Red Table Talk is back on Facebook Watch for a fourth season, and its hosts, Willow Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Jada's mom, Adrienne Banfield-Norris (better known as Gammy), kicked things off with a very vulnerable discussion. On Wednesday, September 15, they were joined by comedian Tiffany Haddish and Insecure star Yvonne Orji for a candid conversation about shaving their heads.
Haddish starts off by sharing her story behind getting the Big Chop, noting that she shaved her head after spending some time reading the Bible and the Torah. "During that pandemic time — the beginning of the pandemic — I was reading the Bible more, checking up on the Torah and everything. Everything is talking about know thyself, know thyself," she said. In addition to spending some time with God in the early weeks of the pandemic, the comedian was doing reshoots for a movie that involved wearing braids that would have "taken hours [to take out]," further affirming her decision to cut her hair.
Jada shared her story next, and she says to Haddish that her desire to shave her head was also "a mixture of a spiritual calling and dealing with hair loss. "Girl, at some point, you're hairline's going to be back here, [gestures to the back of her scalp], so we might as well just do it now," she says. Once the hair was all gone, Jada said she felt "more connected to myself and to the great divine in a very special way."
The discussion then turned to Willow, who confessed that getting up to do her hair every morning as a kid "just always felt just like a challenge or a chore." She continued: "And I just didn't feel beautiful. Like, I just felt like I looked like a Troll doll."
This frank conversation on shaving hair concluded with Yvonne Orji's story. Similar to Haddish, she decided to get the Big Chop in self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic as well. "I was looking like Krusty the Clown from The Simpsons 'cause [the hair] was growing out on the side. One day, I was like, ‘You know what? Let's go ahead and make this thing happen," she said.
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As Willow said, "hair holds energy," and even though these women no longer have these vessels of ardor, they all look as gorgeous as ever with their buzzcuts. To watch the full conversation — which includes how they dealt with the wide range of positive and negative reactions people around them had to the new, short styles — check out the first episode of Red Table Talk's fourth season on Facebook Watch above.
The Everygirl’s product selections are curated by the editorial team. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no cost to you. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
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The first beauty product you probably fumble with is bronzer. Maybe it’s too orange (even Selena Gomez admits to being there), maybe it’s muddy, maybe you just applied way too much—bronzer, in all, is tough to get right. But not all is lost. We’re making headway every day in the beauty industry toward better shade ranges, easier applications, and overall better formulations. While we wait, we’re sharing all the need-to-knows about bronzer: how to apply it, where to apply it, how to choose a shade, and more. Wondering how to use bronzer to finally enhance your features? You’ve come to the right place.
In this article
1 What is Bronzer?
2 What is Contour?
3 Where to Apply Bronzer and Contour
4 How to Choose A Bronzer Shade
5 What Bronzer Formula to Try
6 Matte vs. Shimmer
Meet the expert
Renee Loiz
CELEBRITY MAKEUP ARTIST
Renee Loiz is an LA-based makeup artist with over 20 years of experience. Her work has been featured on red carpets and in advertisements for brands like Target, Disney, and Urban Outfitters.
What is Bronzer?
Bronzer is a way to add depth and dimension to your face, especially when you’re wearing a full face of foundation. “Bronzers are warmer with a redder undertone and are used to warm up your face and give a sunkissed look,” said celebrity makeup artist Renée Loiz. The skin isn’t naturally one color. Whether naturally or from being out in the sun, we’ll always have a few different shades in different parts of our faces, and bronzer is there to alleviate that.
People often use bronzer to contour their face, adding shading and shadows to create a slimmer or more chiseled appearance. It’s also used to give a summertime glow, like you just got back from vacation.
What is Contour?
On the contrary, contour products are for sculpting your face. You’ve seen makeup gurus contour their nose or TikTokers turn themselves into Harry Styles—all using contour. Contour is all about shading, so it’s typically a cool-tone, grayish color that mimics what a natural shadow would look like on your face, but you can also contour with a neutral bronzer depending on your skin tone and preferences.
When you’re looking at a contour product, assume it’s a cool or a neutral tone, while bronzer might lean warm.
Danessa Myricks Beauty
Balm Contour
This contour balm has a lightweight consistency that blends like butter—and the shade range is one of the best we’ve seen.
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Kiko Milano
Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour
This creamy stick contour comes in two cool tone shades that sculpt your face without making you look dry or ashy.
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Where to Apply Bronzer and Contour
Bronzer
Where you apply bronzer all depends on the shade and the look you’re going for. If the shade is only a little darker than your skin, you can apply bronzer all over with a fluffy brush and a light hand to give a sunkissed glow to the skin. If the bronzer is more than one shade darker, then you’ll want to focus it in the “3E” method: around the temples, under the cheekbones, and under the jawline, creating a “3” and an “E” on each side of your face. This method is pretty foolproof. You often see people applying bronzer and contouring in little dots all over their faces or in complicated shapes, and while that works, it doesn’t have to be so elaborate to get results.
“Don’t forget to sweep bronzer along your neck and chest to match your face,” Loiz suggested.
Contour
With contour, your application might depend on your face shape and what you’re hoping to chisel.
If you want a slimmer nose, apply contour in two lines on either side of your nose. The closer together the lines, the slimmer your nose will appear.
If you want to enhance cheekbones, apply contour just above the cheekbone and blend down. Make sure to focus this far back toward your ear too.
If you want to make your forehead appear smaller, apply contour to the top of the forehead and blend upward toward your hairline.
If you want a more pronounced jawline, apply contour right on top of the jawline and blend down, underneath the jaw. To really make it pop, add a bit of concealer between the jawline and cheekbone to carve it out and make that area look really enhanced.
To make your face appear shorter, apply your cheekbone contour in a vertical line and blend out toward your ears.
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How to Choose A Bronzer Shade
Bronzer is about adding warmth and dimension, which is often why people can go overboard if they pick the wrong shade. When you naturally flush, what shade does your skin go? That’s the bronzer you should choose, according to Loiz. Choose a shade that matches how your skin would change if you spent a day out in the sun (before you started slathering on buckets of sunscreen). It’s all about looking natural and enhancing your skin, not covering it up or changing its tone.
If you have a very cool undertone, a warm-tone bronzer will likely pull very orange on your face—a major no-no. In this case, you’ll want to opt for neutral or even cooler-toned bronzers that enhance your natural skin. This is also important for very fair skin.
On the other hand, people with very warm undertones will need a warm, even leaning red, bronzer that matches the undertone in their skin. Cool contours might look muddy on their face, as if they just rubbed dirt all over their faces instead of makeup.
As for depth, your bronzer should be one or two shades darker than your skin tone. If it’s any darker, it’s easy to go overboard. Any lighter, you’ll have to work pretty hard for the product to show up against anything else you have on your face.
What Bronzer Formula to Try
Cream
Cream bronzer isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s typically a bit harder to blend, but it’s easier than ever to find a thin formula that’s seamless on skin. Loiz explained that creams have a “softer, sheerer” finish, so they can look a bit more natural once blended out. A few years ago, the only cream bronzer we knew of was Chanel’s Sol Tan De Chanel, an orange-y shade that only worked on light skin tones (now they have one other shade, but that only just released this year). Now, cream bronzers can be in vast shade ranges, in easy-to-use formulations, and in better packaging.
Fenty Beauty
Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer
This creamy formula offers a full range of shades for just about every skin tone. Our editors love this because it’s sheer and easy to use, making the application seamless and easy for travel.
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Makeup By Mario
Soft Sculpt Shaping Stick
Sephora has been struggling to keep these in stock since they launched. With a built-in brush and easy-to-apply stick, this was made for beginners and anyone on the go.
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Em Cosmetics
So Soft Multi Face Play
This cream stick bronzer has a creamy finish that glides over skin and blends in three seconds flat. It comes in three neutral bronzer shades and one cool-tone, greyish contour.
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To apply a cream bronzer, use a stippling brush to apply it, and then blend with either the same brush or a beauty sponge. If your product is in a stick form, you can apply it straight from the stick, but it might be easier to blend if you apply with a light hand from a brush.
Fenty Beauty
Cheek Hugging Bronzer Brush
Easily place all of your products right in the contours of your cheek and jawline with this brush.
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e.l.f. Cosmetics
Putty Blush Brush
Although this is marketed for blush, it’s the perfect brush for stippling on cream and liquid bronzers before blending with a sponge.
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beautyblender
Original BeautyBlender Sponge
Blending in cream and liquid bronzer is one of the best uses for your beauty sponge. It’ll soften the edges and add a touch of radiance without using too much product.
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Liquid
Liquid bronzers are newer on the market, but they’re coming in hot with tons of new products launching just in the last year. A liquid formula is typically a bit runnier than a cream and comes in a tube or dropper. These are usually shimmery or radiant formulas to make your skin extra glowy, unlike a cream that can go both matte and shiny.
Glossier
Solar Paint
This liquid/cream hybrid makes applying your bronzer on-the-go a breeze. It has a unique sheen that isn’t shimmery—but definitely isn’t matte either—that makes your face glow.
Don’t let the product images fool you. While these shades look majorly washed out in photos, IRL, they actually go quite deep.
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Iconic London
Sheer Bronze Liquid Bronzer
If you want an all-over bronzey glow, this liquid bronzer will give it. This formula is unique because it’s sheer and can be mixed with foundations, primers, and moisturizers to give a bronze sheen to your whole face. But it also works wonders when built up with a brush and applied like a true bronzer.
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Apply a liquid bronzer the same as a cream: using a stippling brush or beauty sponge.
Powder
We all know powder bronzers. It’s probably the bronzer you’ve always used. But there’s a reason they’re still around. These bronzers are easier to blend than the others, and when you find the right shade, it’s basically a foolproof application. They have a bit more pigment, but the blendability makes them the most beginner-friendly.
LYS Beauty
No Limits Matte Bronzer
This bronzer is perfect for beginners because it’s natural and one of the easiest to blend.
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Fenty Beauty
Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer
No one was surprised when Fenty up and launched one of the best bronzer ranges we’d ever seen at that point, but it doesn’t make it any less memorable. This range has every depth and undertone down pat—even olive and deep cool. Loiz recommended this as well for the impeccable shade range that works for just about everyone.
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Charlotte Tilbury
Airbrush Matte Bronzer
If you love Charlotte’s famed Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder, this bronzer has the exact same formulation, just in deeper tones. This makes it blurring on the skin and super blendable. Plus, this package is refillable—granted, the component is so large, I’m not sure who would ever use one up.
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Physicians Formula
Butter Bronzer
There was a time where you couldn’t get through a drugstore favorites video on YouTube without this popping up. It’s still one of the most well-known bronzers, especially at the drugstore, because of its smooth texture, natural finish, and amazing coconut scent.
This bronzer, however, is definitely better for light and medium skin tones. Physician’s Formula, please add deeper shades to this range.
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The key to powders is using the right tools, like a big, fluffy bronzer brush that will cover a large surface area.
Milani
Powder Bronzer Brush
This fluffy brush will offer pinpointed application as well as all-over coverage.
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Matte vs. Shimmer
Matte and shimmer bronzers offer different looks, but there’s room for both in a collection.
A matte bronzer will focus on making you look sculpted and adding that dimension back into your skin. Matte bronzers are usually a bit harder to blend, as the formula isn’t as soft as something with shimmer might be.
Juvia’s Place
Bronzed Duo
Your skin isn’t just two colors—especially for those with deep skin. This bronzer duo lets you achieve a sculpted, bronzed complexion, combining both a warm and cool-tone bronzer to mix and match.
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Benefit Cosmetics
Hoola Bronzer
Hoola Bronzer reigned surpreme for years and years, and now that they’ve finally begun to expand the shade range, it’s still making a name for itself. It’s smooth, easy to apply, and never looks muddy.
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ELF Cosmetics
Putty Bronzer
Leave it to e.l.f. to make a cream bronzer at the drugstore with an adequate shade range. This rivals high-end cream bronzers, with its creamy finish and easy-to-blend formula.
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A shimmery bronzer formula is all about the glow. You can usually focus a shimmery bronzer’s application higher on the cheekbones to act as a bronzer/highlighter/blush hybrid. They’re easier to blend into the skin, but if it has too much shimmer and not enough depth, you can walk away looking like a disco ball instead of a vacationer.
Huda Beauty
GloWish Soft Radiance Bronzing Powder
Huda’s newest bronzer is for the person who wants to look like they just got back from Tulum. It’s ultra glowy, and the undertones look like you actually got a tan, but it somehow still looks seamless and natural on skin.
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Tower 28 Beauty
Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer
This tows the line between cream bronzer and highlighter, containing an ultra-glowy shimmer that never looks glittery or cakey. This bronzer adds just the right amount of color and shine so you truly can have that vacay glow all year ’round.
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L’Oréal
True Match Lumi Bronze It Bronzer
Say hello to sunkissed skin without any sun damage. This bronzer has a silky texture that glides right onto skin and gives an all-over warm, healthy glow.
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Everything You Ever Needed to Know About Applying the Perfect Blush
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New to Eye Makeup? Here’s the Ultimate Guide to Everything Eyeshadow and More
The Everygirl’s product selections are curated by the editorial team. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no cost to you. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
Source: Alaina Kaczmarski
I love summer just as much as the next girl, but my apartment is itching to be decorated for fall. I want nothing but pumpkin spice candles and cozy pillows and am ready to never see pastel throw pillows or faux greenery again. Since I am a French girl wannabe (no, really), I decided to research how French girls are updating their homes for fall (because I’m guessing it’s not with a Hocus Pocus doormat or Bath & Body Works candle). And, of course, the current French decor trends did not disappoint. Not only will they get your home ready for more nights in and cold weather, but they’ll also give your entire style a total upgrade.
Bonus hot tip: Call us biased, but the gorgeous pieces from The Everygirl’s collab with Interior Define come in a variety of shades in luxe velvet fabrics, ranging from chic neutrals to gorgeous jewel tones (but more on that below). Thanks to their timeless design and effortless appeal, we like to think the entire collection has that “je ne sais quoi.” Read on to check out the collection and find out how to update your home for the coziest season like a French girl.
Jewel-tones
chair (in citrine) / side table / rug (in grey) / dried flowers / vase / gallery wall set
The weather is getting colder, which means Parisians are trading in their easy breezy neutrals for richer, darker jewel tones. Think: emerald, sapphire, ruby, and cobalt blue. Not only will a jewel-toned accent or furniture piece add a hue of royalty to your home, but it will also make your entire space feel more seasonally appropriate and cozy.
This season, French girls are ditching anything that feels too stuffy and making their classic couches feel new again with geometric and modern furniture. Embrace those curves with oval coffee tables, rounded accent chairs, and eye-catching headboards. Aim for a mix of sharp corners (like a square couch) and rounded edges (like a curved chair) for an effortless look.
No surprise: Parisians are all about their marble decor. The stylish (and classy) material goes with a lot of styles and can be found in many different price ranges. Opt for chunkier pieces that are full marble design rather than marble mixed with wood or gold, as it will look newer (and Parisians are all about that I-just-found-this-at-a-flea-market feel). Try it in an accent on your bookshelves or as a side table.
Mix furniture
couch (the loveseat in sterling) / chair / ottoman / wall prints / plant
PSA: Parisians are not buying matching furniture sets and calling it a day. Interior design is an art, and they want their home to tell their stories. They’ll often mismatch colors or pick furniture from different styles or time periods to look intentionally contrasted. Think: a modern art piece with grandmillenial-style couch and a mid-century coffee table.
Ornate art
chair (in navy) / end table / rug / Côte d’Azur print / Brigitte Bardot print / The Swing art print / Matisse print / black and white print / statue print / faux peonies
French girls know that art on the wall is like a pair of shoes: It’s the piece that draws the eye and can show off your style. When furniture is simple, a gallery wall can really shine. Don’t be afraid to combine colorful, edgy, and unique works to the walls (remember: The mismatched, effortless feel is the goal), and either mismatch frames for a more eclectic vibe or go with basic white to let the art do the talking.
Velvet Sofas Are a Dream—Here’s How to Style Yours
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The Everygirl designed this product line in collaboration with Interior Define. If you buy a piece from our collection, we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
Behind the closed doors of your home, you can slather on creams, twist up your hair, and sit around with eye patches on until your heart and skin are content. Here at Allure, our personal space became research labs as we put hundreds of beauty products to the test for this year's Best of Beauty Awards. At the end of our days swiping and swatching, there were a few items that also helped transform the space or, at the very least, signal the switch off from work to relaxation mode.
Included in this year's winners are a small batch of home goods, including a skin-hydrating humidifier to keep on hand as we creep toward cold and dry weather, an essential oil set to help you unwind or perk up as needed, and a hair towel that will save you both time and potential damage down the line on your washdays.
These products are made to upgrade your beauty and wellness routines at home or in any space where you find peace and comfort. Keep scrolling to see our picks, and be sure to check out all of the other Best of Beauty winners that we tried in our homes over the past few months.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Baylis & Harding Goodness Natural Hand Wash in Rose & Geranium
Over the past year, there may not have been a more essential personal-care product in our homes than hand soap. Even though the purpose is to clear away germs and keep them at bay, we can still enjoy a sensorial experience while we wash. Baylis & Harding's Goodness Natural Hand Wash in Rose & Geranium delivers on both tasks with mild coconut-derived cleansers that break down grime and a luxurious fragrance blend of rose and geranium that makes you forget you paid less than $10 for the bottle.
$7
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Hey Dewy Portable Facial Humidifier
Dry air can do a number on just about any skin type, but having the Hey Dewy Portable Facial Humidifier on hand will be a saving grace for your face. The device is only six inches tall, but it holds just under 11 ounces of water that it shoots out into a cool mist for up to eight hours. The humidifier will keep the air in your space from drying out so that your skin stays hydrated, and its USB power cord plugs into your laptop so that you can mist even as you work.
$39
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Courtesy of brand3/7
Volo Hero Towel
If you haven't swapped your regular bath towels for one specifically designed to dry hair, do yourself a favor and grab the Volo Hero Towel. The extra-soft microfiber fabric is made using the brand's nano weave process, which allows the material to absorb a sizeable amount of excess water from your hair in a shorter amount of time than other towels. Most importantly, the fabric helps cut back on breakage-causing friction from other materials. The result is less frizz and damage to your hair.
$39
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Glow by Daye Satin Bonnet
Bonnets are practical, but they can also be pretty — even if they don't see the light of day. Glow by Daye has created a lineup of Satin Bonnets that keep your curls corraled and looking cute while you sleep. Each bonnet is reversible, large enough to fit a head full of curls, and has a drawstring for securing so that it doesn't slide off of your head at night.
$19
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Saje Wellness Pocket Farmacy Mindful Edition
Inside each of the five vials that come in this Saje Wellness Pocket Farmacy Mindful Edition is a roll-on essential oil blend. Each focuses on a different purpose, like encouraging reflection with frankincense, ginger, and orange oils; or giving you an invigorating energy boost with lemon, peppermint, and rosemary oils. The set includes three new blends: Confidence, Reflection, and Connection — along with two favorites: Energy and Unwind.
$65
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Lafco Retreat Signature Candle
The name says it all — and if only for a moment, light up Lafco's Retreat Signature Candle to let the notes of matcha, clary sage, and palo santo transport you to whichever place you find mental and physical solace. The soy wax will burn for up to 90 hours, and when it's finished, you can use the hand-blown cup to store makeup brushes.
$42
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Hyascent Urban Tomboy
Hyascent's Urban Tomboy fragrance diffuser is as much of a conversation piece as it is a space freshener. The hourglass-shaped vessel is filled with an oil blend of bergamot, sueded leather, pink pepper, and tobacco leaf notes that will fill your air with a complex yet soothing scent. And the fragrance won't be short-lived as the oil lasts four to six months.
$169
KeywordsAllure Best of Beautyshoppingshopping guidehomecandleswellnessHumidifiersessential oilssilk bonnet
The Everygirl’s product selections are curated by the editorial team. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no cost to you. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
Hi, I’m Ashley, and I’m the proud CEO of taking everything too far—especially fall fashion.
If I like a TV show (as evidenced by my experience with The Office, Grey’s Anatomy, and Outer Banks), I’ll rewatch episodes and seasons over and over until I know every line and use them effortlessly in everyday conversation. I love pizza rolls so much that my obsession with them has become a bit of a personality trait. In an effort to learn how to budget and invest, I spent $145 on financial self-help books. Note: I have yet to read said books.
Moderation is not my strong suit, so it’s no surprise that I’ve fallen into the trap of overspending on fall fashion year after year. This season, I’m taking a different approach. Instead of haphazardly and sporadically clicking “add to cart” throughout the entire season, I’m allowing myself to purchase everything now (and now only) with the plan to stop swiping my credit card after I hit $200.
After much deliberation, deleting item after item from my list to stay within budget, and searching for my favorite seasonal trends, I’m excited to introduce the fall fashion items I’m adding to my wardrobe for fall 2021:
H&M
Oversized Shirt Jacket
I have been obsessing over the oversized shacket trend for so long and am finally pulling the trigger on ordering one for myself this season. I usually wear a small, but this time around, I’m sizing up to a medium for an oversized look that I’ll turn to on days when I want to be both comfortable and cool. As much as I love fall, easing into it takes a lot of careful layering (read: 55 degrees when you leave the house, 75 degrees when you walk home), so this bad boy is sure to come in handy.
2 colors available
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Nasty Gal
Faux Leather Blazer
Last year, one of my friends allowed me the pleasure of borrowing her oversized, faux leather blazer when we decided to take a G.N.O. downtown. Upon wiggling into it, I promptly fell in love, took it home to dry clean it, and stared at it as it hung on my clothing rack for a little longer than I should have. I considered changing my name, moving out of the country, and starting a life on a small farm so that I wouldn’t ever have to give it back, but alas, my guilty conscience prevailed, and I returned it in two business days. This year, I’m buying one of my own so that I can throw it on to elevate any fall fit.
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H&M
Lug Sole Boots
While I consider my Dr. Martens to be my #1 fall staple, I have found that they aren’t always as versatile as I’d like them to be, and with some outfits, they can be a bit distracting. My goal for this year was to buy a pair of black boots that were a little bit more understated but still on-trend, so as soon as I saw these super affordable Chelsea boots, I couldn’t help but hit “add to cart.”
2 colors available
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H&M
Cable-Knit Sweater Vest
In my opinion, there is no cooler feat than when a person can pull off a fashion-forward sweater vest. Of all of the items that I’ll be picking up this season, this vest is probably the most on-trend and one that I can’t wait to style. Will I look half as cool as the fashion girls that I see sporting them on Pinterest? Most likely not. But will I die trying? Absolutely.
2 colors available
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H&M
Collared Jersey Dress
After five months of avoiding pants like the plague, I figured I’d keep the momentum going as long as the Chicago weather will allow. This collared dress is such a great transition piece into the season and one that will pair well with a peacoat, sweater vest, shacket, or cardigan and can be worn with knee-high boots and sneaks alike. I have a strong feeling that I’ll be living in this.
3 colors available
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The Everygirl’s Guide to Fall’s Biggest Fashion Trends
Fox Searchlight Pictures; Getty Images. Design by Clara Hendler
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In the opening scene from The Eyes of Tammy Faye, the infamous televangelist, played by Jessica Chastain, tells a makeup artist that she won't be removing her lashes for a shoot. It's a callback to Fenton Bailey's and Randy Barbato's 2000 documentary, on which the 2021 film is based. "That's my trademark, and if I take my trademark away, then it’s not me," Tammy Faye Bakker says in the documentary. "You can do anything else, but my eyelashes stay where they are." Bakker was a four-foot-eleven firecracker with big lashes, and an even bigger heart, who loved Jesus as much as she loved her L’Oreal Waterproof Lash Out Mascara. She would become known for her over-the-top look as much as she would the scandals that befell the multimillion-dollar evangelism empire she started with her then-husband Jim Bakker.
Tammy Faye Bakker (later Messner) was a gospel singer from the Midwest who rose to fame in the 1970s, due to the success of The PTL Club (also known as The Jim and Tammy Show), a daily religious talk show she hosted with Jim. Her look was intense compared to the average Christian woman: eyelashes heavily coated with mascara, bright eyeshadow, overdrawn lips, an assemblage of wigs, and a closet filled with fur, animal print, and rhinestones galore.
While Bakker wasn't the only televangelist with eccentric style (The Trinity Broadcasting Network's Jan Crouch, her one-time collaborator, was known for her own gigantic, lilac-hued hairstyle), she stood out from her colleagues because she supported the gay community. During its height in the 1980s, The PTL Club's viewership reached over 13 million homes and brought in close to $130 million in annual revenue — until it all came crashing down.
Financial and sex scandals plagued the Bakkers, leading to Jim's arrest and every late-night talk show host to use Tammy Faye as a mascara tears-filled punchline. Saturday Night Live's Jan Hooks became known for her Tammy Faye impressions, while other comedians like Jay Leno and Johnny Carson frequently mocked her; it was said she "had an addiction to Maybelline." (She had an actual addiction to Ativan and once overdosed.) You can still buy T-shirts depicting a face smeared with lipstick and eyeshadow that read, "I ran into Tammy Faye at the mall." But those jokes never came between Bakker and her mascara wand. "What people don't get is when they make fun of me, I'm in on it. So it's OK," Bakker once told Larry King.
Making Tammy Faye was a passion project for Chastain, whose own opinion of Bakker had changed after she watched the original documentary. "I had this judgment against her, and I realized it's so fascinating how the media can give everyone a collective memory that may not really be the truth," Chastain told the LA Times. "I wanted to do something about it to honor her."
A Tale of Prosthetics and Drugstore Makeup
Garfield and Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker greeting supporters during Jim’s trial.
Getty Images
Chastain, who was also a producer on the film, accurately portrayed all of Bakker's quirks, from her Diet Coke obsession (there’s a closeup of her cracking open a can with a nail file) to the Vicks VapoRub she kept on her nightstand (Bakker applied it as a neck cream every evening), to her habit of wearing a full face of makeup to bed. (She told the LA Times in 1987: "Jim has very seldom seen me without makeup and hardly ever in my life without my eyelashes.") To recreate her famous look, from the wigs, to the shoulder pads, and, of course, the spidery lashes, Chastain underwent a full transformation to portray Bakker over four decades, requiring four to seven hours in the makeup chair as makeup, wigs, and extensive prosthetics were applied. (Andrew Garfield, who plays Jim, also wore prosthetics.)
"Tammy was somebody who — she was very specific, very proud of the way she looked," Linda Dowds, makeup department head for the film and longtime makeup artist for Chastain, tells Allure. "She'd always put herself together, and we wanted to honor that." Bakker's key beauty looks in the film spanned from the early 1960s, when she first met and married Jim Bakker, to pivotal moments in the early and late '70s and '80s, finally ending in 1994 (when she had her lip liner, eyeliner, eyebrows, and a beauty mark permanently tattooed). "Everything that she did was very matchy-matchy, so we played mostly within the realms of blues, lilacs, and pink shadows," says Dowds. "With the lip color, she loved pink, so we did a lot of that."
The team applying prosthetics to Chastain.
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Despite her financial success, Bakker still preferred to buy drugstore makeup, and sometimes bought her makeup at the swapmeet, so Dowds did the same to create the looks. Because Bakker's favorite mascara, L’Oreal Lash Out, had been discontinued sometime in the early aughts, Dowds figured out a good substitute was L'Oréal Voluminous Original Mascara (coated over Ardell Individual Knot Free Flare Lashes). Sometimes Dowds would reuse the lashes so they looked even more realistic: "Tammy said, 'Who said you can't put mascara on fake lashes? I do it all the time.' And so that's what we did." For eyeshadow, Dowds used quads from the Revlon ColorStay 16 Hour and L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche collections. At least nine different Revlon lipsticks were used, including the shade Cherries in the Snow, which has been in the brand's lineup for decades. For Bakker's always-impeccable manicure, pre-painted Kiss Press On Nails were used.
According to Dowds, there were two key elements in creating Tammy: the beauty side and the prosthetic elements. "It was super important to me that we never lost sight of the beauty aspect of Tammy's makeup," she says. "Combining prosthetics and beauty can be challenging at the best of times, but I believe more so when recreating Tammy; her look was 'large' in real life, and combined with prosthetics I was always aware of the risk of crossing a sometimes very fine line between being authentic, and going over the top in an untruthful way."
The Making of Tammy's Face
Justin Raleigh, the film's prosthetic makeup designer, says that when he's designing prosthetics, he tries to find the "hallmark elements" that are similar between the actor and their character. "Obviously, with Tammy, it's her cheeks; she has these big round cheeks, and Jessica has a very sculpted, sort of angular face, so that's a key hallmark element," Raleigh explains. "You don't want to completely lose your actor, but you need enough to transform them into the other person." Aside from enhancing Chastain's cheeks so they resembled Bakker's, the prosthetic work included filling in Chastain's chin dimple, pulling her nose up a bit, and changing her lip line.
Chastain as Bakker
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Tammy Faye Bakker
Getty Images
Keeping a balance between authenticity and avoiding caricature was an important focus for the team. If an eyelash fell on Chastain's cheek or her mascara was smudged, and it worked for the scene, they might keep it. But since Bakker's appearance was often fodder for late-night talk show hosts, Dowds was "very conscious" of not perpetuating that with her makeup. "You never want the audience to be taken out of the film because something that you have done pulled them out of it, or something became so distracting," he says.
The Wigs of Tammy Faye
Touch-ups on set.
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Hair department head Stephanie Ingram custom-made 10 wigs for Chastain to wear throughout the film, including a blonde bouffant flip for a ‘60s party scene and a curly 1980s mullet. While her makeup became dramatically bolder over the years, Bakker’s hair had an evolution of its own. In the scene when she first meets Jim, she's a brunette, which is followed by her blonde days, and then varying shades of red in the later years. In her 2003 autobiography, I Will Survive… and You Will, Too!, Bakker refers to her wigs as "kind of like my security blanket" and includes advice on how to properly care for them. "I think every woman should have at least one wig for emergencies," she writes.
The Final Touches
Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Fox Searchlight Pictures
To bring Tammy Faye's iconic look together, costume designer Mitchell Travers worked closely with the makeup team to make sure that the body padding matched the proportions of the prosthetic sculpt. "We also used clever jewelry placement to help hide prosthetic seams on the neck and ears," Travers tells Allure. "I collaborated with the hair designer to make sure that all of the looks were carefully considered head to toe. Tammy was the type of woman who'd match a scrunchie to her shoes, or a silk head scarf to her purse. She really believed in a full look!"
In her autobiography, Bakker admits that she's never been able to figure out why people have taken her makeup so seriously, especially her lashes. "Little fake hairs with black mascara on them — how can they cause such a stir?" she writes. "Must be a lot of bored people around…" Dowds admires how Bakker never apologized for her look at all even though she knew that people made fun of her. "She was so grounded in the fact that that's what made her happy. She loved putting on makeup," says Dowds. "One of the things that I so respected about her was that she lived her own truth. She liked how she looked, she didn't matter what other people thought, and she would just throw on a little more if she felt like it."
There’s no worse post-sex feeling than going to the bathroom and looking down at your underwear to find a spot of blood. You quickly think to yourself, “Am I on my period?” and when the answer is no, you start panic-searching and land on WebMd, only to read about the absolute worst-case, no-chill scenarios. But is there reason to panic, or is it normal to bleed after sex?
Bleeding after sex is actually an extremely common occurrence. And although in most cases it’s perfectly harmless, in other cases, it has the potential to lead to some tricky issues. We sat down with a few trusted doctors to ask as many questions as we could about post-coital bleeding so that next time, you won’t have to resort to Google.
Meet the expert
Dr. Melissa Wong
OB-GYN
Dr. Wong is an OB-GYN at Boston Medical Center.
Meet the expert
Dr. Lauren Demosthenes
OB-GYN, SENIOR MEDICAL DIRECTOR AT BABYSCRIPTS
Dr. Demosthenes is an OB-GYN and professor in South Carolina.
Meet the expert
Dr. Nicole Williams
BOARD-CERTIFIED GYNECOLOGIC SURGEON
Dr. Williams is a gynecologist in Chicago and an author.
What are the different reasons we might bleed after sex?
There are a ton of different reasons why someone might experience bleeding after sex, and these reasons can range from something as harmless as vaginal dryness to something more severe. This is why it’s important to educate ourselves on the topic as much as we can and talk to a professional when needed.
Source: ColorJoy Stock
Vaginal dryness or inflammation
Listen, being sensitive doesn’t make you weak, and the same applies to our vaginas. Our vaginas are powerful, but the delicate balance of healthy bacteria down there can make them, as well as the surrounding vulva area, a bit sensitive.
“For people who are receiving penetrative sex (meaning something is being inserted into the vagina), bleeding can happen as a result of stretching or scratching of the vaginal surfaces,” said Melissa L. Wong, M.D., OB/GYN at Boston Medical Center.
And if you have any of these cuts, scratches, or small abrasions in or around your vagina, your body may not be producing as much fluid as usual.
“Vaginal dryness can lead to small abrasions after intercourse, and these may bleed,” said Dr. Lauren Demosthenes, senior medical director at Babyscripts. “So if you experience vaginal dryness, using a lubricant with intercourse may definitely help.”
According to Dr. Nicole Williams, Chicago gynecologist and author of This Is How You Vagina: All About the Vajayjay and Why You Probably Shouldn’t Call It That, if you don’t really experience any vagina dryness when having sex, inflammation might also be a cause of bleeding.
“Generally, I find women who bleed after sex, unassociated with menstruation, will usually have inflammation of the cervix or vagina, which is usually just treated with a topical antibiotic for several days,” Dr. Williams said.
Vaginal infection
Like I mentioned earlier, vaginas house a balanced system of “good” and “bad” bacteria that keep us healthy. But when this balance gets knocked out of whack, it can lead to a vaginal infection.
One of the most common vaginal infections is a yeast infection. This can occur when your antifungal bacteria is off balance, which allows for an overgrowth of a fungus called candida (a type of yeast).
Now before you get too grossed out by the thought of a fungus in your body, you should know that we actually have yeast in our bodies at all times, and it’s actually very healthy. Only when there’s an overgrowth is there a problem.
A common symptom of yeast or vaginal infection is itching, which can sometimes be severe. “Vaginal infections can cause a lot of itching, and scratching down there may lead to bleeding,” Dr. Demosthenes said.
Period-related bleeding
According to Dr. Williams, it’s also possible that you might experience period-related bleeding after sex, even after your period is over.
“If you are at the end of your menstrual cycle, you may experience some bleeding after sex due to some leftover tissue in the uterus,” Dr. Williams said.
Source: ColorJoy Stock
STIs
Certain types of STIs may also lead to post-coital bleeding. “Vaginal or vulvar lesions like herpes or syphilis may bleed after contact during sex,” Dr. Demosthenes said. “And other STIs like chlamydia and gonorrhea can cause an abnormal discharge and some light bleeding.”
Dr. Demosthenes noted that whether you have vaginal bleeding or not, getting screened for STIs is crucial when engaging with any new sexual partners.
Polyp
According to Dr. Wong, bleeding after sex may be a sign of something a bit more abnormal, “such as the growth of a polyp or mass.”
Cervical polyps are growths that can be found on the edge of the cervix where it meets the vagina, and although they’re usually benign, it’s always a good idea to get them looked at in case.
“A polyp on the cervix or in the uterus can also cause persistent bleeding, and these can usually be removed in the office or as an outpatient procedure if necessary,” Dr. Demosthenes said.
Cervical cancer
In rare cases, bleeding after sex can be a sign of a more serious issue. “Cervical cancers and cancers of the uterus may also lead to bleeding after intercourse, so people who are not up to date on their pap smears should have this checked out as soon as possible,” Dr. Demosthenes said.
Endometriosis
A uterus naturally has tissue that grows inside and forms a lining along its walls, which is why we bleed during our periods. Endometriosis is a problem that can occur when tissue begins to form on the outside of the uterus, causing a lot of pain, heavy cramps, and sometimes chronic fatigue. A very common symptom of endometriosis is bleeding after sex.
Source: We-Vibe Toys | Unsplash
What to do if you bleed after sex
The first thing to do is try your best not to panic because chances are, you may just need to load up on some lube next time you have sex. However, it’s important to be aware of your body in these moments, and whether or not you see a doctor should depend on how often the bleeding occurs, how much blood there is, and if there is pain along with it.
“If bleeding after sex happens once in a while and is no heavier than spotting, it’s probably normal,” Dr. Wong said. “But if you consistently bleed after sex, you feel pain after sex, or if the bleeding becomes heavy like a period, you may want to talk to your health care provider to make sure there’s nothing abnormal going on.”
If there’s any doubt in your mind, it never hurts to go get a check-up for peace of mind. Besides, knowing that everything is OK down there can help us be fully present and have way more enjoyable sex!
5 Things You’re Doing to Your Vagina That You Shouldn’t Be
Though there are plenty of Latinxs who are beauty icons (see: Selena Quintanilla and Cardi B, just to name two) the diversity of the community has not always been represented or catered to in the beauty industry Because of that, more and more Latinxs, including some of your favorite celebrities and influencers, are creating their own brands and expanding representation.
The Latinx community spans over 20 countries, includes a multitude of languages that isn't limited to just Spanish and English, and has a racial and cultural diversity that isn't often shown in media, so it's a tough job to try to represent all of that. But there are Latinx-owned brands and influencers who are doing that work to help promote a more inclusive image within the beauty industry. For example, in 2014, Carolina Contreras opened up her natural hair salon, Miss Rizos Salon, in the Dominican Republic to push more people to embrace their curls and kinks. On the makeup side is beauty influencer Monica Veloz (also known as @MonicaStyleMuse) who is constantly promoting beauty brands that serve darker skin tones, or what she calls "morenita-friendly."
We've curated our own list to highlight some of our favorite Latinx-owned hair, makeup, and skin-care brands. Scroll down and get ready to find amazing products that will make you click "add to your cart" instantly — and over and over.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Tresluce Beauty
It feels like every other day a new celebrity is launching a beauty brand, and on June 25, 2021, singer Becky G's makeup brand made its debut with the prettiest cobalt blue and yellow packaging. Tresluce Beauty launched with eight products: an 18-pan eye shadow palette, 15 shades of eyeliner, a brush set, three sets of falsies, a lash container, and a dual-ended lash applicator that has a comb on one end and angled tweezer on the other. The I Am Shadow Palette has been a big hit with fans due to all of the gorgeous pigments, like the lime green Happy and teal Mar.
$8 to $120 (Shop Now)
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Rëzo Haircare
In 2016, hairstylist Nubia Rëzo created her curly hair master class with Rëzo Academy to teach others how to care for and style various types of curls. Three years later, she launched her hair-care line, Rëzo Hair Care, with four main products — Curl Control Shampoo, Curl Control Conditioner, Curl Define Hair Gel, and Curl Define Hair Serum — which are formulated to help moisturize and condition curly textures. The brand also offers a collapsible diffuser and microfiber towel to dry your curls. In 2020, she took it a step further and opened her own salon in New York City, Rëzo Salon, where she offers her signature Rëzo Cut — a specialized haircut for curly textures developed to maximize length while also producing volume and shape.
$22 to $65 (Shop Now)
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Birdy Lashes
For quite a few influencers, there comes a point when they decide to venture into the beauty business. For content creator Yasmin Maya, it happened in December 2020 when she launched Birdy Lashes. In case the name didn't give it away for you, the brand focuses on false lashes, particularly those that are lengthy and made of faux mink. There are a few styles to choose from, like the Gemini Lashes, which have hairs that flare out into a long wispy style. The brand also sells Birdyliner, which is an eyeliner and lash adhesive in one.
$12 (Shop Now)
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Elaluz
Camila Coelho launched her beauty brand, Elaluz, in August 2020 to highlight the ingredients and beauty traditions from her home country of Brazil. The brand offers a few products in the makeup, skin, and hair categories that are all designed to enhance your natural beauty. In July 2021, the Stick Bronzers were released, and within the first 38 hours, all three shades were sold out. The multipurpose, blendable stick adds a gorgeous tan to the skin in a matte or shimmery finish so that you can feel glowy all year round — and yes, they've since been restocked.
$4 to $64 (Shop Now)
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Dezi Skin
Desi Perkins has amassed over 7 million followers between her Instagram and YouTube accounts in the nearly 10 years since her early days on YouTube. In April 2021, the content creator decided to venture into the business lane by creating a skin-care brand, Dezi Skin. Inspired by her own experience with hyperpigmentation, she launched the best-selling Claro Que C serum, which is infused with vitamin C to help brighten dark marks and reduce discoloration.
$34 to $64 (Shop Now)
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Valde Beauty
Founder Margarita Arriagad started her luxe brand in October 2020. Valde Beauty's main selling point is its lip products, particularly the Ritual Creamy Satin Lipsticks. There are eight stunning shades to choose from, with dark options like the deep brown Passion all the way to the other end of the spectrum with the pink hue Irreverence. They're designed for comfort, so they're infused with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to leave lips feeling hydrated.
The shades are beautiful, but the packaging is even better. Each bullet lipstick comes with two options for caps: simplistic gold with "Valde" embossed on the side, or the intricate Valde Armor (shown above) that comes in an hourglass shape and has many tiny but detailed feathers throughout. The Valde Armor is available in three colorways: black and gold, gunmetal, or gold on gold.
$40 to $200 (Shop Now)
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Dominique Cosmetics
Folks may have been enticed by Dominique Cosmetics because it was created by popular content creator Christen Dominique in January 2018, but the great selection of matte lipsticks, pigmented eye shadow palettes, and dewy cream blushes are really what keeps customers coming back for more. The best-selling Transition Palette is the multipurpose palette that every beauty enthusiast needs. With 15 different neutral matte pigments, these powders can be used to set your concealer, bronze or contour the skin, or create the perfect arch in your brows.
$12 to $55 (Shop Now)
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Rare Beauty
In September 2020, Selena Gomez added entrepreneur to her résumé with the launch of her makeup brand Rare Beauty. With an array of eye, lip, and face products, the line offers practically everything you need for simple, cute makeup looks. The Soft Pinch Liquid Blushes have been a particular hit across social media because of the extremely pigmented formula available in 10 beautiful shades.
$7 to $29 (Shop Now)
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Vamigas
This isn't Christina Kelmon's first foray into the beauty business: She founded makeup brand Belle en Argent in 2016. But three years later, she joined Ann Dunning, and the duo started their skin-care brand, Vamigas. For each of their products, they source ingredients — like babassu, prickly pear, yerba maté, and maracuja — straight from Latin American countries. The brand's signature product is the best-selling face oil, Luz de Sur.
$24 to $34 (Shop Now)
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Earth's Shell
Earth's Shell, started in April 2021 by cosmetologist Estefani German, keeps it simple with only six products for the face and body. It offers one product for the face, and it's neither a moisturizer nor a cleanser — it's the Shell-Repair Night Elixir, infused with the retinol-alternative bakuchiol, moisturizing squalane, and vitamin E.
$18 to $54 (Shop Now)
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Ceremonia
Babba Rivera is the mastermind behind the hair-care brand Ceremonia. Growing up, she was used to spending lots of time tending to her hair with her parents (her father was also a hairdresser), so she wanted to create a brand that really focused on the care part of hair care. The brand debuted in October 2020 with the Aceite de Moska scalp oil, which contains moska oil from the Dominican Republic to soothe and hydrate. In the Scalp Power Duo, the oil is sold alongside the Scalp Masajeado, a scalp massager. That bundle has been a bestseller.
$16 to $93 (Shop Now)
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Costa Brazil
In 2016, after working as creative director for Calvin Klein for 13 years, Francisco Costa left and returned home to Brazil for a break and change of scenery. Two years later, inspired by his home country, he created skin- and body-care brand Costa Brazil. Of course, the brand incorporates ingredients native to Brazil, such as cupuaçu and murmuru butter, into its products. It also sells the Vela candle, which will transport you straight to the Amazon rainforest with notes of Brazilian vetiver, cypress root, and wild jungle flora.
$15 to $165 (Shop Now)
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Botanika Beauty
Botanika Beauty came together with the help of fellow Latina brand owner Aisha Ceballos-Crump, who owns hair-care brand Honey Baby Naturals. In 2017, blogger Ada Rojas reached out to Aisha Ceballos-Crump (who owns hair-care brand Honey Baby Naturals) to collaborate on a product, but Ceballos-Crump decided to invest in Rojas to start her own brand instead. In 2019, Botanika Beauty was born. The brand sells shampoo, conditioner, and a selection of stylers and moisturizers, with are a few options specifically for curly hair, like the Hydrator Curl Cream. It's infused with several hydrating ingredients (shea butter and sweet almond oil are just two) to define and moisturize curly textures.
$11 to $25 (Shop Now)
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Nopalera
Sandra Velasquez named her body-care brand Nopalera after the Nopal cactus — an important symbol of Mexican culture that can be eaten, used to create textiles, and hydrate the skin and body. The brand launched in November 2020, and it mainly offers bar soaps in different colors. Its best-seller is the baby pink Flor de Mayo Cactus Soap that's scented with jasmine oil. The soap is formulated with moisturizing ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter so that it cleanses the skin without drying it out.
$14 to $71 (Shop Now)
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Thrive Natural Care
Thrive Natural Care, co-founded by Laura Arce and Mario Garcia in 2012, provides the basics for your skin-care routine with cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreen, and shaving oil. The brand's minimalist packaging definitely matches the simplicity of the products. Its Face Wash and Face Balm are offered in a version for sensitive skin types, but the brand's hero product is the mineral-based Daily Defense Sunscreen Balm.
$13 to $55 (Shop Now)
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Shocks of Love
Behind Shocks of Love is a one-person team composed solely of founder Juan Felipe Rendon. In October 2020, they brought the fragrance brand to life. Their grandfather, who was an agronomist back in Colombia, has served as a huge inspiration, pushing them to learn everything about perfumes. Rendon created the brand's Scent Rituals, which are offered in six different scents like best-seller Woo Woo Me. The fragrance works well for fans of earthy fragrances with its notes of sandalwood, palo santo, and gardenia.
$45 to $105 (Shop Now)
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Glamlite
Gisselle Hernandez founded Glamlite to celebrate her love for pizza and makeup, as well as to embrace self-love, after dealing with years of fat-shaming. Thus, the Pizza Palette, with its 18 eye shadows named after beloved toppings, was born. The brand sells other cosmetics inspired by food and desserts, like the cool-toned Glam Donut Palette or three-piece Chocolate Popsicle Lip Kit.
$5 to $45 (Shop Now)
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Honey Baby Naturals
Honey serves as the inspiration behind hair- and body-care brand Honey Baby Naturals — and that's evident right down to the packaging. Mama's Magic Moringa & Honey Oil looks just like a bottle of honey and provides hair with the moisturizing benefits from the sweet ingredient, too. The brand was founded in 2016 by Aisha Ceballos-Crump, who wanted to create products that would hydrate her three children's different curly textures.
$11 to $13 (Shop Now)
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Midas Cosmetics
Midas Cosmetics is an eye makeup enthusiast's dream with its colorful products, like the eight-shade Cake Liner Palettes (shown above). When Dominican American Rocio Nuñez created the brand in 2018, she wanted to prioritize incorporating feedback from consumers into product development and supporting micro-influencers through collaborations. For example, in July 2020, the brand worked alongside beauty influencer Darius McKiver (also known as NeonMUA) to create Dusk to Dawn collection, which is still available to buy. The collection includes four face palettes (each come with a blush, bronzer, contour, and highlighter) curated based on skin tone.
$7 to $36 (Shop Now)
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Rizos Curls
After constant trial and error, Julissa Prado just wanted products that defined her curls — so she created them herself. The result was Rizos Curls. The hair-care brand offers four products made with hydrating ingredients — shea butter, olive oil, and aloe vera are just a few — to cater specifically to curly hair. Additionally, the brand also sells super cute hair accessories, like the rosy pink marbled Hair Pick.
$10 to $22 (Shop Now)
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Vive Cosmetics
In 2016, Leslie Valdivia and Joanna Rosario-Rocha came together to create Vive Cosmetics. The duo wants to ensure the brand is always promoting an inclusive image of the Latinx community, which you can see in the diversity of races, genders, and body types on the brand's website and social media channels. Its best-selling Que Matte Liquid Lipsticks come in gorgeous shades, such as the hot pink Prima or bright salmon Wepa.
$18 to $23 (Shop Now)
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Bomba Curls
Afro-Dominican Lulu Cordero created Bomba Curls to incorporate ingredients like pistachio and coffee seed oil from her island home into hair-care products. The brand currently offers only two: the delicious-smelling Forbidden Oil and the creamy Forbidden Hair Mask. After the Forbidden Oil (formulated using a combination of coffee seed, castor, and black cumin seed oils) is applied, dry and itchy scalps will feel sweet relief.
$22 to $28 (Shop Now)
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Beautyblender
There's truly no denying that Rea Ann Silva changed the beauty industry when she launched the Beautyblender. The little teardrop sponge transformed the way many of us do our makeup today, making blending easier and downright flawless. Since the creation of the Beautyblender Original, Silva has expanded her brand to include Beautyblenders of different colors and sizes, makeup brushes, and even foundation.
$9 to $33 (Shop Now)
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Bésame Cosmetics
Gabriela Hernandez combined her love for vintage beauty with her expertise as an artist and historian to build Bésame Cosmetics. Hernandez recreates staples of the past, whether it's producing Disney-inspired makeup collections or gorgeous classic red lipsticks inspired by the 1940s.
It's no wonder the brand caught the eye of Allure editorial director Sam Escobar. "I fell head over heels for Bésame's aesthetic: the rusty red, the golden text, the vintage-inspired embellishments that encapsulated 'old-Hollywood glamour'," they say. "One of the brand's most intriguing pieces of makeup is the Mascara Cake. True to the technique and format used by women during the 1920s, this solid mascara may seem intimidating to some, but the dark, lush results are more than worth the effort — particularly for beauty lovers who enjoy the makeup application process as much as the effects."
$15 to $35 (Shop Now)
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Alamar Cosmetics
Created in 2017 by Cuban-born makeup artist Gabriela Trujillo, the vibrant colors Alamar Cosmetics is known for add a little sazón to the industry. One of my favorite products from the brand is the Colorete Blush Trio. The highly pigmented palette comes in three different combinations catered for three different skin tones: Fair/Light, Medium/Tan, and Dark/Rich. In addition to its blush palettes, Alamar Cosmetics has fluffy false lashes, shimmery lip glosses, and vivid eye shadow palettes.
$12 to $28 (Shop Now)
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Melt Cosmetics
What began as a brunch conversation in 2012 between Lora Arellano and Dana Bomar ended with the creation of Melt Cosmetics. The duo wanted to create matte lipsticks in bright, bold colors, which, at the time, was a rarity. Soon after, they expanded to eye shadows, lip glosses, highlighters, and more.
$16 to $58 (Shop Now)
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Reina Rebelde
Founder Regina Merson drew from her experiences growing up in Mexico and later in the United States to create Reina Rebelde, which includes a variety of eye products, lipsticks, and brushes. The bold and pigmented indigo Reina Rebelde Liquid Eyeliner was created in collaboration with Boricua influencer Kay-Lani, also known as Viva Glam Kay. The blue shade was inspired by the influencer's Puerto Rican heritage, and its fine-tip applicator lets you create a whisper of a line or a powerful cat-eye.
$14 to $55 (Shop Now)
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Sigma Beauty
Until you've tried Sigma Beauty's brushes, you don't know how good a makeup brush can be. OK, maybe this is a bit dramatic, but Sigma Beauty's brushes are truly the holy grail. The F64 Soft Blend Concealer Brush is my personal fave because you can use it blend out any concealer formula or to set the undereye area with powder.
The brand was founded back in 2009 by couple Simone Xavier and Rene Xavier Filho. What started with one brush ended up expanding into multiple brushes of different shapes and sizes, and makeup products like its long-lasting liquid lipsticks.
$8 to $249 (Shop Now)
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Luna Magic Beauty
In creating the shade names for the Uno Shadow Palette, Luna Magic cofounders and sisters Shaira and Mabel Frias looked to their culture. "As Latinas, we love vibrant colors that make us stand out, music that makes us dance the night away, and we always have an apodo (nickname) for everyone," Shaira Frias tells Allure. Three of the shades are called Salud, Dinero, and Amor, inspired by Walter Mercado, a famous Puerto Rican astrologer, who would end each of his readings with "Les deseo salud, dinero, y amor."
When the brand launched in March of 2019, the founders released the palette with two bold matte lipsticks and two sets of mink lashes. In just a few months, Luna Magic gained quite a bit of attention, including a shoutout from Cardi B's makeup artist Erika La Perla during Beautycon. The Dominican in me can't help but rejoice to see fellow Dominicanas doing it pa la cultura.
$8 to $18 (Shop Now)
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Artist Couture
Angel Merino (also known as Mac Daddyy) knew what he was doing for us highlighter lovers when he made Artist Couture. When my fave Jackie Aina did a collaboration with the brand to create two Diamond Glow Powders — two loose powder highlighters — I knew I needed it.
With the pigment on the Diamond Glow Powders, I cannot stress how much a little goes a long way to make your highlighter gleam. The Conceited shade is a beautiful bronzy-gold that's great for a highlight, eye shadow shimmer, or to brighten up the inner corner of your eyes.
$10 to $38 (Shop Now)
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Necromancy Cosmetica
Lipstick lovers rejoice: Necromancy Cosmetica is here for you with almost every shade imaginable. The Puerto Rico-based brand was created back in 2015 by couple Desiree Rodríguez and Salvador Pérez to provide consumers with moisturizing matte lipsticks in the wildest shades you could imagine, like the metallic hunter-green Ophidian or the lavender Witches Brew.
I'm a big fan of the brand's dark hues in particular. When I tried the Morgue lipstick, I knew I was in love. This true deep black lipstick glides on your lips and won't fade the moment you take a sip of your coffee or tea.
If you're not already an AllureBeauty Box subscriber, allow us to let you in on a little secret: Each month, we lovingly pack our favorite beauty products into a shiny white-and-red box and deliver them to your doorstep. You, too, can get said shiny box sent straight to your door — filled with $165 of luxury beauty products for just $23 — if you become a member now.
Intrigued? Here's what you'll find in this month's box, which is filled with products to revamp your seasonal skin-care routine — just in time for fall.
It starts with the Australian peel that everyone is talking about: Alpha-H Liquid Gold Exfoliating Tonic (full size) is so popular that two bottles sell every minute worldwide. This is not a typical peel (clearly!). It's gentle enough to leave on overnight but effective enough (with 5 percent glycolic acid and licorice root extract) to dissolve dead skin cells, brighten, and act like a reset button for skin. One editor's stubborn post-breakout dark spot finally faded after a week of using it. Lucky for you, you'll find a full-size version in the box.
Next up, a clean beauty serum that (sensing a theme here?) isn't like any average serum. Acure Radically Rejuvenating Dual Phase Bakuchiol Serum uses one of skin care's buzziest ingredients, a retinol alternative called bakuchiol, to smooth, soften lines, and minimize breakouts. The bottle contains a dual-phase formula: blue essence (with soothing antioxidants like turmeric) and yellow serum (a moisturizing blend with jojoba oil). Shake them together until it turns green, and apply a few drops to clean skin.
Top it off with Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb or Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb, K-Beauty moisturizers that we love for giving skin a rush of hydration while helping it look smooth. (We are not the only ones: Aqua Bomb is a classic with a loyal following, while Moisturizing Bomb is the latest moisturizer from Belif.)
And no skin-care routine is complete without sunscreen, so finish yours off with a full-size bottle of one from a little brand you may have heard of, Sunday Riley. Sunday Riley Light Hearted Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen. The skin-care brand's first sunscreen is pink and it is good, soothing skin (and one editors' redness) with turmeric extract and safflower seed oil as it protects. And for a super-indulgent way to glow from the neck down, lavender-scented bath salts, Kneipp Lavender Mineral Bath Salt.
But really, is any fall refresh complete without a perfect berry lipstick? So you will be getting a dreamy rich lip color, too: Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick In Trust Issues (full size) or Oryza Beauty Opus Velvet Ribbon Lipstick (full size).
And as a little thank you, new members will also be gifted these amazing eye products: Huda Beauty Samantha Lashes (long, fluttery false lashes have been best sellers since they launched in 2013) and the ByMe x MyBeautyBrand Liquid Eyeliner (pitch-black liquid pigment in a budge-proof formula, full size). Subscribe to the Allure Beauty Box today for your gifts — and so much more.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Some things in life are just begging to be pushed to the end of my to-do list, not to be done until I’m absolutely forced to: filing my taxes, making the appointment to get my yearly skin check, calling maintenance to finally fix my finicky door lock—the list goes on, and for me, finally dipping my toe into investing always had a permanent spot on my to-do-eventually list.
To say I’ve always felt as if I didn’t have enough knowledge to even know where to begin investing is an understatement; I’ve always felt like I didn’t even know what I didn’t know—a notch below “absolutely clueless.” My journalism major ensured I learned absolutely nothing about finance in college, and it felt like—even at 24—I was so desperately behind the pack that it was too late for me to really get a grasp on the stock market.
This year got me to do the things I had been pushing aside because I was busy, and after weeks of writing “START INVESTING” at the top of my planner, I decided it wasn’t something I could push off anymore. Enter: Public.com. Public is an investing social network where investors can own fractional shares of stocks and ETFs, making the barrier to entry significantly lower than other investing platforms. They know that a significant reason why many don’t invest is due to a lack of financial literacy, so they aim to unlock the stock market to a wider range of people through the empowerment of a community where you can learn and grow.
It felt like Public was welcoming my non-experienced self with open arms. Their mission is to make the stock market inclusive and fun, two words that felt like the opposite of other website’s goals. They also incorporate a social media aspect, where members can share ideas and news in a feed with other investors. This meant that I would be able to learn and grow my confidence with the help of other, real people, not just stock experts that I would feel were talking down to me.
After years and years of putting it off, I can finally say that I, Madeline Galassi, am an investor. Here’s where I began, how it all went, and what I learned:
*The following is for educational purposes only and is not investment advice.
Where I began
In partnership with Public, they gave me $500 to begin investing. Once I had my funds in my app, I was prompted to invest in blue-chip stocks like Google and Apple to get my portfolio built. I chose to divide my $500 between five stocks, investing $100 each in Google, Apple, Disney, Amazon, and Visa.
The process was much easier than I had anticipated. I expected to be greeted with hard-to-understand jargon, but Public helped me get my money invested in the stock market immediately, and then I could easily trade and sell my stocks from there, right in the app.
To decide what to trade, I relied on the social network part of Public to educate myself. I looked at what fellow traders were talking and excited about, which helped me understand which stocks were currently doing well without needing to have the NASDAQ ticker up on my TV all day (or have men on cable screaming about what I should invest in). I learned from real people who spoke in layman’s terms, and it helped me decide to invest in ACN (Accenture Public), something I previously had no knowledge about.
Being able to interact with other, real investors made investing something I actually looked forward to. I checked my app every day and watched my shares go up and down and began to understand why. I felt empowered, curious, and excited—three words I never thought I’d associate with my investing experience.
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Why fractional shares are a total game changer
My initial investments were toward blue-chip stocks with high buy-in rates, so how did I do it with only $500? One share of Google is currently $2,846, and I obviously didn’t have that to invest, but since Public lets you invest in portions of stocks (what I learned is called fractional shares), I was able to say the exact amount (which could be anything) that I wanted to put toward each stock. This meant that I still got to be an investor in these profitable, reputable companies that give a reliable return to investors, just at a scale that I could afford.
Something I learned quickly was how important being able to invest in fractional shares is to an investor, especially a beginner like me. Blue-chip stocks have extraordinarily high costs per share, which are amounts that someone like me would be uncomfortable investing in to start (and that I simply didn’t have the funds for). But being able to invest in portions of these stocks is important because of their return rate to investors. They consistently grow and make investors money, and by being able to invest an amount I chose, I could reap those benefits without needing to pay the high barrier to entry, which is a win for me.
I’m constantly learning from real investors
Public.com provides learning resources on their website, which helped answer the questions I had, from the super basic ones to the more in-depth. They had answers to questions I was embarrassed to ask—they even have a page dedicated to answering “what is a stock?”
I made it a goal to read through one question every day for a few weeks, which got me familiar with concepts I didn’t think I’d understand for a while, from what blue-chip stocks are (and look, today I was able to talk about them in my own words!) to understanding index funds. I was able to stick to it because their answers were free from intimidating jargon and instead stuck to terms that I was able to completely understand—and even find interesting—as someone with limited knowledge.
Lack of knowledge about the stock market is something that, honestly, I used to be very conscious about. In my day-to-day life, I’m surrounded by men who know the stock market like the back of their hand, and have been making money off of it for years. My dad has been a life-long investor, and my boyfriend and his three male roommates actually had a point in time where they were competing against each other for how much each could make in the stock market every day. It gave me such a deep, uneasy feeling of being behind, and I never thought I’d catch up to them. But guess who has been joining into the stock banter lately? A girl who used to stay silent throughout every conversation.
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How I felt four weeks later
After a few weeks of getting really comfortable, I started to follow some of their guidance and gathered information from other investors on what I might be interested in. I started a running list of stocks I was interested in investing in and watched what other investors were saying about each of them in my news feed.
One of my favorite parts of the app is the “theme” feature. It provides a list of different overarching stock themes, from cannabis to food delivery to even “Women in Charge,” which highlighted companies owned by women, and have lists of stocks to invest in under those umbrellas. I chose to sell one of my stocks and invest in Accenture Public, which is women-led and something I felt excited about making a priority for myself in my investing. It made investing feel more personal to me—I wasn’t copying what investing experts were telling me to do, but I was putting my money toward companies and leaders I truly believed in myself, which makes investing that much more enjoyable for me.
Investing isn’t one-size-fits-all, nor should it be. There’s no rule that says I only need to invest in the stocks other investors say I should, and with Public, I’m able to learn about what I want to invest in in the future because it interests me.
I learned it wasn’t worth being afraid of
Four weeks ago, the stock market felt like a big, scary thing that I needed a special set of skills to approach. I thought it was going to take me years and years to feel like how I feel right now: I have the basics under my belt and am excited to approach my future as an investor.
When I was given non-intimidating resources, I was able to not only understand investing but also actually enjoy the process and feel pride in doing something with my money—but I honestly don’t think I would have felt this way if I had approached it without Public. Public allowed me to learn and had resources that were meant for someone like me—a complete and utter beginner—and existed to help empower me without talking down to me or expecting me to Google every term they were using in order to understand. It gave me an easy-to-use app, community of like-minded investors, and tools to choose which stocks were the best for me to invest in. After all this time, I finally am an investor, and thanks to Public (and much to my surprise), I even feel confident about it.
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Ready to sign up for yourself? Click here for a free slice of stock when you sign up with a new account!
Offer valid for U.S. residents 18+ and subject to account approval. There may be other fees associated with trading. See Public.com/disclosures/.
This post is sponsored by Public.com, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board.
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