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The Power of a Breakup Haircut: Personal Essay
There are two kinds of post-breakup girls: the ones who sob into pints of ice cream, and the ones who immediately cut their hair off. I became the second kind. Not right away, of course. First came the crying, then the overanalyzing, and then the moment I caught my reflection and felt . . . embarrassed. Embarrassed that I had stayed and contorted myself to keep someone who didn’t deserve me. I didn’t want to look like her — the girl who tolerated too much, who knew it wasn’t right but stayed anyway. So I booked a haircut. There’s something uniquely clarifying about a post-breakup haircut. It’s not always about…
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My Dermatologist Pile on the Acne Shame: Personal Essay
Photo Illustration: Siobhan GallagherPhoto Illustration: Siobhan Gallagher I could’ve avoided some deep scars (and a serious self-confidence knock) if I had trusted the dermatologist who initially prescribed spironolactone for my cystic acne. But instead of planting that seed of trust, she recoiled in horror at my swollen breakouts, leaving the air in that little exam room thick with judgment. That was years ago. But recently, when a friend left her acne consultation defeated from being told, “You’re too pretty to have pimples.” Dermatologists can offer invaluable guidance when over-the-counter acne remedies aren’t cutting it, but how providers talk about skin conditions can have sizable mental health consequences, and we all…
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The Clean Girl Aesthetic Is Isolating to Me: Personal Essay
Social media being bad for your self-esteem is not a fresh take – we all know all too well the feeling of doomscrolling late into the night comparing yourself to people who seem to have your dream wardrobe, house, car, job, fill-in-the-blank. Born from this, particularly within TikTok, are endless trends that take up the FYP, and while some are flash-in-the-pan (remember, cottagecore? Brat girl’s elderly aunt. . .), there are some that stand the test of time and continue to gain traction. The skin-care and beauty community is no exception to this, and among these trends, one that has dominated over the last few years is the “clean girl”…
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My Skin Picking Was a Symptom of OCD & ADHD: Personal Essay
A fear of being alone triggered my new habit. It was almost the holidays, and another good friend — one of the few left unmarried — became engaged. Immediately, the fear I’d had since childhood of being alone (autophobia) washed over me all over again. Thought spirals took over, denying my ability to be fully happy for my friend who had, despite all odds (i.e., the sh*t hole that is dating apps), found her person. There, rotting away in bed watching “Gilmore Girls” again, I ripped off some skin on my left arm. The pain felt good in a weird way. Something sinister inside me lit up. It was like…
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What It’s Like Having Eczema: Personal Essay
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. Like roughly 10 percent of the US population, I have eczema. It first appeared when I was around three months old. Now that I’m an adult, It’s manageable mainly, though it does flare up occasionally, causing my skin to break out in that tell-tale itchy red rash and subsequent dryness. Usually, it appears in the crooks of my elbows and sometimes in patches on my legs, ankles, hands, and the center of my neck. Changes in…
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Why I Choose Not to Shave My Pubic Hair: Personal Essay
Like Lady Gaga’s career, it started in 2009. I was 14 years old. It was winter, which is swim team season. I wore a black-and-blue Speedo, camouflage-printed Crocs, and a too-tight swim cap I’d wriggled on with baby powder. Maddie was a senior who, unlike me, had boobs big enough to show through a sports bra. That meant she was cool. Maddie stood next to me and explained a school tradition. “So, like, we don’t shave our legs until we make Nationals,” Maddie said. “Then we all get together and shave the night before, so we feel faster during our big races. We won’t have any hair slowing us down.”…
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I Regret the Tattoos I Got at 18: Personal Essay
PS Photography | Renee RodriguezPS Photography | Renee Rodriguez I have eight tattoos, and in all honesty, if I were to wake up tomorrow morning with all of them magically gone from my skin, I wouldn’t mind one bit. Yes, I have pieces that I do genuinely like; they mean something to me, I like the way they look, and I consider them tasteful and stylish. However, there are a handful that I f*cking hate. The one I regret the most? My first ever — the tattoo I got on my 18th birthday. This should come as no surprise since I turned 18 in 2008, and what was popular back…
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Why Rain Showerheads Are the Worst: Personal Essay
Is it possible to make a cleaning device your enemy? I’m not talking about loathing robot vacuums or an air conditioner you can control from your phone. No, I’m here to get on my high horse, her Royal Pettiness, about the absurdity of a rain showerhead. Nothing in the world will guarantee my foul mood more than the impractical, anxiety-inducing, irritating experience of a “rainfall” shower. For some reason, hotels worldwide have taken this Pinterest board idea too far, and I’m here on six legs (mine and my high horse’s) to stand against this abomination to women and the rest of mankind. Why would I, as a Black woman, ever…
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A Woman Is Reclaiming Her Burn Scars With Tattoos: Essay
I was born in Lebanon and when I was two years old, I was severely burned in a kerosene explosion on Christmas night. I was the only survivor of the accident. Following the explosion, I was in a coma for six months and even after waking up, it took a while to regain my sight and hearing. It also took several years of physical therapy and multiple surgeries before I could walk again, and I was left with scarring on over 70 percent of my body. Embracing my scars has been a challenging journey filled with tons of emotional ups and downs. I have a love-hate relationship with them. On…
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What It’s Like Having Psoriasis: Personal Essay
According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, around 125 million people have psoriasis — that’s two to three percent of the population — including me. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder whereby the immune system is overactive and produces new skin cells at an abnormally rapid rate. New skin cells typically take about a month to form and shed, but for those with psoriasis, new cell development can happen in as little as three days and the shedding process doesn’t take place. This results in thick, scaly patches of skin that can itch and burn, as well as crack, bleed, and peel. The cause of psoriasis isn’t clear, and there is no…
