Flourishing.

That may not be the first word you think of to be synonymous with 2020, but at the end of last year, I was flourishing in every area of my life. Personally. Professionally. Spiritually. And even in my appearance! I don’t mean that to sound vain, but being quarantined at home meant flourishing hair and skin, thanks to more time and dedication to improving my wellness overall. I focused on eating healthier, exercising more, making dedicated time for self-care, and putting less stress on and taking better care of my hair and skin. Despite the quarantine, I found somewhat of a silver lining!

Heading to the office, pre-quarantine, equaled greater stress on my hair because I flat ironed it on an almost daily basis. And my skin felt the excess stress as well because I wore makeup every day. Working from home every day gave me the opportunity to give my hair a break from the daily styling and heat stress, and my skin free from daily foundation and powder application. Because of that, my hair and skin started to thrive!

But healthy hair and skin is an ongoing journey. An ongoing part of my overall wellness journey. I got off to a great start on my own, but I wasn’t afraid to incorporate some extra assistance to keep the healthy hair and skin train going! Lucky for me, I discovered HAIRLOVE.

HAIRLOVE is a lifestyle/wellness brand that sells several products to help women strengthen and grow their hair, with an added bonus of benefits for your skin and nails too. They sent over a few hair supplements for me to try, along with a pack of their luxury silk scrunchies.

I got to test out HAIRLOVE’S flagship product: the Keratin + Collagen Complex supplement, as well as their Sleep supplement. The Keratin + Collagen Complex is a daily vitamin made of an exclusive formula (with Cynatine HNS Keratin – the hair industry’s holy grail) that helps rebuild the foundation of each follicle of your hair to make it stronger, thicker, and healthier. It works to stop excessive shedding, breakage and thinning.

I also got to try the Beauty Sleep Complex. It’s a natural sleep formula that helps you fall asleep fast, stay asleep, wake rested & refreshed. I’ve found that a good night’s sleep helps me in every area – my diet, my energy and mood throughout the day, and, I recently discovered, even with the overall health of our hair.

I was also super excited to receive the 3 pack of luxurious pink, 100% natural silk scrunchies. They are useful in keeping my hair up when I’m working out, or even when I’m sleeping. The silk helps maintain your hair’s moisture, they don’t really leave creases or indents in your hair, and the best part is they protect your hair from the tugging and friction usually caused by tighter elastic bands.

HAIRLOVE has a great collection of products to take care of your hair both from the inside out, and the outside in. From supplements to argan oil serums, to silk pillowcases and scrunchies, there are plenty of products to take the best care of your hair!

Raise your hands if you want flourishing hair and skin this year! Get 15% off HAIRLOVE products now with code: HAUTE15.

Visit https://www.hairlove.com/ to learn more, and shop!

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Yesterday, Kamala Harris made history in multiple ways. She was named the first female Vice President of the United States; also the first Black VP and the first Indian/South Asian VP. Her political trajectory and career has not been without controversy, but her iconic and historic achievements outshine it all! You may have noticed that Madame Vice President wore a regal look, in the color purple, at yesterday’s inauguration. She proudly took her oath wearing a chic purple dress and coat designed by CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award winner Christopher John Rogers, a Black designer from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Shop Christopher John Rogers at Net-a-Porter)

Also wearing shades of the color purple were fellow Senators Hillary Clinton (in Ralph Lauren) and Elizabeth Warren (wearing a purple Planned Parenthood scarf), and my forever First Lady Michelle Obama (rocking a burgundy-hued look by Sergio Hudson, a Black designer from South Carolina).

Why all the purple, you ask?

Well, you may know that the color purple symbolizes royalty, dignity, power, and strength. But in the political sphere, purple represents bipartisanship, as it’s a combination of Democrat blue and Republican red. By wearing purple, Vice President Harris set the tone for wanting to unite the parties and division in our country.

The color purple was also one of the official colors of the women’s suffrage movement. According to the NPS, “Purple is the color of loyalty, constancy to purpose, unswerving steadfastness to a cause. Purple represented royalty and the royal blood that flows in the veins of every suffragette, the instinct of freedom and dignity.”

Additionally, and most importantly, VP Harris wearing a purple look by a Black designer was a respectful nod to both her heritage, and to Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to run for President. CNN’s Abby Phillip reported: “Kamala Harris is wearing purple… When she ran for president, one of her colors of her campaign was purple and yellow. That is a nod to Shirley Chisholm who ran for president as a black woman decades ago and has inspired her political career.”

I’ve always loved the color purple as well – it always felt so regal to me. For Christmas, I gifted myself Hanifa’s Miya Knit Cardigan Dress in, you guessed it: the color purple. I snagged it on sale during Black Friday and now it’s one of my new favorite pieces in my closet. I love the coziness of the cardigan, the luxe feel, and oversized fit. And, of course, the designer’s thoughtfulness in creating collections designed to embrace Black women’s natural curves. Plus the designer, Anifa Mvuemba, is incredibly innovative and creative, and I always love to support Black creatives. If you’re not already familiar, check out her amazing collections at Hanifa.co.

This has been an incredibly momentous day, no matter where you sit politically, be sure to acknowledge that history; rather, HERstory was made. Congratulations to both our new President and Vice President!

Photos: Vernon Davis Photography

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Happy New Year! I wasn’t planning to write a New Year’s post because after last year, I’m just happy I made it out alive. Seriously the entire year felt like a haunted house/escape room that most of us barely made it out of – and not necessarily unscathed. I’m not making resolutions this year. To be honest, I haven’t made them in some time now, but after barely escaping the year that shall not be named, I feel like it’s much less important to make resolutions. And it’s more important to live life to the fullest and do things I’ve never done. After living through what we all lived through, I realize how incredibly short life is, and how important it is to fully embrace every moment, and (almost) every thing. So my promise to myself this year is to do just that. To take risks in areas that I normally might think twice about. Trying new things so I can achieve new results.

Side note: I won this dress in a giveaway late last year. I decided to try something new by wearing it backwards and I love the outcome. Whaddya think?

Closet GOLD Rose Polka Dot Pleated Midi Dress: c/o Closet London; also available at ASOS (It also comes in black)
Boots: DSW; similar here
Leather moto jacket: Kenneth Cole New York

Have you created a vision board? I created a new one that reflects my focus for this year, in the areas of mind, body, and soul. Under mind, my primary focus is on my relationship with God and growing my business ventures. I’m envisioning several business as well as personal goals I want to achieve, plus I’m manifesting and claiming success in multiple areas.

For body, I’m focused on continuing to eat healthy, exercise, and shed some pounds. And for soul, I’m focused on all of the things that make my soul smile: travel, love, hobbies, self-care, and a handful of key purchases. Money can’t buy happiness but it can buy a few things that I know will make me feel content. and why not?! it’s a new year and I’ve earned it!

Are you trying new things this new year? What are you claiming/wanting/wishing for/planning?

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As much as I’ve loved living in loungewear and athletic wear all Spring and Summer, I couldn’t wait for cold weather outerwear. And Fall/Winter 2020 is the season of the shacket.  I saw this particular version in an H&M ad at the start of the season and I knew I had to have it.

If you’re not familiar yet, a shacket is a shirt/jacket hybrid, for the ultimate in cozy coats. I love the large, slouchy sleeves, houndstooth material, and curved hem. It runs quite large (I’m wearing a Medium) but you can style it multiple ways to balance out the bulkiness.

This shacket is fairly thick so I’m able to wear it well into the winter, when the weather gets chillier. There are lighter shackets available as well, if you just want the look to pair with jeans or leggings.

A belt is the perfect accessory addition for bulky pieces, to cinch the waist and create a more streamlined look. Although I styled it here with a leather obi belt, I love rocking it freely, cozying up inside my large, warm shacket.

Another great accessory are these frame chains made by my friend and fellow accessory lover, Staci. Check out her site to shop – she’s offering 40 off purchases all day today.

Would you rock, or have you rocked a shacket? Check out all of the shackets I rounded up, below:

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What I’m Wearing:
H&M Long Shirt Jacket (Shacket)
Be Seen By Staci Frame Chain
Mossimo Skinny Jeans
DSW Boots

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Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Constant Contact. The opinions expressed herein are that of the author.

As an entrepreneur/small business owner, it’s always necessary for me to think outside of the box to keep my brand fresh, competitive, and ahead of the curve. This year has required all of us to shift, to pivot; powering on in every area of our lives – business included. So, when Constant Contact reached out to me to help me try something new for my business, I couldn’t help but be interested.

I’ve always known that owned channels are the best for any business. Owned channels include things like your domain/website, and email list. I’ve been running my website for years, but never really utilized an email list like I should have. I started an email list in what seems like ages ago, but didn’t really maintain it over the years. My social media channels have been powerful drivers of traffic for my website. But there is incredible value in cultivating an email list too! There was no time like this year to think about new ways to grow and further engage my audience. Plus, Constant Contact provided me with a free, 3 month trial to get started, so how could I say no?

Constant Contact is a powerful online marketing platform made easy with world-class support and education. I have used Constant Contact in workplaces, previously, so I was already pretty familiar with the trusted marketing platform, which offers powerful and easy-to-use email and social media management tools.

Last week, I had an introductory call with my Constant Contact Marketing Advisor, Jordan, who walked me through the interface to learn more about getting started setting up my email template and list. She provided me best practice tips on placement for my email sign up form, what types of content to include in my emails, tools for list growth, creating a lead generation landing page, and ways to integrate it into my social media to leverage those existing audiences.

Speaking of social media, did you know that Constant Contact also has a social posting tool included with every account? You can manage your social media scheduling right from the platform, right after scheduling your emails!

Next week is my second call with Jordan, and I will also chat with a professional Constant Contact graphic designer who will design a custom-branded template, an add-on service that Constant Contact provided for me. In addition to thinking about potential designs, Jordan tasked me with a little bit of homework to prepare for our next call. I have to brainstorm the type of content I want to include in my welcome email, and familiarize myself with the template editor. I’m happy to have some expert assistance in getting the process underway.

In addition to email and social media marketing, Constant Contact also offers an easy-to-use Website Builder as well as e-commerce tools to help you sell online. They have tools to drive sales from new and existing customers, getting real results from your online marketing. There’s no limit to ways you can grow your business with Constant Contact.

If you’re looking to cultivate community, cultivate an even stronger relationship with your audience, organically grow your traffic, get more sales from new and existing customers, and keep inventory moving and cash flowing, give Constant Contact a try!

The platform is great at helping anyone do more business, and the people and marketing expertise provide unmatched guidance, support and education to help any business, regardless of experience, to achieve its goals.

I’m so thankful for Constant Contact reaching out and helping me to make the shifts necessary in a year like this, and helping with powering on in my business!

You can learn more about Constant Contact, and start a free trial, at www.constantcontact.com

And follow Constant Contact on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/constantcontact
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ConstantContact
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/constantcontact
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/constantcontact
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/constantcontact

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