Connecting Women to God-Women to Women Women to Business-Women to Community Welcome to Natural Beauty Magazine! Natural Beauty Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine that promotes and embraces natural hair. When I say natural hair, I am speaking of hair that is not permed. My own natural hair journey inspired me to create this magazine. I wanted to share my story—my journey with other women how I learned to embrace, and accept who God created me to be! If God can use a donkey to talk to a human being and stop the madness, He certainly can use a hair cut to transform a life (see Numbers 22 & 2nd Peter 2:16). I told some friends my experience after I cut the perm out of my hair. They started to tell me how they wanted to go natural, but fear prevented them from taking what seemed to be a very bold step. It does take boldness to walk in your own identity. It takes boldness not to fall prey to the fear that holds us back from being authentic—from being ourselves. The struggle within us is that our genuine identity is trying to emerge, but there is something else preventing that release. This is where I enter the conversation. I realized these stories of struggle, triumph, deliverance, freedom, and empowerment needed to be shared in a common community. It is my hope and prayer to create this community of women who will connect with each other, embrace each other, accept each other, encourage each other, and inspire each to be empowered to walk in the fullness of who they were created to be. This June issue of Natural Beauty Magazine is all about INSPIRATION! Inspiration is defined as a divine influence directly and immediately exerted upon the mind or soul (dictionary.com). Some synonyms for inspiration are awakening, encouragement, enthusiasm, creativity, motivation, revelation, and vision. I think you get the point! Whether your hair is straight, curly, kinky, coily, wavy, knotted up, balled tight like a fist, or super fine, my hope and prayer for you today is that every story will inspire you, awaken you, encourage you, and give you vision to see that You are a…Natural Beauty! Dorothy Brown-Smith, CEO Chief Encouragement Officer Natural Beauty Magazine™
FEATURES JUNE 2013
EMPOWERMENT
NBM’s Launch Celebration Highlights p.3
Invisible Bullies p.10
The Best In Me p.15
EXCLUSIVE
Lande Sanusi, CEO of SlicebyCAKE p.7
LIFESTYLE
Henna & Natural Hair p.6
Kinky, Coily & Free p.17
Mature & Natural p.14
SPIRITUALITY
Just as You Are p.15
The Process p.18
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NBM’s Launch Celebration Highlights Natural Beauty Magazine launched its first edition on April 27 th. There was lots of anticipation and excitement, as women and men gathered at Gorgeous Galleries Art Showroom in Chicago for the big reveal. Guests were greeted by a huge life-size canvas of the cover of Natural Beauty Magazine as they entered the showroom. It was such a beautiful day! Tables and benches were lined in front of the showroom, so guests could enjoy the beautiful weather outside, and still be a part of the celebration on the inside. As our guests checked-in they were greeted by Nevia Brown, our registration host. Each guest was also given a raffle ticket by my daughter Regina, in hopes of winning the big prize. A time of mingling, refreshments, and enjoying the showroom art pieces was enjoyed by all. Amongst the beautiful backdrop of art pieces many of our guests commented how the pieces moved them, and were interested in purchasing them. The festivities began with prayer, and the celebration included comedy by David (Dave J) Johnson, Poetry by JD Cooper, and live saxophone music throughout the night. NBM took some time to encourage guests not be afraid to step out in faith, and go after their dreams! During the raffle many of our guests received a small gift of appreciation for supporting the launch of the magazine. There were various small business owners attending our launch, and we encouraged them to exchange business cards, and connect with each other. Finally, the time came to reveal what all our guests had been anticipating for so long— Natural Beauty Magazine! There was a big dash to purchase the magazine. For the month of May the magazine could be purchased as a package, which included the magazine, and a tshirt displaying a motivational saying about being a natural beauty. As founder of NBM, I watched our guests devour page after page looking for their story, picture, ad or just out of curiosity of what was behind the cover page. Words cannot express the emotion, and love that swelled up in my heart! I am serving others, and fulfilling purpose at the same time. God is GOOD! It was a lovely night of sharing, hugging, laughing, and connecting for all!
“It was the perfect backdrop for revealing the magazine!” Many of our guests received samples of natural hair products, make-up, skin creams, books and study guides, and of course the big prize, a handmade basket full of goodies generously donated by Kimi-Cal Free.
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Henna & Natural Hair By Renee Wright I went natural about 5 years ago. The transition period was truly an experience. After I cut my relaxed hair I went dark blonde, my hair was short and the color complemented my skin tone. The upkeep was considerable, I paid $60 every two – three weeks just to maintain the style and color. I went natural thinking it would be low-maintenance; that wasn’t the case. I decided to let my hair grow out and move to a darker color because it would require less upkeep. I tried henna. Henna strengthens your hair because it is a conditioning hair color. The website (www.mehandi.com & www.hennaforhair.com) I ordered my product from is a little overwhelming but has everything you need to know about using henna. The quality of their products is very good. I’ve tried other henna that was more ‘grainy’. I transitioned my blonde hair to a cooper, then to a red using a natural hair color I got from Whole Foods. Once I was darker, I started using the henna. The website gives you mixing instructions to produce different colors, but today I used half Auburn and half henna for African hair. The Auburn is slightly darker than I like, but it covers gray better than the red I’ve used before. The color deepens over the first few days after application. When you order the henna it comes as a powder, and you mix it with lemon juice to activate. You’ll need to plan ahead because the mix needs to be created the day before. In a pinch, I’ve put the mixture in a warm oven so the mix will develop sooner. The instructions you receive with your product are easy to follow, and while there are lots of ‘recipes’ on the Internet it’s best to try variations once you’re use to the product. I like to use a thicker consistency than the instructions suggest (figure 1). Putting the mixture on is similar to a relaxer (figure 2 & 3). I let the mixture stay on my hair overnight, wrapped in plastic wrap and a shower cap (figure 4). Rinsing the mixer out takes a while (think back to days of relaxer), but you want to rinse all the mix out before you shampoo. I use a sulfate-free shampoo and wash twice; I really try to clean the scalp. If you don’t rinse out all the mix, your hair will be extremely dry and hard. After shampooing, I use a nourishing conditioner and leave it in for at least 15 minutes. The henna gives my curls length and body (figure 5). After the conditioner, I towel dry my hair using a microfiber towel. I read someone that the microfiber reduces frizz, and it seems to work. I use a leave-in conditioner and scrunch my curls and let my hair air dry. I have extremely thin hair and using the henna gives my hair body and volume. My curls aren’t tight and stiff. Another benefit of the henna is less breakage and shedding. Some get really good shine using henna, but I don’t see that in my hair, but everyone is different. So give henna a try, don’t think of it as a hair color, but a hair conditioner.
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Natural Beauty Magazine would like to introduce to you Lande Sanusi. CEO of SlicebyCAKE, Inc. CAKE is the acronym for Culture of Africa for Kids Everywhere. SlicebyCAKE is the clothing line of the CAKE vision. We know Lande Sanusi is someone you should know. She is a natural beauty who shares, educates, and brings African culture into communities everywhere. In our interview, we bring you various slices of Lande Sanusi. What led you to start SlicebyCAKE? Lande: I started CAKE because I was worried about my children and their connection to their African heritage. My husband and I grew up in Nigeria, and we try as much as possible to impart to our children the values, and cultural upbringing that one naturally acquires growing up in Africa. It’s harder especially in the suburbs because our children don’t really see a lot of other Nigerians or other Africans, so fluency was an issue. I wanted them to love and appreciate their culture, and see other children doing the same. To that effect, I am extremely happy and proud to open the CAKE African Village in East Dundee, Illinois. My hope is that it will be a comfortable place where children will be happy, and eager to come and be assimilated into African culture. When was the business started? When did the business open? Lande: The idea of the business was born almost a decade ago. It was incorporated and started in 2012. Who were your inspirations (mentors, coaches, etc.)? Lande: My inspiration is definitely my babies! They gave me the idea. However, as you know, having an idea is one thing, execution is something else entirely. My husband, Kunle, is instrumental in encouraging and motivating me, which is key because some days can be quite overwhelming. I also get unending support from my closest friend, Morayo. She always makes me take a step back and reassess, which is important. As far as mentors, believe it or not, I watch other young, small business owners. I just take in what they are doing to be successful in their respective businesses. It could be blogging, event planning, cooking, making invitations, photography, fashion, beauty, etc. You name it! The common theme and beauty of it is that they are just doing what they are passionate about without even realizing that they are inspiring others! What business(es) have you owned/managed/worked for before starting CAKE? Lande: Before becoming the CEO of CAKE, I was an Engineer within the Telecommunications Industry. I worked for companies such as Argonne, AT&T, Motorola and Nokia Siemens. I also served in the Army National Guard. Can you tell us what a normal/usual day is like for you? Lande: Each day, I have to start by thanking God or the rest of the day won’t feel right. Next, I check my task list for the day. I am constantly making lists and crossing tasks off once they are competed. Task lists help me stay organized! If the kids are not up, I try get in a work out (I do Insanity by Shaun T). Then, I help my children get ready for their respective schools. After that, I start attacking my list making phone calls, running errands, social media, etc.
What is the purpose and/or mission of SlicebyCAKE? Lande: SlicebyCAKE, Inc‘s mission is to connect the youth everywhere with Africa in a fun, engaging and interactive way, regardless of gender or ethnicity. We also encourage second (or more) generation African children to connect to their roots. Our services primarily focus on the connection between Africa and children everywhere. How does your business serve and/or give back to the community? Lande: We strongly believe in giving back. Through the SliceByCAKE Clothing brand, we support clothing drives for kids in Africa who need it. We support drives hosted by Nigerian Independence Day Education Fund (NIDEF) and Nigerians United for Progress (NUProgress). If you could describe SlicebyCAKE in one word, what would it be? Lande: SWEET! Who designs your clothing line? Lande: The CAKE INC clothing line is called SliceByCAKE, and is designed by me. I’m basically inspired by my kids and what I would like to see them wear. I prefer kids to wear age appropriate clothing, not just miniature adult styles. Our styles are contemporary, and easy to play in. What were the 3 biggest lessons you have learned on your journey to business ownership? Lande: 1) Make a realistic plan for your business. 2) Be open-minded and adaptable, but ALWAYS know who you are, and what you represent. 3) Learn, learn, and learn! I am always learning from other businesses – big or small, public relations and social media gurus. They know what they are talking about and are willing to share. What advice would you give someone who is thinking about following their dream to start a business? Lande: Follow your dreams - with a solid plan. It can seem overwhelming at times, but your passion for your dream will guide you. What makes you a natural beauty? How would you describe natural beauty? Lande: With four children, my everyday physical beauty routine can’t be fussy. My regimens are very quick. I’m more concerned about my inner beauty and overall health. I watch what I eat, and make sure I get as much GOOD sleep as I can. I try to eliminate sources of stress as much as possible. I find that it affects my health and well-being. Most of all, I enjoy spending time with my family and that ALWAYS makes me feel good! Thank you, Lande for sharing SlicebyCAKE with us. You can find out more about SlicebyCAKE Clothing by visiting their website www.slicebycake.com. Facebook/slicebyCAKE Twitter@slicebyCAKE.
Check out Cake Village at www.TheCAKEVillage.com Facebook.com/TheCAKEVillage
Invisible Bullies by Dorothy Brown-Smith Bullying is described as unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children (now teens and adults) that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose (stopbullying.gov). Bullying has been found to leave some serious and lasting problems for individuals, who have experienced this aggressive and violent behavior. There are different types of bullying such as verbal bullying, social bullying, and physical bullying. Bullies come in all different shapes, colors, and sizes. Bullies don’t care about your status or position in life. I began to think about bullies in a different way-as invisible bullies. These invisible bullies that invade our lives, and leave us paralyzed, seemingly hopeless and helpless. These are exactly the same affects that have been observed when someone has been victimized by bullying physically. Invisible bullies are unwanted and aggressive thoughts and/or negative self-talk, which involves a real or perceived inner conflict to our identity. These thoughts seem to have power over our actions and behaviors. Invisible bullies attach themselves to our inner thoughts and our negative self-talk, and impose negative images within the mind. We then accept these negative images and thoughts because of the (fictitious) belief, we have no other choice. We feel paralyzed to do anything about it. The result of invisible bullies: helplessness, hopelessness, loss of passion and the will to fight, acceptance things will always be like they are. Invisible bullies are aggressive and violent in making us feel rejected, without power, and without a voice. They hurt us and harass us inwardly, make us reject our own uniqueness and value to ourselves and others. These invisible bullies tell us lies about ourselves, and we even join in sometimes and start agreeing with the lies. These invisible bullies are our self-talk; our hidden image of how we really view and see ourselves. If we allow this bullying to continue to bombard our mind, we become people who continually and consistently complain. We become cynical about life, cynical about ourselves and others. We will be full of self-pity and anger.
Some have an inability to receive compliments, acceptance and love from others. They refuse to accept their own uniqueness, and have no sense of their identity—who they are. IN A NUTSHELL… Invisible bullies are negative thoughts and thinking that dispute you inwardly regarding your abilities, skills, talents, purpose, and identity! Invisible bullies are LIES WE BELIEVE ABOUT OURSELVES. If we immediately go into action to stop these invisible bullies, we can move forward in our genuine identity. If we give in to these invisible bullies, our genuine self disappears into the abyss of identity theft (trying to be or act like someone else). When we get into agreement and accept the lies these invisible bullies tell us about ourselves, our path to deliverance and freedom gets harder because we are in agreement with these negative, aggressive, violent and destructive thoughts.
HOW CAN ONE COMBAT AND OVERCOME INVISIBLE BULLIES? First, become aware of your self-talk, and your inner thoughts.
Don’t get in agreement with negative self-talk statements such as “I can’t” “I’m not good at…” “I’m not smart enough” ect.
Renew your mind! Renew your mind through the word of God. When a negative thought arises, combat it immediately with an opposite -- positive thought. Replace that negative thought with what God said about you.
Take the action to fulfill that positive you just stated and confessed.
Continue this practice until it becomes a habit. Don’t get in agreement with invisible bullies! They are destructive, and totally opposite of your true identity!
II Cor. 10:3-5 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
My name is Wyndi. I am 28 years old, and I love the skin I am in. I like to think that I have a sort of uniqueness about myself. I love being different. I am happy and blessed with the way God created me. Every woman is beautiful in her own way, but being a "natural beauty" is a blessing. Being confident, secure, and sure of you goes a long way. Before you can be any good to anyone else, you have to be good to you. You have to be happy with yourself. You have to love yourself. I am so versatile that one day my hair could be long, and the next day bald. I am a leader and trendsetter. I discovered in high school, I had spongy, coily hair. It would really frustrate me. Heat would straighten it out, but it wouldn't last. Anti-curl conditioners curled it tighter, and oil made it heavy and weighed it down. This was very stressful for me as a teenager trying to discover myself. One day after I washed my hair, I just let it air dry, curl up, and went to school. I got so many compliments, and students starting wearing their hair "wet". I eventually gave into the perm. But because of the coiliness of my hair, after about a week or two, it would be back to its original state with only the ends of my hair straight. I decided to go on a perm strike. No special reasons. I just figured, why keep putting all of these unnecessary chemicals in my hair that eventually breaks it off? Next thing I knew, I cut my hair very short. This was one of the best/worst feelings ever. I was having some personal challenges at the time, and cutting my hair was like starting over. This made me look at myself in the mirror, and see who I am. No filter added! I learned to accept who I was, and how to love myself unconditionally. That's when I stopped saying, "I hate this hair" to "I love my hair". I embraced it! So the hair you see is the hair for me, and the hair that fits me authentically! Why do you think when women take out the weaves and extensions, some tend to make announcements how natural their hair is? I think they recognize and acknowledge that no matter how much make-up or how much weave, every woman wants to be authentic, real, and genuinely who God created them to be. I think being natural represents; confidence, assurance and pride (in a good way). Seeing other women wear their natural hair is helping us as women take our lives back! Take our identity back! No more worrying about who has the latest "Brazilian" and "Malaysian" 24' weaves, but more focused on creating a style, and a voice for US, who decide not to perm their hair and just work with our coils. I am NOT defined by my clothes that I wear Nor by the way I choose to wear my hair I am not defined by the color of my skin But by my character I possess within I am not defined by my nappy kinks and curls But I do define the voice for natural beautiful girls -Wyndi Harrington
ALICE ZANDERS
FAY BROWN
PAMELA GRAHAM
J u s t
A s
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A r e
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J o h n s o n
For the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7) Slang, King's English, ebonics, spanish, torn apart, overwhelmed, broken, hurt, whispering. Just as you are, you can go to God. Just as you are, you can speak to God. Just as you are you can open your heart and reveal to God your innermost feelings, longings and desires. Just as you are you can stand before God and be heard. There is no formula to come before God. There is no pattern that needs to be followed to have Father God hear what's in your heart. You don't need to come to God dressed in formal wear or wearing makeup and your best hair piece. All you need to be in the presence of God is you. He wants you to draw nearer to Him. We watch others and how they approach God and we believe that is the way we need to be, however we must realize, God looks at our heart. So therefore the next time you think you need to get it all together before you come to God, remember God is looking at you just as you are.
The Best in Me When all you see is the color of me The disability of me The size of me The blindness of me You miss out on the best in me Look past the history of my color To realize a first impression Is not the last impression Look past my disability To see my capability Move beyond the size of me To experience my generosity Focus past the sightlessness of me To share the vision that I see When you see me consider the possibilities Of the best in me
by Nevia B.
Starting the natural hair journey can be an adventure in new happiness or similar to a questionable first date. In the beginning you start out with good intentions, you desire euphoric results. You’re at times giddy with the hope of the bright future ahead. Sometimes it works marvelously. Your transition styles of straw sets and twist outs produce beautiful, bouncing curls of admiration. Even your friends, family, and co-workers notice how different, but fantastic your hair looks. As your transition stage ends and your hair starts to truly grow, you think you’re ready for the next critical step of chopping off the unwanted straight ends to fully embrace the kinks and coils. Who knew you could love something so different! There are other times when the first date you thought was so great down the line makes you start thinking…. this actually wasn’t what I envisioned. So you do a little research, and find a form that gets you all convinced natural is where it’s at. Hesitant to cut off the old hair you’ve been growing and holding on to whether good or bad, for most of your life, you safely try transitioning just in case things don’t fan out as good as all the hype implies. At first, transitioning is good. You get the convenience of your old hair with the added delight of some new options. You begin to say these curls aren’t so bad, and you start experimenting or do things you never could do with your hair. Then it hits you, I think I’m finally ready to say goodbye to all those old dead strands, and begin a new kinky life. Then, after your “big chop”, you start to see with different eyes. Your curls stop doing the same things they use to. Now your hair is drying out, and you can’t seem to understand how to make your hair the way it use to be. You try all kinds of stuff. You read, and try to find every source you can to explain what happen to my curly jam. You search and search, and finally you realize your hair is not the same. The products you used, and your hair regimen must change. You become aware that your natural hair is not as easy to manage than it was when it was permed. Your natural hair takes more time, and more commitment. You have to love on it and embrace it with different ideas in mind. This helped me to understand that most times, you’re not going to look like the beautiful pictures in the magazine or that famous person with pristine coils, but it’s ok because your hair is beautiful even if it’s not storybook perfect. You may have to go and learn something about porosity (micro or macro porous), and your own hair type (3c, 4a, b, c). For a while, it can be overwhelming. You even have to find out what products you must say no to in order to have the success you desire. As the months follow, you will get your breakthrough, and the thoughts of that old hair will be left behind. You begin to realize your natural is what you honestly need to embrace. No longer are you looking for that straight hair or weave that you use to chase for the perfect style. You will arrive at the place of where being a woman who embraces her natural coils is more than just a word, it’s a part of you that is irreplaceable and irreversible. In the end, everything comes full circle, every kink and coil falls exactly where it should be. Suddenly that questionable first date wasn’t too bad after all. I will test new things, and see how they work out. I want to educate you on some principles of embracing your natural hair. I will review products, and provide tips to help navigate the world of kinky, coily and free. I can promise it will be full of adventures, successes and challenges, but in the end, we will all leave with additional information, and hopefully wiser thinking about how to style, wear, and care for our natural hair. Let’s not forget about saving some money, because natural doesn’t always imply a hefty price tag, especially when it comes to styling.
Dorothy Brown-Smith One size does not fit all, especially when it comes to identity. In order to know the core of who you are-you have to spend some time sifting through all of the pseudo identities you have assimilated or stolen trying to become like others. What you don’t realize is that your very own uniqueness is what makes you stand out from others. That uniqueness is what gets you noticed, and makes others wonder about you. That uniqueness is what makes your presence ooze through a room like a breath of fresh air or a lovely and sweet fragrance. Many times we try to imitate good things, but what we fail to understand is the process others had to take to get there! Their very own experiences, challenges, triumphs, and failures brought them to a place of victory, and a settled spirit of who they really were meant to be-their identity! Martin Luther King Jr Rosa Parks Betty Robinson Ophrah Winfrey Malcolm X Alex Haley Ertha Kitt Lena Horne, and many others, whose journey took them through a process of becoming the great people they are today. Jesus himself had to go through a process of being born of a virgin, dying on the cross, and resurrecting from the dead. The process, although different for each individual, moved them through, and into purpose! Don’t run away from or try to escape the process that is taking place in your life. It is God at work in you!
Your process protects you. Your process helps you gain wisdom. Your process enlarges you to be able to receive more. Your process sharpens your skills, talents, and abilities. Your process reveals who is with you, on your side, and who is not. Your process reveals what is really on the inside of you. Your process reveals your strengths and weaknesses. Your process develops real, genuine love for people within you. Your process gets rid of the wrong desires. Your process develops the right desires within you. Your process helps you to feel the pain of others, and walk in their shoes. Your process stops you from judging, criticizing, and manipulating others. Your process reveals your true purpose. Your process brings you into a new and higher way of thinking, living, and being. Your process is what leads you to become all that God created you to be!
“And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.” Philippians 1::6 AMP
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