Picture this. You are scrolling through all your social media pages. You see people with smooth skin, perfect makeup, and laid edges. You wonder how you can get just like them, but have hit a bump in the road. You don’t know who to look for or even where to start. There are many influencers and creatives on the internet who have made an impact, and more specifically black femmes. The diversity and perspective that black femmes bring to the table is like no other. When looking for ways to improve your lifestyle, check out these five black femmes who will get you right!
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@melanatedmomma (Twitter): Taking the time to work on your inner self can be difficult for most people. You may never know where to start or the proper tools needed to begin this journey. The road to finding your true potential in this lifetime is non-linear and at times, confusing. MelanatedMomma, also known as Mani, is a spiritual healer, psychic medium and astrologer who uses their platform to aid people in their journey to self awareness and healing. They believe that in order to create abundance and the life you dream of, you must unpack trauma and focus on your health and wellness. Mani has generated a large following within the past year, mainly due to their encouraging tweets and ecstatic personality. They keep it real and use channeled messages from the Divine to give people guidance. Whether you are a Virgo or Libra or Capricorn, Mani has a message for you. I have been following Mani for some time, and I can honestly say they have changed my perspective on life. They emphasize that everything is “not love and light, but raw and real”. If you are looking for guidance in recovering from past life experiences, childhood trauma, or just need a message to push you in the right direction, Mani is the one to add to your following list.
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@wakeupwithmarley (Instagram): Trying to eat healthy is a struggle we all know too well. Staying on a consistent diet is difficult because it can be tricky to know what to eat and sometimes, you just want to indulge in your favorite junk foods! Marley Mauvais makes eating healthy look easy on her instagram page, catered towards people who want to maintain a plant-based diet. Her recipes include lemon pepper cauliflower, jackfruit tacos, vegan pancakes and more. I have tried her recipe for plantain nachos, and it was very beginner friendly. As someone who is not too fond of complicated recipes, I would definitely recommend trying a few of hers! Not only is the food tasty, but it is aesthetically pleasing too. When people think of healthy eating, they think of only raw fruits and veggies. However, Marley Mauvais challenges this narrative by providing recipes that will keep you full and keep your body happy.
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@labeautyologist (Twitter): We all know how pricey and exhausting finding the perfect skincare routine can be. It can take months, even years to find products that work for your skin. Nayamka Roberts-Smith is an LA based esthetician, who has debunked some of the world’s most popular skincare items. From witch hazel to peel-off masks, Nayamka keeps her followers informed about which products do more harm than good. She is also the creator of the ‘60 Second Rule’, stating that you must wash your face using your hands for at least 1 minute to reap the benefits from your cleansers. She emphasizes on her platform the struggles that black women face when it comes to maintaining their skin. While normalizing hyperpigmentation on darker skin, she tells her followers to ditch the homemade lemon and turmeric “skincare” products. You don’t need them! She says to stick to her ideal routine: cleanser, toner, exfoliator, toner again, serum, and moisturizer. With taking her advice, my skin has definitely improved and is smoother than ever.
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@nymatang (Instagram): For decades, the makeup industry has been known for not catering their products towards black skin, specifically darker tones. If you look at pictures of celebrities from the 80s and 90s, there is a grey, almost ashy cast over their face. This is because makeup brands did not understand how to make foundations with the proper undertones for dark skin. As someone who is dark skinned and loves makeup, I understand the struggle of finding the perfect foundation shade for your skin tone. My search for the right foundation color began on Youtube when I found Nyma Tang. She caught my attention because her skin was very rich in melanin. From Fenty Beauty to Mac to KKW, she reviews different makeup brands and the darkest shades they have for their makeup products. Nyma uses her platforms to explain the struggles she has faced with being dark skinned in the makeup industry. Having her as a representative in such an exclusive community is important, because black women are often left out of conversations surrounding this topic. Over the past few years, makeup brands have begun expanding the color range in their products (thanks to Rihanna) and best believe if you’ve heard of it, Nyma has tried it!
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@IAmErikaJ (YouTube): Hair has always been an important part of black history. From finger waves to braids to wigs, we have done it all! Although these styles are popular, the cost can add up when changing your hair on a regular basis. Attempting to do hairstyles on yourself can be tricky, however, Erika J makes these hairstyles look easy! On her YouTube channel, she mainly focuses on the process of installing wigs. She has a variety of content consisting of “cheat codes” for melting lace wigs, revamping old wigs, and laying baby hairs. The one thing that stands out about Erika J is that she is beginner friendly. I remember watching her video on ‘The ULTIMATE melt: easy step by step’ and thinking “ well maybe I CAN do this…”. Not everyone has the money to get lace wigs installed every other day and Erika J provides quick and easy ways to customize your hair. Whether its bleaching knots, dying hair or threading in bundles, she has got you covered!
Black femmes have always made a significant impact on the black community. They are versatile across every subject you can think of. From spirituality to hair to makeup, there will always be someone to guide you in the right direction.