Tag: hair

Madam C.J. Walker was the first Black female millionaire

Post author By Tatayana Allen
Post date December 5, 2020

[Image Description: Madam J. Walker driving a car with three other black women in the car.] Via History.com

Earlier this year, a mini-series on Netflix was released called Self Made. The mini-series is inspired by the life of the first self-made Black female millionaire Madam C.J. Walker. The life and work of Madam C.J. Walker is an important story to tell because it celebrates the success of a Black woman and the beauty of Black hair.

A few months ago, Kat Graham from The Vampire Diaries did a morning routine video on Vogue’s YouTube channel called “Kat Graham’s Natural Hair Beauty Routine.” During the video, she explained to her viewers that this is the first time that she has been completely without additional assistance when taking care of her hair. While Graham was talking about a hair care product that she was introduced to that really helped her hair throughout quarantine, she started crying and getting emotional.

Watching the video made me reflect on my own experiences with my hair as a Black woman. It also made me reflect on how having Black hair is an emotional, personal, and empowering journey. Madam C.J. Walker is a woman who truly understood the emotional and empowering experience of having black hair. And ultimately, she was able to use her experience to become a successful entrepreneur and help other Black women.

Before she was known as Madam C.J. Walker she was born as Sarah Breedlove on December 23, 1867, on a Louisiana plantation. Her parents were both enslaved before the Civil War ended and later became sharecroppers. At the age of seven, her parents passed away.

After their deaths, she moved to Vicksburg, Mississippi with her sister and worked picking cotton. At the age of 14, she got married to escape her abusive brother-in-law and had her daughter A’Lelia Walker at 18 years of age. Two years after giving birth to her daughter, Walker’s first husband died. After his death, she and her daughter moved to St. Louis, to work for $1.50 a day at a barbershop owned by her four brothers. In St. Louis, she joined the St. Paul A.M.E. Church and the National Association of Colored Women. She also got married to her second husband, but the couple eventually divorced.

[Image Description: A newspaper Ad for Madam CJ Walker’s for Wonderful Hair Grower product that is titled “Is Your Hair Short?” On right is a picture of her and on the left there is an article promoting the product.] Image Source

Walker’s hair care journey began in the 1890s and early 1900s. She was struggling financially and developed a scalp disorder that caused her to lose her hair. In order to work on growing her hair back, she sought advice from her brothers and experimented with home remedies. She also tried hair products by Annie Malone, another prosperous Black hair-care entrepreneur. After using Annie Malone products, she became a commission agent and moved to Denver in 1905.

In Denver, she met her third husband, Charles J. Walker. Soon after meeting her husband, she began her brand. Her husband encouraged her to use the name “Madam C.J. Walker” so that her brand name would be more recognizable. She began traveling throughout the South and Southeast for almost two years selling and promoting her “Madam Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower,” which was a scalp conditioning and healing ointment.

By 1910, she was able to settle down in Indianapolis where she built a factory, a hair salon, a nail salon, and a hair care training school. Throughout her life, she used her own personal experience of losing and regrowing her hair to build a prosperous Black business. Today, she is known not only as the first Black self-made female millionaire, but also as a Black woman who supported her community as a pioneer of hair care for Black women.

Get The Tempest in your inbox. Read more exclusives like this in our weekly newsletter!

Tags women, The Tempest, women entrepreneurs, african-american, entrepreneur, history, african american beauty, black, hair, Netflix, The Tempest fellowships, The Tempest Media, hair care, black history month, write for the tempest, work, black beauty, the vampire diaries, personal, products, vampire, brand, millionaires, natural hair care, emotional, vampire diaries, facts, The Tempest Studio, Tatayana Allen, millionaire, Sarah breedlove, Kat Graham, Madam C.J. Walker, madam cj walker products, madam cj walker netflix, madam cj walker daughter, madam cj walker house, madam cj walker movie, madam cj walker cast, madam cj walker net worth, madam cj walker quotes, madam cj walker addie, madam cj walker accomplishments, madam cj walker and booker t washington, madam cj walker actress, madam cj walker and annie malone, madam cj walker age, madam cj walker adopted daughter, madam cj walker ads, the madam cj walker, the madam cj walker company, the madam cj walker movie, the madam cj walker story, the madam cj walker series, the madam cj walker products, a picture of madam cj walker, madam cj walker beauty culture, madam cj walker biography, madam cj walker book, madam cj walker business, madam cj walker birthday, madam cj walker born, madam cj walker business name, madam cj walker company, madam cj walker company today, madam cj walker childhood, madam cj walker contributions, madam cj walker documentary, madam cj walker definition, madam cj walker divorce, madam cj walker definition us history, madam cj walker education, madam cj walker early life, madam cj walker entrepreneur, madam cj walker essay, madam cj walker family, madam cj walker facts, madam cj walker factory, madam cj walker fun facts, madam cj walker full name, madam cj walker fact

Race Inequality

My natural hair is political

Post author By Tamia Adolph
Post date October 13, 2020

[Image Description: Woman smiling with a butterfly on her shoulder.] Via Unsplash

My big, curly, natural hair has become a defining quality of mine. It’s the first thing people notice when they meet me, the first compliment I receive, and the feature my friends would use to describe me. My hair has become part of my identity. It is synonymous with my name. It is important to note, however, that the journey to getting to a place in which I felt comfortable – let alone confident- to wear my natural curly hair with pride was a tiresome one.

My hair has become part of my identity.

I spent much my childhood like most people in my community – being told that my natural hair was too coarse, bushy, and big to be accepted. Due to the troubling and racialized past of South Africa during Apartheid, being accepted and successful in my society as a non-white person was strictly dependent on appearance. Or, how well you passed as white.

I began straightening my hair when I was very young, and even relaxing it on occasion. I did this until my hair became fine, bone-straight, and ‘good,’ which is the ideal in my community. In fact, it is not uncommon to hear in communities like mine that those born with naturally straight hair are somewhat superior – or at least they believe they are. This is mostly due to internalized notions that beauty and superiority are in close proximity to whiteness.

Eventually, I couldn’t take the pulling and stretching of my hair any longer. By age 16, I rebelled against the norm. I watched a bunch of videos on YouTube and read articles online centered on how to take care of my curly hair until I felt sure enough. Although at that point my hair was already damaged and dry, I was proud that I had taken this step to embrace all of me.

The reactions from my community were not so sure.

Although at that point my hair was already damaged and dry, I was proud that I had taken this step to embrace all of me.

On one side, I was praised and complimented. On the other, I was accosted about my decision and instead told “your straight hair was so pretty.” This made me wonder, what is the real issue with having curly and kinky hair?

Hair and politics have always been intertwined. White slaveowners referred to enslaved people’s hair as wool, thereby associating them to animals, and shaved their heads to suppress their cultural identity. The tignon law of 1786 forced women of color in the state of Louisiana to hide their hair under headdresses because they drew the attention and attraction of white men. It was basically a law to protect the fragile white women’s social status and to return women of color to a subordinate status. However, women of color triumphantly turned the tignon into a fashion statement.

People of color who wear their natural hair, locs, or braided hairstyles are often discriminated against in the workplace. Even schools today still have dress codes which regulate natural hair, hairstyles, and textures because they are seen as ‘untidy’ and ‘unprofessional’. In some ways, the U.S. is taking strides to ban hair discrimination, but it is not nearly enough. In 2019, California signed the CROWN (Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair) Act into law, which protects people from discrimination against hair both in the workplace and public schools. New York City has also banned hair discrimination in public schools by amending the Human Rights Law and Dignity for All Students Act to include that racism includes discrimination against hair, hairstyles, and texture. However, many other states in the U.S. are yet to take a stand against hair discrimination.

However, many other states in the U.S. are yet to take a stand against hair discrimination.

In South Africa, during Apartheid, the infamous pencil test was used to determine a person’s race. If your hair was able to hold a pencil in it while you shook your head, you could not be classified as white. This tore families apart since different family members could have differently textured hair. The pencil test is a troubling example of the politics of hair. Not only did it weaponize hair textures as a tool of segregation, but it also created an environment in which people of color were ashamed of the texture of their hair. Those with coarser and kinkier hair types were deemed inferior to those with straight and fine hair. Therefore, the model for acceptance and freedom in society was to be more white in every aspect, including hair texture.

For me, this brought on the realization that my community was simply indoctrinated to believe that the kinks and curls in mine and others hair made us inferior. Hair was and still is racialized. It exists in racist ideologies that determine the value of a person from their appearance.

In embracing my natural hair, I decided upon an active rejection of a culture that has been infused with white-dominance.

Hair was and still is racialized.

That said, embracing natural hair is more than just simply wearing your hair un-straightened. It is about the unlearning of generational notions which dictate the violent ideology that white features and values are somehow superior. It is about resisting the rejection and discrimination you will probably face by a Eurocentric world. It is racial. It is gendered. It is a real lived experience. And it is political.

Most importantly, how you wear your hair should be a personal decision. Whether it is straightened, in a wig or weave, or worn naturally. The freedom to choose and not be influenced by society’s standards of beauty or acceptance is radical.

Get The Tempest in your inbox. Read more exclusives like this in our weekly newsletter!

Tags racism, The Tempest, discrimination, hair, The Tempest fellowships, The Tempest Media, Natural Hair, black history month, write for the tempest, Apartheid, curly hair, South Africa apartheid, growing up in south africa, The Tempest Studio, Tamia Adolph, natural hair discrimination, natural hair discrimination law, natural hair discrimination in the workplace, natural hair discrimination examples, natural hair discrimination bill, discrimination against natural hair, natural hair discrimination ban, california ban natural hair discrimination, natural hair discrimination cases, pencil test, south africa pencil test, New York natural hair discrimination ban, tignon law, hair and slavery, hair texture, crown act, california crown act

Culture Life

Why I am constantly drawn to lavender

Post author By Vanessa Montalbano
Post date June 14, 2020

[Girl standing in a field of lavender] Via Unsplash

I find that my most blissful moments remind me of the strong, calming scent of lavender. For one reason or another, I relate it to a lot of the more meaningful aspects of my life. To me, lavender is like a feeling; like the wind brushing up against your skin.

While I think that lavender is largely optimistic, I also find a certain sorrow that is comfortable, even humble, in its presence. I’ve come to appreciate it in every shape and form – the color, the flower, the scent. Its hard to place; not sweet or bitter, but rather musty.

Lavender manages to incorporate itself into my life seemingly on a whim and in the most fleeting of moments. We have a peculiar relationship. I am stomach-knottingly anxious in the presence of many, especially when I first meet them. But, with some, I sense lavender, and I know that something great is about to happen. It is more of a feeling than anything else. Just talking to some people can be rejuvenating, and perhaps it is because our meeting reminds me of that warm, soft smell of a mid-spring day when the sun is bright and pure, and the entire day lies ahead.

Nowadays, when I am feeling an emotion that is simply beyond words, I say that I am overflowing with lavender.

According to etymology, the English word “lavender” is derived from the Latin “lavare,” which translates to “to wash.” It is a necessary refinement – a cleanse. I am purified with every utterance of the word.

Perhaps it’s not just me. In literature, lavender has been used significantly as a token of love. To me, it’s more like a notion of love at first sight. Shakespeare offers a bouquet of “hot lavender” in The Winter’s Tale. Cleopatra also roots lavender with love, as she is said to have used its sultry perfume to seduce both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Christians are also known to have used it as a repellent of evil. The plant is said to have been taken from the Garden of Eden and is sometimes found hanging in a cross shape above the doors of some Christian households as a means of protection. There are so many songs with the title lavender, my favorite being by The Beach Boys, and there have also been many poems written about it, too. Take, for example, this quote by an anonymous writer, “as rosemary is to the spirit, lavender is to the soul.”

Lavender is swift, like a movement, carrying me in and out of perfectly imperfect moments. The vision of it is rather uplifting as well. It stands delicately tall among the rest, but it is not intimidating either. I adore its confrontation. In fact, I look forward to it.

Tags culture, Love, Poetry, The Tempest, emotional poetry, sorrow, Music, life, Shakespeare, flowers, color, literature, poems, william shakespeare, hair, The Tempest fellowships, young women, The Tempest Media, comfort, write for the tempest, latin, first impressions, plants, purity, serenity, clothes, skin, narrative, grace, words, short stories, emotional, devotion, calming, smell, literary, love at first sight, Wind, lyrics, The Tempest Studio, Vanessa Montalbano, tall, explorative, lavender, vanessa montalbano writes, delicate, meadow, literary meaning, literary use, stream of consciousness, like a movement to me, fleeting moments, on a whim, familiar qualities, blissful moments, devotions, to wash, a cleanse, etymology, token of love, refined, undaunting, beyond words, expressions, 5 senses, over flowing, spilling over, lavare, optimistic, flower meanings, the beach boys

Beauty Lookbook

How stress causes acne, and how to make it stop

Post author By Srilekha Cherukuvada
Post date May 15, 2020

[Image description: Woman sitting and meditating.] via Jared Rice on Unsplash.

The instant I get even a tiny bit stressed out, a pimple pops up on my cheek, my forehead, my nose, or somewhere else on my face. And no matter how much I do to get rid of them, the moment I start getting anxious, they always seem to come right back. As a student, stress is a huge part of my life. Having to deal with homework, tests, work, and writing on a daily basis, sometimes my workload is just too much. On top of that, skincare is typically the last thing on my mind. Sure, I do wash my face consistently and moisturize and do the whole bit to keep it clean, but I sometimes wonder whether it’s worth going the extra mile with skincare if stress is just going to ruin my skin anyway.

However, I’ve always wondered if stress was the actual reason behind my extra pimple or two every week. Everyone has always affirmed this fact and never told me anything different, but how much does science back it up?

How correlated is stress with skin problems?

To understand this, we must first look into what happens to our body when we get stressed out. When we are stressed, a hormone called cortisol is released into our bloodstream. This hormone is the key to finding out how our body changes when we are under pressure. For example, cortisol can make it harder for your skin to repair itself, thus leading to dull and dry skin. Wrinkles were also found to be a side-effect of stress.

Furthermore, stress can increase inflammation, causing more acne. Cortisol can also cause acne because it tells the glands in our bodies to produce more oil, which leads to more acne. In a 2003 Stanford study, it was found that when testing, (a.k.a. while under increased stress), college students had significantly more acne flare-ups. From this, scientists deduced that stress is highly correlated with acne.

But, can stress also cause issues in other areas of your body relating to beauty? The answer is, unfortunately, a resounding yes. Hair loss and puffy, tired eyes can also be caused by stress. Stress can also cause greying and thinning hair, slowing down the process of growth and speeding up the ageing process by producing more melanin. Deep grooves in the nails are also likely to form as a result of stress.

How can we solve the problem?

The number one way we can all get rid of the acne, the wrinkles, the dry and dull skin, the hair loss, and the eye bags is by doing our best to destress. Practicing meditation, yoga, journaling, changing your environment – there are so many different ways to get rid of stress and lessen anxiety. It’s time we all took care of ourselves a little better – not only so that we can look better, but also so we can live healthier, longer, and more stress-free lives.

Nails Hair Fashion Beauty Lookbook

At Brazil’s 2019 Carnaval, sequins and golden showers stole the show

Post author By Jules Costa
Post date March 13, 2019
1 Comment on At Brazil’s 2019 Carnaval, sequins and golden showers stole the show

[Image Description: Medium-skinned woman wearing traditional Brazilian carnaval costume made of yellow and red feathers] Source: pixabay.com

The newly appointed Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, is not a fan of Carnaval. Nevermind that it is the most noteworthy and lucrative celebration in Brazil, Bolsonaro is upset about sexual acts he can’t even name. “What is a golden shower?”, he tweeted after posting a viral video of someone peeing on another person’s head. Brazilians all over the country dressed up in fabulous outfits to give him a visual answer to his question.

https://twitter.com/jairbolsonaro/status/1103270588850806787?lang=en

These “golden shower” Carnaval costumes are both glorious and poignant, mainly because they draw attention to how seriously out of touch Bolsonaro is. As the leader of a country with the 6th most Twitter accounts and the 3rd most Instagram users, he should know to avoid public humiliation by just asking Google. But I guess that’s what we get with baby boomers on social media. The good news is these partygoers looked fierce in their satirical ensembles. And yes, that’s a literal shower head.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuzhAoNADlL/

In addition to these more politically inclined outfits, we saw sequins, glitter, and more glitter! We love these over-the-top, shiny looks because they are bold and celebratory. And Carnaval is a time to celebrate. Period. People celebrate sexuality, music, politics, fashion, and so much more. Regardless of orientation, race or creed, the hundred of blocos (block parties or parades) that take place during this holiday are for relaxing, dancing and enjoying the days off.

Celebration can be just as important as other types of activism. When our bodies and rights are constantly under scrutiny, joy can be read as a sign of defiance. Outfits that call attention to a ridiculous president are powerful and important—after all, fashion is political. It’s equally imperative that we claim these joyful moments as completely our own. We need to believe that we deserve to feel joy. We need unapologetic glitter and bodysuits and dancing in the rain just as much as we need protests and hashtags. The magic of Carnaval is that it blurs the lines between fun and politics.

All that being said, here are our favorite trends from this year’s Carnaval.

Popping rainbow colors

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuhVSjyh1O6/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu033F4FAMg/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BupSYNEHmr0/

One word: glitter.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BugpsuCALka/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BupQdP2AHW4/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BurpEFDBIg2/

Flower power

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu072qtnDmy/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Buui3QJnXJD/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuoRwwjHvZe/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Buzcr2Clh-R/

Curve-hugging bodysuits

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bug4_8bggFK/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BupbeCilvTq/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuuHmKSHgcL/

Facial beads (and glitter)

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bum–BRgCtX/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfTXErIAejE/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuG_T7unTas/

These lunar-inspired looks

https://www.instagram.com/p/BurJ6YqgZ4C/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuypN5nnpSr/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Buh1NSdFED_/

And, of course, the golden shower

https://www.instagram.com/p/Buzc55DA4yk/

Tags feminism, health, Sex, activism, Fashion, LGBTQ, entertainment, social justice, lgbt, lgbt feminism, police brutality, climate change, Instagram, body positivity, dating, hair, The Tempest fellowships, Carnival, make up, BRAZIL, space, arts, thetempest.co, celebrity, The Tempest podcast, innovation, rainbow, brasil, mashal waqar the tempest, lookbook, fashion tips, Laila Alawa The Tempest, the tempest characters, the tempest media company, Look Book, The Tempest Team, the tempest founder, Laila Alawa Interview, women's beauty, Laila Alawa Forbes, The Tempest Careers, LGBTQ Influencers, The Tempest sparknotes, the tempest summary, the tempest pdf, the tempest king, the tempest quotes, the tempest movie, the tempest translation, the tempest caliban, the tempest shmoop, the tempest media inc, the tempest facebook, the tempest jobs, the tempest pitch, tempest site, the tempest common sense media, the tempest shakespeare summary, the tempest shakespeare pdf, the tempest shakespeare movie, the tempest summary act 1, the tempest summary act 2, the tempest summary shmoop, the tempest inc, the tempest summary act 1 scene 2, the tempest summary act 3, the tempest summary act 4, the tempest summary video, the tempest summary youtube, the tempest summary pdf, the tempest summary act 3 scene 3, the tempest summary and analysis, the tempest company utah, the tempest shakespeare company, the tempest brewing company, the tempest trading company, the tempest royal shakespeare company, the tempest royal shakespeare company reviews, the tempest shakespeare theatre company, the tempest royal shakespeare company dvd, the tempest royal shakespeare company cast, the tempest shakespeare and company, the tempest royal shakespeare company 2016, laila alawa net worth, laila alawa wikipedia, laila alawa instagram, laila alawa facebook, laila alawa huffington post, laila alawa wiki, mashal waqar instagram, laila alawa twitter, modern woman's destination, how to live a stylish well-rounded life, breaking entertainment news, feminist media studies, feminist media histories, feminist media outlets, feminist websites, feminist websites india, feminist websites australia, feminist websites uk, feminist website babe, feminist website jezebel, feminist websites canada, feminist websites america, feminist website blog, radical feminist websites, the tempest 40 women to watch, best feminist websites 2018, feminist website uk, feminist clothing website, feminist comedy website, best website for women's accessories, the best women's clothing websites, top women's media outlets, top female media executives, Bolsonaro, #Elenao, Tropical Trump, Jules Costa, thetempest co, laila alawa wedding, laila alawa podcast, laila alawa youtube, mashal waqar net worth, mashal waqar birthday, laila alawa blog, mashal waqar twitter, laila alawa birthday, laila alawa the expose, laila alawa cnn, where is mashal waqar from, tech entrepreneur laila alawa, where is laila alawa from, laila alawa husband, laila alawa nationality, mashal waqar nationality, laila alawa quotes, laila alawa images, the tempest media wikipedia, mashal waqar wikipedia, mashal waqar images, mashal waqar quotes, laila alawa books, mashal waqar interview, the tempest media podcast, the tempest shop, the tempest house, the tempest networking, the tempest book, the tempest media gifts, the tempest apps, the tempest accessories, the tempest apparel, the tempest affirmations, the tempest foundation, the tempest gifts, the tempest art, the tempest online, the tempest blogs, the tempest clothing, the tempest coffee mug, the tempest woman, the tempest collective, the tempest events, the tempest empire, the tempest earrings, golden shower, elenunca, dancing in the rain, bolsominion, carnavrau, carnaval, mardi gras, halloween looks, body suit, cat suit, fashionista, LGBTTQ, LGBTT, lesbica, feminino, rio carnival, são paulo, 2019 carnaval, 2019 carnanval

Editor's Picks Hair Gift Guides Beauty Lookbook

5 amazing products for curly hair that completely changed my hair routine

Post author By Nasira Pratt
Post date November 25, 2018

[ Image description: A black woman with curly hair wearing sunglasses and a pink sweater smiles.] — [Image description: A black woman with curly hair wearing sunglasses and a pink sweater smiles.] via Unsplash

As a curly girl, I tend to stick to know what I know is good. A lot of my staple hair products have been products that my fellow curly girls have recommended. I have recently tried some new products and methods that have completely changed my hair routine. These products have become my holy grails.

1. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Conditioner

[Image description: Aussie's 3 Minute Miracle Conditioner in a small purple bottle.] — [Image description: Aussie’s 3 Minute Miracle Conditioner in a small purple bottle.]

Now when I say this conditioner COMPLETELY changed my hair routine, I mean it. This conditioner has become my go-to hair conditioner and has been amazing for detangling. At just $2.97, this conditioner has cut my wash day in half.