The Winner Is!

 [I love Wakeema! - Source: Style]

True beauty comes from within. It is that quiet and sometimes awe-inspiring confidence that can't be contained. It helps others, brings joy to the world, and fosters happiness. True beauty can't be purchased, borrowed, or stolen. It is timeless and ethereal.
- Deborah

Deborah you are the winner! Please email me via Nikole@themoptopmaven.com, so that I can send out your Beauty Blender! Thank you to everyone that participated [there will be more giveaways in the future]! I really enjoyed reading all of your comments, and it was quite refreshing actually. Living in L.A, you may get various definitions of true beauty depending on who you ask, and some [not all] are very superficial.

The consensus in Los Angeles seems to be that if you are "lighter skinned, with long hair, and green eyes" you are an instant beauty. I love all my sista's equally, however that excludes a large number of us. As we are all beautiful, and flawed to perfection. Furthermore, skin color, hair length, and the color of our eyes should not measure or define our beauty.

It's very disheartening to watch beautiful black women bleach their skin; or down their sisters that decide to embrace their natural kink's, coils, and luscious curls. Trying to conform to the industry's standard of beauty only pits us against one another - Hold that thought, because that's definitely a conversation we will have at another time. I felt a tangent coming on, so I needed to stop myself there.

[Some of my fav comments!]