Aja Mangum's Recent Articles - Refinery29

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Forgot Your La Mer? 5 Drugstore Buys That’ll Tide You Over

8 Best Beauty Brands For Darker Skin Tones

Grumpy? 8 Beauty Products To Cheer You Up

This Serum Is The Skin Saver You’ve Been Looking For

It’s no secret that I love results-driven, fluff-free skin care. I don’t care for fancy press previews launching the latest, ineffective $1,000

Meet Interior Designer-Turned-Apothecarist Kat Burki

Photo: Courtesy of Kat Burki. We’ve seen socialites, fashion designers, and even former business execs delve into the beauty industry, but the list o

Going Gray: The Beauty Trend You’ll Want To Try Th...

Gray doesn’t describe the mood for fall because of cloudy skies, dipping temperatures, and our cyclical symptoms of seasonal affective disorder comin

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Introducing The Clarisonic Brush — For Your Feet!

When Clarisonic introduced their face-scrubbing gizmos to the market, the mission was to remove oil, dirt, and grime, transforming skin one pore at a time.

Get The Pros’ Fave Beauty Looks — Here’s How

5 Products Your Dude Will Actually Use

The ’80s Are Alive And Well With Fall’s Punk Revival

This fall, whether it was layers of chains at the Versace show, studs at Diesel Black Gold, or two-toned mullets at Jean Paul Gaultier, several designers s

Dream Dry Co-Founders Rachel Zoe & Robin Moraetes Spill Their Top...

Rachel Zoe is a stylist at heart, but the wonder woman has flipped her career from simply prepping starlets for the red carpet to a mini empire with a tele

How To Make It In Beauty — Estée Lauder VP Tells All

Photo: Courtesy of J. Quazi King. When I first met Trenesa Stanford-Danuser, I was in my twenties and a market editor at a weekly magazine. It was my first

Get Wet: 8 Products For The Ultimate Low-Maintenance Hairstyle

How To Keep Those Stubborn Lashes Curled — For Good

I’m a simple mascara-and-go type of person, but for lashes to stand on their own, the key is to curl them up and out of your eyes to really open up t

It’s About Time! After A Decade, Kenzo & Paul Smith Bless U...

I’m a self-proclaimed fragrance snob who often scoffs at the idea of wearing anything sold at a chain store. Fragrance is personal and I feel that sc

Spa Confidential: Aestheticians Reveal Their Craziest Client Moments

Photo: Courtesy of Ocean/Corbis. Have you ever felt the need to ‘tidy up’ before going in for a bikini wax? Or maybe you were mortified when yo

This New Honey Line Smells So Good You’ll Ditch Your Perfume

Perlier has been dishing out scrumptious-smelling body products out of Italy for over 80 years and come September, the well-priced brand will introduce its

8 Miracle Products That’ll Banish Cracked, Dry Feet For Good

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You Asked, We Answered: The Product Salve For Your Sweaty Summer ...

We're a sympathetic bunch here at Beauty Nation. I myself have gone through myriad acne issues when I was younger and was disappointed time and time a

The Braided Hairstyle You Can Actually Pull Off (Promise!)

While many usher in summer with dining al fresco, hitting the beach, or catching concerts in the park, some of us aren’t as welcoming, like me. Summe

You Asked, We Answered: How To Get Rid Of Dark Circles With Makeup

After countless backstage interviews with the beauty industry’s top makeup artists, I’ve witnessed the pros turn the most haggard, over-worked

A Father’s Day Cologne Guide From A Dad’s POV

Zit Be Gone! How To Get Rid Of Freak Breakouts

At a recent press event a fellow beauty editor was complaining about her freak zit attack and, of course, we all put our beauty minds together and tried to

Finally! A New BB Cream For Darker Skin Tones

To describe AJ Crimson as a Jack of all trades would be an understatement. With makeup artist, stylist, and talent manager on his resume, I was surprised h

8 Mattifying Products To Banish Shine For Good

You Asked, We Answered: How To Fight Discoloration On Dark Skin T...

If there's one question that I get asked all the time, it's this one by Micaela S. from Chicago: “How does an African-American woman fight

Rebecca Minkoff Reveals How She Looks Stunning Every Morning, Mak...

We’ve all seen the woman on the street who looks effortlessly gorgeous — her hair is perfect, makeup simple yet flawless, and smile radiant. Cu

How To Wear Relaxed Hair To The Gym

The problem that plagues me and many other women of color is this: How do you work out without sweating out your relaxer? Most women skirt the issue comple

Wait, You Have Zits AND Wrinkles — How To Deal

3 Sweet Products For A Sweat-Free Spring

My oil slick of a face is with me 365 days out of the year, so I never have to switch to heavier creams in the winter. While my skin care routine doesn

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