Le Journal

By Akili King ·Updated December 17, 2025 < /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… “In The Chair With” spotlights the incredible hairstylists in our community who are giving us major inspiration. Each week, they discuss their personal hair and career journeys, what they’ve learned from their clients, and their top hair care tips.Kim Baker has lived many extraordinary lives. From supermodel—who could be found in the pages of ESSENCE magazine in the 70s and 80s—to professional makeup artist working press junkets for the likes of Mission Impossible. And these days? Since 2021, she’s been the owner and founder of her very own beauty company Glamazon Cosmetics known for decadent products like the Second Skin Foundation Stick and the Lash Couture Mascara. “I worked for a number of cosmetics companies,” including Estée Lauder and Bobbi Brown. “What I noticed is that we didn’t always feel included in the conversation. That’s why we needed people like Danessa Myricks, Ashunta Sheriff, and Kim Baker. It’s about more than products. It’s about representation.” As glam as everything may seem, Baker’s journey wasn’t always one of ease. “I got into makeup artistry out of frustration,” she shares. “I came along as a model during the time when you really couldn’t find shades for deeper skin tones,” Baker says. “I didn’t always have Reggie Wells or Roxana Floyd around,” she adds about working with these legendary makeup artists throughout her career. That said, she learned how to do her makeup herself. “I fell in love with how it made me feel and inspired me to want to help other women with their confidence, too.”Below, Baker walks us through her favorite products, her top glam tips, and more. View this post on Instagram A post shared by KIM BAKER (@makeupbykimbaker) The Products She’s Loving: And one of my favorite brands right now is called SKINN Cosmetics. And they are also, like me, on HSN. And then foundation wise, I can’t live without my foundation stick and primer. It really does make your skin look smooth. I also love Danessa Myricks’ Color Fix. I also love Lancôme’s Liquid Foundation. The Beauty Myth She’d Like To Debunk:I want people to know that makeup is great, but skincare is essential. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Glamazon Beauty by Kim Baker (@glamazonbeautycosmetics) Her Top Beauty Tips: View this post on Instagram A post shared by KIM BAKER (@makeupbykimbaker) How She Uplifts Her Clients:Throughout my career, I’ve come across women that weren’t confident—ones that I thought were beautiful, and they’d be like, ‘oh, I’m so ugly.’Then, I would start playing around with their makeup, and you’d see them change andrel="tag">In The Chair With Kim BakerThe post Glamazon Cosmetics Founder Shares Her Top Makeup Tips appeared first on Essence.

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By Okla Jones ·Updated December 17, 2025 < /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled its shortlists for the 98th Academy Awards on Tuesday, offering an early snapshot of how the 2026 Oscars race is shaping up.Leading the pack are Ryan Coogler’s Sinners and Universal’s Wicked: For Good, the only two films to appear on every shortlist they were eligible for. Both landed mentions across seven categories, including casting, cinematography, makeup and hairstyling, sound, visual effects, and original song, where each earned two slots among the final 15 contenders. It’s a strong showing that positions both titles as serious multi-category players heading into nominations voting.Sinners marks a particularly big moment for Coogler, whose film picked up recognition in casting, cinematography, makeup and hairstyling, sound, visual effects, and original song. Wicked: For Good matched that momentum, with added attention on its technical craft and soundtrack.This year’s shortlist announcement also reflects structural changes at the Academy. Two categories are being shortlisted for the first time: Best Casting, which will officially be presented during the Oscar telecast, and Best Cinematography, expanding the total number of awards to 24. Preliminary voting included branches across documentary, international feature, short films, sound, visual effects, makeup and hairstyling, score, and song.Female representation stands out across the lists. Nine of the casting shortlist films were led by women casting directors, while women directed nearly half of the international feature contenders and the majority of the documentary feature hopefuls—quiet progress, but real progress.Nominations voting runs from January 12 through January 16, with official Oscar nominations set to be announced on Thursday, January 22. The 2026 Academy Awards will air live on Sunday, March 15, and broadcast on ABC to more than 200 countries worldwide.Take a look at the shortlist for the 2026 Academy Awards below.Animated Short FilmAutokarButterflyCardboardÉiruForevergreenThe Girl Who Cried PearlsHurikánI Died in IrpinThe Night BootsPlaying GodThe Quinta’s GhostRetirement PlanThe Shyness of TreesSnow BearThe Three SistersCastingFrankensteinHamnetMarty SupremeOne Battle after AnotherThe Secret AgentSentimental ValueSinnersSirâtWeaponsWicked: For GoodCinematographyBallad of a Small PlayerBugoniaDie My LoveF1FrankensteinHamnetMarty SupremeNouvelle VagueOne Battle after AnotherSentimental ValueSinnersSirâtSong Sung BlueSound of FallingTrain DreamsWicked: For GoodDocumentary Feature FilmThe Alabama SolutionApocalypse in the TropicsCoexistence, My Ass!Come See Me in the Good LightCover-UpCutting through RocksFolktalesHolding LiatMr. Nobody against PutinMistress DispellerMy Undesirable Friends: Part 1 – Last Air in MoscowThe Perfect NeighborSeeds2000 Meters to AndriivkaYanuniDocumentary Short FilmAll the Empty RoomsAll the Walls Came DownArmed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent RenaudBad HostageCashing OutChasing TimeChildren No More: Were and Are GoneClassroom 4The Devil Is BusyHeartbeatLast Days on Lake TrinityOn Healing Land, Birds PerchPerfectly a StrangenessRovina’s ChoiceWe Were the SceneryInternational Feature FilmArgentina, BelénBrazil, The Secret AgentFrance, It Was Just an AccidentGermany, Sound of FallingIndia, HomeboundIraq, The President’s CakeJapan, KokuhoJordan, All That’s Left of YouNorway, Sentimental ValuePalestine, Palestine 36South Korea, No Other ChoiceSpain, SirâtSwitzerland, Late ShiftTaiwan, Left-Handed GirlTunisia, The Voice of Hind RajabLive Action Short FilmAdoAmarelaBeyond SilenceThe Boy with White SkinButcher’s StainButterfly on a WheelDad’s Not HomeExtremistA Friend of DorothyJane Austen’s Period DramaPantyhoseThe Pearl CombRock, Paper, ScissorsThe SingersTwo People Exchanging SalivaMakeup and HairstylingThe Alto KnightsFrankensteinKokuhoMarty SupremeNurembergOne Battle…

By Elizabeth Ayoola ·Updated December 17, 2025 < /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… Long before clean beauty became a mainstream movement, Alaffia was quietly redefining what ethical business could look like. The brand, built on equity as a core value, uses traditional Everyday Shea Bar Soap in lavender ($7), the Kids Bubble Bath in coconut strawberry ($18), Africa’s Secret Multi-Use Balm ($18), and of course, the Authentic African Black Soap Triple Milled ($6).What sets Alaffia apart is how seamlessly its business model integrates impact. Social good is not a marketing angle layered onto the brand; it is the business. As Alaffia has grown, expanding its presence in major retailers and households across the country, its commitment to transparency and accountability has remained constant. The company operates as a certified fair trade organization and continues to prioritize long-term community investment over short-term profit.Through Alaffia, Tchala has demonstrated that entrepreneurship can be an act of service. The brand stands as proof that businesses can be built with cultural heritage, ethical sourcing, and thoughtful leadership. Alaffia is not just caring for skin and hair–it’s creating dignity, opportunity, and lasting change. TOPICS: Entrepreneurship WeLoveUs WeLoveUs.ShopThe post Why Alaffia’s No-Frills Products Matter So Much—And Work So Well appeared first on Essence.