APRIL 2020 $162 RETAIL VALUE
Owning Your Phenomenal Woman Status
5 Ways
to Shout Out Your SisterFriends In My Bag
THE BENEFITS OF SAYING AND CREATING BOUNDARIES
HOW BEING YOUR OWN CHEERLEADER HELPS YOU GROW
“NO”
APRIL 2020
Inside the
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ive yourself a pat on the back! It’s time to Celebrate You! You’re taking care of others, cultivating your career, and growing your business. You are an amazing cheerleader for others! It’s natural (and wonderful) for you to shine the spotlight on other brown women you see making strides and changing lives, but you’re more than a little reticent when it’s time to toot your own horn. You shy away from celebrating your own accomplishments — perhaps because you think you haven’t achieved enough, or maybe even because you think you’ll come across as vain. Either way, you’ve earned it, so own it. We see you and we know who you really are. In this Brown Sugar Box edition, we want you to celebrate you and everything you’ve achieved – big and small. We’ve all watched the Grammys, the Oscars and the Golden Globes and cheered our favorite actors on. Well, this time you’re the star. The recognition and accolades go to you. And the winner is …! As Brown Sugar Box celebrates a birthday (We’re 3 years old this month...Yassss!), we’re taking time to to celebrate our wins. This month, we want to remind you to do the same — celebrate YOU all month long. Cheers to You!
Celebrating
3 Yea rs!
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Black Girl Illustrated Cosmetic Bag - $10.00 1 of 5 prints Keep your friends close, but keep your on-the-go beauty essentials even closer! Leaving your favorite foundation at home is not an option, so we’re giving you a matching cosmetic bag to make sure you have everything you need. Throw in your new “Kiss Me” lip gloss set and you’ll be ready for every photo op. Don’t forget to put them on the ‘Gram’! • Zippered canvas bags 7.5’L
Brown Sugar Babe Commemorative Enamel Pin - $10.00 1 of 2 designs Let ‘em know you are a part of the Brown Sugar Box Sisterhood with your 3rd Anniversary commemorative Brown Sugar Babe Enamel Pin! Make a statement and add this conversation starter to your favorite jean jacket, backpack, hat or tote bag. You’re the secret ingredient, so you’re always “pinned” to the winners’ board.
Brown Sugar Babe Barcode T-Shirt - $25.00 You’re PRICELESS Sis! You’re so fly, the moment you walk in, everyone will be SCANNING you from head-to-toe. Give them all something to look at in this month’s Brown Sugar Babe Barcode Tee. This month, we’re reminding you to get cute, be fly and walk around with your head held high! • 100% cotton • Machine wash cold • Iron inside out
We Promise You: 5-6 Items at an $85 value
This month’s value:
$162
Big Dreams Gold or Silver Plated Hoop Earring Set - $25.00 1 of 2 sets Give it to ‘em, Sis! Show ‘em how it’s done. Slip on these “Big Dreams” Hoop Earrings to run weekend errands while strutting your stuff . Who doesn’t want to do it for the culture in cute accessories? • Round + Triangle (80mm/60mm) or; • Square + Hexagon (60mm/60mm). • Real gold or real silver plated
Lips Glossin’ Lip Gloss Trio - $20.00 1 of 2 sets Kiss your dry lips goodbye and pucker up with your new high shine Izzy & Liv lip gloss trio! Exactly what you need to make your mark and turn heads when you strut into your next event. Use the high shine gloss to add a pop of pretty to your outfit. Sets come with three colors: • Set 1: Brick House, Mahogany + Glo Girl OR • Set 2: Cocoa Cutie, Brown Sugar + Glo Girl
The Bar Set High Reversible Necklace - $20.00 Real gold, rose gold, or silver plated. Your unique style speaks volumes. Make a statement with this 2-sided engraved bar necklace with BROWN SUGAR BABE on one side and LOVED on the other. Everything you wear tells your story, and this necklace is the perfect storyteller. Adjust the length to your preference, choose your side, and walk around feeling fly.
Black Girl Illustrated Zippered Canvas Tote - $40.00 1 of 5 prints We have the bag for you, Sis! Pack up and take us along on your next adventure. Whether you’re headed out for a day at the beach, running errands, or stepping out for the evening, you can slay your days with style and confidence. The Black Girl Illustrated Zippered Canvas Tote features a heavyduty zipper, two pockets, and a waterproof lining. • 17.5”W x 10” H • Zippered • 2 inside pockets • Waterproof lining
Brown Sugar Babe Phone Ring Kickstand - $12.00 1 of 3 designs All angles matter! Give your phone a sturdy grip without having to hold your device, with a little help from your new Phone Ring Kickstand. Hold these stylish gold rim rings with your finger to take flawless selfies. They are convenient for hands-free video watching and the 360° rotation makes texting simple. Give your hand and wrist a break without messing up your flow. Adjustable, reliable, and made with quality materials. One of three Brown Sugar Girl prints with a gold, rose gold, or silver base.
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APRIL 2020
Give Them Face
Owning Your Phenomenal
Woman Status
It is totally up to you to decide whether you want to beat your face using a palette of your most complimentary colors, or whether you opt to let your natural glow shine through. Whatever you decide to do, give it to them with confidence and class. The Izzy and Liv Lip Gloss Set gives you exactly what you need to keep those luscious lips on point. As Auntie Maya mused, they might not be ready for the “sun” of your smile but let them have it anyway!
Show Them the Grace of Your Style
Wear what you want to wear, but never, ever let them pigeon-hole you into being who they want you to be. Every Phenomenal Woman has her own flare. You may go from sporting an Izzy and Liv Brown Sugar Babe Barcode T-Shirt with a pencil skirt one day, to rocking a poncho with boots the next. That’s your style and it’s all good! Move through your day feeling self-assured of your choices and remember that your look is ALL YOU!
by Saeeda Ruffin
Carry Yourself with Confidence
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untie Maya penned one of the most amazing and real poems of all time when she blessed the world with “Phenomenal Woman”. This ode to the essence of our “Black Girl Magic” still resonates in the hearts of Sistas all around the planet. We will always reflect on these fabulous words that made the world know what we always knew: We are ALL. OF. THAT. In homage to Auntie Maya and to celebrate Izzy and Liv being on a mission of promoting positivity among black women for 3 years (It’s our anniversary, Y’all!), let’s live the words of Auntie Maya. Here is how you can commit to owning your “Phenomenal Woman” status every single day:
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Try not to take the power of your daily affirmation lightly. It can be cathartic and, sometimes, even necessary, for you to reflect on the amazingness of YOU. From the moment you are blessed to wake, remind yourself of the fabulousness that is inside of you. Auntie Maya called it the “inner mystery” that others cannot touch or fully understand. Can I get an Amen?! Then, Sis, after you’ve wrapped your mind around being the best YOU ever, step out with your head held high. Chances are, everybody already knows that you’re a Brown Sugar Babe (especially if you’re sporting the Brown Sugar Babe Commemorative Enamel Pin in this month’s box), but remember, you are also a Phenomenal Woman. Own it!
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APRIL 2020
Big Props to Me! How Being Your Own Cheerleader Helps You Grow
by Jarius Edens
E
ver watched a championship basketball or football game? Picture this: It’s the last quarter, a few seconds are left on the clock, the cheerleaders are screaming, your heart is pumping and you’re feeling the adrenaline. Cheerleaders are the heartbeat of those final seconds. They are the life of the game. They pump up the crowd and confuse the opposition. They clap, stomp, and chant their teams to victory, and after the victory they leap into praise mode. Well, we all deserve that kind of support, and it starts within. Being your own cheerleader is a tried and true way of cultivating self-efficacy and pushing toward your greatest goals. When you encourage yourself and acknowledge the goals you’ve reached, the achievements you’ve made, and the awards you’ve earned, you begin to see yourself in a different light: As Black Excellence.
Being your own cheerleader... 1. BUILDS the confidence you need to set audacious goals. 2. HELPS you reach for higher heights. 3. CREATES a positive perspective of your future. 4. FORCES you to be nice to youself. 5. INCREASES your ability to see greatness in yourself.
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Take a moment and think back to the last goal you met, the last feat you accomplished, or the last win you had and congratulate yourself for doing everything you did to become who you are. You’re knocking those goals out, one by one, and your cheering squad should always start with you. Go You! Go You!
5 Ways to Shout Out Your SisterFriends by Jarius Edens
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Send them a Celebration Care Package with their favorite things.
Give them a special shout out on social media and attach your favorite picture of them.
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Reserve and pay for a service to be completed at their home (send them the confirmation email).
Take them on a special trip you planned to honor their hard work.
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hout it from the mountaintop (or maybe just the Gram and Facebook)! Tell everyone just how wonderfully intelligent and brilliant your sister-friends are. Research reveals that the more supportive your community is, the better your chances of success. Black women are the fastest growing demographic of thriving entrepreneurs, and we’re not stopping any time soon. Our circle of sisters is important in keeping us encouraged, focused, and lit. Do you have a sister-friend who’s taking the business world by storm? Do you know a beautiful, brown sister earning degrees and making moves? Are you preparing to celebrate with your girls for their professional and business achievements?
Here are 5 ways to shout out your sister-friends!
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Gift them with the coolest annual Black girl magic subscription—The Brown Sugar Box!
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APRIL 2020
The Benefits of
Saying “No” and Creating Boundaries by Girl Tyler
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o” is a complete sentence. N-OPeriod. These two letters pack a powerful punch. For countless women, the inability to say ‘no’ results in fatigue and other complex outcomes. Early on in our childhood, we’re taught unrealistic expectations for how girls should behave. Over time, these well-meaning principles, which were instilled in us, spiral into incessant people-pleasing. Why is it so easy to cater to the needs of others while our own needs and deepest desires go unfulfilled? One answer is our inability to communicate boundaries in our personal and professional lives. Setting clear boundaries is essential to strengthening personal and professional relationships with others and improving your overall well-being. Set healthy boundaries to protect your energy, personal space, time, religious beliefs, career path, even sexual desires, to name a few. Enforce a zero-tolerance policy on what you will and will not accept. It all starts with one word: No.
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The most challenging part of saying no is navigating the inevitable disappointment that may come from others. You simply cannot be everything to everybody because, in the end, you’ll wind up drowning in a sea of yeses with no one there to save you. Realize that you are not a savior. I repeat, you are not a savior. Give it a try. You may just realize that a great deal of the stress you carry is not your own. Stop accepting invitations to events when you’re exhausted or simply lack enthusiasm for the cause. If you’re too tired to volunteer, sit this one out. If you don’t want to attend a function with toxic family members, don’t go. If you don’t feel like answering a phone call, let it go to voicemail. When you come from a space of thoughtfulness and self-preservation, your real friends and loved ones will understand. Saying no allows you to prioritize your needs which will ultimately create a positive shift in your relationships. When you learn to honor your boundaries, others will respectfully adjust.
Don’t get it twisted. Setting boundaries is not selfish. Instead, it’s an act of self-care with a two-way payoff. With boundaries in place, you’ll have more time to replenish your energy and reduce draining interactions. In doing so, you’ll feel more excited about supporting causes and people that are near and dear to your heart. Your new boundaries may also transform your relational awareness. Communicating upfront non-negotiables can prevent future chaos and heartache. Don’t feel you have to budge or explain the logic behind your boundaries. Do what works for you. Just be mindful of the fact
that your boundaries may clash with another person’s boundaries. If that happens, you’ll need to decide whether you’re able to (or even want to) adapt. As you grow, so will the interests that shape your boundaries, so after you’ve set clear boundaries, be flexible and give yourself grace while working consistently to maintain them. Creating boundaries will ultimately increase your productivity, which leads to better results in every aspect of your life. Just remember: You are the first line of defense in determining how you should be treated – so start writing your rules.
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APRIL 2020
Here are some favorites from the past 3 years.
Izzy & Liv customers truly are THE BEST! We LOVE seeing your social media posts sharing your boxes each month. Here are a few highlights from last month.
April 2019
Congratulations to last month’s WINNER! Kristina S. (@kayeelisephotos) was randomly selected from everyone who shared their March box on social media to WIN her next box FREE. Thank you to everyone who shared their March box! We appreciate you! Don’t forget to share this month’s box using the hashtags #brownsugarbox #izzyandliv for your chance to win next month’s giveaway. BONUS: Join our Facebook Group: The Brown Sugar Lounge, for a SECOND CHANCE to win a free box.
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APRIL 2020
July 2019
May 2018
September 2018
August 2019
February 2018
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JuNe 2017
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APRIL 2020
In My Bag by Girl Tyler
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Playlist
ard to believe, but we’re a third of the way into 2020. Have you checked in on your spiritual, mental, physical, and financial goals? If you’ve fallen off track or need to up the ante, now is the time to refresh and refocus. The “In My Bag” playlist is the instant ego-booster you never knew you needed! Whether you’re getting dressed for work, lacing up for a workout, or need a quick-pick-me-up, this playlist will remind you who you are and who you do it for. Even when you’re feeling self-conscious or stuck in a rut, be confident in knowing that what you bring to the table, no one else is serving. Go hard and stay in your bag, Sis.
• Unstoppable by Koryn Hawthorne ft. Lecrae • Throw it Back by Missy Elliott • NICE by The Carters • Juice by Lizzo • Closer by Goapele • So Good by Destiny’s Child • Backin’ It Up by Pardison Fontaine ft. Cardi B • Womanifesto by Jill Scott • If by Janet Jackson • DNA by Kendrick Lamar • Bossy by Kelis ft. Too $hort • Everywhere by Chloe x Halle • Needed Me by Rihanna • Realer by Megan Thee Stallion • My Love Is Like...Wo by Mýa • Gotta Work by Amerie • Dope Girl Magic by Tank and the Bangas • Get Up 10 by Cardi B • No Small Talk by Kari Faux • Obsessed by Mariah Carey • Flawless by Beyoncé ft Nicki Minaj • Say So by Doja Cat
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Frequently asked questions
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Can I change my size preference for future boxes? Yes, you can do so inside your Brown Sugar Box account on izzyandliv. com, or you can email us at support@izzyandliv.com to update your preferences for you.
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When will I be billed for next month’s box? You will be rebilled on the 1st of the month for the next box. So you will be billed for the October box on the 1st of October; for the November box on the 1st of October and so on... You will not be billed for the next box until after the box from the current month has been shipped/delivered.
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What is your cancellation policy? Your subscription can be cancelled at any time in your Brown Sugar Box Account Settings at izzyandliv.com. If you’ve already been billed for the next box (1st of the month), your cancellation will take affect the next billing cycle. To cancel your subscription, login to your account and click on the Subscription tab, then click “edit” next to your subscription. You can also email us to request that we cancel for you.
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Can I exchange or return items in my box? We cannot accept returns at this time for Brown Sugar Box items, but we welcome your feedback to improve. Email us at support@ izzyandliv.com to share your thoughts. We value your feedback and our mission is to make every Brown Sugar Box more than worth your while! Your feedback will help us to make sure we make this box amazing and valuable as it can be. As far as the item(s), you can always gift them to a friend, coworker, or family member- these items make GREAT gifts! Can I skip a month without cancelling? Yes, you can skip a future month delivery and not be billed for it, without having to cancel your entire subscription. Once logged into your Brown Sugar Box account at izzyandliv. com, you will need to open the “Delivery Schedule” tab. There you will see all upcoming deliveries for your subscription. To skip a delivery you just need to click “Skip” to the right of each relevant delivery. This will only skip that one delivery. To skip multiple deliveries you will need to click “Skip” next to each relevant one. Alternatively, you can email to have us skip deliveries for you.
How can I share photos or unboxing videos with you? Yes! We live for customer feedback & reviews! Just post your pics or video on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube etc. and hashtag #brownsugarbox, #izzyandliv and @izzyandliv. You can also leave a photo review on the Brown Sugar Subscription page! If you make a blog post email us with the link. If your social media is private we will not be able to see your post, so feel free to email us to let us know where to check it out!
Something went wrong with my order/ delivery what should I do? Should you have an issue with your box items (damage, received wrong size, etc) you must notify us at support@izzyandliv. com, with photo(s), within 7 days of receipt of your package. After 7 days, we will not be able to process requests related to this month’s box. If your box was returned due to consumer error, please reach out to customer service for reshipment at an additional cost.
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I have feedback or questions, who do I contact? We can be reached at support@izzyandliv.com
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ARE HAPPENING IN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP
You should be there… Members Only Lounge www.facebook.com/groups/izzyandliv