JULY 2017
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IZZY & LIV’S BROWN SUGAR BOX
INSIDE YOUR JULY BOX This month’s box has a $118 retail value!
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‘KISSED BY THE SUN’ VERSATILE LIGHT WEIGHT BEACH THROW ($30)
‘IT MUST BE THE MELANIN’ TANK TOP ($22)
India sang it best: “Where are your people from? Maybe Mississippi or an island. Apparently your skin has been kissed by the sun...” This lightweight beach blanet/throw with tassels is the perfect beach accessory for hot summer days outside (or in!). Use it as a beach or picnic blanket, a throw to warm up on a cool summer night or even as a decorative tapestry! * 60 inches round * Rayon and cottom blend * Mahcine wash cold, hang dry
The sun is out, your skin is shining, and heads are turning. Yes hunny, she’s born with it because it’s the melanin. Rock this cute tank all summer long and share those melanated vibes. * 100% ring-spun cotton * Machine wash inside out, cold * Never iron directly on the graphic
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TRIBAL PRINT DRAWSTRING BACKSACK ($18) Now that festival and day trip season is upon us, elevate your boring travel gear with this cute tribal backpack. Just big enough to pack in your essentials, but small enough to rock as an accessory. Yaass to a festival outfit upgrade!
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CONFIDENCE IS KEY NECKLACE ($25) Let this necklace be your daily reminder that you are beautiful, unique and have something special to offer this world. Confidence is key sis. You betta work!
AT SECOND GLANCE BEACH READ ($15) Not taking an exotic vacation this summer? No worries. It’s the perfect time to escape * 16 inch chain in a good juicy book. At * Gold plated zinc alloy Second Glance will have you turning pages at high-speed to see what jaw-dropping secrets the characters discover when they rush into love.
BONUS ITEMS:
‘BLACK GIRLS ILLUSTRATED’ BOOKMARK & ‘MELANIN LOVE ALL SHADES’ HEART STICKER ($8)
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Written by novelist Simone Kelly. Love the book? Be sure to leave a review on Amazon! Also, check out her new novel Like a Fly On The Wall and show her some love at www. likeaflyonthewall.com and @ownyourpower
IZZY & LIV’S BROWN SUGAR BOX
www.houseofmerci.com
@house_of_merci
Mention Brown Sugar Box & GET
20% OFF ANY PACKAGE THRU AUGUST 1, 2017
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A NOVEL BY
SIMONE KELLY
“ F I L L E D W I T H L I V E LY C H A R A C T E R S — A F R E S H A N D I M P R E S S I V E DEBUT!” Cydney Rax, author of If Your Wife Only Knew
“ S I M O N E K E L LY I S A W E L C O M E N E W V O I C E T O T H E F I C T I O N G E N R E . . . A N E N T E R TA I N I N G R E A D .” Donna Hill, author of “My Love at Last,” and “What Mother Never Told Me.”
“SIMONE’S LITERARY VOICE IS FRESH AND WILL THRILL READERS F O R Y E A R S T O C O M E .” Michelle Hollinger, Editor, The South Florida Times “ S H E B O L D LY B L E N D S S P I R I T U A L I T Y , S E X U A L I T Y , S E N S U A L I T Y , CONSCIOUSNESS, AND CONTEMPORARY INSIGHT WITH THE P R E C I S I O N O F A S A G E .” Cleaster Cotton, Artist, Inventor
RELEASES ON JULY 11, 2017 PURCHASE AT LIKEAFLYONTHEWALL.COM
likeaflyonthewallbook
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B L A C K - WO M E N E N T R E P R E N U E R S
JULY 2017
IZZY & LIV’S BROWN SUGAR BOX
4 BLACK FILMS WE’RE WATCHING THIS SUMMER BY JOUVIANE ALEXANDRE
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While we all love those
nights where we can sit inside and binge-watch a show on Netflix, we also love stepping into the movie theater to see the latest flick. If you’re headed to the movies this summer with your girlfriends or even a date, here are a few movies you should check out on the big screen! A trip to the movies used to be simple with popcorn, candy, and a drink, but now you can make it extravagant! Enjoying a meal and sipping a glass of wine might’ve seemed like something you could only do at your house, but you can now experience it this summer with any of these movies. ALL EYES ON ME Tupac Shakur will probably always be mentioned on the list of the greatest rappers ever, so no one was shocked when they decided to make a biopic of his life. Starring
Demetrius Shipp Jr. as Tupac, the film describes the rise of the rapper’s career and his continuous rise to fame as he joined Death Row Records, a label that included such artists as Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, and also depicted the events leading up to his death in 1996. GIRLS TRIP If you’re looking to have some fun in the movie theaters this summer, be sure to check out the newest romantic comedy starring a few of our favorite actresses. Girls Trip stars Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish, and Queen Latifah as four college friends who are reunited after 5 years. They head to Essence Music Festival in New Orleans for a wild and crazy “Girls Trip.” THE DARK TOWER If you’re looking for a science fiction film with a little eye candy, you should check out “The Dark Tower” which hits theaters in August 2017. Starring Idris Elba as the Gunslinger, this film is based upon the Stephen King horror series, so you can expect 7
a few jumps and plot twists. The story follows Roland Deschain (Gunslinger) and a young boy, Jake Chambers, travelling through different dimensions with the hope of saving the world from Hell. DETROIT Closing out this summer film list, we have the crime film “Detroit.” Starring John Boyega, Jacob Latimore, and Jason Mitchell, this film is about the 12th Street riots that took place in Detroit in 1967. The film goes into detail about the incident that happened at the Algiers Motel which resulted in the death of three black men and the brutal beatings of 9 other people. I’ll definitely be catching all these films in the theaters this summer! In the comments below, let us know which summer 2017 film you’re most excited about seeing!
IZZY & LIV’S BROWN SUGAR BOX
I don’t know what is it about summer and reading, but the two go together nicely. It’s the ideal time to read as many books as you can while you have the time to chill in the sun. Even if you can’t afford that summer trip, reading is a great way to get away. Looking for some good reads this season? Check out these 4 books written by fantastic black women!
SUMMER GOOD READS:
4 BOOKS TO ADD TO YOUR READING LIST BY ALEXANDRIA DANIELS
1.) Hunger by Roxanne Gay The bestselling author of “Bad Feminist”, Roxane Gay is back with a brand new memoir just in time for Summer. “Hunger” is an exploration into the author’s personal struggles with food and her body image. It dives deep into the common battle between your self-image and desire. Gay takes it further by examining violence towards women by sharing an experience of her own. Roxane Gay is a brave writer. Her willingness to be vulnerable allows readers to connect with her. If you are a fan of her essays, you don’t want to pass this one up.
2.) What Is Not Yours is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi This collection of short stories by Oyeyemi explores the meaning of the term “key”. The author unlocks certain aspects of her characters lives in four magical tales. Each of them leads to various imaginative worlds. If you can’t physically get away this summer, let Oyeyemi’s latest addition help you travel with this.
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3.) I Almost Forgot About You by Terry McMillan Fans of How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Waiting to Exhale get excited!! Terry McMillian’s new book “I Almost Forgot About You” tells the story about Dr. Georgia Young. She is a successful optometrist and has a fantastic circle of family and friends. It may seem like she has it all but deep down Young is not satisfied. One day she decides to shake up her own world by making some serious life decisions. We follow Young’s journey of self-discovery as she goes through this crazy path but where will it take her? This is an ideal summer read with a story that can inspire you to take life into your own hands to create the life you really want. 4.) Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Yaa Gyasi’s book Homegoing follows the lives of two Ghanan half sisters. Each born in two separate villages. One marries an Englishman. The other gets captured and imprisoned by Englishmen. She is later forced into slavery. The book looks through the lives of these two sisters and their descendants that go back eight generations. The novel looks into the deep roots of racism, slavery and the lives forever changed by its dark legacy. 9
IZZY & LIV’S BROWN SUGAR BOX
WAYS TO ADD MORE READING TIME INTO YOUR BUSY LIFE BY ALEXANDRIA DANIELS
For bookworms out there, you know it is hard to find time to read when you’re an adult. With work, taking care of the family (pets included!), and the urge to always be on social media can make it hard for us to find time to sit down and read a book. There are so many distractions! While technology has eased the burden of reading with the invention of The Kindle, the problem still lies in finding the time to read. So how can we make room in our busy schedules to re-read our favorite novel or better yet, finally, read that newly released New York Times Bestseller you’ve been dying to read for months? Well here are some tips for you to try out! 1.) Join a Book Club (in person or online)
Joining a book club can help keep you accountable if getting back into reading is something you want to do. Reading with your peers can be a lot of fun and it’s a nice way to meet friends! If you have been in a reading slump, which is hard to get out of, joining a book club can help you find your reading groove. Can’t join a book club at your local library? Try Goodreads where you can find a variety of groups that hold monthly book readings. Best of all you don’t have to leave your home. Sit on your couch, read your “book of the month”, and talk about it with other online bookworms. 2.) Read in the Morning and/or Night Sometimes I just don’t have the time to read during the day so I try to schedule an hour of reading before I go to bed. For others, reading a book first thing in the morning works because it helps sharpen their minds before they head to work. So if you find that you have no time during the
day to read, try squeezing in a few minutes during those down times at the start and end of your day. 3.) Schedule Your Reading Days Choosing days that are perfect for reading is another useful tip. Don’t force yourself to read on days you know you won’t feel like reading, like a Monday or Wednesday. For some readers, Friday is ideal because it’s the end of a hectic work week. For others, Saturday works best. Everyone is different! Based on your schedule, pick a reading day that works for you. 4.) Take Advantage of Tour Commute Whether you are driving or taking the bus, you can still find the time to read while you’re on the road by using your commute time. Of course, you shouldn’t be reading your physical copy of The Autobiography of Malcolm X while driving. Though you can do that on the bus or on a train. Especially, if you own a digital copy on your mobile device or own a Kindle. Opt for using audiobooks in the car instead! They are a great 10
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6.) Swapping Reading the News for a Book These days everything is online. Previously mentioned we can now read many books digitally. This goes for our newspapers and magazines. It is easy to get caught up read5.) Goal Setting ing Los Angeles Times or silly list articles daiSetting a reading goal for yourself is anothly. Instead of spending 30 minutes (or more!) er great way to fit in reading time in your reading articles on your Facebook timeline, schedule. How many books would you like to read a book instead. It may be a tough habcomplete in a month? 6 months? At times, it to break but it’s worth it. Plus, it makes all it takes is setting a goal and challenging better use of your time rather than finding ourselves to form a new habit. To get startyourself mindlessly wandering through the ed, set one small reading goal you will like internet for hours. to achieve and keep that in mind as you go about your work week. Track your progress by using Goodreads or bullet journaling. alternative if you can not find the time to read. It’s all about enriching your mind with great stories after all.
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IZZY & LIV’S BROWN SUGAR BOX
share the love for the chance to
win your next box free! Snap a photo or make an unboxing video and tag #brownsugarbox #izzyandliv. One winner will be randomly chosen on the 25th to WIN next month’s box free! Congrats to Kia P., winner of this month’s free box for sharing her unboxing photo on IG!
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JULY 2017
BROWN SUGAR BOX BEAUTIES 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’s box. It brings us so much joy to see happy customers! THANK YOU ALL for your support and love. We will continue to work hard to delight you every month! #brownsugarbox #izzyandliv 13
IZZY & LIV’S BROWN SUGAR BOX
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JULY 2017
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IZZY & LIV’S BROWN SUGAR BOX
YOU NEED THESE SONGS ON YOUR THROWBACK SUMMER PLAYLIST BY TYSHIA INGRAM
Can we say summer has arrived? I mean I know it’s not official or anything if we’re going by the calendar, but I think we can all agree that Spring is a thing of the past. The season for BBQ’s and beach days, road trips and block parties is here! And that can only mean one thing. Your summer playlist needs to be poppin. Whether you’re the unofficial DJ at the family reunion or you’re just having your very own talent show while cruising the city, here’s your start to building the hottest 90’s summer throwback playlist. 1. Summertime – I don’t care how cliche it sounds or how many summers you’ve had to go through bumping the original ode to summer but it gets no realer than the anthem by The Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff. Tell me you don’t go off when you hear it “cruising down the street but you can’t speed through. Two miles an hour so everybody sees you!” Sorry couldn’t help it. 2. Always Be My Baby – Am I the only one who misses 90’s Mariah? Always Be My Baby will forever be a hit (there’s no debating this) and whenever I hear it I think of long summer days of being young and in love. Plus do you remember the video? Look it up on Youtube and reminisce. 3. If You Had My Love – Ahhh Jenny from the Block. I feel like JLo had a hit every summer in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. This was back when she was rocking bandanas and dating Diddy. The good old days. Need a bonus track to follow up? I’m Real with Ja Rule. 4. Make it Hot – Any song with Missy on it is a summer hit in my opinion. Maybe that’s biased but I stand by it, especially with the ‘98 banger Make it Hot. From the beat to the lyrics, and of course Missy’s verse, you can’t go wrong adding this to you playlist this summer. 5. Mo Money Mo Problems – “10 years from now, we’ll still be on top.” Well I mean, we’re at like a smooth 20 and I guarantee when you hear this song play you still turn up. Besides, what’s a summer playlist without some Puffy, Mase, and B.I.G? Not a playlist at all. Another honorable mention? If you’re feeling nostalgic I’ll Be Missing You with Faith Evans is always a good choice. And for the honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the Top 5: Boombastic by Shaggy--and to think, the kids today think Drake was the first one to add a little reggae to a song. My Way by Usher–we all loved Usher back then! Where My Girls At by 702--because there’s always a need for a good girl’s anthem. So there you go! Add these to your playlist and party this summer like it’s 1999.
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JULY 2017
DIY Lip Scrubs You Need this Spring & Summer
by Alexandria Daniels As the temperature continues to get hotter, so does the importance of taking care of our skin. Exfoliation is a major player in your skin routine. If you aren’t exfoliating, you should! It removes all the dirt and dead skin cells your body accumulates during the day and it gives your body a clean slate to allow moisture in. This applies to our lips as well! Lip scrubs are a fun way to give our lips a little TLC when our lips are feeling dry and chapped. And we want our lips to be as smooth as the rest of our skin, right? Creating your own lip scrub is super easy. All it takes are a few household ingredients. Here are a few lip scrubs to try out! COCONUT OIL LIP SCRUB Those of us who use coconut oil on our hair are very familiar with the benefits of this essential oil. It contains vitamin F which promotes healthy skin cell regeneration and moisture. So this is perfect for our lips. For this lip scrub, you will need 1 teaspoon of coconut oil, a tablespoon of brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of honey. Put the ingredients in a bowl and mix. Make sure you don’t mix the sugar too much. You don’t want it to dissolve. Then, pour the ingredients into a small container. Now, you’re prepped for your new moisturizing scrub! LEMON LIP SCRUB Lemon lip scrubs have a refreshing, clean scent. Lemons contain acids that can help with anti-aging and shine. For this scrub, you want to mix 1 -2 tablespoons of white sugar, 1 teaspoon of lemon oil, honey, and coconut oil. So done with coconut oil? Feel free to swap it with olive oil or jojoba oil. Mix your ingredients together. Make sure the oil and sugars blend with the honey. Seal it in a lip scrub container and voila! You have a yummy, vibrant lip scrub with the fresh sweet scent of lemons. STRAWBERRY LIP SCRUB Strawberries have Vitamin C that will help smooth out your lip texture and protect them from the sun. So this scrub will help keep our lips looking luscious and plumped. Which is what we want! For this lip scrub, you’ll need 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of cane sugar, 1 strawberry, and 1 teaspoon of honey. Blend all the ingredients together, leaving the strawberry for last. Once you have a good consistency, take your strawberry and smash it with your spoon. Then, add your strawberry and mix. When you’re done, put it into a little container and you’re ready to use your delicious lip scrub. EXTRA TIPS: 1. Massage your lips with your new scrub in a gentle circular motion. Use a soft toothbrush to help exfoliation, if necessary. Massage your lips for 1-3 minutes. Rinse with warm water. 2. When you’re done exfoliating, use a lip balm or olive oil on your lips for extra moisture. 3. Use a lip scrub once or twice a week max! You don’t want to overdo it because it can lead to more chapped lips. We don’t want that!
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IZZY & LIV’S BROWN SUGAR BOX
3 REASONS TO PRACTICE THE ART OF FORGIVENESS by Julie Thomas
We’ve all had our share of rifts and tifts with those whom are close to us. I mean those situations or misunderstandings that leave us h-o-t, HOT. You dodge all their calls and efforts to make amends and reconcile, because what they did is just unforgivable in your eyes. While it may be easier to hold on to the situation and stay big mad, I have a few reasons why practicing forgiveness can be beneficial to you. Have a Lighter Spirit When we hold onto things, it can take a toll on our well-being and even health. Continuing to wallow in your madness will drain you of all your precious energy. It takes a lot of energy to stay mad. I am telling you from a first hand experience. Once you free yourself of the negativity or ill thoughts towards a person, you’ll feel a lot lighter in your spirit. Now I do just want to mention as I said before, somethings you just may see as unforgivable. But there is a huge difference in forgiving someone and letting them back in your life versus forgiving someone to free yourself, and not necessarily continue in the relationship/ friendship. Unblock Your Blessings Holding unforgiveness in your heart can block the blessings and good juju that may come your way. Now
you definitely don’t want to hinder any good to come into your life because of your pride and holding onto a grudge. Practicing forgiveness does not make you weak in any shape or form. It actually is the total opposite as it shows strong character to be able to forgive someone who has done you wrong; especially when an apology is not extended on their end. Hold on to Relationships If you’ve experienced a falling out with a family member or a friend that you’ve pictured being in your life until you’re both wearing orthopedic shoes do you really want to tarnish that relationship forever? No, I don’t think so. Good lifelong friends are hard to come by and you only get one family. Now I’m sorry sis, but that on again off again boyfriend
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of 5 years who’ve repeatedly hurt you and left you in tears is excluded. That relationship can be let go of. But we’ve heard many stories of friends and loved ones holding onto a grudge from a fight for over 20 years and when they unfortunately pass away, they wish they would have let that silly argument go. Don’t let that be you, where years roll past and you forget why you were mad in the first place. Practice forgiveness and watch things change for your well-being, your life, and your relationships.
JULY 2017
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IZZY & LIV’S BROWN SUGAR BOX
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