Guest Post: Rachel and the Perfect Black Jeans

I have found the perfect pair of black jeans.

Prior to this my denim collection consisted of two staples - a pair of blue Cheap Monday skinnies, which did the job until a gross rip on the inner thigh around 2 months into daily wear - not even touching on Cheap Monday's unforgivable fly problem - and a sweet pair of dark wash Dejour jeans. Which were great, but also so tight and non-stretch that it is an ordeal to do any activity in them other than stand around and collect numbers. I made the mistake of taking them when I went travelling for a month. My thighs had imprints all along the sides from walking around in them for up to 8 hours each day, lingering up until a month after I returned.

Related: If you live in Melbourne, you'll probably know of Dejour as well your local dingy tavern (the Albion is mine). For over 20 years Nam Huynh has been running a tiny shop on Sydney Rd churning out custom fit jeans like a denim beast. A pair of jeans tailored perfectly to the contours of your hot bod for a clean 50 bucks every time. Lest they start losing shape with wear you can take them back any time after the purchase and he will tighten them back up right to your liking. It is an institution I support and take advantage of whenever possible. Just don't take it as far as I have (above).

Anyway: The black jeans I've found are the Arlene model by Dr Denim. Mid-rise, perfect fit, and with enough stretch so I don't ride my bike like a duck in a diaper. Here they are in a couple of different looks.

Just Jeans $5 tee, vintage belt, Dr Denim jeans

Kookai button-down, vintage belt, Dr Denim jeans

Guest Post: Dating As A Black Widow

Let's talk about dating and how terrible it can be for women of color, especially if you're a woman of color who's more into men of the vanilla variety. I blame this lust for white flesh on the Backstreet Boys, it all started with those five singing white boys. Oh, and Eminem. Anyway my dearly departed husband was white (and Mexican and Turkish) but he was a rare breed. Death sucks but one bittersweet thing about it is you find things you hadn't seen in a long time--things long forgotten--like a paper he wrote when he was a freshman in college in which he acknowledged the privilege he had as a straight white male and I swooned all over again. See what I mean when I say rare breed? So yeah, if you're still stuck on the “dearly departed” thing, the backstory is he was killed a year ago and I'm still devastated, therapy, etc. (I'm literally a black widow, y'all.) I remember thinking “I'll never find love again, who's gonna love me now, I'll never get to a place where I even wanna allow someone into my heart like that” but I got there a few months ago. I don't think I sat down and had a talk with myself about it, I just signed up for a dating site and bugged the hell out of my WoC friends (who've been amazing, bless you ladies).

Before I bore you with this next paragraph, can I just say kudos to you guys with this online dating shit because holy crap is it hard. I was already kinda prepared but whoa, it's even beastlier than I thought it would be. My husband and I got together in 2002 and were attached at the hip immediately; I mean, I knew I loved him (no Savage Garden) two weeks into the relationship and it never felt like dating to me, we were ~one~ But yeah, cut to 2012, he dies and 2013 I'm standing in front of this behemoth known as “dating” and its equally terrifying cousin “online dating” and you've got a scared Dani. “So tell us about yourself”/“Let someone know why they should message you”/“Describe yourself in less than 100 words, cite references, MLA style” and I'm like wut? I just wanna find Ryan Gosling Orlando Bloom a cute guy who's nice with good hygiene and a job that also won't fetishize me. And the whole thing screams "interview" and I HATE those things. And resumes a.k.a. your dating profile. You go on a date and tell them all your good points in the hopes that you'll get a call back or second date. The whole thing is nauseating, I just wanna skip to the end when I'm in a stable relationship but alas I cannot.

So yeah, I fill out the stupid info, upload a cute enough photo of myself and then what? Wait? I got no patience and I hate waiting (clap your hands say yeah if you correctly guessed what song that's from). Fine, I'll wait. Well, maybe I won't. Oh how nail biting! You know what though, I've been on a few dates and had my feelings hurt but I'm still trucking along. Like a good little engine. Or an idiot. Dating is hard, did I say that yet? And let's take a second to imagine how easy it is to date for white women? I know they get their share of assholes because I've seen the Tumblrs dedicated to jerky messages but come on those girls are the ideal. From birth, they (and we) are reared to believe they are IT, the holy grail, the be-all and end-all of women. White is right, we've seen the bleaching ads and dealt with the self hatred of wanting to be lighter and having manageable hair. They can search for anyone and get anyone from any race because having a white girl on your arm is the goal, especially for some men of color. We get “fierce” and “werk it girl,” they get "stunning," "gorgeous," "jaw droppingly beautiful." We get “I've never fucked a [insert non-white whatever] girl before,” they get "stunning," "gorgeous," "jaw droppingly beautiful." And another thing about this shit is if I find a dude who isn't out to fulfill some black girl fetish, I have to worry about whether or not his family will accept me. My in-laws were amazing about this and never had an issue with my husband and I being an interracial couple but not everyone is as cool and open.

Deep sigh. You know what, I'll just eat pizza, pizza never lets me down.

(And don't get mad, white feminists. But hey, if you write an angry article about it, you can get tons of mileage and maybe end up on Anderson Cooper or become Tumblr famous for a day.)

Dani O is a new guest contributor to Within Color.  Welcome!

Interview Feature: Phuong

Meet Phuong Pham. Ridiculously crafty, ridiculously talented, and just an amazing artist all around. She has  been transplanted to Los Angeles by way of Philly and Baltimore. She has an MFA in Book Arts/Printmaking though now she has been mostly working on her drawing and fiber arts these days.

I've admired her from afar for many years, so I was really excited when she agreed to do an interview for Within Color and man, did she deliver. 

From the Rotunda: SB5 Legislation

I asked our guest poster Jackie to write up a blog about her experience at the Texas State Capital during Wendy Davis' filibusters and floor vote. I wish I could have been standing by your side!

Last night I joined thousands of protesters at the Texas State Capitol gathered to voice our opposition to SB 5, a bill aiming to ban abortions after 20 weeks and placing new, severe restrictions on clinics and providers. I had been listening to the filibuster all day and wanted so badly to be there to show my support. After work, I headed over to the Capitol, not knowing what to expect.

I was surrounded by a sea of orange. Pizza was being delivered, volunteers were passing out peanut butter sandwiches, apples, and bottled water, and the atmosphere, though serious and determined, was overall friendly and united. We were there, and we weren't leaving. It was time to take back our house.

The line to be admitted into the Senate Gallery wound down 3 levels of the building. We had to decide whether to join the groups in the auditorium watching the debate, or wait in line, not always knowing what was going on in the gallery.

I started in the auditorium. Hundreds of seats were filled with people watching intently, booing attempts to silence Senator Davis, and erupting in cheers when she shut her silencers down. I only wish she could have seen how hard we were rooting for her. After a couple of hours in the auditorium, I headed up to the 3^rd floor rotunda, just outside the Senate Gallery, to meet friends in line waiting to be admitted. The line lurched slowly, and most of us were getting our information from Twitter, Facebook, and friends watching the streaming. A rumor started going around that the Capitol shut its Wi-Fi off, though I can’t say for certain if that’s what happened. I do know that I and many others had Wi-Fi at one point and lost it later. It’s possible it got overloaded.

Things started riling up around 11PM, and the building began to fill with more people. Another rumor started, this time stating that the Capitol was on lockdown. I talked to a State Trooper about that, and he gave a wishy-washy response.

Around that time a podium was wheeled in, and Cecile Richards stood in the middle of the first floor, working with her team, meeting protestors, and encouraging us to keep standing with Senator Davis. We still had little information about what was going on inside, but we passed along all the information we had to each other as our phones started dying.

We erupted when the filibuster got killed. The senate gallery was rushed, and those of us who couldn't get inside started chanting. First, “Wendy.” Next, “We won’t go back.” Later, we sang The Eyes of Texas, letting legislators know we were watching them and we wouldn't forget what they were trying to do. More State Troopers entered the rotunda, and the doors were locked to keep us out.

We became unified as we started to understand that, if we made enough noise at the right times, we could stall the vote. Organizers helped us stay quiet when our legislators were speaking, and encouraged us to cheer and chant when we needed to. We were making our voices heard.

Standing on the first floor, Cecile Richards looked up on the rotunda, screaming with us, waving her hands to get us to cheer louder, and we stomped our feet and banged on whatever we could. The feeling was electric as we counted down to midnight. Cecile held up 3 fingers for 3 minutes, 2 fingers for 2, and 1 for the last minute.

Midnight came and we were still cheering as loud as ever. But then news started to spread that they voted, and it passed. We were confused, upset, and trying to find out any information we could. After 20 minutes, the shouts and chants subdued as we tried to understand what was happening.

I couldn't help but feel defeated. After hours of state legislators combing through rules to silence Senator Davis, it felt like we had been silenced too. Our voices were shut out. I went home feeling like I hadn't done enough.

As I walked through the Capitol grounds to get back to my car,  I thought about when I used to work at the Capitol as a senior in college in 2008. My boss at the time, the Legislative Director for a Texas State Representative, told me on my first day: this is your building. You decide what happens in here. Don’t ever forget that.

I knew then that we weren't defeated, we were silenced. Every dirty trick in the book was used to keep us out of OUR house. I knew then that we were going to keep fighting, and if another session got called, we would be back, and we would be louder than ever.

I woke up this morning to amazing news. I am still saddened by the extent the GOP went to keep us from exercising our rights and traditions.  I am upset that the media has aired Lt. Gov. Dewhurst referring to us as an unruly mob. I am aware that this is probably just the beginning of a long fight to make our legislators hear our voices. I am proud that my Senator, Senator Kirk Watson, stood by Senator Davis and supported her in every way that he could. And I am ready to return to the Capitol and keep standing with Senator Wendy Davis and every other woman whose rights are being controlled, manipulated and denied by a legislature that no longer reflects the wants and needs of its people.

It’s time to take back our house.

Guest Post: Natali

Meet Natali Puga, a 17 year old 2nd generation Mexican American who is still totally angsty and starting college in the fall!

Dress: H&M

1. How would you describe your style?

Classic but with a twist and a penchant for 60's yé-yé girl fashion. Someone once told me I dressed like a "Marxist intellectual" and I held on to that one for a while. 

(1) Abuelita on the right; (2) Abuelita on the left

2. Growing up, who or what inspired your style?

I come from a line of very strong, independent, hardworking women and without listing every lady in my family, my grandmother is a huge inspiration as to how I dress. She grew up within a tiny town in Durango, Mexico. My grandma grew up on a ranch, had tons of siblings to look after, juggled school, got married, and still managed to look chic at all times. She made most of her clothes, and while I can't sew to save my life, she engraved the "do with what you have" type attitude in me without saying a word.

Dress & belt: Gap // Cardigan: H&M // Purse: vintage

3. What current issues are you passionate about?

So many issues to be up in arms about (too many that it gives me anxiety), but since I live in Arizona, an obvious one is IMMIGRATION REFORM. Adios arpaio!

See and visit Natali on: Twitter // Instagram // Blogger !

Guest Post: Rachel

After a decade of being a socialised girl, I have gotten my makeup routine down to an art. If you have normal-dry skin and seek things to apply to your face with an immaculate return, I have the perfect list for you.

My everyday look is essentially the same each day with a rotating set of lip sticks. Above is NARS Dolce Vita.

Layer upon layer of Revlon lipsticks (Toast of New York, Raisin Rage and Teak Rose). Doesn't last but is cute as hell.

 

Interview Feature: Maitri

With the continued growth of Within Color, I'm hopin' to regularly feature and interview more women of color artists, fashionistas, activists, etc so I'm ridiculously excited to kick off this newest blog feature with Maitri Mehta, a powerhouse of creative talent and witty commentary. I've been following Maitri's embroidery journey from its beginning stages and I am damn proud to see her flourish and succeed in something that brings her genuine joy. Cliche and overused, but she is surely a force to be reckoned with. I have absolutely no doubts that Big Things are comin' up for this babe. Maitri, don't forget us when you're rich n famous from your creative pursuits one day.



1. What made you want to pick up embroidery? 

Desperation honestly. Possible Personal Journal, but I was feeling really low and hadn't created anything in a long time-- I couldn't write! Apparently it's hard for me to be a prolific poet when I'm Sad. So I needed something to pour all my sadness/bad energy/nasty anxiety into and embroidery is something that was always peripherally on my radar. I draw a little bit and used to paint in the past and just wanted something new to teach myself. I was hoping the learning process would help me shut off my brain a little bit and it totally did.

2. What are your daily sources of inspiration?

Don't mean to sound like a rustic wall plaque you see at Pier 1 Imports but ~inspiration is everywhere.~ I went to the gynecologist today and picked up a little pamphlet which has some sweet, simple illustrations re: how to give yourself a breast exam and I think I want to stitch it into a series. 

3. Which embroidery project did you most enjoy working on? 

I think the slut pomegranate was my favorite because I used some needle painting and shading and I love how it turned out! I taught myself a bunch of new and different stitches for that one.

Guest Post: Ashlee

Meet Ashlee Holguin, a 27 year old Mexican-American originally born in El Paso, Texas, and now living in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She graduated with her Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of New Mexico and is now attending graduate school for her MSW at New Mexico State University.

After an emotionally draining month, Ashlee is learning to find happiness in the little things through good old fashioned and well deserved retail therapy. And right now, she's all about big hair, baggy clothes, and wedges.

Top: Forever 21 // Shorts: Zara // Shoes: Steve Madden

How would you describe your style?
My style really depends on what I'm doing that day and how I'm feeling. I tend to try everything, but most importantly, I wear what I like and what I feel comfortable in. My favorite kind of outfits are simple, relaxed, and with a little bit of edge thrown in. 

What are your wardrobe staples?
Boyfriend jeans, black ankle pants, loose tops, a denim jacket, and flats with some sort of embellishment. 

What does your beauty regime consist of?
I'm a big fan of The Body Shop's Tea Tree line. I wash my face with Coal Face by Lush, but I use the toner, night time lotion, and oil from The Body Shop. Putting make up on is my favorite thing in the world, but I usually don't wear much. I love big and bold eyebrows, a little blush, some mascara, and a bright lipstick. 

Guest Post: Rachel

Here is another guest post from the talented designer and illustrator, Rachel Shi. For extra background information, check out her first post over here.

Started some work at a new agency this week, so keeping it casual. A coworker told me that James Jean's illustrations were nice but creepy. Mate, if tote bag aesthetics freak you out wait until you hear about the war on terror.

Dotti top, Sportsgirl tank, Dejour jeans

Guest Post: Crystal

Crystal | African American | 25 | San Francisco | Editorial Production Assistant, Freelance Food & Drink Writer

Wool Shirt - Stolen from my mother / Giraffe Print Leggings - Madewell / Boots - SODA / 
Bunny Scarf - Forever 21 / Necklace - H&M / Watch - Urban Outfitters / Cocktail: Negroni

It's amazing what happens after having a cocktail (or several) when you're alone. One second, I'm watching the Sunday marathon of Snapped on the Oxygen Network and the next, I'm feeling brave enough to set up my tripod and take photos of my outfit. Liquid courage.

Anyway, when I'm tried of wearing jeans (and dealing with multiple jobs and the hills of San Francisco, it happens quite often), these fun leggings become my usual go-to. Heels usually aren't part of my uniform (again, those HILLS!) but with this quest of trying to appear more professional, I'm toss them in and there. I find myself pairing too many prints but isn't that what everyone does these days? Anyway, this wool top is neutral but with enough to texture to offset the craziness I throw together each day. With the new accessories I own, we got ourselves a casual outfit for brunch or reviewing a new bar in the city.

Being a fan of Within Color since the beginning, I'm so excited to finally contribute and hopefully write more insightful things to this site. I'm so pleased to see such great women of color talking about things that I experience and/or wonder about daily and can't wait to see this resource grow, reach more readers and change the world.

And with that, its time for another drink but feel free to reach me through twitter and instagram if you desire!

Cheers!

Guest Post: Carla

Meet Carla - a 24 year old writer living in Brooklyn, New York who also doubles as a nanny and a perpetual editorial intern. Her other interests include reading, live shows, and most importantly - big ole impractical earrings. I think we can all relate to a few (or many) impractical material goods in our lives. I'm also excited to share that Carla will be joining us a regular contributor here on Within Color so be sure to lookout for her future posts!

Look at these intricate details! I'm also really lovin' the headscarf. 

How would you describe your style?

Colorful, daring, and comfortable.

What does your beauty regime consist of?

I use African black soap and shea butter moisturizer on my face at night. During the week, I don't wear any make-up, but on the weekends when I'm going out I'll put on a bit of mascara and a lipstick. Revlon is my favorite brand!

Is there a celebrity/public figure whose personal style you closely align with?

British singer Corinne Bailey Rae and French singer, Inna Modja, are GORGEOUS black women whose looks are always on point and I get a lot of inspiration from them.

Guest Post: Rachel

Meet Rachel Shi, a 21 year old Chinese designer and illustrator from Melbourne, Australia. I spent a good chunk of time perusing her portfolio and tumblr and I suggest you do the same; her illustrations are incredible.

Denim Jacket: Amsterdam Market // Dress: Thrifted 

closer look at the amazing renaissance print

Top: Neuw baseball tee // Skirt: Vintage leather // Accessories: Casio watch

Top: Plane tee // Skirt: AA black denim circle skirt //
Denim Jacket: Amsterdam market // Accessories: wooden earrings from France

1) How would you describe your style?

Clean, minimalistic, classic, basic. Neutral tones, cool patterns. My everyday outfit is kinda sporty school girl gone corporate.

2) What are your wardrobe staples?
Button ups, short skirts, denim jackets, boots.

3) What problematic issues do you face within fashion/beauty as a WOC?
Sexualisation with regard to everything.

4) What current issues are you passionate about?
Intersectionality and all it entails.

Jak

Worship

Moon

Thanks Rachel! To follow and check out her further work: Portfolio | Sketch Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

The Next Big Thing: Ophelia Cache

Ophelia Cache | Twitter: @OpheliaCache | Instagram: @OpheliaCache | Debut EP: http://m.soundcloud.com/opheliacache/sets

Photoshoot with J.Thorpe-- Dress: Stop Staring, Belt: ModCloth, Creepers: Trash and Vaudeville

Smith Common's showcase in DC -- Dress: London based designer "Darling"

Jean Jacket: Local DC brand "The Good Kin", Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

1.) What's your holy grail beauty product?
Black liquid eyeliner, red lipstick and black nail polish

2.) How would you describe your style? 
I would describe my style as rockabilly with a little NYC chic street wear mixed in

3.) What are some style rules you do/don't follow?
I feel like I break more rules than I follow. I have no problem wearing a nice pair leggings as pants and I like to mix and match prints a lot as well

9) What problematic issues do you face within fashion/beauty as a WOC?
I sometimes feel people find it hard to accept a rockabilly girl who is also a women of color. The racial climate during the time in which I draw most of my stylistic influence from was tumultuous at best. Rockabilly was all about early rock'n'roll and a sort of hillbilly look. It is especially difficult being a singer who draws influence from artists of color during that same time. It is widely accepted that a lot of famous faces of the rockabilly culture recreated music from artist of color and brought it to mainstream. So to adopt so much of the rockabilly style and to create music unlike the culture, I think is a juxtaposing people find hard to wrap their heads around, but one I love and feel is very interesting.

This girl is talented, beautiful and stylish. Be sure to listen to her hit
Do You Know

Guest Post: Jackie

Did It Myself: Engineer Prints

A couple weeks ago I decided to clear out my spare room and fix it up for some guests who were coming into town. I donated my old furniture to a neighbor and brought in a couch, coffee table and TV stand. I loved how my new room looked, but the giant blank space above my couch was seriously taunting me. I thought about putting together a gallery wall, but those can look so cluttered and kitschy. I had just spent all this time decluttering-I didn't want to ruin that! I knew I wanted something that was simple and could stand on its own. And then I remembered engineer prints!

If you haven’t discovered engineer prints, listen up: you can upload a picture to Staples’ website and have it printed out on giant paper for like pennies. Like 800 pennies. The catch (there’s always a catch!) is that the print is not gallery-quality- the paper is thin, you can only get the picture in black-and-white and the overall quality is definitely imperfect. These are all sacrifices we make for cost and SIZE. The size of it! Wow.

My Aunt Cheli recently posted some old family photos on Facebook and I loved seeing where my mom and her family grew up. Out of all the pictures she posted, I freaked out over this picture of my Great-grandparents at their ranch:

Great-grandparents at their ranch, “El Potrero” (“The Paddock”); Comonfort, Guanajuato, Mexico

Guest Post: Amina

Ello beauts! 

One awesome thing about working with kids is that I have a reason to dress childish from time to time. I bought this Sonic the Hedgehog jumper from the men's section in Primark (a ridiculously cheap but amazing store over here). The floral shirt I'm wearing is also from Primark (a generous £3!). One thing I absolutely adore is mixing men's clothing with super feminine items to create a fun clash. Here I pinned the Sonic jumper back to make it look cropped. I also finished off the outfit with a pair of low wedge ankle boots and a mohair vintage cardigan.

Guest Post: Courtney

Meet Courtney. 

23, Georgetown Law student, Texas native, andone of the best dressed people in DC.

Photo by Preetika Rajgariah 

We moved to the east coast at the same time and have had similar struggles living in such a "diverse" city. Neighborhoods, schools, jobs, bars, etc. are all drastically segregated, leaving us as "token" minorities. Recently, Courtney joked about how living in some of the most conservative realms of the city has made her want to wear the most outlandish outfits. I like to think of her waving her middle finger in the air while wearing her Bill Cosby sweater and spiked rings, but that might not be appropriate for class.

So when she attended 20's inspired Barrister's Ball (Law Prom),she stood out from from the rest, as usual. Though I have to admit, I was a little sad she didn't go the zoot suit route she had initially intended.

Photo by Chris Mattox

 Photo by Chris Mattox

"It's our last opportunity to act out and dance like mad as a collective before the onslaught of finals preparation kicks into high gear. Open bar, messy, chaotic, sweaty, only somewhat predictable. This is also how I would describe some aspects of the law."

Iconoclast and fashion icon, Courtney is someone to keep an eye on in the future.

Guest Post: Jasmin

Some "fun fax" about our guest poster:

Jasmin, 22, First-generation Korean/Filipina artist based out of New York by way of Hawaii. 

Cuffed red pants and black and white block sweater: Vintage, Black flats: Zara

1) How would you describe your style? 
Classic, plain, just chilling

2) Where are our favorite places to shop? 
I can never leave Uniqlo without buying something, but I have the most fun at a thrift store (Etsy and eBay count too).

3) Growing up, who or what inspired your style? 
My mama. I grew up shopping at thrift stores with her, and she would always look put together no matter where we went. People would have never guessed that her wardrobe was from Savers or Goodwill.

Check out her site here (coming soon) and follow her on Instagram at oseprocse. 
Thank you Jasmin for your contribution to Within Color!

Guest Post: Amina

Say hello to Amina, a spiritual 25 year old living a fast paced life in the heart of London. She works with special needs children, spends her free time drinking coffee and reading, and all about living a positive lifestyle.

1) How would you describe your personal style? 

I'd describe my personal style as conscious/recycled. I'm a very spiritual person and follow the motto of 'Live a Life of Karmic Kindness'. Therefore, I don't believe in spending large amounts of my own money on clothing in order to follow trends. The vintage and charity stores are my best friends. I love the feeling of stepping into a store filled with items from the past, as well as the very generous price tags!

2) What sparked your interest for fashion & beauty? 
Due to my multi-cultural background, (Somali, Swedish, British) I've always been interested in the different styles and influences of beauty in my life. Growing up, women of colour in the fashion and beauty world have greatly influenced me. Although I'd say my biggest influence of beauty is Mother Nature because I'm constantly in awe of the simplicity in natural beauty. I try to keep my own natural beauty as intact as possible (very little make up, kindness to my body, drinking and eating right, etc). I've recently decided to fully embrace my natural hair and stop straightening/blowdrying it (I will try to document my journey for you!). I'm all about embracing change for the better. I look to everyday as a new chance of self improvement.

3) Do you have any tips & tricks you'd like to share? 
For myself, I think it's important to reinvent old items of clothing and recreate pieces instead of spending money on new items when you have a full wardrobe. One trick I love is taking an old racerback vest top and simply wearing it back to front (as seen above).

Follow her on IG @ Aminno

Guest Post: Christina

Top & Bottoms: Urban Outfitters // Bag: Zara // Shoes: Forever 21
Hi, I'm Christina and excited about being the first guest poster at Within Color. I'm a freshman at Sac State studying digital marketing, love to cross stitch, and own way too many crop tops. If there was one word to describe my style, it would indefinitely be: minimalism. I'm deathly afraid of color (although I seem to love neon bikinis) and feel most comfortable wearing combat boots with 99% of my outfits. If that's wrong, I never want to be right.

As a subscriber of an embarrassing amount of white youtube beauty gurus, it's refreshing to be involved with a project focused on WOC. I often buy recommended products by gurus that don't work well with my skin tone so I'm looking forward to contributing make-up, hair, and nail tutorials as well as DIY's in the future. Stay posted!