Glamazons,
Before I even knew what My Black is Beautiful was, I loved the name. “Black is Beautiful” conjures up memories of the black pride era of the ’60s. But the “my” part makes it personal. It’s as if to say “my skin color, my hair texture, my shape, my size” is beautiful. I absolutely love that! I had the “My Black is Beautiful” t-shirts and bags way before I even imagined the brand would reach out to work with me one day.
For Essence Festival, they tapped the Style Influencers Group co-founders (myself, Lexi and Christina) to participate in a panel at the Convention Center on Saturday and host their My Black is Beautiful #AllTogetherBeautiful social media newsroom on Sunday.
Their #AllTogetherBeautiful hashtag represents not only celebrating our unique beauty, but acknowledging our shared responsibility to uplift and support each other. Naturally, we jumped at the chance to be a part of it!
Saturday’s panel was hosted by Tai Beauchamp, a legend in the media world that hails from Newark, New Jersey (Jersey girls!) and worked at O Magazine, Seventeen Magazine (the first African-American beauty and fitness director!) and the beloved Suede Magazine. She’s now an InStyle national correspondent and the host of her own TV show “Dare To Wear” which airs Thursdays at 10/9C on TLC. For all her success, she remains humble and committed to the mission of empowering women to own their unique beauty.
It also included another woman I’m inspired by, Myleik Teele, who founded Curlbox and literally created a movement with one of the first beauty boxes catered toward women with natural hair, and the corresponding Instagram page. When I first went natural, it was Curlbox’s social media page that helped reinforce how stunning natural hair truly is. I’m so grateful for the positive images they share of naturals daily.
Needless to say, it was an honor to speak beside them about a subject I’m so passionate about: black beauty. We talked about how social media has transformed the beauty industry, the women we look to for positive representations of black beauty and also, what it means to us personally. Here’s a snippet from the @MBIB Twitter page:
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“Social media has transformed the way we talk about beauty.” – @Dressupwithjess #MBIB #AllTogetherBeautiful https://t.co/PViWaE0wpg
— MBIB (@MBIB) July 4, 2015
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It was a dream come true to speak on this panel! Thanks so much to the people who came out and tweeted me that they loved the conversation! You can share your thoughts on how we can uplift and support black women as a community using the hashtag #AllTogetherBeautiful on social. I’ve read so many inspiring tweets and messages searching the hashtag.
The next day, we hosted the My Black is Beautiful #AllTogetherBeautiful social newsroom. We got our makeup done so beautifully by the makeup artists on hand using Covergirl products. My makeup artist, Ebony Star, also shared some tips for upgrading your look with Covergirl that I posted HERE.
I’m obsessed with how everyone’s makeup came out!
After, we did an interview for My Black is Beautiful where we asked each other questions about what makes us feel #AllTogetherBeautiful, our favorite beauty tips and more. Though I work with Lexi and Christina everyday, I feel like I learned more about them from the interview. I also let them know how they inspire me not only through our company, SIG, but with their dope individual platforms. It was a total loveliest!
After we were done chatting, India.Arie stopped by the booth and they asked me to interview her.
Guys, I am the hugest India.Arie fan! I love her “I Am Not Hair” song and the message about not defining yourself simply by how you look. Even though I’m in the business of beauty, I’ve seen in my own life how you’re so much more beautiful when you radiate confidence, you’re at peace in your spirit and you have genuine love and joy in your life. People who focus on developing their inner beauty have an energy about them that’s just magnetic!
India.Arie totally has that energy. I was super nervous but her warm and kind spirit just set me at ease. We spoke about her style and beauty tips and the woman that inspired the way she sees herself. Check out a snippet of our interview:
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When I bought India.Arie‘s first album, and saw her perform alone and with an artist we both love, Stevie Wonder, I never thought I’d be interviewing her one day. My Dad was so impressed with India.Arie‘s voice and talent at the Stevie Wonder concert and he couldn’t believe it when I texted him our picture from the My Black is Beautiful booth! This was definitely a career highlight and I’m so thankful to My Black is Beautiful for making it possible.
The My Black is Beautiful #AllTogetherBeautiful social media newsroom was like a mini-family reunion. I saw influencers like Demetria of A Belle in Brooklyn, Ty of Gorgeous in Grey, Claire of The Fashion Bomb, Kela of Kela’s Kloset, Tai Beauchamp, Christen of Divas and Dorks and more come through to get private makeovers with Covergirl and Olay, and chat with the celebrities that stopped by.
And there was plenty to do outside the social media newsroom too. Attendees could make appointments for makeovers at the Covergirl beauty bar, pamper their hair at the beauty bar with Pantene, Clairol Pro and Head & Shoulders products, sample the Olay anti-aging beauty buys that I SWEAR by, dance in the “Move with Confidence” section provided by Venue, Secret, Always and Tampax, and pose with the Charmin bear. And they had Bounty paper towels at the Essence Festival food court (you guys don’t know this but I’m a total label girl when it comes to household products, and I just don’t trust paper towels that aren’t Bounty. Like, if I’m going to buy them they need to be durable and work so I’m all about a good Bounty moment!).
The best part about the booth was the energy. We all know what it feels like to walk by a woman when she’s sizing you up or cutting her eyes at you — not a good feeling. That wasn’t happening in the room at Essence Festival or at the MBIB booth. Women were complimenting each other, smiling, dancing together and just enjoying each other’s company. I’m determined to spread that energy now that I’m back in New York.
To keep the positive vibes going, My Black is Beautiful is encouraging people to record and share a video on social that celebrates another woman who you believe is “All Together Beautiful,” and challenge other women to do the same. Love that! All you have to do is use the hashtags #MBIB and #AllTogetherBeautiful so we can all see it and keep the conversation going.
I can’t wait to see your posts!
Kisses,
Glamazon Jessica
My Black is Beautiful Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Images: Jasmine Alston Photography
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by My Black is Beautiful via Style Influencers Group. The opinions expressed herein are those of Glamazons Blog and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of My Black is Beautiful or Style Influencers Group.
