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https://www.essence.com/beauty/flawless-gabrielle-union-larry-sims-jc-penney-salon-treatment/

Courtesy of Flawless by Gabrielle Union By India Espy-Jones ·Updated December 10, 2024

Holiday cheer often sparks the urge to get dolled up for our year-end celebrations. Entertainment and beauty icon Gabrielle Union and celebrity hair stylist Larry Sims want to make this desire is as accessible to achieve as possible.

The celebrity-stylist duo, and c o-founders of Flawless by Gabrielle Union hair care line, came together with JCPenney for a nationwide partnership that’s sure to help us usher in the holidays in >JCPenney salons throughout the Los Angeles and San Diego, California areas will offer the “SimStyled” experience, giving patrons the opportunity to experience accessible, red-carpet worthy hair for the holidays. This partnership provides clients the choice of eight curated >Sims using the Flawless line.

Commemorating the launch at the Glendale Galleria location, JCPenney’s team, along with Sims and Union, hosted an opening reception showcasing thesrc="https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DP021177-1-scaled.jpg" alt="Flawless By Gabrielle Union Is Offering Us Red Carpet Treatment" width="400" height="266" />Larry Sims and Gabrielle Union celebrate the launch of SimStyled at the Glendale Galleria JC Penny on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024 in Los Angeles. (Dana Pleasant/AP Content Services for JCPenney)

Transforming the JCPenney salon into a communal atmosphere was easy enough. Located at the rear of the first floor, the salon boasted a gorgeous space decorated in white, black, and gold hues. A spacious layout with a plethora of well-lit styling and washing stations made for a welcoming environment for event attendees to socialize and observe thesrc="https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DP021584-scaled.jpg" alt="Flawless By Gabrielle Union Is Offering Us Red Carpet Treatment" width="400" height="266" />Larry Sims and Gabrielle Union celebrate the launch of SimStyled at the Glendale Galleria JCPenney on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024 in Los Angeles. (Dana Pleasant/AP Content Services for JCPenney)

Notable attendees included Ashley Everett, Robin Thede, Brandee Evans, celebrity hair stylists and barbers Sasha MaRi and Donato Smith, and Miss Gloria, the mother of one of Sims’ models and lifelong friends. Ranging from all walks of life, each individual present shared a love for quality hair care and intentional community.

Sharing a few words to kick off the event, Union and Sims underscored their gratitude for all in attendance as well as for each other, demonstrating what a decades-long friendship and working relationship looks like. Union stated three values that guided her decisions as well as the shaping of this salon experience: family, money, and time. “I do what makes me happy, what allows me to maintain and expand my peace, joy, and what keeps me looking good.”

As for Sims? “When it comes to creating, it comes from the core of my soul. I don’t do it for the money,” he tells ESSENCE. “I do it for the way that it makes me feel and for the way that I know that it makes others feel,” he—who grew up in Chicago, being surrounded by so many expressions and stewards of Black beauty—adds.

Larry Sims and Gabrielle Union celebrate the launch of SimStyled at the Glendale Galleria JC Penny on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024 in Los Angeles. (Dana Pleasant/AP Content Services for JCPenney)

As for what makes Flawless by Gabrielle Union work so well and stand out amongst a crowd of others? Partnership. The full line of products, sold at JCPenney, is a joint creation by both Sims and Union. The actress expresses how integral it was to ensure she and Sims were on equal footing in all areas of the business, respecting Sims’ expertise in the area rather than allowing her name alone to take the lead. In return, Sims discusses how committed Union is to every step of the process from formulation to user experience. 

“We are sold in places that are actually in the community, and in locations that are not going to demonize or criminalize our consumer,” Union begins. “They actually work, and they’re not going to break the bank. We’re also humble. We listen, we read the comments. We can’t get defensive, we just get better.” 

And no matter what the two do, they deeply understand the impact beauty can have on confidence and presence, and point to the sacred relationship between beauty professionals and their clients. For this reason, Sims affirms that clients will walk away from the SimStyled experience feeling beautiful and “respected for your time and your hair, and beautiful in thedecoding="async" src="https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DP021504-scaled.jpg" alt="Flawless By Gabrielle Union Is Offering Us Red Carpet Treatment" width="400" height="266" />Larry Sims and Gabrielle Union celebrate the launch of SimStyled at the Glendale Galleria JC Penny on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024 in Los Angeles. (Dana Pleasant/AP Content Services for JCPenney)TOPICS:  Flawless by Gabrielle Union Gabrielle Union Larry Sims

The post Flawless By Gabrielle Union Is Offering Us Red Carpet Treatment appeared first on Essence.

https://www.blackenterprise.com/more-black-men-cook-thanksgiving/

Black male chefs are highlighting the growing trend of men taking on cooking duties this Thanksgiving. Recent studies show that over 50% of men are preparing at least one dish for the holiday.

A recent Instacart survey found that 64% of women plan to prepare at least one dish for Thanksgiving, while 57% of men are also stepping up to contribute. Additionally, 30% of men and women intend to cook the entire feast.

With more men stepping up to share Thanksgiving cooking responsibilities, Black chefs are celebrating this shift and applauding men for embracing the change in traditional roles.

“I think that cooking is not something that is based on one’s gender. I see it as a form of creative expression,” LA-based traveling chef Jeffrey Smith Jr. told Essence.

The owner of the Best Kept Secrets International catering company believes cooking is for everyone, not just one group or gender. The study also revealed that Gen Z (63%), millennials (66%), and Gen X (61%) are outpacing boomers (53%) in plans to cook or contribute dishes.

St. Louis-based chef Que Dunn, also known as “Chef Que,” shares this perspective, noting that younger generations are moving away from traditional gender norms, especially regarding who takes on the cooking.

“I do think it’s becoming more of an even split. I believe this generation doesn’t have the same mindset as the previous ones,” he says. “Women find men who can cook attractive. They find that to be an attractive trait.”

Charles Hunter III, a Nashville-based personal chef and owner of The Salted Table, is hosting Thanksgiving this year to give his mother a well-deserved break. He plans to prepare all the traditional dishes himself.

“We stick to the standard of turkey, ham, dressing, mac and cheese, candied sweet potatoes, collard greens. We shoot down the list and whoever is best at making a particular dish would stick to preparing those,” he says. “We create a plan of execution, and I try to put my spin on things. I just love being in the kitchen. It’s a dream job that I fell into that I didn’t even know I wanted.”

Commenting on the rise of men taking on Thanksgiving cooking duties, Hunter emphasizes that everyone should be comfortable in the kitchen, stating, “Cooking is a life skill.”

“It’s something everybody should know how to do. Even if it’s on a super basic foundational level, everyone should be able to bring ingredients into a pot and make it edible.”

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https://www.essence.com/fashion/gen-z-power-dressing/

Getty Images By Kerane Marcellus ·Updated December 6, 2024

The post What Does Power Dressing Look Like With The Rise Of Gen Z In The Office? appeared first on Essence.

https://www.thenerdelement.com/2024/12/07/nfl-week-13-prediction-updates-and-week-14-picks-3/

Good evening, folks! Today I want to discuss which picks I got correct and which ones I got wrong! So, let’s get started, shall we?! I predicted that the Chargers would beat the Falcons 36-24, but the final score was 17-13 Chargers over the Falcons. Kirk Cousins threw 4 interceptions in that game. I predicted that the Seahawks would beat the Jets 38-20, but the final score was 26-21 Seahawks over the Jets. I predicted that the Commanders would beat the Titans 34-17, but the final score was 42-19 Commanders over the Titans. I predicted that the Vikings would beat the Cards 31-27, but the final score was 23-22 Vikings over the Cards. The Cards offense could not find the end zone despite multiple trips to the red zone and only scored 1 touchdown. Plus, penalties killed them. I predicted that the Rams would beat the Saints 38-10, but the final score was 21-14 Rams over the Saints. I predicted that the Bills would beat the 49ers. I forgot to make the score pick, but I think the Bills would beat the 49ers and the final score was 35-10 Bills over the 49ers. I predicted that the Broncos would beat the Browns 25-17, but the final score was 41-32 Broncos over the Browns.

I predicted that the Bengals would beat the Steelers 27-24, but the final score was Steelers over the Bengals. I predicted that the Ravens would beat the Eagles 41-38, but the final score was 24-19 Eagles over the Ravens.

Overall, I have gotten 6 out of 8 picks correct!!! Now, let’s get to the NFL week 14 picks, shall we?! The first game I will predict is the Falcons @@Vikings game. I think the Vikings will beat the Falcons 30-13. The next game I will predict is the Panthers @Eagles game. I think the Eagles will beat the Panthers 31-17. The next game I will predict is the Browns @Steelers game, the divisional rivalries. I think the Steelers will beat the Browns 34-20. The next game I will predict is the Raiders @Bucs game. I think the Bucs will beat the Raiders 34-13. The next game I will predict is the Seahawks @Cards game, the divisional rivalries. A must win game for the Cardinals if they want to climb back on top of the NFC West. I think the Cards will do it by beating the Seahawks 31-23. The next game I will predict is the Bills @Rams game. I think the Bills will beat the Rams 38-24. The next game I will predict is the Bears @49ers game. I think the Bears will beat the 49ers 23-20. The next game I will predict is the Chargers @Chiefs game, the divisional rivalries on Sunday night football. I think the Chargers will beat the Chiefs 27-24. The last game I will predict is the Bengals @Cowboys game on Monday night football. I think the Cowboys will beat the Bengals 24-20.

So, what do you guys think about the NFL week 14 picks?! I would love to hear your thoughts and comments are down below! Stay tuned for NFL updates.

The post NFL Week 13 Prediction Updates and Week 14 Picks appeared first on The Nerd Element.