Summer is here and there is no better reason than to feel beautiful.
The film “Beauty” is a powerful love story about a young queer Black woman in the 1980’s aiming to breakout in the music industry while hoping to preserve her identity. The highly anticipated film premiered at the School of Visual Arts for the Tribeca Film Festival over the weekend. The cast, writers, and director of the film graced the red carpet before the premiere to share their thoughts on “Beauty” and how the film is elevating queer voices of color.
Grace Marie Bradley is the lead actor in the film and plays the ambitious singer named “Beauty.” Bradley told us her approach to channeling the character was to come from a place of purity right before experiencing the overwhelming powers of stardom. Beauty faces several obstacles, one of which centers around her parents’ disapproval of her relationship with her girlfriend as well as the strict supervision her father looms over her career. Beauty’s meteoric rise to fame is met with more obstacles that force her to decide on whether to conceal her sexuality and misrepresent her art for the sake of success.
Cast members like Alyse Shannon, who plays Beauty’s love interest “Jasmine,” told us watching the main character navigate through these internal battles and making critical decisions for herself is what makes the film beautiful. Kyle Bary, who plays Beauty’s brother “Abel,” told us the film is a powerful image of the Black Middle Class and how the main character is stuck between choosing her family and her future.
The soundtrack featured in the film also parallels Beauty’s journey and that of powerhouse Black female vocalists like Patti LaBelle and Whitney Houston.
The final screening of “Beauty” is set for this upcoming Saturday June 18.
You can take us to this block party anytime.
CEO Mary Schulman already had a business: a natural snack business, to be exact. But after selling her company to Utz Quality foods, Schulman took a look inside her makeup bag and realized she didn’t want her teenage daughter (or herself, or anyone for that matter) to be using toxic chemicals in their cosmetics.
The beauty industry is filled with ever changing ideas, concepts, products and myths that sometimes it’s hard for us all to keep up.
Luckily Skinney Med Spa & Wellness hosted a panel called ‘Skinny Talks’ at Neuehouse NYC, with the goal of debunking myths and holding a safe educational space to talk about all things beauty.
The conversation consisted of topics on beauty innovation, the latest trends within beauty, and tips /tricks to continue staying as youthful as ever.
Moderated by Anjali Kumar, author of the book Stalking God and co- host of The Important things on IHeartradio; the panel consisted of various women within the beauty industry representing Women’s History Month.
Allegra Paris, known as the “Swimsuit & squat enthusiast,” expressed the importance of health, wellness, and fitness; Umbareen Mahmood, a double Ivy League trained Board Certified Plastic Surgeon shared some gems about non surgical and surgical cosmetic procedures; Josie Holmes, a Licensed Esthetician & Aesthetic Trainer sharing tips on how to take care of the skin.
Skinney Med Spa also specializes in laser hair removal, chemical peels, signature facials, ultherapy skin firming, stretch mark treatment & reduction, acne treatments, hydrafacials, microneedling, cellulite reduction, fat reduction, and so much more.
Make sure to follow @skinnymedspa for more of their upcoming events.
With March 8th, being International Women’s Day during Women’s History Month, what better time to highlight some incredible women-owned brands that I’ll be shopping for this Spring. These Women not only know how to set the trends but have made it their business to celebrate women and keep female empowerment at the root of their beauty and fashion brands.
- Meet Sonia Parvaneh, the Founder of “NIA”.
The Founder and Creative Director of “NIA“, Sonia Parvaneh, who launched her label “NIA the brand” in 2020, has always had a love for fashion. With Sonia growing up in Southern California it was only fitting that she name her brand using the last three letters of both Sonia and California. The relatively new fashion label is known for its effortless, yet chic loungewear. Check out some of Sonia’s pieces for NIA that’ll surely be your favorite go-to spring loungewear.
2. Meet Desi Perkins, Founder of both “DEZI” and “DEZI Skin”
The beauty vlogger, makeup guru, entrepreneur, and mother, knows a thing or two about style. Desi Perkins’s wildly popular, luxury eyewear line, Dezi, is built on two of her main values-“confidence and creativity.” Confidence is also one of the main values Dezi Skin is built on, with part of the brands’ mission being to help women feel confident in their own skin. With Spring knocking on the door, a new pair of sunnies, some awesome skin-care products, and a sprinkle of confidence are at the top of my shopping list.
3. Meet Julianne Goldmark, the Founder of “Emi Jay”.
Julianne Goldmark turned her after-school hustle and passion project into what is now the trendiest hair accessories brand today. The now 26-year Founder of “Emi Jay“, relied on hair accessories as a form of self-expression while growing up having to wear a school uniform. What started out as her designing and creating her own
hair accessories, to selling them to her friends, has turned into a business of her own. Unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ve certainly seen Emi Jay’s coveted “Big Effing Claw Clip” on “It Girls” like Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, and Ellie Thurman. Fortunately for us, Emi Jay just recently launched the perfect Spring hair accessories. Check out a few pieces from Julianne’s “Super Bloom” collection for Emi Jay below.
Super Bloom Clip Muai $15
Super Bloom Clip Guava $15
Super Bloom Clip Wild Orchid $15
Super Bloom Clip Coconut $15
4. Meet Laura Hall and Gillian Rose Kern, the Founders of “For Love & Lemons.”
Photo via Instagram @kelseaballerini + @mollyddickson
Founders of “For Love & Lemons” Laura Hall and Gillian Rose met at the young age of 11 in Wyoming, where they had a small lemonade stand together. Today Laura and Gillian share “For Love & Lemons”, an LA-based fashion brand where they’ve brought their childhood fantasy world of “female camaraderie, compassion, and love” to life. For Love & Lemons has some of the most gorgeous pieces for spring and has caught the eye a few celebs. Just recently singer and songwriter Kelsea Ballerini was spotted wearing the cutest For Love & Lemons top (that’s on sale btw) during her rehearsal for the ACM awards.
5. Meet Emily H. Rudman, the Founder of “Emilie Heathe”.
Emily H. Rudman Photo by Sam Wallander
Emilie Heathe is a conscientious beauty brand founded by Emily H. Rudman. Emily spent her childhood being inspired by the bold colors of the superheroes in some of her favorite comic books and soon began drawing. Over the years Emily went from sketching and coloring on paper to being a top makeup artist for brands like MAC and AVON. Emilie Heathe’s latest launch in collaboration with “The Batman” pays homage to Emily’s beginnings as an artist inspired by her favorite comic heroes, and can inspire young women everywhere that their dreams can come true too! While Emilie Heathe has a wide array of clean beauty products and toxin-free nail polishes, “The Batman Trilogy” collection has three of the most stunning shades for Spring!
The Batman Trilogy Collection $80
6. Meet Mary Furtas, the Founder of CULTNAKED.
Meet Mary Furtas, the Ukrainian Founder and Creative Director of the celebrity-loved “slow fashion” brand, “CULTNAKED”. Mary recalls being heavily influenced by American pop culture while growing up in Ukraine. Over time Mary developed a genuine love for fashion and decided she wanted to become a photographer. After much success throughout the fashion world as a photographer, Mary built her brand “CULTNAKED” on her desire to “reinvent going out clothes” that were comfortable, feminine, and inspired by the early 2000s aesthetic that fueled her love for fashion as a young girl. Not only did Mary create her brand to empower women but she is also an advocate for the “slow fashion movement”. The Ukrainian-based brand has begun following suit with other “slow fashion” brands and is hoping to reduce their environmental impact by doing monthly drops, as well as, using a “make-to-order production model.
While the brand has had a huge buzz surrounding their clothing seen on major celebrities like Megan Fox, Ariana Grande, and Kylie Jenner; Mary Furtas has recently used her platform to spread awareness on Russian attacks in Ukraine. When visiting the CULTNAKED website, the option to donate to help Ukrainians during this crisis is available.
Franki Amour will soon be releasing her single ‘Love Scars’ and her EP ‘Beautiful Choas.’
And just like that, it’s time to start curling up with a warm drink and some fuzzy slippers.
With the cold rapidly approaching, we can think about finding the best possible way to make my indoor space as comfortable as possible. Staying inside isn’t something everyone loves doing, but between daylight savings and the lack of outdoor activities, it’s something we’ll all be doing more and more. Check out some of our favorite products that will feel a little cozier and a lot less stuck inside.
The Joyà Cacao Instant Elixir Blend is the perfect Cacao mix to make yourself a warm chocolatey drink that’s good for you. The Joyà Cacoa Exlir is a blend of cacao, maca, reishi, and more. This blend is best for immune support, is filled with antioxidants, and honestly tastes delicious. You can mix the elixir with your favorite steamed milk and natural sweetener for the perfect hot drink this fall.
2. Lather Cranberry Orange Bath Bombs $20
There’s nothing like a nice hot bath to unwind on a frigid day. Adding one of these Lather Cranberry-Orange Bath Bombs to a hot bath is the perfect way to treat yourself to a little R&R. The best part about these bath bombs is that they’re very soothing and leave the skin feeling hydrated.
3. Good Janes Full OF Grit Scrub $64
One of the benefits of being indoors is a little more time for some self-care. Dry skin is inevitable once the temperature starts dropping, so The Good Janes ‘”Full Of Grit” Oatmeal Scrub is a fantastic scrub that’ll leave your skin feeling incredibly soft.
4. Good Janes Face Gift Mask $32
Speaking of self-care, while relaxing your hot cup of Joya Cacoa, treat yourself to a quick at-home face mask. This Good Janes “Face Gift” mask is the perfect mask to add to your fall skin-care routine. This “Face Gift” mask hydrates, tones, and tightens the skin. This is the perfect mask for an at-home spa day!
5.Vital Proteins Melatonin Gummies
What’s a cozier feeling than curling up into a blanket and taking a nap. Vital Proteins offers a wide variety of gummy vitamins, and these melatonin gummies are going to come in handy. Sometimes being indoors may cause a sense of restlessness, and while there’s no guarantee that these gummies will put you to sleep, melatonin promotes a good night’s rest.
- 4-in-1 Rechargeable Electric Nail File Set $79.95
This 4-in-1 electric nail file boasts a patented oscillating head and four multi-purpose discs for shaping, smoothing, buffing, and shining. Other nail files on the market have attachments that rapidly spin in one direction, generating intense heat and friction – and that can cause damage! This device allows for precise grooming of nails, cuticles, and calloused skin without burning. It won’t break or damage nails. It gently buffs away the look of ridges and uneven nails, leaving them smooth, healthy-looking with a high shine. It can also help speed up the gel removal process & help repair surface damage caused by gel polish & acrylic nails. It is perfect for those with arthritis, less flexibility, limited dexterity, or weak hands.
Beauty and wellness are often hand in hand because taking care of yourself is a huge part of feeling beautiful. As we move towards a post-pandemic world, conversations about how we take of ourselves have come up more and more every day. It’s nice to see most people agree that self-care and wellness need to be prioritized as a collective.
Close your eyes. Imagine doing 20,000 sit-ups in 30 minutes.
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