Black Friday may have come too early this year before Thanksgiving, but some deals are still happening on Black Friday. It’s been two years since the pandemic, and last year was more of a struggle as the beginning of the virus leaving many people jobless, and this year, inflation with the increased price
Black Friday is the time for consumers to do some early Christmas shopping- at a bargain. The Friday after Thanksgiving this year will be on the 26th. Some retailers have started deals as early as the beginning of the month, usually lasting until the 29th. However, it is not a national holiday in the U.S but more of an event to help boost the economy. Retailers like Walmart and Target offer several Black Friday deals throughout November, avoiding the need for consumers to line up on the big day and closing their doors on Thanksgiving day.
Let me share a little history of how this annual event originated. According to history.com, Black Friday was associated with a 19th-century financial crisis. In 1869, two scheming Wall Street financiers purchased as much gold as possible to greedily increase the price for profit. Rather than getting the revenue they hoped to get, coincidentally, the gold market collapsed and took the stock market leaving millions of investors bankrupt on Friday, September 24.
The term “Black Friday” originated by the Philadelphia police in the early 1960s, when Philadelphian streets congested with pedestrians heading to the Army-Navy football game began looking for deals post-Thanksgiving, calling it “Black Friday.” Philly’s biggest department stores tried to separate themselves from the negative connotation calling it “Big Friday” instead. Business owners were in a struggle of their own after workers called in sick the Friday after Thanksgiving, sapping productivity and wreaking havoc on the economy.
Black Friday didn’t take on its new meaning to a more positive significance as America’s most popular holiday shopping day until the 1980s, as the day that stores sold so much merchandise that their annual revenue went from being “in the red” (loss) to “in the black” (profit) back when accounting records were kept by hand, in which red ink indicated a loss, and black ink a profit.
The idea of opening their doors at midnight or the early hours of Friday after Thanksgiving didn’t come to be until the 1990s, where consumers would camp out before opening hours.
Online shopping has made it more convenient to shop online for Black Friday deals and avoid waiting outside in the cold weather and large crowds. Consumers would consider staying online until the sales start. The coronavirus pandemic in 2020 pushed consumers to do more online shopping than before. The preference for online shopping was amplified last year where in-store shopping on Thanksgiving Day was a tradition that had ended due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year, inflation might be troublesome for some consumers to afford to buy during Black Friday.
According to CouponFollow.com, 186.4 million U.S. consumers shopped in-store and online from Thanksgiving to the following Monday (“Black Friday Weekend”) in 2020.
I found some fantastic deals in Ulta, like the it Cosmetics brushes for Ulta ($10), Sebastian travel-size Dark Oiland No. Breaker Leave-In Spray ($10), Dashing Diva nail gel palette for $5!!!. Although they might have been sold out online rapidly, I went from store to store to try to find them.
Nordstrom is offering Elemis Jumbo Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash-$98 Value for $45.50
As a first-generation Latina, I was taught to embrace and accept who I am and be proud of where I come from. Merriam-Webster defines heritage as the traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of the history of a group or nation. It is what makes us all unique, having different heritages. Although a century ago, Hispanic/Latino culture may not have been celebrated or accepted the way it is now. Let’s go back in time for more history on how this event came to be. Hispanic Heritage Month was first introduced in June of 1968 by California Congressman George E. Brown, who represented a heavy Hispanic population area. The celebration actually lasted for a week but later gained attention throughout the peak of the civil rights movement as well as growth awareness of the United States’ multicultural identities. On September 17, 1968, Congress passed Public Law 90-48, officially authorizing and requesting the president to issue annual proclamations declaring beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Week to be observed with appropriate ceremonies and activities. President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first Hispanic Heritage Week presidential proclamation the same day. In 1987 U.S. Representative Esteban E. Torres of California proposed expanding this observance to “properly observe and coordinate events and activities to celebrate Hispanic culture and achievement.” On September 14, 1989, President George H.W. Bush became the first president to declare the monthly period from September 15 to October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Celebrating and honoring those who continue to impact the Hispanic community to show the value of their success and conquering the obstacles they faced to make a difference in the world today.
Since this is a blog about beauty, I will be sharing the development of the Beautyblender and highlights of its founder and CEO, Rea Ann Silva, a Latina veteran makeup-artist-turned-businesswoman who demonstrated the struggles women of color endured to make their mark in the world of beauty. The iconic pink egg-shaped Beautyblender sponge has become popular among makeup professionals and makeup enthusiasts no matter their background, a brand sold globally, winning 10 Allure Best of Beauty Awards and projected to do $215 million in retail sales this year alone. It began when the hand-cut, egg-shaped sponges were invented while working as a television makeup artist in the early 2000s to help give her clients a perfect complexion, becoming an expertise in working with women of color. Brushes wouldn’t work because they caused streaks, and powder products didn’t mix well with liquid makeup. She started by taking standard triangular wedges and cutting the edges off to give them a round shape. She experimented with various shapes and sizes, but nothing worked as seamlessly as the egg shape. From that moment, actors began “stealing’ the sponges during set; she then realized the attention it had gained from that small creation. “I thought, well, there must be a retail possibility for this product,” she said in Know Your Value, an MSNBC empowering community helping women to grow their career. After the little egg-shaped sponge, it inspired her to create a beauty startup named Beautyblender, forming an LLC in 2003. However, it wasn’t until ten years later when the company went nationwide in Sephora where sales skyrocketed. The Los Angeles native didn’t plan to pursue a career in makeup artistry. Her mind was drawn to fashion illustration, enrolling as a student at The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, ”I wanted to become a designer until I realized that my favorite part of my fashion studies by far was sketching,” she told Spotlyte. Soon, she saw herself in a tough situation after an unexpected breakup and becoming a single parent. After leaving school to make ends meet, with “no job, no money and no skills,” she began working as a perfume seller at a local department store, later transitioning to the cosmetics counter which opened up a new direction for her life as a makeup artist. Being a Latina in the predominantly white beauty industry also had its up and down, Silva experienced discrimination due to her ethnic background where directors refused to work with her. By the early 2000s, her makeup artistry challenge began while working for the UPN series “Girlfriends” where actors were under high-def. “Suddenly, in HD, you were able to see every pore, you were able to see every bump. You saw everything on the skin, as opposed to film, where you blast a lot of light and you, you know, you wear 5,000 pounds of makeup” said Silva. Airbrushing was the most natural way to correct makeup but to avoid the hassle of carrying the entire airbrush compressor, she needed to find an alternative way to be able to touch up makeup hence, the Beautyblender was born.
A sketch of Beautyblender
Working with people of color allowed her to gain more awareness in emphasizing diversity in the industry. Actors and actresses of color have expressed that makeup artists and stylists hired in the industry have no idea how to work with different hair textures and skin colors. “I am Mexican, Portuguese, Spanish, and Irish. My children are black. My career has been centered around women of color, and I became known in Hollywood, and really around the world, as one of the first makeup artists that really understood ethnic skins, learned how to really match those skins, be creative in ways to create the colors that just didn’t exist. I’ve been in the union for over 20 years, so there weren’t people that really specialized in those areas, whether it’s hair, whether it’s makeup, and I’m happy to say that I think there’s a little more diversity happening now, so it’s good, yeah,” said Silva in an interview with Business Insider.
The release of Bounce Foundation and other makeup products
Due to the Beautyblender’s massive success, it enabled Silva to launch her own foundation line in 2018, Bounce. The line initially released 32 shades, now comes in 40 shades, far more than the limited shades offered for people of color back from when she worked as a makeup artist two decades ago.
“The biggest fail for makeup applications for many years is that there weren’t enough shades for women of color to actually look natural with makeup on, so you had to learn to become like a mixologist,” Silva said. She remembered blending lipsticks and blushes into the foundation to get the right undertones, and even heard stories of makeup artists using shoe polish to darken shades. “They would all be from light to a little bit darker, not really going into other ethnicities, the Latin colors, or African American colors or Asian colors,” she recalled.
In April 2020, Silva was one of eight women featured in a new Smithsonian, National Museum of American History exhibit called The Only One in the Room, to celebrate female game-changers in different industries like manufacturing, finance, marketing, and beauty in a time when women were prohibited from taking leadership roles within companies and relegated them to positions with low status and little decision-making power.
Today, she has a variety of makeup products and sponge cleaners available as well as different sized blender sponges proudly Made in the USA.
Silva credits her Hispanic heritage with giving her an eye for color while acknowledging her own work ethic “I always try to do the most and not the least….Being Latina, we are a very colorful people. We are not afraid of color. We embrace color. And we celebrate color,” says Silva. Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 but Silva says her family honors their heritage every day.
“I live and breathe beauty, but when I look at my life, it’s more than just the industry and my business.”
-Rae Ann Silva
Did you know? September 15th was the chosen date to begin the celebratory week due to the Independence Day of five nations or as President Johnson would call, “Central American neighbors,”—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua whom declared their independence from Spain on September 15, 1821. Coincidently, Mexico also declared its independence from Spain on September 16, 1810. Chile also celebrates its independence from Spain on September 18, 1810, and Belize declared its independence from Great Britain on September 21, 1981.
Many online retailers are celebrating with some good sales in honor of National Lipstick Day like Ulta BOGO offer such as this one, a favorite from Smashbox.
Stepping Out
Ulta offers, the ones marked as X are not cruelty- free.
Sephora is having 50% off selected lip products. Keep in mind, not all on sale are cruelty-free.
Now that the weather is getting warmer and theres more exposure to the sun, you are probably wondering what type of sunscreen is best for you. Here is something you should know, there are two types of sunscreens, mineral and chemical, and they do not work the same.
Mineral sunscreen which reflects rays is generally thought to be safer for both humans and the environment, the only downside to it is it might leave a white cast on the skin within application. The active ingredients in mineral sunscreen include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
Chemical sunscreen includes a various list of ingredients that may prove to be harmful to both humans and the planet. Chemical ingredients absorb rays instead of deflecting them but does not last long after application. The two of the most common harmful sunscreen ingredients is oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are known to be toxic for corals. We need the oceans reefs for coastal protection, food, ocean habitats, medicine, and much more. According to experts, there’s an estimate that 90% of all reefs will be dead by 2050, and sunscreen could play a huge part of that problem on top of climate change.
You can start making an impact by avoiding the purchase of chemical ingredient sunscreen. Popular brands often formulate the sunscreen in a more marketable way to make them sellable in an effort to make sunscreen that people will actually wear. One study found oxybenzone, more known as Benzophenone-3 (BP-3) is an emerging contaminant of concern in marine environment which has a toxic effect on coral and is a cause of environmental contamination in Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Hawaii has banned the sale of oxybenzone and octinoxate. Key West in Florida and the island nation of Palau have followed, and more states, especially California, are likely soon to ban the sale of oxybenzone and octinoxate as well.
There’s a whole list of chemicals in commercial products that are questionable. For that reason, the European Union has banned over 1,400 chemicals from cosmetics due to safety concerns, while the U.S. has only banned about 30. Although nothing is as dangerous as avoiding the use of sunscreen to prevent the steadily rise of melanoma skin cancer. You decide!
While there may not be many affordable mineral based sunscreens out there, you can find ways to save while using better quality products that are not only good for you but for our environment.
–>Here’s a tip, you can get a mineral based sunscreen at a local CVS using ExtraCare coupons. I purchased a Bare Republic sunscreen for 40% off so I basically got it at half price, $8.99 (reg $14.99)
You can also check out Ulta, they often have coupons available at their site or catalogs as well as a whole list of sunscreens available.
Make sure to check out past blog post on sunscreen.
Flesh is a cruelty free cosmetic brand. Their products are not tested on animals nor sold in countries where animal testing is required.
Award winning Pure Flesh Liquid Foundation is on sale at Ulta for $8 ($32.00), that’s right $8!!! a few shades remain so get yours while they last. This foundation is suitable for all skin types from dry to oily. It’s infused with aloe vera to soothe and hydrate skin; glycerin, squalane and sodium hyluronat to help skin feel smooth and moisturized, and pomegranate extract for soft, lightweight texture and a velvety finish.
I purchased a few, can’t go wrong with that amazing price.
There’s also other items available at a great price. They are going fast.
Meet Flesh: as personal as a fingerprint, as intimate as your flesh. To us, inclusivity informs everything we do. It lives in our soul. We want people to find themselves in ways that are right for their flesh, personally, intimately. That’s why we make nudes in every shade of nude, but we also punctuate this fleshy world with vivid color, shimmer, cool new textures, and everything you could want for style and self-expression. Because we believe that beauty is about how you imagine yourself and how you bring that vision to life. It’s some kind of magic.
Whether if it’s for your valentine or your “gal”entine, here are some must haves for this special day.
Nest New York Collection starts from $16-$72 This scent features Rose de Mai and smoky oud combined with hints of incense, black leather, and patchouli.THE RITUAL OF SAKURA Renewing Treat $20.80 $26.00 This wonderful luxury wrapped gift pack contains a shower foam (50ml), body scrub (70ml), body cream (70ml) and hand soap (110ml). Enjoy the fabulous aromas of Cherry Blossom and Rice Milk. Keep the gift box to store great memories of love day. 💕Intimate Health Kit $52.49
Combines essentials for your well-being, pleasure and intimacy every step of the way. The Killer works to maintain your vaginal pH within a normal acidic range, balancing yeast and odor-causing bacteria. pH Balancing Cleanser is an OB/GYN-recommended, safe and gentle external cleanser that won’t disrupt vaginal flora. Sex Stuff is a personal lubricant formulated for women made from good-for-you ingredients. Gentle ingredients in our Do It All Wipes help maintain a woman’s healthy microbiome.
COCONUT CRUSH IT KIT $22.50
Made with clean, crisp tones of coconut and lime and packed with a blend of natural emollient oils and antioxidant rich fruit extracts like pineapple and cranberry, our washes and wipes nourish skin and won’t disrupt your natural pH so everything stays in check.
SweetSpot Coconut Crush It Kit includes: Coconut Lime Gentle Wash (8.0 oz.) Coconut Lime On-The-Go Wipes (30 ct) Travel Size Vanilla Blossom Gentle Wash (1.0 oz.)Lilly Lashes Miami Faux Mink Lashentine Set Only at Ulta Beauty Price$26.00Kiko Milano Magnetic Attraction line Starts at $9-18Le Labo ROSE 31 Notes: rose absolute, cumin, vetiver, musks, cedar, agarwood, olibanium, amber, guaiacwood, cistus.
The SheaMoisture Purple Rice Water Scrub ($11.99) came free with an Ulta purchase. After trying it, I was so amazed with the smell that I decided to get the body lotion and body wash ($10.99 each). I was able to use a 20% off coupon on top of getting the body wash for 40% off the reg price.
(Ulta has these on sale for buy 1, get one 40% off until Dec 24th)
What is purple rice water??
The Purple Rice Water line’s key ingredient is also known as “forbidden rice.” This ingredient was once withheld from the public in which only the wealthy and royals in Ancient China were allowed to use. Purple rice originates from Japanese rice and is technically a type of grass seed. Its growth can be traced back as far as 2500 B.C. It has many benefits specially for hair. Rice water is commonly used by Japanese women, also referred to as Yu-Su-Ru and used as daily hair routine for stronger and shinier locks. This ingredient has high concentration of anthocyanin, which is an antioxidant that works to help skin recover from and protect against environmental damage. When used on skin it purifies, brightens and calms skin, which results in a radiant complexion.
This is what Kimberly Paige, the Chief Operating and Brand Officer for Sunidal Brands (manufacturer of SheaMoisture) had to say about the collection line:
“When diving deeper into the benefits of Purple Rice Water, we knew that a full-range collection, inclusive of hair, skin, and body offerings, would be the most impactful. The high content of hydrating vitamins B and E, and amino acids found in Purple Rice Water are powerful yet gentle, making this collection ideal for those with dry hair weakened by color treatments. Purple Rice Water is beneficial for those with dry skin and uneven skin tone. The wild orchid and papaya extracts work synergistically to exfoliate and dissolve dead skin cells due to naturally occurring alpha-hydroxy acids, resulting in a clearer complexion.”
If you’re like me with little lashes then you understand the struggle of having to reapply false lashes constantly. Lashes have become popular throughout the years, lashes became a fascination because they made the eyes appear bigger and brighter. It wasn’t until 1911 when a Canadian woman named Anna Taylor received a U.S. patent for the artificial eyelash; creating the strip lash. Hers was a crescent of fabric implanted with tiny hairs and adhesive according to The New York Times.
Nineteenth century hairdresser, Charles Nessler (1903) began selling boxed pairs of artificial strip eyelashes made from human hair attached to ‘fish-skin’ – also known as isinglass – made from fish swim bladders. Later versions of his strip lashes, became known as Nestolashes which were available in Brown, Dark Brown and Black shades.
The first person that comes in mind when I think of false lashes is Twiggy. Fast forward to the 1960’s, this trend took a turn when cultural icon Lesley Hornby also known as Twiggy began wearing both top and bottom faux eyelashes (a strip on top and painted out lashes on the bottom). It increased the demand for false eyelashes. The 1963 release of the film ‘Cleopatra’ also stimulated sales.
In 1962, Eylure introduced fur lashes often labeled as ‘mink’ made from seal skin. They were heavier and hotter to wear so they weren’t recommended to wear generally during cold climates or used for evening wear.
Mink lashes have become popular in this century that many cosmetic companies have been releasing their own. I have noticed many different brands of mink lashes and most of those are labeled as “cruelty free”. But are they really cruelty-free? Mink eyelashes can never be “ethical.” The majority of the lashes may be labeled as cruelty free but suppliers of mink fur serve one purpose and that is to deceive consumers.
Most brands marketing mink lashes refer to them as being ‘cruelty-free’ made from hair collected by brushing minks or by collecting fallen hair.
Truth is, these animals are naturally scared of humans so being forcefully held to have their fur combed would be terrifying for them and likely lead to aggression. The reality is that minks are kept separately in cramped wire cages on fur farms in highly unsanitary conditions. A typical mink cage measuring 70cm by 40cm. Minks that are trapped on fur farms are electrocuted, bludgeoned, or gassed, or have their necks broken, and their skins are torn from their bodies while they’re still conscious. European minks have become endangered species due to negatively being impacted by human activities. Minks are always kept in those conditions because they are ‘aggressive, solitary animals,’ meaning that those ‘free-range’ claims are a lie.
According to a PETA investigation, minks were denied the opportunity to bathe, swim, burrow, or do anything else that’s natural and important to them and often denied even basic necessities such as food, water, and medical care.
Although you may not be directly purchasing lashes from a fur supplier, mink eyelashes and eyebrows support a terrible industry and animal suffrage. There is nothing humane or “ethical” about depriving these animals of their behavioral and physiological needs. Fur-farming is nothing more than a horror movie. So before you apply your lovely lashes, make sure they are ‘Faux Mink’ or synthetic. We are living in a new century where fur is no longer needed not even in eyelashes.
Here are some brands that sell cruelly obtained mink lashes:
Cosmetic Laser Clinic
Flirty Lashes
Klepki Lashes
Lash Bar Australia
Lash House
The Lash Store
MINK MINK
Velour Lashes by Redefining Beauty
Lily Lashes (Faux mink option available)
There’s many great alternatives available like
These are my favorite by far
Make the right choice and ditch mink lashes, trade them for cruelty-free faux mink lashes, featherlight or human hair lashes.
There’s many more selections available as long as it’s not “(real) mink lashes”. Beautify yourself the ethical way.
Ulta is having a great deal on certain lashes for 30% off until Nov 17th. Get this deal now!!
Men don’t get that much attention when it comes to beauty. So let’s give them this day to observe.
Founded and sponsored byAmerican Crew,National Men’s Grooming Day is celebrated yearly on the third Friday of August since 2007 by men who want to incorporate style and better grooming practices into their routine. Grooming simply implies that you take pride in your overall appearance. In today’s day and age, we are more “seen” than ever before.
With Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, men are inevitably exposed to world everywhere. It doesn’t mean you should always look perfect but a little grooming can’t hurt, ask the NY Yankees roster. But if you’re like the Boston Red Sox roster then there’s products for you too.
So why not help men battle all of their skincare and grooming issues, including dull skin, razor burn, dry and chapped hands, and a dirty mouth for sure.
Now time for a little history. During the Ice Age, a heavy beard often caused frostbite when water vapour from a man’s breath froze in facial hair. Men used sharp rocks and shells to shave off the longer hairs.
In 10,000 BC, men of the ancient period used products made from natural item to groom themselves unlike today where there’s a variety of tools to use.
Ancient Egyptians used scented oils to soften their skin, cover up body odour and protect themselves from the desert sun and sand. Ingredients included almond oil, aloe, cedar, chamomile, lavender, lily, marjoram, myrrh, olive oil, peppermint, rose, rosemary, sesame oil and thyme.
In 1680, the world’s first straight razor was manufactured in the British steel city of Sheffield.
So why not celebrate by pampering yourself.
Make sure to use the hashtag #MensGroomingDay when posting on social media.
Ulta is having some amazing discounts on selected items plus you can get $10 off your $40 purchase with coupon code: 790210.
Enriched with Squalene and Avocado Oil, this beard oil moisturizes and conditions not only your hair, but also the skin underneath that is commonly forgotten in all beard styles. Vitamin E helps reduce common beard irritations, like flakiness and brittle hair, while promoting healthy hair growth and a smoother, less itchy beard. With daily usage, this quick absorbing beard oil will leave your beard tamed and back to its natural shine. Not to mention the fragrance blend of sandalwood, Jasmin, and cedarwood. We cannot show you how to grow a beard / mustache / sideburns, but we can sure take care of what you got.
Handcrafted in Switzerland, Baxter of California Combs are the ideal men’s grooming tool to help you shape, tame and untangle your beard.
In celebration, here’s a little history on lipstick:
According to the book “Read My Lips: A Cultural History of Lipstick,” Queen Schub-ad of Mesopotamia made a paste from white lead and crushed red rocks to color her lips, from there she created a lipstick. It made its way to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Somehow it survived through the Middle Ages and Italian Renaissance.
In 1927, French Chemist, Paul Baudercroux invented a formula he called ‘Rouge Baiser’ considered to be the first kiss-proof lipstick. Ironically, Rouge Baiser was long-lasting that it was banned from purchasing after being considered too hard to remove.
In the 1930’s another element of lipstick formulas’ was invented by cosmetic company Max Factor. The lip gloss!
By the 1950s, chemist Helen Bishop invented a new version of long-lasting lipstick called ‘No-Smear Lipstick‘.
In 1973 Bonnie Bell introduced, ‘Lip Smackers’, flavored lipstick. These became an instant hit for the younger consumers.
In modern times, the variety of colors and formulas of lipsticks available are outstanding. According to a survey, on an average, women in U.S. spend more than $3500 dollars on lipstick in their lifetime.
National Lipstick Day is an annual event that falls on July 29th. As of 2016, award-winning beauty blogger, entrepreneur and International Businesswoman, Huda Kattan was named the modern-day founder of National Lipstick Day. Lipstick wearers like to celebrate this day by purchasing a new shade of lipstick or just wear an old favorite.
Certain stores and brands are giving away free lipstick or offering great deals such as Urban Decay, Huda Beauty, Anastasia Beverley Hills, ColourPop, Target and Macy’s.
“If you’re sad, add more lipstick and attack.” -Coco Chanel 💋
(Ulta has these on sale for buy 1, get one 40% off until Dec 24th)
Live, Love Cruelty-Free 