Essence Festival 2016 - Day 1 (Curls and Conversations)

It's that time of the year when tons of beautiful people meet up in the Big Easy for some good music, fierce fashion, empowering conversations, and delicious food. It's Essence Festival Time!

I'm so excited to be able to participate in the Essence Festival festivities as a blogger. It's different from the other thousands of times I have attended the event because now I'm looking at everything and everyone with a more artistic, keen eye. I'm constantly turning my head and checking out styles, hair-dos, and different cultures. Just seeing all of the beautiful people in one place is amazing. The Essence Festival is one of those places where everything about our culture is accepted, and this is one of the main reason why I love this event.

On yesterday, I got the opportunity to attend an exclusive event (Curls and Conversations) for the hair company, Design Essentials. The purpose of this event was to promote their natural hair product line, Design Essentials Natural, which aims to conquer dryness in natural hair. Celebrities such as singer Chrisette Michele, actor and author Hill Harper, and Saints and Sinners star Christian Keyes, to name a few, were in attendance and enjoying the atmosphere like everyone else. The event included cocktails, h'orderves, beauty tips and giveaways, massages, and a live deejay. Let's get into the event below.

Design Essentials Natural - Curls and Conversations

Pictured above is the Design Essentials Coconut & Monoi Nourishing Shampoo. This product cleans and conditions you hair while locking in the necessary moisture. You can find this product in Sally's Beauty Supply stores along with other Design Essential Natural products.

Above is what I wore to the event. You will get a better look at the outfit further down. It is a very old romper that I pulled out of the back of my closet (couldn't find any similar ones for your guys, sorry!) and my shoes were from Steve Madden. Also, as you can see, the humidity attacked my hair before I could make it through the door of the event (Louisiana problems). That didn't kill my swag at all - the bigger...the better!

Design Essentials Natural - Curls and Conversations (Christian Keyes and Chrisette Michele)

Actor Christian Keyes and singer Chrisette Michele. Chrisette recently dropped a new album, Milestone. Check it out...her music is usually on point.

The company above (Jones and Rose) specializes in natural bath and body products. I received a sample of their Body Custard that is made with shea butter, cocoa butter, and coconut oils. This stuff made my skin instantly more softer! And it actually smells good enough to eat! Visit their website for more products and information.

Hey makeup lovers, don't you get mad when you make your face up all pretty and then you have to pull a piece of clothing over your head only to mess up your fab creation? Well fret no more! The Glam Face Savers, pictured above, will allow you to pull your garment over your head without getting a smidgen of makeup out of place...clever huh?

I was crushing on the beautiful dress above by Funky Flair Boutique. It had a kind of vintage vibe to it.

Delicious roasted chicken on a stick.

Design Essentials Natural - Curls and Conversations - www.chicnaturalistas.com

As you can see from the pictures, the ladies were not playing with their natural hair-dos....they came to slay. And slay, they did.

If you know anything about the streets and sidewalks in New Orleans, you know that your feet, in heels, on that concrete is blasphemy. Knowing this, I packed a pair of comfortable shoes to accommodate my look and feet. There is nothing like an outfit that can go from dressy to casual in a minute - multi-functional fashion at its best!

Stay tuned for the second part of my Essence Festival adventures.....I'll be back soon. Laters!

- Samjah Iman