Tabla de contenidos para Issue 1 en KOL Social

First and foremost: Welcome to the first issue of The KOL Social where we strive to provide a diverse and often under-represented perspective of beauty, fashion, lifestyle and culture. A collective of cutting edge talent, we bring together people of colour from different backgrounds for an expression of ideas and interpretations. Our ethos is that our team knows no race, gender or lifestyle choices. Inclusivity is who we are. We kick-start with Magical Bones, aka Richard Essien, as our cover story. There are some people who you meet and you just instantly know why they are famous. They have the ‘it’ factor’. Bones is one of those people. He talks about his breakdancing magic on page 26. We thought it would be apt to launch the magazine during Black History…

We invite you to join us for the launch party of The KOL Social Magazine for drinks, food and entertainment. Meet The KOL Social team and members of the Diversity Groups Directory. The celebratory event will take place at Arboretum private members’ club in London’s Covent Garden on 14 November, from 7.30pm until late. Tickets are available at £20. An early bird offer of £15 a ticket, is available until 31 October. For event details and to purchase tickets go to thekolsocial.com/events For more information visit thekolsocial.com…

For more beauty visit: thekolsocial.com/beauty Shade, tone, coverage, finish are just some of the factors to take into consideration when choosing the right foundation for your skin. Do you have oily or dry skin? Or perhaps you have a combination of both. It is a minefield but once you have found your perfect match, it is like winning the lottery. Thanks to Rihanna and a handful of others, the beauty industry has finally realised the huge market for beauty products tailored to people of colour. Here is how to find your flawless. Identify Skin tone Whether you have dark or light skin depends on the amount and type of the pigment melanin produced in the epidermis layer of your skin. There are two types and the relative amounts of each…

1 CAUDALIE VINOPERFECT RADIANCE SERUM Highly concentrated ingredients that reduces signs of skin damage, including sun spots and blemishes. £46, 30ml 3 DR DENNIS GROSS C+ COLLAGEN BRIGHTEN & FIRM VITAMIN C SERUM A gel serum with vitamin C and collagen amino acids that help support skin regeneration and repair. £79, 30ml 2 KIEHL’S CLEARLY CORRECTIVE DARK SPOT SOLUTION Enriched with activated vitamin C, peony extract and white birch extract, to be used twice daily. £38, 30ml 4 ZELENS LUMINOUS BRIGHTENING SERUM A supercharged, complexion-correcting treatment, proven to help hyperpigmentation. £135, 30ml 5 OSKIA RENAISSANCE BRIGHTLIGHT A corrective serum for uneven skin tone – brightening dark spots and diminishing discolouration. £90, 30ml 6 REN READY STEADY GLOW AHA TONIC A resurfacing tonic for a brighter complexion. Use with with sun protection. £25, 250ml 7 SUNDAY RILEY GOOD…

BEAUTY KOL Cosmetics: KOL Cosmetics is an independent online makeup brand that offers both mineral powders and luxury 3D silk eyelashes. Made from the finest natural ingredients, choose from 20 shades of powders that are paraben free and suitable for all lifestyles and religions, including vegan and Halal. The nine styles of natural-looking false eyelash strips are handmade and 100% silk. All products are animal cruelty-free. (kolcosmetics.com) Minority Beauty: An innovative onestop online boutique, Minority Beauty provides a wide range of makeup brands for people of colour enabling customers to find products that are suitable for their skin tone. Established in 2016, the company sources and promotes both independent and well-known brands to provide a variety and to suit different budgets. The high-quality cosmetics are richly pigmented. Njubien: Njubien brings…

THE UK NEEDS YOUR BLACK BLOOD Did you know that only one percent of blood donors in England are black? A shocking, but sadly true, statistic. Blood transfusions are often lifesaving when needed and it is clear we desperately need more black blood donors. The closer matched the blood type the more successful the transfusion and the more lives that are saved. According to the NHS, we need nearly 400 new donors a day to meet demand, around 135,000 new donors a year to replace those who can no longer donate and 40,000 more black donors to meet the growing demand for better-matched blood. Blood donation is not often a topic of conversation but it should be. Talk about it with friends, family and colleagues. Start the conversation. What can…

KALPESH LATHIGRA Multi-award-winning Kalpesh Lathigra is regularly commissioned to shoot documentary essays and portraits of actors, authors and film directors for a variety of prestigious clients. Publications include The New Yorker and New York Times to name just a couple. Check out his incredible portraiture and photojournalism work on his website. In this issue he captures the magic of Richard Essien on page 26 and honours The KOL Social by giving us our first front cover. (kalpeshlathigra.com) ERROL DOUGLAS MBE Hairstylist Errol Douglas MBE, a favourite with clients and industry peers alike, is globally recognised as an ultimate artisan within the hairdressing industry. Renowned for his stunning photographic, session and event work, Errol has won dozens of the world’s most coveted awards. His client list includes the likes of Naomie…

OILY & COMBINATION SKIN A matt formulation minimises excess shine and provides a velvety finish. Use light or medium-coverage formulas to avoid product settling into pores and fine lines. DRY SKIN Look out for words such as “glow” or “luminous” when choosing a foundation and seek formulations with extra skincare ingredients to provide extra nourishment to the skin. FULL COVERAGE For a truly flawless canvas and an Instagram-filter glow opt for a foundation with blurring microsphere technology to reduce visible pore size, fine lines and blemishes SHEER COVERAGE Light foundation to provide you a natural glow. LONGWEAR Foundation that will last from dusk until dawn and offer radiance without looking heavy and dull.…

AFRO: Go big, or go low TO BALDLY GO: Full shave or close crop THE BLOWOUT: Hair Disrupted For more hair news go to thekolsocial.com/hair Dreadlocks: Locs, Stock & Barrel Twists: In a spiral Plaits: Go Beads or Go Bare For more hair news go to thekolsocial.com/hair…

The Wig Gurus’ groundbreaking, innovated lace tint range means that you no longer have to involuntarily advertise the fact that you are wearing a wig. The company specialises in tints that customise lace wigs and hairpieces to people of colour for an undetectable colour match. The innovative, all-inclusive brand is aimed at hair professionals and all products are made with natural hair ingredients. If you would like to get your hands on their products, The Wig Gurus are giving away 5 Stylist On The Go lace tint sets worth £74.99 each. Each set is made up of the complete range of shades in 50ml bottles. For your chance to win a set, go to thekolsocial.com/perks Terms and conditions apply. The Wig Gurus can be found online at: thewiggurus.com…

BLACK HISTORY MONTH A time for reflection and action, Black History Month helps draw attention to subjects that deserve greater recognition year-round. What better time to catch up with black artists, writers and performers? London offers an eclectic mix of art exhibitions, dance, live music and more. 1 ART 1-54 CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART FAIR Founded in 2013 by Touria El Glaoui, daughter of Moroccan painter Hassan El Glaoui, the leading art fair is dedicated to the promotion of contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora, welcoming 45 galleries from around the world. Now in its seventh year, the fair takes its name from the 54 countries that make up the African continent, and the 2019 London edition of the fair will be showcasing the works of more than 150 multidisciplinary…

FREE MAGAZINE YOU JUST PAY FOR POSTAGE TO SUBSCRIBE ORDER ONLINE AT thekolsocial.com/subscribe The offer is valid for UK subscriptions by Direct Debit only. The delivery date of the first magazine is determined by the date on which you order and the date on which the next available issue is published. Each order is acknowledged and you will be advised of first delivery. Any errors made in providing the correct delivery address are the responsibility of the purchaser and The KOL Social is not liable for any consequences if incorrect information is provided. The KOL Social is committed to protecting and maintaining your privacy. You can read the complete Privacy Policy at thekolsocial.com/privacy-and-cookie-policy…

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: KETAN RAVAL, AMOVEO STYLIST: RUDO MASHONGAMHENDE MAKEUP: KOL COSMETICS HAIR: GEORGE CURRAN OF ERROL DOUGLAS LONDON Stage magic and hip-hop. It may seem an odd match, the squeaky-clean, bubble-wrapped arena and the street-tough culture. But, if his unprecedented sold-out performances for a debut act at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival are anything to go by, Magical Bones has successfully pulled the rabbit out of the hat. There is certainly reason to wonder. On the surface, the two acts of entertainment seem remarkably mismatched. The stereotypical image of modern magicians is white, geeky and always armed with a box of tricks; he is the B-boy from South London’s Peckham. The traditional magicians’ primary aim is to entertain with mastered mystery, displaying their talents in surprising and necessarily unforeseeable ways; Bones…

Hyperpigmentation occurs when an excess of melanin, the pigment that produces normal skin colour, forms deposits in the skin. Age or liver spots are a common form and occur due to sun damage. They appear as small darkened patches on areas of the body that are most exposed to the sun, such as the hands and face. Melasma or chloasma spots are larger areas of darkened skin that appear most often as a result of hormonal changes such as pregnancy. Women who take birth control pills may also suffer due to the bodies undergoing a similar hormonal change. Hyperpigmentation can also result from external reasons, such as acne, that may leave dark spots after the condition clears. Other causes may be injuries to the skin, including some surgeries. Affected areas…

At the root of it all, no matter your heritage, everyone’s hair is composed of the same three layers; the cuticle, cortex and medulla; and the fibres aremostly made up with the tough protein keratin. However, hair differs when it comes to race and is commonly broken down into three main categories, determined by ethnicity: Afro, Asian and Caucasian. Each one has its own unique set of characteristics and subcategories. A biracial mix brings in yet another layer with a multitude of textures. The genetic makeup of your locks determines how it looks, what you can do with it and what products work best for you. Decoding your hair type can be confusing so let us start with the basics. When you think about different types of hair, you probably…

Scrubz Of London Natural Body Scrubs smell so good that you will almost want to eat them. In fact, the products are so pure, some of the fruits are actually picked from the founder’s allotment that has been in the family for 25 years. This conscientious skincare brand has gone back to basics, steering clear of chemicals and instead uses food-grade ingredients, making their products in small batches. What’s more, there are 39 delicious flavours to choose from, and counting. Founded by Nina Simao who is of Jamaican/Mozambique heritage and based in south east London, the company is committed to making face and body exfoliating products that do not cost the earth or your health. Its sugar and salt scrubs leave the skin soft and glowing for as little as…

How did Ordinary People come to be? It was sparked by reading John Updike’s novel Couples and wanting to create a similar examination of relationships and marital angst in the context of modern black British middleclass London life. I chose 2008-2009 as the year-span because I wanted to document the election of Barack Obama and the death of Michael Jackson. It was a very tough novel to write, drafting essential scenes and gradually weaving them together until there was a structure in place that I could work with. Was the book inspired by your own experience? It’s often the experience of something that is too big to be contained within ordinary life that brings me to write. In this case there were certain things I wanted to express and explore…