First, there was Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop, her infamous lifestyle site. Other actresses got in on the lifestyle brands, such as Reese Witherspoon with Draper James and Blake Lively with Preserve. But now a number of black celebrities are showing up as lifestyle experts in their own right.
Laila Ali
It was recently announced that Laila Ali, four-time boxing world champion, will be the new host of Home Made Simple, the Emmy-winning lifestyle program on OWN. Ali, who is also a cookbook author and hosts a weekly podcast, Laila Ali Lifestyle, takes over when the program returns for its new season on Nov. 4.
“I am thrilled to join the OWN family as the new host of Home Made Simple,” Ali said in a press release. “Being able to merge my passion for cooking with my longtime love of interior design and the desire I have to help families, all on a network created by Oprah Winfrey, a woman I have always admired, is truly an honor.”
Rashida Jones and her Away: Edition RJ luggage (Photo courtesy of Away)
Rashida Jones
Actress Rashida Jones is an expert jet-setter. Her love of travel was even documented on The Getaway, along with other black celebrities such as Aisha Taylor, Eve, and Yasiin Bey. She recently put all that experience to work when she teamed up with Away on a capsule collection of luggage, packing cubes, and a travel tote based on her travels to Stockholm.
Tamera Mowry
Tamera Mowry, co-host of daytime talk show The Real, does more than “real talk” on her website, TameraMowry.com. The wife and mother of two is equally adept at dispensing advice on family, healthy living, home decor, and fashion and beauty. It’s clear the lifestyle gene runs in the family, though, as her twin sister, Tia, hosts Tia Mowry at Home on the Cooking Channel.
Ashley Madweke (Photo courtesy of Ring My Bell)
Ashley Madweke
London-born actress Ashley Madweke, best known for her role on ABC’s Revenge, has been chronicling her love of all things stylish for almost a decade now. Her site, Ring My Bell, is where she posts her style inspirations, personal style, beauty, and other lifestyle tips.