It's Spring! Find your happy! (Preview)

hope EVOLVING TOGETHER

happiest moment HOPE READERS SHARE

Angelia

SHARES WHO SHE IS AND HOW HOPE WAS BORN

Mindfulness for Your Daily Routine

fashion UNDER $100

April Hernadez Castillo reflects on her new memoir

Vol. 16 No. 21 | Spring 2021

In this issue: spring 2021

24

10

22 23

ENLIGHTENED

6 RELATIONSHIPS

It’s a Good Day to Be Happy Smile as you read about some of life’s happiest moments as told by Hope readers

10 BEAUTY

EVOLVED

Royally-good product choices to keep your crown of silver or gray fresh, shiny, and vibrant

Pat Gamble-Moore

My Crown of Silver

12 AN INTERVIEW

Melissa Hibbert Talks A successful career in beauty

8 BEAUTY

13 BEAUTY

Stylish, functional essentials for a revitalized and relaxed getaway

Finding fun, trendy fashion for under $100

Getaway Gear Cover photo by Andrea Smith

Stepping into Spring

16 COMMUNITY

How finding your happiness can be as simple as discovering what you love

18 CAREER

Your Happiness is Up to You Keep everlasting joy in your heart by learning to identify and protect your internal happiness

SPRING 2021

IN EVERY ISSUE

18

1 TOGETHER

Angie’s Editorial

EVOLVING

4 HELLO GORGEOUS!

getaway gear Away The Carry-On in Blush $225 awaytravel.com

From weekend getaways to far-flung destinations, this lightweight and durable carry-on features a polycarbonate shell, TSA approved lock, built-in water-resistant laundry bag, and an interior compression pad to help ensure you can fit everything you need inside.

Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Essentials Kit $175 drsturm.com

Traveling can take a toll on your skin. Fortunately, many of your favorite brands now offer travel-sized products.

This essentials kit offers a cleanser, scrub, mask, serum, cream, and glow drops to revitalize your complexion and help you keep up your routine while on the go.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite in Twilight Blue, $130 (8 GB) or $160 (32 GB) amazon.com

With Kindle’s thin, lightweight design, you can now take as many books as you want on vacation. The available options of 8 GB or 32 GB of storage allows ample space for all your favorites. Best of all, it is waterproof and glare-free, making it perfect on the plane, at the beach, or anywhere your travels may take you.

SPRING 2021

Everlane ReNew Transit Weekender $88 everlane.com

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Caring for the environment while being fashionable is easy with this versatile weekender bag.

It’s made from recycled plastic bottles and offers a 100% recycled polyester lining.

The bag interior offers plenty of room for clothes and toiletries along with a padded laptop sleeve, exterior zipper storage, and a water-resistant finish.

Hydro Flask 32 oz. Wide Mouth in Carnation $45 hydroflask.com

Staying hydrated while traveling is important.

This 32 oz. BPA-free, stainless steel bottle is perfect for making sure you are drinking plenty of water. The wide mouth opening allows for fast, easy refills and the TempShield 32 oz. insulation keeps your drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot for up to 12 hours.

Huzi Infinity Travel Pillow in Navy $39 infinitypillow.com

Style meets function with this comfortable, machine washable travel pillow that can be wrapped or twisted to find the perfect amount of support for your needs. Whether you are on a plane, in the car, or at the hotel, finding the right resting position for you is now easier than ever.

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 $380 bose.com

Allow all the sounds around you to disappear with these sleek, comfortable, noise-canceling headphones making it easier to relax with your thoughts, enjoy music, or answer calls. With 11-settings to choose from you can decide how much sound works best for you.

Leah Goldblatt is a beauty and fashion writer with a passion for photography and travel. Follow along her journey traveling with her husband in an RV @lifemoretraveled.

An Interview with Melissa Hibbert

After a 14-year corporate marketing career, Melissa Hibbert made the decision to follow her dreams and begin her successful career in beauty. As a Beauty Expert and Brand Consultant, Melissa has positively impacted the industry while also empowering women along the way.

Hope recently had the chance to chat with Melissa about beauty products.

Melissa Hibbert

What is a product that you always carry with you?

I always carry my Red liquid velvet lipstick. This is my signature color! It’s always with me and I proudly wear it under my mask.

SPRING 2021

What beauty trends are you loving right now?

I am loving the emphasis on skin! Beautiful skin is in and people are embracing that more and more. There are many new hybrid skincare products on the market makeup with skincare benefits. I’ve seen amazing makeup products including tinted creams, powders, and lipsticks, each formulated to be good for your skin.

HOPEFORWOMENMAG.COM

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Are there brands that don’t get talked about enough?

There are so many brands on the market, particularly in the past year when quarantine sparked creativity. I have had the pleasure of discovering a few brands that I would love to see get more attention: ConditionHer - moisturizer for your intimate area, Canvas Colors Vegan Friendly Lipsticks, Camille Ariane Brows, People of Color Beauty, and my very own, You Matter Beauty Box! Any special makeup tips or tricks to share?

1. Less is more when it comes to foundation. If you have discoloration or dark spots, use a full coverage concealer to cover that dark area only, then use a minimal amount of foundation everywhere else and blend them together.

2. If you have oily skin, a great mattifying primer is your friend. I love the Filtered Effects Blurring Primer from Thrive Causemetics - you apply this just before your makeup for a smooth, shine free appearance.

3. Get into the habit of exfoliating your lips. This is often the most overlooked routine of the skincare process, but lip care is important. Wearing masks cause the lips to be dehydrated, in addition, if you are wearing lipstick under the mask, there is buildup to contend with. You can make you own DIY lip scrub at home using a teaspoon of coconut oil and brown sugar - mix together and rub over your lips including the corners of lips. If you’d rather shop for one, I love The Glowcery Cocunut Crumble Superfood Natural Lip Scrub to revitalize your lips.

Has your makeup routine changed now that we’re wearing masks daily?

While my makeup routine hasn’t changed much during this era of wearing masks, the frequency of wearing makeup has changed. I am mostly indoors, but I have frequent virtual meetings and events. On days where I have down-time, I will not wear makeup, but instead, focus on my skin. I like going into nature such as to the beach or mountainous hikes here in Los Angeles, so I let my skin breathe, only wearing few coats of mascara and a little bronzer on my forehead.

You can learn more about Melissa at melissahibbert.com Z

Jen Chavarria is a freelance writer and graphic designer passionate about promoting low impact living and mental health awareness, along with writing about other topics. In her free-time, you can find her at jenchavarria.com or at Instagram at @jen.chavarria.

Evolved Evolved Whatever you’re dreaming, let’s bring it to life

inspiring

SPRING 2021

stories and ideas to live your best, happiest, and most authentic life.

EVOLVING

TOGETHER

9

Enlightened Enlightened Discover what’s new for a happy, beautiful you.

brighten

SPRING 2021

your world with happiness & style as you continue your journey to a happy, beautiful you.

EVOLVING

TOGETHER

15

Enriched Enriched Bringing joy into your heart – and your kitchen.

healthy

SPRING 2021

and easy-to-make recipes along with a sprinkling of sweetness-inspired desserts!

EVOLVING

TOGETHER

35

ADVERTORIAL

ADVERTORIAL

FOR THE

LOVE

OF BLACK FINANCIAL FREEDOM:

IT’S TIME TO INVEST IN YOURSELF

I recently met with my Financial Advisor. During our meeting, I confessed that: I needed to (re)jumpstart my retirement savings due to 1 several career changes with a few financial flat-lines; vision for retirement is “simple,” but my definition 2 of Mysimple tends to involve elements of grand flair;

3 I now have a child and own a home; I love my alma maters, my church, my hometown, 4 and helping ambitious young people; and, My biggest concern was being able to leave my 5 family in better financial position when I die.

For the first time in a long time, I felt relieved to sign my name, jot down my bank information, and spend (well, invest) money on what I LOVE without the guilt of potential morning-after regret. My fellow shoppers understand exactly what I mean.

I made a financial decision and took a few simple steps FOR THE LOVE of myself, my future, my family, and my beloved community. And guess what?! It felt sooooo good!

So, as we embark on this new month, I challenge you to think about what you can do FOR THE LOVE. It may not be an insurance policy, but maybe you can increase your 401K contributions, add a little extra to your savings account, or open an account for your kids.

It may be investing in yourself by taking the all-new dfree® Academy 12-step financial lifestyle course to equip yourself with the tools you need to achieve financial freedom! Our dfree® curriculum, now offered completely online and accessible from virtually anywhere, provides you with strategy, tools and resources for managing debt and credit, building an emergency fund, leaving a legacy, building wealth through investments, and more!

Join us in this new blended learning environment to get your financial lives in order. Think about it and learn more at mydfree.org. Z

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Tamika Stembridge, Esq is the executive director of dFree® Global Foundation, an organization dedicated to the wellness of the African-American community.

EVOLVING

TOGETHER

Now, as morbid as that last confession may seem, I was overjoyed when we were able to identify a solution that

would allow me to address all of my personal goals and concerns for less than the cost of my monthly Target/TJ Maxx runs. I even added a policy for my son! Can you say, “generational wealth starts with me!”

SPRING 2021

Happy March, folks! In the midst of this very revolutionary period for Black America, I want to challenge you as you start or continue along your Journey to Financial Freedom™ ... to do it “FOR THE LOVE!” dfree® is on the battleground for our financial evolvement as a people, knowing that our social justice is impossible without economic empowerment!

So often, we are encouraged to pursue financial wellness for our own well being, but that is only the beginning. Yes, I want to be financially “secure” for my own good, because I’m no good to anyone or anything if I’m no good to myself.

However, I get tremendous joy when I think about what I can do for the people and causes that I love once my house is in order.

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find your happy

Get Inspired • Evolve into the woman you’re meant to be • Find Your Happy

Relatable advice from empowering women on beauty, relationships, food, books and more! Tips for living a fulfilled life, evolving and becoming the best version of yourself. HOPE in every issue!

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