Before the weather got cold, I took a trip to Los Angeles and indulged in some delectable food and cocktails!

It's been 4 years since I have been to the West Coast and I absolutely love it there. The weather is sunny, the water is warm, the people are super chill, and the food is amazing. And unlike the first time I went, I enjoyed a few cocktails! When I landed in Los Angeles it was so early in the morning and I was hungry and thirsty. The snacks and water I had were simply not cutting it. When my shuttle to the rental car lot happened to be attached to a hotel with a restaurant, I was in heaven. My stomach was begging for food or even a smoothie. Not seeing a smoothie on the menu, I thought to myself, why in the fuck am I trying to be super pure with my food and drink selections? I can drink and eat whatever I want. This is my life. So I did. Hello, cocktails and semi-fatty foods.

The first cocktail I indulge in was a double shot, Bloody Mary. 

Bloody Mary's are like breakfast in itself. The thing about Bloody Mary's is that they are both full of goodies such as tomato juice, lime juice, lemon juice, and toppings are even more filling. This one happened to only have green olives and a slice of lime. One of the restaurants I like to go to in my local town sells a Bloody Mary that is like a full meal. They have beef sticks, celery, carrots, and even a chicken wing. 

With this Bloody Mary, I did make sure I ordered a side dish - a 3 ingredient omelet with a side of breakfast potatoes. The drink was very filling although the vodka didn't get me buzzed I simply love the taste of Bloody Mary drinks. 

The second cocktail my friend made for me was Espolon Margarita. 

This margarita was made with the best of ingredients such as the Mexican tequila "Espolon", freshly squeezed lime juice, and Grand Marnier. The rim had a little bit of salt but not much. I must say that it has been a while since I have had a margarita, like 8 years. I liked it but I think my tolerance for actual alcohol that isn't wine has changed. I didn't get a buzz but it was so tasty. I would drink it just for the taste alone. 

FYI, this yummy margarita was paired with Pad Thai from Ayada. The noodles were thick reminding me of a drunken noodle dish I had in Chicago. It was spicy and so filling. 

The last drink that I had was my usual. A pinot noir wine. 

Pinot Noir is on the dryer side of wine but the alcohol content is always 12% or more so I love it. I had about 2 glasses of this while smooth tasting dining out at the Santa Monica Italian restaurant Forma. Forma has the most amazing handmade pasta dishes that my friend Candice of Candy Gyrl Fitness absolutely loves and raves about. I, on the other hand, am a pasta head on the daily, so I wanted to go with something a little lighter so I choose the muscles. 

Now here's the kicker, I know I said that I wanted to go with something lighter, but I kept requesting more bread because it was so good. Not too overpowering with the garlic and perfectly baked to soak up the tomato peperoncino based sauce. 

Now that I have welcomed cocktails, not shots, back into my life when I am traveling, I will be sure to share more. 

Raise your hands if you love trying new beauty tools and products. Now raise your hand again if you don't mind fucking up your face in the process. The things that we do for beauty. 

I stumbled across this brand when my business Red Graphical was hired to manage an Instagram account for another cosmetics brand. While scrolling through the follower list of that brand, No Mo-Stache was one of their followers. Intrigued by the name itself, I needed no mental convincing other than to click and see what it is they were selling. What I saw the cutest feed. Isn't it adorable? It's pink and I love pink. It has a clean white background in almost every photo. Turns out this new company sells what already exists-hair removing products but of course the packaging and portable-sized hair removing tools were the selling point. No Mo-Stache sells tweezers, wax strips, and what they sent me, a stainless steel facial razor blade, along with a few aftercare products. Speaking of what I received, let's talk about it. 

After looking at the pictures and leaving a few comments, I was intrigued. The brand must have been intrigued by my content as well because they reached out and asked me if I wanted to try their facial blade. Not one to say no to a freebie beauty product, I was like yeah, and mentioned how I also work with paid collaborations. Now I'd be lying if I didn't say that I was a bit hesitant considering these very same face razor tools have been around since I was a teenager. Hell, you can find them in the neighborhood beauty supply store for way less than what they’re charging. So when the pale pink mailer arrived it was game, set, match. 

Inside of the pink mailer held only product - a cute plastic zip bag. When I unzipped the bag I thought maybe there would be the small wax strips but unfortunately, there were none. I am a beast at eyebrow manicuring with wax however they didn't send them so I couldn't show them. This bag only held a plastic razor blade holder with a stainless steel blade. If I was in charge of PR packages, I'd definitely include the facial blade and 4 wax strips. They go hand and hand for hair removing hair on the face the reason being that when hair is shaved, it only cuts hair on the surface leaving your face prone to ingrown hairs, unlike waxing where the hair is completely removed from the roots. 

Now what I like about the style of No Mo-Stache's face blade is that it resembles the traditional straight blade that barbers like myself use. This one however is pink, made of plastic but opening it is extremely dangerous. You see the traditional straight blade holder has a wing-shaped tip at the end. This wing is there to help open and close the blade as well as help with precision when shaving. This facial blade holder does not have that. 

The plastic is not of high quality. It is slippery and the groves are not deep enough to grip and pull the blade to open. I actually struggled with it for a few minutes to finally get it open. Once I got it open I used it but was disappointed because the blade was not that sharp for shaping around my eyebrows. My eyebrow hair is not thick nor curly. It is thin and straight. When I closed it and thought about using it again, I tried to open it AGAIN but gave up because I thought that I was going to cut my hand open and start to bleed. Here's a skincare tutorial I did implement this tool. 

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A post shared by SL Thomas (@thebeautiesincolor)

Overall I really do like the style of the razor blade holder for the face however it can use many more adjustments. The first being the quality of the blade. It is not sharp, it is cheap and I say this because after using it over a week and a half ago, my skin is beyond irritated. The second thing that needs to be changed is the quality of the blade holder. Plastic is great and cheap for mass production but there are many other materials that could use that will last longer and is not super slippery. The third thing is adding a wingtip. People can cut their fingers trying to open this cute, little gadget. Great concept but it's a no-go for me. Also, if you are going to do a PR package be sure to include all of the products so users can thoroughly use your products the way that they were created and initially devised for. As a professional cosmetologist, the series of steps would be razor, wax, tweeze, clean, followed by their "Ingrown Hair Serum and Grape Seed Soothing Oil". 

If you'd like to support their brand and give them a try, please be sure to tell them I sent you and give them a follow on social media. 

Replacing your standard body wash is a must after trying the foaming body scrubs and bath milk.

I may be done with the standard body wash; you know the mass-produced, liquid formula that has more chemicals in it to prolong shelf life but not my life. The ones that have parabens (that help prevent microbial growth in water-based products), formaldehyde (linked to cancer), phthalates (linked to birth defects [although I currently have no children and want 1 or 2] ), and nitrosamines known as hormone disruptors. As a woman, why in the hell would we want products that contain hormone interrupters especially when I am constantly having mood swings. No thanks 🚫! But yes, I want and crave more handmade body products that are not mass-produced by a freaken machine.

Rather it is moisturizing, deep cleansing, or whatever their label says it will do, the standard liquid or bar soap will not do any justice to your body like the products from Black-owned skincare brand "Atlanta Bath Company". Containing all-natural ingredients of pure butters, oils, honey, vanilla bean, spearmint, and more trust me when I say, babeeeee you will only want to use these products. When you open the top, inhale the natural scents brought to you by mother nature herself, feel the texture of these handcrafted gems and learn that they are multi-use, you will wonder why haven't you tried them before. Allow me to stimulate your senses. 

Look at how gorgeous these beauties are. Can you tell which one I have been putting a dent in? When I  received an email from Atlanta Bath Company saying that they wanted to send ME products, I thought to myself, "Holy Shit! I freaken love this brand  (although I had yet to try their products) and I love the names of the products. Entanglement. Super excited to get my hands on these I simply had to produce an unboxing --> video on IGTV and rave about their products to you all. I am so in awe🥰

Bath Milk 

#1 

Mint Condition 

What can I possibly say or ever want from a bath soak, ashy ass skin-loving, milk-based product that I have tried in various forms, but have yet to love? I love you! Te amo mucho! That is exactly how I felt when I touched this product in my hand. 

Woman owned, Black owned, and a must have. 

When it comes to nail polish colors, I love the ones that come in the pretty packaging. Just look at the sleek and long bottle shaping of these Pear Nova nail polish bottles. I love looking at them, buying (some of) them, looking at them perfectly placed on their own nail polish rack. But then when Fall and Winter comes along, I finally do a full on pedicure. Gathering all my tools, creams, masques, and oils then giving myself the best deep cleaning, conditioning leading up to the perfectly polished paws every 2 weeks. Yes, a 2 week long pedicure. I would polish my nails on my hands, but there is just something about nail polish on my hand nails that I cannot tolerate for more than 2 hours or maybe a day. I really wish that I could wear nail polish on my (hand) nails longer. Ugh. Sigh with me. I just can't because the chemicals in the polish eats away at my natural nails. Enough of that, allow me to show you these 4 beautiful colors that Pear Nova sent me. 

Festival Fever

I am born on Halloween and of course nothing says 'Hello Fall and I love you October' than the color orange. This orange color by Pear Nova is so bright, vibrant and pigmented to the GAWDS! It's so pigmented that you must wear a primer when you wear this color because it will stain your nails (and white counter tops). But seriously though, you definitely have to get this color. You can practically wear it 4 seasons out of the year; Spring, Fall, and Summer. I mean the color name is Festival Fever, so you can pretend like you are having a festival... on your nails.

Night In Shining Armour

I love sparkles, the glitz and the glam (that I currently don't have in my life) and this nail polish says it all. I am totally obsessed with the silver undertone of this color and the sparkles. To get the most out of this color because it is really transparent at first, it's like a top coat, but you should definitely layer it. In order to get the color to be opaque then you must apply at least 3 layers. Oh and if you do that then you actually will make your nails appear fake. You know like the painful tips that are bonded to your real nail and within a matter weeks, your nails become weaker but look so gorgeous. Trust me, I wear fake nails for all of one year and quit because it killed my nails so bad. I will never do that shit again. 

Let me interrupt this obsession with a quick little Instagram post of me a nail polish look I did using Night In Shining Armor and One Piece Wonder. Look at how beautiful these colors are!  

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A post shared by SL Thomas (@thebeautiesincolor) on Apr 21, 2020 at 6:42am PDT

Thick Dip & What Not

The name of this multi-shimmer nail polish literally takes my mind to the most crazy sexual names for guys. Thick d*____ uhhhh. I'll just leave that one alone but this polish is too cute. It's a dark blue-based color that has microfine flecks of shimmering particles that literally grasp every color that it reflects. Like the other polish Night In Shining Armour, multiple layers gives you more color pigment. You also have the option applying a dark blue color first, then add this as a topper. I'm sure you will get the same effect. 

One Piece Wonder

The last color is this lit AF. It reminds me of living in hot ass Florida again. I say that because every day there feels like a tropical paradise of different cultures. It's like a melting pot of cultures and diversity. Very rich in the Caribbean and African cultures. I love it. That being said, this color is so vibrant and very opaque. You wouldn't need no more than 2 coats. 

I really love all of these colors and I am just so in awe. If you have yet to get your hands on a bottle of this nail polish, uh hmm, I mean lip lacquer then you are missing out! Go grab you a bottle and tell them I sent you!!!

Can you believe that summer is almost over? Like, it was just yesterday that I was exploring the grocery and restaurants to find new dishes to try! Since we have a few weeks left, screenshot these and give them a try. 

Chocolate covered strawberries are a seasonal craving for me. I cannot always eat them because they are full of sugar but they are so darn yummy! I actually purchased these at the local grocery store. 

This company is not playing and they are coming for all skincare brands who promise results but have yet to prove them as effectively and almost immediately as they have. 

You all I am super excited to say that this brand sent me their products try I am OBSESSED! I have never seen and felt products work so effectively almost immediately. Allow me to influence you to become as obsessed as I am with this Black-owned skincare brand created by Ron Robinson, a cosmetic chemist.

#1 Obsessed 

Universal Pro Bio Moisture Boost Cream 

$50

I love this moisturizer soooooo much! Like so much. It is lightweight yet has a medium consistency. Creamy but not tacky and a little goes a long way. It comes in a small tub with a twist-off top and a protective seal to stop bacteria in the air from falling in and to hold its freshness. Unlike the skincare products I have been receiving lately, there is no spatula to scope out the product. Instead, you have to use one that you already have or only dip a clean finger into the container. 

I like to use the Pro Bio Moisture Boost Cream immediately after I wash my face with Loelle Organic Beauty "Black Soap" but I only use this cream about 3 times a week. I do not use it every day because I do not like to put sunscreen on top of it. The sunscreen that I have is a bit heavy so I want the product to do what it says which is to heal, detoxify, fight pollution, and other skin aggressors. All of which is much needed considering that heighten pollution and allergens in the air. 

The key ingredients of this gem are:

Water for hydration

Pomegranate to protect against premature aging

Asian mushroom extract for lightening and reducing skin irritation

White birch to purify and hydrate

Vitamin E to reduce UV damage done to the skin. 

This sounds like a great moisture cocktail for the face and the neck considering every time I scoop out a dime to nickel size amount and massage it on my face, I am in heaven! It dries so well my skin LOVES it!

#2 Semi-Obsessed 

Universal C Skin Refiner 

$80

This is the brand's claim to fame and highly sought out and most reviewed product. This serum is a creamy, orangish looking formula that isn't water-based. It melts on the skin effortlessly and doesn't have a strong smell of perfume, which I love. I do not like highly perfumed skincare products. The Universal C Skin Refiner serum contains 20% vitamin C and has a patented encapsulated delivery system to stop discoloration and the formulation breaking down. This serum comes in an airtight sealed plastic container with a pump top. I am guessing that one pump is to be sufficient but if your face is larger, then you will need 2 pumps! 

Now when I first applied this, my face started to tingle and feel irritated. I am guessing that this happened because of the key active ingredients. These key ingredients happen to be: 

Vitamin C to lighten hyperpigmentation and brown spots

Squalane to improve skin at the cellular level and help reduce redness 

Tartaric Acid to promote healthy healing

EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) Green Tea to slow down signs of aging

After a few minutes, the tingle stopped but when I went to layer the moisturizer on top both products peeled off. No good. Needless to say, you have to use one or the other, not both. I do like the Universal C Skin Refiner serum but it has to be used on its own or after applying a light mist of rose water.  

#3 Obsessed 

Universal C Eye Protector 

$65 

I love this stuff so much. Similar to the serum, it is high in vitamin C concentration, is a creamy formula that actually gets semi tacky but very light and not heavy under the eyes. Oh, and it's award-winning! It should be because this eye cream is wonderful considering I don't even use eye cream. I used one by Clinique 5 years ago, but none ever since. 

This eye cream stands alone as a BOSS type of product. Yes, it is only a 0.5fl ounce bottle but you don't need but a little; like almost less than a pea-size amount to dab and blend underneath the eyes to fill in those age lines and plump the skin back a few years. With ingredients that help the eyes stay awake which, I don't think it could be anything less than, I need more now!' Speaking of ingredients, the key ones include: 

Anti-oxidant Protection for sensitive eyes 

CBD to calm and soothe the eye area

Hyaluronic Acid for moisture, hydration, and plumping

EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) Green Tea which contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits

Did mention that the vitamin C again since that is the #1 ingredient? 

Unlike the Skin Refiner, this eye cream can be used with both the serum and the moisturizer or can be used alone. As suggested by the brand and myself, definitely use this product daily to see visual results. 

Prestige Black Owned Skincare “Beauty Stat”

All in all, I really do love these products. I wish I could layer them on as a skincare loving cocktail but unfortunately, I cannot. Maybe it is my skin that says 'hell nah' although the brand suggests that you use all 3. You all be sure to order or purchase these products directly from the brand, Amazon, or from stores such as Blue Mercury, Skin Store, QVC, and many other locations mentioned by the brand. Please give Beauty Stat a follow on Instagram and all their social media and tell them I sent you:-) 

I had a liquid lipstick swatching party just so you can see how it looks on full lips! 

New brand Kilali Cosmetics has the most pigmented and long-lasting lipstick I've ever worn and I have worn a lot. It's no secret that I love new cosmetics but one secret I haven't shared is that I have become obsessed with liquid lipsticks. 

Ayele & Co. is single-handedly changing the way that I see and feel about skincare products. 

There are so many brands that are creating products that are both targeted to Black and Brown individuals. Some of these brands are owned by people of color, others are by people who love to formulate products for people of color like Urban Skin Rx. However, before I stumbled upon Urban Skin Rx, I grew an obsession with Ayele and Co. 

Ayele and Co. (pronounced EYE-YELL) is a skincare company that I stumbled upon on Instagram in my ever-growing search for #blackownedbeautybrands on Instagram and Twitter. Once I found this brand almost a year and a half ago I couldn't help but tune in and create a mental wishlist. #1 on my list was the Sunflower Sweets Serum, Sunflower Sweets Mask, and one more item. I didn't know which one I wanted at the time but when I loaded up my shopping cart I choose the Hydro Boost Serum.

#1
Sunflower Sweets Serum
$17

I choose this serum (and the mask) specifically for its ability to even out skin tone. Granted everyone has uneven skin tone but it is those eyesores aka blemishes that irritate the hell out of me. It's like I have to yell at my skin and tell it that 'the pimple is gone so just go away blemish'! It doesn't seem to listen which is why I recruited some help. This serum contains Vitamin E Oil, Tea Tree Oil, and Jojoba Seed Oil. All of these oils combined together help with breakouts, calms down inflammation, and unclogs pores. I am all for this.

When I first got the serum, I tried to use it according to the instructions on the website was to apply it after applying a moisturizer and before sunscreen. That didn't work because my skin was too oily. I then tried to apply it after I washed my face at night but I felt all the air pollutants attaching to my skin so I scratched that option as well. Then I watched a YouTuber who said that sunflower oils can be used as an oil cleanser so I tried that and it worked! Whew! I almost gave up but I love cleansing my face 3 times a week with this oil.
Sunflower Sweets Mask
$24


This mask pairs well with the Sunflower Sweet Serum according to the brand. With ingredients such as Vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects the sun from UV damage, squalane that helps fight the signs of aging, Cranberry which acts as an exfoliant and boosts collagen production, Blueberry that is packed with vitamins and more goodies to help your skin heal and look beautiful.

A few moments after I applied the mask I could feel it working its way from the surface of the skin to the next layer. The slight tingle from the glycolic acid ensured me that it was indeed eating away the bacteria and leftover products my usual cleanser did not remove. After about 10 minutes (and 10 selfies later) the tingling stopped so I took that as if the product has done its duty. I then rinsed my face with cool water and massage the mask off. The brand suggests that you massage the product off since it has natural fibers. The natural fibers allow this mask to work as an exfoliant.  Once I air dried my face, my skin was left smooth and clean. Whoa! Talk about a complete skin refresher.

#3 
Hydra Boost Serum
$...


The next product that I am loving is this Hydra Boost Serum. This serum is no longer listed on their website, but I still want to share with you how much I love it. Containing the key ingredients of Kale, Hyaluronic Acid, Cucumber and Seaweed, this creamy gel-like combination will soak into your skin to definitely give it a boost of hydration.

Similar to how I conducted a trial and error with the Sunflower Sweets Serum, I had to learn when to apply this and what not to combine with it. Because this serum works like water but with more beneficial ingredients I learned that after oil cleansing my face, I could not apply this serum because although I oil cleansed, the oil was still working it's magic. However, after using the Sunflower Sweets Mask and my favorite Black Soap cleanser, I learned that I can then apply this serum afterward and proceed with my normal skincare routine.


All of their products are thoughtfully created to help everyone with skincare issues. What I love most about the brand is that they do not promise to be "melanin experts" or "skincare experts" instead they pride themselves on being "a skincare brand that caters to everyone". In the words of Ayele & Co., "When it comes to the skin, ignorance isn't actually bliss. Understanding your skin is super important; it isn't a one-size-fits-all situation".

You all, the obsession that I always have an continue to have is introducing you all to "NEW TO ME" beauty brands. BAABS Beauty of course is another one and you already guessed. This brand is Female-Owned, Black-Owned, and not just a makeup company but an actual beauty bar! I've always wanted to go to one of those, so I'll be making a trip. 

When it comes to makeup, one can never have enough and I think it is safe to say that Necia Boston, the owner of BAABS Beauty located in Greenville, North Carolina, can agree. Like Necia, falling into this industry was not coincidental - it was simply following our passion. Her professional beauty credentials include makeup artistry, esthetics, and educator. However, choosing to actually launch a brand in this competitive industry happened when she developed allergies to literally EVERYTHING ranging from food, topical body care products, and makeup. Knowing that she was not alone, she sought out alternative and the solution was Bless and Anointed Beauty Services aka BAABS Beauty. 



Before becoming a business owner, Necia worked as a Program Manager, LOVAAS/ABA Specialist where she provided in-home therapy for families whose children were on the Autism spectrum and also managed and trained after school and daycare providers to effectively work with and teach children with behavioral challenges. Whew! I really think that Necia Boston was on her way to becoming a saint which is what we definitely need and admire nowadays. 

I have had the opportunity to try the beautiful products offered by the brand from the "I'm Sprung Collection", which consisted of colorful and glossy lip colors, perfectly cut and beautifully crafted faux lashes and the most gorgeous eyeshadow palette that doesn't sting my the skin on my eyes. You all will love them, but first, I want you all to get to know Necia Boston a little more. Comments are always welcome.

1. What was the first product you sold for your brand? Lip gloss in the old school squeeze tube. 
2. Where are your products sold currently? Are they available inside of beauty bars or online markets such as Essence and/or Amazon? Currently, only sold at our retail location and website
3. What tips do you have for beauty professionals on selling your products to their customers to use at home? We stand firm in actually teaching our BAABS Beauties how to use the products they are interested in prior to purchase. So we plan to make sure all stockists are well versed in product knowledge to pass along to their customers. 
4. What 3 key ingredients do your products contain that have been found to treat skincare issues while enhancing their outer beauty? While our line is not 100% natural-based, we do focus on eliminating unnecessary ingredients that often cause irritation or allergic reactions. Vitamin E (helps with the appearance of skin), Vanillin Extract (aids in moisture retention), and limited preservatives (a lot of people have micro sensitivities to these ingredients) 
5. What major retailers would you like your beauty products to be sold? We had a stay at the "Market by Macy's", however, we are not sure if a big brand retailer is the next move.  
6. What magazine(s) would you love to see your products featured in? My true favorites: Essence and O! Magazine. 
7. Name a handful of well known, POC celebrities you would like to see endorsing your brand. Tika Sumpter, Viola Davis, Quinta Brunson, Timea Gaines, and Yara Shahidi. 
8. Does your company help the community you're located in? We participate in donations, community service, and outreach. Our Annual "Meet a Princess Party" is centered on brown girls seeing and meeting brown beauty titleholders. This event also focuses on self-esteem building consists of the Black girls who range from 4-13 yrs. This event is a free event for participants where we offer food and activities. 
9. How did you use your time as a small business owner during the "stay at home" order? We have 6 projects finalized with 21 new products in production. We have been able to see the needs of our customers. 
10. What advice do you have for new brands that are ready to throw in the towel? If this is what you love, fight for it. Reinvent yourself or your business and keep pushing.
11. To what do you contribute your success? Ultimately GOD. But his grace has given me perseverance through the lows and the team behind me that includes; family, friends, clients, and supporters.   
12. What is next for BAABS Beauty? We are looking to expand into high-end boutiques and salons that service Black women and women of color. We hope to continue to meet the needs of easy but flawless beauty for our supporters.