Here to report for my fellow BIPOC girls are the two hottest brands… because ’tis the season. These are made for Black women by Black women: Ami Colé and Mela Vitamins!
If you’ve been reading Beauty News NYC for a while, you’ll know Ami Colé is my favorite makeup brand. Created by Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye a Harlemite (like moi), she focuses on Black beauty by offering makeup products that enhance the natural glow of all shades. Ami Colé recently launched their holiday sets, which I’ve gotten my hands (lips and eyes) on, and here are my thoughts:
Limited Edition Lip Treatment Oil Trio
A foolproof favorite gift, this lip-smacking set contains three luscious glosses. For a natural boost of good looks, I reach for 5/17 – a mix of brown and rose with gold-flecks shimmering through the shade. I love pairing this with a brown lip liner or using it as a topper to a red lip for extra drama. On days when I hit snooze one too many times, Reflection, an old-school transparent gloss has my back. Without a mirror I can slip this onto my lips while stopped at a crosswalk. In the interest of holiday glamour, I found a companion in Romance, a cranberry pout that gives me a just-bitten appearance. The response to Romance has been “Oh my GOSH! What are you wearing!” from my friend, literally two minutes after putting the gloss on after picking it up from my mailbox. This trio is on everyone’s list, even if they don’t know it, so just pick it up already!
If your crowd is more into eyes, they will have fun with Lid Joy Vault, a five-piece kit (four cream shadows and a fluffy blending brush) that is effortlessly cool and comfortable to wear. For a more natural look, I sheer out the shadows (I like using Harlem, an all-skin neutral and Bed-Stuy, a deep hazelnut toffee) by tapping on the doe-foot applicator and blending out with the brush. When I am feeling funky and fun I find satisfaction with Los Angeles, a powder baby blue and St. Louis, a rich sunflower yellow. I swipe these colors on each lid for a playful eye-moment and wait for it to set after a few seconds. Once the formula dries, it does not budge. I put these babies to the test: from working out in them, sweating, crying (holiday movies do that to me, okay?) and accidentally sleeping. They hold on until I’m ready for them to be gone, which is easy with an oil based remover. Lid Joy Vault will be on rotation all winter long. Grab one or all four colors for that special brown babe in your life (or yourself, obviously).
Mela Vitamins
Daily Essentials for Women
Wintertime has all of us hibernating, missing the golden sun, and most importantly, lacking vitamin D. No matter how many glasses of milk I drink or kale salads I devour, my levels stay low. Vitamin D is critical for the absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, which lends itself to bone health. Melanated skin tends to lack this essential vitamin, especially during the shorter months of the year. No fear though, since I’ve been taking Mela Vitamins Daily Essentials for Women. Created and founded by owner Ashley Harmon, a woman who dealt with skin breakouts, chronic fatigue, and digestive issues and decided to do something about it. Supplements she was taking did not work or were simply too expensive, so she started crafting her own supplements centered on vitamin D and formulated for Black skin – thus Mela Vitamins was born! This FDA-approved multivitamin is made with probiotics, adaptogens, and other ingredients you can actually read. Star players include vitamins D3, B12, A, K, E, Zinc, magnesium, and my personal fav, the functional mushroom Lion’s Mane.
I have integrated these supplements into my routine by having two of the recommended capsules with my morning smoothie and a light breakfast. A few hours later, I notice my energy levels increase and cravings decrease by the time lunch rolls around. I’ve been taking Mela for a few weeks thus far, and can attest to the effects of improved hair health, skin health, and feeling brighter (even during finals week). These supplements are non-GMO, vegan, and gluten-free, which makes them ideal for any Black woman. Mela Vitamins will be a stocking stuffer for all my besties!
