Shea Gotta Have It

Catania Oils

Summer Soft

Thinking about my Dad and so thankful for the life lessons and memories ♥️ Happy Heavenly Father’s Day.

41 E. City Line Ave. We’re in there…

We have several gifts 🎁 still available. Just give me a call.

$Shealady

Look who is bringing the shea....

New Jersey native launches "The Masked Melanin Market" to revive the economic outlook in Camden During a time when many businesses are struggling to survive, one New Jersey resident is stepping up, to help revive the economic outlook in the city of Camden.

This Program Has Opened 100+ Black-Owned Beauty Supply Stores Beauty Supply Institute helped open more than 100 Black-owned beauty supply stores across America, Canada and the Caribbean islands.

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Sign the Petition Renew the Contract of Dr. Brenda A. Allen, ‘81 for President of Lincoln University, PA

Zooming While Black Videoconferencing from our private spaces opens a lens on cultural authenticity, professional image, workplace code-switching and white privilege.

Let’s face it. COVID-19 forced us into a lifestyle that we were not prepared for. The first week it was a novelty.

We were drilled into the “new now”, including rigorous hand washing instructions. And I discovered no amount of shea butter would keep my hands moisturized, especially when I’m scrubbing all the way down to my DNA twenty times a day.

By week two, we were using terms like social distancing and PPEs. Travel plans were disappearing like the woman’s edges wearing a cheap lace front. Going to the store had morphed into practically putting on a hazmat suit, complete with mask and gloves, but we got to do some of the things on our to-do list like cleaning out the junk drawer and reorganizing the closet…but now what?

Week three, we’re getting weary of the confinement, broken nails and unkempt hair. Family members and roommates are giving each other the side eye. Even pets wanted their owners to go back to work. However, for single people, like myself, quarantine is different. Not worse, just different. I don’t need a Costco crate of toilet paper. And I can only eat so much lettuce, avocados or tomatoes in a week before they spoil. When my phone beeps, I’m excited. I anticipate a friendly voice on the line, but half the time it’s telemarketers…and I’m having a conversation with them. DAMN! I’m at home alone with too many paper towels, some wilted lettuce and no one to talk to.

Last week, after eating, sleeping, eating, watching the news, checking social media, I ventured into the living room. I stared out the window and there was an eerie stillness. Trees, but no subtle breeze in the leaves. Cars parked, draped in pollen, evidence that they hadn’t moved in days. No movement, just an awful quiet. And there in the corner of my eye, I saw it.

A ladybug crawling on my wall.

“Hey, ladybug! Where you going?”

It stopped suddenly, as if it heard me. I assumed it did.

Let me say, that I am not a bug person of any kind. Under any other circumstances, this ladybug would have been met with a quick demise. However, I was happy to see something moving in my house other than me. I walked right up to it, social distancing be damned.

“Where’d you come from?"

The ladybug picked up its pace and went from the wall to the floor towards the sofa. I immediately sat on the couch so we could chat.

"You been traveling long? Are you a ladybug or a manbug? Why are some ladybugs red, but others are yellow? Are there any other colors?"

It avoided my foot and moved towards the vent. Guess I was getting too personal. I leaped from the sofa and used my foot to block the ladybug.

“Don’t go.”

“Do you think it’ll be a long, hot summer?”

And either, recognizing eminent danger or my craziness, the ladybug flew into the vent.

“Oh, is that what we’re doing? We’re flying now? Okay, be like that.”

I checked my Fitbit. It was three in the afternoon. I had taken 942 steps all day and had a five-minute conversation with a ladybug. I thought to myself, if this is what solo quarantine life is gonna be like, I ain’t gonna make it. As bizarre as it was, talking to the ladybug brought me some solace.

The next day I was going through yet another unfinished project in my basement and came across the beautiful, brown teddy bear that the late Gerald Levert gave me during one of his concerts. This was a special one because it sported a blinged out letter “G” around the neck. I immediately brought him upstairs on the living room sofa and called him “Gee”.

“Gee” is like my Wilson to Tom Hanks in Castaway. I greet “Gee” with a good morning in the a.m. I share frustrations, congratulations (like when I reorganized my DVDs) and sadness. Gee isn’t much of a coffee drinker, but I offer. Before I retire in the evening, I end it with “Night, Gee.” I find his presence comforting.

The other day when I put on my jeans, I noticed my muffin top was beginning to look like a bakery.

“Gee, do you think I’m gaining weight?”

Nothing! Silence! He just sat on the sofa staring at me as if to say, “I’m not falling into that trap.”

A few nights ago, I participated in my first ZOOM meeting. It was an informal gathering of previous Fantastic Voyagers getting together to reconnect. I brought Gee. He got along with everyone. We had a great time having cocktails and listening to music. When I got up the next day, Gee was face down on the sofa with his sunglasses hanging off one ear and his chain was on backwards. I don’t know if he binge-watched Tiger King, dipped into my Patron, or had a ZOOM of his own.

Gee is looking like his old self again. He’s sitting straight up on the couch, glasses in place. I don’t know if I’ll ever find out what happened that night, like they say, some things are better left unsaid. However, Easter is this weekend. I haven’t asked Gee if he plans to attend virtual service this Sunday, but if so, we’re gonna have to find his pants. We’re gonna make it through this.

💰💰💰

5 Things Madam C.J. Walker Can Teach You About Your Finances These money moves from the famed millionaire can help you work toward wealth today.

Easy as ever... Everyone can make, use and reuse!

No-Sew Pleated Face Mask with Handkerchief and Hair Tie Make a reusable, pleated face mask under 2 minutes. No sewing required.

Six Easy Ways to Turn Your Bathroom Into a Spa
Boost relaxation with these at-home tips and tricks straight from the pros.

When the line between your office and home becomes blurry—and the news cycle gets endlessly more distressing—unwinding at the end of the day can seem impossible. It's more vital than ever, though, to manage stress through self-care and relaxation. We turned to the experts to share easy tips and tricks to creating a spa-like setting in your own home, because we all deserve a few moments of care-free pampering.

BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT
It may seem fairly obvious, but creating a calming atmosphere is the first step in building your at-home spa. “It is important to take into consideration the light, the music, the scent–every component that will create that unique relaxing experience,” explains Silvia Barnett, the head of marketing and PR of AIRE Ancient Baths in New York City and Chicago. “We focus on a five-sense approach. Light several candles, use bath salts of your choice, and play soft music.” Soak in a mix of epsom salt, baking soda, chamomile tea, and rosemary, which calms stressed skin. Pick a spa music station on Spotify or Apple Music, then soak undistracted for as long as you can.

WHIP UP A FACE MASK
Just the act of throwing on a mask, whether it be a sheet iteration or detoxifying clay one, will put you in spa-mode. For a DIY-version, Joanna Vargas, celebrity facialist and founder of Joanna Vargas Salons and Skin Care, recommends mixing equal parts yogurt and avocado with ¼ tbsp. of honey. “The yogurt is an anti-inflammatory with a lactic acid component, avocado has lots of B vitamins and fatty acids, so it’s essential to keep the skin hydrated in dry weather, and the honey amps up hydration,” says Vargas. For bonus points, rest cucumbers or cooled chamomile tea bags on your eyelids while the mask works its magic.

'Trill League': Black Superhero Series Produced By 50 Cent In Development At This Streaming Service 50 Cent, aka Curtis Jackson, is back in the producer's...

Black Women and The Fight For the Right to Vote Despite the passage of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote, black women still had to fight. These suffragists kept the fight going.

Head Wrap Queens: We Wear the Crown! Tie one on for protection, pride, protest or prayer. This timeless textile art elevates our incomparable beauty. A celebration. Plus: Style tips, festivals and more.

Herbalism :: Introduction & Medicine Making Course Take charge of your health by learning to use herbal medicine that you make yourself. It's easy, effective and safe.

A must!

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With soap dawg!

www.cdc.gov

Creative Momista

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