women (and men) whose sartorial predilections differed from mine. i am six feet tall, curvy, with a small waist and a not so small derriere. Some of my best clients barely passed the five feet mark, had blue eyes, jessica simpson’s bosom and long blond hair. Others were men in their fifties.

 

My opinion (about anything) is that only, an opinion. You may agree. You may not. When sharing my tips for bargain shopping or for dressing, I surely welcome dissent and suggestions. I could stand to learn a thing or two.

 

I won’t pretend that my tastes, experiences and suggestions aren’t specific to a certain socio-economic status. However, I’ve been broke. I’ve been not so broke. I’ve dressed people who flew in private jets and others who could barely afford top ramen noodles. In college, I once wore a handmade purple suit that was far too big with a yellow shirt underneath. A classmate said I looked like a pimp. Well, I was going to church…(LOL) I say this to say that in all of our journeys, we had to start somewhere. I hope that I’ll be able to help you move forward. I know that a lot of readers are Eva’s friends. She is an exquisite dresser, as are most of her friends, so please feel free to jump in.

 

I think I’ve covered everything. Feel free to ask me questions. It will help narrow my focus on posts because as you can already tell, I will drown you in words if you let me. Blame my professional training. Actually, no. I like to write. So, in closing, I thank you for this opportunity to share a part of myself with you. I really appreciate it. And to my diva Eva, I love you and am oh so proud of you!

 

 

 

 

 

My Tattooed eyebrows!!!

Divas. Divas.Divas!!!

Here are my 2 weeks old newly tattooed eyebrows!!! I am sooooo proud and happy that I did it. I do not regret it at all! I have to be honest with you and tell you that it hurt just a tinsy winsy bit but hey, beauty is priceless and painless!!! Note: I do.NOT.have any eyebrow pencil on! I only applied concealer under the line of the eyebrow. I went to PERMANENT MAKEUP CLINIC in Virginia (click on the name). Ask for Shirley, she is great!!! She used the hair stroke on me and that’s why they look so natural…

So, if you ask me again if you should get yours done, my answer is YEEEESSSS!!!!

XoXo

eVaDiVa

Organizing your make-up

Hello Divas,

One of you asked me if I could share with you how I organize my makeup and post pictures of it…I have to be honest with you and tell you that I have the most unorganized makeup collection you will ever find…LOL. Though, I have been thinking about organizing it and getting a few storing devices from the container store. Procastinating has reared its ugly head again…

Slvrlips from Silver Lips Beauty & Musiq Haven did such a good job with her makeup!!! Make sure you check out her page so you can get ideas on what to do…In the mean time, I vow to be more organized so I can send you pictures of my priceless beautifying “junk”…:-)

XoXo

eVaDiVa

 

Check out Sam Fine!!!

Hello Divas,

Hope all of you had a wonderful weekend! I spent mine shopping…as usual…but this time, I had a very good reason: I was looking for dresses for one of my very good friend’s wedding in July. I just found my dresses and I am soooo excited!!! I am even more excited knowing that I will be doing her makeup. She is truly the cutest and most adorable girl that I know!!!

So I Just wanted to share with you Sam Fine’s blog before going to bed on this long, but not so bad sunday evening… Sam Fine is one of the best contemporary celebrity makeup artists (God bless Kevyn Aucoin’s soul…R.I.P) and is really MY makeup guru!!! His artistry constantly inspires me to fevereshly pursue my passion for make-up and to take my artistry to another level.

http://samfine.com/fineblog/

XoXo

eVaDiVa

 

 

Another tag game…

Thank you Amina for the tag…very interesting indeed…

• My Foundation: I have, and use, all the foundations that MAC carries. My favorite of all time is the LIQUID SELECT SPF 15 with the mineralize matte skinfinish powder on top!
• My Mascara: Lancome FATALE
• My Blush: MAC FORMAT or RAIZIN… (Format more than Raizin…)
• My Eye Shadow: Are you kidding me??? How can I tell you which eyeshadow I like the most when I have 3000 and mix them all up all the time…lol (I also custom blend my eye shadows so don’t be afraid to “make” a color if you can’t find it anywhere and think you can custom-blend one from your existing stash…)
• My Day Cream: Clinique Dramatically Different lotion
• My Lipstick: I’m a makeup artist that does not wear lipstick…lol…lipgloss 4EVER!!! But I like MAC “O”…with a chestnut liner…
• My Beauty Product Brand: I will let you guess that…lol…sooooo obvious…LOL
• My Essential Beauty Product:Eyebrow pencil SPIKED
• My Favorite Makeup Product: LIPGLOSS!!!
• My Perfumes: COCO MADEMOISELLE by CHANEL, MISS DIOR CHERIE by DIOR
• My Nails: Marshmallow nail lacquer by ESSIE with short squared shaped nails…
• My Feet: on my toes MARSHMALLOW looks very nice and clean (it’s a pale white color), …summer is coming and I will switch to a very cute orange called APRICOTCHA CHEATING by O.P.I
• My Hands: True Blu Spa “Look ma new hands” cream. Available at bath and body works. Looove it!
• Three Products to bring on a deserted island: check my must have list…
• Woman I admire for their beauty: Every woman that is confident about her own beauty!!! I still should say my girl Halle…
• Woman with the Best Sense of Style: Rihanna!!!
• My Ultimate Dream wn my makeup line and have my beauty/spa by the sea in Dakar…
• How Do I Define Womanhood: Strength, inside beauty, confidence.
• My Favorite Fashion Publication: Cosmopolitan, Essence, Vogue

I am tagging whoever wants to answer this…even you readers!!!

XoXo

eVaDiVa