New resource will help women share beauty secrets for African American skin

A newly launched online resource, Essence.com, recently updated their website to include celebrity resources and features that are revised daily.

Essence.com will enable African American women to connect with their favorite supermodels and businesswomen who share their common beauty interests and may offer personal insights that range from skin care to relationship advice.

The editors hope to instill a sense of inspiration for the African American woman. By reaching a wide array of individuals, the goal is to promote positive feedback and empower women on a large scale. Although the range of women is certain to vary, the common threads of interest and inquiries amongst them most likely will not. As such, the site will foster a greater sense of camaraderie amongst African-American women.

There will be blogs available for any African-American woman to express her thoughts and/or questions to their peers. Whether the objective at hand is relationships, black skin care or lifestyle changes, this website provides a platform to discuss these ideas amongst African American women.

Poll finds that many ethnic women are not satisfied with their skin care regimen

A recent poll that was conducted in the Long Beach, California area assessed women's satisfaction with their current skin care products. Approximately 60 percent of respondents reported dissatisfaction with their current skin care regimen.

The poll gathered data from than 1,000 women of varying ethnicities. Whether their ethnic background was African American, Asian, Middle Eastern or Hispanic, many of these women were disillusioned by their current skin care regimen, and several respondents did not understand that their skin color should not deter them from choosing an SPF that is typically used among lighter skinned individuals.

Darker skin color does not protect individuals from the sun, as many individuals believe. Sun exposure may lead to discoloration of the skin in the form of blotches and dark spots. In fact, darker skin is actually more susceptible to changes in color and texture than lighter skin, according to African American dermatologists.

A large percentage of women who participated in the survey said they would invest in more products if it could satisfy their skin care needs.

Beauty experts share tips on new interactive forum

A national pharmacy chain has announced the launch of Beauty Board, a panel of experts in the cosmetic and fashion world who will offer tips and interactive content on skin care concerns and trend advice.

Experts to be featured on the forum include Mickey Williams, celebrity makeup artist and hairstylist, Nichelle Pace, editor of blog StyleMom, and Keiko Lynn, an up-and-coming fashion designer.

"The introduction of the Beauty Board allows us to expand the beauty benefits by offering interactive expert advice for our members' specific beauty needs. The Beauty Board is the latest enhancement in our effort to personalize the beauty experience for our customers," said Cheryl Mahoney, VP of beauty care for CVS/pharmacy.

Available on the the drugstore's Facebook page, the forum might prove to be a useful resource for individuals with ethnic skin, who tend to have unique skin care issues.

Women who seek skin care products for black skin as well as cosmetics that flatter darker complexions have more options now than ever, making finding the right creams and makeup difficult. Those who want to lighten dark spots on black skin should consider using products with natural ingredients over those that contain hydroquinone.  

Kelly Choi recognized for her charity work with Positively Beautiful Award

Television host, former model and foodie Kelly Choi will be honored on June 28 at the HBA Global Expo with the Positively Beautiful Award for her work with charities Angelwish and Citymeals-on-Wheels.

Hailing from Korea, Choi first gained notoriety as the winner of Elite Modeling Agency's Look of the Year and also worked as a host on MTV Korea and the TV Guide Channel. Now, she enjoys combining her talents for being a television personality with her love of food, as the host of Bravo's Top Chef Masters and a judge on Iron Chef America.

"I'm excited to have such successful relationships with these amazing organizations in order to help educate the new generation on important issues that hit home for me," said Choi.

Angelwish is an organization that helps dreams come true for kids with chronic illnesses. Meanwhile, Citymeals-on-Wheels provides hot, nutritious food to homebound elderly people living in New York.

To prepare for the award ceremony, Choi may want to consider using Asian skin care products to ensure that she looks her best on stage.