 Never in my lifetime did I think I’d be fighting the same battle as my great-grandparents, grandparents and parents.
My mom grew up in Richmond, Indiana a town where a lot of her relatives could pass as white. Her mother, my grandmother also told me she was the only colored baby in the neighborhood. When I was in 2nd grade, I brought a picture of my grandmother in to show the class for a project. One of my white classmates said, “At least someone in your family is White!” No one said anything. Not even my teacher. I was a 2nd grader, I had to defend that my grandmother was BLACK. This wasn’t the first time and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. In college, at Miami University I took a journalism class. We had a group assignment to make up a character and describe their education, appearance, etc. One of the groups character name was “Jemima Jones” she was an illiterate woman. I was FURIOUS. “Jemima” is a long time figure depicting Blacks as stupid, low-class and degrading. The teacher said NOTHING. There were 2 Black students in the class including myself and guy. I didn’t want to address it in class or I’d be viewed as the “angry Black woman”. After class, I emailed my professor the historical context of “Jemima” and how I was deeply disturbed. She wrote back with an apology saying she had no idea. You are a JOURNALISM Professor at a Public Ivy School and you had no idea!? The next class we addressed it. Most of the class look annoyed of it being discussed, I asked if the other Black student had any thoughts and he said, “It didn’t bother me.” I was FURIOUS again. The only person in the room with compassion was a white student who started to cry. She told me she came from a rural town with no minorities and had no idea. I saw hope. In times of protest, struggle and uncertainty. I just want to share with my audience to continue to look for hope. Continue to look for ally’s but also severe ties to those who don’t SEE YOU. I am a Black Woman. I come from generations of strong Black Women. I’m reminded everyday of who I am - and I wouldn’t change anything about it. I’m not the one who needs changing.
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 This is a recipe for all my people who “don’t have time” but still want something good and easy to eat. I literally made this with ingredients I already had in my fridge, I cheated and picked up some grilled shrimp today while running errands for my parents. I got the 12 count grilled shrimp meal from Longhorn. I ate the broccoli and salad it came with for lunch and used the shrimp for my dinner. Smart, right? I know. Now, if you want to show out, you can of course cook your own grilled shrimp, make your own enchilada sauce and grate your own cheese. It’s Friday and it’s been a long week - so nah. I usually grate my own cheese but I like the Sargento cheese line - It melts good and it taste fresh (ya’ll know what I mean). I also like the El Paso Enchiladas Red Sauce, it’s the best I’ve tasted so far from the grocery store. I also like this brand of tortillas, La Banderita - they are light and better tasting to me. I would typically add sour cream, green onions and tomatoes on top - but I don’t have all that. Honestly, these cheesy shrimp enchiladas don’t need it - Here’s what you need:
Ingredients:
Enjoy!
Update: I was on Fox19 for this!! Watch Here  Summer is here! Kind of. I know some people are venturing back outside while some are still being cautious and staying put inside. Whether you’re inside or outside you can still participate in some trending summer trends! Check out these and let me know which ones you are going to try. Press on Nails These aren't your grandma or mom's press on's! Press on nails have really stepped their game up. These are a great way to try out summer nail trends of neon and design without making a big commitment. You also don’t have to go into a nail salon to achieve this look. You can go to your local drugstore or support local nail techs by purchasing custom press on nail sets! The sets featured below are from two local nail tech artist Dearra Hill and Chani Johnson.
Summer Lip Bright colors are back on trend. Swap out your usual nude, pink or red and try a bright orange, purple or neon pink. You don’t have to make a huge investment in a new lipstick either, I found some hot summer lipsticks all under $5 at my local drugstore. Wet n Wild Lip Color, Honolulu Is Calling OKAY! Online this is only $1.19!! I paid a little more in store I think around $3 dollars, but this is still a great deal. The lipstick comes in a tube and applies that regular tube lipsticks. My lips were moisturized and the color orange was very pigmented but not overpowering. It also removes great too ladies! CoverGirl Colorlicious Melting Pout Lipstick, Gel-Ful This beauty was only $4.99!! I got it on sale in store but it's still only $7.99. It comes out of a tube with gel like consistency. It is very smooth and easy to apply. My lips felt very moisturized and not dry. I also liked that it was very easy to take off.  Makeup Great For Your Skin Summer time means HEAT, so you don’t have to wear as much makeup. Sweating while wearing makeup is not great for our skin so swap out the full coverage foundations for a great tinted moisturizer that has a SPF or an “Clean” Foundation that is lightweight and won’t clog your pores. Everyone should be wearing sunscreen year around and not just during the summer. Sunscreen should even be worn when people are working from home and should be reapplied when out in the sun. Organic Acne Safe Foundation: Pure Beauty Glow What's a better foundation then created by someone who is an expert in skin. This foundation line is created by Pure Beauty Skin Bar. PBSB is a skin care clinic based in Cincinnati, Ohio specializing in the prevention & treatment of acne & hyperpigmentation. This foundation won't clog your pores its available in 17 diverse shades, this long-lasting, weightless mousse foundation goes on smooth to enhance your complexion while letting your skin's natural radiance shine through. Tinted Moisturizer: Nars Skin Tint SPF 30 This is a lightweight tinted buildable moisturizer/foundation that has a broad spectrum SPF 30 already built in. It helps your skin’s overall condition and will leave your skin looking natural and glowing.  Sparkling Fruit Cocktails If you like infused water then you will love these light and refreshing sparkling fruit cocktails. They are super simple to make. These are perfect to put in a pitcher and sit outside to enjoy. The main ingredients are fresh fruit of your choice, fruit juice, prosecco or sparkling water for a non-alcoholic option, mint, lemon and lime. For my fruit cocktail I used:
What's so great about this is you can't get it wrong, no recipe and all. I added the ingredients over ice and enjoyed! Which one of these Summer trends are you trying first?   Baby listen, I did not want to leave this bathtub. During this time of quarantine, we all need some ways to decompress, relax and perhaps hide from your significant other or kids (am I right)? Lately, I have been devoting at least one day a week to my self care. That is being still, not working, not focusing on anything but me and my well being. If you are in need of some major alone time and self care, you need to check out Macklin Bath and Home Products. Let me tell you, they got my whole self care day together. Can I also mention, that they are also minority woman owned. Here is the run-down on what products you need. Bamboo Tray and Bath Pillow Combo  This tray fits right over your bathtub so you can enjoy some personal goodies. It’s equipped to hold a beverage (like wine), soap, iPad to watch movies or listening to music (with this nifty net to set the iPad on or a book to read). According to the website the official details are:
 Because who doesn’t feel great in a satin robe?? Slip this on while you prepare your self care bath and slide it back on after. Rose Gold Eye Mask  Apply this while your'e soaking in the tub to help with puffiness and stress. It will leave your under eye area refreshed. 10 come in a pack.  These smelled so GOOD! Made with Lavender, Eucalyptus and Pink Himalayan Sea Salt you will melt away in no time in the bathtub. You’ll leave feeling refreshed - I would suggest using before bedtime because it will have you sleeping like a baby. Privilege  If you don’t listen to anything else I have to recommend, THIS CANDLE IS EVERYTHING. It smells like nothing I have ever smelled before and I love candles. What I also love about this candle is the wick is different and unique to burn and last longer. The candle holder it comes in as well is gorgeous. It makes a great bathroom or room accent.
Please make sure you check out this amazing minority owned business. What products do you want to try? Well guess what, use my code Morgan to get a special discount. Let me know what you plan on checking out! Happy Self Care! Hey ya’ll!
After posting a picture of my Conair Steamer System, I was told to make a video. In the video I decided to use products from Tula. The Conair Steamer System comes with everything for glowing skin. Including: a warm steam mist sauna and a facial cleansing brush. The brush includes two attachments - a rotating brush to cleanse and exfoliate skin, and a sponge to apply moisturizer. The nasal cone allows for concentrated steaming and the facial sauna has auto shut off and timer. While I was waiting for the steamer to be ready, I cleansed my face with the Tula Cleanser. Refer back to my Tula skincare review blog post. The steamer was finally ready. There is an option to do a timed steam, you can steam up to 15 minutes. I decided to a quick 3 minute steam. Steam is great for your face to unclog pores and improve circulation. You can put your face directly into the face cone, the steam is not hot enough to burn your face so no worries! If you are not comfortable you can back up a little bit - but you want the steam to reach your face. After my three minutes, I pat dry with a paper towel - your face will be wet. The next thing I used was the calming eye balm, brightening up gel and 24 hour moisturizer - all you can find again in my past blog review. You can easily get the Conair steamer here Tell me, is this something you need to add in your skincare routine?  Honestly, this is the longest I’ve been at home in my loft for a very long time. I’ve never spent this much time “living at home” so I never really put much effort in my decor outside of when I had it professionally done a couple years ago. Since then I got a puppy (now 1 years old) and he tore my bathroom up ya’ll! I mean to the bathroom carpets (peeing on it), to pulling on my shower curtain, to basically doing what puppies do and ruining all my nice things. Now that Ralph is a bit bigger and not as out of control, I decided to spend some time and redo rooms in my loft. Starting with the bathroom, because that’s the smallest project. Decor is not really my ministry and I defer that to the professionals, but with Covid-19, I’ve had to take matters into my own hand. Also if you are looking to redecorate your space, you don’t have to spend a million dollars, during this time I have to budget my coins due to the unknown - I redid this space so far by only spending around $100! I started with these six products I found online at Target. Floral Towel Black/White - Threshold I got both the hand towel and and bath towel. I love the black and white floral prints. These were only $9.99-12.99  Arielle Printed Metallic Shower Curtain Before this curtain I had a multi colored shower curtain. I decided to go with a chic and more of my personality shower curtain with beautiful gold accents. Do you typically iron shower curtains? LOL I am hoping the creases fall out soon. This is currently on sale for $30!  4.1" x 4" Artificial Succulent Glass Terrarium Gold - Opalhouse™ How cute is this glass terrarium?! I've never had one and always thought they were so cute and chic. For only $14.99 how could I pass this up.  Solid Soap Pump Faceted Gold - Threshold™ Who knew a soap pump could be so fancy. I am loving the all gold soap pump for only $12.99!  14oz Lidded Glass Jar Candle Wild Hibiscus Sangria - Floral Collection - Opalhouse™ This candle smells amazing! If you love candles, definitely check this one out. This made a great addition as well to my bathroom decor. Lavender & Bergamot Liquidless Reed Diffuser - 3ct - Everspring™ This is my newest obsession, this reed diffuser is oil less - so no mess! It makes my bathroom smell amazing!  I still need to find the perfect toothbrush holder, bathroom rug (hopefully Ralph won’t ruin it), trashcan, maybe add something floral in there - and I need to figure out what I want to put in this empty space. Any thoughts? How did I do so far? I realize now I should have taken before pictures, but I was so excited to get rid of the old stuff LOL
 Hey Ya’ll! You all know my love for SKIN. I decided to try this “ethical beauty” company named Derma-E. They say “they are committed to you health, well-being and the natural environment.” I am always down to try skincare products that are natural and clean. I only wish they had sent me a moisturizer and a cleanser. I used my own cleanser however and used the rest of their products. The products I used are: Derma-E Vitamin C Instant Radiance Citrus Facial Peel First Impression: It smells GREAT! It also comes with a small spoon, which I’ve never used before. It is used to take the peel off - we shall see. I typically swear from peels because my skin sometimes ain’t having it, but since the brand is “natural” we shall see. After used: The citrus facial peel consistency reminds me of mashed sweet potatoes the application with a little spoon makes it a little tricky to apply. I think I prefer applying mask with my hands. After applying the mass I’m leaving it on for three minutes because sometimes my skin freaks out on peels, you can leave it on for five minutes it says. However, I’m am going to just try it for three minutes. After about a minute or so and I can already feel it tingle a little bit not to the point where I have to take it off. The smell is amazing though, it’s really fragrant. After my timer went off, you’re supposed to scrape the peel off with the little spoon again so I did that and that was fine. Then you’re supposed to rinse with cold water to neutralize the peel slight (tingling after application is normal) and then follow with your favorite derma E moisturizer again they didn’t send me a moisturizer just the serum spray and toner so I’m going to use the toner next.
Derma-E Anti Wrinkle Toner First Impression: Smells amazing. I like toners so I’m looking forward to using this. After used: No complaints on this, it was light and not overpowering (did not make me face sting).  Derma-E Blue Light Shield Concentrated Serum First Impression: Smells good, the texture is gel like and the color looks like a greenish/gray - I am used to serums being clear or white. After used: Make sure you rub it into the skin really good and make sure your skin in dry first.
Derma-E Blue Light Shield Spray First Impression: the spray is green, not used to color from sprays. The smell however smells like green tea, I’m looking forward using this. After used: Spray felt amazing after the peel and toner. Spray was very light and the smell reminds me of being in nature (if that makes sense).  Derma-E Sun Defense Mineral Sunscreen (Face) First impression: Looks like standard sunscreen After use: Ladies, make sure your skincare routine includes sunscreen! Yes my melaninated ladies, we can still get skin cancer so wear it! Derma-E Sun Defense Mineral Sunscreen (Body) First Impression: Looks like standard sunscreen After use: No complaints here.  In review, my skin felt amazing after the routine. I allowed my face to react to it after several hours and it was just fine. I like the company is clean, natural and stands behind their products. Is this something you would try? You can find more information here  Hey Ya'll!! Who said you had to spend $30-75 bucks to have great pigmented or long lasting lipstick? I went to my local Walgreens and cleaned up on all these lipsticks that were under $10!! Yes you heard me right, all these cost $10 or less. Typically I use lip liners but I wanted to show you all the true color of lipsticks so I skipped the liner. Which one is your favorite? Tell me in the comments.  1. CoverGirl Colorlicious Melting Pout Lipstick, Gel-Ful This beauty was only $4.99!! I got it on sale in store but it's still only $7.99. It comes out of a tube with gel like consistency. It is very smooth and easy to apply. My lips felt very moisturized and not dry. I also liked that it was very easy to take off.  2. Wet n Wild Lip Color, Honolulu Is Calling OKAY! Online this is only $1.19!! I paid a little more in store I think around $3 dollars, but this is still a great deal. The lipstick comes in a tube and applies that regular tube lipsticks. My lips were moisturized and the color orange was very pigmented but not overpowering. It also removes great too ladies!  3. e.l.f. Liquid Matte Lipstick, Berry Sorbet I love e.l.f!! This beauty was only $6.00 in store. So I am so already impartial - but this is a great matte lip that is very pigmented and poppin! It is a matte so it does dry, dry. You want to make sure your lips have some moisture already so you won't fill like your lips are stiff. You will need a makeup remover wipe to take off as well, but it comes off with no fuss.  4. Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Lip Colour, Fire Starter Hot MAMA! I don't typically wear a red lippie but when I do, it's got to be FIRE. This liquid lip was only $4.29! I loved the application stick, it made it easy to apply and stay in the lines. This had a little bit of moisture in it so not as stiff as some liquid lipsticks. The removal was simple with a makeup remover wipe as well.  5. Black Radiance Perfect Tone Matte Lip Creme, 5404 Shout out to a black woman owned business!! This purple was only $4.59! It is a matte, so it runs on the dry side. Make sure you have moisture on your lips before applying. This matte also is super at staying in place. So girl you can eat, take a nap, run a mile and your lips will still be poppin! Make sure you use a makeup removal wipe to take off.  6. Wet n Wild Lipstick Matte, Never Nude
Now, if you know me, I live for a GOOD NUDE LIP. This was only $2.99! This came in a traditional lipstick tube and applied very smoothly. I like my nudes a little more pinky - and I think this washed me out, I would use a pink liner and make it pop a bit more! So which color are you rolling with?  Many of you may know my father, but do you know a lot about my mother Marchelle? I was able to participate in a Mother’s Day campaign for Kroger and Influenster and it let me reflect on Mother’s Day during quarantine, I’ve had time to really think about the impact and fullness my mother adds to my life. I get my love of fashion, decor and food all from her. Growing up in a house full of men (dad and two brothers), my mother and I had a close relationship from the start. My earliest memories of her was watching her get ready to go to an event or Links meeting. Her closet was truly #goals. She did not just have one, but several. The shoe closet however was my favorite. The walls were lined up with shoe boxes with beautiful shoes. In her bathroom I watched her put on her makeup and perfume. I was in complete awe. My mother is truly the most beautiful woman to me, not because of her looks (thank goodness I’m starting to look like her now LOL), but because she is the most kind hearted person from the inside out.  There are many memories that I will alway cherish, but one of my favorites was when I became a member of her chapter of the Links, Incorporated. I had practically grown up watching my mother in action as a Link. The Links is an organization of African American women founded in 1946 that is devoted to strengthening African American communities through fund-raising, education, advocacy, and volunteering. After 33 years I finally got to join an organization that my mother and I could serve in together. It has been a great experience and journey.  My mother has helped me stand strong when I thought I couldn’t, she's taught me how to pray and stay confident in God when I lost sight, she let me know my best is always good enough, she has showed me what grace looks like and I hope one day I can be a great mother like she is. I love you mommy! Although Mother’s Day looked a little different this year, the feeling will always remain. How did you celebrate your mother or yourself?   It’s been awhile so let me re-introduce myself. I know I may have some new readers/followers so hey!!
Hey ya’ll my name is Morgan born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. I love all things glam and pink :) if you couldn’t tell. ⭐️I started my corporate career off in Marketing, Branding and Communications. I’ve worked on creative campaigns, digital marketing initiatives, managed social media platforms before I transitioned into diversity and inclusion. I left the corporate world 2 years ago to be a full time entrepreneur. ⭐️Along the way I started two brands: Curvy Cardio and MAO Brands (Professional Pretty). Curvy Cardio is a fitness brand that empowers women to love themselves from the inside out through fitness. I struggled with my self worth and weight for years, this was a way for me to help love myself and teach others how to do so as well. ⭐️My personal brand incorporates my speaking engagements, business workshops, influencer work, yearly conference and my book, “Finding My Sparkle.” 2020 I launched a national book tour that included amazing sponsors like P&G Beauty. ⭐️I am a writer, I had a national column in the national black press. I currently submit my lifestyle blog, Professional Pretty to the Cincinnati Herald which gets 60k weekly readers. I am also one of 6 host for a radio show called The Influencers powered by The Cincinnati Herald on the Buzz FM. ⭐️I’ve been featured in national publications such as Black Enterprise & XONecole. I am a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority Inc. and the Links, Incorporated. My main purpose and mission in everything I do is to uplight, encourage and share my sparkle. ⭐️I am a firm believer of being transparent and sharing my story. It took me 27 years to fully love and believe in myself and I refuse to do anything otherwise. I’m not perfect but I’m continuously working on a better me. My life got flipped upside down due to covid-19 but I won’t let it break me. 🙏🏼 ⭐️Thanks for coming along this journey with me! |
AuthorMorgan Angelique Owens is the author of "Finding My Sparkle" and Founder & CEO of the MAO Brand, Professional Pretty, and Curvy Cardio, LLC. Archives
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