Noire Tropical Beauty

Beauty...Natural Hair...Vibes

Category: Hair (page 4 of 18)

LOTD: Lupita Nyong’o’s US Vogue October 2015 cover + opulent autumn look

October 19, 2015 / / 0 Comments
noiretropicalbeauty lotd lupita nyongo vogue cover

Lupita Nyong’o US Vogue October 2015. Makeup by Nick Barose for Lancome and hair by Vernon Francois. Image source Huffington Post

When the first pictures of the October Vogue cover crossed the news feeds, we all collectively gasped and shouted ‘Yaaaaasssssss!’. ‘Yaaaaaaaasssssss!’ Lupita slayed!  The look is not overly fancy but super luxurious and I knew instantly I had to recreate the look.  Although it is 2015, seeing a woman of colour in on a major magazine cover is still quite uncommon and they often share covers during the same month. So *obviously* , I had to go out and buy it.  As I flipped through her spread, I was so impressed! She is not a model, but between the herself, the stylists/artists and who ever organised the shot did a fantastic job! They knew exactly what would look amazing on her! And could we for a moment talk about her skin? Gawd!  Like butter! Just proves that amazing skin and skincare should be the focus of your beauty routine.  And her hair! Love when she wears a side part and I also love that she is always switching it up.  You can totally have short, natural hair and it can be so versatile.

So I selected the picture of Lupita in the gorgeous blue dress by Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci Haute Couture. 

noiretropicalbeauty lotd lupita nyongo vogue cover

UGHHHHHHH! This dress! This look!! Source

The focus of the makeup look was flawless skin and deep aubergine lip, but there was also a hint of green colour surrounding the eyes.  It’s a very wearable look, not overworked, not over contoured/highlighted, but is bold and packs a punch!

Here is what I came up with. 

noiretropicalbeauty lotd lupita nyongo vogue cover

noiretropicalbeauty lotd lupita nyongo vogue cover

Continue reading

I finally tried Shea Moisture’s Jamaican Black Castor Oil line! What did I think?

June 24, 2015 / / 1 Comment

Shea Moisture came out with the Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO) line late in 2014. I wasn’t really keen on trying it out, because I have always shied away from using castor oil as it is one of the heavy, ‘greasier’ oils and has a noticeable smell.

Fast forward to this year and I was looking for something new to try. I have been using my usual routine for ages.

I ended up buying the JBCO Strengthen, Grow & Restore w/Shea Butter, Peppermint & Keratin Shampoo, Treatment Masque and Leave-In Conditioner. The packaging is a bright, buttercup yellow, which makes it easy to see on a shelf and all the products have a faint, butter smell that is quite pleasant. These products are formulated for natural, chemically processed, colour treated or heat styled hair. And for those concerned, the keratin in this is hydrolyzed protein which is a larger protein chain that has been broken up in to smaller pieces so that it can fit into the cracks of the hair shaft therefore strengthening the hair. The problem with the Brazilian or keratin smoothing treatments found in popular salon treatments is that there are ingredients other than the keratin that contain formaldehyde or produce formaldehyde gas when heated.

The Shampoo.

JBCO Shampoo

It is a clarifying shampoo that is sulphate-free and all natural. It contains apple cider vinegar that clarifies the hair as well as balance the pH, which in turns strengthens the hair. It comes with 25% more product (16.3 fl. oz.) than their normal shampoos. It colour is light brown and is extremely creamy and moisturizing. I was surprised at how lovely it smelled and it did not have the heaviness of castor oil. It lathered quite well, was moisturizing and it did not dry out my hair at all. My hair did not feel stripped. It contains peppermint, but I did not feel the typical tingly-ness or burning.

Continue reading

LOTD: Glowy, bronzed summer skin!

June 8, 2015 / / 4 Comments
bronze summer skin

Summer glow!

Hey! I did this bronze summer skin look a while ago when I was in Trinidad. It’s the look that I also wearing in my latest video (check it out here). This is a great look for warmer weather. Let’s face it, no one wants to wear a lot of makeup when it’s hot, but you still want that glowy, bronzy, sun-kissed look!

bronze summer skin

bronze summer skin

There are a few keys to getting this effortless look. First start with good skincare and good skin. The better the condition of your skin, the less product you would have to use. Definitely treat your skin with the utmost care, start with the basics, drink lots of water and wear sunscreen. Even if you don’t have amazing skin, you can still get this look. I know the trend now to pile on the foundation and to have super heavy contouring but this is a no #cakeface look. Pick the lightest coverage that allows you to even out your skintone. If you have eruptions or texture due to acne, you can’t really cover that up with foundation without looking overtly made up. So just pick something lightweight.

Continue reading

When your hair hands you lemons….make lemonade!

May 23, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Hey!

I recently went to The Makeup Show NYC and I wanted to try a new hairstyle. You know I live in twists and this time I wanted to try Bantu knots. I was looking for a looser, fluffier texture.

Actually Bantu knots are not new to me. Wore them a bit growing up along with canerow. Anyway, I have not tried this in a long time and this is the result.

My Bantu knot out!

Not bad, but not the best. I was looking for a smoother finish, but I love the volume I got. This was actually the second time that I attempted this. The first time was on damp hair, and even though I left the knots in overnight, it still was not dry and everything fell. The next time, I did about 10-11 knots on dry hair.

A different angle…

Check out that liner!

I will be working on perfecting this. I probably need to do this on stretched hair for smoother results.

Any suggestions or ideas?

Laters!

NTB

REVIEW: Body Beautiful On d’Avenue – The go-to place for natural hair care in Trinidad & Tobago!

January 14, 2015 / / 1 Comment

 

While visiting Port-of-Spain over Christmas for some much needed sorrel, parang and hot sun, I paid a visit to the boutique on Ariapita Avenue in Woodbrook, specializing in carrying most of the popular local and international hair care brands. This is of course “Body Beautiful on d’Avenue”.

Upon walking in, I was immediately impressed at how much the store had expanded and the number of brands that they have added. As a matter of fact, I think they have one of the largest collection of natural products on the island, and rivals stores in the US for variety.

I chatted with the lovely owner, Alison Goddard, who emphasized that she wanted to give Trinbagonians quality, proven choices and she has included 10, yes 10, locally-made natural brands.

natural hair product in trinidad & tobago

Me with Alison Goddard, owner of Body Beautiful on d’Avenue

These include Happy Curls, Happy Girls, Kylex Naturals, Eco-Truffles, The Mixtress J Cosmetics and Yousentials. Of course you can get foreign brands like Oyin Handmade, Giovanni, CURLS, Alikay Naturals, Design Essentials, As I Am, Carol’s Daughter, Eden BodyWorks, Afexan and Shea Moisture (they have both the Jamaican Black Castor Oil and the Manuka Honey collections).

Continue reading

Older posts Newer posts

Need brushes? Check out Sigma Beauty below!

Free US Shipping on Orders Over $50

© 2025 Noire Tropical Beauty

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑