BG is asking for your support for one of our fellow staffers. Foram Mehta (University of Texas) is auditioning to win her very own show on Oprah’s new network. Amongst thousands of submissions, Foram stands out as a bubbly personality and a fellow brown girl that’s definitely smart, hip, and beautiful!

Check out Foram’s audition and vote her now!

Building a winter wardrobe takes hours of relentless searching and pairing until you find pieces that are functional while classy. The worst thing is when you have to pack away your peacoats and gloves until the next winter. Well fear not! Here are some fabulous pieces that you can take from your winter wardrobe and reinvent them into fab summer outfits!

Boots

You spent a good deal of money on your chic boots to help you survive through the winter and now they’re rotting away in the back of your closet. Well pull them back out and pair them with a cute summer dress! Boots are perfect for events like concerts, festivals, and fairs where you want to be comfy but keep it cute. Add some chunky bangles or some Hollywood sunnies to protect your eyes and finish off the look.

Pieces from the ‘Boots Look’ can be found on www.oldnavy.com, www.zappos.com, www.forever21.com, and www.etsy.com.

Blazer

This winter I loved dressing up a casual outfit by throwing a blazer on top of it. Luckily, you can keeping rocking your blazers through the summer by pairing it with a feminine detailed top or a plain tank. Make sure you wear it with shorts so that you don’t die of a heat stroke and add a pair of strappy heels to add a girly edge.

Pieces from the ‘Blazer look’ can be found on www.urbanoutfitters.com, www.modcloth.com, and www.forever21.com.

Flannel

All winter long girls were diving into their boyfriends (or buying the boyfriend looking) flannel shirts. The grunge effect is a perfect summer look that won’t make you break the bank. Find a vintage or message tee and throw it under your favorite flannel shirt. Pair it with a pair of distressed shorts (essential summer piece!) and add a cute hairpin or a hat and you’re ready to go!

Pieces from the ‘Flannel look’ can be found on www.delias.com, www.walmart.com, www.ae.com, www.forever21.com, and www.piperline.com.

Scarf

I think I own too many scarves. That being said, I justify them by using the ever so versatile pieces throughout the year. Scarves are a perfect way to mix patterns and color blocks in the winter. Wear your favorite tank and wrap the scarf around your neck like a cowl and pair them with some great jeggings! (Side note: This is a great outfit to throw on when you’re running late but still need to look great!)

Pieces from the the ‘Scarf look’ can be found at www.asos.com , www.oldnavy.com, www.payless.com, and www.forever21.com.

Vogue India has faced quite a bit of criticism in the past for featuring “fairer” models that don’t necessarily showcase the real Indian color-scape. However, the new issue is garnering some attention for finally breaking the mold and featuring darker models on its cover. Check out the full Vogue article here and tell us what you think of the cover.

In the latest issue of Lucky, the magazine shows us a cool spin on the smoky eye. Basically, work black eye liner into the top and bottom lashes, then lay teal down directly over the black. This teal will be surprisingly subtle, yet catch anyone’s attention!

Here’s some great teal products:

L’Oreal HiP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner

Stila Convertible Lash + Line #05 Teal

NARS Single Eye Shadow in Tropic

I was six or seven when a fellow Indian playmate informed my skin was darker than hers because I didn’t bathe enough.  Even at that age, I was aware her claims were false.  But it didn’t stop me from staring at myself in a mirror when I got home that day or on all the other days I looked at my body and wished for my skin to be lighter since.

It’s no secret India isn’t the only country to prefer light-skinned women.  This phenomenon is worldwide and as old as the first civilization.  Those with dark skin were laborers who worked outdoors in the sun and their social status was determined accordingly.

But why now, when those rules are considered outdated does Indian society still value light-skinned women (and men, though to a lesser extent) over darker-skinned ones?

Actresses like Shilpa Shetty and Kareena Kapoor are routinely airbrushed in magazine shoots and films.  Heavy makeup and lighting covers up their true skin color.  In a country where culture and history is valued, why do we still insist on changing ourselves to look different from our ancestors?

The “most beautiful woman in the world” as she is dubbed by some, Aishwarya Rai, has very light skin and green eyes.  She certainly does not represent a majority of Indian women.

Take a look at any Indian wedding arrangement ad on the Internet or in a newspaper – all the woman describe themselves as “fair skinned.” Everyone can’t be fair skinned, but is stretching the truth the only way to snare a husband?

I always thought I was ugly because of my skin color growing up, though my relatives assured me it would eventually lighten. My mom encouraged me to apply homemade face masks like she did while growing up to become lighter.  I always brought a tube of Fair & Lovely back home when visiting India and vowed to use it every day.  It never worked and I usually lost patience.

Young girls looking up to an ideal that physically cannot be achieved is dangerous to their self-esteem.  And skin-lightening creams have proved to be more and more dangerous.  As the Internet grows are and transportation becomes easier, dangerous steroid creams are becoming widely available and inexpensive, causing health problems in users not educated in their risks.

But Indian society and Indian-Americans in America are rapidly changing.  There is reason to think this obsession with light skin will eventually fade.  To hasten this process, I offer some suggestions:

1. Embrace the cultural variety in India. Brown IS beautiful.  Honor our ancestry by refusing to be ashamed of our skin color.
2. Encourage the media to portray more dark-skinned women in their natural shade.  Even if we can’t march into movie studios or magazine offices, take a closer look at the stars you admire and see how their appearance is altered in photographs.  Write a statement denouncing airbrushing on your facebook, or twitter, or blog.  Technology has become a great equalizer – we can all share our opinions and important people take notice.
3. Share your feelings with younger female relatives.  Most of my relatives had lighter skin so I felt self-conscious in pictures.  It’s always great for younger girls to have a positive female role model, especially at the tween/teen stage.

I will be waiting for the Indian community here and abroad to move away from outdated stereotypes about skin color.  In the meantime, I will do my part by simply accepting my own.

Remember that awkwardly shaded eye shadow that made you feel like you were dressing up more for Halloween, rather than a night out on the town? How long has it lingered around in your make-up bag?

What about your mascara?

As you shift around items in your collection, you may have wonder if your make-up ever goes bad or expires. The answer is an astounding: YES!

Continual exposure to air and bacteria causes your make-up to loose its effectiveness and may cause infections. Most make-ups contain preservatives that prevent common-use bacteria from growing, but improper storage and extended use will increase the chances of you breaking-out or getting something ghastly, like pink eye!

There are some easy things that you can do to stretch that dollar and keep your make-up in tip-top shape.

• DO NOT share your make-up! That’s the quickest way to a downhill spiral. You love your friends, not their germs.
• Store your make-up in a cool, dry place.  Keep all bottles and containers tightly sealed when not in use.
• Wash your brushes with a mild detergent at least once a month if they’re natural, at 3-4 times a month if they’re made from synthetic fibers. Baby shampoo will do the trick.
• Sponges should be washed after every use and thrown out monthly.
• Before you put on your face, wash it and your hands with soap and water.
• Try not to touch your make-up directly with your fingers, pour some out or scoop it up with an applicator.

The FDA doesn’t require cosmetic companies to print expiration dates on their products. So, here are some general guidelines on the shelf life of some of your make-up items.

MASCARA: 3 months! – ‘Pumping’ your mascara (pulling it in and out quickly) only introduces more bacteria, so don’t do it!

LIQUID FOUNDATION: Water-based foundations – up to 12 months; Oil-based foundations – 18 months. Wider mouthed jars should be let go earlier. If the ingredients settle or separates, thickens or thinks, or if the smell changes – let it hit the road. CREAM FOUNDATION: 4-6 months.

CONCEALER: 6-8 months

POWDER: 2 years

CREAMS AND GELS: 1 year

PENCIL EYE/LIP LINER: Up to 3 years, if regularly sharpened. If the pencil dries or crumbles – it has gone bad.

EYESHADOWS: Up to 3 years. Dark eyeshadows can also be used as eyeliners – dampen an extremely flat-brush (Aveda, MAC, Sephora have some good ones) dab it in your eyeshadow. Wiggle the brush into your lash line (focusing on the little spaces between your lashes), and sweep the color just above it.

LIPSTICK: 1-2 years, longer if refrigerated. If it starts to smell – out it goes!

NAIL POLISH: Up to 1 year, depending on quality.

Most importantly, if your make-up changes color, texture, or smell, toss it out immediately.

So that’s it ladies, if your make-up isn’t making you feel like it used to, or is getting out of shape…let’em go. It’s not you, it’s them.

by Pooja Patel

Brown Girl recently had a chance to talk to aspiring musician Katie Gray, a while back. You may have heard her beautifully haunting song, “Set Free” sampled on an episode last season of the hit TV show, Bones.  Coming from a mixed South Asian and American background, this talented young woman originally moved to LA to become an actress.

Brown Girl: Good afternoon, Katie.

Katie Gray: Good afternoon. It’s such a beautiful day out here in LA the sun is shining, the birds are out.

BG: It must be beautiful in California this time of year. How did you foray between acting and music.

KG: I was always an artist. Originally, I wanted to be illustrator. I was always drawing, doing water colors. But as I got older I realized that no matter what I did I could always do art. I met someone when I was 18 who really encouraged me to move out to LA. Shortly after, I did it, I got an agent and started doing television, movies, voice over work, cartoons…but, I felt it wasn’t honoring my art. It was other people’s art, their creation. I felt that I had so much to share, so I started writing. Music intertwines all of it: the stage performance, writing, winds it all together in a magical expression.

BG: You have so many talents. Did you do the art work for latest CD?

KG: The album that came out 3 years ago I did art work for that and for the new one too. When you create music, you record it, its like bringing this dream energy, into the musical realm…it has the essence of you it. The art work helps express it.

BG: How has your South Asian background influenced you, if at all?

KG: I had a mixed upbringing, a variety – it was really good and really challenging. My father was from India, and my mother from the US. Because of the difference of customs/traditions…in our situation, it wasn’t very nice. My mother, 2 sisters and I left my father when I was 4. It was really challenging. There was a fair amount of abuse. It was a lot of women go through. To save us, my mother moved us to Michigan, raised us alone, but so sweetly. I lived there until I was 17. It was a really nice. I had the shadowy night, and the sunny day of upbringing. My music has so much depth because of it…there’s so much emotion. All of it escalated to eating disorders, and also to a burning desire to create art, to release all those feelings that were held inside.

BG: You seem like such a great role model, turning around the experiences that you’ve had and make something to beautiful and so positive. Do you feel like your heritage gives an extra edge against peers?

KG: I think so. I really do. Especially growing up in a small town in Michigan. Aside from three other kids, I was the only other dark girl. Especially in the summer, I would get so dark. My other sisters seemed to inherit my mom’s genes they were so white, and I grew up so dark. I used to be really insecure about it, I used to feel different, feel like I didn’t belong. But, its part of who I am. To this day, no matter where I go I feel like its something differrent and special. The older I got, the more I realized that I stood out and there was something special about me. I tanned, I never burned, I looked exotic, and I could look Indian, Brazilian, Italian. I feel so blessed to have this beautiful chocolate skin.

BG: What advice would you give our readers, who are going through difficult times, to preserver?

KG: If I could give any good advice to any young women, is to come to terms with the fact that no one knows the answer. There’s not right, no wrong, it’s all perspective. The only perspective that really matters is your own. No matter what path you take, what direction you go, you’ll come across disbelievers, people that will think different than you.  What you feel in your heart, your intuition, you must follow it. You have to trust and listen to yourself and now that you’re right. Know that everyone person on this earth is equal, regardless of color or class. They just think different.

BG: What advice would you give someone was starting out in the music business, was it difficult to get your music heard. Was it nerve racking writing, to play your music at first?

KG: I think starting down any path where you’re exposing yourself and you feel vulnerable it’s natural to be nervous… I felt this way. Through my songs, I’m sharing my dairy…it can be so hard to share, but the more you do it, the easier it gets, and the more fluid your conversing gets. It takes practice. Keep sharing yourself with the world. And no matter what others say, you have to keep going ahead.

BG: How would you describe your own music?

KG: Rejuvenating lullabies for a world that’s crying.

BG: What king of music do you like listening to. Who are you listening to currently?

KG: I like all types of music. But, I really like melodic, electronic music. It’s my favorite music to sit back and listen to. Also, I like Anishka Shankar’s music list on Pandora – hip, electronic, groovy music.

BG: Top 5 songs on your iPod.

KG: Paul Simon, Cat Power, Thievery Corporation, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead.

BG: Any dates set for the US before you move to England?

KG: I’m returning in the fall after a small hiatus. My new album will be released in Winter. After that, I’ll do a tour.

BG: Any dates planned for Texas?

KG: I actually played a little in Austin, when I used to live there. I used to work for this non-profit the Global Youth Summit, where I worked with children all over the world. I will miss it this year, but I want to do a few dates in Texas when I come back. I went to South-by-Southwest this past year, but I didn’t get to go to ACL.

BG: Maybe we’ll see you there in the future. Is there any quirky or interesting that you would like to share?

KG: I think everyone should get involved with groups, gatherings, orgs, publishing that keeps you updated and inspired to open your heart a little bit each day and feel a little bit better in this world.

BG: Who are the biggest musical influences on your music, your sound? How long did it take you find your own voice? Who was it that influenced you the most?

KG: I’m most influenced by classic rock. When it was in heights, when the country was in dire need for change – the revolution in the late 60s, early 70s,  that’s when music had so much substance, purpose, and intention with its sounds – so acoustic, there was so much that was being said. That inspired me to want to get a guitar and want to make a change with music. Janis Jopplin, Bob Dylan, and once again Paul Simon would be my biggest inspirations.

BG: anything else that you would like to share.

KG: absolutely anything is possible. If you believe it will happen it will. I’ve seen it happen many times

KG: Thank you Katie, so much for your time.

BG: Thank you and have a beautiful day.

Check out her music on her MySpace page: www.myspace.com/katiegraysongs

Or for more info on her upcoming CD visit: www.cdbaby.com/katiegray

]]> http://browngirlmagazine.com/2009/09/the-soulful-katie-gray/feed/ 0 http://browngirlmagazine.com/2009/05/a-how-to-for-smokin-eyes/ http://browngirlmagazine.com/2009/05/a-how-to-for-smokin-eyes/#comments Wed, 27 May 2009 02:38:04 +0000 browngirlmag http://browngirlmagazine.com/?p=1008 by Musleha Munir

“Oh my God, what happened to her eye? Did someone punch her? Oh my God, someone punched both of her eyes! Wait, what…oh. It’s her makeup. Was she trying to do a smokey eye?”

The perfect smokey look is a classic and sultry look, perfect for any night out. But many girls are afraid to try it because they don’t want to look like they rubbed ash on their eyes. However, there is no need to worry any longer, if you follow my steps, you will be well on your way to conquering the smokey eye!

1.       Apply primer or concealer to entire eye area.

2.       Apply a pearl colored highlighter in the area above your crease and below your eyebrow.

3.       Generously apply a dark gray eyeshadow to entire lid.

…

4.       Apply black eyeshadow in the crease and in the outer corner of your eye.

…

5.       Blend! Blend with a big fluffy eyeshadow brush.

6.       Line your lower inner lashline with a black eye pencil.

7.       Line your eyelid with black liquid eyeliner.

8.       Line your lower lashline with black eyeshadow.

9.       Curl your eyelashes.

10.   Apply mascara to upper and lower lashes. Apply 2-3 coats to get big lashes!

11.   Apply the same pearl eyeshadow from step 2 underneath your brow.

12.   Ta-da! You have achieved smokey-eye greatness!

Photograph by Thuy Ly.

by Ismath Mohideen

I will admit: I’ve avoided the sun so I wouldn’t get darker. I’ve gone swimming at night instead of during the day to avoid tan lines. It’s completely and utterly ridiculous. I should enjoy the sun’s warm rays and get some exercise! But where do these thoughts come from? We weren’t born with the innate ability to distinguish between skin colors and assign meanings to them. But for some women, the fair skin battle draws them into deeper depths than just avoiding sunshine during the day.

Photograph by Thuy Ly.

In South Asian tradition, a light skinned woman is supposedly more beautiful than a dark skinned woman. This belief can be traced back to early invasions of India by the Turks and British. As light skinned people inhabited India and wielded their authority, natives who sought power and beauty likened fair skin with power and status. Some say the Caste System also contributed to these attitudes, with light skinned higher caste members dominating the lower caste members with darker skin. Additionally, history might indicate that lighter skinned people enjoyed a more fanciful life, while darker skinned people worked in the fields.

For an even more blatant and modern perpetuation of this stereotype, watch any Bollywood movie’s actors and actresses. The movies tend to feature ultra-fair-skinned heros and heroines, while villains and village women tend to be portrayed by darker complexioned actors.

Can this be a realistic depiction of South Asian people? Do South Asian women strive to appear like the beautiful women seen in the movies? The majority of South Asians are not as fair skinned as the movies portray. They range in hues from ivory to caramel, from mocha to ebony.

(As a humorous side note, check out some of the matrimonial ads seeking fair maidens.)

Furthermore, the South Asian skin product market is littered with skin lightening products. Everything from our aunt’s Fair and Lovely to our dermatologist’s hydroquinone is being consumed for the purpose of a fair complexion. Some of these crèmes are harmful for the skin, and can lead to irritation. It’s amazing to observe the lengths some women will go to, sometimes dangerous lengths, just to achieve a slightly lighter shade.

Photograph by Thuy Ly.

However, Fair and Lovely is now the topic of controversy in South Asia nowadays, where a movement led by the All India Democratic Women’s Association finally begins to bring some justice to the issue of skin color.

This issue doesn’t just concern South Asians. African American celebrities like Beyonce, Rihanna, and Halle Berry are so beautiful and talented in their genres, but in all actuality, they’re considerably fair! In fact, an MSNBC article posed the question of whether Vanity Fair lightened Beyonce’s skin for a cover photo (which they vehemently denied). A darker skinned woman like Fantasia Barrino doesn’t get nearly the same spotlight, despite her enormous talent. Some African American bloggers speak of similar sentiment concerning skin color in their communities as well.

It’s clear that American Desi girls feel the fair-skin pressure because of the media coming at them from both sides of the world. Both Desi culture and American culture subconsciously allude towards the idea that a lighter complexion is more beautiful than a darker one. It’s not easy living in a society where vanity and visual appearance speak volumes before a woman even speaks!

The vast diversity in our skin colors is just one of the visual aspects of our heritage. And there’s so much wonder woven into our heritage to fret over skin color! So, feel free to bask in the sun and be proud of your glow!

With the direction the economy is heading and the unemployment rate sharply on the rise, this is clearly not the time for anyone to be splurging on expensive products. Thus, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite budget-friendly cosmetic finds that do justice to their more expensive counterparts found in high-end stores, such as Sephora.

1.       CoverGirl Perfect Point Eye Pencil $5.29 – I absolutely love this eyeliner! It goes on smoothly and as the darkest of blacks, stays put all day and is easy to smudge too! It has a great sponge tip to smudge which also hides a sharpener.

2.       Sonia Kashuk Brushes – I firmly believe that to do anything properly, one must have the right tools. In the case of makeup, a girl has to have a great set of brushes. It makes all the difference in the world. Unfortunately, a great set of brushes usually creates a pretty big dent in the bank account.  Luckily, Sonia Kashuk for Target has great quality brushes, ranging from Kabuki brushes, eyeshadow brushes to foundation brushes, at much more affordable prices!

3.       Loreal Colour Juice Lipgloss $8.59 – If you’re anything like me, you probably have a collection of lipglosses that all look like varying shades but when are applied all end up looking like the same color. This is the most irritating thing in the world! Cue in Loreal Colour Juice Lipgloss! This lipgloss is awesome because when applied it actually has real pigment! My personal favorite from this collection is Tutti Frutti, a hot pink that looks great for a splash of color.

4.       Prestige Eyeshadow $3.99 – I happened to stumble onto this product out of sheer desperation after searching for a very specific color and when Sephora and MAC were of no help, I happened to see the exact shade I was searching for on clearance at Walgreens. I figured for $1.29 I didn’t have anything to lose and, lo and behold… the pigment was strong, stayed on and overall, was as good as anything from Sephora!

5.       Burt’s Bees Lip Balm $3.00 – I cannot describe how much I love this lip balm! I love everything about it: from its minty smell, to the tingly feeling upon application to how it works wonders on even the most chapped of lips! If you haven’t tried this product yet, I don’t know what you’re waiting for!

6.       Rimmel London Glam Eyes Mascara $7.29- This is my new favorite mascara! It does everything it says it does and more: it separates, lengthens, voluminizes and makes your lashes really stand out. But best of all, this is clump free and has cute packaging to boot. Whenever I wear this, I get tons of compliments on my eyelashes and it’s all owed to this mascara!

7.       HiP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner $11.79 – Eyeliner is a way of life for me, and I’m constantly experimenting with it: different colors and styles. I tried this one out on a whim and was surprised to find out that it’s easily comparable to the MAC Fluidline! It’s easy to apply, doesn’t smudge and comes in beautiful, rich colors that bring out brown eyes. My only advice is to get a better eyeliner brush rather than using the one that comes with the eyeliner.

8.       Rimmel Fix & Perfect Foundation Primer $7.59 – Ever since I got a sample of Smashbox’s infamous face primer, I had wanted to buy it. But at $36 for a 1 oz. bottle, I was unwilling to make a commitment. When I saw this in the makeup aisle, I decided to give it a try with low expectations. Well, needless to say, this primer completely surprised me! It actually works just as well as Smashbox’s primer and gives you more “bang for your buck” since this is only costs a quarter of the its more expensive counterpart.

9.       N.Y.C. Long-Wearing Nail Enamel $0.99 – I’m a strong believer in not spending a lot on nailpolish because ultimately whether it was for $1 a bottle or $19, it’s going to chip. So why not just buy a cheap bottle and buy in every color your heart desires? With N.Y.C.’s $0.99 price tag you can definitely do so with its wide range of colors, everything from cherry red to electric blue to a nude pastel.

10.   L’Oreal True Match Foundation & Powder $10.39 – Both L’Oreal products have won many awards for being so inexpensive, yet offering great coverage and blending seamlessly. Having used both products, I must say the coverage is great and it blends in so well that you can’t even tell I’m wearing any foundation! Another great thing is that you can easily build up coverage. I often use the foundation as concealer too.