In today’s post:

QTNA Beauty & Pop Culture Questions

Poll Review Bad Salon Experiences

The Full Beat Beauty Advice I’d Take From My Younger Self: She was right about everything, except the pore strips

1. SZA says her makeup line is “Not Makeup,” but isn’t it? Of course it is. We learned not to trust anything SZA said when she was lying about those freckles and her kinky curly sew-in. Interestingly, given that her lies about beauty have largely been received as silly white lies, you’d think she would lean into it for the launch. I’m thinking social promo where she’s asked by friends if she’s wearing lip gloss, and she says nope with a straight face. You see the vision? Instead, we get an outdoorsy photoshoot and the claim that she’s "filling a need” in the beauty industry by launching three pink nude-ish shades. 🥱

2. Why aren’t more people tracking Wunmi Mosaku’s red carpet looks? I was always planning to see “Sinners,” but then I found out that Wunmi Mosaku was his love interest, OPEN THE DOORS NOW. Her looks ahead of the premiere were phenomenal, and I’m happy I found this Reddit thread that appreciates all of her press tour looks.

3. Was I right about hair shows making a comeback? Of course, although I made the prediction in 2024. However, I’m still claiming the pre-MET hair show, “Black Hair Reimagined,” as proof of my psychic abilities.🔮The pictures are beautiful, and it looked like an incredible collaboration between talented hair, nail, and makeup artists.

Poll Review

I’m so glad to hear that so many of ya’ll have only had positive experiences with your hair stylists. I currently have excellent beauty service providers, but I have had some unpleasant experiences.

I once booked a hair appointment and confirmed the day before, only to be greeted by a dark salon. A closed sign dangled across the door, taunting me and my scarf. When I called the stylist, she answered sleepily and said she’d just reschedule me.1 I once blocked a stylist because she spent the first half of our appointment planning to defraud a resort because she and her fiancé didn’t “love the vibe.”2

And to the 25% of voters who have had a bad experience, I believe your dream stylist is right around the corner. 🫶🏾✨

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Beauty Advice I’d Take From My Younger Self: She was right about everything, except the pore strips

I was inspired to write this post after reading

Middle school was difficult. Like a lot of kids, I was bullied for being too tall, too fat, having big feet, having acne, sweating a lot, wearing thick glasses, and asking too many questions. Wearing uniforms and being raised by parents who didn’t want me to look “too grown” made me feel restrained. Every day, I oscillated between wanting to disappear and wanting my peers to think that I was pretty.

In the 7th grade, my dad asked what I wanted for my birthday. I grabbed my Teen Vogue magazine and pointed to an ad for a multicolored monogrammed Dooney & Bourke purse. The day I wore it to school, an older and much cooler girl walked up to me at lunch and said, “cute purse” with a wink. We were carrying the same purse. That moment helped me realize that I could trust my instincts to pick out things that were “cool” when it came to beauty and style.

Other things that helped boost my confidence over the following years:

1. Contacts.

2. The short bullies had summer growth spurts and left me alone about my height.

3. I learned to accessorize (shoes, purse, & belt to match).

By high school, I was fully confident in my beauty choices and loved experimenting! I loved a 20” drawstring ponytail, a Baby Phat tube top, and a giant pair of hoops. Then I’d switch to a different pair of giant earrings, a new hairstyle, and wedges, no matter how tall they made me. I carried that with me for a long time, and now I realize how much I miss that free-spirited approach to all beautythings.

Here’s what teen Ash got right:

1. Change your hair up. I regularly switched from short curly, quick weaves, 20” ponytails, and sew-ins that looked like natural wraps. I was always on the hunt for a new style and not obsessing over any signature look. My goal was to be a chameleon, not to try and find the one hairstyle I’d wear forever à la Anna Wintour.

2. Brighter is better. I was so attracted to the shiny rhinestones on Baby Phat tops and bold images on Harajuku Girls clothes. Somewhere along the way, I started looking for things that helped me fade into the background and not shine under bright lights. No ma’am.

3. Accessorize. I searched everywhere for unique accessories to set myself apart from the sea of student uniforms in the 8th grade. For example, I bought an LED belt from the 183rd Flea Market in Miami and couldn’t wait to power it up before school the following week. I need to keep that same energy and buy items that give me the same level of excitement as an adult. Also, this may or may not be an exact replica of an outfit I wore to the Gold Coast Skating Rink in 2004.

   

   @fancypantz707LED scroll belts!! 🔥 #early2000s #nostalgia #y2kfashion #fashiontrends

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4. Buy more perfume. I typically stick to one scent for a long time now, but in high school I rotated between Vera Wang Princess, Victoria's Secret Pear Glace, and Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue every day. I need to get back to body sprays asap.

5. Look effortful. This idea of looking like an effortless beauty, or “not trying too hard” is a trap. I did try, and back then I didn’t care if you knew it.