Don’t you hate when you’re getting your nails done and can’t figure out what shade you should pick? I always try to figure out what events I have coming up and corresponding outfits I’m going to wear. I don’t want to get bright pink nails if I have an interview. What if there is a wedding? Blue nails don’t usually go with an off white summer dress. Until recently, I usually resorted to a neutral pink color or getting french tips just to be safe (so typical). Now days, I follow what colors seem to be “in” at the moment. You can’t go wrong with a nail color that swarming around Hollywood and appears in every magazine. It’s almost summer-That means fun in the sun, flip flops, and most importantly, pedis! For those of you who are about to get your nails done and trying to figure out what color you should go with, here are my 3 go-to nail colors for the summer:

PLAY IT SAFE: HIGH-GLOSS NUDES

1.ESSIE SAND TROPEZ 2. FOREVER 21 TANTALIZING TAUPE

Having high gloss(make sure it is high gloss to ensure it stands out) nude nails is a great way to add just the right about of pop to your hands. It gives off a subtle yet fresh look to your nails and can be worn with relatively anything!

HAVING A LITTLE FUN: LUSCIOUS LAVENDER

1. OPI LUCKY LUCKY LAVENDER 2.ESTEE LAUDER PURE COLOR VIOLET DIVA

What’s great about lavender is that it’s a fun color that looks great on relatively ANY shade of skin! I love how this shade looks on me (very tan) and on my bff (pale). Lavender has been recently worn by many young celebs such as Whitney Port, Lauren Conrad, and Michelle Trachtenberg.

BEING BOLD: CRACKLE FUN

1. OPI BLACK SHATTER 2. CHINA BLAZE BLACK MESH

The idea of crackle nail polish is so fun and different from anything that’s been around! For those who don’t know what it is, it’s apart of the latest trend of topcoat nail polishes that can be worn over any shade. The topcoat breaks apart and makes the bottom coat visible through the cracks. You can have any shade from metallic colors(silver or gold) shine through or matte ones (pink, blue, green-get daring!). This trend is SO hot right now that some retailers (such as ULTA) are only allowing one bottle to be purchased at a time by customers. Go get yours while you can!

What’s YOUR go-to nail color for the summer?

Deepica Mutyala is the founder of skinDeep an online resource for all things make-up. As a fellow Brown Girl, Deepica explores the wide world of makeup to give you some great tips on how to create an even more beautiful you.

Read more of Deepica’s tips at http://skinDEEPblog.tumblr.com. You can also follow skinDEEP on Twitter: @skinDEEPblog  and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/skinDEEPblog.

Deepica Mutyala is the founder of skinDeep an online resource for all things make-up. As a fellow Brown Girl, Deepica explores the wide world of makeup to give you some great tips on how to create an even more beautiful you.

by Deepica Mutyala – Guest Contributor

I’m a makeup aficionado who loves helping others achieve their perfect look. I’m passionate about beauty and the way it makes women feel. I experiment with new shades, brands, and products to figure out what works best and share my results with my readers. Interning in NYC for L’Oreal reaffirmed my passion for cosmetics. I want my blog to provide everything readers need to know about beauty including cosmetic advice, fashion tips, makeup dos and don’ts, and the hottest trends. SkinDEEP has all the information you ever wanted, all your questions answered, and advice on how to get that flawless look!

Be sure to check out the “ASK” link on my blog for all your questions/ comments and I will answer them as quickly as I can! Here’s a little blurb from my post on red lipstick.

Red Lips – Is It For You?

I know everyone sees all the celebs wearing the cherry red lipstick and wants to try it out but scared to because it is SO bold. I personally think it’s a great look! It’s different, fun, and daring. I feel like red lips are all about confidence. If you believe you look good in it, everyone else will too. That being said, BOYS HATE IT! I don’t know if its too different for them or they just don’t understand fashion, but I have yet to meet a guy who actually thinks red lips looks good on anyone that isn’t on a runway. My two personal favorite red lips are below:

Personal Favorite 1: YSL Rouge Pur Couture

Personal Favorite 2: Bobbi Brown Vixen Red

My advice is that if you are doing red lips for a date or before dinner/ drinks, carry the lipstick with you throughout the night! Although these shades are HIGHLY pigmented (when I say highly, I mean HIGHLY), it’s never a good look when your lip color fades. The purpose of red lips is to be BOLD, so to maintain that look throughout the night, make sure to throw your lipstick in your clutch.

Read more of Deepica’s tips at http://skinDEEPblog.tumblr.com. You can also follow skinDEEP on Twitter: @skinDEEPblog  and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/skinDEEPblog.

Not gonna lie, I have been told, on more than one occasion, that I am beautiful.  This is always instantly backed up with a “You’re so exotic!”

…

Uh, mood-ruiner much?

Why is it that South Asians, and South Asian girls in particular, are complimented through a telescope like this?  Are we only attractive because we have browner skin, bigger eyes, and darker hair than our Caucasian peers?  That does not seem quite right. For a country boasting a series of global pageant winners and Anchal Josephs from cycle 7 of ANTM, I must say we got it going on.  I do not think for a second that the Miss Universe judging panel gave Sushmita Sen or Lara Dutta their respective crowns just because they have gorgeous coffee-colored skin.  It has to be that our collective beauty transcends our immediate “exotic” looks.  Otherwise, these awards and recognitions are worth nothing – they would be like a handout or a pat on the back for existing.  South Asian beauty should not be seen as simply exotic; that reduces it.  Every country has gorgeous women with ethnic looks, but that does not mean that is where their physical beauty ends.

I am not necessarily talking about typecasting our favorite South Asian actresses, because that’s a double-edged sword.  I mean, it is both commendable for a South Asian actress to be part of mostly white cast, and yet it is strangely ignorant for a character of obvious South Asian descent to have a highly Westernized name and back-story, think Rebecca Logan from Greek, played by Dilshad Vadsaria.  In this case she was not cast the role based on her skin color, but rather her unquestionable good looks.  At the same time, it does get tiring to see gorgeous girls like Freida Pinto constantly sequestered into purely “brown” roles (apparently she is set to play an Arabian princess in her next movie… seriously, Hollywood?).  I think, in the long run, it hampers progress to limit attractive brown actresses to either only attractive, yet color-blind, roles or to simply typecasted roles.  It is a difficult line to toe, and I am fully aware that qualms about color will rarely be fully alleviated in the movie industry, but it would be nice if they would at least try to do us brown girls justice.

And to bring it back to the awkward elephant in the room, “brown fetish” bothers me so much.  For those who say they love brown girls, or, rather, for those who say we are “exotic,” I have to wonder where they picked up that word.  I feel like I should have heard it more on the Discovery Channel than I should have when describing a person.  It is a silly word used to put rain forests, bright colors, dark skin, and toucans all in a neat, pretty box tied with a neat, pretty ribbon.  It does nothing to get at the inner beauty that Western society loves to place on a pedestal.  And it almost sounds demeaning as though we of the almond eyes and golden skin are something out of an encyclopedia rather than present in every nook and cranny of American life.  So, to say you love brown girls, and you love how exotic they are, is to dismiss all of it – the history, the culture, the sizzling good looks – with a dumb phrase.

South Asians are gorgeous.  It is a fact.  But that does not mean the simple label of  “exotic” is gonna fly.  South Asia is not a fetish for our paler-skinned peers.  This is a culture extending back thousands of years and a culture that encompasses the world with its diasporas.  It is over a billion strong, so take back that “You’re so exotic!”  This is pure, all-natural, coffee-colored, tragically progressive beauty.  There ain’t nothing type-castable about it.

This lady knows what I’m talking about:

Some might think the trade off for having the ‘smart South Asian gene’ is a hairy face and body. During our teenage years, most of us struggled and fussed with the rapid amount of hair growth on our faces and bodies. We all knew it was coming for us -the humiliation of wearing gym shorts and short-sleeve t-shirts.  The more hair grew, the more we fought with our parents to shave it off, and the more they resisted the monumental step in letting us cut away from our identities.  

Hair can do a lot to a girl or boy growing up. A unibrow on either sex can literally make you the outcast of the high school for all four years. And hairy legs can keep you from being chosen to play on the soccer team during gym class. Hairy armpits during the summer can stray any invitations away from the midnight house parties.

But, if you hand a South Asian girl a razor, thread, wax, and tweezers, it will only take a few minutes to feel her real inner beauty shine. I grew up with quite a hairy situation, and it wasn’t a cute one either. I have now found all the ins and outs to keeping myself groomed, and my unibrow has been left in the dark past.

 In order to maintain your eyebrows, obviously, the best solution is to thread them clean and into a shape that defines your face. My best advice, even if you know how to thread, is let the professionals thread your eyebrows. Threading allows you to remove even the tiniest and finest hair. If needed, thread your forehead as well.

 I am guilty of tweezing my eyebrows because mine grow in frequently, but I only tweeze them by looking into a magnifying mirror. The magnifying mirror helps me to quickly and carefully pull out individual hairs from the root. Don’t rush while tweezing, and make sure to hold the skin above the eyebrow with one hand for a better pull.

To cope with upper lip and chin hair, first get it waxed at the salon, and then the professional will go over it with a quick thread. And if needed, wax your neck. Waxing will reduce the growth over time. If you want to groom yourself at home because you see a few stray hairs, I suggest tweezing them or using wax strips. I am obsessed with NAD’S Facial Wax strips because it is great for sensitive and delicate areas. It leaves very little wax residue after the pull, and if you pull right, you can easily get even the thickest hair out. Just read the directions and use the cleansing wipes after to sooth the skin. You can easily find it at any drug store for about $8-$11.

In my opinion, it is never a good idea to thread, shave or wax the entire face because you would have to do it on a regular day basis. It will stretch your skin and can cause wrinkles at an earlier age.

Instead of getting rid of all the hair on your face, I suggest bleaching. Some girls prefer to get the thickest portions of their sideburns waxed, especially below the ear and into the neckline. Try to leave a natural sideburn and then bleach your face. Make sure to see a professional if you are confused on how long to keep the bleach on your skin because it can easily cause a rash or irritation. I usually pay the salon a visit every month for face-bleach plus a cold pack mask afterwards to rejuvenate my face. And if I ever spot few strands of dark hair on my face, I prefer to use the face-bleach JOLEN Cream Bleach. It’s great for last minute touch-ups and also very affordable. You can find it at any drug store for about $5-$7. Make sure to keep a time check when lightening your facial hair at home because you wouldn’t want to stand out even more with blonde facial hair on a dark tanned face. After you complete the cream bleach process, gently wash your face with a face wash and/or pamper yourself with a face pack.

I have kept my facial grooming sessions under a strict regime, and it is only after years of weekly salon trips that I have notices less growth on my face. And girls, please do keep in mind how important it is to keep your skin healthy by drinking lots of water and eating fruits/vegetables. Also, I can’t stress enough: washing your face at least twice a day should be a habit, not a chore.

 Remember, beauty is only skin deep, so make sure to carry it inside as well.

Photo from tempe.com

By default, most Indians around the world associate Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as the brand ambassador to Bollywood. And thus, she becomes the face for Indian women all over. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with her representation in terms of her grace and stature, it would be unfair to equate every Indian woman with Aishwarya. What’s more, is that quite honestly, the country is filled with ladies who could easily be bestowed with this title and would probably do innate justice to it; more so than Ash. As a country whose democracy has been challenged numerous times, it has still managed to house woman who have sat on the Prime Minister chair, been to space and even won the Nobel Peace Prize. So it is really fair to associate sheer beauty with representation? It’s almost as though nothing else matters. Morals, tradition, culture and intellect; all these qualities are simply thrown out the window simply because XYZ exhibits Indian exquisiteness. But the modern Indian woman is much more than that.

There is a reason as to why Aishwarya Rai Bachchan lost out to Sushmita Sen with the latter becoming Miss Universe while the prior took on the Miss World crown. While Ash may be beautiful, Sush is ten steps ahead of her in the intellect arena. In fact, when it comes to public speaking, Sen is known for being honest, forthright and incredibly candid. That cannot be said about Ash unfortunately who chooses to hide behind her diplomacy and giggles. Granted as an actress Sen has seen little success but on a humanities level, the ex-Miss Universe is regarded as one of the most giving and compassionate Indian women in the subcontinent. After adopting a baby girl in her mid-twenties, she went on this year to become a mother again after she adopted another child. Her contribution to society is often perceived as selfless. But besides being benevolent and beautiful, it is her magnetic personality that has people flocking to her. And this is pertaining to every issue she associates herself with. Whether she is out and about talking about a film or an organization she has chosen to add her name too, her choice of words often has the media asking for more. Educated and in tune with international affairs, there is never really a moment the actress is stumped for words. She represents the New Age Indian woman.

If not Sush, then how about Shabana Azmi. The veteran actress who is shies from the media is well known in both acting and political fields; yet again, a woman often shocks as she mixes her modern and traditional thoughts. Meshed together, she has created a persona for herself that can hardly be imitated. On a global platform, she never fails to mesmerize audiences convincing them that India is a country to truly watch out for as she just out numbers and pieces of information that is truly ravishing. Beautiful needless to say, Azmi knows her poets from shayars and speaks with a great amount of dignity. While her statements may get her into trouble, she always manages to swim away from them looking yet again like the hero(ine) that she is. Women like Shabana Azmi tell the world that despite the global influence on India, the country still houses the same traditions that existed years ago.

Kiran Bedi, India’s Top Cop, as she is known, is a foreign name abroad sadly. At 61 she stands tall as she aims to create a safer India through her organization, Safer India. After retiring from the Indian Police Service, she realized the need to form Safer India when many complaints that were lodged by locals were simply ignored. But her accomplishments post her stint as a police officer has found her more accolades than ever. In the past, many of her antics have put her in the news which she would simply call, “doing her job”. Her fearless attitude and willingness to bring change to the Indian society has been saluted. Even now, she feels her work is not done and her service to the country is still pending.

Three out of hundreds of women who would and could represent the country more effectively and correctly abroad. And besides being beautiful, they inhibit much more. As a rising nation, it is important for the world to realize and recognize that there is more to the Indian woman than simply being beautiful. The modern day Indian woman is contemporary and yet orthodox, intelligent and fearless, sacrificial with reason and yet, independent. And yes, she is beautiful.

Fall is all about that FUNK!

One of the first things people notice about someone is their eyes. Look at the mirror right now, what does your eye look say about you?

I spent the day at Sephora trying on some fun and funky looks and found out that this season its all about color. The best part about being a Brown Girl is that we really can pull off funky colors, believe it or not! Fun young colors can give other people better insight into your personality. Break away from those boring neutral tones that we use everyday and make a statement. Don’t be afraid to stand out and express yourself through makeup. Try these looks for a fun night out on the town:

Mellow Yellow

Lighter colors around the eyes emphasize those areas. So if you are trying to make your eyes pop this is the look for you. The green set into the crease gives the shadow effect that everyone tries for, this look uses the same techniques as the normal night look but it uses COLOR instead! The most important part of this look is the mascara, light feathery strokes for application creates fluttery lashes while using less product.

Plum Power

Purple is probably the most versatile color out there, since it is made from warm and cool tones. It compliments every skin tone. Just make sure to use a matte color for the crease in order to create just the perfect shadow. Why not go out for a night on the town with the girls in this look?

Starchild Odyssey-Tarina Tarantino

This look screams funk, with its use of silver, teal, blue, and crèmes. It uses the shadows from the Tarina Tarantino line at Sephora. The silver in the corners, gives a more feminine appearance to the face, while the teal gives it a rocker finish.

Beauty Diaries: Eyeliner

by Reshma Jae – Georgia State University

I’ve recently started experimenting more with the way I put on eyeliner, I know, I know. I was shocked as well when I found out that their is a different way to put on eyeliner like our mothers favorite soap opera stars.

It’s like a whole new world has opened up for me, a wonderful world of shapes, lines, brands and dare I say it COLOR! Of course as with any makeup trend or style, you’ll have to adjust each look to your own shape or eyeline but use this as a general guideline.

The Natural

This is my personal favorite everyday go to look. As young professionals, it’s difficult to wear heaps of makeup and be taken seriously which is why the ‘natrual look’ is emphasized to much today. People want to look fresh, clean, and like they’re wearing no makeup at all.

With this look take a pencil that most closely matches your eye and hair color (generally black, dark brown, or a medium brown). Use the sharpened pencil to trace the top center of your eye and the bottom center, avoid the inner and outer corners of your eye. By doing this your eyes look awake and more open without looking like you have any makeup on.

The Flirt

We all want to accentuate our eyes without looking like we’re batting our clumpy mascara ridden eyelashes, but sometimes we tend to think more is more. Ladies, say it with me, LESS is MORE.

Use a gel eyeliner or a felt pen in  dark brown for this look and draw a thin line on the top and bottom of your eyes. The key here is to follow your natural line and not to exude your creative skills at this moment in time. Then use a dark brown mascara and put one coat on only the top of your eye. This way it keeps the focus on your eyes and not on the big black frame around them!

The Film Star

Now it’s time to release your inner Madhuri Dixit here! You knew it was coming, the time for you to use that big tube of jet black kajol. This is a great evening look especially if you pull your hair back and want to keep the attention on your glowing face.

Start by using your black eye pencil and tracing the upper and lower lids of your eye staying away from the inner corner (TIP: Putting eyeliner on the inner corner of your eyes tends to smear so be careful). Use your liquid eyeliner brush, gel eyeliner, or felt tip pencil and line your eye exactly where you drew with the pencil. Then once that has dried, go back and make the line slightly thicker one round at a time until satisfied. Then use jet black lengthening mascara, put two layers of mascara on your top and bottom lashes.

Then prepare your sari for your film debut in the mountains!

The Exotic

It’s hard to believe that with our skin tone we’d be able to mix and match various colors on our eyes. But behold it’s time! We wear such bright saris, jewelry, and bangles we should be the first ones to wear color on our eyes.

It’s time ladies…

Pick three colors, one being black or brown for your mascara unless you’d be so bold as to venture out on that front as well. Start by putting on your colored eyeliner by tracing your top and bottom eye line (don’t forget to avoid your inner eye). Then put on your eyeshadow as usual. I suggest wearing a transparent white in the corner and top highlight of your eye then a gold base all over the lid. Finish off by putting your daring color (in this case aqua) on the outsides of your eyes and blend in wards.

Next put on eyeliner again to recover whatever was covered up by your stunning eyeshadow. I would stick with keeping it remotely thin because the color itself will make a statement, no need to look like a 14 year old girl. Then use a mascara color of your choice and carefully put on two layers of mascara on your top and bottom lashes. Make sure that with this look you maintain each color distinctively and that they don’t blend but work together.

Good luck and let me know if you have any other eyeliner tips to share below!

BG had the privilege of getting to know Sarah Ali, an entrepreneur with a very creative soul. She has taken her love for make up, mixed it with her background in psychology, and transformed it into a beautiful studio, called (what else?) The Transformation Studio.

Located in Sugarland, TX, the Transformation Studio aims to be a wellness center and beauty spa that focuses on inner and outer beauty, a healthy lifestyle, positive self image and reaching one’s full potential. At her studio, Sarah provides world class services such as makeup application and professional makeup courses. In addition to world class spa services and photography, Sarah provides personal growth workshops and seminars, as well as counseling.

Sarah is definitely one smart, hip, beautiful brown girl!

BG: Please tell us a little bit about your background:

Sarah: I am Indian-Pakistani Muslim American. I’m not a confused ABCD. I am extremely comfortable in being brown and American and I really do enjoy both cultures equally.  I am a licensed professional counselor, Hollywood trained makeup artist and photographer. I have a bachelors in Psych and a masters in Counseling Psychology. I started my own wellness and beauty center, The Transformation Studio Jan 09. I started Transformations Makeup Academy, the 1st makeup school in Texas in July 09, and own makeup line, Chamak Makeup, in Jan 10.

BG: Where did you grow up?

Sarah: I was born in NY, lived in South Korea for ten years and then moved to Houston.

BG: How did you first get started in the world of make-up?

Sarah: It all started in high school when my sister’s best friend had a disaster and called me on her wedding day. From there on I was hooked because I was able to work with people and use my personality to put them at ease, make them feel special and connect with others. It never stopped! Then while in school I started working at the department stores for Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, M.A.C., and then  was the regional artist for Texas for CK Beauty.

BG: Where did you get your inspiration for the transformation studio?

Sarah: I started researching wellness centers and med spas and saw that there was scope in that area. I already knew that the beauty industry and makeup industry was booming. I felt that psychotherapy and counseling was something more people should be exposed to. I thought about blending these separate entities together. I also wanted to add the world inspired angle because of my respect and fascination with the different cultures in the world. My vision was a warm inviting center for beauty, wellness, and health, for beauty that is inside and out.

BG: Was this a joint venture, or was it all you?

Sarah: While this is my brainchild, it definitely is a family business, along with investing all of my savings, I also have the financial, emotional and physical support and backing of my parents. My father is a civil engineer and my mom works for a school district but they both help out after work and weekends whenever I need them.

BG: Tell us a about your make-up products (Chamak).

Chamak Makeup (www.chamakmakeup.com) is a line that I created to celebrate the South Asian culture with vivid and rich colors that actually show up on our skin. I wanted to showcase our heritage with the product logo, packaging and names. It took a very long time to come up with the themes for each product and shade name. I had so much fun coming up with the concepts and got names from listening to Hindi film songs, researching English-Urdu websites, and badgering my parents, uncles, and aunties and grandmother.

The colors that every Desi girl would complain about not being able to find were deep golds, bronzes, coppers, silver,  maroon, dark green, and dark blue eye shadows both pressed and loose. I knew I had to fill this niche and offer them. Finely milled glitters in Desi friendly colors were also nonexistent or if available were too expensive. That was another item I knew Chamak would need to offer.

As predicted, those were the items that our customers instantly fell in love with.  Among several products we also feature liquid foundation, concealer, powder, lipstick, lip-gloss, lip liner & crème blushes. Each and every product was hand selected by me and I use them on clients on a day to day basis along with the professional studio lines I carry at the studio. The mineral lipsticks have also done well with the crowd, but I’m very excited to introduce a custom blend lipstick and matte foundation very soon. When customers come in to our Chamak display room, we help them shop for exactly what they are looking for, and especially help with foundation/powder selection, record  purchases in their client history, and create a face chart for them to take home and practice new looks. My goal is to make makeup fun for Desi’s or any woman of color and to demystify makeup for the everyday woman.

BG: What are some of your favorite products and why?

Sarah: It is hard to answer this question. I took a year to pick out each product and shades for my line and all of the products are favorites. Though, in particular, I am obsessed with our Dhoom Powders because they are pulverized glitter blended into loose powder, and look like diamond dust, absolutely gorgeous! I also really like the foundations, concealers, and powders, because most clients start there. It took a long time to find a manufacturer that made mineral face products that had a texture that I liked, had the proper shades, and had enough coverage. Also, I like the Lashkara Face Shimmers because they are the perfect amount of shimmer for the face.

BG: Where can people purchase your products?

Sarah: Currently Chamak can be purchased at the studio or online at www.chamakmakeup.com.

BG: What other services do you provide at the Transformation Studio?

Sarah: The studio is a one stop shop offering makeup services, I teach pro makeup classes (we have the 1^st makeup school in Texas), salon/spa/massage by appointment, services using natural products, world dance fitness classes, portrait photography, private events, and personal growth (counseling, naturopathic medicine & life coaching).

BG: Can you tell us about your “Personal Growth” and Make-Up Workshop offerings?

Sarah: Personal growth includes counseling, naturopathic medical appointments, life coaching, image consulting, and nutritional/fitness coaching. We have a charm school workshop aimed at young girls in middle and high school.

Our makeup workshops are made for people who want to learn makeup tricks. People schedule their 2 hour workshop with us, there is a minimum of four in a group and they pick what lesson they want to learn. Lessons can be everyday makeup, smokey eyes, evening makeup or just a beauty update. Our workshops range from $50 to $75 and include product kits. We have several options and our classes are taught in our Hollywood makeup lounge on the 2^nd floor. The classes are affordable, interactive, and informative.

BG: What have been some of your best moments since you started Transformation Studio and Chamak?

Sarah: TTS moments: Reading positive reviews on Citysearch, I get misty eyed at some of them! There are times that clients come in to book a service or come by for a simple tour but stay for over an hour just hanging out because they like the ambience and our staff. When clients become friends, add me on Facebook, start hanging out, invite me to their graduation parties, and weddings.

Chamak moments: At parties, when people ask me what shades I have on, and then show up to the studio. When moms steal their daughters Chamak and the girl brings the mom in next time for Mummy Ji to get her own stash! Makeup students returned their Urban Decay eye primer and bought my Kora Kaghas eye primer after using it in class. Friends bust out with a Chamak lipstick in front of their friends at parties and all the girls ask what product it is… surreal!

BG: Where do you hope to see these endeavors go in the future?

Sarah: My next goal is to start a you tube channel online talk show with tips on wellness, health, beauty & life skills. I hope I can throw some comedy sketches, makeup how to’s, bhangra/yoga clips in there.

If I can make and save enough money,  I would love to partner with charitable organizations and create a South Asian women’s shelter that was stylish and where we could transform lives of women in need.

Also, if my business becomes established and I actually make some money, I might open another branch of The Transformation Studio. I hope that I can build up Chamak Makeup and eventually open up a few retail accounts at South Asian salons around the country.

BG: If there is one piece of advice you would give brown girls about make-up, what would it be?

Sarah: Wear powder/foundation that is your color and blend it well, go past your chin and blend it into the neck!! Set your liquid foundation with a loose translucent powder.

Don’t keep patting more powder on top, use blotting paper instead. Less is more with this stuff, let your natural skin show. Be proud of your skin color and your ethnicity.

Check out more about the Transformation Studio and Chamak Makeup at www.thetransformationstudio.com.

It’s too often that our own genes ruin our lives. Ask me – I know. I’m 5 feet tall because my 5’4 father and 5’3 mother decided to have me. My giant nose sits on my face because my grandmother’s genes decided it liked my face, and then my infamous crazy, uncontrollable curly hair from my father’s side decided to make it’s way all the way down to my specific head. This is was the hair that was carefully oiled and braided when I was younger, and constrained in ponytails and buns when I was older. It was made fun of all throughout middleschool and highschool and called many different names – medusa’s hair, bird’s nest – name it and it’s been said.

We, brown girls are familiar with having this… strange hair. Especially us extra brown ones that come from South India, Sri Lanka. Too often have I bonded with cousins over our mutually gravity-defying locks. And over the years, I can say that I’ve tried everything – from straightening to rebonding, to thinning to cutting, to hair sprays and hair gels to expensive treatments I didn’t quite understand myself…and nothing has worked. It took a long time and lots of trail and error, before I figured out how to take care of my hair and how to make it work for me and my personality. And it’s my only my duty as a fellow brown girl who has got it figured out (…sort of) to help those in need, I hope to impart some of this acquired wisdom to you folks and point you in the direction of some more wisdom on how to make your curly, messy, impressive hair – more you.

1. Avoid frizz by not stripping your hair off its oil.

While oiling my hair when I was younger didn’t do wonders for my hair (or my social life), shampooing it a bazillion times a week made it worse. The hair has to keep some of its oils, and most of the time, frizzy hair make an appearance because the oil cannot slip down past the hair, due to our spiralling locks, down to the tips of hair.

Use a gentle shampoo on your hair – not everyday but a few times a week. Follow that up with a deep conditioner and if you would like, some sort of anti-frizz cream that will keep the hair saturated, frizz free, shiny, happy and healthy.

2. Away from that blow-dryer!

I spent the longest time trying to blow dry my hair, following the rest of my straight haired friends in highschool. WRONG. DO NOT try to blow dry your hair. As the name goes, all it will do is blow UP your hair into gigantic propotions.

You do need to dry your hair though, and I would recommend using a diffuser attachment to do so. Most of the time though, for me, I have seen air-drying work the best. I’m also to lazy to dry my hair every morning before school/work, so I let nature take care of it’s product and it does a good job! If it’s a non-humid day, it always ends up looking pretty good. Directly hitting your hair with hot air, in any form, is drying up the scalp all over again, and you really want to avoid doing that.

3 Don’t brush!

I’ve noticed that brushing my hair is the worst thing I can possibly do to my hair. It makes it volumous and huge(yes, I cringe when I hear those words, too!), which we REALLY don’t need. Instead of brushing, try combing your hair with large toothed combs and detangling it with your fingers.

4 Most importantly – love it!

Love your hair, embrace it! I spent way too many years trying to hide it under hoodies and caps and constraining with rubber bands and hairbands. The moment I let it go and let it become a part of who I was, my hair became my friend and stopped being evil. Curly hair is versatile – when you feel like it you can straighten it, curl it even more, make it wavy, all the while never having to worry about it looking limp. It adds oodles to your personality and when appreciated, can give you tons of confident. embrace the Inner Medusa for who she is – she has enough power to turn people into stone (with amazement and appreciation, ofcourse!)

]]> http://browngirlmagazine.com/2010/07/taming-medusas-hair/feed/ 3 http://browngirlmagazine.com/2010/06/back-to-the-basics/ http://browngirlmagazine.com/2010/06/back-to-the-basics/#comments Mon, 07 Jun 2010 07:48:54 +0000 browngirlmag http://browngirlmagazine.com/?p=1710 by Reshma Jae – Georgia State University

Now that Global Warming is causing the weather to PMS every day of our lives, it’s more important than ever to take care of your skin! Before you cake on your concealer and foundation to cover up all of your breakouts, why not spend that extra 5 minutes cleaning your skin! You not only feel better, but you may even eliminate the need for daily foundation and concealer all together!

If that’s not incentive enough, you only have one face your whole life…take care of it! By not washing, moisturizing, etc you’re going to end up looking 30 when you’re 20. (Thanks Mama for the important lesson learned.)

So here are some basic simple steps that can help you get that flawless glow.

Start with a good face wash, no two people have the same skin so look for something that fits your skin problems. I, like hundreds of other BGs, have extremely oily skin and occasional break outs so I use Neutrogena Oil-Free acne wash.

Every few days I also use an exfoliator that gets rid of all the dirt and dead skin on my face. It’s important to use it every few days or weekly and not as your primary face wash or you’ll get dried brittle skin.

To keep your skin looking young and hydrated (because fresh is always in) make sure you use a moisturizer, this is one place you shouldn’t mind splurging. Find one that works for your skin type and put it on first thing after you wash your face.

I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to make sure you wear SPF either in your moisturizer or separately EVERY SINGLE DAY. Even though we have darker skin, we’re more prone to facial damage so unless you want to start pruning at 30 wear sunscreen.

Everyone has a hectic life with work, school, social lives, etc. and sometimes we don’t make sleep a priority. Now there is no alternative to some good zzz’s but there is a little helper that can help you out every once in a while. I don’t drink caffeine but I’ll put some of Garnier’s Anti-Puff (caffeinated) skin renew roller on. It’s a life saver when you’re running late or just having one of those days, just roll it on and wait a few minutes!

At the end of every day, it’s important to take off your makeup and go to bed with clear healthy skin! Use a gentle make up remover and then wash and prep your face for bed. It’s the perfect time for pore minimizing creams, blemish reducers, or just too simply let your skin breathe.

Good skin takes time and effort, but it’s the first thing employers look at, it’s what differentiates you from the rest of the world, and it’s the frame around your smile! And a good smile goes a long, long way!