Dressing up was at once both Mami’s idea, and not. Her vanity is so deeply rooted in the Dominican culture of decency and propriety that it’s practically encoded in her DNA. . .
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Essays
Unlearning my experiences as a South Asian woman
Growing up, summers meant time with family in India. During the day I would visit different relatives’ houses, eating delicious, fresh food and various temples around Chennai. It’s a city in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, where my parents, uncles, aunts, and grandparents were born and raised — and where I’ve always felt safe,…
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My Mexican Family Embraced Lime in Their Beauty Rituals
Years later I return to lime and sugar when depression runs deep, and hygiene and maintenance seem miles away…
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Call Me by My Given Name
How one Nigerian name became a catalyst for self-discovery.
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My Heritage Tattoos Reconnected Me with My Algerian Roots
A personal history on the tradition of facial tattoos practiced by the Indigenous Imazighen people.
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Brown Girl Hands Makes Space for Black Individuality in Beauty
Founder Hannah Harris is paving the way for the next generation of Black women and brands to rise.
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How I Learned Self-Care Despite My Immigrant Mother’s Asceticism
Because there’s a difference between survival, self-preservation, and self-care.
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The Beauty of “In-Between” Skin Tones
If my skin were a cup of coffee, it would be Bustelo with a dash of cream. Add a pinch of brown sugar, and there you have it. A perfectly in-between blend of light cocoa and cinnamon tones. This is the skin with which I was born, an olive-caramel hue that exists between worlds — and…
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