The Revamp

GLOSS Magazine Online is going through a revamping period. The online Blog that currently greets visitors to the site is the preliminary step in development. Its purpose is to act as a meeting ground, connecting the publication to its audience and hopefully to those who are interested in writing. The magazine will officially launch in Spring of 2006 when the Blog will become a part of the actual online publication. We need your help in order to create a publication that meets your needs. This is the general overview of the publication.

GLOSS publishes news that focuses on pop-culture and is relevant to young, trendsetting African American women, age 18-30. The publication strives to be THE online destination for news that matters to this diverse group of women. Whether your interested in what’s going on in Hollywood or Washington, want to know the latest treatments being considered for diabetes, or if you searching for a deal on a little black dress, GLOSS wants you to come to us FIRST We want to make sure that the concerns of African American women that are all but ignored in other publications are answered in our virtual pages. What sets GLOSS apart from other similar publications is its cutting edge approach to pop-culture coverage. GLOSS is interactive. We want you to publish and respond to news on the site. The GLOSS woman is educated and getting her life together. Whether she is enrolled in college or just getting her feet wet in her chosen career field, the GLOSS woman is in need of news that is for HER – coverage of things that are a part of HER everyday world.

Now that you have been briefly introduced, it's time to get GLOSSY Please take a moment to answer the following questions in the comment section of this post. (Copy and past it in)Your answers will help us to create a publication that you would want to read with your feedback going directly into the type of content you will see on our pages this Spring. Therefore, your answers are extremely valuable to us and we thank you in advance!

Survey:

Race/Ethnicity:
1) African American, not of Hispanic Descent
2) African American of Hispanic Descent
3)Caucasion
4) Asian
5) Biracial
6) Other

Age:
1) 12 - 17
2) 18 - 24
3) 25 - 34
4) 35 - 44
5) 45 or older

Income:
1)Below $10,000
2)$10,000 – $19,999
3) $20,000 – $39,999
4) $40,000 – $59,999
5) $60,000 – $79,999
6) $80,000 – $99,999
7) $100,000 or more

Homeowner: Yes or No

Education Level:
1) Less Than High School
2) High School Graduate
3) Associates Degree
4) Bachelors Degree
5) Graduate or Professional School

Current Career Field:
1) Administrative
2) Education
3) Media/Editorial
4) Medical
5) Legal
6) Social Services
7)Other (please list) _______________

How often do you use the internet?
1) Once every couple of days
2) Once a day
3) 2-3 times a day
4) 4-6 times a day
5) Seven or more times a day

Where do you get the majority of your news?
1) Online
2) Newspapers/Magazines
3) Television
4) Radio
5) Other (please specify) _____________

If you were going to contribute to this magazine, which topic would you be most likely to write about?

What other topics would you like to see explored in a magazine for you? Please list.

The following are some potential topics that will be explored in GLOSS Magazine. Please tell us how interested you would be in learning about each topic, using a nine-point scale with "5" meaning "Extremely Interested" down to "1" meaning "Not Interested At All".

Beauty
Fashion
Health & Fitness
Financial & Business
Employment Issues
International Issues
Education
Entertainment/Movies/Celebs
Local News
Music
International/National New
Poetry/Creative Writing
Photography
Other

If you were going to contribute to this magazine, which topic would you be most likely to write about?

What other topics would you like to see explored in a magazine for you? Please list.


Would you post or respond to any of the articles posted/presented? Yes No

Do YOU think a publication just for this group of women is even needed? Yes No

Please look through the sample articles presented. Based on these samples, how likely are you to visit Gloss?
1) Not Likely At All
2) Somewhat Unlikely
3) Neither Likely or Unlikely
4) Somewhat Likely
5) I Will Definitely Visit!

Thank You for your help

Tiffani Alexander -Publisher

Sex Up Your Wardrobe

According to beauty experts at iVillage, every women needs just six items in her closet to turn any regular outfit into something sexy enough to make Halle's get-up in Catwoman seem conservative.

The first item on the list is a stylish cardigan. This season's sweater is a sexy "secretary sensation." We suggest that you wear these over a lacy, see-thru camisole, or--for the little more daring-- wear them over nothing at all. The extra exposure of skin is sure to turn a Sunday school ensemble into something racy enough to wear to the Pussy Cat Lounge.
Mohair Ribbon-Trim Cardigan, $48,Victoria's Secret

Ok, so everyone has simple studs and maybe some pearls in their jewelry box. However, to add instant WOW to your outfit, add a bold pair of dangling earrings. Earrings that swing add flare to anything from a fitted turtleneck sweater to a black cocktail dress. You can pull your hair back or let it fall, this simple accessory adds sex appeal without any fuss.
Sequin Hoop Earrings, $58, Nordstrom

Silky, lacy, feminine. Three words that scream sexy and describe a trend in women's fashion. Whether worn under a cardigan or alone, these "skimpy" and usually sheer options may have once been reserved for the bedroom, but today can be paired with a pair of jeans, some drop hoop earrings and hot heels for a night of clubbing!!!
Shimmering Lace Cami, $48, Victoria's Secret

Next on the list is the obvious: STILETTOS! Once you slip on a pair of high heels something magic happens. It's like you instantly feel sexy. Now high heels are sexy, but there is nothing sexy about not being able to walk in 5-inch heels. Not a problem! Try subtly sexy shoes that have lace-up detailing in the back, or strappy sandals that show those lovely ankles.
Aarona Pumps, $69, Nine West

Almost as obvious as the shoes is the jeans. Sexy jeans, the one that cling to all the right curves and maybe dip a little around the waist, make you feel skinnier, taller and more confident. The right pair of jeans makes any woman just a little more confident and feisty. Pair them with the right heels and men will follow that sway as you pass them on the street.
Topstitched Ultra Sexy Jeans in Stretch, $68, Victoria's Secret

What exactly is a Jersey Wrap Dress? Like most wrap dresses, this concept still can camouflage your not so in shape areas--but with one crucial difference. It has a little cling to it. So whether you want to hide your tummy or play up your cleavage, a wrap dress is the perfect answer to instant sexy. Just pair with your new sexy heels and dangling earrings and hit the party! But be warned, your instant sex appeal may make it hard for your guy to let you walk out the door!
Wrap Dress, $98, Victoria's Secret

-TA

A Destiny Fulfilled

Reviews have been generally good during the "Destiny Fulfilled . . . and Lovin' It Tour," a tour that has been tapped the last the trio will perform together as a super girl group.

Beyoncé, Kelly and Michelle announced, to everyone's "surprise," that Destiny Fulfilled would be their last album together early this summer. The American tour, featuring hits such as "Say My Name," "Independent Women, Pt. 1," "No, No, No Part 2," "Bills, Bills, Bills," "Bootylicious," and "Jumpin' Jumpin,' started June 9 in St. Louis and will end in Seattle on September 9 before the girls perform one last time in front of fans in Vancouver.

According to various reports from the cities where these often sequined-clad ladies have performed, DC is giving fans a fitting farewell tour. Reports are that the girls are not appearing to be sentimental during the tour, which makes sense since the ladies claim to not be breaking up, but simply moving on to other aspects of their careers and personal lives.

"It's not our last record because one of us wants to go solo, or because we don't get along or because we don't like each other anymore, or because of cattiness," Beyoncé said in a recent MTV interview. "It's because it's the end of this chapter in our lives. We've been doing this for 14 years now, and our destinies have been fulfilled."

"All great things come to an end," Kelly echoed. "Destiny's Child is more than just us being on stage or in the studio. We genuinely love each other and I'm going to see their kids, and their kids' kids, and they're going to see my kids. I love these girls."

That being said, the group did not want to disappoint loyal fans. The new-age Supremes included songs from their past solo endeavors in this tour as well as touching on the hits that made the famous.

According to Chronic Magazine, Kelly performed her Nelly hit "Dilemma," as well as her solo clip "Bad Habit" from Destiny Fulfilled. Michelle, the gospel solo star, performed her hit "Do You Know." Although it was reported over and over that the other two members of DC gave powerful performances and seemed "comfortable, sassy and sexy" on the stage, one thing remains constant: Beyoncé is the standout star of this trio.

Beyoncé has two separate solo sets consisting of chart-toppers “Baby Boy” and “Naughty Girl,” followed by "Dangerously in Love" and "Crazy In Love."

Chronic Magazine and MSN both reported that the ladies of DC truly appear to enjoy performing together, the magazine stating that "Although the women spent plenty of concert time apart on stage, their facial and body language made it clear that - despite rumors - they enjoy merging into a singular spotlight."

-TA

Lil' Kim Sentenced to 1 Year and a Day

Kimberly Jones, aka Lil' Kim, was sentenced yesterday to serve a year and a day in federal prison and pay a $50,000 fine for perjury after she made a surprise admission in the courtroom that she had lied to a grand jury during her trial.

Ms. Jones appeared a far cry from her "Queen Bee," defiant bad-girl image during the trail and according to news reports expressed remorse for her actions.

"I testified falsely during the grand jury and at trial," she told the sentencing judge, Gerard E. Lynch, in a brief statement. "At the time I thought it was the right thing to do, but I now know it was wrong." (The New York Times)

Kim, 30, faced a maximum of 20 years in jail for the four perjury counts on which she was convicted back in March. Although the prosecutors had asked for a sentence of at least two years and nine months, the Judge Lynch, who repeatedly compared the rapper to Martha Stewart, wanted to be careful not to treat Kim more severely than the domestic icon who he said "happens to be older and whiter and whose entertainment following is richer."

Judge Lynch went on to express his concern that the rapper's fans would cry discrimination and receive a wrong message from her sentence if he imposed a far harsher prison term than Ms. Stewart's on "a younger African-American woman who is popular with a different segment of society."

Kim was found guilty of lying in her testimony before a grand jury about a shootout among rival rappers on Feb. 25, 2001, in front of the Hot 97 a radio station, located in Lower Manhattan.

It was reported that the petite-sized hip-hop star accepted "complete blame" yesterday for the actions of her friend and co-defendant, Monique Dopwell, 32, who was also convicted of perjury, all while claiming that "I am a good, God-fearing person."

Reports did not indicate where Kim will serve out her sentence, although Judge Lynch asked that she be sent to a prison not far from her home in the New York. The rapper will have to surrender on Sept. 19.

According to the New York Times, the judge told Kim that she should make better use of her position as a role model for her many fans, even those who had said she would enhance her hip-hop cachet by doing some time in jail.

"Going to jail because you lied to protect violent men with guns is not heroic," Judge Lynch said. "It's stupid and it's wrong." (The New York Times)

Like other [male] rappers before her, Lil' Kim anticipated her jail stay and has been hitting the studio hard in recenct months preparing to release an album in August. The first single is called "Shut Up." Wonder who she's talking to.

-TA
-picture courtesy of The New York Times

The Pussycat Dolls

The Pussycat Dolls, brainchild of choreographer Robin Antin, are no longer just a sexy burlesque troupe who performs nightly at Ceaser Palace in Las Vegas. The all new Dolls have a hot single on the charts, "Don't Cha," featuring Busta Rhymes and produced by Cee-Lo.

-picture courtesy of Vegas.Com

The group is made up of seven beautiful women, including former Eden's Crush member Nicole Kea, Carmit Bachar, Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta, Melody Thornton and Kimberly Wyatt. According to an article that appeared on VH1.Com, the ladies are putting the finishing touches on their debut album. "We are working with some pretty phat people," said Kea in. Signed on to make things hot with the Dolls are super-producersTimbaland, Rich Harrison and Sean Garrett. Ron Fair, who produced hits for Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne will produce the disc which is expected to hit stores in late summer.

"We've been working on [the album] for a while now because we've been very selective with our songs and our producers, and we don't want to settle," Kea explained. "The whole Pussycat Doll thing is a movement, a whole concept and a thing unto itself. We want [the record] to be like that, and we want the music to be special too" (VH1.Com).

While "Don't Cha" is the first single from the dancers' upcoming album, the ladies have been on the radio and in videos before. The Dolls covered Dean Martin's "Sway" for the Shall We Dance soundtrack and Patti LaBelle's "We Went As Far As We Felt Like Going" from Shark's Tale.

The Pussycat Dolls celebrated the Grand Opening of The Pussycat Dolls Lounge at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, NV with a special performance last April that featured Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria.

-TA

Black Women and HIV

African American communities are being greatly affected by the global epidemic that is HIV/AIDS, as well as by vast other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

According to BlackWomensHealth.Com the AIDS rate among Black women is three times as high as that among Latino women and 18 times as high as that among White women. Today Black women make up more than half of all women who have died of AIDS.

Although African Americans make up 13 percent of the population, that group actually accounts for 41 percent of all AIDS cases in the United States.

The Surgeon General of the United States, states that there are 33.4 million HIV-infected people around the world, and 665,000 in the United States. It is estimated that 50 percent of all new HIV infections in the United States are among people under 25, the majority of these young people are infected sexually. Nearly half (44 percent) of the HIV infections in the age group 13 to 24 were reported among young females and over half (63 percent) were among African Americans.

As African American women, it is important for us to protect ourselves. No man is worth your health--or ultimately your life. The only way to limit your chances of contracting this disease is to practice abstinence. However, if you do choose to be intimate, use a condom. If we don't take care of self, no one else will care to take care of us.

Here are a couple links to articles pertaining to community involvement and recent news concerning HIV/AIDS:

The Links, Inc. presents Black Women and HIV/AIDS: Out of the Shadows

Fueling the HIV/AIDS Crisis

Important HIV/AIDS Links:

The Body

AIDS Education Global Information Systems

AIDS.Org

CDC: Division of of HIV/AIDS Prevention

The Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts

The mother of the late, great Tupac Amuru Shakur will unveil the long-awaited arts center dedicated to the memory of the hip hop emcee who died alomst 10 years ago, on June 11, 2005.

The Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts is the $4 million project started by Afeni Shakur that is focused on helping at-risk youth by getting them involved in the arts. The center sits on a six-acre campus in the Atlanta suburb of Stone Mountain and is reported to include an art gallery, rehearsal area, offices, gift shop and a "peace garden" which will feature a bronze statue of Tupac that will be unveiled in September. Afeni plans to add a museum, community meeting space and classrooms to the center in the future.

While fans often wondered where all the money went from Tupac's seven posthumous album, the fact is that the majority of the center's funding came from the foundation Afeni set up to receive proceeds from those releases, as well as the movies, DVDs and other projects Tupac released after his death.

While the foundation has sponsered a youth arts camps for 12- to 18-year-olds for several years, the center will be the permanent site for the program.

Tupac often spoke of the great experiences he had while enrolled at The Performing Arts School in Baltimore, Maryland. That foundation helped foster the creativity that grew out of the emcee/poet/activist/actor and Tupac's mom wants to foster the same creativity in other young people.

"Arts can save children, no matter what's going on in their homes," Afeni, 58, told The Associated Press in a recent interview. "I wasn't available to do the right things for my son. If not for the arts, my child would've been lost."

Afeni has devoted her life to keeping Tupac's memory alive and helping young people strive for excellence.

"I learned that I can't save the world, but I can help a child at a time," Afeni said, adding that it was all made possible by her son.
"God created a miracle with his spirit. I'm all right with that."

-TA

For Love of the Natural, the Afro Returns

From the April issue of Essence Magazine
By Joan Morgan

The 1970’s was an age when Black was already beautiful. In the wake of the Black Power and Civil Rights movements, Black Nationalism and feminism, the reigning do of my day was the Afro. It was a defiant rejection of White beauty standards, an aesthetic demand to feel good in the skin we’re in. Is it any wonder, then, that we also called it the natural?

-pic from Essence Magazine
By Ondrea Barbe

While the politics of this style statement may have eluded me, I was old enough to intuit the sexiness of the thing. This was the ultimate expression of both Black style and cool, and it seemed logical that any description of a fine-ass Black boy back in the day would begin with “He got an Afro.” Of course he’d sooner offer you the gift of full lips and a kiss than allow you to touch his perfectly coiffed halo.

For me, a young girl growing up in the South Bronx, the ’fro was also the ultimate expression of womanist power and sex appeal. In my 10-year-old mind, Pam Grier’s Foxy Brown ’fro was far more powerful than her gun, its manicured perfection the true key to her superpowers.

Today, almost four decades since its emergence in American culture, the Afro is very much a survivor, taking up residency everywhere from hip-hop’s urban lairs to Parisian runways. Much more than a nostalgic nod to Black style of yesteryear, the Afro remains stylistically potent because politically it is still born of need. It simultaneously says, “We’ve come a long way, baby,” and “We still have a ways to go.” So the choice to go natural—be it Afros, dreadlocks, Nubian knots, twists, cornrows or braids—still serves as a big thank-you kiss.

Here’s to the kinkiness of our hair. The resiliency of our spirits. Our demand to be acknowledged as beautiful just the way we are. Here’s to the Afro.

Dreamgirls is Coming

Variety reports that recent Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx will join super star Beyonce Knowles in the upcoming DreamWorks film Dreamgirls. Beyonce is set to play Deena Jones, the character loosly based on Diana Ross and Foxx will be in the role of Curtis Taylor Jr.

Another major recording artist will show up on the screen. Usher is on board to play choreographer C.C. White. The industry paper also reports that DreamWorks is hoping to sign Eddie Murphy for the role of James "Thunder" Early.

The rest of the cast is still unknown but a nationwide search will be held to cast the role of Effie, a role made famous by Jennifer Holliday.

Bill Condon, who wrote the script for the film version of "Chicago," adapted Dreamgirls for film. He will also direct the movie musical, which is being executive produced by Patricia Witcher.

Dreamgirls is believed to be based on the Supremes. The original cast featured Obba Babatundé, Cleavant Derricks, Loretta Devine, Ben Harney, Jennifer Holliday, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Deborah Burrell.

Songs made famous by Dreamgirls include "One Night Only," "I Am Changing," "When I First Saw You," "I'm Somebody," "Family" and Effie's first-act show stopper, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going."
-->

The Emanicipation of Mimi

Picture Courtesy of
Mariah Carey Online

Vibe magazine wrote that "Mariah gets back to her winning formula with Mimi.

The Emancipation of Mimi hit stores last April and has enjoyed several weeks at the top of Billboard Charts. Mimi is the nickname that friends of the superstar use to greet the 8 octave diva. Mariah states in the liner notes for her album that: "emancipation" is "to free from restraint, control, oppression, or the power of another" or "to free from any controlling influence" or "to free somebody from restrictions or conventions."

It's clear that whatever shackles held Mariah back in the past have been broken. Critics that doubted her and said her career could never bounce back from the mistakes that were Glitter and Charmbracelet are eating their words as Mariah enjoys her first hit album in years.

Mariah works with several high-profile producers on this album including, Jermaine Dupri, the Neptunes, Kanye West, and R. Kelly. The lead single, "It's Like That" is a club banger that has ladies shaking it on the dance floor. With lyrics like, "We came to have a party/Open off the Barcardi/Feeling so Hot Tamales/Boy I know your watching me so what's it gonna be," Mariah lets everyone know that she still knows how to have fun and make a record for the pure joy of it.

Of course Mimi includes ballads that can only be sang like MC can sing them. Tracks like "We Belong Together," "Mine Again," and the Kanye West produced "Stay the Night" are signature Mariah, taking the listener to an emotional place with sultry lyrics and soothing rhythms.

Nelly and Snoop drop by to help Mimi keep the party going on "To The Floor" and "Say Something" respectively. Twister even tries to help the single diva find her "One and Only."

It's clear with this album that Mariah is free to sing and write whatever she desires and obviously she knows what she is doing. The album has enough of the old Mariah to satisfy the legions of fans who grew up with her, as well as enough of the that new sound to introduce the pop diva to a younger audience who maybe knows her name, but didn't quite understand who she is. Mariah is the highest selling female artist of the '90s and with this album she is making it known that she is still a force to be reckoned with. All other pop "divas" should be ware and take cover.

-TA

Your Health

Nutrition and Fitness Frequently Asked Questions from Blackwomen'shealth.Com

1.How significant a problem is overweight and obesity, especially among African American women?

Overweight and obesity are at epidemic proportions in the United States. Approximately 1 out 3 U.S. adults are obese and 2 out of 3 are overweight. The problem is even more severe in the African American community. Approximately 66% of African American women over the age of 20 are overweight or obese. These numbers are much higher when compared to Mexican American or White women.

2.What is the best way to approach to weight loss?

There isn’t one perfect weight loss approach that works for everyone. Most experts would agree, however, that weight loss and weight maintenance should employ the combination of a low calorie diet, increased physical activity, and behavior modification.

Behavior modification is very important as visible and accessible food items are often cues for unplanned eating. Behavior changes can make it easier to eat less without feeling deprived.

3.How quickly should I expect to lose weight?

Rapid weight loss from crash diets is usually not sustained. Slow, steady and sustained weight loss is the way to go. Weight should be loss at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week based on a caloric deficit of between 500 and 1,000 calories per day. You have to take in fewer calories than you expend (through exercise and activity).

4.What do you think about prescription weight loss drugs?

The thinking about weight loss drugs has changed a lot over the past few years. For certain, the side effects of Phen-Fen that lead to it being removed from the market have caused many in the medical community to be more cautious in prescribing weight loss medications.

The possible effects from the long-term use of prescription weight loss drugs are unclear. There does appear to be a role for the shorter-term use of these agents, especially for individuals who are obese (body mass index over 30). The bottom line is that you should give your very best effort at weight reduction through eating a low calorie diet, increasing your physical activity, and modifying your behavior before considering prescription medication. If you have not made progress through the approach described above, then discuss with your doctor whether weight loss medications will be a good choice for you.

5.What are the keys to success in exercise?

According to the National Women’s Health Information Center:

· Go slowly. Build up your activity level gradually. For example, if you are inactive now and want to begin walking regularly, you might begin slowly with a 10-15-minute walk, three times a week. As you become more fit, you can increase the sessions to every day, and if you wish, you can make each session longer.

· If you choose a fairly vigorous activity, begin each session slowly. Allow a 5-minute period of stretching and slow movement to give your body a chance to "warm up." At the end of your workout, take another 5 minutes to "cool down" with a slower exercise pace.

· Listen to your body. A certain amount of stiffness is normal at first. But if you hurt a joint or pull a muscle or tendon, stop the activity for several days to avoid more serious injury. Rest and over-the-counter painkillers can relieve most minor muscle and joint problems.

· Pay attention to warning signals. While regular physical activity can strengthen your heart, some types of activity may worsen existing heart problems. Warning signals include sudden dizziness, cold sweat, paleness, fainting, or pain or pressure in your upper body just after exercising. If you notice any of these signs, stop the activity and call your doctor immediately.

· Keep at it. Unless you have to stop your regular physical activity for a health reason, stay with it. Set small, short-term goals for yourself. If you find yourself becoming bored, try doing the activity with a friend or family member. Or switch to another activity. The health rewards of regular physical activity are well worth the effort.

Celeb Steal-Worthy Style

The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul is a color chameleon and is currently rocking burnt-red tresses with chocolate streaks. To find out Mary's secrets Click Here: Mary Online

Song Bird Alicia Keyes always looks fly. Whether she's rocking her signature braids or letting her long locks fly, this sister from Queens got some serious style.
To get Alicia's look Click Here:

Hard to believe that this sultry singer/actress came into our lives when she was just 14! Now a grown woman, Brandy's style has grown as well.
To get Brandy's look Click Here:

From music to movies, to starting her own fashion line, Eve is doing it and doing it big. Her glam/homegirl style is being copied worldwide and now you can do it up like she does.
Wanna be Homegirl Chic like Eve? Click Here:

Janet Jackson, those two words scream sex appeal. This diva has has tried many looks over the years but one thing has remained consistant--it's always NASTY!
Miss Jackson if you nasty! Click Here:

-All images courtesy of iVillage

Inspirational Quotes

Here are just a couple of thoughts to ponder by two beautiful and talented African American women who are just like you!

Oscar Winner Halle Berry:

Halle Berry became the first African American woman to win a "Best Actress" Oscar for her role in 2002's Monsters Ball.

Super Model Tyra Banks:

Tyra Banks if one of the first African American super models and was THE first to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Welcome to Gloss!

GLOSS Magazine publishes news that focuses on pop-culture and is relevant to young, trendsetting African American women. The publication strives to be THE source for entertainment and fashion news, with special sections dedicated to the health and beauty concerns of African American women that are all but ignored in other publications. The magazine wants to be trendsetting and funky, while staying focused and sophisticated. What sets GLOSS Magazine apart from other similar publications is its cutting edge approach to pop-culture coverage. This is where YOU come in.

Gloss Magazine needs content and is looking for all those writers out there who are searching for a forum to showcase your work. As journalist, we just want our work out there and Gloss Magazine is the perfect place to get that much needed exposure. This blog is a way to connect with other writers who are interested in covering news relevant to young, hip, African American women. Please feel free to post your stories, editorials and poetry on this blog. As we grow together, so will the online magazine, as will your audience! There are so many talented writers out there and Gloss wants to embrace that talent here. It's your turn, post your work and make it glossy!

Television News Journalist A'Lelia Bundles: "Black Women Have More Options than Ever"

Article by iVillage

Madame CJ Walker

Television news journalist A'Lelia Bundles tells her great-great grandmother's story in a new book: “On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker” (Scribner). A century ago, Madam Walker built an international hair-care empire that forever changed African-American women's self-image.

How did Sarah Breedlove -- a.k.a. Madam Walker -- get into the beauty business?
She was working as a washerwoman and like so many other African-American women of her day, she had scalp problems and was going bald, because they only washed their hair once a month. So she developed a product system to cleanse and heal the skin based on petrolatum, sulphur, beeswax and coconut oil. She sold it in small packages to women like herself.

Madam Walker claimed that the formula came to her in a dream. Do you believe that?
Oh yes. In that era, African Americans couldn't have survived without a deep, abiding faith. She was an orphan, single mother and widow by the time she was 20.

There were products similar to Madam Walker’s. Why were hers so successful?
If you look in old newspapers you'll see there were a number of white-owned companies advertising hair-care products and cosmetics to black women with before and after pictures. "Before" would be a pen and ink drawing of a woman with blotchy skin, acne and hair that was wild. The "After" would be a mulatto, with flawless skin and hair in Gibson Girl style. They were appealing to some of the insecurities of black women. By%2

Black Hair Care

Q: I'm an African-American with relaxed shoulder-length hair. I want to grow it longer, but it's very damaged. Any tips?
-Pic courtesy of Pantene.Com

A: The chemicals used to relax kinky locks can leave them brittle and sapped of moisture, which can lead to split ends and breakage, making it a challenge to grow them out. To nurse your hair back to health and keep it strong, follow this moisturizing regimen from Jacqueline Tarrant, senior educational manager for Soft Sheen-Carson. First, be sure to use a gentle hydrating shampoo that won't strip away your hair's natural oils. Follow with a thick, creamy conditioner to boost your strands' strength and help seal split ends. Try Optimum Care Super Protecting Shampoo and Stay Strong Conditioner, $3.99 each. Too much heat from a blow-dryer, curling iron or straightening iron will hurt your fragile tresses even more, so always apply a protective styling cream first. Check out Pantene Pro-V Relaxed and Natural Daily Oil Cream Moisturizer, $4.

-Pic courtesy of Pantene.Com

Finally, even though you're trying to grow out your hair, it's important to get a trim every four to six weeks to keep any dead ends from splitting all the way up your hair shaft.

-Courtesy of iVillage.Com

Thinking about a weave? Check this out:
WEAVE 101
Click here to shop for hair extensions, hairpieces & wigs from Laissez Fair Hair

-Pic courtesy of iVillage

Summer Fashion and Make-up Tips

In short, female trends for Summer 2005 will see a very feminine approach to summer fashion styles. Here are few options to get you started:
Go Bohemian Chic:

Bohemian (or boho) chic isn't just about artfully mixed patterns and textures, or even about cool handmade pieces. It's about looking like you just threw on those pieces as an afterthought of your multi-textured, easy-going and earthy personality. For more info check this link out:
Boho Chic

Image fromHandbag.Com

Go White: The color white has reinvented itself this season and has made a comeback. If you follow a few rules, you can keep it crisp, classic, clean and pretty. Check this out: White is So Right

Image from Kenneth Cole

Make-Up
This summer there are three significant color trends in makeup:Turquoise, Bronze and Pretty in Pinks.

Some Bronze, Turquoise and Pink products to try include:

MAC Cosmetics: Bronzing Powder $18.50 * Pink Shadow by MAC: Mineralize Eye Shadow in Little Madame $15.00 * Aquadisiac, a Deep sea turquoise Eye Shadow for $13.00

Image from MAC

The First Lady of Hip Hop and R&B

The First Lady. That’s a serious title to give yourself. However, after 10 years making music and being the only female R&B artist at Capitol Records, it’s a title that Faith Evans has earned.

The new album from the former "First Lady" of Bad Boy is the first time fans have heard the songbird’s signature blend of hip-hop and R&B in four years. While Faith manages to stay true to "Hip-Hop/Soul," a musical genre hybrid of sorts made famous by sometime friend Mary J Blige, The First Lady is also heavily influenced by ‘70s soul.

Faith lived through the murder of her husband The Notorious B.I.G. and an arrest just last year for drug possession. The events of her life, both positive and negative, are the fuel that feeds this intimate collection. The lead single "Again" is a retro, mid-tempo track that speaks directly to the critics that attempted to soil her image; "And the media tried to say/I had a habit I couldn't manage/And I'm throwing my life away." Faith shows no regret for past mistakes, instead embracing them because they "made me who I am."

The First Lady of Hip Hop and R&B

Faith Evans Online

Never one to fail on the dance tip, Faith delivers a party anthem for ladies to blaze in their cars on the way to the club. The Neptunes-produced "Going Out" is fast-paced in places, slightly slower in others, and always jazzed by an insistent drum beat mixed with a scratchy, high pitched sound that could be a high note on a keyboard or an extremely out of tune electric guitar.

Other tracks worth mentioning include "Ever Wonder," a classic R&B duet with Mario Winans, and "Jealous," a middle-of-the road cut that utilizes a simple piano chord laced over a more persistent drum and symbol beat. On the song, Faith admits to checking cell phones and pagers for numbers–a practice most women engage in but would never admit to.
Faith may not be able to claim Mary’s title as the "Queen of Hip Hop Soul," but her faith in herself and her "around the way girl" appeal has made Faith Evans a first lady– a lady who is often understated, but whose presence cannot be ignored.

-TA

Welcome To Gloss Magazine!

GLOSS Magazine publishes news that focuses on pop-culture and is relevant to young, trendsetting African American women. The publication strives to be THE source for entertainment and fashion news, with special sections dedicated to the health and beauty concerns of African American women that are all but ignored in other publications. The magazine wants to be trendsetting and funky, while staying focused and sophisticated. What sets GLOSS Magazine apart from other similar publications is its cutting edge approach to pop-culture coverage. This is where YOU come in.

Gloss Magazine needs content and is looking for all those writers out there who are searching for a forum to showcase your work. As journalist, we just want our work out there and Gloss Magazine is the perfect place to get that much needed exposure. This blog is a way to connect with other writers who are interested in covering news relevant to young, hip, African American women. Please feel free to post your stories, editorials and poetry on this blog. As we grow together, so will the online magazine, as will your audience! There are so many talented writers out there and Gloss wants to embrace that talent here. It's your turn, post your work and make it glossy!