Can’t wait to meet the founder of My BrownBox Brittney Marshall in person- I love our talks. She is an ever-present inspiration.
Check out her latest feature on Her Agenda ! http://heragenda.com/what-it-takes-brittney-marshall-founder-of-my-brownbox-on-how-she-runs-her-business/
ASAP Rocky says that dark skinned women can’t rock a red lip (and he’s not the first to say it). Submit a picture of you rocking your favorite red lip to forbrowngirls@yahoo.com!
“But for real, for me, I feel like with the red lipstick thing it all depends on the pair of complexion. I’m just being for real. You have to be fair skinned to get away with that. Just like if you were to wear like—f*cking for instance, what do dark skin girls have that you know fair skinned girls cant do… Purple lipstick? Naw, that looks stupid on all girls! Purple lipstick, guys! Like, what the f*ck…” - ASAP Rocky in an interview with fashion website, The Coverteur
Granted, it is usually best to pay no mind to ignorance but I think it’s time to put an end to this stigma once and for all. Let’s create the largest collection of brown/darker skinned women wearing a red lip along with the shade and brand they are rocking. There, a darker skinned girl hesitant to try it will find confidence to step out of her comfort zone. She may also find suggestions on which shade she should try that will fit her complexion.
Ignorant males will also be silenced to see so many beautiful dark complexioned women rocking their reds!
Send your photos to forbrowngirls@yahoo.com
- It should just be you in the photo
- photo must be clear
- include your first name & state
- include brand & shade of your red lipstick
- No Collages Please
LET’S GO!
![During the 2013 Essence Black Women of Hollywood event, Kelly Rowland stopped for a candid chat with Eurweb.
On how she learned to embrace her skin toneYou know what I had great women in my life to help me overcome that. I remember I went through a period where I didn’t embrace my chocolatiness. I don’t know if that’s a word, but I didn’t embrace my chocolate lifestyle. Just being a chocolate, lovely brown skin girl and being proud of that. I remember being out in the sun and I was trying to shield myself from the sun and [Beyonce’s mom Tina Knowles] said, ‘Are you crazy?’ She said ‘You are absolutely gorgeous’ and she just told me how beautiful I was and how rare chocolate is and how gorgeous the skin is, all of this stuff. And I was just like ‘Yeah!’ Like a light went off and so and my mother had me sitting out in the sun a little more, just to be a little more chocolate.
Her advice to women dealing with insecuritiesYou just embrace it. You embrace everything that you are as a woman, even your flaws too. And those things that you want to fix too and you work at making them better.
On whether she would consider doing a documentary like Beyonce’sI would. The funny part is [Beyonce] actually inspired me to talk to my computer because sometimes you do get so lonely and writing in a diary is just…I get tired and it actually puts me into a trance to where I become sleepy. So I am never able to talk those things out. If I did want to go and see a therapist, I don’t have the time to. But it actually helps you to look back and [reflect]. If you look at a day and it’s like five years ago and you can see how far you’ve come. I think that’s important and that’s why [Beyonce] is so strong and knows exactly where she wants to be. So I was like, I’m going to try that. I’m going to try that this month and see what happens.
Read more: Necole Bitchie.com: Kelly Rowland: ‘I Went Through a Period Where I Didn’t Embrace Being A Chocolate, Brown Skin Girl’ http://necolebitchie.com/2013/03/06/kelly-rowland-i-went-through-a-period-where-i-didnt-embrace-being-a-chocolate-brown-skin-girl/#ixzz2Mrbl8qoi](http://24.media.tumblr.com/d157cfc57b72cdbfe2c89952bf82b84c/tumblr_mjanx7WrX61r0nxrmo1_500.jpg)
During the 2013 Essence Black Women of Hollywood event, Kelly Rowland stopped for a candid chat with Eurweb.
On how she learned to embrace her skin tone
You know what I had great women in my life to help me overcome that. I remember I went through a period where I didn’t embrace my chocolatiness. I don’t know if that’s a word, but I didn’t embrace my chocolate lifestyle. Just being a chocolate, lovely brown skin girl and being proud of that. I remember being out in the sun and I was trying to shield myself from the sun and [Beyonce’s mom Tina Knowles] said, ‘Are you crazy?’ She said ‘You are absolutely gorgeous’ and she just told me how beautiful I was and how rare chocolate is and how gorgeous the skin is, all of this stuff. And I was just like ‘Yeah!’ Like a light went off and so and my mother had me sitting out in the sun a little more, just to be a little more chocolate.
Her advice to women dealing with insecurities
You just embrace it. You embrace everything that you are as a woman, even your flaws too. And those things that you want to fix too and you work at making them better.
On whether she would consider doing a documentary like Beyonce’s
I would. The funny part is [Beyonce] actually inspired me to talk to my computer because sometimes you do get so lonely and writing in a diary is just…I get tired and it actually puts me into a trance to where I become sleepy. So I am never able to talk those things out. If I did want to go and see a therapist, I don’t have the time to. But it actually helps you to look back and [reflect]. If you look at a day and it’s like five years ago and you can see how far you’ve come. I think that’s important and that’s why [Beyonce] is so strong and knows exactly where she wants to be. So I was like, I’m going to try that. I’m going to try that this month and see what happens.
Read more: Necole Bitchie.com: Kelly Rowland: ‘I Went Through a Period Where I Didn’t Embrace Being A Chocolate, Brown Skin Girl’ http://necolebitchie.com/2013/03/06/kelly-rowland-i-went-through-a-period-where-i-didnt-embrace-being-a-chocolate-brown-skin-girl/#ixzz2Mrbl8qoi
YOU’RE PRETTY… FOR A BLACK GIRL
I have never heard this but who has?
What was the context and who said it? Let’s chat!
http://mybrownboxblog.tumblr.com/
I loved my first “Brown Box” Get on the list now to be notified when subscriptions open again in early February. » www.mybrownbox.com
http://www.forbrowngirls.tumblr.com
Send all of your lovely photos + commentary to forbrowngirls@yahoo.com! :) <3
http://www.forbrowngirls.tumblr.com
Just recently, MissRepresentation.org, whose mission is to help change the way women are represented in the media hosted a contest to search for the next social change campaign they would put into motion. The idea to introduce “Fresh Face Fridays” (a day without makeup) suggested by Shea B. was chosen and I love it! This is the campaign I was rooting for and I am so psyched to see girls and women everywhere participate in it. I will be doing my part and making a video along with going fresh-faced THIS Friday (September 21st). Below is the email I received about the campaign through Missrepresentation’s newsletter. I hope that you will join and commit to not wearing any makeup this Friday and challenging the media’s idea of beauty. What does true beauty mean to you? Let me and everyone know that you are an example of it!
Dear Karyn,
Over the past few days we’ve spotlighted via our #NotBuyingIt campaign a sexist GQ magazine cover, a very demeaning “Bic for Her” commercial and a solar company’s objectifying ads. Each time we were sparked by active supporters of MissRepresentation.org on Facebook, where everyday inspired individuals are holding the media accountable for their limiting portrayals of women and girls.
This month we’ve decided to take on one of our supporter’s ideas and turn it into a national effort to fight media misrepresentations. We whittled it down to three potential campaigns, and last week we asked you to vote on which one you liked best.
It was a tight race, but in the end teenager Shea B.’s idea for “Fresh Face Fridays” – a national day of conversation around women and girls’ relationship with makeup – was chosen. Now we’re hard at work designing a month long campaign around inner beauty and encouraging our media to let kids be kids – but we need your help!
Next Friday, September 21st, we want volunteers to pledge to wear no makeup and instead lead a conversation with friends, family and/or classmates around what really makes us beautiful. Make your pledge public on Twitter using hashtag #FreshFace!
This isn’t a battle against makeup, but against the media climate which teaches our girls that makeup is essential to being beautiful. On TV today the girls are wearing more and more lipstick and eyeliner and longer and longer eyelashes at younger and younger ages. And it’s not just Toddlers & Tiaras who are to blame – the problem is widespread.
So please have this conversation about real beauty with your loved ones and report back to us! We’ll use your comments, observations and opinions to frame our month long campaign to challenge the way the media represents beauty to our girls and boys.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Warmly,
Jennifer Siebel Newsom & The MissRepresentation.org Team
http://www.forbrowngirls.tumblr.com
I really love that Gabrielle Douglas didn’t let the negative comments about her hair affect her! She’s on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network right now- are you tuning in??
http://www.forbrowngirls.tumblr.com
Makeup 101: Pretty Brows
Every girl has her own makeup rules. Some believe that they should never leave the house without lipstick, while others may feel that concealer is a must. Personally, my number one beauty rule is to always have groomed and neat eyebrows. Properly maintained eyebrows have always been key in my beauty regimen ever since I got my first wax at the age of 15. I feel that when your eyebrows look good, it complements the natural beauty of your face. Everybody has their own method of brow care which may include waxing, plucking or threading. As long as it gets the job done, any of these methods could result in a pair of fierce brows.
Source: failhair.com
With beautiful eyebrows can also come major brow flops! Mistake number one: overworking your eyebrows in one session, which usually results in pencil thin browns. Mistake number two: over arching the brows. Following your natural brows shape will provide a much better look. And the last and most frequently committed mistake is not knowing how to properly fill in your brows. Improper technique leaves some beauties looking like Oscar the Grouch.
As with all of our Makeup 101 posts visual aids are always helpful! They allow for our brown girls to obtain a better understanding of the current topic. The amazing Jackie Ania is letting us feature another one of her Youtube videos (go subscribe to her page :) ) on how to achieve the perfect brow.
Ladies leave a comment or send an email letting us know what else you would like to see in the Makeup 101 Series.
A makeup series by Bee Triggs
*Bee is also a beauty blogger for MyBrownBox.com- check out her links below!*
“Dark And Trapped” By Sharanja
Trapped behind
Dark flesh
Blends into
The night
But I want
To shine
Like a star
But they
Call me dirty
Stomp me
Into black dust
With their
Harsh words
Of black
Scum
Common
What do I have to do
To be noticed
On merit
If to be
Dark and beautiful
Is a myth
And to be dark
And ugly
Is everyday language
Little girls
Hear with
Open ears
And broken hearts
I wrote this poem because I wanted to express how I felt about my dark skin color. I’m from a Sri Lankan Taml family and as a result of our culture, children are taught that skin color is an indicator of a person’s level of beauty and status. The more lighter you are, the more beautiful you are. I’ve been told by various people, from friends to relatives, that dark skin is ugly and lower class.
I just wanted to show the effect that this type of dialogue has had on girls like me. At times, I feel trapped behind my appearance because people choose to categorize me simply because of my dark skin. Hearing words like common and ugly your entire life gives you the feeling of being boxed into a little corner by these mean words.
(Source: forbrowngirls)
http://www.forbrowngirls.tumblr.com
Makeup 101: Finding The RIGHT Foundation
Hey beauties! With school beginning again or even job interviews coming up, every girl should have the perfect foundation to make her skin look flawless. But at the same time foundation can bring about many questions. Standing in the makeup section staring at the numerous cosmetic brands and types can be extremely overwhelming if you’re not sure what to look for. Honestly speaking, I have tried everything when it comes to foundation. From paying over 70 dollars for advice from a department store clerk, to trying the commonly practiced “inside of the wrist” foundation test, I’ve done it all. Eventually, I took the task of finding the right foundation into my own hands and learned what brands and types work best with my skin. For example, I do not wear liquid foundation too often because it’s too heavy for MY skin. Even though some formulas are advertised to be “light as air”, it took several breaks outs and brand changes for me before I figured out it was not for me.
Aside from trial and error, a big help in my quest for foundation has been the wonderful world of YouTube and its enlightening beauty bloggers. One of my favorites is Jackie Aina also known by her YouTube name Lilpumpkinpie05 (her videos are amazing please subscribe). Her video on finding the right foundation is very informative and can help make shopping for foundation less stressful. This video even taught me why using the inside of my wrist for color matching is a huge beauty no-no. So, for our first topic in the new Makeup 101 series we will cover foundation as well as give you more tips and tricks to add to you beauty bag in the near future!
Ladies leave a comment or send an email letting us know what else you would like to see in the Makeup 101 Series.
A makeup series by Bee Triggs
*Bee is also a beauty blogger for MyBrownBox.com- check out her links below!*
http://forbrowngirls.tumblr.com
HELP ME LAUNCH MY T-SHIRT LINE FOR FBG! 35 DAYS TO GO!
If you haven’t seen the video already- check it out & share! Tweet, reblog, donate! :)
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/leslie-kay/help-launch-fbgs-complete-line-of-i-love-my-shade
It would mean so much- it would be a dream come true to be able to launch my line.
These shirts were created to help encourage girls who may dislike thier skin complexion to embrace it!- & for those who already love it- to celebrate it :)
My Kickstarter deadline is August 25th
- Kay
