Author: Akili King

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Manny Carabel/Getty Images By India Espy-Jones ·

The post Op-Ed: Renaming Black Hairstyles Promotes Erasure appeared first on Essence.

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By Mecca Pryor ·Updated April 16, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

Lisa Hanna has long embodied the ethos of “for us, by us.” Now, the Jamaican beauty queen is stepping into yet another evolution of her multifaceted career. After winning Miss World 1993 in South Africa—a pivotal moment in the wake of Apartheid—and going on to serve 18 terms in the Jamaican Parliament, the former beauty queen-turned-politician is adding

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Courtesy of Allen Chen By India Espy-Jones ·Updated April 15, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

Incense-scented air >Lauren Halsey describes as the home to her sculpture park, intentionally stylized as sister dreamer lauren halsey’s architectural ode to the surge n splurge of south central los angeles. It’s also the pheromones she bottled up into a new Byredo fragrance with the same name: Sister Dreamer. 

“I reached out

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Courtesy of Old Navy By Mecca Pryor ·Updated April 15, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

Christopher John Rogers has officially landed at Old Navy. A new limited-edition capsule collection—led by Old Navy’s chief creative officer Zac Posen—brings the designer’s signature bold hues, intricate patterns, and playful silhouettes to an affordable price point. As Posen continues his push to spotlight American designers, the collaboration marks a notable moment for

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Courtesy of Grace Bukunmi By Karissa Mitchell ·Updated April 15, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

Blush blindness is a myth. From Olandria and Ciara Miller’s pink blush to blush as eyeshadow on Doechii, there’s only one request we’ll ever ask of it: More, please! Which is ironic because there was a time when blush felt almost secondary. It was something to add exclusively at the end of a

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By Larry Stansbury ·Updated April 14, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

In a cultural moment where visibility feels both powerful and precarious, Elaine Welteroth is reframing what it means to be seen. Her latest collaboration with LOOK OPTIC—is more than a design statement. It’s a reflection on intellect, identity, and the kind of resilience that doesn’t always announce itself, but holds steady nonetheless.

“For me, glasses have always symbolized curiosity

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Denim Tears Via Instagram By Mecca Pryor ·Updated April 14, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

Ms. Lauryn Hill has been everywhere lately. She made a surprise appearance at Kanye West’s recent Los Angeles show, drew a crowd at Milan Fashion Week, and even popped up at her daughter’s high school fashion show. If there’s one thing she’s proving, it’s that she’s very much a woman around town. But,

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Composite by India Espy-Jones By India Espy-Jones ·Updated April 13, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

In an industry with an overwhelming amount of product launches daily, The Empties Edit helps you cut through the noise. To help you find your new beauty and wellness favorites, this series highlights the tried-and-true products our writers constantly empty out and re-up on.

What’s a spring refresh without an everything shower? This time

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By Akili King ·Updated April 13, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

It’s Cardi B’s season. We don’t make the rules. 

In the middle of her Little Miss Drama world tour, and ahead of her Essence Festival performance this July, Cardi B is finally dropping her highly anticipated Grow-Good haircare line tomorrow. 

The line itself consists of six products with standout ingredients like coconut oil, avocado oil, castor oil, banana peel extract,