Beauty Tips For Black Woman
If you're new to makeup, it may seem a little overwhelming. With so many
different products available, it's hard to even know where to begin! Here is a
basic makeup guide for the beauty-enhancing beginner. Start out with these
basics. Once you're comfortable with this makeup routine, you can decide whether
you want to add some new products to your routine, or just keep it simple. Skin
Care Before adding any makeup to your face, you want to make sure that it is
freshly cleaned. Keeping your skin clean and well-moistened is perhaps the best
thing you can do to ensure makeup goes on smoothly and looks radiant. Consider
getting an exfoliating facial every week for that glorious glow. Foundation If
the thought of foundation frightens you, you're in luck. You don't need to cover
your entire face with the creamy cover-up. Just dab it to the areas where you
need to smooth out the complexion or cover a facial flaw.
If regular foundation feels too heavy on your face, try a sheer foundation.
Blush It can be tricky finding the perfect shade of blush, but it's worth the
search. To determine the color that's right for you, look into a mirror, smile,
and gently squeeze the apples of your cheeks. The subtle glow that appears is
the blush color you will want. Doing this simple exercise will ensure that your
blush color is natural, and not clown-like. Lip Gloss or Lip Stick If you're not
ready to pucker up for lipstick, start with a nicely tinted lip gloss. If you
are ready for lipstick, find a translucent to medium lip color from the same
color family as your blush. Eye Shadow Neutral colors such as beiges, grays, and
greens will add a nice subtle shade, but not look too heavy. Once you're
comfortable with eye shadow, you can start experimenting with different looks.
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Tips for black women to Get Beautiful, Healthy Skin
You see it on television and in magazines. You desire it and wonder how you
can get it. What is it? Beautiful skin. Is it perfect? Not likely, because
models and celebrities have an arsenal of beauty weapons the average woman
doesn't have access to: professional makeup artists, exclusive cosmetics, and
airbrushing among them.
While perfect skin is usually the hallmark of babies and retouched photographs,
beautiful, healthy skin is within your grasp. For black women, a smooth, even
complexion is attainable with proper care.
Beautiful skin often begins inside and radiates outward. A healthy diet is
vital. This means eating good-for-you foods and saving indulgent treats for
special occasions. Fruits and vegetables should make up a large portion of your
daily intake. Fatty, fried foods should be kept to a minimum. Instead, bake,
sauté (in olive oil or oily sprays), or broil your food.
Also, the importance of water cannot be overemphasized. Drink at least the
recommended eight cups a day and compensate for alcoholic and caffeinated
beverages with more water.
Exercise is also a good component to skin care. Regular workouts keep the skin
toned and make you feel good. Find an activity you like, be it biking, walking,
jogging, swimming, or sports. If you like what you do, you're more likely to
stick with it for the long haul.
Besides following a healthy lifestyle, what else can black women do to maintain
touchably soft skin?
Moisturizers are a must. Darker skin has a tendency to appear "ashy" when it's
not well-lubricated. Creams and lotions, best applied after showering when skin
is slightly damp and better able to hold in moisture, are plentiful. They range
from drugstore brands to department store brands and you're sure to find one in
your price range that you like.
For the face, it's best to use a separate moisturizer made specifically for your
facial needs. Some women have dry skin, some have oily skin, and some have a
combination of both. Once you identify the type of facial skin you have, use
products geared toward your particular needs. For any type of skin, gentle
handling should be followed.
A facial cleanser should be used in the morning and at night, especially to wash
off cosmetics and a day's worth of grime. Dry skin tends to do better with
non-soapy cleansers since soap can be even more drying. Oily skin often likes
soap. Like moisturizers, there are dozens of cleansers to choose from. You can
use your clean hands to wash your face, but if you use washcloths or sponges,
these items must be washed or replaced frequently to prevent an overgrowth of
germs and bacteria, which will lead to skin problems.
Black women, especially of the darker skin tones, often believe they don't need
to use sunscreen since blacks rarely complain of sunburn, but this is false.
Black skin also needs protection from the damaging rays of the sun. It is nice
to find moisturizers which contain sunscreen as this single combination product
does the job of two. Make sure to use sunscreen daily, year-round, to prevent
wrinkles and skin cancer. It's also a good idea to wear wide-brimmed hats if you
know you're going to be outside for a while, whether gardening or just being out
and about; the hat will shade your face from the sun.
If you suffer from acne, do not pick at pimples. This often leaves unattractive
scarring and black skin is much more prone to developing keloids as a result.
Keloids are scar tissue caused by trauma or surgical incisions. It is important
to treat the acne gently, but effectively. Washing too vigorously and handling
roughly will only make the problem worse. You'll have to find a cleanser and
moisturizer made specifically for your skin's needs. There are several
acne-specific lines to choose from. Again, following a healthy diet and being
active also can help to prevent breakouts.
For most of us, having healthy skin takes a small amount of work, but beautiful
skin is worth the effort. Whether you have ten minutes or an hour's worth of
pampering, take the time you need. Every time you look in a mirror, you'll be
glad you did.
Black Women's Hairstyles Beauty: It's Not Just About The Hair
Throughout the decades, the social significance of black hairstyles has
remained a relevant part of black history. Unlike other American cultural
trends, black hairstyles represent a significant history and pride amongst black
women. Where else does one’s self worth and self image play such a high role in
society? When black women enter the salon for a new hairdo, many times they must
look at the “whole picture”; considering the social message that they will be
sending when walking out of the salon and into black society.
Since the 1400’s, when slaves were brought to the “New World," they were made to
change their hairstyles to more traditional European standards. This included
the use of herbs and botanicals that relaxed their coarse hair, giving the
appearance of finer hair. Throughout slave times, black women grown accustomed
to their European counterparts wore their hair straightened, combed, and parted.
Since that time, black women have often been ridiculed for their choices
regarding their hair.
In modern day times, black women must choose to conform to Western society and
their hairstyles or go for the more natural look. During the late sixties, the
“Afro” and more traditional ways of wearing one’s hair made a debut. The image
of freedom and pride led the movement for the El Natural look. But it was just
that, a trend, that came and went; and in the near future; will most likely come
again. However, since that time, more black women have opted for hairstyles that
are “Americanized” and project the societal views of beautiful hair. Nothing is
more evident of this trend than the huge amounts of money spent yearly on black
hairstyles at various salons.
Today, a black woman may spend hundreds of dollars at a salon every week,
striving to achieve that perfect hairstyle. Even in the poorest of
neighborhoods, hair salons and barbershops that cater to black hair are still
thriving. So are these black women abandoning their cultural history and giving
into the white man’s ways? Most black women say “no”, it’s not a matter of
history or culture, but a matter of looking good and feeling good about one’s
self.
Black beauty is in: from beauty queens to fashion magazines, women of color
reign supreme
Black beauty is in. Not too long ago, it was impossible to find a
Black woman on the cover of a major White publication, and very few were found
on the inside pages. That's why it is inspiring--startling, actually--to
discover beautiful Black faces and bodies gracing the covers of three prominent
women's publications in the same month.
And for the first time ever, Black women simultaneously reign as the country's
premier beauty queens--Miss America Debbye Turner and Miss USA Carole Gist. And
not only did these young women win their state titles to qualify for the
national contests, but they competed against several other Black women who won
their state titles as well.
The prevalence of Black beauty queens and models is an indication that along
with the '90s has come a broader definition of beauty. Society's narrow
barometer of what is attractive has been expanded beyond the centuries-old
white-skin, blue-eyed, blonde-hair standard to include what people of color have
always known: Black is beautiful. Short and natural hair can be a woman's
crowning glory. Big, luscious lips are sexually appealing. And the various
shades of brown-black skin provide a beautiful showcase for any woman's assets.
What is most promising is the fact that ebony-complexioned models with
close-cropped hair, such as Sebastian, are being recognized for their natural
beauty.
It must also be noted that 14-year-old St. Louis model Kimora, whose
parents are Korean and Black, was chosen by Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld to
star in his show. "This girl represents the '90s," he said.
"I am proud of my heritage and happy to represent my people of color," says
20-year-old Miss USA Carole Gist of Detroit. "I think being Black is one of the
advantages I had in the pageant. It made me stand out. I have a feeling that the
1990s will be the decade for women of color. I think people are waking up."
To what Black people have known all along. Since its inception in 1945, Ebony
Magazine has glorified the beauty of the Black woman, and Fashion Fair Cosmetics
was founded in 1973 to cater to women of color who virtually had been ignored by
White companies. At the same time, Ebony also insisted that advertisers use
Black models in ads targeted at reaching Black consumers.
While for decades they were caricatured in the media, the natural assets of
Black women are now being recognized and glorified beyond the Black community.
In articles and in interviews, beauty experts praise the virtues of full,
luminous lips, and scores of advertisements tout beauty products that enhance
this beauty asset. For decades White women have gone to great lengths to darken
their skin, and in recent years and in increasing numbers they pay tribute to
Black beauty by having surgery to enlarge their lips.
One beauty editor writes that a particular lipstick "gives lips on the thinner
side a lush daytime look. For added width and fullness, form lips into an `O'
and fill in corners with lip pencil." Another lipstick "looks wonderful on wider
mouths."
Full-lipped Naomi Campbell, the 20-year-old, sexy supermodel of British and
Jamaican descent, seems to be everywhere--on the cover of major magazines, in
fashion spreads, and in feature stories as well.
Karen Alexander, the attractive 24-year-old New Jersey-reared model, has
appeared on the covers of six major fashion publications, and in hundreds of ads
and fashion spreads. She and fellow Black models Louise Vyent and Kara Young
were profiled in an article titled "The New Top Models" with the subhead "How
they'll change your beauty ideas." Only one White model was included in the
article.
"Scan any magazine and one of the first things you'll notice is that the
dominance of the blonde, blue-eyed model is over," the Glamour article says.
What you will see more of, it continues, are "The hallmarks of a new
internationalism--models with a wide variety of skintones, hair colors and
facial structures." Pauline Bernatchez, president of Pauline's Model Management
in New York, says there is a new appreciation of the true American melting pot.
"I look for what the French call a `type'--strong features, character and a bit
of mystery."
Though Black models have been popular in European publications and on the
runways of Paris and Milan for years, American magazines didn't start using
Black models consistently until three years ago. "I hate to call it a trend, but
mainstream White America is waking up to the fact that we can sell the
products," says Alexander. "Actually, they could make a lot more money if they
realized how much Black consumers buy."
Campbell, who was discovered in her native London by a model agent when she was
14, says that "Blacks and the ethnic look are definitely in vogue" in the
industry. "Diana Vreeland [the late fashion expert] said years ago that Black
models would become successful and much more in demand one day, and it has
happened," says Campbell.
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