okay, FINE!!

Hey Hey Hey,
Hola ladies!!! I am EXHAUSTED beyond belief. Mama cannot shake it like she used to. But wow...E for effort! On Saturday, me and my friends Adina (a deliciously sexy NFL publicist, far left), Mashawn (a high-powered Florida attorney and fellow UVA grad, in the pink) and Kibwe (J Mendel's illustrious design director...check the twinkly gold dashiki and matching chain, okay?) hosted our fab friend Lola's bridal shower and, later that night, her bachelorette party. I couldn't believe how emotional the shower was...you know, the whole "toasting one of my greatest friends' life as she starts a whole new moment" thing! I honestly thought I'd be too emotionally drained to really get down at the bachelorette party at BLVD, a very sexy Manhattan club, but alas, I had no trouble at all. Kibwe, who's dance floor situation ought to make Debbie Allen terrified for her job, led all of us in a four-hour interpretive dance salute to reality TV. We copied routines from "So You Think You Can Dance" (he would shout out things like, Paso Doble!, or Contemporary!, or Lyrical!...and we'd have to quickly bust a move in that style. Yes, this seventh grade regression required five or six cocktails). We attempted various "Making the Band" routines that we now know by heart (like the "Ooh La La La La La" shimmy, last season's banger to Cheri Dennis' "I Love You," and the cute little "baby, baby, baby, baby, baby" Betty Wright stomp). We were fools. But because we embraced our foolishness, we were fabulous. So there.


In an abrupt subject change, that is indeed me in the August issue of Marie Claire! Do you like it? Can anyone tell I've gained ten pounds? Whatever, everyone's telling me that the lbs. were much-needed. And my brand-new butt has certainly made my very Latin husband happy. If he's happy, everybody's happy.



Speaking of happiness...you wanna know who makes me smile uncontrollably? The Great and Powerful Sam Fine, who along with being one of the most accomplished makeup artists of our time, is also one of my dearest friends (he's quite sexy, too...I've never seen the man without the CLEANEST edge-up, ever). Perhaps you've heard of his beauty book, a veritable black girl classic, FINE BEAUTY: BEAUTY BASICS & BEYOND FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN? Sam has worked on all of our most iconic beauties--Tyra, Patti, Naomi, Iman, and Queen Latifah. Vanessa Williams calls him "a visionary." Brandy says she "can't stay out of the mirror" after he's done her face. When Veronica Webb became the first black model to land a cosmetic contract with Revlon in 1994, she demanded that Sam work on all her campaigns (for you young'uns, she was one of the original, "capital S" Supermodels of the late '80s-early '90s) . And, ahem, when it came time for me to work out my ACCIDENTAL DIVA author photo, clearly I had to call on Mr. Fine to "beat my face." Sam truly changed the way black makeup was done--he's a true genius; an artist in every sense of the word. And this week, he's SHAKE YOUR BEAUTY'S guest editor! Yaaay! Here, in his own words, he's letting us in on his favorite beauty products of all time. Wanna learn more? Check out his fancy website, SAMFINE.COM, or email him questions directly at SAM@SAMFINE.COM. Okay, pay attention...the master has spoken.

love,
tia

SAM FINE'S TOP SIX BEAUTY PICKS

1. Black Opal Stick Foundation ($8.95): "As a makeup artist, perfecting the canvas is the most important part of my job. I love these foundation sticks because they come in a wide variety of shades, offer great coverage and don’t cost a fortune!"


2. Iman Luxury Pressed Powder ($20): "If you’re one of the many women of color who doesn’t wear foundation, or simply want to skip it during the summer months, try using a pressed powder. First, apply a light moisturizer (with SPF!). Blot, then, with a large powder brush, apply powder."


3. Christian Dior Plastic Shine Lip Gloss ($22): "Gloss is the one item you should never be without, especially during the summer months! Whether used over lipstick to create a multi-dimensional effect or alone as a summer sheer, gloss is a glamorous, yet natural item to own."


4. Stila Eyeshadow ($14): "When applied, eyeshadow should look true to the color in the pan and Stila shadows do the job! They have beautiful mattes and shimmers shades that don’t turn ashy on deeper skintones, making it easy for any woman of color to enhance her eyes easily."


5. L’Oreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara ($6.99): "Yes, waterproof… Why? Because it builds thicker, fuller lashes faster. Begin by applying a thin coat, then wait a few minutes and apply a second coat, this time building lashes that look long and lush!



6. Cargo Bronzer ($25): "Bronzers are often sold during the summer months because they’re meant to enhance tans, but every woman of color should own a bronzing powder because she’s a color year ‘round! In addition to adding a golden glow, bronzer can also take the place of blush by adding warmth and luminescence to the face and body.