LIPSTICK EVOLUTION.

Growing up, I thought I would be that girl who could never wear lipsticks. I had massive lips, dark skin, and make up would never be for me, even when my Mum glammed me up for cutesy family events, and bought me all sorts of funky eye-shadows to play with, and made me up for Prom. I just never imagined myself being the 'make-up' kinda girl. Going to a girls school, I thought it was dumb putting any make-up – even for the bus ride home wear the lads from the boys school would see my bare face. I didn't want to be one of those girls who sat for half an hour putting on make up during the last lesson instead of listening to the teacher. But as I got older, I saw the benefits of a little make up, when applied correctly. Cue a photo of me as a youngster...

 Me in Year 10. I thought it was cool. Oh yeah!

I try to get this image out of my head. The ultra winged eyeliner that was unnecessary. The poorly applied foundation. Unruly eyebrows, and pose that would make any one who lived the 'emo' faze of their teens cringe. I didn't have a clue what I was doing, taking inspiration from my heroes of that day like Hayley Williams and Gerard Way. But as I have grown, I've learnt to take better tips from people will skin tones like me, Women like Alek Wek kept things simple and stunning. Lupita Nyongo is a goodness who has never failed in looking fabulous. As much as I like thinking that standing out from the crowd by being the only Black 'Emo' girl in my school, I decided to take advice from these female greats!

It started with a simple red.

Summer of 2011. Red Lipstick in Malaga from Miss Sporty.

This was a cheap drug-store buy from Miss Sporty. It was affordable, it was red, and it did amazing job. I felt that by just keeping it simply, but adding so daring colours to my lips meant that I looked like I was making a massive effort, even if I still didn't really know what I was doing. It transformed my smile, and gave me hope that maybe, make-up could be my thing. I had gotten loads of compliments from it, and from their, my love began to blossom. 

I experimented with other drug store buys, bought a few lip products from Topshop, enjoying staining my Starbucks mugs with all sorts of colours, until I met my holy grail of lipsticks. I wanted the perfect red lip. Red was sultry, and sophisticated, it was me. It went with everything, and I wanted it perfect. It was what I started this journey with, and when this product came into my knowledge, I knew I had to have it. The One. 

I'm sure you've all heard of Ruby Woo from MAC. I didn't think I was that girl. Me? Wearing MAC? Never. Mostly because I'm a student and couldn't justify paying that much for one lipstick. I searched for dupes, but was never satisfied. It wasn't perfect. Ruby Woo kept floating around in the back of my mind, telling me that we were meant to be. I asked my Mum about it, and she said that Ruby Woo looked perfect, especially for someone with dark skin. Together, we ventured to the MAC store, crammed with people who seemed to know so much more about make up than me, the little novice who felt somewhat out of place. I couldn't be in the grace of Ruby Woo! But I sucked it up, and looked at the sample... it was perfect. The perfect red, all Matte with it's cute and classy black packaging. It might as well have been glowing at me. I tried it out, staring at myself in the mirror. It was meant to be.

 

Ruby Woo and I.

I bought it and haven't regretted it. And since then, I've been a lot more daring with my lipsticks. Flat Out Fabulous was next to be added to the MAC collection, and it is fabulous. I'm growing quite a collection I never thought I would have, and I'm proud of it. I'm love splashing my face with colour, and being creative with my lips. I suppose the thing to take from this, if anything, is to look for inspiration in people like you if you have no clue, then make it your own. Buy shades that suit you, especially if you have dark skin. Don't settle for shades not suited for you. Branch out, research, and maybe you're find a ruby that makes you woo. (What an awful pun!)

Goodbye silly novice, hello lipstick addiction!!!

Peace Out,

Thulani x

P.S. Lipstick collection post? Maybe?  

“Can I Touch Your Hair?”

Yeah - I ain't amused!!

I go to a university in a not-so culturally diverse area. Which isn't a massive issue to me. It's like a new adventure, where I go from the multi-cultured London, where there were other black people around me. Now, it's quite exciting meeting another black person on the street. Sometimes we chat, other times we smile, acknowledging that we are very scarce having a secret chuckle about it. It's a strange phenomenon I've found, I'm not sure how to explain it. My Mum calls it 'fictive kinship', a sense of brotherhood and community with this stranger.

Going to a university in a not-so culturally diverse area has its downs, however. The 'casual racism' which I sometimes don't find all the casual. Finding people don't understand why I don't like the rain because it gets my hair wet. Not being able to find make-up in my shade! The struggle can sometimes be immense.

The worse experience, however, occurred today, and must be document and the word spread that this is NOT OKAY!! I was waiting in Argos, ready to buy an Ottoman, after having a really good day of shopping. In the cue, a white man, who had been staring at my head, then asked “Can I Touch Your Hair?”

I turned to him, probably an expression of utter shock written across my face. I didn't know if he was being serious or not – but he was. He asked again, and I shock my head at him. There was no maybe in this situation. “No. You cannot touch my hair.”

“But it's so cool!” He insisted, raising his hand whilst I took a step back, further shock hitting me.

“No.” I said again. Didn't he get the message?! He had a woman friend/girlfriend sniggering next to him. Were they high, mental, had they never seen dreadlocks before? I was angry and upset. I wasn't an object that could be touched and gaped and awed it. Sure, I don't mind compliments to my hair. I compliment other people's hair if I find it fascinating or beautiful. I may ask questions about it, but never, no matter what race, gender, culture, have I asked a stranger if I could touch their hair!!! It was mortifying and I almost wanted to cry, even after he insisted I touch his hair in return.

I glared and made sure my back wasn't turned before paying for my goods and leaving, still in shock as I called my Mum and told her of this experience. It was a first, but it may not be the last. Here's hoping, that if there is next a next time, that I'll have the guts to stand up for myself further, and explain why it's not okay to ask strangers, to touch their hair. Maybe talk to me a little, exchange information, but don't you dare treat me like a walking petting zoo. Ever.

Peace Out,

Thulani x

I met this Alpaca once at a petting zoo to de-stress during exams. He has so much sass.