beauty
“She wins who calls herself beautiful and challenges the world to change to truly see her.” - Naomi Wolf
A Nappy Headed Girl in a Lace-Front World
Me, black and nappy, and it's all I ever wanted to be was happy to be my natural self. Oh believe me I've been through all the relaxers, and every kind of chemical that would make me resemble that black Barbie, I forgot her name,...oh yeah, Tiffany Taylor. Yes, not that she was really The black Barbie, I think the real black Barbie actually came later....and didn't last. She got no Ken and no Malibu doll house, 'til now.
By Kimm Smith8 years ago in Viva
Growing Up with Freckles
My story starts off when I was around 8 years old. I didn't have a single freckle and was as fresh faced as a baby. My grandmother was the only person in my family to have a large quantity of freckles covering her whole body and I often asked her what they were. She told me, "they're sunspots, sweetheart. If you don't cover up when in the sun, you'll get them too. Make sure to wear sunscreen." As a little rebel and being forgetful, I hardly ever wore sunscreen and ran outside all summer doing various activities and getting sunburnt and living life.
By Meikan Dahl8 years ago in Viva
When Is Makeup Sexist?
I woke up this morning feeling today would be a makeup-free day. Days like these are not unusual for me, since I usually see makeup as an unnecessary task or a painfully boring chore with mediocre results. I am friends with people who do makeup professionally, they don’t share the same view of cosmetics as I do. This always felt natural to me; some people like makeup, some people do not. On one side of the spectrum, I recall remarks on how tired I must be, or how confident I must be, simply because I don’t wear makeup. On the other end, my friends who enjoy makeup can always recount a time when someone told them, “you don’t need to try so hard.” The distinction society makes between a “naked” face and a “done-up” face is, arguably, one of the most visible signs of sexism in our culture.
By Adriana Jurado8 years ago in Viva
6 Reasons Why Cutting Off All My Hair Made Me Happier
Almost four years ago, I marched into my local hair salon armed with a sense of reckless confidence. I sat down and resolutely asked the stylist to cut off all my hair – clicking through a slideshow of sample pictures I’d saved from the Internet – to which she replied, “How long have you thought about this?”
By Carissa Joy Johnson8 years ago in Viva
Beauty
This one is for the people who struggle with how they view themselves on the outside. I'm no Channing Tatum. In fact I have a hard time with regulating my weight, I'm starting to need glasses and you may not be able to tell it but I'm also losing my hair, like a lot of people. I almost said "the average person" but the word average has become a negative word in our society. No one wants to be average because it's less than perfect (remember this word, because I'm going to use it later on).
By Andrew Smith8 years ago in Viva
How Instagram Improved My Confidence
In April 2017, I finished my third year of university and returned to my hometown in search of a summer job. Not only did I find three jobs, I also found my new hobby: Instagram.Now, some might think it's foolish to take pictures of yourself for the internet. Others might consider it vain to constantly put your face out into the world. I think that deciding to post on Instagram more often made me a more confident person.
By Kendra Felicity Wheeler8 years ago in Viva
Feeling Unpretty
At 25-years old, I didn't think that this would be how I would live my life. A mom of 3, married, and still unhappy. How do you describe unhappiness when you have everything you had wished for, without sounding ungrateful? Without sounding like you're complaining?
By Mishka Upchurch8 years ago in Viva
8 Things to Consider Before Committing to a Vivid Hair Color!
This is a list of 8 things to consider before committing to a vivid hair color. 1. It is a process! If you are wanting to switch it up and go vivid, then you NEED to understand that it is a process! In order to put a vivid color on your hair, your hair needs to be light, and if your hair is dark, this may take more than one processing venture; you have to be patient with the process and trust your Stylist to know what is best for your hair along the way!
By Beki Keraly8 years ago in Viva
Skincare Routine
I have always been a skincare junkie, mostly because I have had terrible skin growing up. I have tried everything under the sun to get rid of my pesky acne. From over-the-counter meds, online dermatology services, various creams and what not. After years of refusal, I finally did my research and went to see a real dermatologist. Turns out, I have hormonal acne, which is why my skin would be clear one minute and then freak out the next; usually when it’s around that time of the month.
By Aleksie Alvarado8 years ago in Viva
New Semester, New Wardrobe!
As a new semester approaches you find yourself looking at your closet and wondering what's appropriate from your summer clothes, yet what's presentable for the classy lady you are. The first week is when you should try and set a great tone for the semester. This is a great way to build your confidence on the start of your semester.
By Vesselina Raltcheva8 years ago in Viva
