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Tuesday, April 16, 2013

LBS Announcement: New Contributors

This week is full of exciting news for LoveBrownSugar! Aside from being super hyped about my upcoming trip to Coachella, I'm ecstatic to announce that the LoveBrownSugar family is growing once again. I told you guys in my Big Leap of Faith post that I've decided this year to devote my time to building up the LoveBrownSugar site, and with that responsibility comes the need for more dedicated and passionate contributors who will put together more of the fun posts that you guys love. Last September was my first official time introducing the LBS family, so I'm pleased that the family is still growing.

Without further ado, here are our new contributors:

Kaila was born and bred in London, England and loves all things pink, Beyoncé and body art. Graduating with a BA Honours in Public Relations and Management and having experienced the PR and Marketing world she is working towards pursuing a career within the Events and PR industry. A lover of art, fashion and lipstick. She has an ever growing lipstick collection of 15..0once you pop you can't stop. A naturalista who enjoys rocking weave and spending hours watching YouTube videos and reality shows. Was Kaila's love for Beyoncé mentioned already?! Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @fabkooks


Ashley is a self-identified nerd with an affinity for skincare and beauty. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of her own beauty blog, August Skin. Introduced to steam facials and clay masks by her father, Ashley spent her childhood evenings pampering herself while guzzling Nesquik and watching Nickelodeon. When she’s not testing products or writing, Ashley is nose-deep in the work of a twentieth century literary legend or wide-eyed watching a Bravo reality show unfold. (P.S. Ashley was recently selected as a Top 10 finalist in Allure Magazine's Beauty Blogger Awards - Vote for her HERE!)

We're super excited to welcome these ladies into the family. Feel free to leave them hugs & kisses in the comments section, and stay tuned for more fun features right here on LoveBrownSugar.com!
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Monday, April 15, 2013

LoveBrownSugar at Coachella 2013 Style Contest

It's almost time! I'm 3 days away from my trip to Coachella Music Festival in California and I'm so hyped for #LBSatCoachella I can nearly breathe! This year is officially my first time attending the Coachella Music Festival, and per usual I have no idea what to wear. I need your help!

I'm going for 3 different looks based on the three different days I'll be there for the weekend. I have a few different activities planned that I'll need attire for. Here are the looks:

Day 1: Boho Chic

This look should have a bohemian vibe to it. Think fringe, maxi-dresses and prints galore.

Day 2: Casual Cool
This look should be simple but chic and incorporate jean cutoff shorts (my faves!) for the hot Coachella Valley sun.

Day 3: Poolside Party

This look should incorporate swimwear and chic beach/pool-ready accessories.

Gather inspiration from across the internet and share it with me via Instagram, Pinterest OR Facebook for a chance to win a custom LoveBrownSugar Summer Festival Survival Kit with special gifts for your own summer festival chic, including nail appliqués, skincare essentials, hair goodies, makeup and more!

Entry Instructions:

1. Pick ONE platform to share your inspiration. You must be following LoveBrownSugar on the platform you share your pictures on (either Instagram, Pinterest OR Facebook)

2. For Facebook: Upload inspirational pictures to the LoveBrownSugar Facebook Page and title each entry with either "Boho Chic", "Casual Chic" OR "Poolside Party".

3. For Instagram: Upload inspirational pictures to your Instagram account, tag @LoveBrownSugar with hashtag #LBSatCoachella and give each entry a title of either "Boho Chic", "Casual Chic" OR "Poolside Party".

4. For Pinterest: Create a Pinterest board titled "LBS at Coachella"with your inspirational images. Once the board is complete, leave a comment on this post with a link to your board so I can take a look!


Three lucky winners will take home a prize. 
Good luck, can't wait to see your submissions!
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NEWS: Beyonce for H&M Summer 2013 Campaign FULL Spread

Last month, LBS announced that songstress and media mogul Beyonce would be featured in H&M's 2013 Summer Campaign. Among the bazillion other ways Ms. Knowles has taken over 2013. She's now the face of on of our favorite fast fashion retailers. Well, we've finally got the full spread of promo images for you, straight from the shores of Nassau, and Mrs. Carter looks hot hot hot! Check it out:

On the Bahamas shoot:

“I loved shooting the campaign in the Bahamas,” says Beyoncé of the photoshoot shot by Jonas Åkerlund, the same photog who shot the TV commercial for her upcoming Mrs. Carter Show World Tour.
“We shot on a beach outside of Nassau and the weather was perfect. The shoot was filled with vibrant colors and was inspired by the glamour of the late ‘70s.” 


On her summer style:


“I love the summer. I'm always in shorts, dresses, light, flowing fabrics, great sandals,” says Beyoncé of her summer looks. She credits her stylists Ty Hunter and Raquel Smith as “an influential part of the process” each day.

On her mother's style influence:

“I think my style comes from watching my mother from the time I was a little girl. She was so stylish. She was the first person I saw mix high end pieces with more accessible styles and make it all work. I'm also inspired by my sister, I love her bold approach.”

Source: Grazia Daily

UPDATE (5/2): Below find even more pictures from the Beyonce as Mrs. Carter for H&M collaboration. Beyonce is modeling the H&M for Water collection, for which 25% of the sale price will be donated to sustainable water projects.

Loving this patterned crop top! At only $14.95, you can't beat that.

I LIVE for a maxi dress in the summertime. This piece is first on my list to purchase. Black & white, patterned and sext high-slits? Just my type!

Thoughts on Beyonce's pics? Will you be purchasing any pieces from the collection?

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Friday, April 12, 2013

LoveBrownSugar Chic: Peplum Pop

So I stumbled into Macy's one sunny afternoon on the hunt for a fancy dress I could wear to a friend's birthday shindig. I feasted my eyes on this Bar III sleveless peplum dress (on SALE for $49.99 now) and fell in love.

You guys already know how much I love the peplum silhouette because it flatters my figure. This dress kind of combines all my favorite things - color, peplum, and a touch of romantic lace.

I paired it with a hot pink leather clutch that I scored at Nordstrom Rack during my trip to Atlanta last October.

Who says you can't wear red and pink in the same outfit? Just make sure both colors are bright enough to contrast with each other well for a color-blocking effect.

What's cool about this dress is that you can dress it up or down. I decided to add some edge to this girly/professional look by adding a leather jacket to the mix.

I topped off the look with my floral cork sandals from Nine West. Scored these last season during their sale!


Jacket: Vintage | Dress: Bar III | Shoes: Nine West | Clutch: Nordtrom Rack | Bangles: Street Vendor & Forerver 21 | Watch c/o Caravelle by Bulova

Get The Look:

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LBS Giveaway: SheaMoisture's "The Art of Color" Hair Color System

Naturals interested in hair color, I've got some news for you! Shea Moisture has just released a hair color collection catered specifically for you - amazing color without the stripping, harsh ingredients. That's right, an organic option for those seeking hair color at-home. 

The collection includes 12 moisture-rich hues, and offers ammonia- and sulfate-free hair color infused with natural ingredients including Soy Protein (helps strengthen hair by replenishing lost protein); Certified Organic Glycerin (aids in moisture retention); Flax Seed Oil (enhances shine and dimension) and Certified Organic Shea Butter (provides moisture to damaged hair from roots to tip, and promotes healthy, shiny hair).

I was a little skeptical but I took to the interwebs to research and found some faboosh bloggers and vloggers who've tried it and love!

Carmen of Lipstick Fashion Mascara used the Bright Auburn color to die her strands and her color looks awesome.

Also, Tia of YouTube channel BeeUtifully Made did a trial of the Bright Auburn and above are her results. Gorge!

I was so intrigued by the hair color system, that I decided to get more of the scoop from Jullanar Barron, SheaMoisture Creative Director. She gave us the lowdown on how the concept of the hair color system was created, if the line is truly organic, and tips for getting the best results:

LoveBrownSugar: What prompted SheaMoisture to develop a hair color line?

Jullana Barron: We recognized the need for a safer, healthier option to coloring naturally curly tresses. Our followers run the gamut, from women who are transitioning and aspire to lead a more natural lifestyle, to women who live and breathe all things natural and organic. What's interesting, is that almost all of them, even the most natural of our fans, had one vice — BOLD, bright hair color. From the newly big-chopped, with fresh, fiery red curls to waist-length, golden blonde locs, our ladies love color! So, we decided to do some creative problem-solving and fused our knowledge of natural and certified organic healing ingredients with science and years of listening to real women. The honest truth is that creating a permanent hair color without using chemicals is difficult to say the least, but I think we've found a balance here — a moisture-rich, permanent hair color system with natural and certified organic ingredients for any hair type. Does it contain chemicals necessary for coloring hair? Yes. Did I just have two slices of cheese pizza between my organic fruit salad for breakfast and my kale salad for dinner? Absolutely (hair color and cheese are my personal vices).

Many women with naturally curly hair are concerned with dryness and breakage that can result from hair color. How does this line prevent that? What are the difference in ingredients between this line and other mainstream at-home color collections?

Our Hair Color System "The Art of Color", like all of the hair care products made bySheaMoisture, was formulated with naturally curly women in mind. It's free of ammonia and sulfates, and uses natural and certified organic ingredients that minimize damage and restoremoisture to colored strands. As an added bonus, we include our award-winning, sulfate-free RawShea Moisture Retention Shampoo, which I stockpile in a closet at home, as if one day I'll wake up and go to work and we'll be out of shampoo...hmm, maybe I should pick up a few more, just in case. Our Raw Shea Restorative Conditioner and Raw Shea Finishing Elixir are also included in the kit as well, to seal in color and keep hair soft and manageable.


Is it safe to do at-home or is it better to get the color professionally applied?

It's completely safe and easy to use at home, so you shouldn't be afraid to try it yourself. It's also great for women who are transitioning or dealing with thin hair, because our hair color thickens strands while adding shine and improving manageability. I use our jet-black and I love how it gives my hair depth and accentuates its natural texture.

Any hair maintenance tips for women who are adding color to their hair? Are there any other Shea Moisture products that work well with the system?

I have three tips: Condition. Condition. Condition. All of our hair care is color-safe, so depending on the texture of your hair, you can mix and match all of our collections to come up with a regimen that works best for you, and helps keep your hair healthy and shiny. However, our RawShea Butter Extra-Moisture Detangler is my newest obsession, because you can re-apply as often as you like, without any fear of build-up...and now that I've let the cat out of the bag, I should probably make room for a couple of cases of that in the closet, too.

This product line sounds like a win! Lucky for three of you lovelies, Shea Moisture has agreed to let you guys give it a whirl! Interested in trying out the line? See below for rules on how to enter to win a FREE SheaMoisture"Art of Hair" color system:

Rules
1. You must be following LoveBrownSugar on Facebook and/or Twitter to be eligible.
2. You must be a fan of Shea Moisture on Facebook to be eligible.
3. For bonus entry, tweet @LoveBrownSugar @SheaMoisture4u with a link to this post OR Leave a comment in the section below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The SheaMoisture Art of Hair collection is available at select Target stores nationwide for $14.99.
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Thursday, April 11, 2013

Steal Her Chic: Rita Ora at Elle Women in Music Event

Last night in NYC, Roc Nation songstress Rita Ora showed up to the Elle Women in Music event, sponsored by Covergirl, donning a black high-low dress, a white tie-neck blouse, leather Mary Janes and a floppy suede black hat - all by Saint Laurent. She looked sophisticated with a touch of downtown cool. I loved how she played with classic black and white using trendy silhouettes.

She topped off her look with loose waves, a red lip and a pop of blue nail color. Here's how to steal her chic - both fashion & beauty:

FASHION
Dress: FarFetch | Lipstick: MAC Ruby Woo | Nails: Essie Butler Please | Oxford: Gap | Shoes: Shoebuy | Hat: Bailey Western

Get The Look:


BEAUTY

We got the inside scoop directly from Rita Ora's coiffeur, celebrity stylist Cynthia Alvarez on how she achieved Rita's loose waves:

"I prepped Rita's hair with Ojon's Rare Blend Oil Treatment (2). Once dried, I used a 1" Curling Wand (1) to create loose waves. I left some of the ends straight for a not so perfect look," says stylist Cynthia Alvarez.

"Once the whole head was curled, I raked a quarter-sized amount of Tigi Catwalk Session Series Styling Creme (3) through the hair to break up the curls and add definition. A spritz of Oribe Superfine Hairspray (4) completes this look."

Get The Look:



Are you digging Rita's look? Would you try this at home?

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Fierce or Foolish: Kelly Rowland at Elle Women in Music Event

Last night at the ELLE Women in Music event in NYC, Kelly Rowland rocked the red carpet in a white casual tee, leather skinnies, a pink statement necklace, colorful bangles and black & silver high-heeled sandals.

With her blunt bangs and sleek hair, she wore neutral makeup and peach colored nails for a super casual chic look. I'm used to seeing Kelly much more dressed up!

Thoughts on her outfit and overall look? Fierce or Foolish?
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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Style Play Polish: Spring Chevron Nails


We're at it again! Spreading some LBS love with fun spring nail art. How many of you have welcomed spring with open arms? *Raises hands* How many of you are dedicating a lot more time to sprucing up your lady fingers? *Raises both hands*

With this design you will be dedicating less time in exchange for a simple, hassle-free polish look using a nail applique as the accent nail.

What you will need:


Apply one of the nail sicker appliqués to an accent nail of your choice to base your design on. A base coat is not necessary for this step.

Apply 2 thin layers of the white polish on top of your already prepped nails.

It should look like this once finished. This another cute and simplistic nail look you can leave as-is.

Step 3: Using the lightest of your colors, create a two sided chevron like effect on your nails. 

Step 4: After the first color has completely dried, create a top layer leaving the bottom color exposed.


Step 5: Using your nail art pen, separate the two colors where they meet. This creates a contrast between the different shades making them stand out more.



5 easy steps, 5 pairs of happy fingers! Don't forget to come back next week for another segment of Style, Play, Polish!

- Gracie J

Shop The Products:


Check out some of our other Style Play Polish Tutorials:

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