Should We All Be Feminists?

So it's been about a week since Queen Bey shocked the world with the surprise release of her self-titled, 5th studio album Beyoncé. Now that we've had a little time to sit with and digest the visual album, I'd like to address one of my favorite tracks, Flawless.

Diet Smiet! -- How To Diet Effectively

With 2013 coming to a close, we are right on the cusp of  "New Year, New Me!" mantras and the "get in the gym and get healthy" New Year's resolutions. As many people focus on exercise and weight loss, most people don't know how to adjust their diet to align with their wellness goals. Personal trainers can be expensive and all of the different diets can be confusing; making it difficult to make healthier food choices. And conveniently enough most of the fast, easy, cheap foods tend to be the most detrimental. Whether you are a student, parent, business owner, or someone who is just trying to live a healthier, these effective dieting tips will assist you in achieving and maintaining that lifestyle.

TREND TALES: Single Soles

Now some people are upset that this is being considered a trend because before platform heels took over, singe sole heels were the norm. Nevertheless, when platform heels transformed from shoes worn only by strippers and Spice Girl fanatics to a fashionable closet staple, single sole heels took a backseat. Now these beauties are making a full force journey back to the forefront of fashion and everyone is rocking a pair. The best thing about single sole heels are their versatility. They can be dressed down for a day at work or running errands. Also they can be dressed up for an elegant dinner, date night or ladies night on the town. Check out some pics of the hottest designers and celebs promoting this classic trend.

Healthy Hair Tips

Many African American women opt to keep their real hair under weaves not because they don't have any, but because it is easier to manage and your hair grows better when you are not constantly bothering it. However, as soon as the weave is taken out the healthy hair battle begins and the length you accumulated starts to fade away. For the sake of manageability, a lot of women opt to use chemical relaxers in between weaves but as we know  these can be even more damaging than the regular wear and tear of brushing, combing and heat styling your hair.  Using the following tips will help to keep your hair healthy and growing long regardless of your hair type and whether you decide to be natural or get relaxers.

Healthy Hair Tips: Co-Washing

Here’s a quick rundown of what co washing is and why you should implement it into your hair care routine.

Benefits of Co-Washing:

• Restores moisture to hair to reduce dryness and breakage.
• Gentler on damaged or colored hair than washing with shampoo. 
•  Better option for women who exercise often and need to cleanse their hair after a workout.
• Great for maintaining healthy weaves. Although the hair is not growing from your scalp, it is still human hair that can become dry and damaged and suffer breakage.

How-To Co-Wash:

• You can use your regular hair conditioner or a special cleansing conditioner made exclusively for co-washing.
• Use a co-wash in place of washing your hair with shampoo, not treatments such as hot oil, protein or deep conditioning.
• Do not use a deep conditioner to co wash regularly because it will make the hair too soft. However, you can do a deep conditioning treatment (as well as any other hair mask or treatment) and co wash it out.
• Be careful not to co wash your hair too frequently because it can become too soft and prone to breakage. Limit your co washing to a maximum of 2-3 times a week.
• Use shampoo to wash hair once a month to properly cleanse the hair and remove any excess buildup. Your shampoo should be free of harsh sulfates.

TREND TALES: Exotica!

From clothes to shoes to bags. From leopard to zebra to croc. Animals are taking fashion by storm yet again. Last year we saw a lot of fur. This year designers are using the same classic prints along with some more stunning skins to expand their exotic fall lookbooks. Check out the slideshow below for both classic closet staples and statement pieces inspired by the animal kingdom.

Lessons from Forbes' 2013 Cash Kings

 

It’s easy to simply look at this list in awe at the enormous amounts of money these individuals are bringing in. A lot of people may look at this almost like a fairy tale, something that is virtually impossible to achieve. Then there’s the jealous ones, who won’t buy another Jay Z album because he has enough money. Or the ones who think Nicki’s body is fake and she can’t rap or sing that well so she shouldn’t be on the list. All Wiz raps about is smoking weed, Wayne can’t even rap anymore, Pitbull and Birdman are corny, Tech N9ne is weird… and obviously they’re all in the illuminati. But instead of trying to make excuses for their success or why they shouldn’t have what they do, it’s much wiser to learn from each and every person on this list. From Diddy and Jay Z dominating for the past few years to Mac Miller and Macklemore obtaining a surreal amount of success as independent artists; there’s a lot to learn from the people on this list and here are some of the key lessons to take away from the 2013 Cash Kings:

TREND TALES: Fall Palette

Here's another edition of Trend Tales for everyone that needs to stay in the loop of current fashion but is physically unable to attend the fashion shows. After reviewing what the popular, high end designers have to offer, we compare and bring you what is trending amongst them. In this installment, we have compiled some of the most popular colors for Fall and Winter of 2013. Enjoy.

Key Ingredients For a Natural, Homemade Facial Mask

       Every woman wants to have beautiful, soft, glowing skin. Every female needs primping, pampering and relaxation. But most importantly, EVERYONE likes to save money. One way to achieve all three of these things is to use an all-natural, homemade facial mask. If you haven’t yet succumbed to the “all-natural” craze, just keep in mind that your body absorbs all of the products you use on it. The purpose of a face mask is for your face to absorb moisture and nutrients from it. So if your face mask of choice is filled with chemicals, you face will absorb those as well.

My Name Is My Name Album Snippets (AUDIO)

My Name is My Name, Push-A-Ton better known as Pusha T's long awaited solo debut is slated to release Tuesday, October 8th. The album is expected to provide the raw hip-hop sound and content that Pusha is known for and is rumored to be in the running for Best (rap) Album of the Year by colleagues and skeptics alike.

5 Ways to Boost Your 30 Day Squat Challenge

Every woman’s goal on her journey to fitness is to lose weight and maintain curves in all the right places. Chances are if you haven’t seen the 30 Day Squat Challenge chart on Instagram or Twitter then you’ve heard about it. It’s normal to think where did the challenge even come from and more importantly, does it really work! But let’s be honest, any consistent exercise is going to yield results. But in order to get the best results, you have to remember the end goal to any exercise regimen is being fit and healthy while looking great at the same time.

TREND TALES: Summer Takeover

As the nights get cooler, the pools close and school buses take over your morning commute; we are all forced to accept the idea that summer is gone. But as you start to trade in your sandals for your leather boots, keep an eye out for this summer trend that designers are refusing to let go of