This Week In Beauty: "WHIP MY HAIR???"
Beauty URL that caught my attention this past week:
Founder of Bephie’s Beauty Supply Beth Birkett on a billboard for Nike in Los Angeles, where the brand was founded.
The first Black woman on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit talks with the first female rapper to grace the cover. But also, just the first rapper. Unless some male rapper has been on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit cover. Full video here.
Actress Leyna Bloom and athlete Naomi Osaka also appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2021.
Willow Smith had her head shaved while singing a punk version of ‘Whip My Hair.’ “I'm always shaving my head at monumental times in my life, when things are really changing, and this is one of those moments,” she said in the Facebook Live video. The debut single that solidified her stardom at the age of 9-years-old, she spoke with L’Officiel about hating ‘Whip My Hair’ for a long time — but she is starting to rethink her stance. “I listened to ‘Whip My Hair’ not too long ago, after many years, and realized that it’s the same message. I’m not saying anything that’s against my values, and on top of that, I’m saying things that are in harmony with my values.”
PAYING ATTENTION
Benzene is in the news again. In May, an independent laboratory found the known carcinogen benzene in 78 sunscreens and after-sun products. Some dermatologists questioned the method of the testing, but ultimately, the testing highlighted a contamination problem, not a sunscreen problem. As is the case this time around, when Johnson & Johnson announced last week that it found small amounts of benzene in samples of five Neutrogena and Aveeno brand aerosol sunscreen products, leading to Johnson & Johnson recall the products. As much as this is a sign that potentially hazardous mistakes are being caught, it’s still fair to question why this is happening in the first place. Sunscreen content on Instagram makes me wonder what people truly care about: informing others or going viral? I talk about how sunscreen became a status symbol in April.
“Sunscreen has turned into more than just a required step for healthy skin. It’s now seen as a required element of a healthy lifestyle. And if we’re talking about content, sunscreen is one of skincare’s biggest strengths.” Read more here.
Kim Kardashian announced that iconic supermodel Kate Moss would be the new global ambassador for Skims. This news comes shortly after Skims announced they would be the official loungewear brand for female Team USA athletes in the Tokyo Olympics. Kim said of Moss, “She is THE fashion icon, defining a whole generation of style and I am honored to feature her as the new face of SKIMS this Summer!”
The whispers are getting louder: I know so many Black women obsessed SKIMS who refuse to talk about it openly (including me). On Twitter, Black women are always asking about a SKIMS alternative. Why is this? I feel like getting to the crux of the why, without being judgmental but critical could be a really good convo. To me, it also feels long overdue. Join us on Beauty Headlines to talk about it this Wednesday (tomorrow) at 11am ET. Set a reminder.
Tresemmé and Nine Zero Salon have teamed up to offer free hair coloring services to California-based essential workers. Tresemmé recruited Hollywood stylists Nikki Lee and Riawana Capri, the owners of the LA-based salon, to help them in this initiative. The appointments, which are first-come, first-serve, will include styling any hair color transformation of the client's choice, along with receiving a free Tresemmé color gloss collection set.
Forvr Mood, the fragrance and home goods brand of beauty entrepreneur Jackie Aina, arrived at Sephora this weekend. The retail store will carry its candles, and Forvr Mood is projected to bring in $10 million in revenue in 2021, according to WWD. Aina is a shining example of YouTubers who have graduated from collaboration with beauty brands because they’ve long had the platform to simply start their own.
Big Handsome Man Adam Driver has been appointed as the face of Burberry’s new perfume, and also Riccardo Tisci’s first perfume as Burberry's creative director. Veyr few details about the fragrance have yet to surface, but it’s expected to be released in August.
Halle Bailey of Chloe x Halle took to Instagram this week to announce the wrapping of production for The Little Mermaid. Although there have been blurry, zoomed-in paparazzi photos of Halle with reddish, ginger hair, this was the star's first time sharing a picture of herself as Ariel. There is still no official release date for The Little Mermaid remake just yet.
In London’s Soho, Lush Cosmetics has launched a music pop-up shop on Beak Street. This launch is to celebrate the release of their Karma album, and there will also be a space dedicated to highlighting local artists.
Presumably, to keep up with its rival partner Zoom, Microsoft Teams is developing a new feature called “Video Filters” (beauty filters) to let users customize their appearance. The feature will include the ability to adjust lighting and smooth out facial features.
Do Gen-Zers need teen pop stars to convince them to get vaccinated? This is the question I asked myself last week as Olivia Rodrigo made her way to the White House to urge young people to get vaccinated. I’m not sure, but it certainly brings awareness.
MEDIA DROPS
Why Atlanta Is Emerging As A Hotbed For Beauty Entrepreneurs — Jewel Wicker
How COVID Turned Small Beauty Brands Into Luxury Status Symbols — Beatrice Hazlehurst
How I Celebrate My Indian Culture Alongside My Alternative Beauty Identity — Yasmine Summan
The Power and Legacy of Ayesha K. Faines — Malaika Jabali. You probably have not heard of Ayesha K. Faines unless you pay attention to Black media or watch The Grapevine. She was a sound, shining voice, a feminity expert, a Yale graduate, and the founder of Women Love Power. She also had a Zora column that is still live.
What Is It About Dating Shows Where Contestants Can’t See Each Other? — Caity Weaver
A Nun Went Viral on Tiktok After Posting a Video Detailing Her 'Nunly Skincare' Tips — Maria Noyen (I’m obsessed with this woman and her candid “it is what is it is” attitude.)
The Art of Going Dark on Social Media — Alexandra Mondalek