Mixed Chicks Hair Care Makes The Curly Ladies Bounce Back!

If your hair is a curly mess in the morning, a curly mess in the afternoon... and a curly mess in the evening like me: keep on reading!

It's pretty hard to get my curls to look the way I want so it's the main reason why I straighten them...so I decided to try the Mixed Chicks hair products to see if I could keep my hair natural looking from time to time without looking like a frizz ball. The shampoo  ($11.99/300ml) has a nice scent, it contains avocado oil, borage and panthenol and while it left my hair soft and clean, I was concerned my hair was still too fluffy. Usually, the shampoos I use coat my hair with moisturizing agents and weight it down. Not in that case. 

I then conditioned it quickly with the Mixed Chicks deep conditioner ($10.99). Again, my hair didn't feel oily or greasy so I worried I was going to look like a sheep by the end of the day.  I styled it with the leave-in conditioner ($16.99) which acts  as a curl defining formula. I left my hair dry without tying it in a ponytail as I would usually do (to keep the frizz under control). To my surprise, at the end of the day my hair was dry and soft, and most of all, my curls were lovely: well defined and without any frizz! That day was pretty humid so I was pretty impressed!

I think this line is well priced and will really help you maintain a natural hairstyle.  Now you don't have to take my word for it... you can order this trio online in a trial and travel sample pack for $0.99 (it's enough for one use) if you prefer trying it first. To find where you can purchase Mixed Chicks products, you can check here.

-Christelle-

The Colour of Beauty: Is the Fashion Industry Racist or just a Reflection of Society?

This short film examines racism and the lack of diversity in the fashion industry through the eyes of a young ambitious Black model. You can see her frustration when she's sometimes told castings are for white models only. But is the fashion industry really racist? Or is it simply a reflection of what people want to see? In all fairness, if nobody buys magazines with Black, Asian or Latina models on the cover, why would magazine editors use these models?

Just like when some people mention the lack of leading roles for black Hollywood actors, or even openly gay actors; my answer is the same: editors, directors are in this business to make money and not everyone is ready to alienate their audience and risk millions of dollars in the name of fairness and equality. Another example: I don't believe TV shows drive their audience to violence, deviant sex and crime: they are just a reflection of society, plain and simple. 

There is only one possible conclusion: Human race = massive fail!


Video:

-Christelle-

Darker Skins Need Foundation Too!

Most cosmetics brands now offer much more choice in terms of foundation for women of color than 10 years ago.  But let's face it, the choice for darker skin tones is still limited. Some brands have truly embraced their ethnic clientele while others are still behind.

I've tried many foundations over the years and finding the right coloring/coverage has definitely not been easy. Three brands stuck out for me, however.

1 -MAC, the obvious choice
Great choice of colors from light to really dark skin. One of the first brands to offer quality products to ethnic women. Probably the best for light coverage, no doubt.

2 - Clinique, just as good as MAC

Again, great choice of colors including powders. Their staff has always matched their foundation with my skin with great skills. The coverage is a little heavier than the MAC foundations I tried and it's a good thing. Used in combination with powder it's a winner.

3 - Dermablend

Dark blemishes on dark skin can be hard to cover. Although Dermablend offers a limited range of colors, it does include a couple of foundations for black skin. The darkest foundation can only be found online (check out the Dermstore Canada), Shoppers Drug Mart does not carry it, bummer!

If the color does not exactly match your skin but you need the coverage, you can always use it as a base to mask your imperfections and use a darker foundation/powder to get the right color.

4 - Flops
I've tried Fashion Fair, years ago and I wasn't impressed, their products were heavy and their range was limited. Forget cheap brands from ethnic stores, they suck! Also, forget brands like Dior, Chanel etc..the choice of colors is usually very poor for darker skins. La Roche Posay (Toleriane) used to offer a couple of fairly dark tones and the best coverage I had ever seen, sadly they changed their product and the colors offered are now just dark enough for olive skin and the coverage is also much lighter.

 What's next? I'm definitely planning on testing IMAN's products soon and I will let you know how it goes!

- Christelle -