I am probably alone in this, but even with all the new way to communicate and send e-gifts, I still love to get mail, especially packages with new goodies for me to try.
You may be thinking, 'I don't need another subscription or box of any kind' because you already have to pay for one too many streaming services every month. Oh, and we can't forget the monthly wine club and a magazine subscription you're not sure how you get in the first place.
Okay, maybe I'm talking about myself, but I'm sure you can all relate.
We are in a time of meal delivery services, subscriptions, and apps that make it easier for us to find new products or brands we like but can also get costly. So, when I heard about the Grind Pretty Box, I honestly asked myself why I needed even to be looking at another item to buy. However, after peeping the products, it wasn't long before I responded to myself with a resounding, "Hell yes!"
Well, for starters, the brand is black-owned, which is usually enough for me to give anything a test run. But, my personal connection to Mimi J., who is a veteran makeup artist-turned-entrepreneur, made me take a second look. Mimi did my makeup for my first print job in 2008 for Sophisticate's Black Hair, and I have been a fan ever since.
When I sat in Mimi J's chair to get my makeup done, I'll never forget how she made me feel. Her energy was uplifting and calming, which was much-needed because I was so nervous about being on my first professional set. I didn't know it then, but looking back at it now, launching Grind Pretty makes perfect sense because she is a woman that practices what she preaches.
Mimi's messaging is clear, if you ever had to wonder how you elevate your look while you pursue the grind, the Grind Pretty Box will act as that answer. The subscription box is tapping into a popular market and acts as an extension of Mimi's online platform also named Grind Pretty. The Grind Pretty Box empowers women to embody their best selves, no matter the occassion, and provides them with the tools to do so.
She's not wrong.
Each box is filled with items curated by Mimi and her team that give you a chance to try new products from women-owned brands (some of them run by women of color) you may not know just yet, not to mention, these cute little boxes make great gifts.
The 90s themed Grind Pretty Fall Box comes with seven products that range from a full-size bottle of the highly-rated The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam, to $25 gift cards to use at JMCO and Natt Taylor to add a few new items to your closet this fall.
Do I need another box or yearly subscription? Probably not. But, I want to support a black woman who is making it her mission to help young women understand the power in owning their journey and making their daydreams come true!
Click here to support Mimi and Grind Pretty by ordering your subscription box today!
Featured image by Grind Pretty/Instagram
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THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
Getty Images
Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images
