Dear Fashion Fair…, An Open Letter

Dear Fashion Fair, When are you gonna step up to the plate and be the black version of Estée Lauder, LVMH, or better yet the beauty industry’s answer to “Wakanda”? It is the last day of Black History Month, and while I have spent months thinking long and hard about the importance of having moreContinue reading “Dear Fashion Fair…, An Open Letter”

Planet of the Apps/ How Big Beauty Brands Can Level Up

Alright so I’ve written about how on-demand beauty apps are about to change the world of beauty as we know it, and I have not talked about how large beauty brands can retain clients during the disruption. The answer is super simple!! All major beauty brands that have stores and counters need to do isContinue reading “Planet of the Apps/ How Big Beauty Brands Can Level Up”

Planet of the Apps/A Retailers Worst Nightmare 

With on demand beauty apps popping up in the already super saturated beauty industry, retailers will have yet another force to reckon with. “What we think is never going to stop is the acceleration of the adoption of technology” says Shiseido’s global chief digital officer Alessio Rossi, and I could not agree more!  The truthContinue reading “Planet of the Apps/A Retailers Worst Nightmare “

To like or not to like that is the question 

One of the reasons I write this blog is to discuss topics that nobody else wants to discuss out loud, with people other than their friends and folks they trust. The problem with staying quiet about the politics behind liking someone’s posts on social media can be life changing career wise so I’ll take oneContinue reading “To like or not to like that is the question “

Can You Beat a Face or Nah?Should there be a platform put in place to hold artists accountable for poor artistry?

When I went to college, I chose to audition to become a dance major.  It was a decision that I made based on my talent and drive.  I thought I was a pretty good dancer, and once I was excepted into the dance program, what I thought about my talent was challenged in every singleContinue reading “Can You Beat a Face or Nah?Should there be a platform put in place to hold artists accountable for poor artistry?”

The National/International Makeup Artist, Does anyone still care about them?

In todays “What I Think Wednesday“, I want to delve into an idea that has puzzled me for quite some time.  I have had the opportunity to work for several major department store brands, and have observed “national/international” artists that work for those brands and wondered whether those roles are still relevant in this dayContinue reading “The National/International Makeup Artist, Does anyone still care about them?”

What I Think Wednesday:Nigerian Weddings and the Nigerian Economy: Can one save the other?

In 2005 I moved to DC to go to grad school for African studies at Howard University.  In the two years of course work, one of the things that I remember vividly are all of my professors, i repeat all of my professors who happened to each be from a country in Africa saying thatContinue reading “What I Think Wednesday:Nigerian Weddings and the Nigerian Economy: Can one save the other?”

What I Think Wednesday:Gifts With Purchase, Do Black Lives Matter?

Given everything that has happened in the last week, well past 300 years, my heart is pretty heavy.  The only way to be triumphant in anything is to keep pressing.  Since my blog is called “Make up in Black and White” and addresses gender, class, and race as those topics apply to the vast worldContinue reading “What I Think Wednesday:Gifts With Purchase, Do Black Lives Matter?”

What I Think Wednesday: Trish McEvoy and her Credit Card Palettes

I have spent a ton of time talking to my peers in the makeup world about cosmetic companies and what I think they can do better in terms of training, product development, hiring, social media, etc… Finally I realized that talking to my peers is pointless.  I also realize that talking to company executives canContinue reading “What I Think Wednesday: Trish McEvoy and her Credit Card Palettes”

Cheap Brands that Copy Cat: Can higher end brands survive?

   I went on Elf’s website today and was confused for a minute. I had to make sure I typed in the right cosmetics company because I was staring at what seemed to be Nudestix products on the Elf website! Then I realized that it had happened again! Lol a popular drugstore brand had producedContinue reading “Cheap Brands that Copy Cat: Can higher end brands survive?”