Blaq Vixen Beauty

Vixen, Interrupted: Who is the Quintessential Blaq Vixen?

BlaqVixenBeauty — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0600

"I create shockingly attractive women that give a strong emotional message of empowerment and control. My subjects know what they don't want. They fight against stereotypes. They are wise in the ways of the world. They are "Thinking Women Goddesses." They are a mirror of myself."

Sandra Knuyt summed it up perfectly. That's what I want the Blaq Vixen to be - an empowered woman, a "thinking woman goddess" in the tradition of Oprah, Michelle Obama, Michaela Angela Davis, Condoleezza Rice,

I mentioned in "The Story Behind the Blaq Vixen Beauty Blog" that I wanted to redefine the meaning of a vixen. We all know that if you're a vixen, people typically think that you're shrewish, ill-tempered, bitter or sexually attractive. There's nothing wrong with being sexually attractive but I think you shouldn't be so quick to put your "secrets and treasures" out there on display. Strive to be mentally and emotionally attractive as well. Of course, a little leg, a little cleavage doesn't hurt every once in a while. Like Glamour Magazine, we also believe in the 40% rule here at Blaq Vixen Beauty - you show roughly 40% of flesh for "optimum allure."

Like Malinda Williams said in the "Angels Can't Help But Laugh" documentary, don't waste your pretty. Your goal isn't to be another video vixen! Right now, I think I owe you all an apology because in the original header of my blog, my girl is posing like one so I'm sending a different message. It's like for a minute there, Karrine Steffans was the official mascot for Blaq Vixen Beauty. I am so sorry babes! I guess I called myself trying to be more "sexy" when I couldn't really relate to the image myself. I'm still a tomboy at heart so it's sometimes difficult to embrace this girly side I've recently discovered. I'm cute mostly. From time to time, I am called "attractive" but rarely am I called "sexy." In a way, that's a good thing because it keeps me grounded.

I know I said I wanted to be a visionary for 20/10. Sometimes I feel like I've set myself up by using such a provocative blog title. However, I've decided that one of the underlying goals in my quest to "upgrade" myself is to redefine what it means to be a vixen. Also, I have to find my sexy! Like the new tagline says, "Nuture your inner vixen!" She's there; all you have to do is let her out once in a while!

Quote Her: Mercy Over Money

BlaqVixenBeauty — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:35:30 -0600

“

The [dating] advice I would give to women: Don't look at the bankbook or the title. Look at the heart. Look at the soul.

”- First Lady Michelle Obama (in the December 2009 issue of Glamour)

Get Like Her: Michelle Obama's $15 Fresh Tuck-Up at the Country Music Celebration

BlaqVixenBeauty — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:43:45 -0500

According to celebrity hairstylist Johnny Wright, First Lady Michelle Obama never cut her hair...rather, he didn't cut her hair. All he did was a simple switch-up called the tuck-up!

"There are two things I do. The up-tuck, like you are tucking something in. Then I do a tuck-up. The up-tuck is when I position a small ponytail somehere on the head, and then I tuck the rest of the hair up under that ponytail. Then a tuck-up is when I take the hair and gather it all in the back. I then twist it and I pull up and tuck. And that's what she got at the White House. A tuck-up! Not a cut," Wright told the Urban Beauty Collective.

He then added that he has given "different celebrities" the tuck-up and that "it looks different every time depending on the length of the hair. It's a really easy updo. It looks really classy and appropriate for any occasion."

Apparently, there have been talks about cutting Obama's hair because he said that "this would be a nice length for her whenever we decide to cut it." Wright reported that she said, "Yeah." Based on people's reactions to Obama's faux coif, Wright confirmed that "whenever we do cut it, I'll probably go shorter now because everyone thinks that's the cut!"

Create the first lady’s faux crop for under $15 with Soft & Beautiful! Follow these simple steps to achieve Michelle’s stunning style, perfect for hot summer days:

Apply Soft & Beautiful Ultimate Style Protect Spritz on wet hair from roots to ends. Blow-dry hair with a medium sized round brush, to create volume and lift.

Gather hair in a loose pony at the nape and tuck under, pinning with bobby pins as you go. Finish with Soft & Beautiful Oil Sheen Conditioning Spray to leave hair looking healthy and vibrant!

I'm thinking about doing myself to see how it looks...want to know how it goes?

Get Like Her: The First Lady's Contemporary Cut

BlaqVixenBeauty — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:36:39 -0500

Want to know what I think? Like I said with Chrisette Michele, Michelle Obama doesn't need to jack anyone's swagger. If anything, people are jacking her style by hitting up White House|Black Market and the like! But if you're in love with her hair, especially her signature bob, you can find how celebrity hairstylist Jonny Wright created this look.

It seems like everyone nowadays are embracing short, chic cuts and now First Lady Michelle Obama is no exception! Imagine my surprise when I saw one of my favorite online stores, Hair Sisters, selling Freetress Equal Lace Front Wig in Lady Michelle! You can get it for $44.99!

I don't know if Michelle Obama actually cut her hair or even just pinned it back to give the illusion that she cut it but I like it. I don't exactly love it since I've styled my hair just like hers from time to time. Even if it turns out to be wig, I'd like to know the brand and where I can get it!

What I found interesting was that the DailyMail UK says that Michelle Obama "stole Rihanna's style" by sporting a cropped pixie with a sweeping fringe. That was 8:57 AM this morning. Then they said called her bobbed hairstyle "classy and elegant" at 4:14 PM. I mean, which is it? Is the First Lady a swagger/style jacker or a classy, elegant trendsetter following in the footsteps of first fashionista Jackie Kennedy Onassis?

VIX FIX: How to Be Fabulous and Fashionable Like the First Femme

BlaqVixenBeauty — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:21:00 -0500

Have any tips on where I can find a better closeup? Dish!

At the American Ballet Theatre’s Opening Night Gala, it wasn’t a dancer that swept us off your feet, was it? It was Michelle Obama’s classy look! This style is perfect for day or night. The volume and over-exaggerated bang add flair and glamour to this otherwise simple style. Achieving the look is quick and easy with a few simple tips.

Blaq Vixen Beauty recently caught up with Soft and Beautiful spokesperson Roslyn Baker who shared tips on how to recreate the First Lady's elegant 'do in a snap with the new StyleProtect line:

STEP 1. Start with smooth, sleek and straight foundation by relaxing the hair with the Soft & Beautiful No-Lye Conditioning Relaxer. For fine hair, avoid relaxing the crown area for maximum fullness. Apply the Soft & Beautiful StyleProtect Nighttime Dry Wrap Mousse to the crown area of hair as you begin to blow-dry. Of course, if you don't relax with Soft and Beautiful, that's okay!

STEP 2. Once dry, apply a small amount of Soft & Beautiful StyleProtect Sculpting Gel around the hairline and smooth with a bristle brush. Remember my war with wrapping? Well, I use the Sculpting Gel on my hair as well as my sister's hair. I always manage to get my sister's hairline as smooth as possible but with my own, I have yet to get it as sleek as possible.

STEP 4. Section off the crown area. Spray the Soft & Beautiful StyleProtect Spritz on a small sub-section of hair. Using a large barrel curling iron, lift the hair up for maximum volume. Repeat this process until the crown area is completed. For the remaining back and side, use a flat iron or large barrel iron to smooth and turn the hair under. For maximum volume, lift the hair away and up from the scalp with the irons and gently smooth them down hair line.

STEP 5. The soft, side swept bangs are glamorous and sexy. Spray the bang area lightly with the Soft & Beautiful StyleProtect Spritz. Using the large barrel irons or flat iron curl hair over to the side. Use clips to hold the bangs in place and spritz once more. Use a large tooth comb to comb the hair into place. For added shine, spray the hair with Soft & Beautiful Oil Sheen Spray. I love side swept bangs, especially the huge ones!

All pictures courtesy of Michelle O. Style