The Week In Beauty: Legacy And Loss
This week, as we honored the life of Cicely Tyson, we were reminded of the plights Black actors face in the industry. What do we lose?
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1️⃣ announcement: In collaboration with Instagram, I’ll be moderating a conversation on the future of storytelling and innovation in media. Line up crazy. If you want to listen in, but aren’t on the mobile app Clubhouse, reach out to me.
CICELY TYSON’S OUTSIZED LEGACY
Cicely Tyson was a beauty pioneer simply by being a talented, Black woman in the entertainment business. Based on many of her choices, she seemed to always understand this. While I was writing a feature on braids in the past decade, I found this video of Tyson re-telling the time she shaved off most of her hair for a role. Tyson made decisions that supported the craft, and the characters she played. Her candor and logic really defied any rightful fear she had around how she’d be perceived on set.
MONIQUE COLEMAN
For the 15th anniversary of High School Musical (how old are you?), Insider interviewed Monique Coleman who played Taylor. Coleman revealed that headbands became a signature part of her look because the crew didn’t know how to style Black hair. So that was the solution High School Musical producers, a hairstyling team, and a showrunner felt was appropriate. The thing about racism is that it’s mediocre. And juxtaposing this with Tyson’s story above will send you on a trip.
I want to take a moment, and point out another dynamic:
"It means the world to me, particularly because Taylor is such a dynamic character and the smartest person at school and all of that at a time where, often, Black girl characters tended to be the ones who had an attitude or to be sassy,” Coleman told Insider.
Every year, more Black actors share hair trauma stories from the roles that essentially led to their careers taking off. Black actors, actors of color, disabled actors, LGBTQ+ actors, often make historic statements by existing on-screen, and they often do it under unfair circumstances. Today, I’ve been fortunate to speak with many Black hairstylists who work on sets, and it’s given us some of the coolest styles I’ve seen on screen. In the same breath, to think what we’ve been deprived of as viewers is our loss and Hollywood’s loss — and there is still work to be done.
THE MILITARY
The military is loosening restrictions around hairstyles, jewelry, and nails, but don’t get too excited. The expanded guidelines essentially fall along with current gender norms that are shifting — so the military is not being innovative or interesting. They are just updating their guidelines. For example, male soldiers can’t wear earrings or colored nail polish. I found this short radio interview interesting once the conversation got flowing.
EXTRA EXTRA
Sephora has cut ties with influencer Amanda Ensing after discovering she was a Trump supporter (they hired her through an influencer agency.) This all came to light yesterday, sparked by Here For The Tea. I can also confirm this. When you go to Sephora’s Instagram it’s apparent, based on hundred of comments and their response. Prior to this, here’s an explainer of how beauty YouTuber drama kind of made it beyond being beauty YouTuber drama.
Rap artist Princess Nokia released a line of lip kits in collaboration with NYX.
Makeup artist Danessa Myricks (who I really want to profile) and beauty influencer MakeupShayla worked with Morphe on the launch of its new foundation.
Sam Visser, the 20-year-old makeup protégéof of sorts, is Dior’s new makeup ambassador.
Expanding its line, Tracee Ellis Ross’ brand Pattern released its Treatment Collection.
I’ve appreciated Ross’ candor during this time. If you really pay attention…. you can tell it’s been particularly for her hard, and she shares how she’s been coping (breathwork, dancing, workouts) even when it’s not super perfect or pretty. I profiled her in 2019 when the Pattern initially launched about being the real queen of wellness.
Priyanka Chopra is coming out with a hairline and each product costs $5.99.
I am going to be honest: when I think about Priyanka Chopra, I think about skin whitening ads. It’s a decision that’s really followed her, despite her last campaign being 10 years ago, according to this very recent profile — in which the bit of her voicing regret is making the media rounds 🙂
Allure Magazine is opening a store in NYC.
L’Occitane filed for bankruptcy, citing the decline in sales within its stores.
MEDIA DROPS
Every week I ask myself, “hmmm… what Allure story am I sharing this week?” They publish a lot of good stuff! This week I didn’t want to leave this out: Soy La Pelúa: Embracing My Body Hair as a Latinx Person. Part personal essay, part reporting by Marilyn La Jeunesse. In addition to video above with Canadian YouTuber Molly Burke. I learned a lot.
I screamed when I saw this headline: American Girl’s "Care And Keeping Of You" Introduced A Whole Generation To Puberty. 20 years later?! Whew, yes please, let’s talk about it! —Lauren Rearick
Following up on the Utah bill I talked about in last week’s newsletter, here’s a feature that further outlines the debate on whether stylists who only shampoo, blow-dry, and style hair should have a license. (I personally think it’s pretty interesting) — Ashley Imlay