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faking it

The essentials...
—our must have list for the new African woman of style

Beauty & grooming

A beauty regimen : that includes at least a cleanser, moisturizer, we also suggest masks, scrubs and eye treatments periodically.

Our Favorites!

Cleansers                                                                                

Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser $

Nars Purifying soap $$

Sisley Paris Phyto-Blanc Buff and Wash Facial Gel $$$$

Moisturizers

OLAY Regenerist Perfecting Cream $$

Peter Thomas Roth Sheer Daily Defense Moisture lotion $$$

Creme de la Mer $$$$

Masques & Scrubs & eye treatments

St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub $

Kiehl's Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub $$

Caudalie Face Treatment Oil For Dry and Dehydrated Skin $$$

Philosophy On A Clear Day H2O2  $$

N.V Perricone Vitamin C Ester Eye Area Therapy $$$

Murad Hydrating Gel Mask $$  

A scent of her own : You can either create your own special fragrance or fall in love that is already on the market

Our Favorites

Body Shop perfume oil: Rich and long lasting, these scents can be layered for a unique scent $$

Les Nuits d' Hadrien by Annick Goutal: A rich and seductive scent that leaves an intriguing trail behind you $$$

Clean eau de parfum: For those who want quite simply to smell deliciously clean, like you just stepped out of the shower. $$ - $$$

Jo Malone fragrances: Every Jo Malone fragrance is designed to complement others and by layering two or three, you create a fragrance that is completely your own. $$$ - $$$$

A Hair care professional

Too many of us have stylists that can hook up a badass weave or give you're a fierce cut but sometimes all they do is style hair without doing the necessary things to take care of it. African hair in all its varieties when processed chemically can be very high maintenance and without proper care will break and shed drastically. A good hair care professional is an African woman's secret weapon!

Questions to ask:

Does your hair stylist assess your hair before agreeing to do a style, cut, color or weave?

Does s/he tell you when it's time for deep  conditioning?

Does s/he recommend a home care regimen?

Does your hair grow with your stylist?

If you answered no to most of these questions, rethink your choice of stylist before you go bald…

Fashion: The Essentials!

A well fitting, figure flattering pair of jeans : This is possible for every figure, with brands like Diesel, Lucky, and Venezia jeans

A crisp white shirt as opposed to a dull white shirt

Well-tailored black pants

A sexy cocktail dress

A figure flattering natural fiber sweater

A pair of sexy heels (any height will do, nothing is less sexy than a woman teetering in her heels)

Home and interiors

Furniture that highlights your style : We often buy pieces the way they sit in the showroom. Experiment a little; remember your home should have pieces that reflect your sense of style, not some mass-market furniture merchandisers'

Home Accents that reflect your personality : Are you quirky, how about some accent pillows in crazy prints! Love to paint but are no Picasso, display your art! Take your kids artwork off the refrigerator door and frame the best ones for display in your family room, looks better and makes the kids feel proud!

A cleaning regimen or a cleaning lady : If housecleaning is your forte, carry on Martha, but if it's not and you are loosing the war, stop beating yourself up about it and hire a cleaning service!

Great home fragrances : Have you ever walked into a home that smelled so yummy, you didn't want to leave? Chances are they didn't get it by spraying air fresheners. Here are some wonderful alternatives

Trapp candles: These candles are so effective and yet not too expensive $ - $$

L'Artisan Parfumeur Terra-Cotta Amber Ball: A touch of luxury from a Paris parfumier, hand crafted balls that look like art but release a subtle scent for up to 8mths $$$

Diptyque candles and rooms sprays $$

Slatkin & Co. Black Tea & Berries potpourri $$

Food and wine

A (previously tested) simple recipe to cook: It can be African or Western, preferably both, or the phone number to a good restaurant for take-out. Fortunately most major cities in the US or Europe have at least one good African restaurant.

A well-stocked fridge : In past days, the stylish women, either ate out or subsisted on a diet of diet coke and cigarettes. These days a truly stylish woman also knows the value of eating for taste and nutrition!

A basic sense of wine and food pairings : Living in a western world means when in Rome…you have to do as the Romans do occasionally, so it is a good idea to get at least a working knowledge of wine.

Arts and Culture

A good handle of her people's history : Too many of us accuse westerners of not knowing our history, but when push comes to shove, we ourselves draw a blank. Most of Africa recorded history orally, through griots etc. In modern day Africa, we may no longer have griots, but we have resources like our elders still available to us. Also many historians have done a fairly good job recording African history. Every African should have knowledge of African history.

A working knowledge of your native language: Ever met a Frenchman who can't speak French? Your native language is more than a form of communication, it is quite simply who you are. Speak English well, but try to speak your native tongue better!

A good awareness of your people's traditions : Often times we rely on our parents to set the tone as far as traditional customs go. Some of us have no understanding as to why, when or how these customs are done. However many of us have become parents and the onus is on us to pass down these traditions to our children.

Obviously we can't all be fantastic cooks, fashionistas and history professors, but with just a little of these essentials we can all truly be Africana women of style.

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