Black is Beautiful: Candace

How old are you? 38 and Fabulous!

What's your beauty philosophy? I don't believe that I am a great beauty, and my years as an ugly duckling allowed me to develop confidence that was not defined by my looks.  However, I do think that I am stylish and I put effort into looking good. My beauty philosophy can be summed up by three quotations:

"Look good; feel better."

"You are beautiful, but learn to work, for you cannot eat your beauty."

"One monkey don't stop no show."

Photo: Tumblr

Who do you look to for beauty inspiration? 

I find a wide range of people beautiful: My mother, Chantal Biya, Aunt Plum, Sade, Andre Leon Talley, Solange, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie,  Sula Peace, Jadine Childs, and of course, all of my fabulous friends!  I am also inspired by my daughter's confidence and joyful approach to living.

Girl's Night at Buddakan!

Describe your skin care routine. 

In the morning I wash my face with Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub or St.Ives Apricot Scrub.  I use Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturizer or Body Shop Vitamin E Night Cream depending on how cold it is outside.  Mikita introduced me to  Vitabrid C+ powder;  I've been mixing it  in with the cream and using it  on my neck, which is starting to show signs of aging.  In the evening I use a make-up remover wipe.  Right now I like ones from Target's store brand Up and Up.

What are some of the things in your make-up bag that are tried and true and you can't live without? 

My make-up takes less than five minutes regardless of where I am going.  I'm all about skin and lips because I have small eyes and l and don't think that they look good with shadow, liner, or mascara.  Plus I usually wear a bold lip color, and I don't want to look like a VH-1 reality TV star.  Here is what I use:

MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer:  I mix a little bit of this in with my moisturizer and smooth it all over my face to even out my skin tone.

I wear NC 42

MAC Blot Powder: I tend to "glow" as the day progresses and I use this powder to turn down the shine.
Nars Blush in SuperOrgasm: I have used this pinky/peachy blush forever.  I love that it has a bit of gold shimmer in it.

Nars Vesuvio Pure Matte Lipstick: Nicole introduced me to this lipstick and it has become a staple.  It is a classic matte red.

Mac Oh Baby Lipgloss: I have used this gold gloss since college and I haven't found anything to top it.  It looks great when I have a tan.

With my signature red lip and statement necklace

What are some of the new things you've picked up lately that you're obsessed with? 

Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Skin Therapy Lotion: This ls the best moisturizer that I have ever used, especially for dry winter skin.  It's also the only thing that helps soothe the eczema on my hands.

Boscia Bright White Face Mask: This mask claims to brighten skin tone, prevent wrinkles, and reduce sagging, but I love that it is a peel-off mask like the ones I used in high-school.  I got it as a free sample from Sephora and I have re-purchased it twice!

Nars Semi-Matte Lipstick in Heatwave: This is a great orangey-red lipstick for when I want to wear something a little brighter than usual.

Nars Audacious Lipstick in Charlotte: I love a burgundy lipstick for Fall, and this one is the perfect texture: not too glossy or too matte.

Nars Lipsticks are addictive! Heatwave (l) and Charlotte (r)

Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Het Loo: I'm still looking for the perfect nude, but this comes close.

Photo: Nars

Manicures at Infinite Nail Salon in Harlem:
This is not the place that you go to if you want to be pampered, but they are clean and relatively cheap.  Plus they have an amazing selection of gel nail colors and are always willing to experiment.

Infinite Nail Spa is located at 353 Malcolm X Blvd.

Feeling Good!