starring
Zulay Henao
the cast
Editor Summer Alexander Editorial Consultant Reginald Larkin
"Over the years I have learned that what is important in a dress is the woman who is wearing it." -Yves Saint Laurent
Lifestyle Editor Larryse Brown
Welcome to the first issue of the New Year! I brought in 2014 by getting hair cut. After four years of wearing the same style, a long flowing mane, I woke up on December 30 and decided to cut it. I went to the hair salon to add fresh honey blonde highlights and my plan was to cut off an inch or two. Courtney, my stylist had something else in mind and just like that. Poof! It was gone. The face frame cut was adorable, but I wasn't ready just yet for such a drastic change. I was trying to take baby steps and the universe said nope. Be gone hair! Although I left with less hair than expected, I gained something more than I ever imagined. A simple hair cut totally revitalized my look. I love the look so much and I can't believe it took me this long to try something new. Sometimes we have ideas that we want to try and our minds or fear holds us back. Thank god for friends, family and hair stylists who push us to take the first step. After all, fashion and beauty is supposed to be fun. As long as you keep it classy, there's nothing wrong with being a risk taker. Usually that first step starts a journey on path to fabulousness.
Copy Editor Kiara Gillette Graphic Design Nia Blackmon Social Media Amber Kennedy Contributors Ebony Aalayah Taleah Griffin Kirsten Lewis Aimee Simeon
xoxo Love, Summer
CONTRIBUTORS
bombshell is a Bleu Life Media & Entertainment publication
2
bombshell by BLEU
Issue 4
Ebony Aalayah is a native of Akron, Ohio who is currently residing in New York City fulfilling her dreams as a fashion stylist. “My main objective in life is to inspire young women to work hard at what you love, be bold, brave and daring because these are the qualities that a true bombshell embodies!�
Amber Kennedy hails from Philadelphia. When she is not writing, she is perusing gossip, fashion and entertainment blogs for all the hot tea. A self proclaimed girly girl she loves all that glitters. To her life is all about living classy, adding a dash of color and a smile.
contents
10
Featuring... 4 bomb buys: Sealed With a Kiss 5 love bombshell: Online Dating Do's and Dont's 6 bleu boutique: Spring Must Haves 8 bombshell: Zulay Henao 14 tribute: Power Couples 15 on the rise: Sebastian Mikael
3
bomb buys
Sealed
With a
Kiss
A great lipstick is the ultimate accessory! Adding some color to your pout can add an instant pop to your look. An amazing lipstick has the power of being soft enough for work, playful for a girl’s night out and can transform you for a romantic date. With a world of colors and shades, lipstick has become a great outlet for self-expression. This season women are spicing it up and rocking vampy shades of plum and red. Picking the perfect shades for your skin tone might be a task for some, so we’ve found some of our favorite shades that will look great on your complexion.
Words by Aimee Simeon
Fair Skin Tone Jin Yee- Miss Universe China 2013
Medium Skin Tone Megan Good
Deep Skin Tone Lupita Nyong'o
NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick Lala $4; nyxcosmetics.com To avoid smaller looking lips try a soft mauve like Lala from NYX’s Extra Creamy Round Lipstick collection. While the color appears soft, its blue undertone provides a vampy color on a milky skin complexion.
Wet n Wild MegaLast Lip Color Sugar Plum Fairy 908C $2; drugstore.com
Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick Dazzling Plum $7.49; maybelline.com Don’t be afraid to experiment with deep colors for a darker skin tone. Be fearless and try a velvet plum for a seductive yet sophisticated look.
Bobbi Brown Creamy Matte Lipstick Red Carpet $24; sephora.com Have a little fun with your lips and try a sexy red with a pink undertone for a look that brightens your face, the perfect color to take you from day to night.
4
bombshell by BLEU
Issue 4
With a medium complexion, opt for a deep plum or berry lipstick with a warm undertone and vivid color. Sugar Plum Fairy is a fun color that is both sexy, sophisticated, and sits perfectly on caramel skin. MAC Cosmetics Russian Red $15; maccosmetics.com With golden skin, try an intense red with a warm undertone to remain classic, sensual, and electric, without being too bright.
Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick Red Revival $7.49; maybelline.com Red lipstick is truly versatile on darker skin tones. A true deep red lipstick can be dressed up or down, perfect for any occasion.
love bombshell
Online Dating Words by Taleah Griffin
Throughout history, there is one aspect of dating that remains consistent: It’s difficult! Finding that special person whose annoying habits are tolerable can be like playing Where’s Waldo. Deciding where to go, when to go and what to wear to attract the type of man you are interested in (and hope is interested in you) can be time consuming and disappointing. Fortunately, technology is on our side. Three (semi-new) digital dating solutions can assist you in narrowing down your search for Mr. Wonderful.
Tinder
OKCupid.com
Tinder is an app that can be downloaded on any smartphone. It’s modeled after the popular all-male dating website Grindr. The only way to join and post your pictures on the app is by having an active Facebook account. Tinder uses your phones GPS to locate men in your vicinity. It’s an easy way to connect and have some fun at any given moment.
A light-hearted approach to online dating. It doesn’t take itself too seriously with a never ending cycle of questionnaires but serious love connections are still made. Whether you are a woman seeking a man or a woman seeking a woman this website can help you find a mate without all the hassle.
The Good:
The Good:
You have options. There is a swipe feature that allows you to either ‘accept’ or ‘decline’ potential suitors. If you accept him and he accepts you, holy matrimony may not be far behind. However, if he accepts you and you decline him, he won’t be able to send you a message and you can continue browsing for boys.
It’s good for beginners. You can take your time completing your profile and add as little or as much as you choose. Other dating sites require you to answer a number of questions before you can even check your messages.
The Bad:
Corniness is paramount. Brace yourself for some of the worse pickup lines known to man, men speaking of themselves in the third person and love poems with extremely bad grammar making an attack on your inbox.
It’s a dating chase. You could swipe through photos for hours and no one of interest may ever come across your screen. At which point you decide that there are probably better men across town so you hop in your car, go there and swipe some more.
The Bad:
BlackPeopleMeet.com As a new specialty website Black People Meet is unique. Yes, it is where black people can go to engage other black people but it is also where people of other ethnicities can go to meet black people. Ironically, you don’t have to be black to meet black people on Blackpeoplemeet.com.
The Good: The men are flattering. Sometimes a woman just needs to be told that she is beautiful and special. Even if it’s from a complete stranger. The men on this website by far are the most charming.
JOHN S. AGE: 27 CITY: NEW YORK HOBBIES: SPORTS, COOKING, READING
The Bad: Sorry ladies, the men that will approach you look nothing like the men on the TV commercials.
5