November has been hailed as National Blog Posting Month!
The US organisation BlogHer launched the initiative to encourage non-bloggers to get on board the blogging train (because it is fun fun fun)!
I want to thank the Voice Online for selecting me as one of their Best Black British Bloggers for 2013 in celebration of NBPM. This was a wonderful surprise and coming off the back of my Precious Awards Blogger of the Year nomination made it more the humbling!
Great meeting @beautypulse_ldn last night at the #preciousawards. We'll definitely catch up over coffee soon. pic.twitter.com/S6LLAkujNR
— Karen Campbell (@newsychick1) October 25, 2013
Once again, I want to thank you all for your continued support.
I am dedicated to representing the Black British woman in a positive light and to utilise this platform to challenge the stereotypes and the status quo that will continue to persist unless a stand is taken to refute them!
My blog and my outlook has evolved immensely since I embarked on this journey back in 2011 and I have fully embraced the opportunities that my blog and my other social media platforms have afforded me – especially those of being able to quiz and interrogate the key influencers and decision makers in the beauty industry and mainstream media with regards to the needs of the Woman of Colour and to inform my followers of the amazing products and services that are available to them that are often eschewed by the aforementioned media machines.
A recent Twitter exchange with L’Oréal Paris is a case in point…
Back in September, I wrote about the launch of L’Oréal Paris’ Color Riche Collection Privée, a collection of nude lipsticks suitable for ALL skintones and was looking forward to trying out the Liya Kebede shade – the one product in the range suitable for a darker skin tone. However, since the launch this shade has NOT been available to purchase from Boots (the exclusive retailer), either online or instore.
My fellow #blackbblogger @PatentPurple raised this with the brand and was informed that the shade would be available in mid October, but lo and behold, as we cross the half way mark of the month of November the shade is still not available!
I then decided to take the brand to task as well..
@LOrealParisUK! Why can't I get hold of the Liya Privee lippie that I featured in this post nearly 2 months ago??? http://t.co/pl1Damxukj
— beautypulselondon (@beautypulse_ldn) November 13, 2013
@LOrealParisUK it not available online or in store and I understand that you informed @PatentPurple it would be available in October…
— beautypulselondon (@beautypulse_ldn) November 13, 2013
…and we are now in mid November! What is the latest @LOrealParisUK? I expect better from a multinational company that claims to…
— beautypulselondon (@beautypulse_ldn) November 13, 2013
..cater for all skintones/ethnicities! Did the @LOrealParisUK team reach out to Black or Asian #bbloggers to inform about the Liya shade??
— beautypulselondon (@beautypulse_ldn) November 13, 2013
…and was informed that ….
@LOrealParisUK so is it now up to @Boots to order?? Why was there a delay in production?? cc @patentpurple
— beautypulselondon (@beautypulse_ldn) November 15, 2013
…even though as @PatentPurple rightly pointed out….
@beautypulse_ldn really frustrating because @LOrealParisUK then brought out the Cheryl lippie & she wasnt part of the core six
— PatentPurpleLife (@PatentPurple) November 15, 2013
I have asked the brand for the reasons for the delay as I want to be fair and let them have their say!
@PatentPurple @LOrealParisUK ahhhh good point! Let's here what the brand has to say.
— beautypulselondon (@beautypulse_ldn) November 15, 2013
For me, it is imperative that I use my my blog and platforms to speak out and…and the amazing thing is that the digital space allows this to happen more readily than any time other time in history.
One a chirpier note, I have waxed lyrical about the wonderful community of Black #bbloggers I have had the privilege to become a part of and last Tuesday evening we reconnected again for the @FashionFairUK’s #SayYes Party, which was held at the new Fashion Fair counter in the recently refurbished Debenhams Oxford Street Beauty Hall, in celebration of the brand’s 40th anniversary.
It was great to catch up with Louisa aka Afroblush, Ronke aka Ondolady, Jo aka Patent Purple Life, Segun aka LotionsPotionsandMe and Annie aka Epiphannie A.
Each on of these lovely have championed Beauty for the Woman of Colour on their blogs/platforms, Annie’s definitive guide to foundations for darker skintones is a must have resource and Ronke instigated the weekly Twitter #brownbeauty chat with fellow #bblogger Gina aka Naturalbelle after finding that the standard #bblogger chat was somewhat hostile to discussing issues that pertain to the WOC.
The Fashion Fair evening was informative, the new General Manager Connie Jackson (a Chicago native and ex venture capitalist < fire!), was also in attendance. Connie and the FF team have been working relentlessly over the past year to improve the counters, staffing and stock levels across the country, so going forward you can expect a more cohesive experience in store or online.
The product is AMAZING and I will be updating you more about some of the items I tried out in a future post – Fashion Fair’s head trainer Delita Santos worked her magic on my face and I LOVED the result, so I will let you know what she used and her application technique very soon!
I just wanted to round of this post in ode to my fellow #blackbbloggers! They are creative, dedicated, passionate and articulate – the eptiomy of the Black British woman who is so rarely represented in the mainstream.
Check out my Pinterest board featuring my favourite British WOC #bbloggers and #fbloggers. If you think I am missing anyone do let me know…and if you are feeling inspired to give blogging a go…
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