Snapshot: Christina Milian for Cosmopolitan Latina May 2013

Oge Okoye Covers Fashion Magazine, Editarnish

  FABULOUS!

4 Tips For Developing Your Personal Brand

 

Your personal brand (i.e. what you are recognized as being about) is your biggest asset, whether you’re an entrepreneur or a determined woman trying to scale the career ladder. It is not enough for young Nigerian career women to just be good at what they do or to be a great personality, effective reputation management is essential to make it in the big time and avoid any damaging slurs and assumptions about how you got there.

So how do we do this?

Understand & Live the Brand
International makeup megastar Eryca Freemantle stresses the importance of developing your personal brand early and as soon as you can afford to, bringing in professionals to help you develop and project it. Ultimately the responsibility lies with the individual. However, “Eryca Freemantle is a global brand, makeup artist to celebrities and consultant to major mainstream makeup brands. A teacher and trainer to students from across the world. I had to learn very early on what a personal brand is and what it means. I would say ultimately that at all times you should reflect your brand. Seek 3 to 4 personal brand developers to advice you accordingly. Your reputation follows you. he best will only want the best. Be the champion to your brand and your purpose.”

Be Consistent
Ronke Ige, Founder of Emi & Ben skincare says the best piece of business advice she’s ever received is “To strive for consistency in everything from your brand’s “tone of voice” and personality to how your company goes about its daily business.” Consistency reinforces the core values that you stand for and creates an authentic message that reinforces people’s perceptions of your personal and professional integrity.

Turn Beauty into a Business Asset
Nigeria’s leading female entrepreneurs are often glamorous and stylish women as well is being incredibly intelligent, and business savvy; unfortunately there will always be poisonous people who’ll try and use this combination against them to damage their personal brand. The key is to challenge these assumptions and make your femininity an asset, not something to be circumnavigated or hidden.

Nike Oshinowo is no stranger to controversial slurs about how her looks may have superseded her talents in achieving her incontrovertible successes as a female entrepreneur. The former beauty queen hit back at her critics with a frank interview in the April issue of TW Magazine and now leads a workshop on “Challenging perceptions to create profit – Translating your femininity, beauty and lifestyle into credible business ventures”.

Always Deliver on Your Brand Promise
Super successful business leader Chichi Nwoko, who brought Nigerian Idol to our shores, says “With regards to personal branding, it is the single most important thing one has to do as an entrepreneur. One should determine the specific thing(s) that one wants to be know for as one’s brand deliverable promise at any time. While there may be circumstances beyond one’s control to deliver promptly on one’s brand promise especially, given the structural hindrances which are often prevalent in such developing countries as Nigeria, it is nevertheless crucial that one should strive not to lower one’s standards and integrity.”

Whatever you decide your personal brand is, it should be easily identifiable with the real you that your friends and family recognise. It’s a lot easier to create a consistent, authentic story when you’re projecting your best side as opposed to trying to be someone totally different.

You can meet Nike Oshinowo, Chichi Nwoko, Eryca Freemantle, Ronke Ige and many more women like them who’ve successfully created powerful personal brands at the Women in West Africa Entrepreneurship conference taking place 20-22nd June, 2013 in the Eko Hotel and Wheatbaker Hotel in Lagos. For more information visit www.wowenigeria.com.

Source: Bellanaija.com

6 Factors that Could be Stunting Your Hair Growth

One of the many reasons why African women have stunted hair growth could be due to a number of reasons that could range from focusing on the wrong aspect of hair care to just doing it wrong.

There are a lot of hair problems and different solutions to them, but in all the major thing you need to understand is hair growth takes time.

But while we wait, check these things off your list to see if they’re what’s keeping you from waist length hair.

You’re applying too much heat to the hair when styling: 
Blow drying, curling, straightening…all the heat applied to hair can cause damage to hair growth. The presence of chemicals mixed with heat in your hair dries out the water and removes moisture from the hair strands. This makes it break easily.

To avoid this, reduce the frequency of heat application to your hair. In addition always get regular protein deep treatment conditioners to help fight damage after applying heat.

You’re over processing your hair or over handling:
With the large number of hair care products that exist, each promising something better than the last I know it’s very easy to go product crazy. The thing is when you burden your hair with treatment after treatment it will eventually start to show because each product has its process of working. These could also have different chemicals that damage your hair when reacting with others, like Parabens i.e Propyl, Methyl, Butyl, or Ethyl. When you give your hair too much attention it could loose its health leading to hair loss.

A quick solution is to always research your hair type and confirm chemicals that are good for your hair. Keep in mind that you could have a mixture of different types of hair (curly & wavy etc). Also schedule your hair appointments so you can give your hair time to rest up and grow naturally.

You’re doing the wrong hairstyles: 
If you haven’t been paying attention, now is the time to do so! Not all hairstyles are good for your hair. For example if you regularly make hairstyles that require a lot of bonding glue and you remove them without caution you are damaging the roots of the hair. The best option for removal of such is always to apply hair oil to the glued area to soften it up. This allows for easy removal. Not doing this could lead to permanent hair loss (traction alopecia) around the temple and the ears.

Take caution to make hairstyles that do not put too much stress on the hair follicles. Weaves and extensions offer hairstyle options, but remove them every six to eight weeks to give your hair a break.

You might be using a quack hairstylist:
Not everyone is a trained hair care specialist. Just because they own a salon and have the equipment does not make them the right professionals to handle your hair. Be sure to search for a specialist that that knows what he or she is doing and can do it well. Also keep to one or at most two hair stylists. This ensures that the person is accustomed to your hair and all its needs.

Your hair  is being pulled too tight:
Pulling your hair too tight could result in permanent hair loss. It could also end with acne or sores to the scalp. On average, women loose about 100 strands of hair a day. Let’s not increase those figures okay?

Instead of getting on the ‘bald eagle’ train, tell your hair stylist not to pull too hard while weaving or sewing. The loosening feeling you get later is not relief but your hair strands getting uprooted from your scalp from being wound too tight. Take this initiative and protect your hair from follicle damage so your hair could have the opportunity to grow to its full potential.

You have dirty hair:
The scalp is the base and beginning of hair growth, if you do not have that under control then you do not have a good foundation for hair growth. Imagine if you went 2 weeks without washing your face? You get the picture?
Wash your hair regularly and treat it to a good cleansing when you can; at least once every 7-10 days.

Photo Credit: kootation.com | madamenoire.com |  juicymagonline

Radio Personality Titi Oyinsan Covers the New Issue of Pregnancy & You Magazine

Say hello to the latest edition of the Pregnancy & You Magazine. On the cover is the new ‘mama’ in town and Inspiration FM OAP Titi Oyinsan.

On the cover Titi looks stunning in high slit maternity dress with a multi-layered pearl necklace and a sleeked back up do hairstyle while inside Oscar sports a navy blue Blazer with light brown pants.

Check out the pages of the magazine and photos of the couple and buy your copy today!

Be Sleek, Suave & Sexy! Tayo Adeyeye of Nigerian Menswear Design Label “Taryor Gabriels” Shares 4 Tips for Buying a Suit

Whether you’re a business man, a sharp guy, or a ‘Mad Men‘ enthusiast, the suit is very essential. It is the basic building block of every man’s wardrobe. Without a suit, you’re missing the first type of formal wear for the modern man and that just wont do.

 Apparently he never even wore suits to his office even though he owns the place (One of the things that come with being a BOSS I guess). So I thought maybe he just didn’t know how to find one.

To help our male figure out what they need to know when it comes to finding the right suit we got in touch with menswear design label Taryor Gabriels. If you don’t know who that is by now then you haven’t seen THIS. We tapped into his knowledge of menswear to give us guides to picking a suit.

Know the Three Basic Colours

As with a lot of things, colors matter a lot. In the nation of suits only a certain number of colors matter. According to Taryor “Blacks, grays (in many different shades) and navies have been around forever. This is because they are classics.
My easy primer: Gray is universal, good for business and pleasure, and conveys that you are an honest & nice person. Blue is sporty and not as somber. Black could be off-limits. If you like a little pattern, you can find interesting variations like Herringbones and Over Checks. A light gray suit is more daring while darker grays are more conservative. Dig around and find something that speaks to you.”
Know What You Want

When shopping for a suit for a particular purpose there are different factors that will come into play. Taryor suggests-  ”To figure out if you need something formal for big-shot meetings and dinners or something more chilled out that says ”I look fly but I don’t work too hard”? The two areas that generally define how dressy a suit is are the lapels and the pockets. Thinner lapels (roughly 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 inches at the widest point) are more elegant, while thicker lapels (3 to 3 1/2) are more executive.
As for pockets, flapped or jetted (tuxedo-style) pockets are the standard, while patch (rounded) pockets give your look a bit more a laid-back vibe. Peaked lapels (with pointed joints) are a bit more rakish, while notched lapels (with round ends) are smoother“.
Know your Fabric:

“You may not know so much but you do know that polyester is for punks, shiny suits are best reserved for “hitmen” and that any label that contains the word lycra or spandex is a lining you don’t want near you.  You can never go wrong with high quality wool.”
Know your Fit:

“Shoulder and jacket length should be as close to perfect as possible, anything else can be fixed.” The shoulders should end where your shoulders end; if they’re hanging off the end, even a smidgen, put the suit back on the rack and find another.

Next, check the length. “You should be able to cup your hand underneath the bottom of the jacket.” If you brought daddy along and he’s telling you to go for the suit that touches the tips of your fingers, ignore him. That was the rule in his day; the new rule, is a more modern look. “It makes everyone look taller if your jacket is a little shorter“

We hope this has helped the guys figure out what they need to do to get that ‘Mr. GQ’ going. Don’t forget to share your tips on buying a suit with us.
Photo Credit: followhorseracing.com | GQ.com | Karachi.olx.com.pk

2Face Idibia, Tiwa Savage, Praiz, Onyeka Onwenu, Timaya, Waje, Wizkid, Sasha P & More at the “Omawumi in Concert: The Lasso of Truth” Show in Lagos

Omawumi

Omawumi‘s anticipated show Omawumi in Concert: The Lasso of Truth took place on Sunday 7th April 2013 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

On Monday, BN Events brought you the first photos and scoop from the star studded event, now it’s time to check out all the arrival and inside photos. The event saw fun onstage performances by 2Face Idibia, Onyeka Onwenu, Mercy Chinwo Waje, Tiwa Savage, Seyi Shay, Timaya and Wizkid.

Celebrities including Annie Idibia, Karen Igho, Yaw, Sasha P, DJ Caise, Lami Phillips, Praiz, Timi Dakolo, Dayo Ephraim and Kaffy were spotted at the event.

Check it out!

Arrivals
Music Stars

Waje

Waje, Tiwa Savage & Seyi Shay

Praiz

Sasha P

Timaya

Seyi Shay

Lami Phillips

Gents

DJ Caise

Anthony Monjaro

Noble Igwe

Mannie

Ohimai Atafo

Yaw

Arinze Okonkwo

Trad Fab

Mercy Chinwo

Dotun

Onyeka Onwenu

N6

Coupled Up

Timi & Busola Dakolo

Joseph Benjamin

Yomi & Liz John-Black

Bovi

A Hint of Glam

Kunbi Oyelese

Layole Oyatogun

Black

Linda Ikeji

Prints

Dayo Ephraim

Casual

Kaylah

Cecil Hammond

Kaffy

Mahmood Ali-Balogun

Tania Omotayo Peller

Girlfriends

Inside

Source: Bellanaija.com