I hope the start of summer finds you well, and that you’re enjoying some warm weather because it’s still in the ’50s here in Chicago. I just wanted to check in and send you a personal note of thanks for your support over the years and give you an update on what’s going on with me personally, and Thank God It’s Natural.

On the personal front, life is well. I just turned 4-0 this year, and I count every day that I’m alive as a blessing. I have so much to be grateful for— my family, my team, my job, my health, but most importantly my relationship with God.  As I grow older and wiser, I realize thatHe is bigger than any obstacle that I can confront. Recently, I have taken to listening to Gospel Music to get through some challenging times, and I’ve actually fallen in love with Jonathan Nelson (“My Name is Victory”, “Anything Can Happen”) and Hezekiah Walker (“I’ll Make It”). If you’re facing any kind of mountain, I strongly suggest you listen to these songs, especially I’ll Make It. On the diet front, I’m eliminating most sugars from my diet. I continue to be something between a struggling vegan and vegetarian. That means I’m over here experimenting with cauliflower, lentils, and chickpeas. I’m proud to say I made my first pot of quinoa, and it was so easy.

As far as the company goes…

Can you believe our 10-year anniversary is coming up? It seems like just yesterday I was selling books and t-shirts out the trunk of my Ford Escape. Summer is usually a very busy time for us event-wise, which means standing in the hot sun for hours and passing out samples. However, this summer I plan to pull back from the usual routine and just chill, take some long walks, light some candles, and maybe go see the Grand Canyon and Janet Jackson in Vegas. With the recent launch of the new Miracle RepaiRx collection, the company continues to grow. I’m amazed by all the talented men and women working for tgin. In 2017, we hired Carly Cobbold as the Associate Director of Marketing. She has been phenomenal and has really allowed me to fall back and focus on strategy and vision. Our Marketing Team also continues to grow and expand. This summer we have five interns working for the company, three of which are in marketing. Ulta is great. Target is great. Sally Beauty is great. Again, I’m so grateful to you for your continued support. Finally, I’m still over here working on product development, which means washing my hair like 4-5 times a week trying all kinds of milks, creams, and conditioners. I not only have to test tgin formulations but competitors’ as well. Retailers always want to see new items, so if you have any ideas for me about products you wish existed, but don’t, I’m all ears. Oh, I almost forgot, I just finished working on my soon-to-be-released book, This is Only a Test: What Breast Cancer Taught Me About Faith, Love, Hair and Business. 

Click here for your sneak peek of Chapter 1: The Bali Within. That’s all I have for now.

Stay natural and cool,

Chris-Tia

Thanks so much for your support. I deeply appreciate it.

To read Chapter 1, The Bali Within, click HERE.

Q: What is one of your favorite smells?
A: I love fresh scents. Like my favorite Glade Air freshener is the Lavender Peach. I’m not a big fan of vanilla or coconut, and I hate cinnamon.

Q: Lipstick or lipgloss?
A: Tough one. I love them both, but I need my lips to pop, so gloss wins.

Q: What’s the best thing that happened to you last week?
A: I took a hip-hop spin class at Cycle Therapy with a hype instructor and amazing music.

Q: Favorite drink?
A: A sidecar made with gin instead of cognac.

Q: What inspires you to be better?
A: My team. I work with a group of super smart people, and I’m always pushing them to take their game to the next level, so I have to do the same.

Q: iPhone or Android?
A: iPhone.

Q: What book has impacted you the most?
A: Malcolm Gladwell “The Tipping Point”

Q: What is your ideal way to spend the weekend?
A: Resting. Brunching. A few glasses of wine.

Q: How do you relax after a hard day of work?
A: Putting on a good playlist of 80s R&B.

Q: What is one of your biggest pet peeves?
A: I hate when people use the font Arial. It annoys the shit out of me.

Q: What advice would you get to your 20-year-old self? What do you think you would like to tell your current self 10 years from now?
A: I would tell my 20 year old self that everything is going to work out the way it’s supposed to, and that you don’t have to rush anything or manipulate situations to get a certain result. I would tell my 50 year old self, enjoy life to the fullest, you’re on the back 9. Eat what you want, say what you want, go where you want.

Q: Night Owl or Early Riser?
A: Early Riser.

Q: Three people alive or dead that you would have dinner with?
A: Beyonce. Michelle Obama. Kandi from the Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Q: If you convince everyone in the world to do one thing, what would it be?
A: Give $1.00 to finding a cure for breast cancer.

Q: Diamonds or pearls?
A: Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

Q: Who was the last person you send a text to?
A: My mentor.

Q: What is something that you will never do again?
A: Stop talking to my immediate family over anything petty.

Q: Favorite song?
A: This is a hard one. If we’re talking R&B, Jodeci “I’m Still Waiting”. If we’re talking rap, maybe Jay-Z’s “Excuse Me Miss” or Notorious Big “Warning”

Q: Favorite movie?
A: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Q: What’s your favorite country to visit?
A: Bali, Indonesia

Q: Heels or flats?
A: Heels all day.

Here’s my checklist:

Girl, first things first – throw on some music. My go to is always the throwbacks. I throw on a good old school R&B mix of Stephanie Mills, Shalamar, Rene & Angela,

and Toni Braxton – heaven to my soul.

Oh, and did I mention that I love a good cocktail? A French Side Car with gin, is my fav to be exact.

I’m good for lighting candles. IKEA $2.99 Sinnlig candles are some of my favs. I grab a ton of them and place them all over my home for a calm and peaceful environment.

Digital Detox. My goal is to stay off of social media on the weekend unless I’m working or at an event. Things like this are easier said than done, but I’m working on it.

One Bubble Bath a Week. The ultimate goal. One of the girls that work for me just bought me a giant jar of lemongrass bath salts that I can’t wait to dive into.

Last but certainly not least, embrace gratitude. Sometimes we think we have to make or buy something to indulge in self-care, not true. I’ve learned to do things like speak highly of myself to myself. Keep a journal. Read. Breathe. Just be. I get one life to enjoy being human. I choose now.

We. Work. Hard. We stand to earn what’s rightfully ours.

Here’s what I’ve noticed in 2018.

Black women are prioritizing themselves and their health. We are collectively owning and being the best version of ourselves. From Soul Cycle (one of my favs) to yoga, to having cleaner eating habits, it’s safe to say – we’re out here living our best life.

Black women are starting businesses. Nothing makes me happier than supporting my sisters in their ventures. We’re giving back to ourselves. In a world that has a history of tearing us down, we’ve managed to build each other back up. Side hustles, full-time entrepreneurship, and careers – we’re doing what it takes to increase our streams of income.

Black women are paving the way for other black women. We’re actresses, influencers, producers, directors, mayors, senators, and everything in-between. We’re sharing how we did it and the aha moments that got us there along the way. We know that history has shown us that we’re better together than we are apart.

These days I feel like a jet-setter because the work travel never ends. It’s vital that I keep these essentials handy when it’s time for me to jet-set.

My MacBook. This one is a no-brainer. I’ll even go as far as to say that even when I’m not doing business travel, I also have my laptop handy. I’m one of those people who have to snag Wi-Fi on the plane. It’s one of the best places for me to work and focus with no distractions.

TGIN Products. I can’t go anywhere without my travel-size staple beauty products. My lip balm never leaves my purse. Period. Whether it’s just time for a wash or my hair needs tlc, I make sure I have my travel size moist collection.

Chinese Kimono Silk Robe. I love these so much. By far the most comfortable robe I own and it makes me feel like I’m home. It’s nothing like traveling and working all day and coming home to shower and throw this on. It feels like heaven.

Candles. It’s something about them that can change the mood of any room. It’s a part of my self-care ritual [tag self-care post]. It’s convenient to pack a candle and matches to add a little “home” to my travel stay.

Bathing suit. Whether I’m going to Minneapolis or Miami, I always have a swimsuit handy. I never know if I’m going to have a pool at my hotel or on site, but if I do I like to take a quick dip in-between meetings.