For the State of Black Beauty, ELLE.com chatted with six Black icons to hear how they define Black beauty and how they see themselves in the space—in their own words. Black beauty, what it means to me is Maya Angelou’s poem, “Phenomenal Woman.” It’s loving your hips, your nose, your hair. It’s embracing all of
Everyone has their own idea of the perfect body, but for Black women, the body put on a pedestal by the wellness industry rarely resembles their own. Like every other industry built on this country’s system of white supremacy, the world of fitness and nutrition is riddled with misconceptions and under-appreciation of Black bodies. But
Dana Trippe (@TrippyDana) For musician and artist Jesse Jo Stark, 2020 was supposed to be the year. She’d been touring like crazy to promote her music, which sounds—in truly the best way—like a Creamsicle doused in whiskey and set aflame with a Zippo in a dive bar. She’d created a tiny line of merch called
Photography via instagram.com/uvebeautyHadn’t considered sanitizing your makeup? Here’s what you need to know about antimicrobial beauty products including, of course, if you need to be using them. By Souzan Michael Galway Date February 11, 2021 Facebook Twitter In the last year, we’ve collectively thought about, talked about, and purchased items like hand sanitizer and sanitizing
Across Canada, farmers have been gathering outside consulates in cities like Toronto and Vancouver in support of their counterparts in India, who have been protesting a series of agricultural laws implemented by the Indian government in September of this year. The marches in India, from the Punjab region of the country towards New Delhi, began
Years ago, I worked at an upscale restaurant with a huge communal table in the middle of the dining room. It sat 26 and was reserved for large groups. Apparently, there are people with 25 friends. When there weren’t large groups, the table sat empty. During lunch and dinner rushes, we offered seats there to
There’s a burst of energy when Clarice co-creator Jenny Lumet hops onto Zoom for our afternoon conversation about her astute new thriller series, inspired by the indelible heroine from The Silence of the Lambs. Donning a bright smile, casual shirt, and sun-kissed hair, the New York native has the glow of someone who’s lived in
The moment you feel seen is powerful. For many Black women, that feeling is few and far between. For the State of Black Beauty, we asked four writers to recall the instance in their life they felt SEEN in media. From Janet Jackson to Eartha Kitt, here are love letters to our Black Beauty icons
A butterfly joined the fun during Naomi Osaka’s third match of the 2021 Australian Open, landing on the 23-year-old as she played. Osaka, who won the Grand Slam in 2019 and holds two titles from the US Open so far, was notified by the crowd about the colorful visitor, whom had fluttered around her, then
Photography courtesy of Instagram/@bennydrama7.Including Lizzo wearing Lesley Hampton for a home workout. By Odessa Paloma Parker Date February 11, 2021 Facebook Twitter To say this week has been a major one for Canadian fashion is quite an understatement, with the likes of poet and all-around icon Amanda Gorman wearing a joyful yellow dress by Greta
Meghan Markle is ending her week with a major legal victory in the UK. Judge Mark Warby ruled in the Duchess of Sussex’s favor on her High Court privacy claim against Associated Newspapers, the publishers of The Mail on Sunday and Mail Online, which ran excerpts of her private handwritten letter to her father, Thomas
The moment you feel seen is powerful. For many Black women, that feeling is few and far between. For the State of Black Beauty, we asked four writers to recall the instance in their life they felt SEEN in media. From Janet Jackson to Eartha Kitt, here are love letters to our Black Beauty icons
“I didn’t come this far to only come this far.” That’s the mindset that eventually convinced Simone Biles to keep training for the Tokyo Olympics even after they were postponed for a year, an unprecedented announcement that left the superstar gymnast depressed, she revealed in an interview with 60 Minutes airing Sunday, Feb. 14. “I
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF The Toronto Black Film Festival. GRAPHIC BY KAYLEEN DICUANGCO.“We want people to understand what inclusion really means.” By Odessa Paloma Parker Date February 11, 2021 Facebook Twitter As has been the case for most festivals and events over the course of the last year, the 9th annual Toronto Black Film Festival (TBFF)
If the fan theory machine churning at full blast is any indication, WandaVision—Marvel’s first serialized foray into the uncharted waters of streaming—is a massive hit. The show siphons the best parts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (the adventure, the powers, the Easter eggs) and blends them with the completely original element of all-American sitcoms. Elizabeth
She was in the shower when she first felt it. A lump where no woman ever wants to find one. Just below the armpit, near the side of the breast. It was uncomfortable to touch, and big—about the size of a golf ball. After drying off, she immediately texted her doctor: I think I might
Pole vaulting is the most frustrating thing I’ve ever done, but it has captivated me for the last seven years. I have continued with this sport because of the incomparable feeling of weightlessness and the tremendous adrenaline rush I experience in the air. Unfortunately, however, pole vaulting ends in elimination; a competitor does not stop
“Black is the renaissance of culture,” says Marcus Paul, one of the five Black creatives tapped by Sam Lobban, Nordstrom SVP Designer and New Concepts. Nordstrom honors Black culture and Black History Month through their newest pop-up shop, Concept 012: Black_Space. New Concepts is a platform that demonstrates Nordstrom’s commitment to bringing upcoming designers to
Design by Kayleen DicuangcoThis is Texture Talk, a weekly column that deep dives into the dynamic world of curly hair, from crowns of curls that are free flowing to strands that are tucked away in a protective style. By Kenisha Alexander Date February 11, 2021 Facebook Twitter If you’ve been looking for a sign that
Last April, a few weeks into pandemic lockdown, a strange phenomenon occurred. Friends and acquaintances messaged me to say they, in so many words, “finally understood what my life was like.” I didn’t know how to respond to those messages then, but I think I do now. See, I’m chronically ill. I live with Crohn’s,
Black people working in the beauty industry are required to not just be high-level performers but shapeshifters able to comport themselves in reaction to whatever is thrown their way. Most times, that means staring the industry’s storied history of blatant discrimination and half-baked diversity in the face. Black models are the first to point out
We can’t stop, won’t stop watching every NCAA gymnastics floor routine that hits the internet (every. single. one.), and we’ve been waiting for Margzetta Frazier’s since the start of the season. The UCLA star captured our hearts back in 2019 with a voguing-inspired routine, then hit the floor in 2020 with a flashy performance set
The parallel between fast cars and high fashion is self-evident. Both modes operate in a luxury world that is sometimes unattainable, always aspirational, and downright sexy. LaQuan Smith lives in this world. But it wasn’t always like that. “Nothing was given to me on a silver platter,” Smith, 31, told ELLE. “I had hustle to
You’re not the only one who’s sick of being stuck at home: Elizabeth Hurley is, too. And she just came up with a hilariously creative way to get out of the #pandemiclife mindset. The model and actress, 55, shared on Instagram earlier this week that she’s on a “pretend vacation,: because WTH not? And she’s