I absolutely fell in love with the colors in Ayos latest video "Lonely"(which by the way, she explained in a conde nast interview that the song is about her father...how sweet is that!). I was so inspired by the rich watercolor effects and African prints that I had to do a fun little post of items in honor of it! Ayo is so naturally beautiful, she really does not need anything but her sweet spirit to allow he beauty to shine forward! Love it!

Many of us ladies here in the YMIB Circle are natural and have been natural for many many years now, however, I know that there are many of you who are beginning your journey into the transition stages towards wearing your hair in it's natural beauty! These beginning stages of going from a relaxer to natural can be quite a challenge. Many times you may feel like giving up and going back to straightening your hair or you may feel that the texture is not everything that you thought it would be. So, I thought I would offer up a bit of a round up of encouragement to all you lovely transitioners out there.

Who: Shawnda Patterson aka Bronze Goddess01
Where: You Tube
Why: Because she's funny, adorable, and offers up some great loc style and makeup tips for the natural fashionistas!

It is not often that I come across a line that really exemplifies my kind of style, but I love these pieces from the 2009 collection of African Mosaiques. The dresses are my absolute favorites...aaah. can't you hear spring and summer calling you!

Totally in love with these designs from Designers Maryanne and Stephanie of Cote Minou! The colors, the patterns, the cuts...so fabulous!

If you are in need of a natural hair pick me up, then we suggest that you click on over to the natural oasis of fros, locs, twists, and braids better known as Le Coil! With their crisp imagery and plethora of fly hairstyles and fashion ambiance, le Coil screams beautiful! Photos highlight the everyday natural beauties and gents to the natural celebrities we love to admire! Great job Le Coil!

We all know Jamyla of Oyin Handmade, and we all love her products don't we! Well, Jamyla and her lovely crew gives us a sneak peek into the making of the Oyin goodies we love so much! My favorite part is of her working with baby on her back..loves it!

When beauty meets talent, style, and a warm soul, what do you get? You get a super fabulous DJ fashionista known as "DJ Rashida". Some of you may remember our interview with her, or know her as the stylish DJ for Prince, or as the DJ for the popular MTV show "America's Best Dance Crew", or maybe you are a regular at California's Temple Bar in which she spins regularly. However, I have been a big fan of Rashida well before she hit the scene, as I met her through a mutual friend while in high school. Not only is she mega talented as a DJ, but she TRULY is beautiful both inside and out. Her style is impeccable, and quite eclectic..the perfect chica to highlight here on ymib.

Beautiful..both lyrically and fashionably! London based Songstress Bridgette Amofah caries such an amazing voice that is a fresh fusion of a retro vintage beat and soul. To top it all off she obviously has great taste in fashion! I love the song she sang for a promo for the Bahrain Tourist Board (first video). The lyrics in both of these videos are just beautiful don't you think? All I know is that I would most definitely buy her album once it debuts because she is definitely a star in the making as far as I am concerned.

It did not take us long to fall in love with these amazing pieces by Peace Images. Designer Camille Peace truly puts her creative & cultural spirit within her designs and man are we swooning over them! I love the feathers, as they remind me of Maat..which is an adornment that I have wanted to wear as a reminder of the beauty and power of order for quite some time now! Check out the "Nothing Is Safe" denim clutch! The handmade effect by DJ Anisto is gorgeous and the ankh and feather adornment Camille added to it finishes it off perfectly!

When it comes to the question of beauty, the questions never end! This is why we will be posting questions and answers to some of our most common beauty dilemmas. If you are having a beauty dilemma then shoot us an e-mail to: styleblush (at) ymib.com

Here we have the fabulous Lianne Farbes a.k.a The Makeup Girl here to give us some pointers on keeping our pores clean, clear, and barely noticeable. You gotta love that, as clean & clear pores are essential to clear and beautiful skin (ok, that totally sounded like a commercial..LOL)!

Q: I have very large pores..what products or regimens would you suggest for coverage, making them smaller, and cleansing them?

Who: Jeneil Williams

Nationality: Jamaican

Age: 19

Magazines: American and Italian Vogue, Depesha, Essence, Cosmo, Japan’s Luire, Trace, and many more.

Hair Links highlights some of our favorite blogs, articles, and websites celebrating the beauty of natural hair and all the challenges and rewards that come along with it's natural beauty!

"I love my hair! But there is so much I have to learn about it!! This is my first time with locs. I thought it would be an easy, carefree (literally "Care Free")hairstyle. Boy was I wrong. Every hair style carries its own set of needs. And I'm learning what my locs need to be the healthiest, best locs they can be." - lilly dot

Who: Me & My Hair: Lilly Dot

Where: lillydot.blogspot.com

As a natural hair stylist and loctician, the founder of Indigofera, Chanelle Washington knows quite a few tips and techniques when it comes to taking care of and styling natural hair! Currently Indigofera is on a bit of a hiatus, but be sure to check the site often for her re-launch as you will simply LOVE their Silky Souffle with it's glorious lemongrass aroma. It creates a major shine on natural/coarse hair & the Ua Mist is fantastic! Nevertheless, her temporary hiatus does not stop Chanelle from offering up some of her favorite tips and tools for staying "Radiantly Beautiful", which is also her companies tag line! Oh, and be sure to download her latest e-books on hair care and entrepreneurship.

ymib: Could you share some tips/advice on keeping very coarse natural hair moisturized and untangled?

Loving these images by fashion photographer Eugenio Recuenco!

Maintaining a healthy face is quite important, and while you can give yourself the most decadent facials and exfoliants, you can still run into lots of bacterial problems and breakouts if your makeup brushes are not cleaned properly. Your makeup brushes should be cleansed at least once a week!

Step 1: Gently run your brushes under a stream of lukewarm water.

Step 2: apply directed amount of shampoo/cleanser onto your brush and gently work through the bristles moving your hand away from you. You do not want to scrub your brushes or cleanse the bristles in the opposite direction towards the handle as this will misshape them. Rinse until water runs clear.

Step 3: If you have a conditioner, then apply and shape your brush and leave to dry flat. Otherwise just do the same without your conditioner.

We just love these pieces from South African Designer Abbiee Oyewole for Qetura. The blue bubble dress is oh so pretty!

Forget Prada and Gucci! I would much rather have a one of a kind Jacobs Eye creation to tote around town!

"Jacob is a SELF-TAUGHT artist and craftsman that hails from Kingston, Jamaica. Since 1997 Jacob has been the proprietor of Jacob's Eye in scenic Fort Greene, Brooklyn. This up and coming neighborhood buzzes with many talented artists, including Erykah Badu, who is a long-time customer and one of his beautiful models. His unique afro-centric handbags are undeniably bold conversation pieces consciously created without the use of machines." -jacobs eye

I absolutely love the handmade feel of these bags. The bold stitches, pops of color, and the delicate layers of leather and fabric are absolutely gorgeous in my opinion. I admire handmade fashion that does not come off too perfect, pieces such as Jacobs are true pieces of art..no machines needed!

Recently I went to Sephora to browse a bit...is that possible to do in such a store without buying at least one thing? Anyhow, check out the 4 beauty treats that I found to be quite enticing. I ended up buying a tube of the "Sweet Candy Gloss" in the Vanilla Cupcake flavor, and it is fantastic..my favorite lip gloss thus far, and at only $7, you can easily afford to spend for beauty without feeling guilty! The "Falling In Love Fragrance Oil" by Philosophy was lovely as well. The scent was gentle, sweet, soft, & delicate...perfect!

Calling All Natural Beauties...We Know You're Here! We know that the ymib Circle is full of beautiful natural Sisters and our good friends over at Ohm Body knows it too! Owner Nicha Douglas reached out recently to share her wonderful “Natural Beauty Contest with the Sisters here. Every month Ohm Body will select one Natural Beauty winner.

The winner will receive:

1. Photo & profile feature in the Ohm Body newsletter which are affectionately called “Love Letters” in the month of her win. Natural Beauty Winners are featured on the first Monday of every month, so get your photos in soon for the November slot.

2. A full photo feature on the front page of the Ohm Body website.

A special Ohm Body Gift mailed to your front door!

How You Enter:

I love love love these crocheted earrings by Tani Nova! The sorbet colors are super yummy and they would make the perfect accent for your fall and winter wardrobe, and at $21.99, they make for a very affordable catch!

For all the crafty sisters in the Circle, you may want to give crocheting earrings a try by checking out this tutorial on Hook Me Up. (just scroll down to the bottom for directions)

Oh how lovely the handmade natural hair and body care line is of Nunu + Love! Their packaging is fantastic and I am in love with all of the rich and aromatic ingredients that she uses in her products, especially the "Honey & Flowers Shampoo", which is made with organic castile soap, a herbal infusion of jasmine, organic lavender, sage, birch bark, real manuka honey, ylang ylang, clary sage, sage oil, & jasmine absolute! Wow, talk about a yummy treat for your kinks and curls!

I'm loving the pro feminine vibe of the Cut It Out Apparel line! With positive quotes like "Demand Respect", "My Name Is Not Shorty", and "Destroy Stereotypes", how can you resist not wanting to buy at least one. On top of the fabulous statements, they are super affordable at $10-20.00! Get em' while they last ladies!

Being sure that your beauty products are of top notch quality should never be taken for granted and Juice Beauty Organics offers up all the best in natural and organics beauty products. They have it all from cleansers and toners to exfoliants and moisturizers. My favorite would definitely be their Organic Green Apple collection which is made up of yummy nourishing juices of apples, lemon, and grapes!

A good detoxifying facial every now and then can do wonders for your face! Our pores hold onto lots of sweat and dirt, and can easily cause blockage, which leads to blemishes, black heads, and pimples. Clay has proven to pull out toxins in the body and has been used by ancient cultures for quite some time now. Some of my favorite ways to give myself a facial is to use natural clays and gels. You can find many blends of facial masques on the beauty shelf, but if you ever want to keep it super fresh and natural, then you might want to consider using 100% pure aloe vera gel, avocadoes, honey, and fresh Cucumber juice or pulp. My favorite combo is a gel mix of pure aloe vera gel and cucumber juice...your pores will drink up the cleansing goodness! Be sure to remember to exfoliate at least once a week to keep your face renewed and glowing!

Going to the market can be such a mundane and repetitive task, but I don't know about you, but I always feel like I am going somewhere special when I do go on those quick trips to pick up small veggies, sweets, and fruits at the local market. So, why not wear a spicy chic outfit to complete that "Fresh From the Market" mood!, because grocery shopping deserves to be comfortable & stylish too :)!

Who We Love: Gorgeous Black Women

Why We Love It: Gorgeous Black Women is a super portal to find inspiration from women of color. From jet black skin, to creamy tones, to kinky locs, straight tresses, supermodels, athletes, celebrities, politicians, and all of those in between. This blog is the ultimate tribute to some of the most beautiful and inspiring Nubian women, and as you scroll along, you are bound to learn something new! This is why we love Gorgeous Black Women!

Our Top 5 Favorite Posts:

20 Sexiest Black Women Over 40!.

All Black Vogue Italia.

What caught my eye from the Spa Goddess body care line was their packaging and presentation! I think it is so important to make your product look enticing and beautiful. When I decide whether or not to buy something (especially something handmade) I usually always consider the packaging and presentation first...before the product. What I like about theirs is that it is clean, simple, pretty, and fresh! Nevertheless, I really like this body care line and they offer up some pretty special and unique items to adorn your body with after a long day!