Don't Forget About Us !

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as in "us" I mean our HEALTH. Women's health is so important especially at a young age. As a child we had our parents to tell us when to go to the doctors, when to  take medicine and they monitored what we ate....no worries,right ? As we get older and our parents aren't there to tell us what to do anymore. It's now up to us to keep our bodies as healthy as possible. Even though we may all have very busy lives, dealing with school, work,family and even children , let's not forget about how important our health is :)

TIPs

1. Drink loads of water a day. Water helps keep our skin clear, our hair healthy, hydrates our bodies and is good for vaginal health.
2. Cleanse daily. Cleaning your body daily will help and prevent infections and disease. This also promotes a healthy body odor.
3. Be selfish with your body! This means don't let just anyone on or in your bodies (ill get more specific below)
4. Be sure to clean all makeup of before going to bed to avoid pimples and skin discoloration 
5. Eat healthy, avoiding foods with excess salt and sugar can prevent diseases like diabetes as well as high blood pressure.
6. Check your status. This goes along with number 3! This is so important. Get yourself tested, don't wait for someone to tell you that they may have "something". If you are active sexually there is no reason you should not know your sexually transmitted disease status with in the last six months, regardless of who your partner is and how many partners you have!
7. Checks up ! Make sure to see your doctor for feminine need (paps-mere, breast check etc.) 1-2 times a year.
8. Exercise ! whether you do it a little or a lot it is great to maintain great health :)

Don't forget about your health ladies !

xoxokaneica

Influential Women Sunday 

Toni Morrison 

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Toni Morrison, born Chloe Wofford , is an award winning African American Literature author. She began her studies at Howard University and graduated with a bachelors in English. She later began her writing career in 1970 with her first book, "The Bluest Eye" .She is also known for works such as "Song of Solomon" as well as endorsing president Obama before his presidency.

More information on Toni Morrison

Happy Sunday !

xoxkaneica

Youtuber of the Week !

Purely Kaice

watch her channel now for natural hair tips, beauty etc .. don't forget to subscribe !

ForBrownGirls: Rest in Peace Karyn Washington


It has taken me a while to be able to make this post because it still upsets me till this day. If you have not heard the story already, Karyn Washington was a young activist for young brown skin girls. She started a youtube channel about two years ago trying to bring awareness to skin tone discrimination and her sole purpose was to uplift fellow brown skin women. Karyn has recently committed suicide. Her death shocked supporters all over the country who could not understand someone who seemed so strong could take their own life. This particular story has also affected me personally. As a brown skin girl, two years ago when forbrowngirls youtube channel subscribed to me I was very interested in the movement. I was a high school junior who was having a hard time being confident and was going through a mild depression. Forbrowngirls youtube channel had a slow start , it was only me and a few other who actually watched Karyn and her cousin's videos and actually put in input. I remember they would always ask for suggestions and i emailed Karyn about maybe making a video or blog post about dark skin women and makeup. Karyn replied thanking me for the suggestion and weeks later their was a post on tumblr about Dark skin makeup. I was so impressed by how all of a sudden forbrowngirls became a movement. To know I was one of the first to see the movement start was amazing. Forbrowngirls helped to build a confidence in me that I never had towards my skintone. It felt good to know there was others out there like me who had a darker skin tone and no longer wanted to be judged for it. Two years later, I am such a different person than I was. I am no longer depressed and I am in love with my skin and not a soul could tell me different lol. I knew eventually I wanted to turn this confidence into a movement as well just as Karyn did with forbrowngirls. One day I came up with the idea of collaborating with her, maybe adding to the forbrowngirls brand since it inspired me so much. About a week later she committed suicide before I could contact her. This sadden me greatly because to know I was someone who went through depression ,It hurt to know that someone I had admired so much for her work may have been going through it too. This blog ,xoxokaneica, was created to live on what she started. I want to continue to uplift brown women, women in general, through my post. Karyn Washington will always be remembered by me . RIP.

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xoxokaneica

Turn what society calls an IMPERFECTION into your STRENGTH 


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The beautiful model Winnie Harlow , who happens to be diagnosed with Vitiligo but you can't tell by how fierce she looks in her photographs. , is the definition of beauty and strength
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YOUTUBE spotlight of the week !

AyanaJacole 

This pretty girl is new to youtube and has an amazing lippie review ! Check her out ! don't forget to subscribe !

Pretty in PURPLE ?

Purple lipstick has to be my new obsession and today's latest lipstick trend. More and more makeup brands are coming out with amazing purple hues that is every skin tone friendly. Here just a couple purple lipsticks that I have in my possession and reviews and swatches just for you all !

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Heroine by MAC $16.00
My favoriteeee lipstick and the perfect matte purple. Even though it is matte is have a very creamy application. A $16.00 purchase you will not regret. The perfect purple !


5112 by Black Radiance $1-$2
This a bright red undertone purple. This is a very pretty purple and has a creamy application only thing I dislike is the packaging :(. The packaging tends to scrap the lipstick causing the lipstick to look messy. But still a very pretty purple and the lasting power is amazing for it just being a $1 lipstick.

Fine Wine by Cover Girl $5-$6
This has been my go to lately even tho this is a dark lipstick , it is very complimenting on darker skin tones and give you a sexy , edgy look ;). application is smooth and lasting power is great !

Lavender Tint by Nicka K cosmetics $1
This is such a pretty bright color. Bright pale purple.  It may be a little bright for some skin tones but that can be easily fixed by a darker brown lip liner. This dollar lipstick is very pigmented ,lasting power is that great but it is very moisturizing 

Plum Orchid 5117 by Black Radiance $1-$2
My latest pick up and my newest love <3 . This creamy purple is a little deeper than heroine and is the perfect go to purple for any skin tone. Once again i cant stand the black radiance lipstick packaging but this purple is perfection

Vamp it Up by Wet n Wild $1.99
The deepest purple that I have . It can look very harsh if worn in the daytime but it can look very edgy as apart of a night time look . I normally use it to line my lighter purples but if you are looking for a dupe to MAC's cyber lipstick this is perfect. Application is kinda hard , this is a very matte lipstick.

Jumbo Gloss Balm in 260 by Cover Girl $5-6
This is a very sheer glossy purple for my girls who aren't really into lipsticks. This a really easy going lip choice. Very pretty!







SWATCHES !!

(starting from top left): plum orchid,lavender tint,cover girl jumbo stick in 260,fine wine, black radiance 5112, heroine,vamp it up 



Be Bold !

xoxokaneica

what is CONFIDENCE ?

Today I volunteered at an assisted living home that my mother works at. It was a great experience to work with the elderly.Even if we only played bingo it was just a natural sense of wisdom in the room. It was amazing to look at these beautiful women and just imagine that everything I am going through now is just a sweet memory to them now. As I walked out of the facility on a natural high, the receptionist tells my mother "wow, she's very confident". I smiled, because it wasn't my clothing, my hair or any materialistic thing that caused her to notice my confidence as i was wearing just a T shirt, jeans and my hair was messed up by the fan blowing in the bingo room upstairs lol. Confidence is not a look or anything you can buy, it is simply a state of mind. It is how you think of yourself.  Looking beyond your appearance. SELF LOVE is confidence. Loving yourself regardless of your mistakes you've made in life. We were not made to be perfect people . We were made to grow and learn. Confidence is not knowing how you are going to get there but knowing where you want to be. Understand the road will not be easy but knowing it is worth it. Confidence is finding your peace and to know that absolutely no one can take it away. Confidence is talking to God and knowing a blessing is coming your way regardless of what the situation is. Confidence is SELF ACCEPTANCE. Loving every little weird aspect of yourself, smiling at what others may judge. Know that if they're judging you, it simply means they aren't confidence with themselves. Last but not least STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS. That is the biggest flaw we have as young women unfortunately. Once you just look at yourself and say that  " I am irreplaceable and there is no one like me' who can tell you any different !? Confidence does not come out of compliments is come from loving , accepting and being yourself. Suddenly you will start dressing the way YOU want to, doing the thing that YOU want to do and the compliments will come naturally. Do remember compliments are not important just focus on being the best you. 

xoxokaneica

Forget #TeamNatural or #TeamRelaxed ! Here are my tips for #TeamHEALTHYhair 


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                                                                                                                                                                    So what exactly is Natural and Relaxed hair ?

Relaxed hair is the chemical processing of your hair using a cream that makes your hair permanently straight. Many Black women relaxed their hair so that their hair is a lot more manageable and it is also more accepted as a professional hair style for Black women.

Natural hair is your hair in it natural state and texture. No chemicals are used to stimulate the texture of your hair. African American women's typical natural state of hair can be described as"course" or kinky. In the past few year it has been a huge trend for Black women to get back to their roots , their natural hair roots that is and go natural. Many women have cut their hair short cutting off all relaxed ends . This process is called "The Big Chop". Women are also doing something called" transitioning" which means they are choosing to grow there hair out without cutting and relaxing their hair in hopes of eventually being fully natural.
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The Controversy      

With the going natural trend on a rise. There is now a strong natural hair community. Not all, but some of the natural hair community has been known to bash women who are still relaxed saying that they are ashamed of their roots . Women who are still relaxed are also known to bash women who have gone natural claiming that they look "nappy".

My Thoughts        

I am currently 4 months post relaxer and am on a healthy hair journey. I am not opposed to relaxers nor do I think Black women need relaxers. As black women, the fact that our hair is so versatile is a blessing. Being relaxed or natural I feel is purely a preference. Instead of bashing one another lets focus on how we can ALL achieve healthy hair  :)

TIPS !

1. MOISTURE- every hair type (relaxed or natural) requires moisture. Moisture helps our hair to feel and look healthy. Moisture is also important for hair growth. Don't forget to moisturize ! Examples of moisturizers are Hair lotion, leave-in conditioners, curl defining creams etc

My favorite hair moisturizer: Cantu Shea Butter leave-in conditioner 

2. Drink PLENTY of water. Water hydrates your body and aides in all around health including Hair Health.

3. Cover your hair nightly with a silk or satin scarf and or cap. This will help preserve hair and especially edges.

3.Read the ingredients of every product used in your hair. Make sure the ingredients are hair loving for example- natural oils (coconut,jojoba,olive,grape seed,almond) instead of things that can weight down and dry out hair such as mineral oil and alcohols.

4. Regardless if you are natural or relaxed heat should be kept to a minimum. Heat is VERY damaging to the hair. Try using tools such as flexi rods that can give you beautiful curl without one ounce of heat and if heat is a must never use it without a great heat protector spray!

5. A natural oil. This is a very amazing product to use on our hair. My natural oil of choice is raw coconut oil sent from my family in Jamaica. Natural oils can be found in your local grocery store as well as some beauty supply stores.Our hair works amazingly with natural oils it's kinda hard for me to explain but using a light natural oil influences growth, moisture and repair to your hair. I LOVE IT .

6.Deer Conditioning- Deep conditioning once a week is great to maintain healthy and strong hair

Hair Vitamins

Hair vitamins such as Biotin and famous brands such as "Hairinfinity" are used to enhance hair growth. With using these be cautious, not everyone's the same. You may not get the same results as well as you body may react differently from the next person. However , these are great and help so much with healthy hair growth. When using these plenty of water is a MUST.

Conclusion  

My biggest tip is to HAVE PATIENCE cause our hair is beautiful and it does grow ! :) 

xoxokaneica