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Painted by Esther’s Journey From Art School to Hollywood
While each product featured is independently selected by our editors, we may include paid promotion. If you buy something through our links, we may earn commission. Read more about our Product Review Guidelines here. It’s after 9PM in London, and famed makeup artist Ngozi Esther Edeme is chatting with me on a video call about her journey in the industry. Currently on tour with Brandy & Monica, she’s speaking to the work ethic that has landed her in such major rooms. The 28-year-old, best known as Painted by Esther, has dominated the beauty scene recently thanks to her work with Olandria Carthen during her press run for the “Love Island…
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Best Ami Colé Makeup, According to Beauty Editors
Shelcy Joseph is a former associate fashion editor at Popsugar, and a self-proclaimed fashion student with a passion for interviewing minority designers and offering informed takes on style and business. She is also the co-founder of NYCXCLOTHES, a successful fashion and lifestyle storytelling platform dedicated to increasing Black and Brown representation in influencer marketing. She has extensive experience in editorial, social media marketing, and commerce writing. In her free time, she loves to hunt down vintage decor pieces and cook new recipes. Jessica C. Andrews (she/her) is an award-winning editor and writer who currently works as the senior style director of PS, overseeing beauty, fashion, shopping, and identity content. With…
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Lovie Simone Talks Inclusivity at Essence Festival 2025
Denise HewittDenise Hewitt While each product featured is independently selected by our editors, we may include paid promotion. If you buy something through our links, we may earn commission. Read more about our Product Review Guidelines here. As someone who’s maintained my hair in its natural state all my life, I’ve always admired the Black female figures that embrace their curls on the big screens and stages. I’m talking Tracee Ellis Ross, Solange Knowles, Yara Shahidi, and, a new favorite of mine, actress Lovie Simone. The born-and-raised New Yorker has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame since her character Keisha Clark in Mara Brock Akil’s “Forever” elevated society’s understanding of…
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Golloria George on the Inclusivity Gap in Beauty
Courtesy of Golloria George; Photography by Grace BukunmiCourtesy of Golloria George; Photography by Grace Bukunmi While each product featured is independently selected by our editors, we may include paid promotion. If you buy something through our links, we may earn commission. Read more about our Product Review Guidelines here. Despite the progress that’s been made in recent years, the beauty industry still has a diversity problem. As the fight is ongoing (yes, even in 2025), there are changemakers in the space who are determined to ensure real progress is made every day (as opposed to being a mere quota fulfillment), and there’s no one doing it quite like Golloria George.…
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How Hair Salons Are Supporting Mental Health
Want the 411 on something? Ask your hairstylist. They’re the keeper of secrets. The salon is a sacred space rooted in the age-old practice of connection, like a real connection. We entrust them with our most intimate thoughts, share our most dramatic life events, and even get their opinion on our biggest dilemmas; naturally, the relationship between a stylist and a client is much more than a hair service. For many, the salon has long been a trusted sanctuary, but what if these casual chats could be transformed into intentional discussions about mental well-being? That’s precisely what psychologist, research scientist, and hair historian Afiya Mbilishaka, PhD, envisions with PsychoHairapy. This…
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A Curly Cut Healed My Relationship to My Black Hair
Like many Black girls, I had a complicated relationship with my hair growing up. For the majority of my childhood, I never really knew what my natural curls looked like. Once I was old enough to get a relaxer, my appointment was scheduled. Getting my hair permed was a constant in my life for over a decade. Over the years, instead of learning how to take care of my hair, I opted to damage it. My flat iron was booked and busy during my most formative years. I didn’t let anyone see a singular wave or any trace of texture until freshman year of college. My difficult relationship with my…
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How #WigTok Creates a Hair Community For Black Creators
You may not recognize Ziora Ajeroh’s name at first glance, but you’re bound to know the color of her signature reddish-ginger hair. She’s gone viral on social media for various hair moments, including when Ghanaian American musician Amaarae credited her as an inspiration for her hair color. In addition to being a mainstay on people’s moodboards for her astonishing deep shade of ginger, Ajeroh’s beauty content ranges from filming makeup tutorials for darker-skinned complexions to an occasional video series documenting her natural hair journey. In many of Ajeroh’s TikTok videos, she shares her adoration for wigs that resemble her natural hair texture. She frequently offers tips for healthy hair maintenance,…
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Can Synthetic Braiding Hair Be Harmful to Your Health?
Although significant progress has been made, the Black experience in America has always been limited — and the options for hair care are no exception. Before the rise of the natural hair movement, there were very few brands that catered to a Black woman’s natural texture. Many were using methods like hair relaxers and straighteners to feel beautiful, but these practices were soon linked to uterine cancer. And though beauty companies have since elevated their offerings to include cleaner formulations that serve as an alternative to toxic chemical treatments, the trend of products made for our community being harmful is far from over. The proof is in Consumer Reports’ latest…
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Stop Asking Black Women If Their Hair Is Real
Although it’s been nearly a decade since Solange dropped the cultural anthem “Don’t Touch My Hair,” the elan of its content is more relevant than ever. It’s more than a song; it is a message for Black people to preserve themselves on all levels, including their hair. At the time of its release, the concept of a Black woman wearing her natural curls was less common on social media. Brands were only beginning to acknowledge the ins and outs of nourishing Black hair, and there was a new surge of creators embracing their curls and coils without apology. Flash forward to today, and more of us have realized that celebrating…
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How I Went Blonde as an Afro-Latina With Curly Hair
For the past three years or so, I’ve been on a quest to get the perfect honey highlights. I’ve been craving something lighter than a caramel but warmer than your typical blonde hue. But the art of finding the right blonde tone for my tan complexion hasn’t been an easy task. For starters, almost everyone has tried to discourage me from going lighter — from colorists to friends and even family. “You don’t need to color your hair. Your naturally dark hair perfectly complements your thick dark brows and long dark lashes,” my mom would say. “Going blonde will ruin your curls,” hair experts insisted. But my favorite was whenever…
