black girl magic
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Going With the Flow: Embracing the Blood That Binds Us
In the immortal words of the late Joan Rivers: Can we talk? No one ever really tells you what a mess periods are, do they? Even before they start, no one tells you to expect clotting; or how sometimes you’ll have to wash your hands three or four times to remove the crisp iron scent…
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Ladies First: Black Lightning Is a Superhero Story That Doesn’t Strike Us Down
(Warning: Spoilers abound below.) “Strange Fruit” echoing in the background of the show’s opening minutes. A young black woman narrating. References to Fannie Lou Hamer and Harriet Tubman. Mentions of SZA and Solange. Testosterone might power Black Lightning, the superhero, but a healthy dose of estrogen helps drive Black Lightning, the series. In the series,…
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Calling Professional Black Girls Everywhere! Ready for a Road Trip?
“Professional Black Girl is, like, my favorite thing that I didn’t plan to do.” Dr. Yaba Blay is talking about her self-produced sleeper-hit video series, Professional Black Girl, which quietly rocked our worlds when it debuted in fall 2016. The 14-episode first season was an exploration of what Blay calls “black-girl culture”—in all its regular,…
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New Picture Book Tells Story of Raven Wilkinson, the 1st African-American Ballerina to Dance for a Major Company
Misty Copeland, the first black ballerina to earn the coveted title of principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, is known for smashing ceilings and breaking down barriers, heavily promoting diversity in an industry that is still sadly lacking in representation. But before there was Misty Copeland, there was Raven Wilkinson, who actually mentors Copeland…
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Making Proud Mary: Stylist Tym Wallace Shares His Behind-the-Scenes Secrets for Taraji’s Killer Hair
How dope would your hair look if you had a $10,000 wig budget? And how about an über-talented hairdresser like Tym Wallace scrutinizing your every move via a super-closeup iPhone app for moviemakers? You would be flawless, that’s what. Don’t take my word for it, though; see for yourself when Proud Mary, Taraji P. Henson’s latest…
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She Got That Glow: Love Issa Rae’s Golden Globes Look? Look No Further Than Your Favorite Drugstore
The Golden Globes happened Sunday night in Los Angeles, and while we weren’t expecting much excitement from the red-carpet “blackout,” it proved to be pretty entertaining for our inaugural Facebook thread, where The Glow Up gang rated their hits and misses. Though most of last night’s dresses fell firmly on the side of “meh,” one…
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Missing Your Mojo? Elle Magazine’s The Movement Series Might Be All the Motivation You Need
We’re almost a full week into 2018, and despite my best efforts and intentions, it feels like something’s missing. I’ve been eating better, eschewing bad habits and getting more organized—I even started the year with a deep housecleaning. But I’ve still been feeling a little … stuck. Then I stumbled upon a video from Elle…
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New Growth: Chicago Med’s Yaya DaCosta Talks Growing Up #TeamNatural and the Beauty of the ‘Big Chop’
You know, this is this woman’s hair, not a continuation of the girl that you thought you knew. Actress and model Yaya DaCosta is talking about her cropped locks, an unexpected move for the woman who first captured our attention in 2004 as the outspoken Afrocentric beauty on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model.…