Beauty trends for the African woman
Lupita Nyong'o.
Have you ever wondered why the internet is so white when you’re looking for beauty tips, hair care, skincare and basically everything and anything to do with being a beautiful black woman in this world? I wonder the same things too. That is why it is my job to track down all of the 12 sites that talk to the African woman’s beauty.
And it takes some searching away from the Vogues, the Allures, the Vanity Fairs into deeper parts of the net to find ourselves. While we may be entering March, there is still the rest of the year to consider. Big hair doesn’t care if you know Tracee Ellis Ross (her mother, Diana Ross, has always had big hair), and Amara La Negra, then you know what I am talking about.
Big curly afros are having a moment. Granted, I have worn mine for years now, trends be damned, but if you want big hair with an African 3B, 3C, 4A to 4C texture, knock yourself out. You don’t have to work at getting curls either. Just reward yourself with any kind of fro.
Like a Macy Gray kinky-haired fro. You could invest in crochet braids, wigs, weaves or curl your hair with a two-strand twist or any of the other 21 ways you can curl your natural hair with such as straw setting (oh Lord the tedium of it all!), Bantu knots, down to perm rods and Flexi rods. If you have been considering a long straight weave, why not try big curly hair that falls past the shoulders? It will be a quest to find one, but should you be lucky enough to eye one, you could try it.
Hair accessories
It always fascinates me how when we change our hairstyles we can be – and look like – a whole different person. That is a magic trick that African hair can do. Today it will be braided, next week it will be a weave, the month after that, out comes our natural hair for some sun. It is a transformative affair. One thing that doesn’t change, though, is hair accessories. Those are always in play, and they are an excellent way to switch up a look. From a flower pinned to the side to a headband and butterflies flitting from one strand to another, our hair lends itself to a lot of playfulness.
Even in environments where you have to be formal, you can partially wrap your hair, add hair extensions such as a puff or a ponytail, or try Habesha braids if you want to keep the hair off your face. Instead of browsing through Google to find what works for your hair, go to Black Pinterest for inspiration. You will not regret it.
Fresh dewy skin
What is more beautiful than our skin when the sun hits all the right spots? It’s like liquid chocolate. To bring this out, set yourself up with the right foundation and concealer match. Of course, we have talked about how the no-make-up look requires an investment of time and skills. Still, if you are blessed with the kind of skin that does not need foundation, you can use a BB (beauty balm or blemish balm) cream, which serves the purpose of moisturising, protecting and slightly mattifying the skin with a sheer finish for a minimalist look. If you have skin blemishes or imperfections, then a CC (colour corrector) cream is your friend.
Think of CC cream as you would a BB cream, but with more coverage, bestowing on it the ability to disguise imperfections like dark spots. For that reason, CC creams have thicker formulas. Or, alternatively, you could mix your foundation, concealer, primer and a touch of skin shimmer in the form of a highlighter to give you that lit-from-within look, and apply it with a wet blending sponge.
Gabrielle Union has nailed this healthy, radiant glow that looks like she is barely wearing makeup. To prep your skin for a dewy look, you need to hydrate it daily, especially at night, so consider hyaluronic acid and vitamin C products. You will also need to exfoliate regularly and by that, I do not mean daily! I mean be consistent with exfoliating twice a week.
That will be you doing the most.
Striking, dramatic eyes
You’ve seen Nicki Minaj’s winged eyeliner, Beyonce’s smoky eye and Cardi B’s cat eye. Also, remember the mod eyeliner, aka the 1960s and 1970s dark-winged liner that has a drama all of its own?
This trend has picked up in part due to face masks, and because fashion and beauty icons who are African are wearing them. When they wear eye makeup in ways we had not thought possible, it inspires a trend. We are far more likely to relate to the choice of an eyeshadow palette that women who look like us wear because they have tried and tested it with professional makeup artists, who are pros at creating looks for black women.
Lots of hair colour inspired by all the at-home dye jobs that were done during quarantine, extreme colours such as blues, oranges and greens are having a moment. Another colour that is emerging across the spectrum is red or rather, almost reds ranging from orange to copper to maroons.
These colours tend to look great on our skin. Janet Jackson’s range of red bouncy curls has been a trend for as long as she has been Janet. Shades of auburn are not simply limited to white redheads.
They work on our skin tones too. And the best part is, in Kenya, we are not limited to seasons. That means we don’t have fall colours, and our hair colour can be permanent, so long as it is professionally done. When you see a celebrity with a look that inspires you, investigate how they get it.
Not because celebrities are special, but because their skincare, hair care and beauty products are well-documented, which gives you an idea on what to try out.
For instance, to get Lupita Nyong’o’s glow as a dark-skinned woman, look at the foundation she uses, which is Revlon – she is their brand ambassador – or Tom Ford, then either buy that if you can afford it, or, be smart and look for dupes and buy those. She also exfoliates regularly and massages her face with oil.
On the red carpet, her skin, not just on her face but all over, has a glow. You can get this by buying liquid highlighter, using shea butter or mixing in gold or silver skin glitter with baby oil. Alternatively, you could just follow her on Instagram…
