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Unwrap Your Beauty with Unwrapped Life Zero-Waste Hair Care

August 13, 2019/0 Comments/in Beauty, Haircare, Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Product Reviews /by Glasgow Skinner

If you aren’t aware (and we really hope you are), we’re battling to save the planet from our garbage. It is said that the ocean contains over 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic; who knows what that number grows to when you calculate the plastic we have on land. While it’s great to have companies like 4ocean and The Ocean Cleanup that are actively cleaning our oceans and coastlines, our best solution would be to eliminate the use of plastic. If you counted the empty bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, etc you throw away. What would your number be? What if you could eliminate your use of those plastic bottles and still enjoy fantastic hair care and beauty products!! With the beauty products from Unwrapped Life zero-waste hair care, you can.

Unwrapped Life founder Hayley McKenzie and her best friend/co-founder Arden Teasdale decided to find ways to cut single-use plastic out of their lives. After trying out other brands and noticing a gap in solid hair bars for all hair lengths and types, they decided to formulate their own; ones that would work amazingly well on all hair types. The result is soft, manageable healthy hair for 100% great hair days.

These shampoo and conditioner bars are specifically formulated for certain hair types and concerns. They work wonders without stripping the hair of natural oils.

The Balancer hair bars not only normalizes hair follicle activity, but it also promotes stronger hair by amping up collagen production and providing nutrition to your roots.
The Detoxifier hair bars cleanse and tone with the power of activated charcoal. Moisturizing and conditioning properties of soothing aloe vera, apricot seed, and hemp seed oil, leave your hair smooth and hydrated.
The Fixer hair bars reduce scalp inflammation, neutralizes free radical damage and oxidative stress, all while blocking DHT to help prevent hair loss. You are left with hair that is stronger and more resilient.
The Hydrator bars works to treat scalp ailments, including dryness, eczema, psoriasis, and rashes; plus we all know that a healthy scalp equals healthy hair. The Hydrator bars are especially wonderful for curly and kinky hair.
The Stimulator bars boasts ingredients that soak up oils, toxic substances, and impurities from your scalp and hair; these ingredients also stimulate the scalp by bringing fresh blood to damaged skin cells, revitalizing your hair.

The Unwrapped Life solid hair bars provide 50-75 washes with proper care and storage. They replace 2-3 16oz bottles of traditional liquid product! They all feature 100% essential oils, are vegan, cruelty-free, color-safe, and can be used with extensions. Your hair will look good, while you’re doing good.

If you love the idea of using earth-friendly, low-waste, and plastic-free beauty products, try Unwrapped Life’s other products. We know you’ll love their sugar scrubs and reusable organic bamboo rounds.

Kenneth Cole Launches Mankind Legacy Fragrance

August 7, 2019/0 Comments/in Beauty, Celebrities, Events, Lifestyle /by Dynelle Skinner

We don’t normally cover many things for men, but when it involves meeting a fashion icon, the answer is always yes. We had the pleasure of being invited to the launch of the new Kenneth Cole fragrance, Mankind Legacy, with the famed fashion designer. Set against the stunning skyline of downtown NYC, the fashionable came out to celebrate the new fragrance for men.

Mankind Legacy by Kenneth Cole is a spicy woody fragrance for men with a global ingredient list. Partnering with perfumer Stephen Nilsen, they brought together notes from nine different countries to create this fragrance. Mankind Legacy opens with citrus and icy aromatic notes of sage that provides a lively freshness and surge of energy; comforting rosemary follows, imparting a feeling of well-being. Warm, reassuring notes of vetiver and Amyris create a long-lasting scent that asserts confidence.

“The inspiration to create this fragrance came from the notion that legacy-building is not about what we might achieve one day, it’s about what we can accomplish every day,” says Kenneth Cole, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer at Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc. “I believe that we live in a complicated world with increasing possibilities, and as more and more people determine their purpose and realize their potential, the more meaningful it all becomes.”

Nilsen states, “While the finely crafted scent fits the Kenneth Cole brand legacy of impeccable grooming, it is the emotional legacy we impart that I wanted to capture in a scent.”

The men’s Eau de Toilette boasts top notes from France, Italy, and Indonesia; middle notes from Canada, California, and Morocco; and base notes from Haiti, Tunisia, and the Dominican Republic.

The fragrance notes include:

TOP NOTES – Clary Sage, Mandarin Oil, and Nutmeg Oil
MID NOTES – Fir Balsam, Pink Pepper, and Rosemary
BASE NOTES – Amyris, Vetiver, and Atlas Cedarwood

The packaging is inspired by New York City’s iconic architecture and ever-evolving facades. The bottle is encased in a metal band; reminiscent of the steel infrastructure that holds these buildings together for the years. The blue color represents the water and sky reflecting off of the metallic buildings. Mr. Cole addressed the crowd at the launch event, getting us more acquainted with his new men’s eau de toilette. Check out the video below:

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A post shared by Mademoiselle Skinner (@guestlistblog) on Sep 10, 2019 at 12:13am PDT

Mankind Legacy is available now in 1.7 oz./50mL and 3.4 oz./100mL at www.kennethcole.com.

The Root of It All: Revlon Root Erase Permanent Root Touch-Up

August 4, 2019/0 Comments/in Beauty, Frontpage Article, Haircare, Lifestyle /by Glasgow Skinner

Do you know that annoying time in-between your hair coloring visits when your grey roots are visible? Well, there’s a new Revlon product on the market to help you make that in-between time a distant memory. The best part, you achieve your color without the mess and the expense of that color touch-up salon visit. You can literally get to the root of it all with the new Revlon Root Erase Permanent Root Touch-Up.

Here are a few key features and benefits of the Revlon’s Permanent Root Erase. They include:

Simple and easy to use with no prep required and no mess to clean up – just pump, mix and apply; a professional, quality reusable brush that’s included for easy application of the touch-up; powerful enough to cover 100% gray roots in as few as 5 minutes; and a permanent formula that seamlessly matches leading hair color shades. Available in 13 shades, you’ll love how easy it is to make those gray strands disappear. Plus, you get three uses out of one box of Revlon’s Permanent Root Erase (you get 3 pairs of gloves in the kit), so when those pesky gray hairs return, you’ll be ready.

The Revlon Root Erase Permanent Root Touch-Up come in these available shades:

Black
Dark Brown
Burgundy
Dark Auburn/Reddish Brown
Medium Brown
Medium Ash Brown
Medium Golden Brown
Medium Auburn/Reddish Brown
Light Brown
Light Golden Brown
Dark Blonde
Medium Blonde
Light Blonde

How easy is it to use? Just pump the can, mix the formula in the cap (yes, the cap doubles as a mixing bowl), and apply to your gray roots. Could your gray hairs use a little permanent erasing? Then the Revlon Permanent Root Erase is exactly what you need. We love that it features a minimal odor, saves you from spending all that time at the salon, and blends wonderfully with your natural hair color. friends an family will think you made a trip to the salon.

The Revlon Root Erase Permanent Root Touch-Up retails for $12.99 per kit and is available at Walgreens, Rite Aid, Target, Walmart, CVS, and www.amazon.com.

Brand Ambassador Reuben de Maid Launch NEW W7 Cosmetics Products

August 1, 2019/0 Comments/in Beauty, Events, Lifestyle, Product Reviews /by Glasgow Skinner

We love being introduced to new beauty brands, especially if they are budget-friendly and offer a vast variety. We can’t help but get excited when we are introduced to what could be our new favorite beauty find. And that is exactly what happened when we were invited to celebrate W7 Cosmetics and their new Brand Ambassador, YouTube sensation, Reuben de Maid.

For those note familiar with brand ambassador Reuben de Maid, he is a 14-year-old UK-based, YouTube sensation and makeup artist who got his break on The Ellen Show. Created by two entrepreneurial young men from London, UK, W7 Cosmetics is known for its array of highly pigmented eyeshadow palettes, budget beauty dupes and playful, design-focused products. W7 Cosmetics delivers high-quality cosmetics at an affordable price.

The budget-friendly makeup brand boasts a collection of over 500 products, none of which are tested on animals. The product range includes nail polish, foundations, lipsticks and glosses, eyeshadows and palettes, plus an extensive offering of mascaras. We’re in love with their almost unlimited range of mascaras (we’re currently obsessing over their Glitter Flash gold mascara).

On an even more personal level, we love the range of product available under their Ebony Collection, formulated for darker skin tones. Products in this range include Foundations, Concealers, and Powders.

But back to the palettes. We’ve never seen so many varieties from one beauty brand. W7 Cosmetics has every eye and lip palettes you can imagine. It’s like palette heaven. We had a chance to play a little with a few of the products and we love everything.

You’ll be addicted to the limited edition Socialite Eyeshadow Palette; this multi-textured pressed pigment palette features a range of 18 pressed nude pigments. It includes 10 creamy matte shades, 4 duo-chrome shades, 2 pressed glitter shades, 1 shimmer shade, and 1 concealer.

We also had the pleasure of speaking with Reuben de Maid about W7 Cosmetics, his favorite products from the brand and product collaborations between him and the brand.

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@w7makeupus’s New Brand Ambassador @reubendemaid talk about his favorite #w7cosmetics #makeup products. #beauty #cosmetics #youtuber #beautyonabudget #mylifeonandofftheguestlist #qanda #w7makeup #video

A post shared by Mademoiselle Skinner (@guestlistblog) on Sep 2, 2019 at 1:57am PDT

Urban Skin Rx: Skincare From The Melanin Skin Experts

July 28, 2019/0 Comments/in Beauty, Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Product Reviews, Skincare /by Glasgow Skinner

Everyone has heard the famous line “Black don’t crack”; while it’s true that the melanin in African American skin helps in looking younger, black skin still needs nurturing. Black may not crack but it does bruise. While we may look younger, black men and women can still be plagued with skin issues. These include acne, enlarged pores, hyperpigmentation and other common concerns seen in darker skin tones. Thankfully, there is a solution. Urban Skin Rx is a clinical skincare line founded by medical aesthetician Rachel Roff. It is a skincare range of scientifically researched corrective skincare products for all skin tones and colors.

We are currently trying out three skincare products from Urban Skin Rx – Combination Skin Cleansing Bar, Clear & Even Tone Clarifying Glycolic Pads, and the Even Tone Super Glow Serum. Keep on reading for more information on these products and our take on them:

Combination Skin Cleansing Bar, $24.00 – the Urban Skin Rx Cleansing Bars are also known as “treatment bars in a jar” because that’s exactly what they are. The 3-in-1 Combination Skin Cleansing Bar is a smoothing, hydrating cleansing treatment. It improves the appearance of rough skin, aging skin and eczema-prone skin. It works as a daily cleanser, mask, and exfoliator thanks to its rich, thick lather and exfoliating sponge.

You don’t need much of the solid brown cleansing bar to get a deep clean, and it boasts a light fennel scent. It left our skin looking brighter and left it felt clean, but not tight or dry. We love a multitasking beauty product and this Urban Skin Rx cleanser is an effective time-saver.

Clear & Even Tone Clarifying Glycolic Pads, $32.00- thanks to a powerful combination of Glycolic acid, Lactic acid, and Salicylic acid, the Urban Skin Rx Clear & Even Tone Clarifying Glycolic Pads effectively exfoliates dead skin cells, promotes even-looking skin tone, removes excess oil, and leaves behind a skin cleansing formula. It will take time to see the full benefits of using the pads but personal experience tells us that Glycolic acid smooths the appearance of skin. You’ll experience a slight initial tingling, which disappears just as quickly.

Even Tone Super Glow Serum, $26.00 – last but not least is the Urban Skin Rx Even Tone Super Glow Serum; a brightening and anti-aging antioxidant powerhouse. It is the perfect blend of ingredients which work together to improve the appearance of dark spots, sun damage and the effects of aging. It has an earthy scent to it, a faint citrus scent, but more eathy, a lot like aged orange rinds. Upon first application, it can feel a bit sticky but it absorbs fairly quickly into the skin. As sufferers of uneven skin tones, we can’t wait to be free from the issues that plague our darker skin.

Our fellow melanin-gifted, if you are looking for effective skincare for your skin tone needs, try Urban Skin Rx.

Crowned In Curls: Naturalicious Hello Gorgeous 3-Step Hair Care System

July 22, 2019/0 Comments/in Beauty, Haircare, Lifestyle, Product Reviews /by Glasgow Skinner

Ladies, how would you describe your curly hair? Do you have tight curls and coils or do you have medium to loose curls and waves? Fact is, not all curls are not created equal; actually, not all hair is created equal. Even twins can have different textures, curl patterns, etc. So how do you, the curly-haired, keep your curly locks at their best? With the Naturalicious Hello Gorgeous 3-Step Hair Care System of course! Depending on your curl type, there is a Naturalicious Hello Gorgeous Hair Care System that’s best for your curly hair.

Naturalicious has two Hello Gorgeous 3-Step Hair Care Systems, one for Tight Curls & Coils and the other for Medium to Loose Curls & Waves. Not only do these products smell incredible, but they are also multitasking masters that love your hair. The Naturalicious Hello Gorgeous Hair Care for Tight Curls & Coils (pictured above) is designed for more coily and kinky hair textures, which require deeper moisturizing and hydration while allowing the hair to move and not be stiff.

The Naturalicious Hello Gorgeous Hair Care for Medium to Loose Curls & Waves is less dense, which prevents the “weigh down” that often occurs for fine hair textured naturals when looking for a deeply moisturizing product. Get to know the products that are sure to make your curls happy, below:

Step 1: Moroccan Rhassoul 5-in-1 Clay Treatment

This 2-in-1 replaces five products in your hair regimen: it’s a detoxifying cleanser, a smoothing conditioner, a detangler, a deep conditioner, and does the work of a leave-in-conditioner ALL AT ONCE! It’s created with mega-hydrating Rhassoul Clay straight from Morocco, removes excess toxins, impurities and buildup, which means shinier, healthier hair, and is available as follows: 2oz/$8.00, 8oz/$23.00, and 16oz/$36.00 when sold separately from Hello Gorgeous System.

Step 2: Moisture Infusion Styling Creme

The Moisture Infusion Styling Creme replaces a moisturizer, a styling creme, and a heat protectant. It stops brittleness, breakage, split ends and shedding. Boasting coconut oil, sunflower oil, and vitamin E that condition your tresses, promote healthy hair growth, and encourage length retention. Get this incredible smelling styling creme as follows: 2oz/$8.00, 4oz/$20.00, and 8oz/$33.00 when sold separately from Hello Gorgeous System.

Step 3: Divine Shine Moisture Lock

The Divine Shine Moisture Lock contains Spanish almond regrowth oil aids in growing, thickening, and strengthening hair, Safflower oil to fight frizz, and extra virgin olive oil to lock in moisture 3 times as long. We love the fact that it can be used both as regular moisturizing oil and hot oil. Get the 2oz/$8.00 and the 4oz/$18.00 when sold separately from Hello Gorgeous System.

The products from both these lines are made without Sulfates, Parabens, Gluten, Mineral Oil, Phthalates and are cruelty-free. You can get all three products in either Naturalicious Hello Gorgeous Hair Care System for $56.00 each. Get these products at www.ULTA.com, select Whole Foods, Sally Beauty Supply and www.naturalicious.net.

Glow On Girl: Beauty Essentials To Keep You Glowing All Summer

July 21, 2019/0 Comments/in Beauty, Haircare, Lifestyle, Skincare /by Glasgow Skinner

Are your beauty products summer-proof? As you can tell from the sweltering summer heat, summer is in full effect, how are your beauty products holding up? Whether you’re staying home this summer or traveling on a wonderful getaway, we wanted to make sure you had all the best beach, pool and travel bag beauty essentials for wherever the summer takes you. Today we’re highlighting skincare, haircare, fragrance, and makeup to keep you glowing all summer long from Joico, Sol de Janeiro, Benefit Cosmetics, Prada Fragrances, and Carolina Herrera Fragrances.

These wonderful products will keep you survive the sweltering summer temperatures with ease and keep your ready for whatever the summer throws at you. Get to know what will be your new favorite products below:

Joico Defy Damage Collection

Four at-home care products that will instantly give hair a softer, healthier feel to the touch and protect hair against harmful UV exposure for those long days at the beach. All four Joico products are available now at www.ulta.com.

Defy Damage Protective Shampoo, $18.50 – a rich, luxurious lather, this gentle daily cleanser protects hair both in the salon and at home with damage-prevention ingredients; swiftly sloughing away dirt, impurities, and build-up without roughing up the hair cuticle or stripping vibrant color.
Defy Damage Protective Conditioner, $19.50 – Replenish moisture and build resilience every day with Defy Damage Conditioner without weighing hair down.
Defy Damage Protective Masque, $21.50 – a hair masque that goes deep to infuse hair with a brilliant, bond-strengthening defense.
Defy Damage Protective Shield, $20.99 – a true damage defense hero against the harsh effects of daily styling and exposure to UV and environmental pollution that helps prevent damage and guards against color fade for beautiful, vibrant, healthy-looking hair.

Sol de Janeiro

Give your skin some SOL-shine and stock up on Sol de Janeiro’s body-loving products that will keep your skin glowing all summer long. There are so many products to love from this brand, we invite you to start your Brazilian love affair at www.soldejaneiro.com.

Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, $45.00 – cult-favorite all-over body cream that absorbs quickly to help visibly tighten the appearance of skin.
Samba Foot Fetish Cream, $27.00 – Includes Smoothing Board & Fast-Absorbing Non-Slip Foot Fetish Cream.
Brazilian Touch Hand Cream, $15.00 – fast-absorbing hand, nail & cuticle care that with Cupuacu butter and brazil nut. Winter skin? Never heard of it.
Brazilian Bod Buff, $25.00 – Smoothing scrub and mask for touch-me-now Brazilian babe skin.
Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel, $25.00 – an intoxicatingly scented shower cream-gel deeply cleanses and hydrates; leaving all skin types soft and silky.
Glowmotions Glow Oils, $35.00 – Skin-softening Glow Oils with Brazilian-style Shimmer for a year-round glow. You may remember our previous coverage on the amazing glow oils.
Brazilian Crush, $32.00 – body fragrance mist that smells like summer all year-round.

Benefit Cosmetics Feathered & Full Brows Kit, $34.00

This kit bundles all of Benefit’s must-have products; it offers full-sized Precisely, My Brow Pencil, full-sized Gimme Brow+, a mini 24-Hour Brow Setter and 2 brow stencils, offering three shade options (1, 3 and 5). Get yours before it sells out at www.sephora.com.

Prada Candy Night Eau de Parfum, $94.00

Embrace the latest from the Prada Candy family, Prada Candy Night. Its Neroli, Iris, Bitter Orange, Tonka bean, Vanilla, and Patchouli notes will leave you smelling sweet, sexy and summer-ready. Prada Candy Night is a declaration of liberated indulgence and nocturnal intrigue. Get the latest Prada Candy at www.macys.com.

Carolina Herrera GOOD GIRL Legere, $117.00

The latest edition of the incredibly successful GOOD GIRL EDP; we’re completely in love with this new juice. You may remember reading our ode to this sultry Carolina Herrera Eau de parfum. It boasts the same stiletto design with a new, gradient glass bottle – it’s the ultimate summer fragrance must-have. Get yourself a bottle at www.macys.com.

Black-Owned Cannabis Brands That Deserve Your Coins

July 15, 2019/0 Comments/in Beauty, Food, Frontpage Article, Health and Wellness, Lifestyle /by Contributing Writer

When we consider certain legal statistics, it speaks leagues about how our criminal justice system works — or fails. One 2017 study found that women commit 51% of embezzlement crimes. This may be surprising to the average person, but those who prosecute these cases likely know it well. A statistic that has been historically ignored on all fronts, however, is the disproportionate rate at which black people are convicted and unequally prosecuted because of marijuana.

According to an analysis from the ACLU, black people are 3.73 times more likely than white people to be arrested for marijuana-related offenses, despite roughly equal usage rates. As it becomes decriminalized and completely legalized in more states, this conversation is very slowly moving towards reparations for the people and communities who have been unjustly and disproportionately affected by the criminalization of marijuana. Black lawmakers in New York State have even pushed to bar marijuana legalization unless the bill contains provisions for these reparations. Not only does this attention align with the 100-year tradition of state courts looking to evidence of legislative intent when construing state law, but it could help the large communities of people of color in the state, especially in New York City. Before the bill goes through, lawmakers want to ensure that it promotes community reinvestment and minority participation in the presently-booming cannabis industry. This would include job training programs and prioritizing licenses to people in black and Latinx communities who have been hit hardest by strict marijuana laws in the past.

photo from officialblackwallstreet.com

As the track record of those who’ve benefited from marijuana legalization in this country shows, these provisions are more than fair. Black people have owned and founded less than 5% of all cannabis businesses that have cropped up in the states where the drug is legal, while white people own 81% of the businesses. Estimates show that the market for medical marijuana alone in New York State is about $3.1 billion, but without any legal provisions the vast majority of the profits would likely end up in the pockets of wealthy white people in Manhattan high-rises who haven’t faced decades-long sentences for a non-violent marijuana charge. If recreational marijuana is ever legalized in the state, anyone who has had even minor charges for possessing a joint’s worth of weed — namely people of color police has historically targeted — wouldn’t be eligible to work in the legal cannabis industry. While lawmakers work to fight these policies that bar those who have been disproportionately punished for being involved in an illegal industry now being made legal, there are many fantastic cannabis businesses owned and operated by black people. Let’s dive into just a few of the many black-owned businesses in the cannabis industry that deserves your financial support.

CBD

Short for cannabidiol, CBD is a chemical compound that comes from the cannabis plant. It is not psychoactive like THC, the part of the cannabis plant that’s responsible for creating the “high” effect of marijuana. Instead, CBD is used in oils and edibles to create a feeling of relaxation and calm. CBD can even be useful in reducing pain and inflammation, controlling epileptic seizures, and possibly even treating addictions and mental illness. Many different businesses and products use CBD nowadays, as it becomes further integrated into the wellness community. Undefined Beauty is a black-owned business specializing in CBD beauty oil. Its debut product is Indigo Rose Glow Elixir, a lightweight oil with a rose scent. Founder Dorian Morris is a beauty industry veteran who knows how expensive CBD products can be and fights against that with affordable pricing. As the company unveils more CBD-infused, cruelty-free, and vegan products, Morris sees them threading a message of social awareness while providing customers with accessible and relaxing options to indulge in CBD.

Dispensaries

With the legalization of recreational marijuana, dispensaries are popping up everywhere. About 17 million acres of forest land will be lost permanently to development and urbanization in the next five decades, but every other person seems to want to grow a forest of their own in modern greenhouses and grower’s rooms. While many white people have latched on to this trend, there are plenty of great black-owned dispensaries. Located in Denver, Simply Pure was the first black woman-owned dispensary in the city. Wanda James and Scott Durrah opened the dispensary in 2010, serving vegan edibles, flowers, and operating a small-batch farm. Their farm even earned the title of Best Flavor Champion at Colorado’s 2018 The Grow Off Competition. Notable marijuana-loving celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Whoopi Goldberg, and Wiz Khalifa have also opened dispensaries as legalization has spread throughout the country.

Culinary Experiences, T-Shirts, And More

Any long-time marijuana enthusiast knows the joy of combining the recreational drug with some good eats. With the U.S. food and drink industry sitting at a value of nearly $7.99 billion, anyone with an eye for business could spot this opportunity to combine the two professionally. Entrepreneur Doug Cohen and chef Miguel Trinidad recognized this profitable pairing and started 99th Floor, a premier dining experience in which Trinidad prepares a five-course meal infused with cannabis. Much like wine is used to enhance a meal, Cohen advertises 99th Floor as a way to experience food in a completely new light. They’ve designed the overall meal as a progression of micro-dosing, with about 3 mg of cannabis per course. Trinidad’s incredible culinary skills have made the venture rather well-known and very tasty. For anyone who wants to support black entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry but maybe doesn’t enjoy the green themselves, head to Girls Who Canna. This e-commerce site is filled with goods, such as cards, t-shirts, pillows, mugs, and bags, that feature fun and innovative cannabis-themed designs. Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for your stoner bestie or you want a few things for yourself, you’ll know that you’re supporting black women in the cannabis industry. While the government and lawmakers get their bills in line, you can make a positive impact on black entrepreneurs by directing your hard-earned money towards their businesses. Even the smallest contribution makes a difference. You’ll benefit as well as you fly high on the knowledge that you gave much-needed support — and maybe on a little bit of cannabis too.