September 2019 Brown Sugar Box Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2019 $111 RETAIL VALUE

Melanin Can’t Be Bought Why Our Black is More than a Trending Topic

4 LADIES WHO PROVE BLACK DON’T CRACK

5 Brands That

4 Skincare Ingredients for a Fresh, Flawless Face

Melanin Love Edition

Love, Support, & Respect Black Women

Inside the

Melanin Love Edition

B

lack women are #winning and there’s no limit to the love they deserve. With this Melanin Love edition of the Brown Sugar Box, we’re showing love to our melanin sisters with a Love, Support, Respect Black Women tee.

And while we show our love to you, it’s only right that you show love to your melanin.

Show it off with a brand-new That Melanin necklace. A delicate and beautiful design, this is the statement you need so everyone knows where your glowing melanin comes from.

And now, let’s protect the melanin! Black don’t crack, and there are ways to make sure that it doesn’t! All you need to do is take care of your skin, and now you can. We’ve teamed up with Love For Louise to give you a Whipped Soap Sugar Scrub. With the ability to scrub, cleanse, and moisturize,

2

this sugar scrub is a necessity!

If you’re trying to firm up that skin and keep yourself looking like Angela Bassett, get into our Melanin Magic Jade Beauty Roller. Meant to keep your skin looking youthful, your face will look fresh and flawless. On top of that, the Golden Glow Facial Cleansing Brush is perfect for exfoliating the skin.

With a light vibration, it’ll feel like a massage while keeping your skin smooth.

Representation matters and we want to see our beautiful melanin queens on everything!

Reclaim your time and keep time with an Izzy & Liv Vegan Leather Watch. And if you want to reach out to your other melanin queens, do it with a set of My Queendom Postcards. With beautiful illustrations of black women and our Brown Sugar Babes, you’ll want to send these cards all over the world.

SEPTEMBER 2019 We Promise You: 5-6 Items at an $85 value

This month’s value:

$111

WHIPPED SOAP SUGAR SCRUB [One of Four Scents] (Retail Value $15) Take care of your skin and your skin will take care of you! This scrub is will get the job done. Working as a 3-in-1 product, this whipped soap sugar scrub is a scrub, cleanser, and moisturizer at the same time. www.loveforlouise.com @loveforlouise

LOVE, SUPPORT, RESPECT BLACK WOMEN T-SHIRT (Retail Value $28) Black women – we’re strong but we need support too! Show love to yourself and other black women with this tee. Soft cotton with a timeless graphic, this t-shirt is what you need to create a flawless, effortless closet.

MELANIN MAGIC JADE BEAUTY ROLLER (Retail Value $13) Black don’t crack, but it still needs TLC. Our jade beauty roller will help you do just that. Meant for firming and smoothing your skin, take a five minute break to pamper yourself and support a lifetime of beautiful, youthful skin.

“THAT MELANIN” NECKLACE [One of Two Colors] (Retail Value $15) Let ‘em know where your beautiful glow comes from. This necklace is a reminder that with a mix of confidence and the sun, it’s all about “that melanin.”

Material: Stainless steel. Gold- or steel-plated.

BLACK QUEENS POSTCARDS [Set of 4] (Retail Value $5) If you’re tired of all the dry postcards you normally come by, this is just what you need to add some life to yours. These black girl illustrated postcards are the perfect wrap up to remind us that black girls are rich in color and rich in life.

GOLDEN GLOW FACIAL MASK (Retail Value $3) Pamper yourself and take care of your melanin. Take a quick break during your day and spend 20 minutes maskin’ and relaxing. Meant to keep your skin firm, healthy, and glowing, this mask is just what you need after a long day.

IZZY & LIV VEGAN LEATHER WATCH (Retail Value $12) Reclaim your time! If you’re booked and busy, keeping track of time is a must.

Now, you can do it with this cute watch. Brown girls are winning, and this faux-leather watch is just another way to display it.

GOLDEN GLOW SILICONE FACIAL CLEANSING BRUSH (Retail Value $20) Love your skin with this facial exfoliator. Perfect for buffing your skin and getting rid of the pesky, dead layer, your skin will be left glowing. With a light vibration to kick up the exfoliating, this facial exfoliator helps do the work for you.

In combination with a cleanser, it’ll leave your skin so fresh and so clean clean. Tip: Use it dry as the perfect facial massager!

Comes with a charger.

5 Brands That

Love, Support, & Respect Black Women

by Alexandria Daniels

B

eing a black woman in this world is a beautiful thing.

However, the hardships that come with having brown skin come in many forms. For instance, fi nding foundation can be a hassle because not a lot of brands on the market cater to brown skin tones. Going to a yoga class can make a black woman feel inferior because she may feel out of her element if she’s the only woman of color in the room. As black women, we need support systems. This includes having the right businesses that care about us. Luckily, there are plenty these days. Here are five brands that truly love, support, and respect black women:

4

Lip Bar:

“Inclusivity is not a fad or a ‘band wagon’ trend for us.” Lip Bar is one fashion brand that is for black women. While tons of brands will make 50 shades of colors that look ghostly on us, this brand is focused on changing the standard of beauty one lip stick at a time.

SEPTEMBER 2019

Black Girl In Om:

When it comes to spirituality and wellness spaces, black women often find themselves on the outskirts. Founded by Lauren Ash, Black Girl In Om has become one of the leading black-owned brands to help give black women a safe space for self-discovery, vulnerability, and healing. Ash and her team’s impactful BGIO podcast discuss a variety of holistic wellness topics such as self-care and self-empowerment. At the core, BGIO promotes an open dialogue in the black community as well as an understanding of healing from the inside out.

Izzy & Liv:

You know we have to do a little shameless plug. We are grateful for our clique and Brown Sugar Babes who continue to support us over the years. The mission of Izzy & Liv is to make black women the first thought when it comes to making products that they’ll love. From apparel to accessories, black women can be certain that all our products were made with them in mind.

Mielle Organics:

We just need a brand that’s going to support our kinks and curls. Mielle Organics has “the secret sauce to moisture and hydration.” From all natural ingredients for your haircare products to vitamins for healthy hair, Mielle Organics is one haircare brand that is set on keeping black hair surviving and thriving.

Blk + Grn:

Looking to go green? We know that making the decision to use clean products is a big one and one that can seemingly break the bank.

However, BLK + GRN makes it easy and affordable for black women who want to make this lifestyle change. BLK + GRN is an all-natural store that delivers high quality products that are free from harmful ingredients. They gather various artisans who sell products that resolve issues like skin care, hair growth, and even headaches. This is a brand that deeply cares about black women’s health, just as much as they value Mother Earth.

There are companies that value black women and our needs. You just have to know where to look. You know everyone at Izzy & Liv has your back. You can guarantee these other brands do too.

5

Melanin Can’t Be Bought Why Our Black is More than a Trending Topic

by Jouviane Alexandre BlackisBeautiful #melaninpoppin #blackbeauty These are just some hashtags you’d find trending on social media, and we’re here for them! However, while most of this self-love comes from black women, that’s not all that has become a trending topic on your favorite platform. As Black women, we’ve always known that we’re poppin,’ from our skin, to our hair, to our shape – to our entire culture. It’s just taken the rest of society time to catch up. While for us, our culture is a way of life, for others some aspects of our culture seem to be a fad or trending topic to them.

#

#CultureVultures?

My, how the tides have turned! Our Black is so beautiful that aspects of our culture that were once looked down upon, are now being emulated, repackaged, bought and sold. Trends we created and have been doing for decades weren’t “trendy” or even always accepted until the mainstream began to emulate our blackness and melanin.

It used to be for those comparing our features to “classic” European ones, that our lips were too full. Our hips were too round. Our skin was too brown.

Our hairstyles “too much.” What we have always known to be cornrows are

6

now “boxer braids” according to the mainstream. Too funny! Now guess what, hunty? Everybody wants to sip the Kool-Aid! Some folks will spend hundreds of dollars to immerse themselves in Black culture. They’ll dish out thousands of dollars to acquire our features. They’ll spend hours and hours baking in the sun to get tan. Whooo, chile some people are literally making it rain trying to look and act more like us. Skin so brown, hips so round, everybody wants to be down, hunty! While we appreciate some of the love and imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, one fact remains, and that is: Melanin can’t be bought.

Now there’s no problem with people embracing Black culture, but one thing that is unacceptable is when those who will readily accept black culture will reject black people. Now those are the people who aren’t invited to the cookout.

Our melanin and our blackness is what sets us apart from the entire world, and while many would attempt to purchase the very characteristics that are a part of our identity and DNA, our melanin can never be bought.

And that’s THAT, on that!

SEPTEMBER 2019

7

Skincare Skincare Ingredients for a Fresh, Flawless Face

by Saeeda Ruffin

verybody wants to look good, but, sometimes, our own skin can be our worst nightmare. Skin can cause us so much stress and make us feel our most vulnerable. It is the first thing that people see and it can be the thing that people remember most about you.

You might have an amazing personality, but somebody, thank goodness it won’t everybody, will remember those less than perfect skin moments. However, there is help out there to get, and keep, your skin on track.

E

Truth be told, we aren’t worried about the “haters,” but we still want to feel and look our absolute best.

That being said, there are some ingredients out there that could really give your skin the glow up that you are hoping for.

All of these ingredients are totally natural, but the effect that they can have on your skin when used individually, and sometimes in combination with each other, can be phenomenal.

You may be surprised to find out that some of the

best skin care ingredients are items that you probably have right in your kitchen.

Think out of the box and get beyond just spending money on those expensive skin care products. They are good to use, but these natural ingredients can produce exceptional results as well...and it might not take a lot of product to give your skin the treatment that it needs to radiate.

Here are 4 skincare ingredients for a fresh, flawless face:

Honey Beyond being delicious, honey is actually a healer for scarred skin. Honey can naturally exfoliate your skin. It helps in removing dry, dead skin to let that soft, beautiful new skin underneath debut. When applied to the skin, it will condition and moisten skin. Just apply it and rinse. Come through on that face, Honey!

8

SEPTEMBER 2019

Aloe Vera

Apple Cider Vinegar One of nature’s most perfect and versatile ingredients is apple cider vinegar. Yes, its smell is less than enticing, but, the benefits of this stuff are astronomical! The skin care industry has gotten woke to apple cider vinegar and it can be found in many beauty products. ACV, as it is known, can be applied to the skin to help balance the ph level. It can also be used to treat breakouts because of its anti-inflammatory properties, and as a toner. Just hold your nose and let it do what it do. Just be careful! Apple cider vinegar is very potent and should often be diluted with water.

There is so much that we can say about aloe Vera. It can be your skin’s secret weapon against the treachery of the environment. Aloe Vera is used for skin care in many different ways. It has tons of benefits from treating dry skin to fighting the bacteria that causes breakouts, and of course, for healing skin that has had trauma from burns or bites. This is one skin care ingredient that lives up to the hype.

Your face will be grateful that you used it!

Sugar Scrub Unless you have used one, you might be skeptical about trying a sugar scrub. Well, don’t let the name or the fact that it’s made with sugar as the primary ingredient, keep you from giving this skin care ingredient a go. While ingesting too much sugar is TERRIBLE for your skin, scrubbing with it is amazing!

Actually, sugar scrubs are so popular now that you can find them in just about every store’s beauty section.

Why are they there?

Because they work!

You can make your own sugar scrub by combining a cup of sugar with half a cup of an oil such as coconut oil (also fabulous for skin) and little rosehip oil (uh, stretchmarks, we are coming for you!).

That’s it! Now, rub that on your face while you are in the shower and rinse.

The results will have your face looking fresh and flawless.

Now, that’s sweet!

9

Black Don’t Crack

by Saeeda Ruffin

T

hroughout history, there is one fact that people have had to admit about our beautiful melanated skin: Black don’t crack. We know that some folks are jealous because of it. But, hey, don’t expect this to change any time soon. There is something inherently marvelous, amazing, and absolutely fabulous about the skin that we are in.

There are some women that we have watched from the time that we were tiny tots up until now who have defied aging. They just don’t seem to get any older! It is fair to say that they have changed everything that we ever thought about being “elderly,” according to age, anyway.

We may never know all of their beauty secrets or how they keep their gorgeous skin glowing with the radiance of a young woman, but, we sure hope that when our time comes, we can sip from whatever “fountain of youth” that they have found.

Yes, we want some!

Who wouldn’t want it?

Here are 4 leading ladies who prove that black don’t crack. These stunning queens give us hope for what our future may hold.

10

SEPTEMBER 2019

1

Iman (Age 64) Iman is a woman so famous and fabulous that she is known by only one name. Iman is timelessly beautiful. With skin that would make even a millennial feel like they need to level up their beauty regime, Iman’s image as a supermodel will forever be cemented in our minds. We know that our eyes are not playing tricks on us when we see her. She is beyond exquisite!

2

Chaka Khan (Age 66) Whether she was flaunting her curves or rocking a more svelte figure, Chaka Khan has taken looking like a younger woman to a whole ‘nother level. We would love to know her skin routine. If we did, we would follow that thing to a tee! Y’all know that Chaka has got the look, for real...and she can SANG! Yes, Miss Khan, you are every woman’s skin goals!

3

Vanessa Williams (Age 56) Now, Miss Vanessa, you cannot tell us that you are approaching any age over 40. It’s as if she has forever been frozen at the pinnacle of her beauty.

Whatever she’s using on her skin, we want some of that...a double dose of it! We are probably all dreamin’ that we will have skin as fabulous as hers one day.

4

Angela Bassett (Age 61) What this queen has taught us, above all else, is that if you carry yourself with dignity, you can command respect as such. Angela Bassett is the epitome of class, elegance, and beauty. Auntie Angela comes through in everything that she plays and always LOOKS THE PART, regardless of the “age” of the characters. In fact, she plays young characters so well that we totally forget that she is technically old enough for the “senior” discounts.

When we see Auntie Angela, we see a woman who seems to have stopped her physical clock at about 30 years old. Her skin, her body, her whole entire everything is stellar! Unlike the book, our Auntie doesn’t have to get her groove back. She keeps that thang on fleek all of the time! When asked what she does to keep her skin glowing, she said to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. That, dear sisters, might just be the key to making sure that our black don’t crack!

11

beauties Izzy & Liv customers truly are THE BEST! We LOVE seeing your social media posts sharing your boxes each month. Here are a few highlights from last month.

Congratulations to last month’s WINNER! Kimberly Holmes-Evans was randomly selected from everyone who shared their August box on social media to WIN her next box FREE. Thank you to everyone who shared! We appreciate you! Don’t forget to share this month’s box using the hashtags #brownsugarbox #izzyandliv for your chance to win next month’s giveaway.

BONUS: Join our Facebook Group: The Brown Sugar Lounge, for a SECOND CHANCE to win a free box.

12

SEPTEMBER 2019

13

Playlist

by Alexandria Daniels Black girls are truly magical. Our melanin is powerful due to our history of resilience and strength as a people. The world may try really hard to keep black women down but we know we will always rise up again.

Somewhere in this world a young black woman may not realize her worth or see herself as beautiful. If this is you, get your headphones ready because this playlist is for you. Below is a list of songs that will help you love the skin you’re in. They each celebrate body positivity, black culture, and being a black woman. Being black is a blessing. So kick back or dance your butt off to the following tunes!

“Often (Kygo Remix)” by The Weeknd Flawless by Beyoncé Bootylicious by Destiny’s Child Milkshake by Kelis Feeling Myself by Nicki Minaj Video by India Arie Feeling Good by Nina Simone Brown Skin by India Arie Work It by Missy Elliot Free Your Mind by En Vogue Q.U.E.E.N. (feat. Erykah Badu) by Janelle Monae My Skin by Lizzo 14

Unpretty by TLC Anaconda by Nicki Minaj I’m Every Woman by Chaka Khan Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae You & I by John Legend Sorry by Beyoncé Don’t Touch My Hair by Solange The Beauty Within by Dead Prez I by Kendrick Lamar Around The Way Girl by LL Cool J New Agenda by Janet Jackson

e

SEPTEMBER 2019

Frequently asked questions

1

Can I change my size preference for future boxes?

Yes, you can do so inside your Brown Sugar Box account on izzyandliv.com, or you can email us at support@izzyandliv.com to update your preferences for you.

2

When will I be billed for next month’s box?

You will be rebilled on the 1st of the month for the next box. So you will be billed for the October box on the 1st of October; for the November box on the 1st of October and so on...

You will not be billed for the next box until after the box from the current month has been shipped/ delivered.

3

What is your cancellation policy?

Your subscription can be cancelled at any time in your Brown Sugar Box Account Settings at izzyandliv.com. If you’ve already been billed for the next box (1st of the month), your cancellation will take affect the next billing cycle. To cancel your subscription, login to your account and click on the Subscription tab, then click “edit” next to your subscription. You can also email us to request that we cancel for you.

4

6

5

7

Can I exchange or return items in my box?

We cannot accept returns at this time for Brown Sugar Box items, but we welcome your feedback to improve. Email us at support@ izzyandliv.com to share your thoughts. We value your feedback and our mission is to make every Brown Sugar Box more than worth your while! Your feedback will help us to make sure we make this box amazing and valuable as it can be.

As far as the item(s), you can always gift them to a friend, coworker, or family member- these items make GREAT gifts!

Can I skip a month without cancelling?

Yes, you can skip a future month delivery and not be billed for it, without having to cancel your entire subscription. Once logged into your Brown Sugar Box account at izzyandliv. com, you will need to open the “Delivery Schedule” tab. There you will see all upcoming deliveries for your subscription. To skip a delivery you just need to click “Skip” to the right of each relevant delivery.

This will only skip that one delivery. To skip multiple deliveries you will need to click “Skip” next to each relevant one. Alternatively, you can email to have us skip deliveries for you.

How can I share photos or unboxing videos with you?

Yes! We live for customer feedback & reviews! Just post your pics or video on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube etc. and hashtag #brownsugarbox, #izzyandliv and @izzyandliv. You can also leave a photo review on the Brown Sugar Subscription page! If you make a blog post email us with the link. If your social media is private we will not be able to see your post, so feel free to email us to let us know where to check it out!

Something went wrong with my order/ delivery what should I do?

Should you have an issue with your box items (damage, received wrong size, etc) you must notify us at support@izzyandliv. com, with photo(s), within 7 days of receipt of your package. After 7 days, we will not be able to process requests related to this month’s box. If your box was returned due to consumer error, please reach out to customer service for reshipment at an additional cost.

8

I have feedback or questions, who do I contact?

We can be reached at support@izzyandliv.com

15

You should be there… Members Only Lounge www.facebook.com/groups/izzyandliv