By Tera DuVernay

Words can’t describe how awful this movie was, but I am going to give it a go anyway!  When I say it was bad, I mean it was BAD! And not bad as in the fact that Janet Jackson’s jerry curl wig, light makeup, and acting was reminiscent of her brother’s “BAD” video, but just horrible from start to finish.

It was quite the challenge to focus on Jill’s character when all I could concentrate on was that fact that her wig made her look like a cross between a member of the old Puerto Rican boy band Menudo and one of the Beatles! Maybe Paul, maybe John, I’m not really sure, but it was not sexy!  I was literally doubled over in laughter every time she came on the screen because the hair was that shagalicious!

Now let’s get to the movie itself, because clearly people want to know why it’s been sold out in theaters all around the South.  Many of my friends, co-workers and even strangers have raved about the film claiming its Tyler’s best work yet.

Without ruining it for those who have not seen this fiasco, I will just say that this movie was filled with over-acting. It was way over the top with entirely too much going on and was completely unrealistic.  It was just a bad script that got worse when they added bad actors, bad hair styles, bad scenes, and bad directing!

It was an awful portrayal of stereotypical black women.  The ghetto chick, the dishonest wife, the cheater, and the enraged woman scorned were all inclusive.  In one of the most ridiculous Janet Jackson scenes, there was a gay man with purple hair who jumped out of a cake in purple undies and Janet said…

Click here to see video clip and read the rest

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ashunta Sheriff and Tippi Shorter, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…

Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

COVERGIRL Queen Collection and NYC based celebrity Make-Up artist and beauty expert Monif Mortis brough the members of Urban Beauty Collective Queen Latifah’s All American Super Bowl look.

Monif on Latifah

For the 2010 Super Bowl, I looked to Queen Latifah’s styling for inspiration. Queen Latifah was wearing a black and gold custom jacket with a black tank and dark wash jeans, so I wanted to compliment that look. Since the Super Bowl is held in such a huge

arena, it was also important to make sure that her eyes had smoky definition so all the fans could see her.

After rimming the eye with a simple black eyeliner, I applied a black eyeshadow to the outer corner and crease of the lids.

For a pop of color, a shimmery cranberry shadow was used in the center and inner corner of her eye lid.

To achieve a similar pop of color, I recommend applying COVERGIRL Smoky ShadowBlast in Purple Plume.

COVERGIRL Queen Collection Natural Minerals Bronzer in Ebony Bronze to blend the two colors and warm the eye lids. I love Queen Collection Bronzer because it also absorbs oil on the face.

I also used the bronzer to enhance Queen Latifah’s warm complexion by applying it to the cheekbones and temples of her forehead.

Next….

Click here to read the rest.

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ashunta Sheriff and Tippi Shorter, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…

Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

ASHUNTA ON KERI
Keri Hilson looked like a 1950′s diva when she left for the 2010 Grammys. Her peach dress with jeweled waistband was fit to a T and
hugged every curve with care. I was inspired to play up her beautiful hazel eyes and also give a touch of edge to her Hollywood
glam goddess look.

Before applying makeup, always start with clean, toned and moisturized skin.  I use Mary Kay’s TimeWise Targeted-Action Eye
Revitalizer to refresh tired eyes. I love Enessa Neroli Oil Spray to tone skin and make skin glow.  To finish, prep skin with La Mer
moisturizer.

The Perfect Face

I love Keri to look flawless because she has such a beautiful bone structure.  I use Smashbox Photo Finish Primer to give makeup
long wearability, then I apply COVERGIRL Queen Collection Natural Hue Compact Foundation to create a flawless finish. I create a sculpted glowing face using COVERGIRL Queen Collection Natural Hue Minerals Bronzer in Light Bronze.   I also use it to contour the nose and cheekbones.
Radiant Cheeks

I love the soft peach tones of her dress so I accented Keri’s cheeks with Mary Kay Mineral Cheek Color in Strawberry Cream which
has a subtle cotton candy rose tone with a beautiful shimmer to it, so cheeks just glow.

Standout Eyes

Keri wanted to have a jewel toned smoke so I chose a beautiful deep purple shade from Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Sweet Plum on her lids and lower lash line.  As a base to intensify the purple shadow I applied COVERGIRL Smoky ShadowBlast in Purple Plume.
Then I created depth using Tigi Bed Head Big Fat Fun Liner in Purple and COVERGIRL LashBlast Volume Mascara in Black to top the
look, coating both bottom and top lashes three times.  I used Ja’Maal Busters Lash Line to add that extra drama for red carpet
flare.

Luscious Lips

I didn’t want to do just a nude lip and smoky eye so instead I went retro— think Kevyn Aucoin meets Naomi Campbell in the 90′s
with a deeper liner using Mary Kay Lip Liner in Berry.  I lined lips then used a brush to blend the liner out so it had soft edges then
used COVERGIRL Queen Collection Lip Gloss in Pearled Peach in the center of the lips to create the perfect pout.

Glorious Brows

Brows frame the face and I love Keri’s brows because…

Click here to read the rest of Ashunta’s step by step instructions.

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ashunta Sheriff and Tippi Shorter, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…

Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

Urban Beauty Collective brings you Yaminah Ahmad, a writer with a purpose  Her written words of challenge and change will help to inspire a New Year of adventures.

Hey HelloBeautiful family! It’s been a while since we’ve connected. Life is happening and I’m taking it all in. I had to take a moment and share something with you.

I was recently blessed with a trip to Barbados from author and journalist Gil Robertson. Unfortunately for Gil, he had to attend a book signing for his latest effort, “Family Affair: What It Means to Be African American Today,” but fortunately for me, I was available to take his place to cover the annual festival Crop Over. I packed up, and a week later, I was swimming in the salt water of the Caribbean Sea! (Thanks, Gil!)

As soon as I stepped off the plane, I checked into my room at the lovely Accra Beach Hotel, changed into my swimsuit and headed to the beach. Since Atlanta has no natural body of water and I was starved for it, I made a morning ritual of communing with the seashore. I’d get up about 6:15am and take a walk, feeling the sand between my toes and occasionally dipping them in the warm seawater. I’d work up a sweat and then get into the water, and listen to the waves. I’d look up to the sun and make a mental picture of what it looks like from this side of the world. By the time 9am floated around I had already been to heaven.

During my morning walks I was joined by several couples, many of which were interracial with no noticeable African heritage. After passing by the second mixed couple I made a mental note: I guess interracial isn’t just black and white or black and Hispanic. My world broadened just a little with that observation. Some would greet me good morning while others smiled, a universal greeting surpassing all languages. I also noticed that none of the couples, based on what I saw, were Barbadians. I thought to myself, “Is everybody on vacation here?”

Honestly, my idea of a vacation was… well, I had no idea what a vacation was. I’ve always had a working vacation. Now, I’m not complaining at all. But, I’ve never searched the globe for a tranquil vaca-locale and saved money solely for the purpose of luxuriating for a week. The thought of maxing and relaxing for seven whole days with nothing to do is foreign to me. Wow, I guess that means I don’t know how to take a vacation – a real vacation. I don’t mean take off from work so I can work on my personal projects or run errands. I mean truly doing nothing but enjoying myself for a week. Wow.

When I wasn’t attending tours with the lovely team from the Barbados Tourism Authority, I’d sneak in some beach time with what seems like most of the occupants on the island. Side note: ladies…and some of you gentlemen, if you like dread-headed guys, then Barbados is heaven for you! I’d admired the assorted eye candy, have small talk with neighboring water worshippers and laugh at the children trying to outrun the big waves. While I was out there I met a woman was from Brooklyn, New York. She’s a financial advisor who decided she needed a break from the economic crisis. She scheduled a 4pm massage and was killing time by hanging out at the beach. She mentioned that she’s been to Barbados a couple times and attended carnivals in other countries. I said, “Wow, you know how to enjoy life.” She smiled, not really thinking much of it, but it made an impression on me. I continued to bump into people who had been to other far distant lands. And some of them had the same blasé attitude. For these trekkers, it was a natural part of their psyche to live a life that includes travel with much R&R.

What I perceive to be the extraordinary, the lady from Brooklyn and everyone else I spoke with believe it to be a natural part of life. They believe they’re supposed to travel, see the world, and have new, exciting experiences. Ironically before I left, I was reading in the book, “Discover the Power Within You,” how at one point in time, flying was an extraordinarily new, and what some perceived to be dangerous, form of public transportation. I guess it was hard to imagine that 400 people could gather in a big piece of metal and be transported from one location to another. It was a hard pill to swallow. So much so, they had a barf bag easily accessible at every seat. The bags disappeared when flying became as normal as driving.

I have to admit I’m learning to luxuriate. It’s not such a foreign concept as it used to be, but I still have work to do. There are people jumping on planes jet-setting around the world with the sole purpose to enjoy life. And their carefree, nonchalant attitude says they know they deserve it! What a wonderful gift to give to yourself.

Well, I have over 50 empty squares in my passport left and a few years before it expires. I plan on filling it up and having fun doing it. Maybe I’ll catch you on the beach.

*UNTIL THEN, HERE ARE SOME PICTURES FROM MY TRIP. *

One of Urban Beauty Collective celebrity stylists, Tippi
Shorter, brings us Alicia Keys fabulous red carpet hairstyle from
the 2009 American Music Awards.

TIPPI SHORTER ON ALICIA KEYS

Alicia has recently gotten hair color. We went a couple of
shades lighter with Clairol and we love it!

Not only did she walk the red carpet, but, she performed 2 times
so I had to find a fun style that can transform easily throughout
the night.

We decided to do an updo, but with a creative twist. She has
always been very well known for her braids so I have been
incorporating braids into alot of her looks lately, but from a more
fashion standpoint.

To protect it we always start the the Pantene color revive
shampoo and conditioner to help keep hair healthy and vibrant.

After the shampoo and conditioner, I used the detangling leave
in from Pantene and blow dried her hair with a Mason Pearson brush
to get her hair as smooth as possible.

I wanted to recreate the backward mohawk braid that I did for
her most recent video, so I sectioned the hair into 3 sections
front to back. I gathered the 2 outermost sections and secured them
into a ponytail using Ojon animated styling paste.

With the center section, I started a braid from the nape all the
way to the front and made it a little off center. I tucked the end
of the braid underneath the main braid and secured with bobbi
pins.

I finished the entire look off with Ojon Tunu Elastik hairspray
and Bed Head Headrush spray shine.

There you have it. Now you can create this same style at home.
Until next time. Live*Love*Laugh*Create

Tilane Jones here, just stopping by from UrbanBeautyCollective.com. One of the benefits of having the top minds in celebrity beauty on Urban Beauty Collective’s STYLE SQUAD is getting the scoop on our favorite starrahs!

So… after we stopped with all the OOOHHHs and AHHHHs over Alicia’s smooth do at the MTV “VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS”, we hit up her personal tress guru – hairstylist Tippi Shorter – for the skinny. Yes, Tippi is one of UBC STYLE SQUAD most popular pros and she was more than happy to break it down for us.

WOW! HOW’D THEY DO THAT!

- We started with freshly shampooed hair, I used the Pantene Relaxed and Natural Breakage Defense shampoo and conditioner.

- Next I applied the Ego Boost leave in conditioner from Bed Head and blow dried the hair.

- Before flat ironing, I spray the glossing mist from Ojon throughout for moisture and shine.

- I sectioned the hair from top to bottom and applied the Anti-Frizz Smoothing Cream from Tresemme to smooth hair back and into a mohawk french braid.

- I tucked the end of the braid underneath the braid and secured it with bobbi pins.

- I released the bottom and smoothed again with a Smart Heat flatiron.

- I made sure the style stayed put using the Tresemme 24 hour Body Hairspray.

Click here to get the Red Carpet to Performace look.

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ursula Stephens and Wouri Vice, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…

Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

Hello Beautifuls,

Tilane Jones here, just stopping by from UrbanBeautyCollective.com. Tyler Perry has introduced us to many up and coming actors. Lance Gross is one of those shining stars. “I love working with Tyler Perry. He is the one that gave me my start. So, if he comes to me with a project that is good I won’t turn it down,” says Gross. So that’s why when Tyler came to Lance with “The Meet the Browns” project he jumped at the chance to have his big screen debut. “It’s kind of like working with family, almost. So there is a certain level of comfort there,” explained Gross. This comfort level is clearly one of the many factors which lead to a performance that garnered two NAACP awards for his role as Calvin Payne.

Along with his television work, Gross will next be seem on the big screen in “Our Family Wedding.” The movie also stars Academy Award winner Forrest Whitaker, Emmy Award winner America Ferrara, Regina King and Carlos Mencia. “It’s a romantic comedy,” explained Gross. “My character and America’s character are getting married and going back to meet each other’s families. It is the clash of the families.”

We love the concept but working with Forrest Whitaker on his second film must have been nerve racking! “That was a dream come true! I was very nervous about working with Forrest being that he is an Oscar winner and I just know his body of work,” explained Gross. “But he happened to be the coolest guy you could ever meet. I think the first day I met him he asked me if I wanted to go to one of the Lakers’ finals games with him. So, I mean, that just shows how cool he is.”

From small screen to big screen to winning two NAACP awards, the best way to sum up Lance is humble, serious about his craft and strikingly handsome! All great assets for an up and coming actor. So we had to know how his amazing sense of style came about. “I think it snuck up on me. I remember when Karl Kani was hot and the whole baggy jeans era was in. The baggier the better,” Gross reminisces. “It really took my father sitting me down and talking to me. Telling me, I’m becoming a man and need to watch the way I dress because people will be looking at me in a certain way. I took his advice and put on slimmer jeans. I did notice a difference.”

Lance was able to step up and change his style game without losing who he is. “I just like to be comfortable in what I wear. If I’m going to wear a suit then I like Tom Ford suits. If it’s not Tom Ford, then I’d probably do Dolce & Gabbana,” he states. I just like suits to have a nice fit and I think Tom Ford is one of the best for that.”

Lance’s message for young men trying to step up their style game is simple.

Click here to find out Lance Gross’ style tips.

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ursula Stephens and Wouri Vice, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…

Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

Tilane Jones here, just stopping by from UrbanBeautyCollective.com. Warner Brothers Home Video has re-released a girl power classic, “SET IT OFF.” The re-released DVD Deluxe Edition features a Director’s Cut from F. Gary Gray in his follow-up to “Friday,” plus a new 30-minute featurette entitled “Setting it Straight: Making of Set It Off,” and Ray J’s “Let It Go” music video.

“SET IT OFF,” stars four of today’s biggest African-American female starlets and style icons, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox and Kimberly Elise.

Click here to see them before they became the icons they are today!

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ursula Stephens and Wouri Vice, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.
Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…
Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

Tilane Jones here, just stopping by from UrbanBeautyCollective.com. In honor of Michael Jackson we recently interviewed Judith Hill, the stunning young woman who captivated the world with her songs at the King of Pop’s public memorial back in July.

The first part of our interview explored her feelings and memories about Michael and all that she learned from him. Today, we get into her unique style – from wardrobe to hair to vocals.

THE VOICE
Her vocal sound has been compared to a mix of Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin. “That’s big praise,” exclaims Hill. How would she define herself? “I’m definitely not Ciara.” She considers herself “more band driven” like Alicia Keys. She loves to play with live musicians with a “mid to fast tempo.” The 25 year old phenom admires the music of Janelle Monae and is influenced by “Lauryn Hill in her hay day or even Gwen Stefani.”

THE LOOK
We agreed with the Gwen Stefani reference, especially in her fashion style. “I like lots of color and different styles clashing together,” explains Hill. With that said, we also had to ask about her unique hair style. Being of mixed race (her mother is Japanese and her father is African-American), we had to know how she tamed her curly locks. She uses Kimble products by celebrity hair stylist Kim Kimble. “The hair stylist for the tour turned me onto the Kimble product line and I love it,” she said. “I soak my hair in water and then moisturize with Kimble. Then I just repeat every 3-4 days or so.”

UBC SAYS:
In addition to products from the fabulous Kim Kimble, we put together other curly hair products that we can think about adding to your arsenal, just like Judith Hill.

Miss Jessie’s Curly Meringue: This yummy smelling, potent emulsion packs the punch you need for oingy boingy curls! This is great for finger styling, two strand twists and spiral rod sets. It also can be used on relaxed hair seeking curly styling.

Hair Rules: Nourishment Leave-in Conditioner is for all textured hair types. It can be used in addition to or as an alternative to quench your hair depending on your texture and preference. It detangles, hydrates and revitalizes porous and parched hair with extracts of honey, ginger root, lemon and gardenia, promoting buoyant curls without weight. Also, great for blowouts.

Click here to read Judith Hill’s Words on Michael

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ashunta Sheriff, Tippi Shorter and Wouri Vice, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…
Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

Hey Beautifuls!

Tilane Jones here, just stopping by from UrbanBeautyCollective.com. I wanted to give you some goodies from our recent exclusive blog post from award winning author, Deborah Gregory. The fabulous Ms. Gregory is the author/creator of THE CHEETAH GIRLS and CATWALK (Delacorte Press). CATWALK: STRIKE A POSE , the second novel in her purrlicious new fashion-forward tween teen series, pounces on book shelves September 8th and has been optioned by the TEEN NICK network for TV series development.

As a former fashion model, Deborah shares some plus size tips and favorites. Check out her advice below.

PURRLICIOUS AND PLUS SIZE, PUHLEESE!

“Yesterday, I was plopped on the quaint wrought iron bench outside of my favorite Bagel Shop on First Avenue in Manny Hanny (that’s New York to non-fashionistas) with my pooch, Cappuccino, relishing a tasty turkey burger bagel dripping with chipotle sauce. Sarah, one of the ubiquitous neighborhood “bench warmers” who indulges in the same morning ritual-sans the bagel or coffee (actually, the only thing I’ve ever seen her consume with gusto is gossip), turned to me and chirpily commented, “You look like you’ve lost weight!’

The truth is, I have been on a diet for the past seven weeks-my first in three years. I hadn’t planned on embarking on the pound-reduction plan until I hit bottom with a resounding thud-literally. Seven weeks ago, I was running errands, climbing out of the danky underground with my hefty shopping bags so slowly that the agitation from the agile, impatient ones behind me was so palpable it raised the (real) hairs on the back of my neck. “Keep it moving, BIG girl!” shrieked one of the limber losers. Given my agitation at being singled out for slowness it’s not surprising that I became distracted, lost my footing and tumbled to the bottom like Alice in Wonderland disappearing in the rabbit hole. Luckily, I wasn’t hurt, but the fall from grace woke me from a deep slumber.

See, I’ve been a fashionable plus size person for twenty years-after having spent the previous years as a five-foot-eleven-inch, 130-pound slenderella who even modeled, for one memorable year, in Europe. In my opinion, the transition from slim to sizeable was, well, seamless. Sure, I had less dates-but frankly, I needed the rest, okay and I’m looking for quality not quantity. But that morning, I faced a hard truth-no way would I be comfortable being physically debilitated because of my size and clearly that was the direction I was moving into. That day, I started my ad hoc diet then (basically three meals a day and one snack). Four weeks later, I weighed myself and was shocked to see that I weighed 285 pounds-and that’s after four weeks of dieting-which means I was teetering close to 300 pounds and didn’t even realize it!

As the saying goes, too much of a good thing is exactly that. So I shared this truth with Sarah and revealed my goal weight: 185 pounds. She looked at me in disapproval. “If you weighed 130 pounds when you were a model, why not go back to that size? You would look fabulous,” she coaxed me.

I answered her truthfully: “Because I don’t want to ever weigh 130 pounds again!” I honestly, truthfully, want to weigh 185 pounds-not a pound less! Sarah was reticent about my decision, but I’m not. After having been thin and obese, I can honestly say, I want to be purrlicious and plus size, puhleese!

At the moment I’m a size 22 and weigh 275 pounds-and I’m 90 pounds away from my goal weight, but still completely interested in looking fabulous. As a matter of fact, I have just received my box of fall clothes from London, England that I ordered from my absolutely favorite designer in the whole world: Anna Scholz. If you don’t know who that designer is, do yourself a favor and check out her website: www.annascholz.com. After having worn her clothes for ten years, I can tell you this: buy less and pay more and it will pay off in fashion dividends. What I ordered for fall: 1. A pair of fabulous black fitted crepe slacks with a flared bell bottom. 2. A pink and black boucle wool singled breasted coat. 3. A long burgundy t-shirt with a black bull dog wearing a rhinestone choker! And the piece de resistance: a matching long scarf! 4. A black satin double-breasted trench coat with ruffled edges. 5. A black pullover sweater with puffed sleeves accented with pink hearts. Meowch, indeed! The one thing I have learned from my weight journey from 130 pounds to almost 300 pounds….”

Click here to finish Deborah Gregory’s exclusive blog post.

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ursula Stephens and Wouri Vice, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…

Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

Tilane Jones here, just stopping by from UrbanBeautyCollective.com. We received a great response to our last post and we want to thank everyone on Hello Beautiful for taking the time to read and interact. We love it!

So Beautifuls, we’re back with the winner of TV Land’s SHE’S GOT THE LOOK, Cindy Cohen. Cindy was crowned the next great supermodel. This 40 year old stunner is a mother, wife and a certified life coach. She has also penned a book, THE LIFE OF YOUR DREAMS IN 30 DAYS OR LESS.

After competing and winning against hundreds of 30 something beauties in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta, we had to know what Cindy thinks are must-haves in a woman’s beauty routine. In short, she looks so good we just HAD to know her secrets!

“Do some form of physical exercise. It helps release stress, which takes a toll on our looks,” explains Cindy. Amen to that! Muscle knows no age. So the more you have, the younger you will feel and look. We’re not talking about body building, but lean muscle is the key.

What else Cindy? “Leave time for yourself. Do something that nurtures your inner spirit,” she advises. I agree with this! Especially for the Moms out there. You gotta nuture YOU.

Here are a few ideas I thought might help you nurture the inner you …

Read a good book: FAMILY AFFAIR: What it means to be African American Today by Gil L. Robertson IV. This is a thoughtful collection of short essays, addressing a wide range of issues and emotions facing African Americans today. Self-reflection on ourselves and our community is important for any grown woman to be doing on a regular basis.

Take a nap! The simplest things are usually what we are missing the most. Sleep is more important then we think for proper mind and body function. So take a 20 minute snooze with a super soft blanket. The Cashmere Showroom Bamboo Four-pocket Throw is perfect. It has two pockets for your hand and two for your feet and it is made of 100-percent bamboo.

Take a deep breathe. It’s free! The main thing is to really take in a deep breathe to help you focus and help to bring down your stress level. Pick up, BREATHING: The Master Key to Self Healing by Dr. Andrew Weil.

Click here to read more of Cindy’s interview.

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ursula Stephens and Wouri Vice, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…
Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

Tilane Jones here, just stopping by from UrbanBeautyCollective.com. We had such a great response to our Iman interview I thought I would bring you more from the infamous international supermogul, Iman.

Our last tip was about great products from the HSN site where Iman has her GLOBAL CHIC accessories line. This time I thought I would hit you with Iman’s best beauty tip, “Good cleansing is the first step to great skin. Don’t use soap!” Wait, don’t use soap? So how should we get our face clean Iman? “A product like my Gentle Foaming Cleanser removes dirt and makeup without stripping your skin.”

Ok we got it. But is that all we need to do? She continues to say, “My most important tip is sun protection! No matter what your complexion is, you need to prevent skin damage. My All Day and Oil Free Moisture Complexes both have an SPF 15.” Now this is advice that we have all heard over and over again. With the environment the way it is, we should all really try to protect our selves from what we can’t see like the suns rays and free radicals. “I always say that the skin you take care of in your teens, and 20′s is the skin you will inherit in your 30′s, 40′s and beyond.” Words of wisdom from this fabulous looking 54 year old.

And we agree! So here are a few more products that we found that will help you baby and protect your skin:
Murad: Vitalic Energizing Pomegranate Moisturizer SPF 15. This lightweight moisturizer infuses skin with hydration and energy. It helps to stimulate and shield skin by infusing energy and providing oil-free, essential hydration.

RX for Brown Skin: Protect and Defend Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 15. This non-greasy formula deeply hydrates skin, without leaving any unsightly white residue behind.

Refresh Skincare: Green Tea Oil Free Sunscreen. Broad spectrum sun protection with SPF-30 that contains Parsol 1789 for UVA protection. It contains powerful vitamin and green tea polyphenol antioxidants for anti-aging benefits. Designed for daily use under makeup.

Click here to read more of the Iman interview.

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ursula Stephens and Wouri Vice, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…
Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

Of course, we had to know how this artistic lady got her start in the hair styling industry. “It was so hap hazard! About 16, 17 years ago I was really unsure about what focus I wanted to take in my life.” Some of us have found ourselves in that place before. She goes on to say, “One of my girlfriends discovered she was going to be having a baby and she told me she needed someone to fill in for her.” That was all that needed to be said! Tippi went on to “go through school, get my license and started assisting for an awesome hairstylist in California.” As chance would have it, “it turned out I was pretty good.”

After assisting, Tippi would migrate to New York and style the crops of the likes of Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Keri Hilson and Jennifer Hudson, just to name a few starlets. “Honestly, I’d have to say that each time I work with a client it is a WOW experience.” With the names on her resume, we would definitely agree with her! With all the fabulous hair styles she has created we had to know what products could help our sisters on the East Coast tame their tresses in all the heat and humidity this summer. “Tresemme 24 hour body line is an entire line to help keep body in hair and fight frizz. The hairspray is awesome!” suggested Shorter.

Thanks Tippi! Here are a few more humidity control lines that I found to beat the heat:

Phyto Phytodefrisant: Phytodefrisant is a relaxing balm for all hair types, naturally curly or permed hair. The formula coats and straightens hair without any chemical action. The non-oily formula won’t weaken hair. It also imparts shine as the hair is blown dry to a smooth, straight perfection.

Hair Rules: Hair Rules’ hydrating finishing cream is for our curly hair fans. It is the final step in your care and styling routine. This uniquely non-greasy finishing product keeps textured hair infused with essential moisture to keep curls soft, hydrated and shiny all day long. It’s your all-day frizz-fighter!

Get Gorgeous Hair. Now sometime the weather is so unbearable all we want to do is tie it up in a bun. Well instead of doing that why not try something that is virtually frizz proof. Get Gorgeous Hair! A line created and brought to you by Ms. Shorter. GGH is a line of hair extension that is made of 100% virgin Remi human hair. GGH is shipped directly from one source donors across the world. It isn’t over processed like many store bought hair extensions so the hair keeps its shine and beautiful flow. They even professionally dye the tresses to make it look even more natural.

Click here to read Tippi’s reviews as part of our Style Squad crew.

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad also featuring Ursula Stephens and Wouri Vice, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…
Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

Tilane Jones here, just stopping by from UrbanBeautyCollective.com. I am so excited to bring you a snippet from our recent interview with international supermogul and former supermodel, Iman. Yup, Iman! She took a few minutes out of her super busy schedule to speak with Urban Beauty Collective. Don’t you just love it!

Of course, we had to know how this beautiful lady got her start in the fashion industry. When we asked her about her background she said that “before modeling, I came from a strong family, I was a college student. I traveled and knew five languages.” The strong foundation defiantly helped but don’t think that getting in the fashion game was just that easy. Iman explains that “when I started in the fashion industry, it was unheard of for models of color to be featured on major magazines covers, or to work for exclusive fashion and beauty houses around the world. But you can’t be afraid to break down barriers.”

As one of the few Black supermodels in history we know that Iman has broken down many barriers. But modeling isn’t her only hustle, “so, modeling became a platform for what I do now as CEO of IMAN Cosmetics, and for authoring books, being Global Ambassador for KEEP A CHILD ALIVE, hosting PROJECT RUNWAY in Canada and creating GLOBAL CHIC on HSN.”
This got us to thinking. If Iman has her GLOBAL CHIC line on HSN, what other great urban products could we find for a great price on HSN? Here are three favorites that I found.

Miss Tina by Tina Knowles. And I do mean Beyonce’s mama, Tina Knowles. Our favorites in her line are her accessory pieces. From rings to belts, this line has a wide range of colors and textures. The accessories range anywhere from $18.95 to $79.95.

Carol’s Daughter. Inspired by nature and made with love. Carol’s Daughter body products and make up can be found on HSN. The products range from $20.00 to $50.00. They even have Hair Milk. A lightweight conditioning hair dress that defines natural curls and leaves your hair shiny and bouncy. You can get a two pack for just $32.00.

Paula Abdul Jewerly Shop. You won’t see her on American Idol but you can see her on HSN. Her faux jewelry pieces sparkly and feminine just like the lady herself. Pieces are anywhere from $19.95 to $99.95.

Click here to read the rest of the Iman Interview.
For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ursula Stephens and Wouri Vice, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…
Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

Hey Beautifuls!
Tilane Jones here, just stopping by from UrbanBeautyCollective.com. I wanted to give you some goodies for your lovely locs.  Recently, we scooped major media on the truth behind our beloved Mrs. Obama’s much-buzzed about new ‘do. USA TODAY, US WEEKLY and AOL picked up our exclusive with the First Lady’s official hairstylist Johnny Wright confirming that the First Lady had NOT cut her luscious locks.  Today, we bring you more news you can use – Six Recession-Proof Styling Tips from Mr. Johnny Wright. If it’s good enough for Michelle, it’s good enough for us. Heeeere’s Johnny!

SIX RECESSION-PROOF TIPS FOR FABULOUS HAIR from JOHNNY WRIGHT

1) GREAT PRODUCTS THAT DON’T BREAK THE BANK
“There are a lot of great products at CVS and the like. Carson-Soft Sheen sells a bunch of them. What you have to understand is that marketing fools everybody into thinking that because Soft Sheen-Carson is sold at CVS, it is not as good as Kerastase. But Kerastae and Soft Sheen-Carson are both owned by L’Oreal and they use the same labs to develop these products. L’Oreal has a bucket of ingredients that you can choose from and everybody that is involved with L’Oreal or under the umbrella of L’Oreal can use these ingredients. But because it is a cheaper amount of money, some of us think that it is not as good. It does the same job on your hair as an expensive product does. So getting some good products that are not expensive is important.”

2) ROLL IT!
“Use a roller set to make your professionally done style last longer between salon visits. Memory curl is important to the hair and that helps the hair last longer. So roller sets and rod sets and those types of things are really important. There is a new product coming out the Strawroller, like a regular roller, but it’s magnetic, straw-length rollers that are easy to do yourself and they hold the curl just like any other roller set. They have a curl pattern that has a wave to it. These are things that women can do at home and that is important, too.”

3) LESS HEAT!
Try to keep as much heat out of the head as possible. Because the more heat, the more damaged the hair is going to be and the more you’ll have to go into the salon. So use nice soft gels and moisturizing gels. Use them to put your hair in a ponytail when it’s not looking good. Clean it up and put it in a smooth ball or practice how to do the UPTUCK. The UPTUCK is something you can do yourself.”

4) AS SMOOTH AS SATIN
“Sleep with a satin pillowcase or use a satin bonnet. Satin is a material that also promotes moisture in the hair and it will prevent and hold the style. It will help…”

Click here to read the rest.
For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ursula Stephens and Wouri Vice, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.
Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.
Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…
Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

Tilane Jones here, just stopping by from UrbanBeautyCollective.com. I wanted to give you some goodies from our recent interview with world renowned fashion model Beverly Johnson. This magnificent woman has done it all! That includes being the first Black woman to grace the cover of Vogue magazine in 1974. By 1975, every major American fashion designer began using African American models. This trailblazer opened up doors to the supermodels of today. We wanted to find out more about her career and how she felt her influence has left its mark.

When we asked Beverly how she got start in modeling she gave praise to one lady, “Colby Pleasant managed a store on Fifth Avenue in New York City and she was the one that got me my first interview with Glamour Magazine.” After that first interview, Beverly explains that “I immediately started working at Vogue and Glamour Magazine, immediately.” Well, thank goodness for Colby Pleasant! She helped to start a career that is still touching the fashion world 35 years later. Upon reflection, Beverly states that the one thing that affected her career the most was, “That Vogue cover because of its historical nature but of course I didn’t know it at the time.” She further explained that, “You know, every model wants to be on the cover of Vogue so I really didn’t know that it would have the impact it had and that it continues to have.”

Beverly still influences the fashion industry with her Beverly Johnson Hair Collection and as a celebrity judge on TV Land’s reality show She’s Got the Look. With everything on her plate we wondered how she stayed in such great shape, “I play or I practice golf everyday” in combination with her own cardio program and recently hiring a trainer to help target the tough spot. Now that sounds like a fun way to squeeze a work out into an already crammed day.

We thought if a busy woman like Beverly could find fun ways to get a work out in then we needed to find out a way to do it, too. Of course, always consult a physician before you start any rigorous work out regimen. After you’ve gotten the thumbs up, here are a few fun activities that can help get in that 30 minutes of much needed exercise.

Get your skates out! Yes we know you haven’t put those skates on in years but this is the time to pull them back out. Make this an excuse to go to your local skating rink or down to your local beach boardwalk. You could burn up to 315 calories in 30 mins and the bonus is; it is fun! Your local Target store carries roller skates and roller blades that range anywhere from $45 to $80.

Take it to a higher level! Try taking the stairs. Whether you are in your office building, at home or even the parking lot at your local mall, you can do stairs almost anywhere. Walking stairs at a moderate pace for 30 mins or more can burn anywhere from 300-500 calories. Make it fun by bringing a partner along or pull out the Ipod and listen to that book that you haven’t been able to pick up and read. Also make sure to have on some comfortable athletic sneakers. We like Brooks’ brand Adrenaline ASR 6 trail sneaker which run about $105.00.

This is a toe tapper! Stand on your toes. No one likes standing in line. Get the full benefits of your time by getting a leg and butt workout while you are waiting. Stand with your heels flat and your legs shoulder width apart. Using only the muscles of your legs, get up on your tip toes and hold for three seconds and release. Start out doing eight to ten reps per set. Make sure to rest a few seconds between each set. The best part about this workout is that it’s FREE!
Click here to finish the Beverly Johnson interview.

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ursula Stephens and Wouri Vice, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…
Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

So… after we picked our jaws up off the floor over Rihanna’s hot-to-death hair at the “Inglorious Basterds” premiere, we hit up her personal tress guru – Motions hairstylist Ursula Stephens – for the skinny. Yes, Ursula is one of UBC STYLE SQUAD most popular pros and she was more than happy to break it down for us.

WOW! HOW’D THEY DO THAT?!

URSULA on RIHANNA

“Rihanna is actually in London recording! And her glam squad was no where around when this last minute event came up – and she worked it out!

This is actually a style I’ve created on Rihanna before. Using some of my tips, combined with her own style, she pulled it off on her own! And I’m not surprised as she is very stylish!

This is a great example of how one can recreate a hair style on their own.

- Start by blow drying hair in an upward direction

- Then mist holding spray to the entire head

- Flat iron small sections of hair until you have conquered the whole head

- Next brush all the hair forward gathering it in one, flip back and secure with a couple of bobby pins.

- Spray some spritz for an extra hold! Motions Light Hold Working Spritz is my favorite.

- Apply some pomade, like Motions Shine Enhancing Pomade, to the side and back, using a brush to smooth.

- Finish off with gloss, and you’re red carpet ready!

I would describe this style in two ways… Edgy and Back to the Future!”

****

For more on the fabulous Ms. Ursula Stephen, check out her regular STYLE SQUAD critiques on the hottest names in the business on the UBC homepage, along with Wouri Vice, Tippi Shorter, Hiyaya, Nzingha and more! Follow Ursula on Twitter at @ursulastephen and UBC @UBCisFABULOUS.

Hello Beautifuls,

I’m Tilane Jones of www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com, a social network for urban style professionals and the people they inspire. Our tips, tricks and beauty theories come from real working hair stylists, barbers, make-up artists and fashion pros. We’re happy to be here on BlackPlanet to share our secrets with the women of HelloBeautiful.

Today, we’re showing you how to pamper yourself on a budget. We call it THE RECESSIONISTA SPA. Girl, just ‘cause we’re broke, doesn’t mean we can’t look and feel FABULOUS!
So… our favorite way to pamper at-home is to spa in the shower. It’s a six-step pamper process that leaves you feeling like a new woman DAILY. Here goes…
1) Cleanse with the yummiest stuff – Indulge in organic products that’re good for your skin and the environment. We’ve got some cheap good picks for you at the end of this list.
2) Scrub to uncover your skin’s shine – Put some elbow grease into it. Your prettiest skin is under the dead cells and you have to slough them off to get to the prize.
3) Rinse with warm water – Opens your pores to allow for better hydration.
4) Oil while your body is still wet – Makes the moisture go deeper into the skin.
5) Towel dry by blotting – Girl, don’t rub. Treat your skin like silk. Blot!

6) Moisturize to give your skin its daily drink – A must-do!

Our fav “shower spa” products that won’t hurt your purse are:
- Caudale French Milled Soap ($12) – With grape seed oil & Shea Butter
- Body Shop Coconut Soap ($4) – Vegetable-based, preservative-free made with Community Trade Coconut oil and Palm oil
- Origins Salt Salt Rub ($31.00) – Sea salts in emollient-rich Macadamia Oil, Soybean Oil, Kukui Nut Oil and Sweet Almond Oil with the aroma of Spearmint and Rosemary.
- Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Apricot Baby Oil ($7) – An all over body oil made with apricot nut mineral oil, iinfused with grape seed, olive and avocado oils, added vitamin E and lanolin.
- Spa Wisdom’s Africa Spa Rich Body Balm ($25.00) – An all-over moisturizer that protects, softens and smoothes skin with Community Trade Shea Butter, Seasame oil, Coco Butter and Seaweed extract.”shower spa” products that won’t hurt your purse are:
- Caudale French Milled Soap ($12) – With grape seed oil & Shea Butter
- Body Shop Coconut Soap ($4) – Vegetable-based, preservative-free made with Community Trade Coconut oil and Palm oil
- Origins Salt Salt Rub ($31.00) – Sea salts in emollient-rich Macadamia Oil, Soybean Oil, Kukui Nut Oil and Sweet Almond Oil with the aroma of Spearmint and Rosemary.
- Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Apricot Baby Oil ($7) – An all over body oil made with apricot nut mineral oil, iinfused with grape seed, olive and avocado oils, added vitamin E and lanolin.
- Spa Wisdom’s Africa Spa Rich Body Balm ($25.00) – An all-over moisturizer that protects, softens and smoothes skin with Community Trade Shea Butter, Seasame oil, Coco Butter and Seaweed extract.
See? Simple and easy on the wallet.

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ursula Stephens and Wouri Vice, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…

Tilane Jones
Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

Hey Beautifuls!

Tilane Jones here, just stopping by from UrbanThoughtCollective.com. I wanted to give you more goodies from the wonderful interview we had with acclaimed celebrity make-up guru Sam Fine, known for beating the famous faces of Tyra, Iman and Latifah, among many others.

When asked what the advice he’d give a woman who had a limited amount of time to get ready in the morning. “Each woman should work on either highlighting their best feature or helping to fix what they feel is their biggest cosmetic challenge,” Sam explains. “If you have dark spots that really bother you, make your one thing spot concealer. Or, if you love your lips, slick on a layer of gloss to add definition.”

Good advice from Sam! Here are some great “quick fix” products to maximize your best features when you have a busy morning or are on the run.

A great trick to make your face look slimmer is well-groomed brows that will always enhance your face and bring the focus to your eyes instead of the perimeter of your face. A quick way to give the brows more polish is to set your brows with a brow wax or pomade and then use a powder on top of the wax or pomade to give it a more natural look. We like DuWop’s Brow Wow kit. It is a three in one that comes with brow pomade, shimmer highlighter and brow powder. For quick application, Sam suggests, “A big mistake is when you’re filling in your eye brow and you draw a straight line, instead of using feather like strokes to mimic real hair.”

To make your eyes appear bigger and wider, try false eyelashes just at the outer corners of your eyes. Make sure not to overload your bottom lashes though because that can actually make your eyes appear smaller. Just a quick sweep of the mascara brush on your bottom lashes is all you need. A great new mascara pick for summer is Make Up Forever’s Aqua Smoky Lash which is a waterproof formula that lengthens, thickens and curls.

For a quick skin pick-me-up, give yourself a glow with a great bronzer. One of Sam’s favorite brands can be picked up at your local drugstore, Cover Girl Queen Collection Bronzers.

So… your eyes are looking great; your skin is glowing now all you need is that “layer of gloss to add definition.” Illusions Cosmetic’s Lustre lip gloss is vitamin enriched so it not only adds the gloss but it also gives you healthier lips. Since you have it on, why not make it work!

Click here to finish the Sam Fine interview.

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ursula Stephens and Wouri Vice, visit us at www.urbanbeautycollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…
Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com

Hello Again!

Tilane Jones here, popping in from UrbanBeautyCollective.com to share some great advice we just got from none other than highly-acclaimed make-up artist, Sam Fine. We recently had an opportunity to interview the legend whose art is evidenced on the famous faces of Tyra Banks, Vanessa Williams, Queen Latifah and Iman, just to name a few.

One of Sam’s big must-haves is the brush! Yes, he’s a stickler on the importance of having the right brushes and tools when applying make-up. “Tools are as important as the products you choose,” explains Fine. “It doesn’t mean you need a full collection like I have, but with every product you own you should begin to gather your collection of brushes and tools.”

He went on to say, “For example, pressed powder and loose powder need a large fluffy brush, but you shouldn’t use this same brush for blush and bronzer, this way you’re not mixing product and getting improper application. For a product like eye shadow, you might need anything from two brushes to six, depending on your level of professionalism.”

We wondered if it was o.k. to use our fingers. According to Sam, it’s a go! “It’s o.k. to use fingers for things like foundation, and concealers – cream products that can use some warming up. The oils in your body and on your hands will change or alter a powder or gel texture and its application, so I don’t recommend using your fingers in these instances.”

He explained that, “Brushes are investment pieces – like a good coat. With proper care, you can use them time and time again. Also, you should always toss out the powder puff that your pressed and loose powder comes with when you purchase it so the bacteria that it can retain from several uses don’t contaminate the product, and allow it to last longer.”

His final advice on the subject of brushes? Be clean! “I suggest washing your brushes at least once a month to remove bacteria.”

Well, taking a cue from Sam, we decided to do the legwork in search of the best, most cost-effective brushes on the market.  See how we take care of you?

Many brushes come at many price points depending on if they are synthetic or natural bristles, here is a short list of some of the favorites we found:
Our favorite natural bristle line of brushes are from STILA Cosmetics (from $24-$50) their graduated bristle brushes and easy grip all wood handles help make application a breeze.

• M.A.C Cosmetics ($11-$50) is another line that is famous for their mid to higher priced professional quality brushes. You can’t go wrong!
• A great lower priced line is Sonia Kashuk @ Target ($8-$20). These synthetic brushes are super soft and because they are at an affordable price point they are great for those who are just beginning their love of make-up application. They are also great for those who are allergic to animal hair.

Those are the basics on brushes. Now all you need is your creativity and desire to be fabulous!

Click here to read the complete Sam Fine exclusive Q&A!

For more good beauty and fashion info, to find a hair stylist in your city, or for a daily dose of our celebrity Style Squad featuring Ursula Stephens and Wouri Vice, visit us at UrbanBeautyCollective.com.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter at UBCisFABULOUS.

Until then, stay beautiful, sisters…

Tilane Jones, Managing Editor, UrbanBeautyCollective.com

Hello Beautifuls!

Just skipped over here from www.UrbanBeautyCollective.com to give you the low-down on Alicia Keys.  Didn’t she look ga-ga-gorgeous at the BET Awards?!  Well, I wanted to know how the look was put together and had to search no further than our UBC’s very own Style Squad members Wouri Vice and Tippi Shorter.  Yep, Wouri and Tippi micro-blog about celebrity style for UBC, so they’re like family.  And of course, family gets the scoop, right?  So here its is…

UBC:  ALICIA WAS JAW-DROPPINGLY AMAZING ON THE BET RED CARPET.  HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CULTIVATE THIS TYPE OF LOOK?

WV: That is really funny.  My assistant and I were sitting and looking at a catalog of the Jenny Pack collection and as soon as I saw the dress (and her performance dress) I knew we had to have them for the fitting.  The amount of time we have is really dictated by the artist schedule.  We had a fitting about a week before for Alicia.

TS: Typically I start with the type of event, the weather, and then the clothes. And all of those elements played a part in this style. It was super hot that day and I knew that her natural curl would be the best option.

UBC:  WOURI, DO YOU DO LARGE PULLS FOR ALICIA OR PRESENT HER WITH A HANDFUL OF OPTIONS?  HOW LONG HAVE YOU TWO WORKED TOGETHER?

WV: I pulled about 5 dresses and when she tried that one, we knew it was the one.

Then the fitting took about 20 minutes.  I think it was the fastest fitting of my career.

I’ve worked with Alicia since 2002.

UBC: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE HER LOOK FOR THE AWARDS?

WV: She was a cross between a Moroccan queen with Diane Ross hair and Cleopatra eyes.  It’s all Black Beauty at its best.

TS: Bohemian.  On her downtime she’s very laid back and I wanted to give her a relaxed feeling with such a beautiful dress.

UBC: TIPPI, WE ALL WANT THE BREAK DOWN.  HOW’D YOU ACHIEVE THE LOOK?

TS: I started with the Pantene nature fusion shampoo and conditioner, we love the smell and it makes the hair feel beautiful. I used Ego-boost leave-in by Bed Head to detangle and applied Pantene curls shaper anti frizz cream. This was the foundation to have those big curls last through that heat. I used an iron about the size of my pinky to refine her curls and added the Ojon serum to separate and fluff her curls. I finished the look with Tresseme 24hour body holding spray, it’s amazing.

UBC:  WOURI, TELL US ABOUT THE SHOES AND ACCESSORIES.

WV: Christian Louboutin shoes, Mary Norton clutch and the ring which was chosen at the very last minute.  We tried to keep the accessories minimal because of the jewels on the mini.  The balls on the shoes worked with the balls on the dress, then the handbag had the same embellishment, it just all fell into place.

UBC: CAN SOMEONE ACHIEVE THIS LOOK AT HOME IF THEY DON’T HAVE THE FABULOUS WOURI OR TIPPI AROUND?

WV: Find a great tunic and if you are bold enough you can wear it as an extra mini or for the larger woman you can wear it with pants.  Tunics work great with different body types.  Accessories are key.  Coordinate accessories you don’t need to match.

TS: You can definitely create this at home with the above steps. If you don’t have the length or the natural curl, you can use hair extensions.   I just so happen to have my own line of hair extensions GET GORGEOUS HAIR www.getgorgeoushair.com
unfortunately; there aren’t any short-cuts. Great styles take time.

UBC:  WOURI, HOW WAS IT COLLABORATING TOGETHER AND WITH ASHUNTA ON MAKE-UP FOR ALICIA’S FLAWLESS LOOK? HOW DO YA’LL WORK TOGETHER?

WV: Those are my sisters!  Tippi and Ashunta are geniuses when it comes to hair and makeup.  We have worked together for many, many years. There is a flow between us.

TS: I love them and love to work with them. We are a solid team and work really well together.

Heck yeah they do!  For more on Wouri and Tippi, visit us at wwwUrbanBeautyCollective.com any time.  Until again, stay fabulous!

Tilane

Hot singer TREY SONGZ gives this personal tribute to Michael Jackson from the set of the critically-acclaimed ABC Family drama, Lincoln Heights.  Joining him is Atlantic Records’ artist and Lincoln Heights co-star Mishon Ratcliff.

For more Michael Jackson updates, click here

Michael Jackson is engrained in people’s memories whether it is for his singing, dancing, or character. We wanted to know what were some of the most beautiful memories people have of Michael Jackson.

Mario: “There are so many moments of micheal’s career that made me a fan! The most memorable moment would have to be his “Ben” TV performance. I felt his soul at a young age. I was very young when I saw so in a way I grew up with him.”

Britney Spears: “I was so excited to see his show in London. We were going to be on tour in Europe at the same time and I was going to fly in to see him. He has been an inspiration throughout my entire life and I’m devastated he’s gone!”

Chris Brown: “Michael Jackson is the reason why I do music and why I am an entertainer.  I am devastated by this great loss, and I will continue to be humbled and inspired by his legacy. My prayers are with his family.  Michael will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.  He’s the greatest… the best ever.  No one will ever be better.”

R. Kelly (wrote “You Are Not Alone”): “I am truly saddened that my Mentor, Brother and Friend will no longer be with us physically. At the same time, I feel so blessed to have been touched by his Music, his Dance, his Lyrics, and his Pure Genius. It is because of Michael’s yesterday that I am who I am today! “

“My condolences to his family and friends around the world. Michael Jackson Rest in Peace and may your music and legacy forever reign on earth!”

Usher: “This loss has deeply saddened me! It is with a heavy heart I composed this statement. May God cover you Michael. We all lift your name up in prayer. I pray for the entire JACKSON family particularly Michael’s mother, children and all his fans that loved him so much. I would not be the artist, performer, and philanthropist I am today without the influence of Michael. I have great admiration and respect for Him and I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to meet and perform with such a great entertainer, who in so many ways, transcended the culture. He broke barriers, he changed radio formats! With music, he made it possible for people like Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama to impact the mainstream world. His legacy is unparalleled. Michael Jackson will never be forgotten.”

Brian White: “The world has lost a true icon.   Michael’s music was a staple in the soundtrack of my youth and I have been a fan of “The King of Pop” since as early back as I can recall.   It made me smile to reflect on the memory of how my sisters and I would wear out my mom’s floors back in the day trying to perfect the Moonwalk!  May Michael’s inspiration and message live on forever through his music.  My wishes of strength, peace and blessings to his family and loved ones.”

LEZ: “I had the pleasure of dancing side-by-side one of the most incredible entertainers we will ever see in our lifetime. He was every bit of a kind, “normal” & humorous man that people didn’t want you to see.

All of the people who had their hands in his pockets while he was alive, are not going to let this man rest in peace. The drama has really just begun & it’s sad that in life & in death Michael Jackson may never be at peace.

Michael is finally free; free from speculation, free from judgment, free from being pulled in more directions than any human being should stand. He’s free to be the boy, the man, the talent that he was meant to be.

I pray that the predators will not take this time to degrade the universe’s most important & influential icon of our time! I am glad to have been able to experience, witness & perform next to the greatest!”

Donielle Artese: “My father, Bobby Taylor, was an original Motown act (Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers), and he saw the Jackson 5 at the Apollo and brought them to his apt in Detroit. He had promised he would get them an audition at Motown, so he called Suzanne Depasse to see them so she could help them try to persuade Berry to see them…the rest is history! Then, I met MJ when I was doing his video, and told him who my father was, he flipped out!!!! He asked me to find my father and tell him thank you and that none of his career would have been possible without my father–I highly doubt that! But I did find him. There’s more, like when I did the musical Sisterella, produced by MJJ productions and we had the wrap party at Neverland Ranch. So devastating.”

Charlie Wilson: “You can’t talk about music without talking about Michael Jackson.  His music touched people around the world.  I have some personal memories of spending time with members of his family over the years and will continue to pray for his children, his brothers and sisters and his parents.  He will be missed.”

What are your best memories of Michael Jackson?

Here is Michael Jackson through the years:

Here is the news on Jackson’s death!

Here are some of Jackson’s unforgettable performances!

Here are some more celebrity reactions to Jackson’s death.