Source: Eco Friendly Logo courtesy of Shutterstock

From StyleBlazer

From adopting healthier eating habits to starting transitioning hair journeys, a natural wave has swept the nation and it seems to be letting up no time soon. It’s no surprise if you’ve gone green in some capacity, but have you given thought to what lies in your makeup arsenal? Many cosmetics are full of parabens, pore-clogging silicones and synthetic dyes that can lead to skin irritation and allergic reactions. Since makeup shouldn’t be so complicated, StyleBlazer is letting you in on 15 natural and eco-friendly brands to discover (and perhaps fall in love with).

See the collections on StyleBlazer.com.

President and Creative Director, Shea Radiance

Maryland-based eco-luxury beauty brand, Shea Radiance, recently celebrated the launch of their hair care products in Target stores nationwide. Husband and wife team Shola and Funlayo Alabi couldn’t have been more pleased to see the fruits of their labor of love come to fruition. From home-based business to major beauty brand, Shea Radiance has grown by leaps and bounds since its start in 2005.

We caught up with Funlayo, who acts as the company’s President and Creative Director, to discuss how they built their brand, and to get her insider tips on fall and winter skin care.

Madame Noire: How would you describe Shea Radiance’s products to someone who is hearing about your company for the first time?

Funlayo Alabi: Eco-Chic, Luxurious, Effective Shea Butter based hair and body products

MN: Before founding Shea Radiance, you and your husband were experimenting with raw shea butter as a solution to your own children’s skincare issues. Did you have any prior experience in the beauty industry before then?

FA: Technically no, we both have IT backgrounds, but we had a passion to create unique products that we could not find in the market. Not having prior industry experience really helped us think and formulate outside the box.

At some point or another, many consumers have experienced combing through store aisles in search of a specific product. Not necessarily the shampoo that you always use, but a different product that you’re sure will do more effective wonders. For Landra Johnson and Kristi Booker — sisters and founders of CARA B Naturally — this was the case back in 2005.

“When the idea blossomed there were lots of baby products on the market that were organic and natural. However, none of them spoke to my needs as the mother of an ethnic baby,” said Johnson.

In search of all-natural hair and skincare baby products that were void of toxins, gentle and that had more moisturizers, Johnson found herself in a promising position.

“I couldn’t find it, so I decided to make it and here we are today,” she said. “We are the first and only natural line of skin and hair care for the ethnic market, “ Booker added. “Our product line is designed with babies and children in mind so we wanted to create something that was effective for our children and certified by the Natural Products Association.”

The Natural Way

CARA B Naturally, an acronym for Children Are Always Beautiful, Naturally —produces skin and hair products for babies and children including shampoo/body wash, leave-in conditioner, hair moisturizer, lotion and bar soap. All of the products are made without the addition of harmful chemicals. Though the founders claim not to be scientists, they do stay up-to-date on studies that relate to chemically infused products — one of them being the controversial 2011 Johnson & Johnson Quaternium-15 campaign.

Thought by the World Health Organization and others to be connected to leukemia; the formaldehyde-releasing toxin drama is encouragement for Johnson and Booker to do without skeptical ingredients. Interestingly enough, when it comes to explaining how difficult it is to run a business like CARA B Naturally, Johnson draws a parallel to raising kids.

“For all those that are mothers, we know that being a parent is very demanding; having a business is like having yet another child. The only way to maintain your business is to be passionate about it,” added Johnson. ”We had challenging careers prior to starting our business. You cannot be a successful entrepreneur if you’re not all-in.”

blackgirlhaircare.com

Each morning when you wake up and every night before you go to sleep, it is inevitable for you to stray from your usual habits of getting ready to go about your business or take it down for the night. If you allot a few extra minutes daily to follow a skincare regimen compatible with your skin, it would not only leave you with beautiful, healthy and fresh skin but it allow you to maintain that youthful glow as you get older.

Whether your skin type is oily, dry, normal or combination, it is of use to follow this simple four-step process….

Read the rest of this entry »

You asked, and Dr. Dina D. Strachan, MD has answered. This board-certified dermatologist is a graduate of Harvard and Yale and currently holds a faculty appointment at NYU. We recently asked readers to submit their skincare questions for Dr. Strachan. Check out her responses to questions about skin Tone, Shrinking Pores and Blackheads

Reader Question: I have small blemishes on my face that are causing uneven skintone. I always see products that help fade dark spots, but mine are reverse. I have light blemishes what can I do/use to even skintone?

Dr. Strachan: Whenever there is inflammation in brown skin, such as that caused by acne, rashes, scratches and burns there is a chance of a color change. Usually this results in skin darkening but occasionally inflammation leaves light marks. Whenever the skin is constantly blemishing it is important to determine the reason. In people with acne that leaves blemishes, for example, if they focus on the blemishes, which generally last much longer than pimples, rather than the acne problem, they will always have blemishes. In this case, it would be best to treat the acne if one wants to blemishes to go away. There are no specific products to address blemishes that are lighter than the normal skin color. The solution is to find out what is causing them. Is there an eczema or seborrheic dermatitis problem?

Reader Question: How can I shrink open pores?

Dr. Strachan:Pore size is genetic and generally does not change, unless the skin is damaged, in which case the pore might get bigger. All we can really do is try to minimize the appearance of our pores. The best way to do this is to keep the skin clean and exfoliate gently.

Courtesy of evolveskincaremiami.com

The skin care industry is a multi-billion dollar business. The colossal industry strives to provide women with the latest in technology and innovative beauty regimens and products. However, there is an onslaught of excessiveness with the amount of products that are out there. Granted, having options is always great, but it can be burdensome, time consuming and exhausting to sift through all the products on the market today. Thus, sometimes it can be worthwhile to take a step back and get back to the basics. DIY – doing it yourself allows you to become resourceful and most importantly it can be cost effective to anyone’s wallet.

Purchasing a facial mask at your local department store or drugstore is one option to rejuvenating your skin. However, why not try making your very own facial mask at home? A majority of the ingredients are most likely already in your refrigerator and cabinets.

Continue on for 4 amazing facial masks that will leave your skin feeling moisturized, toned, refreshed, and smoother.

A good, affordable night cream is hard to come by. But we think we may have found a solution for you.

Bliss Spa offers an in-home spa treatment The Youth As We Know It night cream that improves your skin as you sleep.

The cream boosts oxygen circulation to fight the appearance of stress wrinkles, fine lines and any other age defying flaws.

Check it out at StyleBlazer.com.

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• Madonna, Chelsea Handler and White Woman Privilege
• Does Beyoncé’s Loreal Campaign Offend You?
• Ray J Discusses Relationships with ‘KK’ and Whitney in New Tell-All Book
• Who Deserves The Blame For Whitney Houston’s Demise?

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Every day women come into my office asking me how to get their skin looking as perfect as possible. Here are few of the concerns I hear about most—plus my suggestions for how to take care of your skin so that it always looks its absolute best.

I still break out every month around my period.

Hormonal fluctuations, plus stress, can add up to adult acne. I often prescribe birth control pills to my patients who are battling these sorts of breakouts. The Pill works by suppressing oil-triggering androgen production in the ovaries. But you’ll have the best results if you use them in conjunction with a targeted skincare regimen and work to reduce your stress levels (yoga—and exercise in general—are great for that). Look for cleansers that will clear out your pores without over-drying your skin. I like ones that contain salicylic acid because the ingredient is anti-inflammatory and it helps skin shed the dead cells that can build up and clog pores. And treat areas prone to pimples with something that will kill the acne-causing bacteria—products with benzoyl peroxide are a great choice.

I’m starting to see some fine lines—especially around my eyes and on my forehead.

These so-called “dynamic” wrinkles are the ones that are caused by making the same facial expressions (like smiling and frowning) repeatedly over many years. That’s why the category of injectables called neuromodulators (such as Botox and Dysport) are so effective at helping soften those lines. Neuromodulators relax the muscles that make those expressions, preventing the overlying skin from moving and thereby smoothing out wrinkled surfaces. Other ways to help fend off fine lines include using sunscreen daily (the UV rays break down collagen which makes skin start to sag and wrinkle) and using treatment products that contain potent anti-aging ingredients like retinol (or its prescription-strength cousin Retin A) to help rebuild collagen and smooth out the skin.

Lavette with Sherri Shepherd & Varallo-Rowell, VMV US Brand Director. at Holiday Shopping Event

Last week, Emmy Award winning celebrity hair, makeup artist and skincare expert Lavette Slater hosted a holiday shopping event for NYC media and tastemakers at VMV Hypoallergenics boutique in Manhattan. Lavette is known for her trendsetting vision and her extraordinary hair skills seen on the ladies of  ‘The View’ and our very own first lady, Michelle Obama.

We got a chance to catch up with Lavette and she provided some hair and skin tips for the cold, dry winter months. Check them out below:

Skin Care Tips

SPF - SPF is a must all year round for everyone. The damaging rays of the sun can cause wrinkles, age spots and other serious conditions. When searching for moisturizers always look for SPF included. This also pertains to foundation and base creams.

Moisturizers - In order for your skin to look great, it must be hydrated! In the winter, the skin can be extra dry. So using a moisturizer that locks in moisture without being greasy is great. One of my favorite moisturizers from VMV Hypoallergenics is the Re-Everything Face, Hand and Body Lotion. It hydrates my skin and gives it a good shine and works all day protecting the skin.

Exfoliate - It is important to shed dead skin to make room for new skin. Exfoliation should be done once or twice a week. When using an exfoliating cream with beads make sure you are gentle with the skin. Massage in a circular motion very gently. It is not meant to be scrubbed on the face. If used improperly it can do more harm than good.

Eat organic Fruits and Veggies – This may sound cliché’ but fruits and veggies contain anti-oxidants. Everyday our bodies fight off pollutants (smoke, exhaust, byproducts, plastics etc..) all known as free radicals. As we get older, our skin looses firmness, elasticity and moisture, and these free radicals add to that process. The nutrients (anti-oxidants) found in fruits and veggies help the body fight these free radicals and help to renew and build the cells. Anti-oxidants fight against aging skin! So get with it, start with a healthy organic green drink every morning.

Flip the script for some winter haircare tips.

Dr. Heather Woolery-Lloyd is an award-winning board certified dermatologist and internationally renowned lecturer. She specializes in treating women with “multi-hued skin tones,” which she describes as the range of tones including tan, olive and brown skin. Dr. Woolery-Lloyd is recognized as an opinion leader and skincare expert and has been featured in numerous publications including, O, The Oprah Magazine, Allure, LA Times, and WebMD. Dr. Woolery-Lloyd sees patients and conducts clinical research in private practice and at the University of Miami where she serves as the Director of Ethnic Skin Care.

“Skin I’m In” is a series that will highlight common skin problems affecting women of color. Everyday this week Madame Noire, will partner with Dr. Heather Woolery-Lloyd to offer solutions to these aliments. Dr. Woolery-Lloyd works with Specific Beauty, a line of skin care treatment that focuses on women of multiple hues. Check out today’s post on night time beauty regimens.