Asalamu’alaikum! Welcome to the site! February’s Muslimah of the Month is the 27, soon to be 28 year old, writer of the blog IfYouSeeMay on WordPress. While Instagram scrolling one day I saw her featured as a MelanatedMuslimah. I went to her page and her sense of unique style caught my attention. I then checked […]
1.Picking up the darkest shade foundation in the shop and expecting it to match you.
Buying foundation is a process and the process is not always easy. It’s about taking time to find out what the right shade is and what the right undertone is before making the right decision.
2. Assuming that you cannot wear bright lipsticks.
Anyone can wear bright lipstick, it’s not about the colour of your skin it’s all about the confidence.
3. Trusting the sales assistant or the colour matching machines to colour match you.
Honestly I feel more confident to take advice about makeup from somebody who has the same skin tone as me, especially if I can see they know their craft. I think it’s only natural that you gravitate towards people who represent you.
4. Not asking for samples of foundations where available to test it out in different lighting.
As far as I know with the amount that foundations cost these days if I don’t get the opportunity to test a sample then I am more than happy to walk away and not buy that foundation. Also you want to be able to test the foundation in different lighting and in different situations.
5.Using a concealer that is way to light when highlighting
Highlight is about accentuating parts of your face you want the light to reflect off and bring them out. What it is not about is temporarily changing your race .
As I have grown up I have become more and more make up obsessed. My makeup collection is almost becoming my most prized possession. If there was a fire in my house best believe I am at least attempting to save it, (jokes). It’s full of countless lipsticks, stains, glosses some of the liquid kind. Different foundation, highlighters, and blushes in various brands and shade ranges. Mascaras, eyeliners, and lip liners, containers are overflowing and duplicated. Feels like a lifetime supply. Spending more and more on them each time.
Originally I feel it was a means to hide my imperfections and scarring, As time went on I cared less and less about the state of my face. Therefore I start wearing make-up just for fun there was not the pressure to wear it all the time.
Then came YouTube (enter stage left), the more make up tutorials I watched the more layers I put on. The longer it took to get ready. Then came the pressure of having flawless skin, sharp enough cheekbones and eyebrows on fleek.
I had to fight this feeling because I didn’t like the idea that my beauty was based on fakery plus, I am not a morning person therefore I had to make that choice between an extra 10 mins in bed or an extra 10 mins doing my make-up. To this day this decision is not easy.
For girls whom have grown up in this generation, the Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and Book Face generation. The pressure is more apparent therefore the glow up game is happening younger. Highlighting and contouring is the norm for a school day.
My glow up is still pending.
All these YouTube videos selling us the back to school make up trend is crazy and somewhat unnecessary. In my day (feel like I’m starting to sound old) In my days make-up if i remember correctly was barely allowed. As a result I never start wearing make-up until I was in Sixth Form maybe. Even then is was a likkle foundation and face powder. Once YouTube got involved it went downhill from there.
When I went to Malawi in 2015 i spent 3 and half weeks make up free. With all the projects we were doing wearing make-up every day didn’t seem so important anymore.
Recently this no Make-Up movement has become to spread. With celebs such as Alicia Keys and Lupita Nyong’o joining the bandwagon. (Although now it seems that Alicia Keys no make look, requires a small amount of make-up). I find it refreshing woman with a reduced amount of make-up on especially compared to these “Instagram Baddie” make up look.
However with all this being said No make-up movement is not about being anti make-up whether you choose the Instagram baddie look or the no-make up look. The message this season, wherever you’re going, come as you are.
Discrimination is a real life issue and it shows it self in many aspects of life. Unfortunately for woman of colour this discrimination can be found at the cosmetic counters.
For most woman, buying make -up can be fun. As a darker skin female buying make -up can be a uphill struggle. You walk into Superdrug or Boots and many other make up stores with the intention to splurge on make-up. You walk out disappointed because these shops often do not cater effectively for our skin tone.
As well as matching our skin tone the goal is also obtaining the correct under tone as well. This is often difficult because the industry will often favour cool undertones which will often make darker skin ashy or grey looking.
Woman with a light skin complexion will generally fit cool undertones, Woman with olive skin tones will fall into the neutral category and the deeper complexions will most likely favour the warm undertones. Even if by some coincidence they do sell it then its probably the case they don’t have the stock or you have to order it online.
The frustration is real.
The higher end brands tend to fair better with representing a variety of skin tones however it doesn’t seem fair that the drugstore brands are failing with this, therefore disappointing large groups of woman, almost forcing them to spend in the higher price brackets.
It appears that in the USA they have access to more drug stores brands and products that cater to darker skin that we don’t have in the UK. I keep saying that I want to make a journey one day to the USA and bring an empty suitcase and fill it with enough make-up to last me until I go back. Sure I could buy on line but I have never been to America so I can killed two birds with one stone.
When it comes to representation I have said in the past that
If I don’t see a darker skin female in a make up ad, then the chance of me buying this product is slim.
It’s not enough that you slap Lupita in an advertisement it’s about being able to deliver the product as promised.
Until mainstream brands start addressing these needs and realising that shade ranges for woman of colour are needed that comfortably sit alongside the ones of their white counterparts. It’s about treating them as individuals sitting at the table rather than a side thought. If these companies can’t do this then they can hardly be surprised when the black communities are slating them and rolling there eyes and taking there money else where. There is power in money and even more in the black pound.
If you don’t listen you are going to lose a segment of the market.
In the fashion industry the concept of “nude” fashion can describe anything from a nail polish, bra or shoe shade. I googled nude shoes and these were some of the images that came up.
They are a fantastic addition in a capsule wardrobe as they can be worn with anything and everything. These shoes can also have the power to lengthen legs, how incredible. I first came across a picture on tumblr in which a black comedian was holding up a nude bra to the audience, and asked the question.
Who is this nude for because it’s not me.
As a society this is something else we have just yet again accepted s he norm. At that point I thought to myself, as a black woman where do I fit into this trend.Finding a nude shade is hard enough generally, however for people with a light complexion nude shoes are easier to find. For everyone else the nude shade is nothing but beige, and alternatives are more difficult to come by. There is definitely not a one size fits all concept. Unfortunately people from ethnic minorities and those with darker skin tones are left out of this trend. Yet again.
Christian Louboutins are famous for their red bottom soles and sky high heels. On top of having such beautiful shoes. It seems like they have almost joined the fashion fight for race relations, by designing a range of nude shoes to match all different skin tones. They have even developed an app to allow people to find the right shade. It ranges from the traditional nude, right through to the rich dark brown, available in five different styles.
I think it’s definitely time for other shoe designers to get on board. With Christian Louboutins ranging from £200 maybe £300 upwards I doubt this fashion discovery will affect many fashionistas, however hopefully in time it will trickle down into the high street. For more options to be available at affordable prices from everyone of all beautiful shades. Until then I will not be using the word nude, Until I see nude as a fashion concept achievable for all, it will be forever beige.
Cultural appropriation is evident in pretty much all parts of popular culture. If you don’t understand it (please look it up). In short imagine working on a project and getting an F and then someone copies you and gets an A and the credit for you work.
Did you say Kendal Jenner ummmmm no shade.
This is clearly evidence of cultural appropriation at its finest.
Question: Why was the credit not been given to the black community.
Would it have hurt them to say that it was inspired by Black People? The media and these big companies/ corporations no longer have the means to come up anything new so they steal ideas from African culture. Deep down they probably hope we didn’t notice. Well we noticed.
Now I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with other people wanting to try out these styles, however, what frustrates me the most is when Black woman/girls have hairstyles such as box braids, locs, or bantu knots we get no media support. Instead we get negativity, we get mocked and called ghetto. Let us all take a moment to remember Zendaya. Do we remember when Giuliana Rancic claimed that her hair looks like it would smell like patchouli oil or weed. However when white celebrities wear these same styles they are edgy, fashionable or trendy.
Umm interesting.
These hairstyles have been part of black culture since the beginning of time. We almost fell to having straight weaves and perms to normalised ourselves in this society, to fit into the Eurocentric standards of beauty that are constantly being forced upon us daily. We nearly lost the ability to love these other styles. I saw this tweet by Curly You Ltd who said my afro hair is natural, is magical, is spiritual, is original, is essential.
I am soooo happy to see black woman using platforms such as Instagram and Youtube to share their hair journeys and styles to show the versatility of afro hair. It really does inspire others to do things they may have been apprehensive to try out. As long as you do what makes you happy with your hair that’s all that matters in the end.
Thank You
The author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie stated :
“I’ve often said that if Michelle Obama had natural hair when Barack Obama was running for president, he would not have won,” Adichie explains. “Because her natural hair would have signified certain things to people and they would be negative.
It would signify that she’s some sort of militant, neo- Black Panther, frightening angry… angry in a bad way because of course talking about gender, in some ways women. Particular in black women, so angry in a black woman is something that’s a no-n0
And I think it also signifies she’s not mainstream because we’ve decided that mainstream hair is hair that sort of falls down. When you have hair that’s natural and black it stands up and it’s not really considered mainstream.
I have to say that I honestly agree with her. Who would have thought that what grows naturally on our head would cause so many issues within workplaces, schools and the wider society as a whole. There are so many negative connotations that are attached to the Afro and it’s ridiculous, makes no sense.
When I talk about the Afro for some people who are not aware of this the Afro comes in different textures, There are some textures that I feel in society are more socially acceptable, this involves the loose bouncy long, but big ass hair. When we think about this so called neo-militant Afro wearing individual we are thinking more tighter coil curls which are less defined. The not so socially acceptably mainstream one.
In South Africa, Pretoria High School have come under fire in the news as one of the students had been expelled due to the afro texture of her hair. Therefore the children had be forced or had felt under pressure to chemically straighten their hair. The girls had been protesting outside the school to be able to wear their natural hair.
Why is a young girl being suspended because of what naturally grows out of her head. Her hair has nothing absolutely nothing to do with an educational environment. She is in school The school deem it uncontrollable, untidy not professional. Well sorry (i ain’t sorry) our hair is our crown and glory which grows towards the sun and does not need to be controlled.
Zulaikah, I wish I was there to stand right by your side. So young, So strong.
So we find ourselves in a situation were woman are being targeted for their appearance. Again how can we further control the female body. In this case how can we further control the Black female body. The Black female body is no longer allowing itself to be controlled. It seems like every time a black woman is doing well for herself society gets frightened if her blackness and has to find some way of tearing her down.
#Mayataughtme that you should never mask your femininity or your blackness to makes our feel comfortable.
So it’s difficult enough going for the big chop or transitioning to natural hair in a society that just doesn’t understand your hair. People often say things sometimes innocently, sometimes purposefully without understanding the implications of their words.
Here are some quotes as shocking as some may sound have been said to me or other woman I know. Here is the list of things to avoid saying to woman with natural hair.
Or fear the wrath shea butter and jojoba oil.
Of course I’m going to wear my hair like this, Is there a problem
Slave hair really! Oh please. Please move yourself otherwise somebody’s gonna get hurt real bad
No you can’t touch my hair kmt, does it look like a petting zoo.
Probably going to be the best decision you make, but we are not all ready to make that choice yet.
It is your god given natural hair so yes it is for you and everyone else.
You hair feel springy and like spaghetti (sticks tongue out)
Of course black peoples’ hair grow and like everyone else, some peoples’ hair grow quicker than others.
Never. I’m going to keep it all curly and kinky is that ok with you.(evil look)
So did that outfit
I can not ever justify your comment with a response.
So,
if you have a friend or family member that is on the natural hair journey then be positive and encourage them. Also think before you speak.
‘My hair starts conversations” Breanna Rutter (Howtoblackhair.com)
Big shout out and thank you to Romay Brown a Birmingham based illustrator, for her fabulous illustration, find her on instagram.
@romaybrown
Check out her other pieces of work
So 2010 France decided they wanted to ban the burqa/niqab. As a result, this meant that woman who decided to cover their faces for religious reasons could face fines if they are caught covering their faces in public. In recent times, some towns in France have banned women from wearing a burkini on public beaches or in the sea. They wanted to banned the burkini because in France is seems there is this notion that religion is suppose to be completely separate from other parts of life in public.
They see the burkini as a visual representation of oppression and somehow Islamic extremism. This piece of clothing has ended up being the a symbol of Islam when in fact anyone can wear it. Since the ban has come in play, sales of the burkini has flown through the roof. With people being more aware of its existence.
For people who are not really aware of what the burkini is, it is a type of swimming costume that some Muslim women prefer to wear, which covers the arms, legs and hair. Similar to a diving suit however looser. It’s called a burkini because it’s a mix of the words ‘burqa’ – which is a type of Islamic clothing – and ‘bikini’. It is actually more of a play on words rather then an Islamic or religious term.
The banning of this is so ridiculous, their justification is that they want to liberate woman. Where is the liberation in enforcing a law that takes away her right to choose what she wears in a so-called democratic society . An article went viral in which there was images of police approaching a woman on the beach and forcing her to remove her clothes. That doesn’t seem right to me. In what world does forcing a woman to take her clothes of in public sound right to you. If this was your mother, sister or daughter would you been happy to have witnessed this. I can imagine not.
Some parts of the world there is a strict code on how woman shouldn’t being showing too much skin, so where will it end. The fundamental issue here is control. How else can we control the female body?
Where is her right to choose ??
This has given some women freedom to do things they wouldn’t have done otherwise. Such as swimming publicly or enter the Olympics. Why would they want to take that freedom away?
So who is better?
IS,
the Taliban
or French politicians?
Really, they are as bad as each other.
I don’t think any man or law should dictate how women should be dressing – It has nothing to do with them. The final choice should be done to the woman herself.
My Body , My Choice
The burkini ban has been suspended which is good to hear. It really is a fundamental violation of these woman’s human rights. In no way shape or form was this ban going increase public safety all it does is publicly humiliate innocent woman.
When you tell me beauty has no colour, who are you trying to convince, me or yourselves. I already know, that when it comes to race or colour there is no hierarchy of beauty. Beauty can be found everywhere. Not everyone thinks the same way.
Since slavery to this day people have continued to perpetuate the ridiculous idea that dark skinned is somehow undesirable and unattractive. The media tends to glorify the white standard of beauty for woman and unfortunately demonises dark skin. Lighter skin woman are portrayed more positively in comparison to darker skinned woman. They are viewed as intelligent, privileged more attractive whereas dark skin woman tend to get portrayed negatively. They get the obvious stereotypes such as the obese unattractive black girl or the angry black woman.
I’m always intrigued when you hear people say I don’t want to stay in the sun too much I don’t wanna be to dark. Dear oh dear (shakes head). They say it as if its a bad thing.
All this has an affect on how the rest of society views darker skin woman and most importantly how they feel about themselves.
I am sure some of us at some point in our lives have had the experience of people saying:
“You’re pretty for a dark skin girl/black girl”.
This comment somehow makes reference to the idea that dark skinned girls cannot be attractive. So they are somehow surprised that you were slapped with the dark skin ugly stick.
Then my second thought is I don’t know whether to punch or kick you.
“is that a complaint or an insult.”
Just kidding (or am I), generally an evil stare and a kmt with a hint of a debate, will do the trick.
I was watching a documentary called Dark Girls, (amazing documentary btw) a psychologist called Dr Cheryl Grills was giving us a brief history lesson to get an understanding of how we have got to this sad place.
From the point of slavery as black people we were treated as less than animals, we were not even valued as people or equals, so how were we meant to be valued for the beauty of our afro hair and dark skin. Lighter skinned children where born from slave masters and they were often given the privileges that came along with it. Post slavery black peoples skin was being compared to brown paper bags to prove their worth. (you must have all heard of the brown paper bag test)
O how time has moved on.
That was then, this is now. Although the situation has changed. Has the mentality changed?
It has taken People Magazine until 2014 to acknowledge Lupita Nyong’o as the most beautiful woman. Woman like Lupita have existed. So why has it taken so long to start seeing positive images of dark skin woman with 4c afro hair in the media and acknowledging them as beautiful or attractive.
Personally, growing up I have never really had major issues with my skin colour but being bombarded with images of European standards of beauty. I did find myself having to learn to love who I was and find my own way in the world. Hearing stories of how many girls have grown up with the notion of self-hate due to the fact they have dark skin, is unfair.
In an interview with Look Magazine Lupita mentions how she would pray to go to bed and wake up with fairer skin. Some girls would try and scrub there skin with domestic bleach. Things like this break my heart thinking that young girls are going through these situations often by themselves. This is not the future I want for my children.
If You See May 