At the turn of the 20th century, bronzed skin became the new fashion must-have. Coco Chanel famously got sunburn on a yachting trip, which spurred her acolytes to start spending more time in the sun. Doctors of the day began prescribing sun therapy, which was quickly adopted by the upper classes, as were outdoor sports.
We believe the following have always been standards of beauty that will stand the test of time.
The Happy Confident Smile: It doesn’t matter what you are wearing, how thin or thick you are, how tall or short you are, how rich or poor you are …. A smile that says you are happy with being who you are, tops our list.
Sunshine Spirit: The ability to make others smile is someone with the Sunshine Spirit. This is a beautiful thing. It brings about a beautiful atmosphere of well being to those around you and cynosure to you.
Being Fit: Will you be able to run if there were to be a zombie apocalypse? Human beings were meant to lead active lives. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind and less time at the doctor’s. Studies have shown that one’s skin glows from adrenalin, so we think this is all around beautiful.
Neat clothes: We think some energy spent on keeping your clothes straight (washed, mended, ironed) goes a long way in adding clarity to everything around you.
Cleanliness : No matter how beautiful you are, if you haven’t showered and smell bad… forget it. You ain’t gonna be considered beautiful.
The holidays are coming up, and i’m sure i’m not the only one looking forward to the Turkey, gingerbread cookies, and cranberry sauce! Oh and of course the being-surrounded-by-family-and-friends part is fun too.
One dish that comes as a side to this season is always a serving of sweet potatoes. They come in pie form, melted among marshmallows, crispy wedges or condensed into soup form. Whether you like sweet-potatoes or not, there’s no stopping these shape-shifting vegetables from entering your home on Thanksgiving. In light of the sweet potato’s inevitable upcoming appearance on your plate, I’ve decided to write an article entirely about its skin enhancing benefits. I’m sure there are other ways to make your brown skin glow this season, but I can’t think of a better way to do that right now than eating a big heaping of sweet potato fries.
Jenné Claiborne from Sweet Potato Soul
I first learned about the sweet potato’s skin enhancing benefits from an article on Everyday Health about ten foods that are actually good for your skin. Sweet Potatoes was one of them. When added to a healthy diet, sweet potatoes give you a boost of vitamin A. According to WebMD, people commonly take vitamin A as “treatments for acne and other skin conditions, including wrinkles” (1). After looking into this further, I found Jenné Claiborne of Sweet Potato Soul, an online vegan workshop that provides you with diet plans and so many delicious recipes, many of which are based on sweet potatoes. Jenné Claiborne has been featured in Reader’s Digest, Vegetarian Times, Shape, and many other publications. She is a beautiful dark skinned woman who works in New York City as a professional chef. She creates recipes, videos, and spreads her passion for a healthy lifestyle. She is a certified holistic health counselor having earned her title from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in 2012.
Jenné says if you want beautiful skin – who doesn’t – it all must begin at your plate. She says you do not have to eat exotic “super-foods” to feel the beautification. In fact she reccomends sweet potatoes, broccoli, almonds, and avocados. She developed her love of sweet potatoes when she was growing up in Atlanta, Georgia. She considers them her soul food. On her website, she has numerous recipes dedicated to sweet potatos, some of which are listed below.
3. Creamy Sweet Potato Portabella Pasta – Nothing says Thanksgiving like a big Italian family. Maybe you can squeeze in room at your table for a sweet potato, or a few.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Remember to stay radiant and be thankful for your gorgeous brown skin!
(As a reminder, we are not doctors here at Cinnamon Spirit. Therefore we do NOT recommend starting any treatment without consulting an appropriate medical professional first. )
This months’s Money magazine had an interesting article on the typical hours a full-time worker spent in the office in America. 50 to 60 hours per week. I’ve always asserted that one does not have to work these long hours if we are productive during our work hours.
Hope these tips help you showcase your talent at work and put time back in your pocket.
Get your priorities straight: Tackle the most difficult task first. Starting with quick and easy tasks may be tempting but fear of the unknown can delay you getting the main task done and therefore you may end up working late. Try working on it for 30 minutes and going to an easier task for breathers.
Showcase your skills: Tools such as Toggl will help keep you organized and stay on top of all your tasks and projects. They often have reporting capability so you can see how much time you spent on projects as well as step by step details on your progress. This should help with show-casing your talent to and productivity at your next review or daily scrum meeting.
Plug productivity leaks: Turn off email/chat/social media until your break or after work. Smart phones can make you feel compelled to respond to friends and family. Let them know they should call you the old fashioned way if it was urgent. If you need convincing, track the time you spend on messaging and social media.
Learn to prioritize your company email: Checking your email once every 30 minutes should suffice. Learn your email tool well enough to mark it for follow-up. Although it is tempting to respond immediately, not every email requires that, unless you are holding up someone else’s work day.
Follow through: Communication is key to any job because it manages expectations and helps everyone be more prepared. Once you have your 8 hour work day done, communicate your progress and state of affairs to a stake holder, to make sure the ultimate goal is still on target. If doing this everyday is not appreciated, try to negotiate a twice or three times a week approach.
Take back your time: Be productive and happy doing an honest job for 8 hours and leave! The time you spend with your family, your hobby or interests outside of work, helps you recharge, rejuvenate and recognize how enjoyable work really is.
A scene from Lupita’s breakout film, 12 Years a Slave.
Written by : I. Ella Noor
Happy Wednesday everyone! If you haven’t seen 12 Years a Slave yet, consider it your homework assignment for the week. Whether you watch it to immerse yourself in some American history or for the heart-touching story of a black man’s kidnapping into slavery, there’s one character who will undoubtedly captivate you. Lupita Nyong’o, the radiant woman whom this post is about, plays Patsey, a 23 year old slave who becomes subject to her master’s disgusting commands. Patsey endures whipping, sexual misconduct, and some of the worst forms of degradation by her master and remains in the hearts of the audience long after the ending credits. Lupita’s performance as Patsey was so commendable that it earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress! This breakout film has earned her more than just a few awards (about 30 in fact); the spotlight is on this brown-beauty all over Hollywood and here at Cinnamon Spirit.
Lupita Nyong’o (now 30 years old) graduated Yale Drama School only after playing Patsey in 12 Years a Slave. She was cast three weeks before graduation and insists she had “imposter’s syndrome” until she actually landed in Louisiana. She and her parents are of Kenyan descent although she was born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1983. At the time of Lupita’s birth, her parents were politically exiled and unable to return to Kenya. Therefore, her parents paved their own way – her mother became a leader of the Africa Cancer Foundation! Before Yale, she attended Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts and earned her bachelors degree in film in 2003.
Lupita’s all-white outfit on Ellen
In an interview with Ellen Degeneres (2/21/14) Lupita enters wearing a fabulous minimalist, all white double breasted vest and shorts outfit and subtle earrings. She is immediately greeted by the host and the audience; and her humble personality shines right on through. She says she had never even seen her face on The New Yorker or any other of the numerous magazines she’s been featured in. Lupita is thrilled to be kick starting her acting career as she looks forward to the Oscar Awards coming up.
Official Instagram: instagram.com/lupitanyongo
Some fun facts about Lupita Nyong’o:
1. She loves Scandal – Lupita even says that some of her style is copied from fellow dark-skinned darling, Kerry Washington.
2. She wanted to be an actress after watching Stephen Spielberg’s The Color Purple. 3. She once had a horrible braiding experience in New York – therefore she learned how to do it herself. She can cornrow, box braid, and more!
Below is a photo of Lupita Nyong is in a stunning gown by Gucci at the annual SAG Awards (1/18). Her eye make-up speaks for itself. I am personally obsessed with the gold and blue making her features pop.
Lupita Nyong’o at the SAG Awards in Gucci
Get the look for less!
Just $19.60 at JC Penny!John Lewis True Decadence Maxi Dress (£44.00)
I love coffee so much no wonder I work at Starbucks! This is me at Hummingbird Cafe in Christchurch, New Zealand on a study abroad program
Name: Ishra Ella Noor, “Ella” Age: 21 years Heritage: Indian Occupation: Full time student studying Environmental Geoscience and Political Science at Purdue University and Barista at Starbucks
Why did you decide to join the Cinnamon Spirit team? Cinnamon Spirit finally highlights a beautiful asset that I’ve known exists my whole life – dark skin. As soon as I heard about this initiative I just knew I had to be a part of it.
How would you like to help Cinnamon Spirit?
I’ll be routinely posting tips and tricks for beauty, fashion, recipes, and tailoring them specifically to highlight the beauty of dark-skinned women. After all, the fact that we can actually pull off mustard-yellow is a feat on its own.
Who are some of your style icons? In terms of fashion, I have to say I’m a huge fan of Giuliana Rancic. I love how classy she is but still has a razor sharp edge to her style, and a killer smile to sport around with that dark golden skin matches every outfit.
Plans for the future? “I really want to help people. I’d love to incorporate what I’ve been studying in college to do this. I would love to pursue Natural Disaster Recovery or Hazard Mitigation. I’d also be really excited to have my own art gallery one day!”
Welcome aboard, Ella! We’re glad to have you here at Cinnamon Spirit!
Exercising outdoors is always better than in the gym, at least in my opinion. I feel like a mouse on a wheel on a treadmill! (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)I love what I study because it gives me the ability to see parts of the world that most people won’t even know exist. (Sunset Volcano, Arizona, USA)One of my favorite moments, on the Athabasca Glacier in BC!
1. Short sleeved shirts and ties do not go together : The NASA control room look may come back in the future but it is not happening right now. This look is a definite no no for business.
2. Own a two button jacket that fits well: This is a must have for work and semi casual occasions. Remember to button up at all times other than when you are seated.
3. Bow ties plus a shot of confidence: We are for this traditional look but in today’s world you need a shot of confidence to pull this off. Ladies do like bow ties
!
4. Match your tie with the width of your lapel: If your lapel is wide, go for a wider ties and vice-versa if narrow. Mixing a narrow tie with a wide lapel is a no no.
5. Your belt should match your shoes in color and texture : When buying shoes, consider investing in matching belts. Mixing these colors can be tricky, unless you are planing on wearing something funky for fun.
6. Big baggie pants make you look short: Do not wear them unless you want to look shorter
7. Trousers should be long enough: They should be long enough so they cover the top of your shoes and do not expose your socks. It’s only when you are seated, should your socks be visible.
8. Socks should match your pants: When buying pants, try to match your socks to pants in other hues. That way, when you remove your shoes or are seated, your socks blend with your pants and don’t break up the ensemble.
9. Ties should reach your belt buckle: It has become more common for men to wear ties longer than the belt buckle but this is the most desirable length. Anything shorter would seem sloppy.
10. Properly knotted ties have a dimple in the middle: Try the different kinds of tie knots such as the Four-hand-knot, Windsor-knot or the Pratt knot. Depending on what you prefer, they can range in width.
Finding a suitable foundation that works for our skin tone can be tricky. Here are some tips for you to find something you love wearing everyday. The idea is to match your skin tone and give it a smooth, natural look.
Test 3 shades that you think will work on your jawline. Resist the urge to blend and wait five minutes for it to settle.
If you have oily skin, go one shade lighter
If you have dry skin or wrinkles, powders can accentuate this problem.
When using a foam foundation, shake well, pump a quarter-size blob into your palm, then stipple it onto your face with a damp sponge. This will keep the bubbles intact till it gets to your skin and spreads evenly.
When in doubt, look for warmer bronze shades to avoid the ashy look.
We’ve included the price of these products so you can go out and experiment with what suits you.
2. Bobbi Brown Stick Foundation: The darkest shade, espresso, has a tiny bit of sparkle, giving you an all-over glow that’s noticeable even on your chocolate skin….US$ 40.00
5. Black Opal Foundation Stick: This brand is formulated specifically for brown skin, so it’s guaranteed to meet your needs. Plus it is one fourth the price of some others…US$ 10.00
6. Fashion Fair Oil-Free Perfect Finish Foundation: This cream-to-powder foundation comes with 17 different shades of brown and glides on without that caked-on look that often happens when using powder foundations…. US$ 25.00
7. Clinique Even Better Foundation: This compact foundation comes with many deep shades, and it also combats dry skin… US$ 32.00
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