CONTENTS
Starring
KarrUEche TRAN
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EDITORS
by
Editor Summer Alexander Editorial Consultant Reginald Larkin Creative Director Regi Booker Lifestyle Editor Larryse Brown Copy Editor Kiara Gillette Graphic Design Nia Blackmon Contributors Terrell Allen Teleah Griffin
bombshell is a Bleu Life Media & Entertainment publication
"In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different" - Coco Chanel They say the second time is a charm but were just getting starting. Bombshell came on the scene as a fresh, new insert publication for the modern women who projected beauty from within. But as we sat down to brainstorm the direction of this issue I wanted to dig deeper and find out who is Bleu bombshell? I challenged myself and the staff to try and find our voice and not to fear if we were seen as “different�. Every fall during New York Fashion Week we wear trends that were already chosen for us the season before, some trends become classic and others one-hit wonders but we can all say we tried a trend. So why not treat the rest of our lives with that same willingness to try. As an editor and in my personal life I've been trying to break out of the box, stop doing the expected and do things that really make a statement. That's the only way this publication can be its best. So as we prepare for the weather to get cooler and the fashion to get a little more fabulous, let's make a promise to ourselves to try something new; and just like our fall fashion wardrobes lets layer our lives with new people, places and things. xoxo Love, Summer
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CONTENTS
Jason Wu
06 Featuring... 04 Bomb Buys: Five Under $5 05 Health:
10 Bombshell: Karrueche Tran 14 Tribute:
Red Carpet Hair at Home
06 Fashion:
The Super Model: Our Fashion Heroines
Good Girl Gone Goth
Alexander McQueen
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Giuseppe Zanotti
14 3
BOMB BUYS
NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Pink Frost-LG127 After some testing, this NYX lip gloss in Pink Frost proved to be an Editors Pick. It looks beautiful on every skin tone. It smells delicious and has a gorgeous finish that will top off that blush toned lipstick, or leave the lips glowing in a light, winter shade of pink all by itself. With the affordability of this product, feel free to start a collection. $4.99 Pond's Cold Cream Cleanser/Makeup Remover With the fall season full steam ahead, you don’t have to use a makeup remover that dries out the face. This Pond’s Cold Cream Cleanser, suitable for sensitive skin, effortlessly removes hard to get makeup. You can even mix this with your favorite skin scrub to make a less harsh exfoliator. $4.49
The High 5 Beauty Buys Words by Larryse Brown
You can’t go wrong with these quality beauty products that are 100% budget friendly and under $5.00 each! You’ll get more than a bang for your buck and all it takes is a trip to the drugstore.
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara This mascara is a classic for a reason. It’s reliable and you can’t beat the price. There’s also the benefit of the new applicator brush shape that allows you to get closer to those smaller lashes and extend. For $3.97, you’ll have the eyelash extension effect without the hassle of glue. $3.97
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Vaseline Lip Therapy Cocoa Butter This Vaseline Lip Therapy in Cocoa Butter is a must have for every bombshell for the winter months ahead. There’s also the benefit of double usage. Use Coco Butter Vaseline as a moisturizer for the body when you need that extra protection. $1.99
NYC New York Color Smooth Skin Perfecting Primer This creamy primer minimizes pores and leaves you with a matte finish that will make for a smooth makeup look. $3.99
HEALTH
Red Carpet Hair at Home Words by Summer Alexander
At bombshell, we believe must-have hair is a necessity. Just like statement-making necklaces and bold earrings, healthy hair can be the best way to accessorize your look. From red carpets to photo shoots, we see some of our favorite celebrities with hairstyles that complete their look. If you've ever wanted to go from a beach wave do to a chic bob worthy of the A-list celebrity, no worries, we got you covered. Licensed cosmologist Amira Wheeler has been taming manes for over 10 years, including studying with master weaveolgist Elgin Charles from the hit VH1 series Beverly Hills Fabulous. Wheeler, who got her start as an assistant to celebrity stylist Tywan Williams, has worked on everything from fashion shows to editorial. Her work has been seen on the pages of Hype Hair; and now, she reveals celebrity secrets to help you get that Hollywood look at home, without breaking the bank. What tools should every “hair-nista” have? I believe a wand curler is a great investment. Most of them come with multiple size barrels so you are able to create different types of curls. It's a great way to achieve fast and great looking styles without going to the salon.
What do you feel is the most recent biggest hair trend? I think color is the biggest hair trend. It allows everyone to have their own sense of individuality. Add your favorite pop of color to your hair to create your signature look.
Why is healthy hair important?
What’s your must have product?
Hair can be a person’s strength. It’s very important to take care of your hair and keep it healthy because the changes in each season alone is very damaging. Some natural elements such as salt, chlorine and the sun’s heat can compromise hair more than chemicals. Hair gives you confidence and self-esteem. So Just like great skin and a healthy body, keeping your strands strong is equally important.
One product I cannot live without is Design Essential's edge control, it’s great for smoothing down edges and works on all hair types.
Rita Ora
Tika Sumpter To achieve this bone straight style, having a good one-inch flat iron is key. The Croc Titanium is a wonderful investment. Nourish your hair and add shine with Jane Carter’s lightweight glossing spray.
What should you keep in mind when trying to recreate a celebrity hair style? When recreating a celebrity hair style keep in mind, you and that celebrity are not twins. It’s good to be sure the style fits your face and is able to be achieved with your hair texture, without causing damage.
The curly bob is the biggest hair trend for fall. A one and a half inch ceramic curling iron will help you make these waves. For longer lasting curls use bobby pins to pin your hair up at night and then release them in the morning. Finish this look with Garnier Fructis Brilliantine glossing spray.
Teyonah Parris Kim Kardashian The best way to create amazing length and volume to your hair is to use super affordable Flexi rods on Flawless brand Virgin Hair Extension. The rods make it easy to create luxurious curls and they come in a variety of sizes.
If you love the natural look, but aren't ready to get rid of your relaxer you can have this sleek hair do by purchasing the kinky mane and creating a temporary updo. Joico holding spray is the perfect way to create slick edges and tame your style.
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FASHION
Good Girl Gone GOTH
Bustier: Goodtime USA Blouse: GentleFawn Pants: Sure
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Styled by Regi Booker Assisted by Brianca Minerve Hair by Derrick Monroe Make-up by Kerrian Morrison Photography by Patrick Neree
FASHION
Motorcycle Jacket: RD Style Grey Dress: Gap Black Dress: Rachel Roy Shoes: Steve Madden
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FASHION
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FASHION
Left: Motorcycle Jacket: Darling T-shirt: Gap Leather Skirt: L’atiste
Bottom: Motorcycle Vest: American Rag Sweater: Left on Houston Dress: Vijo Couture
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BOMBSHELL
Bombshell of the of the Hour Karrueche Tran was introduced to America as the girl we vaguely knew to be the new love interest of singer Chris Brown. Fast forward years later and she has grown to become a woman that is a public figure in her own right.
Words by Larryse Brown Photography by Robert Anthony Hair by Suzana Hallili Make-up by Nikki Oxley Styling by Alisha Crutchfield
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BOMBSHELL
A
Although she’s a self-proclaimed homebody, Tran has traveled the world many times over and is running her growing fashion line, The Kill Society. All of this has made her fluent in the language of fashion, beauty, and her own take on what is sexy, “Respect and maturity makes a man sexy in my opinion. Also originality in style and self; a man that is comfortable in his own skin.” She jokingly admits that a good personality and sense of humor shouldn’t be negated in the matters of sex appeal. She continues, “I was at a party and a basketball player, really tall, starts singing Ciara’s, Body Party in my ear. It has hilarious. Just the idea of this big dude past 6 feet bending down singing that song in my ear made me laugh. It was cute.”
Issa London swimsuit Glen Miller for Ann Turk ostrich bag London Trash shoes @BDonnnas vintage Versace sunglasses
What makes Karrueche feel "sexy"? There’s her alter ego, “Sarrueche” (a mix of sexy and Karrueche given to her by her friends) who manifested herself into existence after Karrueche’s very first weave that was long, dark and sexy, giving her a look that was exotic. “She’s a little more fierce and daring”, Karrueche laughs out. 11
BOMBSHELL
LaureLuxe Metal Couture earrings Swiyyah Couture swimsuit
in whatever I “ IfeeldresScomfortable in...
but lately I’ve been experimenting with
a lot of colors" ” Swiyyah Couture swimsuit Red Kiss shoes @bdonnas
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BOMBSHELL
Glen Miller for Ann Turk snakeskin and fish scale bustier LaureLuxe metal couture cape
There is also fashion. As a woman who is constantly on the go Karrueche’s philosophy for dressing is comfort over everything. “I’ve learned that I’m the most confident when I’m comfortable. You need to be confident to feel sexy. Being sexy for me is versatile. I can be in a tight fitting dress or in a pair of heels and sweats. It depends on my mood.” The simple, but not basic idea goes further, “I try to stick to blacks, whites, greys and neutrals, but lately I’ve been experimenting with a lot of colors.” Tran is known for her mix of high and low end fashion brands like H&M and Topshop with Jimmy Choo and Alexander Wang. Her style is relatable and for the most part attainable, which adds to her charm. She finds inspiration within the celebrated style icons of Yoko Ono, Victoria Beckham, Zoey Kravitz, Vashtie, and of course, Beyoncè. The reason being, “Each of these women has an originality that is an extension of who they are. They’re not trying to be cool, their genuinely dressing the way that they want, and in doing so, moving others, even to imitation.”
Since Karrueche first began her modeling days, her beauty regimen has included all things Kiehls. In the early days of her modeling career, it was love at first sight. “The opportunity came around and I was completely down for it. I've always been approached about modeling but never completely got into it. Now that I've been doing it more, I absolutely love it! People tend to think that there is only one form of modeling (high fashion) but there are so many directions it's amazing.” Nowadays, Karrueche sees true professionals for her regular hair and nail appointments, but she’s had her share of botched beauty experiments that look good in our heads like the rest of us. “I will tell this story until the
day that I die”, she begins, “but I had the absolute worse experience about two years ago when I decided to dye my natural hair blonde. For some reason I had this vision of dying my hair a blonde/icy white like Storm from X-Men. I sat in the salon for eight hours then came back two weeks later to lighten it some more. COMPLETE FAIL. My hair ended up breaking off, thinning out and the texture was terrible. I was traumatized and it was even worse because I was constantly in the media,” she laughs at the end. On the matters of our bombshell’s love life, “Right now I'm trying to focus on myself and get everything in my life in order. I'm letting everything else fall into place.”
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TRIBUTE
The successes of these women lie within their quintessential beauty. Their modelesque behavior supplied them with a platform; but their progressive, innovative attitudes and intelligence marked them as iconic milestones in the modeling industry, as well as in our own personal history book.
Donyale Luna - in 1966, Donyale Luna covered British Vogue. Naomi Sims - titled as the “first black super model,� she covered the Ladies Home Journal in November of 1968. Sims' career also included modeling for leading designers like Halston and Giorgio di Sant'Angelo, as well as creating a multimillion-dollar hair extensions line.
Grace Jones - Jamaican-American model, actress, singer and a muse to Andy Warhol.
Billie Blair - one of the top paid runway models during the '70s and '80s. Blair went from strutting her stuff at auto shows to the catwalks of Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior and Calvin Klein.
Beverly Johnson - first African-American to grace the covers of American Vogue for the August 1974 issue and French Elle in 1975. She went on to secure over 500 magazine covers, launch a line of wigs and obtain a reality show deal on Oprah's OWN network.
Naomi Campbell - first black model to grace the covers of French Vogue Paris for the August 1988 issue and Time magazine (TIME Magazine Europe 9/18/91), and the second for the cover of British Vogue for the December 1987 issue.
Iman - actress, and CEO of Iman Cosmetics. She has been the muse for Yves St. Laurent, Versace, Calvin Klein, and Donna Karan and was honored by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) with the prestigious, "Fashion Icon Award." She founded The Black Girls Coalition in 1988 with her agent and friend, Bethann Hardison, to recognize and promote the interests of black fashion models.
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TRIBUTE
The Super Model: Our Fashion Heroines Words by Taleah Griffin
Supermodels are often considered the epitome of beauty. Renowned around the world for their to-die for bodies and stunning faces, their presence is requested from Paris catwalks to lipstick advertisements. They populate everything from billboards, to magazine covers and commercials.
Black supermodels became the superheroes of the American fashion industry. They would finally receive some glory from the industry one year later in 1974 when American Vogue placed Beverly Johnson on the cover, making her the first black supermodel to receive the honor from the coveted publication.
Surprisingly enough, it was not until 1949, when Dorothea Towles Church became the first African-American model to work in Paris, that the idea of a black woman being a symbol of beauty was even imagined in the fashion industry. It would take another five years for Sara Lou Harris to become the first black model to appear in a national advertisement, and the world would have to wait until 1973 for one of the greatest moments in fashion history to propel black supermodels to the forefront of fashion and beauty.
Beverly Johnson’s American Vogue cover would spawn a national movement leading all major American magazines to have a woman of color on the cover by 1975. This no doubt lead to supermodel Veronica Webb becoming the first Black supermodel to land a major cosmetics contract and helped pave the way for the careers of other beauties like Naomi Campbell, Iman, and and Liya Kebede.
The 1973 Battle of Versailles, a fashion designer runway showdown between French and American designers, employed 11 black models including Bethann Hardison and Pat Cleveland on the American side. That historic battle helped solidify America’s place in fashion on an international level forever.
These women and others have proved that beauty comes in all shades, and that it is something to be acknowledged and praised. They have undoubtedly lifted the spirits of young girls by allowing them to see women who look like them on television and in magazines. These women have revealed to the world that Black is beautiful.
Tyra Banks - first African-American to grace the covers of GQ and the Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue. She also became a Victoria's Secret Angel and host/ creator of America's Next Top Model.
Chanel Iman - Korean/African-American who has modeled Dolce & Gabbana, Issey Miyake, Kenzo, Marc Jacobs, Valentino, Bottega Veneta, Dsquared, Hermès, Moschino, Oscar de la Renta, Jean Paul Gaultier and Stella McCartney. The only black woman to grace the cover of the May 2007 issue of American Vogue with nine other girls as the next generation of supermodels.
Liya Kebede - her star catapulted in 2003 when she was named the newest face of Estee Lauder -- the first woman of color to front the cosmetics brand. Now, she's designing a clothing line called lemlem.
Joy Bryant - Bryant introduced a new ideal of the girl next door appearing in ads for Gap, Victoria's Secret, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. Kimora Lee Simmons - is an American fashion model, author, and former President and Creative Director for Phat Fashions.
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EDITORS