Spinning Brown Skin into Gold

I've gone through my entire day trying to write for the blog but have had serious blogger blockage.  Why? After hours of back and forth with my virtual vs. real life, I've been challenged.  Beauty Blogs: Shallow and Fake?  Well this is a good question and I have come to realize, it's time to get down and dirty.  Why do I do this?  So we can hopefully join hands and work together within this fickle and confusing industry.  Multi-colored women unite!

In the blogosphere, who do I think I am?!  There are so many issues that I've had to deal with on my own that, well, I've been ashamed to admit...until now.  My skin is brown. Some say caramel, but I like how my husband says it, "perfectly brown like I like my coffee," (There. I said it. I'm brown.  He said it. He likes it.). And who was ever there to help?  Not too many.  I mean, even my own mother would continuously tell me to "stay out of the sun so you don't get dark...".  I'm sure she's just  parroting her own european aristocratic atrocities.  I'm sure her mom was just as lovingly harsh.  But let's face it.  If you can't love yourself, you can't love.  And after years of self-loathing, I've realized that I am only fighting to love myself - my brown skin self.  Ridiculous, right?? For one, I'm dark anyway; I'm a Filipino/Guamanian girl for goodness sake!!  Two,  dontchaknow?!  Everyone's down with brown now!  Embrace Mama, Embrace!

And we're finally living in a world where the majority of the world wants a heavenly kiss from the sun.  Sure, it's nice now, but for years, I've been forced to wear Light Girl makeup.  Light peach and pink blush and washed out lip color would accompany my imbalanced "dark golden" pressed powder.  Until about 10 years ago, I've had to mix and match, compromise and sacrifice, fake and make it.  I've looked muddy, disheveled, pale, painted and two-toned (you know, even in the face and neck but not with the body?).  Then along came Halle Berry.  Let's face it ladies, until this empowered woman won an award and impelled everyone to watch her have emotional catharsis on television, the world really did not consider the multi-toned, brown skin girl.  She cried and the world focused on her waterproof mascara and impeccable complexion.  She became the face of  Revlon.  Before this, there was no focus on shades of brown.  There was no giving yellow/olive/brown/black girls much more than a "Tan" consideration in the foundation/powder world.  And I know, I am not alone when I say, "It was pretty f'd up."

How many times have Asians, Latinos, and African queens had to stand in the aisle staring @ our options only to realize that not only do we Not fit into the Golden Beige category, but we have been forced to choose the darkest shade even though it made us look like we played in clay.  In some lines, we have even had to buy, "DARK" even though it may not have been dark enough at times.  Well, now because of women like Halle, like Beyonce, Tyra, Eve and Rhianna, WE HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED.

I suppose there are so many other women who have affected our status, like Oprah, Margaret Cho, Brooke Burke, Lucy Liu and Maya Angelou (hell yes), ETC., ETC., ETC.   BUT in the fashion/beauty world, Grace Jones, Iman, Vanessa Williams, and Naomi Campbell have been the few Brown Goddesses that have even put our needs on the beauty agenda.  But now, there is a LARGE network of women who pride themselves on brown skin.  It is amazing how many colors cosmetic companies have added to their "skin tone" palette.  But even before Halle, there was one cosmetic line in particular who was based on accomodating all skin palettes.  Perscriptives.

Listen, Perscriptives was focused on finding your perfect match, remember?  So here's the skinny my beauties, pale pink to dark blue:  Perscriptives is going OUT OF BUSINESS.  Say what?  Maybe you haven't even gone to their counter except to spritz some CALYX on your wrist, but they were one of the only lines who acknowledged the diversity of skin tone from 1979 til now.  It is an Estee Lauder Company and LISTEN UP BEAUTIES, it is going away for good.  Wanna know how I know?  I've got an insider;)

Yup.  While on my search for the perfect purple eyeliner (shallow as it may seem), I  ran into the most amazing shopgirl who not only led me to the aubergines and the eggplant, she also gave me the skinny.  Her name is Haley.  SHE IS AWESOME.  She's knowledgeable, helpful, and, of course, a fellow beauty.  I suggest you RUN NOT WALK to the Macy's in the Shops At Mission Viejo and find her NOW.  She will get you all the great stuff that's left in inventory and probably lead you to the stuff you can't live without...  But you'd better hurry, the sell outs are insane (Someday in the future, I hope to add her to the list of important beauty bloggers on our list).  So let's say adieu to Perscriptives, a quality line that is soon to not even brag of an online site, and say hello to this BRB network of insider 411.  So let's wrap up this beauty bubbliciousness shall we?  I will address ALL concerns here on this blog.

Labeling beauty research as shallow filler is a type of self-denial, don't you agree?  Beauty should be FUN my Lovely Ladies.  I don't care how rich or poor, young or old, bitchy or savvy you are.  These times are tough my fellow Beauties.  Sometimes a tongue-in-cheek about the perfect concealer that erases your Christmas Party "faux pas" is what we all need to get us through to the next day of work;)  You can come here for respite from judgement and criticism.  You may come here and ask without hesitation.  And together we will get through this crazy life looking F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S.

Stay tuned, beautiful women of all colors, I promise to hold your hand each step of the way along this economically challenged, beauty brand endagered world.   Hang on, it's all about the journey right?;)

Lots of love,
BRB