African beauty
Asnaketch Worku: The Ethiopian Music Legend You Need to Know
In the vibrant, smoky nightclubs of 1950s and 60s Addis Ababa, a sound would rise above the chatter, a soulful, piercing melody from a one-stringed fiddle. The crowds would hush. All eyes would turn to the stage, not to a man, the expected master of the instrument, but to a woman whose presence was as […]
Are Box Braids Still Braids? When Cultural Appreciation Becomes Exploitation
You see it everywhere. On runways, in music videos, on your favorite reality TV stars. Box braids, Fulani cornrows, Bantu knots, hairstyles with deep roots in the African diaspora are having a “moment.” Again. For many of us, this sight is a complex cocktail of pride and frustration. There’s a sense of, “Finally, the world sees […]
The Unwavering Stand of Caster Semenya: A Champion Redefining Victory
In the world of elite athletics, victory is traditionally measured in hundredths of a second, gold medals, and shattered records. But for South Africa’s Caster Semenya, a two-time Olympic champion, the most profound victory has been won not on the track, but in the global court of public opinion and human rights, forcing a long-overdue […]
Grey Hair, Don’t Care: Redefining Aging in Beauty Culture
For centuries, many women have been told a single story about aging: that it is something to fear, to fight, to hide. Wrinkles must be “fixed.” Grey hairs must be dyed away. Skin must be stretched, tightened, and corrected until it no longer looks like it belongs to a human being who has lived a […]
The Freedom of Bare Skin: Why Makeup Should Be a Choice, Not a Mask
For centuries, as women have gazed into mirrors, the reflection looking back has sparked endless debates, fierce judgments, and complex political discussions. Our faces have served as canvases, illustrating both personal expression and societal imperatives. Makeup, with its vibrant shimmer and rich pigments, has journeyed through time as a form of art, a sacred ritual, […]
Ayra Starr: The Gen Z Powerhouse
When Sarah Oyinkansola Aderibigbe, who is widely celebrated as Ayra Starr, takes the stage, the world can’t help but listen. With her enchanting, “silky yet sturdy” voice, bold fashion choices, and an unapologetic spirit, the 23-year-old Nigerian sensation has emerged as one of Afropop’s most radiant stars. Bursting onto the scene with her debut EP, […]
The Beauty of Becoming
We live in a world obsessed with erasure. Erasing wrinkles, erasing scars, erasing stretch marks, erasing body hair, erasing the skin that doesn’t glow under ring lights. Every billboard screams, “Fix this, hide that, shrink here, smooth there.” And women around the world are told that beauty is a battle they can never stop fighting. […]
The Mirror Was Stolen: How Colonialism and Media Distorted Black Women’s Self-Image
Being a Black woman and loving yourself has never been a simple act of vanity. It has always been an act of resistance. For centuries, the world has told us that our hair is too coarse, our skin too dark, our lips too full, our bodies too much. At every turn, society suggested that we […]
Sisterhood: Why Adult Friendships Fade, and How to Keep Them Alive
On a Tuesday afternoon, you pick up your phone with the intention of sending your best friend a “thinking of you” message. But then, an unsettling hesitation washes over you. It dawns on you that it’s been months since you last spoke, not due to a falling out, but because life has a way of […]
Tems: The Voice That Shook the World
Picture this: an artist who builds their throne out of voice, style, and sheer audacity, and then invites the world to bow. That’s Tems for you.She isn’t only making waves; she’s revolutionizing the entire soundscape. Temilade Openiyi, widely recognized by her stage name Tems, was born on June 11, 1995, in Lagos, Nigeria. As a […]