PrettyMocha : January 2019

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My beauty of the week is singer, dancer and beauty influencer Amara La Negra. Born as Diana Danelys De Los Santos, she is a proud Afro-Latina of Dominican descent who was born and raised in Miami, Florida.

Photo Credit: @Amaralanegraln [Instagram]

She has gained popularity by starring in the VH1 TV show Love and HipHop Miami and the Univision show MiraQuienBaila. Her dance and singing talents have produced hits for both Latino and U.S. markets, including "Ayy" (released in 2013) and "Insecure" (released in 2018).

One of the things that contributed to me first noticing Amara, was her beautiful afro-curly hair and rich, dark skin. Her striking beauty has sparked many conversations about issues like colorism and acceptance of afro-hair. These issues have long been hidden within African-American culture, but Amara has highlighted the them within Latin groups. She has shared her own struggles of being a darker-skinned Latina who embraces her natural curls.

A producer once suggested to her that she would be better accepted if she straightened her hair and looked more "Beyonce and less Macy Gray". She raised the question to him of whether she can't be elegant if she has a fro. A good question. She shows the world over and over that her natural, unique beauty is indeed elegant.

Photo Credit: @Amaralanegraln [Instagram]

Now that you know a little about Amara, let's get into what she uses to keep her hair and skin looking luscious.

1. Natural Ingredients For Her Hair Only

Amara told Allure that she only allows her mother to care for her hair. Most black women can understand how important it is to stick with a person you trust to style your hair. For Amara, that person is her mother. I have seen a video of Amara's mom unbraiding her hair and she truly does a great job. Most importantly, she uses only natural ingredients in Amara's tresses including avocado, mayonnaise, honey, rosemary, cinnamon oil and (my favorite) coconut oil. Consider using some of these products the next time you condition your hair.

I have used mayonnaise as a hair condition before and it does wonders. My advise is to not over do it, include natural oils like the ones mentioned above and follow-up the treatment with a nice smelling leave-conditioner to ensure there is no mayo scent left behind.

2. Natural Exfoliation

Though Amara does not have a specific routine, she does use natural products to exfoliate. Exfoliation helps the skin shed away older, dull looking skin. She has mentioned using oatmeal and sugar scrubs to naturally exfoliate all over her skin. She also uses honey and coconut oil which are great for moisture. I can personally vouch for the use of honey and coconut oil. I have added honey to my face wash (inconsistently) over the years and every time I do, my skin feels great. I also use coconut oil sometimes as a full body moisturizer. It is especially helpful during the winter.

3. Confidence

Amara has overcome many challenges in her life and through it all, you often see her in good energy, with a positive attitude and beaming smile. She is confident in herself and it truly shows. Beauty pioneer Estee Lauder said it best, "Confidence breeds beauty".

Well there you have it. My beauty of the week and her beauty "secrets".

XoXo,
Jess
[Follow @PrettyMochaBlog for more beauty conversations]

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This past Thursday, many people said "Happy Birthday" to former first lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama. Michelle LaVaughn Robinson (maiden name) was born on January 17, 1964 in Chicago, IL.

[Photo Credit: www.content.time.com]

Here's a look at how Michelle looked as a young child, with that beautiful smile that we adore.

[Photo Credit: www.politico.com]

In 2008 she became first lady of the USA. Most will agree that she managed her honorable duties in the White House with impeccable style. There are a number of specific colors that look great against dark skin tones that Michelle gracefully wore over the years. Take a look at some of her colorful styles.

The White Gown

[Photo Credit: www.politico.com]
From modeling on a runway at a Princeton University charity fund fashion show...

[Photo Credit: www.instyle.com]
...To rocking a white Tom Ford gown for a state banquet at Buckingham Palace with the queen.

The Chic and Classy Little Black Dress

[Photo Credit: www.lipstickalley.com]
Sporting a classy, black dress with pearls.

[Photo Credit: www.fashionista.com]
At the 2017 Espy Awards wearing a trendy black dress from the Cushnie et Ochs Fall 2017 collection.

Dark Blue Dress

[Photo Credit: www.usmagazine.com]
Gracing the 2016 Democratic National Convention in a royal blue Christian Siriano dress.

[Photo Credit: www.nbcnews.com]
At the Kennedy Center Honors reception in 2011 she stunned in a cobalt blue Vera Wang gown.

Royal Purple Dress

[Photo Credit: www.she.snydlecom]

Bright Yellow

[Photo Credit: www.hollywoodlife.com]
Wearing a yellow lace Naeem Khan dress at the White House while hosting the Prime Minister of Singapore in 2016.

[Photo Credit: www.fashionsizzle.com]
Glamorous in a Balenciaga yellow wrap dress and metallic thigh-high boots at the Becoming Tour 2018.

Earthy Green

[Photo Credit: Getty Images]

[Photo Credit: www.popsugar.com]
Casually rocking a green and blue printed Chris Benz Nelda dress.

Pretty in Pink

[Photo Credit: Glamour]
Wearing a lovely pink magenta Michael Kors dress at the White House Correspondent's dinner in 2009.

[Photo Credit: www.huffpost.com]
Showing off her nice slim figure in a Rachel Roy dress.

Fiery Red Dress

[Photo Credit: www.usatoday.com]
2016 White House Correspondent's dinner tempting in a fiery red dress by Prabal Gurung.

Mrs. Obama has graced us with so many fashions and continues to amaze. Cheers to 55 and looking forward to the coming years.

Happy Sunday,

Jess

[Follow me on Instagram: @prettymochablog for more beauty conversation]

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Toccara Elaine Jones is a 37 year-old fashion model, TV personality and singer. She is a natural beauty with a fabulous, outgoing and bright persona.

Photo Credit: Instragram, @iamtoccarajones

Many first learned of Toccara when she joined America's Next Top Model, Season 3 back in 2008. She left the modeling contest in eighth place and then went on to co-host the show 106 and Park and has also been featured in various other TV shows and films. She continues to model and has made history as the first Black plus-size model to grace the pages of Italian Vogue.

I have been wondering about what Toccara has been up to lately after seeing her in a short TMZ video. In the video, a TMZ rep was asking her about what she thought about Ashley Graham's twerking video which was being discussed at the time. I definitely won't go into any detail about the video, however, what I noticed primarily was how great her skin looked. While she is approaching 40 her skin looks like that of a 20-something.

Photo Credit: Instragram, @iamtoccarajones

So what's Toccara been doing to keep herself looking so gorgeous?

Let's talk about her beauty routine.

1. She Uses Neutrogena Products

She claims that she uses Neutrogena products to remove makeup, cleanse her face and to moisturize. Gabrielle Union is another beauty that keeps it simple by using Neutrogena products. Toccara naturally has very nice skin, but it is nice to see that you do not need to use a high-cost skincare product to maintain your beauty.

2. Gives Her Skin A Break

Toccara likes to go makeup free when she can. She adds lashes and a little MAC mineral powder. This is quite common among celebrities like Bianca Lawson. It makes sense for women that wear heavy makeup often for work to allow some time for their skin to breathe.

3. Regular Exercise

Toccara does regular dance workouts for fun and to maintain her weight. There are so many benefits of working out, including:

cleansing the pores - sweat glands remove harmful toxins
promotes production of collagen - which keeps skin firm and supple
pushes more blood flow to your skin - gives glow to the skin

I really like what I have found out about Toccara's beauty routine. It's a good reminder that keeping a simple routine that works for you is better than trying the latest, greatest skincare product. Also, it is helpful to remember to give your skin a break from makeup. Lastly, exercise brings about a ton of benefits to your health overall and particularly to your skin.

What I learn from every beauty I research, is that you must put effort into caring for your skin and go with whatever works for you. Consistency is key.

Take care of yourself babe.

XoXo,
Jess

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Over the past year, I have been working on leveling up my beauty routine. This has included hair, nails, fashion, makeup and skincare. And let me just say, it has been a lot of work, but it has been so worth it. I have always taken pride in the way I look, but I knew there was more that I could to maintain and improve myself.

Focusing on self-care has taught me how to be more self-aware, confident and also content. My energy levels have increased and I have had a more positive outlook on every aspect of my life. I encourage every woman, especially my ebony-skinned ladies, to focus more on self-care. I feel that sometimes us women of dark skin tones are not encouraged to be feminine and partake in activities to maintain our beauty. This has to change.

So here's a peep into my beauty level up process. After scouring the aisles of Target, getting a makeover at Ulta and practicing application techniques and also spending countless hours at Sephora, I began feeling really confident in my skincare and makeup game.

I follow YouTuber's like Jackie Aina and Ellarie Noel for makeup tips and tutorials. Both of them are awesome and make learning about all things beauty so much fun with their lively personalities. A huge plus is that both have dark skin and I can use many of the same products they do with no issues. #winning

Now I have run into the skincare dilemma of ensuring to remove my makeup every single night. Yes, even when I am dead tired.

Photo: @prettymochablog [Instagram]
(Me)

Be honest. Do you remove your makeup each night? Let's talk about why we all should.

We have all gotten into the occasional self talk of "But I’m so tired... I can't wash my face” or "One night won't hurt".

Stop those excuses right away.

Why is it so important to remove our makeup?

The skin renews itself while you sleep, so when you leave your makeup on your face guess what happens? You prevent the skin renewal process and it keeps your skin's pores clogged through the night. Yuck! Believe me the only thing that comes from not removing your makeup is an unwanted visitor to your face the following morning (cough, pimple, cough cough).

Be good to yourself and take a few minutes to remove your makeup and cleanse your face before bed. You’re worth the 5 minutes babe. And your skin will thank you in the morning.

Here is a quick look into what I use to quickly remove my makeup each night - it takes literally less than 5 minutes.