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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Heritage
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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What I Want the Beauty Community to Know Right Now
Last week, I was asked to provide a quote for an article for Fashionista.com — with the aim to speak to the beauty industry/community as a whole and share my thoughts, feelings, frustrations, or reflections. Below is my reflection and response. — Alice Where do I begin? There are so many things that I want…
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Dreaming in Gujarati
By Shailja Patel The children in my dreamsspeak in Gujaratiturn their trusting faces to the sunsay to mecare for us nurture usin my dreams I shudder and I run. I am sixin a playground of white childrenDarkie, sing us an Indian song!Eightin a roomful of eldersall mock my broken GujaratiEnglish girl! Twelve, I tunnel into…
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The South African Healers Bringing an Ancient Practice Online
How a group of digitally-savvy practitioners are modernizing a traditional African healing modality — despite decades of stigma.
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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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Black Hair at Home: Kim Mupangilaï
In part two of “Black Hair at Home,” we consider how the pandemic has forced black women to have an aesthetic and philosophical reckoning. Since lockdown, we’ve had to ask ourselves: What happens when we suddenly decide to let colleagues see our natural hair? How does learning — or relearning — how to nurture and…
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