BellaSugar

Brand-New Brand: J. Blossom

BellaSugar — Wed, 30 May 2007 10:33:54 PDT

J.Blossom is a brand with a clear mission, and a warm, fuzzy one at that. Founder Jamila White created the bath and body products with children of color in mind, looking to keep kids both clean and carefree. In a recent interview with Afrobella, White explains her motivation:

"I felt like little girls’ self-esteem was under an all-out assault. Every message was telling them that something was wrong with them; that they needed to have long, straight hair; that their skin wasn’t the right shade; that their noses were too big; that their body wasn’t the right shape ... "

To that end, every product in the J. Blossom line - including bubble bath, lip balm, and body lotion - comes with an "affirmation" on the label, such as "I have a beautiful smile" and "Beautiful skin comes in all shades – yummy chocolate, smooth caramel, or creamy vanilla!" For details on the products,

read more J. Blossom's products are free of artificial colors and mineral oils, and each item comes in two kid-friendly scents: Strawberry Banana Smoothie and Great Big Grape. These products are also a bargain, which is great when shopping for fickle kids. The Lip Balm, made from shea butter and jojoba oil, costs $3, while the Body Lotion and Bath and Shower Gel are just $12 each. You can also get an adorable little J. Blossom gift sets ($12) with a bath pouf and gift bag.

Announcing the 2012 Oscar Nominations!

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:21:53 PST

The 2012 Oscar nominations have been announced! Lots of award season regulars, like The Artist and The Descendants, got some love, but there were also a handful of surprises, like nominations for Nick Nolte, Gary Oldman, and Terrence Malick. Bridesmaids also scored big, with noms for best original screenplay and best supporting actress for Melissa McCarthy.

The Academy chose nine films for best picture, with lots of familiar titles in there, plus a couple that had early awards buzz but haven't necessarily had consistent attention, like Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and The Tree of Life. The films that racked up the most nominations were Hugo with 11 and The Artist with 10.

To see the full list of nominations, just keep reading.

Jennifer Lopez Stops to Shop at Valentino in Sweats

Allie Merriam — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 08:19:41 PST

Jennifer Lopez may have been buying some high fashion, but she donned a sweat suit to stop at the LA Valentino boutique yesterday. She didn't have her boyfriend, Casper Smart, by her side, instead doing her post-Christmas shopping alongside manager Benny Medina.

J Lo's split from husband Marc Anthony, as well as her blossoming romance with Casper, are among the biggest stories of 2011 - where do they rank on your list of the year's most shocking celebrity headlines? Whether or not you think J Lo and Casper are among the cutest new celebrity couples, make sure to fill out our bracket with your top headline picks from the past 12 months.

Dakota Fanning Celebrates Her High School Graduation With Kudos From Her Little Sister Elle!

Allie Merriam — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 07:24:20 PDT

Dakota Fanning passed a big milestone yesterday by graduating from high school in LA! The ceremony took place at the Disney Concert Hall, and Dakota's family, including her little sister Elle, were on hand to offer congratulations. Dakota came to the end of her four years at one of the city's most prestigious private academies, and now she's bound for college. She was spotted checking out East Coast universities like NYU two Summers ago, though she has yet to announce which one is her destination this Fall. Thirteen-year-old Elle will stay behind in California, focusing on her own studies and blossoming movie career. Elle Fanning wore Dolce & Gabbana to Sunday's MTV Movie Awards, where she made the rounds to promote her upcoming J. J. Abrams movie Super 8.

Carol's Daughter Launches Multiracial Ad Campaign

Jaime Richards — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 10:54:44 PDT

In developing its new promotional approach, Carol's Daughter took a look at the latest US Census data, which reveal that more people are checking the "other" box (or multiple boxes) when it comes to race. To reflect the diversity of the population, the beauty brand has launched a polyethnic campaign. "When I say polyethnic, I mean women who are made up of several ethnicities," the brand's Steve Stoute told WWD. "If you ask them what they are, they're going to use a lot of different words to describe themselves."

The new campaign will feature Selita Ebanks, who is of African, Indian, Irish, and Jamaican heritage; Solange Knowles, who is of African-American and French Creole descent; and Cassie, who is of Filipina and black ancestry. "Today, people are blended, and I think the three of us are a prime example," Selita explained. "Women in my family range from vanilla to the deepest chocolate."

Expect to see the models' ads out in June, along with a complete repackaging of the line rolling out by next year. Also, Mary J. Blige, who enjoyed much success with her Carol's Daughter-aligned My Life fragrance, is set to follow up with a flanker scent, My Life Blossom, slated for an August release.

Celebrate Spring With These Gardening Tools For Tots!

Leta Shy — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:05:39 PDT

How does your garden grow? If your kid's got a green thumb, then chances are it's flourishing! Have them help out even more with colorful gardening tools in the perfect size. From tiny tools to a cute cover-up, click on these bright garden accessories and get digging!

Preschool Age Kid's Gardening Tool Set ($27); Melissa and Doug Blossom Bright Gardening Tote Set ($12); Morgan Cycle Child's Gardening Gloves ($10); J. Crew Girl's Sun Hat ($25); Williams Sonoma Butterfly Apron ($22); NYBG Kids Watering Can ($18).

Multiple Stars Set to Launch Their Second Celebrity Fragrances

Jaime Richards — Fri, 27 May 2011 11:30:00 PDT

The annual FiFi Awards took place earlier this week (see a list of winners here), and during the ceremony, celebrities in attendance had a lot to reveal about what they have coming up next. So popular their fragrances have been, many of them are set to launch their second fragrances in the coming months. To find out who and more - including whose husband is absolutely adorable - just keep reading.

See the 2011 FiFi Awards Nominees

Miriam Lacey — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:50:00 PDT

Perfume-ophiles everywhere have been waiting with bated breath for the official announcement of the 2011 FiFi Awards nominees, and now they're here. Each year, The Fragrance Foundation holds its equivalent of the Oscars, awarding the best in perfumery in categories ranging from luxury to indie to mass market.

This year, my picks are Candide, a gorgeous jasmine fragrance from the amazing Mandy Aftel, and Anthropologie's beautiful collaboration with Le Labo, but there are several great scents competing. Want to see if your favorite scored a nomination? Then just keep reading.