Author Archive for Sharen

Monave at Baltimore Fashion Week

I am so excited!!! This year Monave was approached by Sharan Nixon, the organizer of Baltimore Fashion Week, to be the official makeup line for the shows! This is a momentous occasion for us as this exposure will showcase our product line as a being home grown. Monave will be used by 21 makeup artists from around the Northeast Coast. They’ll be using the entire line along with a  mineral glow moisturizer which we made especially for the show!

Baltimore Fashion Week runs from Monday, August 10 to Friday, August 14th15th at the War Memorial Building and Plaza, 101 North Gay Street, Baltimore MD. The theme of the show is ‘Once Upon a Fashionable Dream: A Fashionista’s Fairytale’. There will designers from as far away as Africa and Paris to New York and of course Baltimore. Each night has different themes from eco-conscious on opening night to couture on closing night! It’s going to be a great show this year and Monave will be there!

Popularity: 41% [?]

Why do I look ‘ashy’ with Mineral foundation on?

 A common complaint for women of color when using Mineral foundation is the fact that their face looks ashy and dry. The most dreaded condition for Black women is ‘ashy skin’! That is the absolute worst….and for it to occur on the face! ‘Ashy skin’ is the result of not enough moisture in the skin and the skin looks grey.

Loose Mineral foundation are dry, powdered products with no fillers that add moisture to the skin. This means the skin needs a good skin care regimen especially a good moisturizer before application. Even if the skin is oily there needs to be some form of primer for the foundation to adhere to. A lot of women of color have oily skin hence the slow aging process we enjoy. A lot of the skin care for oily skin in the commercial beauty industry actually strips our skin of the oils, this then creates a problem as the skin then produces more oil as it registers that it is dry. So, by midday we have an oil slick on the face.

My skin care routine is very simple…cleanse, tone, moisturize. Since I break out sometimes, I alternate between the Green Clay Bar and Honey Clay cleanser. The Green Clay bar is awesome for acne prone skin and the occasional breakouts at that time of the month. It has litsea cubeba, an essential oil, that is a great anti inflammatory while the green clay removes toxins from the skin. Honey Clay Cleanser is great for balancing the skin’s ph and won’t dry the face out. It’s also excellent as a weekly mask…we got an award from Natural Solutions magazine for this cleanser! The next step is using the Lavender Toner, it has aloe vera, Vit E and lavender hydrosol. A hydrosol is the aqueous solution of essential oils obtained by steam distillation of aromatic plants, in this case lavender buds, it retains the scent and content of the essential oils. I like to keep it in the fridge as it gives a refreshing boost to the skin in the morning not to mention taking the stress out of waking up in the mornings! Mmmm! My final step is moisturizing….I use Oil Control Humectant Light which  actually controls your oil production throughout the day and gives you a matte look without the greasiness of regular moisturizers. I am now ready for the application of my foundation…Alicia!

 Monave Flat Top Foundation Brush

The other key to a perfect look when using Mineral foundation is your brush! Yes… your brush, with our foundation I love the flat top foundation brush. This brush allows the product to settle in the bristles for full coverage when applied. Most mineral companies recommend the Kabuki brush, but I find the brush bristles are too loose and the foundations goes everywhere but the face

 So try these tips that I’ve given you and I promise you a flawless and natural complexion.

Julian wearing Charlene Mineral Foundation

Popularity: 48% [?]

Finding the Right Foundation….. I can relate!

Joi

Foundation for women of African descent has always being problematic not because they are not out there but they never seem to match! Every major makeup company has tried to cash into this billion dollar Black cosmetic industry. But no one seems to really look at the skin tones and the different overtones that we see in the multitude of variations that is the  Black woman’s skin.

Brandy Mineral Foundation

There is a richness and warmth that is never taken into account when you look at the skin from the diaspora. The deep golden tones, the bronze patina, the yellow overtones and a combination of them all are plainly visible but discounted by these companies. Situated in Baltimore, Monave wanted to address this problem as there is a high population of African American women here and in the surrounding areas of Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh to name a few. To that end we have 11 shades of foundation available for purchase on the website, www.monave.com .

Beverly Mineral Foundation

How do we come up with our foundation colors? All our colors have names of women who actually sat in our makeup studio while we developed the shade from their skin tone! How fun is that! We love when a new client comes in and we don’t have their exact shade! It’s another new color for our line, in this way we are constantly expanding!

Toni Mineral Foundation

Need help choosing the right shade? No problem, just contact me at sharen@monave.com .

Popularity: 61% [?]

The Green fields of Jamaica

Now that summer is here I have dug into my treasure trove of eye shadows to create wonderful palettes for my summer wardrobe. I love summer, it reminds me of my island home, the hot summer days and the warm sultry nights! I wear a lot of white during these summer months and it is the perfect backdrop to try bright, happy colors.

One of my current faves are Ivy #80, Envy#92 and Mirage#79. These three colors belong to the

Sultry Collection of our Versatile Powders. These colors are vibrant and have an iridescence.

Envy: Deep green black color with a green blue shimmer

I usually line my eye lids with Cream to Powder Black using an angled liner brush, I then overlay that line with Envy to give a shimmery green black

Ivy: A rich forest green shade with a blue/green and golden shimmer.

I apply this color to the lids starting from the outer part of the eye working towards the inner eye area, for more drama (evening) I pull the Envy towards the crease of the outer lid giving a smoky eye effect!

Mirage: A light neutral antique gold shimmer (not a yellow gold)

For the final finish I use this color on the brow bone then pull down to blend with the Ivy on the eye lids. This gives a very sophisticated look. I LOVE this combination of colors. Tune in next week when I give another Summer eye shadow trio!

Popularity: 25% [?]

Monave Foundation Review!

Monavé: Mineral Makeup for Darker Skin Tones + Giveaway!

Popularity: 27% [?]

Vegan Vixens in Monave Minerals

The Vegan Vixens, a group of models/musicians who follow a totally vegan lifestyle, were chosen to represent Ujena’s new organic swimwear line. The Vegan Vixens love Monave Minerals and it is their makeup of choice. Here are a few pictures with the Vegan Vixens rocking Monave!

Popularity: 14% [?]

Business Tips for Single Mom Business Owners

I have never been a single mom per se, but because my husband was ill frequently when our children were babies, I know what it’s like to have to be a mom managing home and business simultaneously. It was very challenging, and at times maddening, but I am thankful for the experience. I am also thankful for my family members and the other moms who rallied around me to help during that difficult time. One of those women was Debbie Bilezikian, pictured here typing madly away in her office.

Debbie, a longtime member of the Indie Beauty Network, and a speaker at my 2006 women’s business conference, encouraged me along the way. Because she is a fairly new single mom of two sons, ages 7 and 11, and because she is such a fantastic role model and business leader at Monave Mineral Cosmetics in Baltimore, Maryland, I asked her to share some of her secrets for for thriving as a single mom who is also leading a small business. Here’s what she told me.

1. Work Business Around Childrens’ Schedules. Because there’s no full-time partner I can rely on now, I understand the importance of being available to my children during specific times that are important in their lives. If you have a retail store, for example, the optimal times to be at your store will be after 3:00pm on weekdays, and on Saturdays and Sundays. I closed my retail locations because they didn’t allow me to spend those times with my sons.
2. Choose A Business That Gives You Optimal Flexibility. You can provide for your children and have the flexibility to be able to pick them up from school, stay home on a sick day, and fit work around their bedtimes, so long as you choose a business and a business model that allows you to do that. If your new business would infringe on your ability to be flexible, pick another business. If you already have a business, you may have to make some changes as I did in closing my retail locations.
3. Let Dad Step Up To The Plate. As moms, we often like to be in control, especially if we are the custodial parent. It’s easier to keep our schedule than to delegate to dad if for no other reason than doing so allows us to keep our routine — and routine is very important to children. Sometimes, it’s tempting to fall into the trap that we are the “better” parent, and that our kids will suffer if they spend too much time with the other parent. At the end of the day, loosening those reins helps everyone, especially the kids’ dad. Of course every parenting situation is different and there may be legitimate reasons to minimize the time the other parent spends with the kids. But barring those exceptions, it’s always best to delegate parenting to the other responsible parent when you can. This will give you time to indulge your passions, including your business.
4. Learn To Say “No.” Your time is precious. If something is not essential, don’t do it. Don’t sweat the small stuff. If you served carrots for vegetables two dinners in a row, don’t feel guilty that your kids aren’t getting ample supply of their greens because they’ll be fine. So what if their shirts are wrinkled one day, because you spent the evening getting a big order out, or taking care of a client?! Nobody is standing around commenting about what a bad mother you are, and even if they are, it’s their problem, not yours.
5. Encourage Yourself Every Day. Say something out loud that is positive about yourself every day. Say, “ I’m a great Mom because……”. Say, “ Even if I can’t take my kids to Disney World this year, we’re going to work toward a long weekend at the beach”. Say, “Although I never have enough money to buy my kids presents in between holidays, my ‘nos’ are a really important way for them to learn about managing money and the art of delayed gratification.” Stop beating yourself up! You’re amazing, and they love you.
6. Don’t Diss Daddy. Give up the disparaging remarks directed toward the kids’ dad. And while you’re at it, stop hating yourself for a failed relationship. Instead, focus on what’s good about all of your lives — your health, a roof over your heads, shoes to wear, good food to eat and a business that pays the bills and allows you to be available to your kids. Focus on what’s working, not on what’s not. Use your energy to work on things you can control, such as creating an atmosphere for fun interaction with your kids and the world in general. Always focus on the positive, and that will increase the positive in your life. It’s a magic formula for success and happiness.
7. Allow Your Business To Satisfy You. While a business can’t take the place of another human being, sometimes, it’s best not to have other human beings for a while. It’s during these times that we can really grow our businesses and give them undivided attention. Being a business woman actually makes the transition from married to single easier. My business is my best friend at the end of the day, and fills gaps in time that might otherwise be lonely. Watching something grow and develop is a joy and the hard work, both intellectual and otherwise, keeps me young!
8. Spend Time With Friends. The most important thing that I do to keep my sanity is go out with my best girlfriend at the end of a long day in a cute pair of boots, a newly put on “face” (my own Monave make up of course!), and enjoy a glass of wine and some good music. Baltimore has a lot of live music, and I live right in the heart of it. I’m also a musician myself, and I can’t think of anything that relieves stress better than good music. I get lost in that world of sound and beauty, and remember why I’m here.

Question: Do you know a single mom business owner who would be encouraged by this post? If so, please forward it to her with my and Debbie’s best wishes for success. If you have some tips to offer, please share them with us.

* This article first appeared in the Bootstrap Babes blog on February 27, 2008. It has been updated slightly for context for this post

Popularity: 20% [?]

Monave Minerals Makeup Crafting Seminar

There are a lot of questions that come in daily via Customer Service on how to make mineral makeup. Creating mineral makeup can be a challenge and Monave will be hosting their annual Mineral Makeup Crafting Seminar on June 21st 2009 at our Baltimore offices. This class is one day only and will touch on creating foundations, especially for women of color, blushes and eyeshadows. There will be application tips and demonstrations along with marketing strategies for women who want to develop their beauty business. For more information on how to sign up, please contact me at sharen@monave.com  or (410) 534-0417. Join us, it’s going to be a lot of FUN!

Popularity: 13% [?]

Not All Minerals Are Created Equally…Part 1

Hi Ladies it’s been awhile since my last post on the blog. Spring is finally here and I love seeing the bright flowers and feeling the warm sunshine! Ah Bliss!

I had a customer come in this past week to our makeup studio and her first question, after I gave her a brief introduction to Monave, was……” What makes Monave different from Bare MInerals?” This is a question I have gotten a lot over the years and I never hesitate to expound at length our differences. Thanks to this page I’ll keep it short. Our main difference is the use of the dreaded Bismuth Oxychloride. What is Bismuth Oxychloride ( BiO)? Bismuth Oxychloride is a byproduct of lead and copper refining. The properties are very similar to arsenic and the color is white with an iridescent hue, it is also lead free. This gives it a very shiny appearance. It is commonly used to create magnets, fire safety devices, medicine and most recently mineral cosmetics.

Mineral Cosmetics Companies use this ingredient as a filler as it is inexpensive to buy. There is also the high refractive quality which beauty companies like because it minimizes fine lines and wrinkles. The molecules are large so they have to be ‘ground’ into the skin hence the buffing technique used in application and the use of a kabuki brush. This gives a shimmery appearance to the face, the dewy look that Bare Minerals uses in their marketing strategy.  Due to the buffing application of the foundation, it does not last throughout the day and  slides off the face by the end of the day.  Bismuth is a very  heavy element and this can clog the pores and eventually gives rise to acne. This is a common side effect for women after prolonged use. Other side effects are irritation, itchiness and redness to the skin due to the similarity of its properties to Arsenic.

Our other difference is variety of realistic shades for women of all ethnic backgrounds. Our colors were developed by having actual women serve as models for our color palette. Our makeup studio serves as a lab when women, whose skin tones are not represented, come in. We formulate their color and put in our foundation shades, using their names as foundation names. How cool is that!

Popularity: 22% [?]

Titanium Dioxide in Mineral Makeup

There has been increasing questions about the safety of Titanium Dioxide in Mineral Makeup from our clients. So I took the time to do a little research and write a little expose on my findings and thoughts.

Yes, it is carcinogenic in vast quantities as it is a product that is used in commercial manufacturing such as paints, plastics, paper, food, medicine ( pills and tablets) and cat litter for odor control! The lungs would be highly impacted due to the particles flying around. In cosmetics and skin care, titanium dioxide (TiO2) is used in sunscreen, toothpaste and makeup, especially foundations. What is happening in the industry is the use of micronized TiO2 which affects the body on a sub cellular level. This can be found in sunscreens especially as it is used for babies and people with sensitive skin.

Popularity: 100% [?]