#guest blogger shea

[duckprintspress]

Giving Quality, Motivating Feedback

A guest post by @shealynn88!

The new writer in your writing group just sent out their latest story and it’s...not exciting. You know it needs work, but you’re not sure why, or where they should focus.

This is the blog post for you!

Before we get started, it’s important to note that this post isn’t aimed at people doing paid editing work. In the professional world, there are developmental editors, line editors, and copy editors, who all have a different focus. That is not what we’re covering here. Today, we want to help you informally give quality, detailed, encouraging feedback to your fellow writers.

The Unwritten Rules

Everyone seems to have a different understanding of what it means to beta, edit, or give feedback on a piece, so it’s best to be on the same page with your writer before you get started.

Think about what type of work you’re willing and able to do, how much time you have, and how much emotional labor you’re willing to take on. Then talk to your writer about their expectations.

Responsibilities as an editor/beta may include:

Know what the author’s expectation is and don’t overstep. Different people in different stages of writing are looking for, and will need, different types of support. It’s important to know what pieces of the story they want feedback on. If they tell you they don’t want feedback on dialogue, don’t give them feedback on dialogue. Since many terms are ambiguous or misunderstood, it may help you to use the list of story components in the next section to come to an agreement with your writer on what you’ll review.

Don’t offer expertise you don’t have. If your friend needs advice on their horse book and you know nothing about horses, be clear that your read through will not include any horse fact checking. Don’t offer grammar advice if you’re not good at grammar. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give feedback on things you do notice, but don’t misrepresent yourself, and understand your own limits.

Give positive and constructive feedback. It is important for a writer to know when something is working well. Don’t skimp on specific positive feedback — this is how you keep writers motivated. On the other hand, giving constructive feedback indicates where there are issues. Be specific on what you’re seeing and why it’s an issue. It can be hard for someone to improve if they don’t understand what’s wrong.

Be clear about your timing and availability, and provide updates if either changes. Typically, you’ll be doing this for free, as you’re able to fit it in your schedule. But it can be nerve wracking to hand your writing over for feedback and then hear nothing. For everyone’s sanity, keep the writer up to date on your expected timeline and let them know if you’re delayed for some reason. If you cannot complete the project for them, let them know. This could be for any reason — needing to withdraw, whatever the cause, is valid! It could be because working with the writer is tough, you don’t enjoy the story, life got tough, you got tired, etc. All of that is fine; just let them know that you won’t be able to continue working on the project.

Be honest if there are story aspects you can’t be objective about. Nearly all of your feedback is going to be personal opinion. There are some story elements that will evoke strong personal feelings. They can be tropes, styles, specific characterizations, or squicks. In these cases, ask the writer to get another opinion on that particular aspect, or, if you really want to continue, find similar published content to review and see if you can get a better sense of how other writers have handled it.

Don’t get personal. Your feedback should talk about the characters, the narrator, the plotline, the sentence structure, or other aspects of the story. Avoid making ‘you’ statements or judgements, suggested or explicit, in your feedback. Unless you’re looking at grammar or spelling, most of the feedback you’ll have will be your opinion. Don’t present it as fact.

Your expectations of the writer/friend/group member you are working with may include:

Being gracious in accepting feedback. A writer may provide explanations for an issue you noticed or seek to discuss your suggestions. However, if they constantly argue with you, that may be an indicator to step back.

Being responsible for emotional reactions to getting feedback. While getting feedback can be hard on the ego and self esteem, that is something the writer needs to work on themselves. While you can provide reassurance and do emotional labor if you’re comfortable, it is also very reasonable to step back if the writer isn’t ready to do that work.

Making the final choice regarding changes to the work. The writer should have a degree of confidence in accepting or rejecting your feedback based on their own sense of the story. While they may consult you on this, the onus is on them to make changes that preserve the core of the story they want to tell.

Some people aren’t ready for feedback, even though they’re seeking it. You’re not signing up to be a psychologist, a best friend, or an emotional support editor. You can let people know in advance that these are your expectations, or you can just keep them in mind for your own mental health. As stated above, you can always step back from a project, and if writers aren’t able to follow these few guidelines, it might be a good time to do that. (It’s also worth making sure that, as a writer, you’re able to give these things to your beta/editor.)

Specificity is Key

One of the hardest things in editing is pinning down the ‘whys’ of unexciting work, so let’s split the writing into several components and talk about evaluations you can make for each one.

You can also give this list to your writer ahead of time as a checklist, to see which things they want your feedback on.

Generally, your goal is going to be to help people improve incrementally. Each story they write should be better than the previous one, so you don’t need to go through every component for every story you edit. Generally, I wouldn’t suggest more than 3 editing rounds on any single story that isn’t intended for publication. Think of the ‘many pots’ theory — people who are honing their craft will improve more quickly by writing a lot of stories instead of incessantly polishing one.

With this in mind, try addressing issues in the order below, from general to precise. It doesn’t make sense to critique grammar and sentence structure if the plot isn’t solid, and it can be very hard on a writer to get feedback on all these components at once. If a piece is an early or rough draft, try evaluating no more than four components at a time, and give specific feedback on what does and doesn’t work, and why.

High Level Components

Character arc/motivation:

Does each character have a unique voice, or do they all sound the same?

In dialogue, are character voices preserved? Do they make vocabulary and sentence-structure choices that fit with how they’re being portrayed?

Does each character have specific motivations and focuses that are theirs alone?

Does each character move through the plot naturally, or do they seem to be shoehorned/railroaded into situations or decisions for the sake of the plot? Be specific about which character actions work and which don’t. Tell the writer what you see as their motivation/arc and why—and point out specific lines that indicate that motivation to you.

Does each character's motivation seem to come naturally from your knowledge of them?

Are you invested (either positively or negatively) in the characters? If not, why not? Is it that they have nothing in common with you? Do you not understand where they’re coming from? Are they too perfect or too unsympathetic?

Theme:

It’s a good idea to summarize the story and its moral from your point of view and provide that insight to the writer. This can help them understand if the points they were trying to make come through. The theme should tie in closely with the character arcs. If not, provide detailed feedback on where it does and doesn’t tie in.

Plot Structure:

For most issues with plot structure, you can narrow them down to pacing, characterization, logical progression, or unsatisfying resolution. Be specific about the issues you see and, when things are working well, point that out, too.

Is there conflict that interests you? Does it feel real?

Is there a climax? Do you feel drawn into it?

Do the plot points feel like logical steps within the story?

Is the resolution tied to the characters and their growth? Typically this will feel more real and relevant and satisfying than something you could never have seen coming.

Is the end satisfying? If not, is it because you felt the end sooner and the story kept going? Is it because too many threads were left unresolved? Is it just a matter of that last sentence or two being lackluster?

Point Of View:

Is the point of view clear and consistent?

Is the writing style and structure consistent with that point of view? For example, if a writer is working in first person or close third person, the style of the writing should reflect the way the character thinks. This extends to grammar, sentence structure, general vocabulary and profanity outside of the dialogue.

If there is head hopping (where the point of view changes from chapter to chapter or section to section), is it clear in the first few sentences whose point of view you’re now in? Chapter headers can be helpful, but it should be clear using structural, emotional, and stylistic changes that you’re with a new character now.

Are all five senses engaged? Does the character in question interact with their environment in realistic, consistent ways that reflect how people actually interact with the world?

Sometimes the point of view can feel odd if it’s too consistent. Humans don’t typically think logically and linearly all the time, so being in someone’s head may sometimes be contradictory or illogical. If it’s too straightforward, it might not ‘feel’ real.

Be specific about the areas that don’t work and break them down based on the questions above.

Pacing:

Does the story jump around, leaving you confused about what took place when?

Do some scenes move quickly where others drag, and does that make sense within the story?

If pacing isn’t working, often it’s about the level of detail or the sentence structure. Provide detailed feedback about what you care about in a given scene to help a writer focus in.

Setting:

Is the setting clear and specific? Writing with specific place details is typically more rooted, interesting, and unique. If you find the setting vague and/or uninteresting and/or irrelevant, you might suggest replacing vague references — ‘favorite band’, ‘coffee shop on the corner’, ‘the office building’ — with specific names to ground the setting and make it feel more real.

It might also be a lack of specific detail in a scene that provides context beyond the characters themselves. Provide specific suggestions of what you feel like you’re missing. Is it in a specific scene, or throughout the story? Are there scenes that work well within the story, where others feel less grounded? Why?

Low Level Components

Flow/Sentence Structure:

Sentence length and paragraph length should vary. The flow should feel natural.

When finding yourself ‘sticking’ on certain sentences, provide specific feedback on why they aren’t working. Examples are rhythm, vocabulary, subject matter (maybe something is off topic), ‘action’ vs ‘explanation’, passive vs. active voice.

Style/Vocabulary:

Writing style should be consistent with the story — flowery prose works well for mythic or historical pieces and stories that use that type of language are typically slower moving. Quick action and short sentences are a better fit for murder mysteries, suspense, or modern, lighter fiction.

Style should be consistent within the story — it may vary slightly to show how quickly action is happening, but you shouldn’t feel like you’re reading two different stories.

SPAG (Spelling and Grammar):

Consider spelling and grammar in the context of the point of view, style and location of the story (eg, England vs. America vs. Australia).

If a point of view typically uses incorrect grammar, a SPAG check will include making sure that it doesn’t suddenly fall into perfect grammar for a while. In this case, consistency is going to be important to the story feeling authentic.

Word Count Requirements:

If the story has been written for a project, bang, anthology, zine, or other format that involves a required word count minimum or maximum, and the story is significantly over or under the aimed-for word count (30% or more/less), it may not make sense to go through larger edits until the sizing is closer to requirements. But, as a general rule, I’d say word count is one of the last things to worry about.

*

The best thing we can do for another writer is to keep them writing. Every single person will improve if they keep going. Encouragement is the most important feedback of all.

I hope this has helped you think about how you provide feedback. Let us know if you have other tips or tricks! This works best as a collaborative process where we all can support one another!

[msjasminerose]

Words cannot describe how proud I am of @livenaturallylove for her ambition! She accomplishes every goal she sets forth: guest speaker ✔️starting a podcast✔️creating a line of fluffy Shea butter body products✔️creating the LILWY organization✔️planning a self love retreat✔️to creating an amazing event this past weekend✔️✔️✔️ such an inspiration!!! The EPITOME of self love 💖 Congratulations on all your success love!!! Swipe ➡️ for more pics ! 📸: @justafro ______________________________________ #Selflove #lilwy #blackgirlmagic #vegansofig #blackvegan #locs #iamlocd #loclivin #naturallyshesdope #berrycurly #youtuber #crueltyfreebeauty #selflove #crueltyfreebeautyblogger #newyorkcity #nycblogger #blogger #Jasmine_Rose (at New York, New York)

[michaelpatrickhicks]

CLASH OF THE CRYPTIDS: A Guest Post By Hunter Shea

I've been reading and enjoying the hell out of Hunter Shea's work for a few years now, and I can always, always count on him to deliver some good gory fun. His latest endeavor is a Patreon-exclusive serialized novel, with a new chapter going up each and every month until the book is done. But it's not just any novel. Oh no. It's a great big tie-in event, drawing together a number of characters from Shea's previous cryptid-centric horror novels for a massive creature-feature blow out.

Did I mention there's a cool twist to how this whole thing is shaking loose? Well, maybe I'll leave to Hunter, or you can head over to his Patreon page and learn all there is to know about Clash of the Cryptids!

Take it away, Hunter!

FROM THE DESK OF HUNTER SHEA:

How would you feel if you saw your name in a book? Better yet, what if in that book, you were battling Bigfoot, flying on back of a Thunderbird, or plotting a way to avert disaster with Mothman?

Imagine being able to write that book alongside the author, suggesting cryptids and characters, plot twists and action scenes.

Pretty cool, huh?

Thanks to my latest project, CLASH OF THE CRYPTIDS, all of that is possible and more. Forget zombies and vampires. They’ve had their moment in the dark. The time of monsters, the mythic creatures that lurk in our forests, skies, lakes, and oceans, is upon us!

CLASH OF THE CRYPTIDS is a monthly choose your adventure serial that will be filled with dozens of monsters and characters from my previous books. Supporters can also become characters in the book and be amazed by the horrible things Bigfoot and I conjure up to do to them. Best of all, readers determine the course of the story and can suggest their favorite monsters to come to life in the tale.

My very first cryptid book was a nasty little novella called Swamp Monster Massacre. The anti-hero of that book was a thug named Rooster Murphy. By the end of Swampy, Rooster had murdered an entire extended family of Skunk Apes in the Everglades, setting fire to the last bunch and watching them burn with Lizzie, a young woman who’d lost her twin to Skunk Ape rage. I loved Rooster. Writing his dialogue was wicked, very wrong and wonderful. CLASH OF THE CRYPTIDS starts with the return of Rooster, chilling with a PBR and beer at a New Hampshire drive-in. His night is ruined when a little girl is snatched by a “gorilla” and Rooster is pulled back into the squatch bashing business.

The man has a mighty chip on his shoulder. He just wants to whup some Bigfoot ass. Little does he know, it’s not going to stop at the drive-in. The world is about to erupt, and Rooster will find himself smack in the middle of the storm.

In the words of Rooster, “Get off your ass and sign up to read CLASH OF THE CRYPTIDS. Don’t make me have to do something you’ll regret.” Hey, Rooster said it, not me. Personally, I’m scared to death of the man.

To read CLASH OF THE CRYPTIDS and become part of horror history, click here! 

[thisdaynews]

Trump allies target Mueller team, one by one

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/trump-allies-target-mueller-team-one-by-one/

Trump allies target Mueller team, one by one

Trump’s allies have long called for a “cleaning out” of DOJ and FBI, aimed at career officials perceived as hostile to the president. Several of Trump’s top targets have been forced out, including former FBI Director James Comey, his former deputy Andrew McCabe, and former FBI agent Peter Strzok, all of whom worked on the Russia probe.

But the calls for a purge intensified this month after four career prosecutors recommended a sentence of at least 7 years in prison for Trump associate Roger Stone, who was convicted last year of making false statements to Congress, obstruction and witness intimidation.

All four of the Stone prosecutors quit the case after their sentencing recommendation, which followed federal guidelines, was overruled by Attorney General Bill Barr, and one resigned from DOJ altogether.

“It’s totally unclear to me why any members of the Mueller team need to remain in the Trump DOJ,” the pro-Trump conservative blogger Will Chamberlain wrote after news broke of the Stone sentencing recommendation. (Three of the four Stone prosecutors, Aaron Zelinsky, Adam Jed, and Jonathan Kravis, worked for Mueller.)

The MAGA punditry’s outsized influence over the president means their campaign against the so-called Mueller “holdovers” is likely not falling on deaf ears, especially given Trump’s fixation with what his defenders and detractors are saying about his administration in their frequent appearances on his favorite TV programs.

“I think that the White House understands that it has the support of the insurgent conservative punditry in this fight, because we see what the fight is,” said Schlicter, whose recent columns on the subject have run under headlines like “Time for Trump to Get His Godfather On” and “Burn Down the DOJ and Start Over.”

Tom Fitton, the president of the conservative activist group Judicial Watch, tweets several times a day about alleged “deep state corruption” at the Justice Department and last week described Stone’s sentencing recommendation as “Mueller holdover extortion.” Trump retweeted Fitton’s accusations of corruption at DOJ and the need to “clean house” there nearly a dozen times on Wednesday morning alone.

Sam Nunberg, a GOP consultant and former Trump campaign adviser who was interviewed in the Mueller probe, suggested in an interview that the “Mueller team” should not handle any Trump-related matters. And GOP operative Arthur Schwartz, a close friend of Donald Trump Jr. who has been described as the eldest son’s “fixer,” said of the career officials in question: “I think they should all be investigated.” Schwartz was among the group of lawyers who celebrated the president’s Senate acquittal at the Trump hotel in D.C., along with his defense team.

At this point, it’s not clear who is echoing whom. Trump has lambasted the prosecutions of his associates—Stone, former national security adviser Michael Flynn, and his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort—as spearheaded by “Mueller people,” and has publicly attacked the judge who oversaw several Mueller-related cases, including Stone’s.

“Is this the Judge that put Paul Manafort in SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, something that not even mobster Al Capone had to endure? How did she treat Crooked Hillary Clinton? Just asking!” Trump tweeted last week.

Both the Russia and Clinton email server investigations were reviewed separately by DOJ’s inspector general, who found no evidence that political bias influenced the department’s handling of the probes.

But Attorney General Bill Barr has already launched reviews of the origins of the Russia investigation and the FBI’s handling of Flynn. But his intervention in the Stone case has bought him little reprieve from Trump, whose incessant tweeting on his former aide’s plight spurred Barr to rebuke the president in an extraordinary interview last week on ABC News.

Fitton, a regular guest on Fox News, declined to say in an interview how often he speaks to the White House. But he said his “guess” is that Trump is “hearing all sorts of voices” on this issue.

“This is a straightforward issue,” he said. “The president runs the Justice Department and there are a lot of people who don’t want the Justice Department to investigate Democrats. All of this noise is designed to make it difficult for the Justice Department to investigate Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and those implicated in the illegal spying of Donald Trump.”

Hillary Clinton was investigated and cleared of criminal wrongdoing by the FBI in 2016, and the vice president’s son, Hunter Biden, did not break any laws by sitting on a Ukrainian gas company’s board, according to the former Ukrainian prosecutor Yuriy Lutsenko. The Justice Department’s independent Inspector General found more than a dozen errors or omissions in the FBI’s warrant to surveil a Trump campaign adviser, but concluded that the Russia probe was properly predicated and found no evidence that Trump himself was spied on.

To Trump and his allies, though, none of that is enough—any officials associated with the Russia and Mueller probes cannot be fair, they say, and should either be investigated, removed, or both.

“These were Mueller prosecutors, and the whole Mueller investigation was illegally set up based on a phony and now fully discredited Fake Dossier, lying and forging documents to the FISA Court, and many other things,” Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning, incorrectly claiming that a set of raw intelligence reports outlining Trump’s alleged ties to Russia commissioned by Democrats was used to open the FBI’s initial investigation (the inspector general found that the dossier was not used as the basis to open the probe).

“Everything having to do with this fraudulent investigation is badly tainted and, in my opinion, should be thrown out,” Trump wrote.

DOJ veterans say the outrage from the president and his allies reflects a misunderstanding of how the department works—supposed concerns over rogue line attorneys ring hollow given DOJ policies requiring sentencing recommendations to be reached after consultation with high-level leadership, said one former senior national security official.

In the Stone case, prosecutors consulted longtime Barr aide Timothy Shea, recently installed as the new U.S. Attorney in D.C., before submitting the sentencing recommendation. Despite reportedly disagreeing with the prosecutors, Shea did not tell Barr or Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen about the recommendation until after it was submitted to the court, according to the New York Times. Several conservative opinion writers, including the Federalist’s Sean Davis and the Wall Street Journal’s Kimberly Strassel, accused the prosecutors of essentially going rogue.

But as the Wall Street Journal’s own reporting noted last week, prosecutors rarely diverge from the sentencing recommendations issued by the court Probation Office. And Stone did not strike a cooperation deal with the government that might have softened the prosecutors’ position.

John Dowd, a former Trump lawyer who remains in touch with the White House, characterized the line attorneys in the Stone case as “insubordinate,” and “the same crowd of prosecutors wedded to the Mueller agenda” who need to be “cleaned out” from DOJ.

“And Bill Barr is doing that,” Dowd said.

Pro-Trump commentators have also zeroed in on Brandon van Grack, a prosecutor who was on Mueller’s team and is still handling the Flynn case for the government.

“Why is Van Grack still on this case?” conservative commentator Mollie Hemingway tweeted on Feb. 12. The president’s defenders have accused the FBI of setting a perjury trap for the retired general, and Flynn is now seeking to withdraw his guilty plea on the grounds of alleged prosecutorial misconduct.

Stone, meanwhile, is seeking a new trial altogether. But his complaint isn’t with the prosecutors—it’s with the foreperson of the jury that convicted him on all counts. The foreperson, Tomeka Hart, has since been identified as a one-time Democratic congressional candidate who was critical of Trump on social media. But the defense knew her identity throughout the pre-trial proceedings—where she disclosed her run for Congress—and didn’t challenge her fitness to serve on the jury.

Trump has targeted Hart following Fox News segments about her past criticism of the president. He tweeted on February 13 that she “had significant bias” and that “this is not looking good for the ‘Justice’ department,” and tagged Fox and Friends and Fox News. He also tagged Fox and Friends in a tweet about Hart days later, quoting commentator Andrew Napolitano saying “it’s obvious” Stone should get a new trial due to Hart’s “unambiguous bias.”

Stone is still set to be sentenced on Thursday, Judge Jackson said on Tuesday. But the execution of the sentence will be deferred until the motions for a new trial are resolved, and conservative blogger Mike Cernovich, citing concerns about Hart, told POLITICO that he planned to file to have all the papers related to the Stone jury selection unsealed.

Nunberg, the former Trump aide, noted that he had been questioned by Aaron Zelensky, and pointed to no evidence that the former Mueller team member exhibited any bias.

But for Nunberg — as for the others — mere suspicions were enough to argue for his dismissal.

“I personally liked Aaron,” he said. “I found him highly professional, very smart. They had facts, yes, but I believe that they had an agenda … They were trying to take down Trump.”

Josh Gerstein contributed reporting.

Read More

[johnsimon]

Last night in New York City, BVLGARI and Vanity Fair co-hosted an exclusive cocktail reception and panel at Spring Studios to premiere two films, ‘Celestial’ and ‘The 4th Wave,’ ahead of Tribeca Film Festival 2019. Focused on young independent female pioneers in the arts who are blazing their own paths in male-dominated fields, the two films find common ground around how generational perspectives in family and technology impact their journeys.

Moderated by Claire Howorth, Vanity Fair’s Executive Editor, the panel discussion featured filmmakers and subjects from ‘Celestial’ and ‘The 4th Wave’ along with Paula Weinstein, to shine a spotlight on the next generation of female artists who are daring to redefine the future of their medium.

Jane Rosenthal, Daniel Paltridge, Paula Weinstein

Guests included Actress Diane Kruger, Actress Kiki Layne, Actor Lucas Hedges, Model Valery Kaufman, Model Daphne Groeneveld, Blogger Olivia Perez, DJ Alexandra Richards, Model RJ King, Model Eric Rutherford, Influencer Jessica Wang, Athena Calderone of EyeSwoon, Influencer Lainy Hedaya, Model Julia Restoin Roitfeld, Italian Rapper Priestess, Actress Jessica Markowski, among others were in attendance.

Diane Kruger

Kiki Layne

Attendees seen wearing BVLGARI included Directors Ro Haber and Savanah Leah as well as film subjects Italian-Born Rapper Alessandra Prete; Diane Kruger, Kiki Layne, Alexandra Richards, Julia Restoin Roitfeld, Athena Calderone, Shea Marie, Jessica Wang as well as Tribeca Film Festival Co-Founder & CEO, Jane Rosenthal, Executive Vice President, Paula Weinstein, and Vanity Fair’s Executive Editor Claire Howorth.

BVLGARI – the Official Jeweler of Tribeca Film Festival – partnered with Tribeca Studios on a multi-year short film to celebrate and connect the incredible cinematic history of the brand with the leading contemporary voices of today.

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Alexandra Richards

Jane Rosenthal, Daniel Paltridge, Paula Weinstein

Diane Kruger

Daniel Paltridge, Diane Kruger

TK Wonder

Savannah Leaf, Priestess, Ro Haber, Eliza McNitt, Paula Weinstein, Claire Howorth

Kiki Layne

BVLGARI Hosts Panel and Reception ahead of Tribeca Film Festival Last night in New York City, BVLGARI and Vanity Fair co-hosted an exclusive cocktail reception and panel at Spring Studios to premiere two films, ‘Celestial’ and ‘The 4th Wave,’ ahead of Tribeca Film Festival 2019.

[beautytipsfor]

Royal wedding fever hits the US: Here's how to watch in America and where to celebrate

America was always wild about Harry. The wedding of his brother seven years ago drew almost 23 million viewers in the States; given that the Prince is marrying an American, Meghan Markle, the excitement about his own wedding has only intensified. And the drama surrounding Ms Markle's family has sparked a certain surge in fascination, as cable news channels devote lengthy segments to her ailing father Thomas's "will he, won't he" attendance, and scrutinise his ill-judged decision to pose for paparazzi pictures near his home in Mexico. It all means that, come Saturday, the United States will be riding the wave of Royal mania. Of course, the story in itself is a classic fairy tale straight out of a Disney film – a handsome prince meets a glamorous actress, and whisks her off her feet. Yet their nuptials will be, in the hearts and minds of many Americans, more akin to something far more readily identifiable. A student at Meghan Markle's former Los Angeles high school wears British and American flags she takes part in a 'Here's to Meghan!' celebration Credit:  REUTERS/Mike Blake  “It’s the Super Bowl of weddings,” said Anne Chertoff, a wedding magazine and Royal expert, currently running classes on the subject in New York. “America has gone bonkers.” “It’s definitely captured the imagination here,” said Michael Howells, Britain’s consul-general in Los Angeles, Ms Markle’s hometown. “People are talking about it a lot.” The Los Angeles Times has run fashion features on British style, highlighting labels chosen by the bride-to-be such as Burberry and Jigsaw, and has already begun a live blog, with rolling coverage of the lead-up as Ms Markle’s mother left LA to travel to London and meet the Queen. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle How to watch the royal wedding in America The wedding will be broadcast live in the US - 7am ET, 4am PT. PBS PBS will also be showing the wedding live. The channel will run a five-part nightly series starting May 14, which will end with a live broadcast of the wedding on May 19. CBS CBS will start their coverage three hours before the ceremony, with live broadcasting from  4am ET from Windsor. Tina Brown will join Gayle King and Kevin Frazier live. CBSN CBS's live-streaming site will also reportedly be broadcasting coverage starting at 4am ET. MSNBC Joy Reid will anchor coverage of the royal wedding on MSNBC from New York starting at 4am ET, while Stephanie Ruhle and Katy Tur will report live from Windsor. NBC  Commentary will begin on NBC at 4:30am ET with Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb reporting live from "an exclusive vantage point overlooking Windsor Castle." FOX Fox's coverage of the big day will begin at 5am ET with Ainsley Earhardt broadcasting live from Windsor. Their main coverage of the wedding will start at 6am ET, and will feature Shepard Smith and Sandra Smith along with other guests. BBC AMERICA BBC America will be streaming coverage and commentary of the event on May 19. ABC Good Morning America will be starting their coverage at 5am ET on ABC. 20/20 will also provide coverage of the royal wedding with primetime specials on Friday at 10pm ET and Saturday at 10pm ET. E! "E! Live From the Royal Wedding" with hosts Giuliana Rancic, Brad Goreski, Sarah-Jane Crawford, and royal expert Melanie Bromley will start at 5am ET on May 19. The channel will also have programming like “The Real Princess Diaries: From Diana to Meghan" scheduled in the weeks leading up to the wedding, and are airing a "Royal Wedding Rundown" on Saturday evening, to recap the historic event right after it happens. How and where to watch the royal wedding if you're in the UK Students at Meghan's old school in Los Angeles wave flags at a pre-wedding celebration in the city Credit: REUTERS/Mike Blake Los Angeles In LA, where Thomas Markle Snr lived until 2011, British pubs across the city are advertising their “slumber parties” for the 4am-local-time ceremony, with the Cat and Fiddle in Hollywood suggesting revellers come in their pyjamas and fascinators – described helpfully by the LA Times as “the precarious and ostentatious ladies' headgear constructed for such special events.” On the day of the wedding itself, Mr Howells will host around 150 people at the consulate for an afternoon tea, with guest invited from across the LA area representing some of the charities the couple are known to support – veterans’ organisations, childrens’ charities and LGBTQ concerns. It will be 11pm in Windsor when Mr Howells’ guests arrive, but at Ms Markle’s former secondary school they couldn’t wait – and had to see the ceremony live. Girls currently studying at Immaculate Heart, a private Catholic day school in Hollywood, are planning to gather in the school to watch the 4am events as they happen. Ms Markle studied at the school from 11 to 18, leaving in 1999. Shea Sprague, 17, said their classrooms were abuzz when the news of the engagement was made public. Maureen Diekmann, president of Immaculate Heart school, with students Credit: Harriet Alexander “This school raised a princess,” she told The Telegraph, to laughter from her friends. Mia Speier, 17, added: “She’s made such a difference – not just as an actress, but also as an activist, a UN ambassador – it’s really inspirational. “She’s poised and well spoken. Even if she didn’t come from royalty, she’s ready.” The girls said they knew they couldn’t miss the live ceremony – even before the timing was announced. “Even if it’s in the middle of the night,” said Miss Sprague. “We’ll be watching with a cup of tea.” Chicago On leaving high school Ms Markle attended Northwestern University in Chicago – a place the Prince’s mother visited in 1996. On the eve of the wedding the university plans a talk about the history of the royal family, exploring their evolution with an afternoon tea entitled: The British monarchy: then and now. Meghan Markle's high school yearbook photograph Credit: Harriet Alexander Washington DC The nation’s capital is celebrating at a royal wedding pop-up bar, which has opened in Washington DC for two weeks. On the day of the wedding the bar will be open from 6:30am for customers to view watch the wedding from big projectors with a full catered breakfast, and all proceeds going to Prince Harry's Invictus Games Foundation. “It’s hard not to get swept up in the romance of a royal wedding, especially when it involves a modern, real-life fairy tale,” said Angie Fetherston, CEO of Drink Company, which owns the bar. “I’ve been a superfan of the Royals since I was a kid and knew as soon as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were engaged that we had to bring a slice of their day to all of the fans who want to experience a little bit of the fantasy - fascinators and all.” Inside the bar the interior of St. George’s Chapel has been recreated, with hand-carved replicas of the wedding venue’s vaulted ceiling and columns. Patrons can sip on cocktails including the Kensington Garden Party and the Markle Sparkle, or opt for God Save the Queen - a classic martini with gin and dry vermouth, served with a souvenir crown. The British embassy in Washington is delivering handwritten notes from visitors to the bar to Kensington Palace, and have leant the bar a statue of a Beefeater, along with a Royal Mailbox. New York City In New York, too, preparations have been afoot for the big day. Last week eight corgis were bounding through Herald Square in central Manhattan, to promote a television drama portraying their courtship. The Queen in 1969 Introduced by name, Meghan the corgi was the star of the show in a white wedding dress and tiara, while Prince Harry wore his ceremonial blues. “Duchess Kate” was in a blue dress and feathered hat and her “children,” “Prince George” and “Princess Charlotte” were in a blue tie and a pink dress, respectively. “Queen Elizabeth II” was suitably regal in a bejewelled crown and cape. The show, Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance, aired on Sunday - the night after CNN show their documentary on the couple. Humans wishing to emulate the pair, meanwhile, can book the Conrad Hotel’s “Propose like a Prince” package – two nights in their Conrad suite, a helicopter tour of the city, and a private consultation with the London Jewellers, based in TriBeCa, who are offering an exact replica of Ms Markle’s engagement ring. Students at Meghan Markle's former Los Angeles high school dance as they stage a 'Here's to Meghan!' celebration ahead of her marriage Credit: REUTERS/Mike Blake “We’ve had a lot of interest in this – so much so that it’s been extended until the end of summer,” said Vildana Kurtovic, assistant marketing manager for the hotel. “I’m a huge fan of the Royal family, and we just wanted to embrace and celebrate them in a big way.” She admits, however, that despite the interest no one has actually taken the plunge – the $10,000 price tag perhaps having something to do with it. In the run up to the wedding, Mrs Chertoff, the wedding and Royal expert, has been hosting etiquette talks at the Downton Abbey exhibition in midtown Manhattan. Royal wedding PREMIUM GRID Inside the formal dining room of the Crawley family, tourists and New Yorkers are manners fit for a princess – how to curtsey, how to sit, how to approach a Royal dining table. “It’s kind of a history lesson, but also useful for modern life,” said Mrs Chertoff. “Millennials are especially interested, because they perhaps don’t have formal dining at home. “We have a nice mix of ages coming along, and I think people have a renewed fascination thanks to The Crown – I get asked a lot of questions about her tiara, and the line of succession. “There are few things that can bring a country together like a Royal wedding.”

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2k5WiWb via Beauty Tips

from Blogger https://ift.tt/2IrNmJp

[ladysuetini]

Guest Post: Top tips to grow and maintain the health of your natural hair

In today's post, I will share with you tips to show your natural hair some love. As you know natural hair is a trending topic in the world. You may have done the big chop or considered doing it because you want to embrace your natural hair texture. 

So here are my top tips to grow, maintain the health of, and embrace your natural hair. 1. Have a set regimen for wash days - This allows you to be able to follow a schedule that will allow you to have optimally healthy hair. For example, shampoo your scalp only with a sulphate free shampoo, then conditioner your hair and detangle with your comb or fingers. Next deep condition your hair for extra moisture, and strength. Lastly, rinse and style as per usual.

2. Use natural products - This may be difficult to do, however, it is still achievable. Use products that contain natural ingredients such as oils, shea butter, and flaxseeds. Natural products are much better than synthetic products because the vitamins and minerals are potent. Products filled with chemicals such as petrolatum, mineral oil and sulphate, can hinder your natural hair overall health. Or, you can create your own products.

3. Do the LOC method - The LOC or LCO method is a moisturising your technique in which you apply liquid, oil and cream in the same order as lettering.  You are able to moisturise your hair using the water or leave in conditioner (liquid) and oil, then seal it in using any oil or cream, for example, cocoa butter. Hence, your hair will stay moisturised for a long period of time.

4. Eat healthy - Yes, eating healthy will improve the health of your natural hair. As you know “what you put into your body, will come out”. Therefore, if we eat healthily, specifically fruits, vegetables and proteins our hair will thrive. The numerous vitamins and minerals from the fruits and vegetables will assist with providing our strands and scalp with the nourishment needed to promote growth and improve the moisture levels on your hair. In addition, foods rich in protein, for example, meat will help to strengthen your hair. As well as, improve your hair’s elasticity.

5. Drink water - We live on the land of wood and "Water". Therefore, there should be no excuse for you to drink more water. Water is good for your skin, and your hair. Water will improve the moisture levels of your hair. In addition, improve the shine and the manageability of your hair.

6. Do Low Manipulation Styles - These are styles that do not require any maintenance throughout the week. So, you style your hair at the start of the week, then it lasts for the entire time. You can try styles such as wash and go, twist-outs, braid-outs, buns and many more. These styles reduce over manipulation that may cause breakage.

7. Love your hair - Honestly, this is easier said than done. You may be struggling with handling your natural hair. Or, you don't see much representation of your specific hair type within the world. But regardless of all of the negative, there is much positivity that comes with loving your natural hair. These would include mastering a hairstyle, truly loving yourself, and much more. 

Love your hair and it will love you back.

I hope these tips helped you your natural hair game. However, if you don't have natural hair these tips will work for you just as well.

About the blogger: 

Ashley. 21. Happy. Final Year University Student. Blogger @ ashleynorthover.com. Freelancer. Natural Hair, Finance, Motivation and Self-Care Enthusiast.

[trekfm]

19: You Can Go Home Again

Voyager, History, and Nostalgia.

While Captain Picard took command of the Enterprise-D with an order to “see what’s out there,” Captain Janeway’s mission statement was almost the opposite: “Set a course for home.” For seven years, the crew of the USS Voyager was, in a sense, exploring backwards; and this return journey was reflected in the show’s obsession with the past. Many episodes dealt with thorny questions of history and historiography, debating the relationship between official narratives and more personal, individual memories of days gone by. Others reveled in the pleasures of nostalgia, celebrating the ways our links to the past—and to our ancestors—can inspire and comfort us in the present.

In this episode of Primitive Culture, host Duncan Barrett is joined by award-winning Irish blogger Darren Mooney to discuss Voyager’s approach to history and nostalgia in the context of the broader Star Trek narrative. Is the impulse to get home an inherently conservative mission? Does the shift to prequels and reboots since Voyager ended signal an inability to truly move forward? Or is it simply inevitable that a franchise with a fifty-year history would be as concerned with the past as with the future?

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) History (00:04:01) Nostalgia (00:08:50) Memory As the Guarantee of Truth (00:22:24) Guilt and Shame (00:30:05) The Impossible Future (00:40:00) Tom Paris, Retro Screenwriter (00:54:00) Corporate Meddlers and Continuity Pornographers (01:06:30) Final Thoughts (01:23:15) Hosts Duncan Barrett

Guest Darren Mooney

Production Clara Cook (Editor) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Amy Nelson (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)

New podcast episode!

[the405media]

Blogger Jeff Dunetz / Pundit Timothy Shea - The Tami Jackson Show - 7PM PT - 10/17/2017

Blogger Jeff Dunetz / Pundit Timothy Shea – The Tami Jackson Show ��� 7PM PT – 10/17/2017

[yendifplayer type=audio mp3=http://s2.radioboss.fm:8424/stream]   My first guest on the Tami Jackson Show* tonight will be Jeff Dunetz. The conservative voice from the People’s Republic of New York, Jeff Dunetz is a bit of a fish out of water: a New Yorker, a Jew, and a conservative. Jeff often mixes a dash of shpiel political theory, religion, and New York attitude in his political news and…

[stylevitae]

I’m going to be very honest with you, I don’t care about how sleek a low bun turns out to look. The most important thing to me is putting my hair in a simple low bun.

So guys, I start off with my hair freshly washed and I part down the middle in half into two large sections. I apply a good amount of Aunty Jackie’s leave-in conditioner, I love this ultra hydrating leave-in conditioner so much and it’s enriched with shea butter and olive oil.

After applying leave-in, I de-tangle hair from end to roots and then use the tail comb to create a centre part, parting the front of my hair into smaller four sections. After this, work in a section at a time and spray hair with water. Then, I apply a dime amount of the new Castor oil and flaxseed Eco styler Gel to the roots of each section and focus mainly on the two front sections, spray a good amount of water on the front sections, apply more eco-styler gel and also detangle with denman brush. Detangling is important here because that’s the only way to get your hair to stay in place. I make good use of my palms during this process to guide my hair and make sure it’s smooth and I secure my little bun in place with a head band. Back to the front of hair, I add a little more Eco-styler gel to the front of my hair and sides.

To create the bun, I take out the kinky extension from the pack, stretch it out and wrap it around my little bun, separating the extension from my bun a little to make it look fuller and then secure extension with bobby pins. After this, I tie a satin scarf on my head for at least 15 minutes to flatten out my hair and also to make it look a lot smoother.

Adding kinky extension to the bun not only protects your hair but it also gives the hair a fuller and textured look.

I hope this tutorial helps, and I have to add that this hair style is the best arm toning workout!

Products used:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

       Photos: @Imagio_photography on IG.

Guest Blogger- Chidera Jane-Frances

  HOW I ACHIEVE MY FAUX LOW BUN WITH KINKY EXTENSION. I’m going to be very honest with you, I don’t care about how sleek a low bun turns out to look.

[kellyp72]

Get Ready for Summer with These Organic Non-toxic Sunscreens

Guest post by Milica Vladova

Summer is coming really fast and the sunlight is getting stronger.

Generally, sun exposure is very beneficial for us, especially if we work long hours in an office with artificial lighting. Natural sunlight stimulates vitamin D production in the body. And as we know, vitamin D is extremely important for developing our bone structure, boosting our natural immune system, and even healing from and preventing depression and anxiety!

On the other hand, it is also very important to take sun baths with caution and to always use sunscreen. The rule also applies in winter when the snow reflects the sun rays even more strongly. Unfortunately, most commercial sunscreens contain lots of unhealthy and toxic substances that may do us more harm than good.

The most common of them are

Parabens - they cause skin irritations and rashes. Our bodies also recognize these chemicals as estrogen-alike and they can throw the endocrine system off balance, possibly causing breast and ovarian cancer;

Petroleum derivatives - these chemicals have no nourishing properties for the skin and they hamper our natural moisturizing mechanisms, causing dryness and cracking skin;

Synthetic coloring - most of them have proven carcinogenic properties;

Synthetic aromas – they can cause headaches, dizziness, rashes, hyper pigmentation, cough, and even nausea.

and many more…

What is the natural alternative?

Thankfully, Mother Nature has provided plenty of organic non-toxic alternatives.

For example, cold pressed oils have a natural sun blocking factor. Simply applying oils and butters can easily work as a sunscreen for most cases. The oils with most powerful sun protection are

Carrot seed oil – SPF 38-40;

Raspberry seed oil – SPF 28-50;

Wheat germ oil – SPF 20.

But this is not all! To make sure you have prepared properly for your summer vacation on the beach, you can add one special natural ingredient that will shield you from excessive radiation: zinc oxide! It is the ultimate natural sun block, powerful but also possessing some wonderful healing properties. It is good for treating acne, skin inflammations, rashes, allergies, warts, and other ailments. It can be applied on people from all ages – from small kids (against napkin rashes) to mature adults (for anti-aging treatments) (but please read this warning before applying).

Make sure you use high quality non-nano zinc oxide (so that it won’t clog the pores).

Don’t know how to make your own non-toxic sunscreen?

Just follow the instructions below! I will share two of my favorite natural sun block recipes with you…

Homemade Sunscreen Lotion (without zinc oxide)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsps. Shea butter

1 Tbsp. Jojoba oil

3 Tbsps. Cocoa butter

1 Tbsp. Avocado oil

1 Tbsp. Raspberry seed oil

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients in a double boiler and stir until they melt and blend completely.

Store the cream in a glass container in a dark and cool place.

Homemade Sunscreen Lotion (with zinc oxide)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsps. Coconut butter

1 1/2 Tbsp. Shea butter

1/2 tsp. Wheat germ oil

3-4 drops Vitamin E oil

30 drops Essential oil of choice (avoid the citrus ones)

1 1/2 Tbsp. Zinc oxide (non-nano)

Instructions:

Melt the coconut butter, shea butter and wheat germ oil in a double boiler. Add the zinc oxide and blend well.

Next, take the mixture off the heat and let it cool off just a little bit.

Add the vitamin E oil and the essential oil and stir well.

The shelf life of this sunscreen is about 6 months in the fridge.

If you liked my summer non-toxic sunscreen recipes, please share them with your friends and family!

How do you prepare for the hot season in an organic and natural way? I am eager to read your feedback!

Author bio:

Milica Vladova is a blogger, writer, holistic living and personal development enthusiast. She is the author of Toxin-free Homemade Easy Beauty Recipes and The Healthy Detox and Strong Immunity Series. You can find her at

http://mindbodyandspiritwellbeing.com.

[trendhaar-blog]

#RizosOnTheRoad New Orleans – Recap

New Post has been published on https://trendhaar.net/rizosontheroad-new-orleans-recap/

#RizosOnTheRoad New Orleans – Recap

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I have never felt more in love with my home town. Rizos On The Road New Orleans Presented by Kia Latino was a success on so many levels and I am so very grateful for the love and support Ada and I received at this past Friday’s event! This city is filled with so much life and that energy was definitely felt at the New Orleans Jazz Market for our second stop on this tour. New Orleans, I will always love you!

While I’m currently on the road to Houston for the next stop on this tour, I had to take some time to fill you all in on the amazing night we had in New Orleans! Our first stop in Miami was so much fun, so I was extra excited to make our next stop in my home town! The event took place at the New Orleans Jazz Market on Oretha Castle Haley and the beautiful 2017 Kia Optima was displayed proudly for all of our Curlfriends to see. We have been so blessed to be able to partner with Kia Latino on this very exciting project. It’s so great to know that Kia supports our story and encourages us to have the discussions in each city on being Latina and Afro-Latina in the natural hair community. Ada and I thought very carefully on who we wanted to partner with in planning this tour and Kia has been the perfect fit. They’ve honestly been supporting us and our grandiose thoughts that formulate under our curls from the moment we first connected with them last year!

We had such a great time connecting with our curl friends in New Orleans. We were lucky enough to not have Ona Diaz-Santin’s flight cancel again (ha-ha). It was such a blessing to have her in New Orleans for some live haircut action. How awesome was it that Ada’s personal hairstylist was joined on stage with my personal stylist, too! Chissel Espinal was the New Orleans resident stylist and they both rocked the house with individual haircuts. One showcased a dry cut while the other showcased a wet cut. Great variety and very informative for Curlfriends wanting to know about specific curl cuts! We also had NOLA Therapy Room in the house giving complimentary scalp massages, which encourages hair growth and a healthy scalp!

The star of the night was our night rider, the mysterious 2017 Kia Optima. It was so cool sharing our story about our Kia relationship with some of our Curlfriends that night and hearing things like “OMG yes girl, I drive a Kia, too!” or “I love how reliable my Kia is” – it literally made our night! Who knew so many of my Curlfriends showed up to our event in their own Kia models! Whether our guests were Kia owners or not, the 2017 Kia Optima was on display for NOLA Curlfriends to see!

And by ‘bae’, she means her AMAZING gift bag filled with products from our sponsors! As a full-time Product Junkie, I was really geeking out about the amount of goodies we were able to gift our Curlfriends! Products from some really amazing sponsors like As I Am, Shea Moisture, Curls, Curl Keeper, DevaCurl, The Love of Curls, Bounce Curl, Inahsi and more! Plus, guests were able to swap out new or gently used hair products at our Product Swap Table! So not only were our guests able to go home with new products from our sponsors, but also products that were brought in from other Curlfriends in the community!

The panel discussion with Devri Velasquez of NaturallyCurly.com was incredible! It was a great opportunity to share our experiences of being Latina and Afro-Latina in the natural hair community. Telling stories of growing up with the unruly curls on our head and how our mamis, abuela’s or tia’s felt about our hair and also how our curls played an important part in cultural identity really resonated with a lot of our guests who told us they felt inspired by the discussion.

I cannot get over the love that we received on Friday for Rizos On The Road New Orleans. From subscribers, to family, friends, and even new blogger Curlfriends that I found all while promoting the event in this city! Did you make it to Rizos On The Road New Orleans? Check out Denisse’s photo gallery of the event by clicking here! There were SO MANY PHOTOS, I’m trying to include as many as possible without crashing your computer but if you were at the event and took a photo but don’t see it below, check out the gallery!

Rolling through New Orleans in the 2017 Kia Optima with the sunroof open and jazz in our hearts (and playing through the Harman Kardon speakers), we saw the beauty in every corner of this city. From the chisme whispers in the early morning hours on Bourbon Street, to the lively vendors in French Market selling everything you could possibly think of with a fleur-de-lis on it like a NOLA stamp of approval. Riding under the huge oak trees lines up St. Charles Ave had me fall in love with my city all over again. New Orleans, thank you for supporting this adventure and hosting us on our second stop for Rizos On The Road Presented by Kia Latino!

So what’s next on our tour? HOUSTON! We will be at Midtown Drinkery on Sunday, May 21st from 1-4pm to continue this celebration of Curls, Kia, and Culture! Want to attend Rizos On The Road Houston or any of the other cities on the tour? Click here to buy your ticket or visit RizosOntheRoad.eventbrite.com

[stylishleeds]

Hey NaturalLeeders! I’m BACK! Well…back from Atlanta! And my goodness, it sure has been an intense week. I’m still trying to play catch up with all the sleep I’ve missed. Not only did I attend the World Natural Hair Show on both days. But I also attended a very exclusive influencer dinner with Alikay Naturals. But first, lets back track a bit.

I arrived in Atanta the night before ‘WNHS’ and after a long day of traveling all I wanted to do was get some rest before the show. Epic Fail! Feelings of excitement swarmed my entire mind, body and soul and I only remember seeing 4:00a.m. and I was still wide awake. #TheStruggleWasReal! The following morning, I managed to drag myself out of bed and got dressed as quickly as I could. In truth I was moving pretty slow, haha. Then off I went to the Taliah Waajid 20th Annual World Natural Hair Healthy Lifestyle Event, at the Georgia International Convention Center.

Seeing the venue immediately perked me right up. Bragging rights are definitely in order for Taliah Waajid. Once I got inside and laid eyes on the beautiful kinky-coily-curly gals and the rows of stalls with popular brand names, live styling demonstrations, hair, fashion and unique accessories, I was ALIVE! I was cured of any feelings of tiredness and I was ready to go, go, go!

Within the first five minutes of walking from the entrance through the exhibitor hall and to the Alikay Naturals booth, I literally recognized about 5 different YouTubers and bloggers. I met many new beautiful spirits and saw a few old friends who I shared a few good laughs with.

I’m happy that I was able to join Alikay Naturals for the second year in a row at the World Natural Hair Show. I was able to answer any questions about my hair, talk about my favorite Alikay Naturals products (Honey & Sage Deep Conditioner) and even better…I was able to meet YOU! It was absolutely incredible being able to mix and mingle with all the guests who stopped by the Alikay Naturals booth. Oh & the pictures…I was posing for the camera and cheesing all day with any and everyone who wanted to snap a pic.

Last year I wore my hair in a twist out on day 1 and on day 2 we transformed that twist out to a huge fro-hawk (Click HERE to See). This year I went with my go-to hair style…the wash & go! I recently cut about 5 inches from my hair. So I was a little nervous when the hair stylist from Alikay Naturals told me that I’d be doing my hair myself this year and I should style it in my famous wash & go!

Well after a good deep conditioning treatment using the Honey & Sage Deep Conditioner, my hair looked moisturized and lush. I then followed up with the Alikay Naturals, Lemongrass Leave-In, followed by their Shea Yogurt Moisturizer and lastly I used their Aloe Berry Styling Gel for hold and to help eliminate any frizz. My wash & go was ready to hit the World Natural Hair Show, popping curls and all!

Another highlight was getting all the freaking products my heart desired. Well more like, what my pockets could afford. The World Natural Hair Show is definitely a hair product and fashion lover’s haven. Most if not all the vendors were having crazy giveaways, discounted products, countless deals and loads of freebies and samples to grab. So yes, the World Naturals Hair Show pretty much took all my money!

Though I have my staple hair products, you all know by now that I am a product junkie! I just love giving other products a chance to shine. This year at the World Natural Hair Show I made it my point of duty to pick up a few new products to test out. After walking the entire venue to check out all of the vendors, it was time to shop! I picked up products from, Eden Body Works, TGIN, Design Essentials, Taliah Waajid, Camille Rose Naturals and obviously I also stocked up on my favorites from ALIKAY NATURALS! And YES, product reviews are coming your way once I test out these babies.

All in all, I had an ahhh-mazing time with Alikay Naturals, and look forward to attending next years show. It’s a beautiful feeling to be in a space with likeminded individuals celebrating natural hair and beauty. To be able to network while learning and exchanging information about natural hair care, health, products and techniques truly is a remarkable thing. If you haven’t been to a hair show, I highly recommend you start with the World Natural Hair Show in Atlanta.

Please enjoy my photo journey of my weekend at the World Natural Hair Show.

Talk Soon. Nuff Love, Natasha ♥

♦ Floral Maxi Dress (MsBlingMiami) ♦ Lipstick (Mac Retro Matte Liquid Lip Colour-Tailored To Tease) ♦

  !function(doc,s,id){ var e, p, cb; if(!doc.getElementById(id)) { e = doc.createElement(s); e.id = id; cb = new Date().getTime().toString(); p = '//shopsensewidget.shopstyle.com/widget-script.js?cb=1493400262043?cb=' + cb; e.src = p; doc.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.ss_shopsense === 'object'){ if(doc.readyState === 'complete'){ window.ss_shopsense.init(); } } }(document, 'script', 'shopsensewidget-script');

How Alikay Gyals Run di Place at the World Natural Hair Show Hey NaturalLeeders! I'm BACK! Well...back from Atlanta! And my goodness, it sure has been an intense week.

[flyingthecoup]

ChitChat: Guest Blog about Shea Moisture on JDB Net

ChitChat: Guest Blog about Shea Moisture on JDB Net

This Post Is From Guest Blogger: Nicole Ntim-Addae This week, Shea Moisture, a company started by Nyema Tubman and Richelieu Dennis, two Liberians almost 25 years ago, expanded their black niche company to compete with larger name brands such as Pantene by featuring non-black women in their adverts. Black women, like with everything major and […]

via Ghanaian Black Girl Speaks On Shea Moisture…

[jayedeblack]

Ghanaian Black Girl Speaks On Shea Moisture Ad Controversial Origins.

Ghanaian Black Girl Speaks On Shea Moisture Ad Controversial Origins.

This Post Is From Guest Blogger: Nicole Ntim-Addae

This week, Shea Moisture, a company started by  Nyema Tubman and Richelieu Dennis, two Liberians almost 25 years ago, expanded their black niche company to compete with larger name brands such as Pantene by featuring non-black women in their adverts. Black women, like with everything major and minor, jumped down the creators of Shea’s throat.

O…

[disastrouslyfabulous]

Quick Skin Care Fixes for Busy Lives

Quick fixes when you don't have a lot of time to do much of anything when it comes to a beauty routine is a market that seems to have really taken off these days. There's no such thing as multi-tasking just multi-failing unless it's simply an inevitable way of doing things. That vicious cycle is one so many of us seem to find ourselves in every day. Whether we like it to not the hamster wheel like tendencies of our daily lives are now the new norm.

It would be heavenly to be able to devote an hour per night to a beauty routine. However, let's face it; the mask and exfoliating scrubs are great for weekends to do them every day is simply unheard of. Beauty rituals should be something to be enjoyed not a chore to get done.

Let's not jump ahead of ourselves either; no cleansers or moisturizers are not the way to go either. The heavy price to pay for worn out, dehydrated neglected skin is far worse than anything high-end makeup counters at Saks could throw your way. Medicated creams and doctor bills will cost more than an arm and a leg. Doesn't all of this make a few extra minutes of showing you face some love not sound so bad?Show a little love.

It's common knowledge that the skin on your face is much more sensitive and prone to breakouts than anywhere else on the body. One of the things that tend to fall through the cracks on busy days is the importance of cleansing. The importance of a night time cleansing routine can't be stressed enough. Lucky for us it is possible to thoroughly clean, remove makeup, unclog pores and moisturizes in just about 5 minutes. The worse thing anyone can do is sleep with makeup on, combined with all the dust and dirt from the rest of the day. It would be akin to putting your face  on a medieval torture rack.Nothing can compare to a full facial treatment. But, who has the time? These products will give your skin a pick me up after a long day and just the right amount of care it needs until the next intensive deep cleaning comes along.Cleansers & Cleansing WaterThese products do the work of multiple odd and ends in one swipe. Some of them I've been using for quite some time, and others are newly discovered little gems:

Ultrabland Facial Cleanser: This is one that I have just started using and can't get over how versatile and gentle it is on my very sensitive skin. The great thing about it is the combination benefits of a facial cleanser and a makeup remover. Not only will all the makeup get washed away, but the daily grime of the day and anything else that tends to clog up the pores. The thick silky texture is amazing, and it washes right off without leaving any oily residue. With the added benefits of beeswax who can beat that? Skin is left soft and not with a dry sand paper feel to it. Thus cutting the time in half. You'll save time and money.

Garnier Micellar Water: For when those days when all you want to do is fall right into bed, this is a definite go to product. It's great for traveling and even those days when getting out of bed is not an option. All you need to do is soak it up in a cotton ball and swipe it across your face and neck. This is truly a time saver because it gets the job done while leaving you feel refreshed and clean. You won't have that tight dry feeling after either, which sometimes is a side effect of drug store cleansing waters.At just $6.96 on Amazon.comit really can't get any better than that.Super Nourishing Lip Balm by Sephora: This is a product that I can't stop raving about. I love the fact that it only needs to be applied twice a day makes it out to be practically a steal. The texture is quite thick without that heavy feeling. You don't really need a lot just a dab about twice a day. It gets thoroughly absorbed giving lips a soft juicy texture.

L'Occitane 100 Percent Pure Shea Butter: This is another product that I've been using for some time now. The benefits of Shea butter are well known. It's a well-known treatment to combat against dry skin, breakouts and irritation. It's really no surprise that the benefits it would have on lips is endless. What better to put on the thinnest skin that undergoes the worst forms of abuse day in and day out. The smooth and thick texture makes this product a winner. Applying just a dab twice a day is all you need. If that wasn't enough the price truly pushes it over the top. At just $12.00 each on Sephora.com does it get better than that? For the benefits of pure Shea butter, this is nothing short of amazing.SerumMeaningful Beauty Wrinkle Soothing Capsules: This is a pretty new discovery of mine, and so far I'm really pleased by the results. It may not be called a serum per say but the benefits and time of day it should be applied certainly qualify it to fall under that category. I like the fact that the capsules take the second guessing out of the amount that has to be used. It leaves a supple smooth feeling that lasts throughout the night. The price is a bit steep at $54.99 on Ulta.com but, with 60 capsules coming in one jar it really isn't that bad. For a two-month supply, this is actually an excellent deal.MoisturizerAveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer: I was a bit apprehensive at first because it is a well-known drug store brand which can usually translate into dryness and irritation. Nevertheless, after using it a few times I was pleasantly surprised. The feeling was light, but hydrating. My skin was bouncy and supple in texture without the greasy residue that tends to develop with other drug store brands moisturizer. The SPF 30 is a big plus. Does it get better than that? Who knew so hidden treasures could be found in drug store brands?No more excusesSo, what are you waiting for? There aren't any excuses now. If waiting 10-15 minutes at Starbucks during the morning, rush for the latest hot or cold caffeine fix is essential to your day? Is it really such a big a deal to take less than five minutes and show your skin some love?

About the guest blogger: Mary Thompson is a writer for.  She covers Politics, Lifestyle, Fashion and Celebrity News.

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