AUGUST 2022 $111 RETAIL PLAYLISTVALUE SOULFULQUEENS HOW WARDROBECONSCIOUSENVIRONMENTALLYMAINTAINTO DEVELOPINGASOLIDMORNING MEDITATION Routine Honoring PEACEFULConnections MOTHER EARTH EDITION PLANT Queens WE CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF Plant Based CHIARECIPESSEEDAN
2 | July 2022
THE
MOTHER EARTH WAIST BEAD KIT $22 (1 OF 5) Unleash your inner feminine energy as you adorn your waist with jewelry. Waist beads can be worn for cultural representa tion or aesthetic purposes -- you decide, sis. You’ll receive all the essentials to properly accentuate your waist and ensure a perfect fit. You’ll receive 1 of 5 colors: Happiness (Yel low), Truth (White), Power (Gold), Abundance (Green), or Loyalty (Blue). Black women are drinking their water & minding their busi ness! We’re surviving, thriving, and reconnecting with nature! We’re not new to sustainability and plant life; no ma’am, we’re TRUE to it—it’s a cultural thang. Some of us may have been introduced to gardening by our moms and grandmothers, while others are newbies who are learning as we go, but we are ABOUT that plant life. The Mother Earth Edition of the Brown Sugar Box is a love letter to Mother Earth. It’s filled with items that will have you embracing the beauty of nature and getting your green thumb on, sis!
INSIDE Mother Earth Edition
GROW GIRL! GOALS & INTENTIONS GROWTH KIT $16 Write your goals on wildflower seed paper, plant them, and watch your intentions bloom and blossom right before your eyes! Make your dreams a reality with 12 seed cards, and 1 pencil.
WILD AT HOME: HOW TO STYLE AND CARE FOR BEAUTIFUL PLANTS $22 Hilton Carter shares tips on how you can create your own urban jungle. In addition to plant styling, he talks about the beauty and health benefits of plants in the home. You’ll find everything you need to create your own plant oasis.
YOU GROW GIRL! MINI PLANTER $15 (1 OF 3) Show off your plant babies in style with your new Black girl mini planter. Your new mini planter is the perfect size for a succulent plant at 3” x 4”. You’ll receive 1 of 3 styles: Mother Earth Goddess, Flourish Mode, or Black Girl Blooming. July 2022 | 3
BAG IT UP! 2-PIECE REUSABLE TOTE SET $12 (1 OF 3) These bags are reuseable but they aren’t just for the grocery store! Keep it cute with a 2-piece set of sustainable bags that are bold and versatile. Use them for shopping or anywhere because they’re just that cute! You’ll receive 1 of 3 sets: She’s A Work of Art, Moonlight Goddess, or Bloomin’ Queens. $111
We Promise You: 5-6 Items at an $85 value This month’s value:
MOTHER GODDESSEARTHTEE$25 Mother Earth is a Black woman and she’s fierce, bold, and vibrant! Shine like the beautiful goddess you are as you wear this tee.
4 | August 2022 HEALTH WELLNESS 2022 Honoring Peaceful Connections HONORINGPEACEFULCONNECTIONS • HONORIN G P E A CEFUL CONNECTIONS • HONORINGPEACEFULCONNECTIONS • SNOITCENNOCLUFECAEPGNIRONOH •GNIRONOHPEACLUFESNOITCENNOC • OITCENNOCLUFECAEPGNIRONOHNS • BY SAEEDA RUFFIN
When you have peace within yourself, you are better able to recognize the value and beauty of life around you. Your senses are unleashed to the magnifi cence of the colors that surround you in nature, the aromas that fill the open air, and the textures that add a bit of majesty to our world. By appreciating what nature has to offer, we elevate the importance of maintaining the connection between our human selves and nature’s omnipresence. Consider yourself and your life, as you strive for balance and harmony each day. Nature can be instrumental in helping you attain a higher level of inner solace and peace. For women, that connection may be primal, as we witness the earth blossoming with abundance and delivering newness from creature to creature. It is phenomenal when you think of the bond that exists between women and the natural world. Like nature, women are the givers of life, the ones who act as a conduit between what is and what shall be. Nature, too, facilitates this, from trees and plants that help us breathe, to the water that flows and delivers the very thing that all life needs to Everyexist.move you make, from conti nent to continent, is an opportunity to observe and connect with nature. Each interaction with flora, fauna, earth, and wind, is an opportunity to embrace the calmness and serenity of simply being –living in harmony with nature.
By whatappreciatingnature has to offer, we elevate omnipresence.andhumanbetweenthemaintainingimportancetheofconnectionourselvesnature’s
Take a deep breath and fill your body and mind with the splendor of nature. Oh, she is exquisite, for real! Yes, the earth has so many wondrous attributes, many of which are, quite simply, indescribable. We only have one planet to live on and enjoy, so you might as well live a life of peace, in harmony with nature.
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6 | August 2022 2022
DEVELOPING A SOLID HEALTH WELLNESS BY
routinemeditationmorning GIRL TYLER
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KEEP A JOURNAL Meditation yields breakthroughs. Spend five minutes journaling after meditating to honor your feelings and your internal breakthroughs. Each session will reveal self-reflections and thought-provoking emotions that you typically ignore. Meditation comes with a slew of benefits including stress management, reduced anxiety, lowered blood pressure, and increased serotonin, among other benefits. There are lots of apps with guided meditation and yoga classes that specialize in the art of meditation. Sometimes, you need a few minutes to yourself to collect your thoughts before embarking on a new day. Here are a few quick tips to get you started on a mindfulness journey. Over the next few weeks, you may notice improved sleep, relaxation, and an overall healthier mental state. Here are a few quick tips to get you started on a mindfulness journey.
Morning meditation ro ut i n e M o r n gni meditation routi n e
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SET A REMINDER Routine is everything in the morning and at night. Once you've caught up on overnight emails and helped the kids get ready, you've already lost half of your day by prioritizing the needs of others. A daily alarm at the same time will remind you to meditate and organize day.thoughtsyourfortheTrytosetitat least an hour before everyone wakes up.
FIND A QUIET PLACE Your meditation routine doesn't have to be fancy. The most significant factor is ensuring you are distraction-free, to achieveawareness.total That means no phones, no TV, no partner – just a peaceful place in your home where you can mix and mingle with your occasionally,hearfeelings.intimateSure,you'llyourneighborsorsomeone else in the house will make noise. Recite a mantra and get back to it! You will soon find ways to let sounds pass and resume focusing on your thoughts.
BABY STEPS ARE ESSENTIAL Sitting still can seem like a nightmare for the movers and shakers among us. Start with five minutes a day, then every other week, gradually increase the time by five more minutes. Soon enough, you'll have the focus and capacity to meditate for an hour. Start a timer before meditating so you aren't preoccupied with how long you've meditated or how much time you have left.
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HOW TO MAINTAIN AN You don’t have to sacrifice style, quality, or spend a ton to have an eco-conscious closet. Go through your clothing and separate each item into one of the following categories: (1) I still love this; (2) I don't actually love this; or (3) Someone else will love this. The first category is for your favorite clothes you would take with you into the afterlife if it were possible. The second is for the items you totally forgot you had and would like to wear again but you’re not sure where or when. And lastly, category three is for the pieces you should never have purchased in the first place, but you're fru gal and cannot bear to throw them out. Spend the
BY GIRL TYLER
8 | August 2022 FASHION2022 STYLE
wardrobeconsciousenvironmentally
themDIYanymakeHaveyoursiderfavoriteandnewwardrobeconsolidatingafternoonyourandtryingoutfitsbypairinglayeringyourlooks.Conwaystoreusecurrentclothing.aseamstressalterationstoill-fittingitemsorandtrytopatchupyourself!
Spend the wardrobeconsolidatingafternoonyourand trying new outfits by pairing and layering your favorite looks.
GET STARTED ON WARDROBEENVIRONMENTALLYYOURCONSCIOUSWITHTHESESIMPLE TIPS. Support sustainable brands that advocate for eco-friendly clothing with ethical practices to reduce pollution. Do your research and press these brands to be transparent about how they work toward sustainable fashion. The reward is in the long-lasting material and feel-good approach to sustainable clothing made from locally sourced materials, by workers who are paid fair wages. Take your smarts to the laundry room. Use gentle detergents and try a dedicated wash day instead of using frequent cycles to cut back on water use and energy consumption. Consider air-drying your clothes as well. And last, but not least, invest in eco-friendly jewelry. Gold, silver, and platinum pieces can contain dangerous materials and have been known to cause greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. If you're on a budget, go thrifting and purchase gently used items or swap with your friends.
Category (1) and Category (2) should merge into one pile. Combining the two is the moment of truth where mixing and matching will come in handy. There's a chance you can squeeze four looks out of one. Category (3) can be donated to a women’s shelter or thrift shop so they can find a new home. There is one important rule here--do not buy more unless you have to. Special occasions do arise where you’ll need to purchase a garment or accessory but, consider investing in quality pieces you’ll wear for years to come. Food and waste aren't the only things occupying landfills. Unused clothing can cause pollution too. Being an outfit repeater was once a fashion sin, but nowadays, it's responsible. Try sustainable fabrics on your next shopping trip or online browsing spree. The organic materials are biodegradable and high quality to last for a long time.
Black women are tapping into their inner green thumb and reconnecting with plants. We’ve grown to know and love “plantfluencers.” You know the ones whose social media feeds are filled with beautiful gardens, floral artists, plant stylists and more? Yes, they’re essentially plant queens, and we stan for them! We'll let you in on a little secret: you don't have to have a large yard to have plants, even the smallest of spaces can reap the benefits of having plants. Whether you have an in-home or outdoor garden or share a community garden with your friends and neighbors, these plant queens have got you covered. Adding plants to your space looks pretty but they offer tons of health benefits as well. Caring for plants is a therapeutic form of self-care and may even take away some of the stress of the day. If you’re not sure how to get started, these plant influencers will help you get your
10 | August 2022 DECOR2022 STYLE Plant Queens WE CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF garden together, sis. Scrolling through their feeds can be mesmerizing as they share tips and tricks, and you get a peek at their beauti ful plant spaces. Here are some plant queens you need in your life! If you don’t have any plants, following these “plantfluencers” may change your mind pretty quickly. : @plantkween : @blackgirlswithgardens : @blkgirlgrnthumb : @botanicalblackgirl : @terracottahotties : @eargardn : @groun.ded : @greene.piece : @soulsistaplants : @blackplantmoms BY RACQUEL PARKER
BY GIRL TYLER
Chia Seed Recipes
THIS STRAWBERRY CHIA PUDDING CUP IS A SWEET SNACK THAT CAN SATISFY SUGAR CRAVINGS: HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED: 2 cups frozen strawberries 3 tbsp. sugar ½ cup chia seeds 1 cup plant-based milk (vanilla) 2 tsp. pure maple syrup ½ tsp. vanilla extract 4 tbsp. peanut butter (for garnish) Step 1 Combine the chia seeds, plant milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract into a small bowl and mix well. Cover and place the mixture in the refrigerator and chill overnight (or for at least two hours). Step 2 Next up is the strawberry compote. Place the strawberries and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat–cook for 10 minutes. Mash and stir the fruit periodically. Serve the chilled chia pudding and strawberry compote garnished with peanut butter. Enjoy! (If peanut butter is not your jam, try cinnamon, caramel, bananas, or almond butter.)
August 2022 | 11 FOOD2022 RECIPES
PLANT BASED For various reasons, more and more women are leaning toward plant-based diets. Chia pudding is a yummy a.m. or midday snack packed with protein, fiber, and omega-3s to satisfy cravings between meals. A fan favorite with many flavor combos, once your pudding base is set, the toppings are endless. We’ve got 2 recipes for you to create.
THIS MOCHA CHIA PUDDING RECIPE IS FOR CHOCOLATE LOVERS: HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED: ¼ cup cocoa powder ¼ cup chia seeds 1 cup plant-based milk ½ cup brewed coffee 1 tbsp. maple syrup Toppings: 1 tbsp. Coconut flakes, ¼ cup berries, and 2 tbsp. pecans Place all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Place in the fridge for two hours or until firm. Get creative and add in your favorite toppings.
12 | August 2022 Congratulations to our June WINNER! Yolanda A . was randomly selected from sharing Brown Sugar love on social media to WIN her FREE box. Thank you to everyone who shared! Stay in it to win it and don’t forget to share this box using month’sfor#brownsugarboxhashtags#izzyandlivyourchancetowinnextgiveaway. BONUS: Join our Facebook Group: The Brown Sugar Lounge, for a SECOND CHANCE to win a free box. 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 June 2022. beauties WINNER
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Y’all know that soulful, sultry music you just can’t get enough of? We’re talking about music that touches you deep down in your soul. It’s that feel-good music you can let play all day or night! We’re bringing you sounds from today, and you know we can’t forget the classics, sis. It’s time to get moving and grooving whether you’re in need of some motivation, cleaning up on a Saturday morning, or just wanna blast your speakers because you can! The Soulful Queens Playlist is a collection of songs from soulful songstresses belting out hits! 1. Bag Lady by Erykah Badu 2. A Long Walk by Jill Scott 3. Say Yes by Floetry 4. Focus by H.E.R. 5. Say That by Leelah James & Anthony Hamilton 6. Need You Bad by Jasmine Sullivan 7. When I See You by Fantasia 8. Fallin’ by Alica Keys 9. I Used To Love Him by Ms. Lauryn Hill & Mary J. Blige 10. The Sweetest Taboo by Sade 11. Ex-Factor by Ms. Lauryn Hill 12. Got To Be Real-Live by Patti LaBelle, Mariah Carey 13. Square Biz by Teena Marie 14. Giving You The Best That I Got by Anita Baker 15. SPIRIT From Disney’s “The Lion King” by Beyoncé 16. No Pain No Gain by Betty Wright 17. I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston 18. Spotlight by Jennifer Hudson 19. Take Me As I Am by Mary J. Blige 20. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin SCAN HERE TO LISTEN TO THIS PLAYLIST & MORE! SUMMER2022 MUSIC Soulful Queens PlaylistBY RACQUEL PARKER
6 How can I share photos or unboxing videos with you? Yes! We live for customer feedback & reviews! Just post your pics, or videos on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, or YouTube, and hashtag #brownsugarbox or #izzyandliv or tag us @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!
Frequently asked questions 1 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.
7 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.
4 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 ensure every Brown Sugar Box is 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!
2 When will I be billed for next month’s box? You will be rebilled on the 1st of the month for the next box. 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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3 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 month), your cancellation will take effect 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.
5 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.
8 I have feedback or questions, who do I contact? We can be reached at support@izzyandliv.com
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