Hello to all! I know I’ve been MIA for a while – I’ve managed to peek in and read a bit, so I am caught up on what’s going on. I’ve been in the process of switching my website from its initial inception at neosoul.essentials.com to www.sheaproducts.info . I plan on sitting down at the computer with my notebook catching up on my BBC obligations.That being said more change! I finally figured out Zen Cart, so for those who are currently struggling with this open source shopping cart/store design, there is light at the end of the tunnel. (Notice I did not write that I could offer help. I’m still learning, and I don’t want to mess anyone else up!!! LOL) I like the look of my new website – it looks clean and neat. Plus I love my new photo istockphoto. Of course, you’ll have to visit the website at www.sheaproducts.info to see what I’m writing about. I’ve also included a store blog where one can, surprise, also purchase products. I am currently loving WordPress and my boys over at HostGator.My educator site is currently rearing its head and I have started a blog geared toward resources and information about educating our black children. I feel that many parents want to do the right thing by their children, but do not have the resources or information to do so. I will mostly be featuring posts from there on blackmomclub.ning.com, so if you’re interested, head on over there!My first site will stay up and active. I am inviting all members of the BBC to check the links page (both of them) at www.neosoulessentials.com to be sure that I’ve included your link. If I have not, please email your banner to me at Christine@neosoulessentials.com so that you may be included.I hope all of you are well, and I look forward to getting back into the groove of things!
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The ultimate activity in life is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with your entire mind....And the second is like it: ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” (From Matthew 22:37-39NIV) and in this prescription for life, Jesus gives us three ‘love targets’: God, your neighbor, and yourself.Start by meeting and acknowledging God at the start of your day and all throught the day. Remember to spread Christian love and compassion to everyone you meet and finally set aside some time for yourselfAll you need is 20 Minutes a Day!Try these at home spa tips. Go ahead....You Deserve It!Enjoy the sound of silence or your favorite soothing music while:• taking a candlelight soak in a warm bath. Burn 100% natural soy candles.• Sip a cup of Warm Spirit Easy Time Herbal Tea while reading a chapter of your favorite book or scripture.• Give yourself a Pampered Hands treatment using Warm Spirit Polish, Scrub or Glow made from Natural Sea salt or cane sugar in moisturizing aromatherapeutic oils and enriched with pure essential oil. In Fact use all over in the shower.• Take a warm shower with a lavish, luscious Warm Spirit shower gel made with botanical extracts, essential oils. Followed by a Warm Spirit body butter made with super-rich, a smooth blend of Shea butter, jojoba oils and essential oils.Go ahead....Whatever you do, enjoy this time for yourself.....you deserve it!Warm Spirit E-catalog www.warmspiritcatalog.comMy Website: www.warmspirit.org/awarfield
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Hi all:I recently had the distinct pleasure to interview with Sharon McMillian from New Urban Mom. We chatted about new urbanism, finding a balance between work (outside/inside the home), family and self, and the support systems available for women and families. I truly enjoyed talking to Sharon! Please take a look at her website and listen to the podcast..CeeCeewww.sheaproducts.infonatural bath and bodyPick up your $3.00 gift certificate. Register and shop today.Read more…
Really does smell good! I ordered some products from Itiel McVey's Smell Goods 2008 about a week ago I received them the other day. Not only did I get what I ordered I also received some free samples as well, that was a great surprise.I used the Pure Body Balm which I must say I fell in love with instantly, I also used the lotion since I was fresh out of the shower good smells all around. I loved it! I have not had the opportunity to use everyone I am sure they will be just as delightful.Smell Goods 2008Thank youMichelle
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Going green has been in the news for quite some time. There are reusable bags for sale in many supermarkets and plastic bags from department stores offer ways to recycle said bag to keep from harming the environment. Bath and body care is going green also – if one takes a look at any shelf in the supermarket or the local discount department store, you will see various skin and body care products labeled “organic” or natural.In the general sense, being having “natural” on the label does not necessarily mean the product is good for your skin – it depends on what other additives are used. Remember, arsenic is natural! However, a body or skin care product created from natural ingredients is much better for your skin and well being than a product with an ingredient list full of unpronounceable words that is longer than your arm.Because I initially created a product for use by my 1 year old daughter, I took great care to use ingredients that were basically safe enough to ingest (excluding of course the fragrance). Neosoul.essentials’ products are 95%-100 % percent natural and do not contain parabens or any other preservatives. Our unfragranced products and those fragranced with essential oils are 100% natural.My purpose for creating neosoul.essentials was to provide those who want to ‘go green’ in bath and body care a healthful and budget conscious alternative to the high priced “natural” products. Everyone deserves to have an alternative to chemical-laden body care products. I use shea butter, cocoa butter, avocado oil, coconut oil, canola oil and virgin coconut oil in my products. As I stated before, our unfragranced products may not taste good, but are safe to ingest!If you have any questions on our products or our ingredients, please feel free to email me at Christine(at)neosoulessentials.com.
WWW.FABULOUSBLACKWOMAN.COMMany people believe that just because they put a conditioner in their hair, they are conditioning it...This is FALSE. Many conditioners are used for the "slippage" factor and the ONLY good they do is make it a bit easier to manage the tangles or napps in my case. Conditioners SHOULD be used to strengthen the hair. When purchasing a conditioner, one should make sure the label indicates it is indeed a deep conditioner and/or should be left on for up to 15 minutes and heat will give further benefits...If none of these are on the label, you are probably using an instant conditioner which like I said..does NOT condition.It takes approximately 15 minutes for the outside layer of the hair to expand, heat (using a plastic cap with or without a hair dryer or warmed conditioner) may cause it to expand quicker. Once the hair expands, the beneficial ingredients such as protein and/or oils can be deposited, which eventually leads to stonger, longer and healther strands.
Come back soon when I talk about the different kinds of conditioners and their different levels of benefits
Shampoo can leave your hair dry and brittle, which will lead to broken and damaged hair. Some Black women don't wash their hair often because they are afraid of the drying effect washing has...Well guess what, it's not washing your hair that is leaving it dry, it's the shampoo you are using. 90% of shampoos contain SLES Sodium Laureth Sulphate and.or Sodium Lauryl Sulphates. These ingredients are the same ingredients you will find in dish washing liquid, laundry detergent and other household detergents...See why your hair is so dry? My shampoo doesn't contain either and will leave your hair soft and moisturized. It contains natural oils such as avocado oil, jojoba oil, olive oil and more...The shampoo is so moisturizing, you can use it EVERY day...Black women should wash their hair once a week, especially if you are using products on the hair that may lead to build up on the scalp. Not only does a clean scalp lead to healthy hair, but the massaging action of washing your hair will stimulate your scalp and assist in growing your hair, not to mention head massages are very relaxing. To check out my products, go to www.fabulousblackwoman.com and see what my customers are saying about Sweet Nature Natural Hair Care by Eddie.
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Do you frequently browse the lotion aisle looking for the term “natural skin products” or shea butter on the labels of your lotions or body creams? When you see shea butter or cocoa butter or ‘all natural’ do you ever flip the bottle over and read the actual ingredients? Because of my daughter’s skin irritation, I became quite the label reader. Although many lotions and creams may say “shea butter” or “cocoa butter”, nine times out of ten, the first ingredient is water, then a couple of other ingredients before you actually saw the listing of the shea butter or the cocoa butter. Water may even account for up to 30% of the actual lotion, which is perfectly fine if you’re in need of a light moisturizer.If you need something a bit heavier, that sinks in just as well and doesn’t leave your skin greasy or tacky, then try our whipped shea butter or our megamix whip. We use natural skin ingredients which will leave your skin feeling smooth and moisturized. Use our product alongside your regular lotion for extra moisture!
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According to Target Market News, in 2005 Blacks/ African Americans spent $719 billion dollars on goods and services. It is projected that the buying power of Blacks/ African Americans will be $1 trillion dollars by the calendar year 2010. When I recently Googled 'black buying power' I was surprised by the number of professional articles I found that talked about how to market to Black/ African American people. Of the few articles I perused, not one of them talked about their corporate/ organizational responsibility to the communities they want to fleece. Not one of them mentioned the needs that exist in many of our communities. I was only five or six articles in when I got a clear image of a world (with few exceptions) that wants to take everything they can from us and give NOTHING back in return.An adage that I was taught many moons ago simply states: He who has the gold rules. It seems to me that since we as a race have the gold we should be ruling. I am so very happy to see the numbers of our people who are beginning to network with and patronize one another in greater numbers than ever before. I'm so happy that our value and worth are now being recognized and our historical accomplishments are no longer being hidden from our youth. But I am very curious and concerned about one thing. What is going to happen when our hard earned dollars are circulating in our own communities several times? What will happen as more and more sisters revert back to natural hair styles and patronizing black only nail techs in order to break the back of the Asian Connection that is not only taking over the hair care industry but is making inferior copies of black produced products while systematically nudging us out of the market? What is going to happen when there are lines outside of black owned grocery stores, liquor stores and gas stations while those that are owned and managed by other ethnicities become virtually empty? What is going to happen when our children are able to find summer jobs and internships within our own communities? What will happen as a result of us using our wealth for our own sustenance, empowerment, and glory?Personally, I don't think the rest of the world will stand idly by and let that happen. I suspect that at the very least we will all have a bunch of new found friends whose main concern will be to win our business away from our own family (I love that term as opposed to the n-word and it is soooooo fitting - my brothers and sisters). As that time approaches and as we deliberate regarding how to handle the opposition that is sure to come, let us remember that people of many nationalities would not hire one of us for any reason; and many of those who did required us to work for minimum wage money under the table, doing work that is beneath them so we would not be entitled to any working benefits or unemployment. Let us remember that many of them treated us like second or third class citizens while we were patronizing their establishments. Many of them intentionally cheat us and our children then get an attitude when we bring their -ah hem- error to their attention. I'm so glad that growing numbers of us are finally working in concert toward leveling the playing field. But remember, just because we deserve to benefit from the power of our own buying power doesn't mean they will sit by idly and let us.BTW: They in this blog specifically refers to people who are either not ethnically recognized as being Black or African American or supporters of the equal rights and entitlements of Blacks/African Americans.
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