Growing up in my denomination, it wasn’t necessarily the norm to have a full, beat, colorful face. It wasn’t until my sophomore year in college that I really dove deep into all things beauty. Like all adolescent teens, skincare was one of the most sought-after issues I faced during high school and college. Many of the “influencers” on YouTube used makeup incorrectly, without offering any solutions to what genuinely mattered–self-love.
Anyone who’s invested or dabbled in makeup, especially BIPOC people, understands how challenging it can be to find your shade, rhythm, chemistry, and compatibility when it comes to makeup and its brands. I went through the 2-3 shades too light phase, contour too dark phase, concealer giving Casper, and setting powder….more like setting flour.
Through trial and error, I was able to find my groove in shade matching for all seasons (sometimes). Learning less is definitely more (SUM…timessss), and most importantly the tips and tricks of great SKIN care. When we think of makeup, our minds escape into the gaudiness of it all: 44m lashes, overlined lips, loud lipstick, cakey foundation, obscene eyeshadow combos, harsh lines (hopefully I didn’t offend anyone, do you boo). But makeup is more than that, it’s art. Your face is the canvas, your foundation, other facial products are the paint, and your brushes/sponges/hands are the tools.
Historically, makeup dates back to the Egyptian era. In Egyptian culture wearing makeup was hailed as the closest resemblance to godliness–for both men and women. From Egyptian culture to European history, Asian societies, men and women invested time and resources into the beautification process of makeup. It was genderless and signified high class, fashionable expression, contributed beauty standards, political revolutions and uprisings. Sidebar, I just found out that Hairspray was the reason why the O-zone is in complete disarray. Like WHUT?!?!?
But aside from the history lesson, my experiences with makeup (including skincare) have been up and down but it was the influences and influencers in my life and long thorough research, that helped me develop my own personal routine.
In my beginning stages, I started looking up makeup tutorials from influencers who I watched for hours on end! Some of my favorite makeup artists on YouTube are:
- Jackie Aina (queen mother)
- NikkieTutorials
- Nyma Tang
- PatrickStarrr
- Wayne Goss
- Alexandra Anele
- RawBeautyKristi
- Michelle Phan
- Carli Bybel
- KiKi Adams
- ItsMyRayeRaye
- Denitslava Makeup and the list goes on and on.
Back during the Poltergeist A.K.A the pandemic, I started a YouTube channel because I really started honing in on makeup techniques, eyeshadow color combos and just being myself! However, I fell off…HAWRD. But I decided why not just give it a go one mo ‘gin and see where it leads.
I decided to do a triad where I post YouTube clips for the visual and audible demonstrations and link my blog to fuel my writing/creative side too by discussing my adventures, discoveries, favorite things, and opinions! With both social platform mediums, I believe and am striving to display my authentic self, or at least parts of it, the only way I can–which is through comedy, passionate topics, and fun content (I’m corny, so fun could be subjective).
I’m not really looking to be an influencer (though the only thing I turn down is my collar), more so looking at this as a journey/hobby to dabble in while I figure out this thing called life. But more importantly, I love to help people! If makeup isn’t one’s forté, then hopefully other things I post about may interest you. I try not to take things too seriously, so throwing out knee slappers is my way of coping with stress, releasing tension, slowing down anger, and promoting joy/happiness.
I don’t have much to say now, and I don’t know where you may live but if the Louvre Museum is too far I present to you La Fille Qui Se Bourre Le Visage De Beignets Et Se Maquille Museum.
“Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way to live.”
—Gianni Versace
