first person
as told to
I Got a Nose Job Eight Years Ago—and This Is How I Feel About It Today
I was 25 at the time.
By Jolene Edgar and Carrieanne ReichardtPhotography by Thomas Prior
Body
I Thought My Strange Skin Rash Was From the Heat. It Was Actually HS
“It was the worst pain I ever had in my life. It was very scary.”
By Julia Ries
ABOUT FACE
Bone Cancer in My Face Changed Everything I Thought I Knew About Aging
“After cancer, I just wanted to look ‘normal.’ More like a completed vessel than a potter’s pile of thrown clay.”
By Kathleen Watt
COLD COMFORT
Everything You Need to Know About Cryofacials and Cryotherapy
Cold therapy is hot right now — but does it actually have any benefits for your body and skin?
By Rebecca Norris
BODY IMAGE
I Wish More People Talked About Inverted Nipples, So I’m Sharing My Corrective Surgery Story
After two inversion corrections, I’m finally ready to admit that they happened.
By Hannah Baxter
ON LOCS
I Didn’t Have Another Twist-Out Left in Me… So I Loc’d My Hair
Loc’ing my hair has not only impacted the relationship I have with myself, but in the way I move through the world.
By Jailynn Taylor
TAKING CARE
How My Beauty Routine Changes During Ramadan
My skin-care routine encourages me to take time to nurture myself, so I can focus my energy on prayer and self-reflection during the long days and nights ahead.
By Sidra Imtiaz
BEAUTY AT HOME
My Brazilian Beauty Rituals Are Part of My Immigration Story
"I would lie all the time like, 'Oh, I got my hair done at a salon.' But I definitely did it myself."
By Dianna Singh
good vibes only
Black Women Have Used Self-Affirmation for Centuries
So, why does Instagram make it look so white?
By Shayna Conde
SURVIVOR'S GUIDE
Breast Cancer Taught Me to Love My Body
Author and poet Danielle Doby shares a glimpse at life with cancer through a positive lens.
By Danielle Doby
Thank You Notes
Thank You, John Frieda, for My Bouncing Curls
Frizz Ease eased my frizz and unlocked my alter ego.
By Maggie Lange
Thank You Notes
Thank You, Big Legs, for Moving Me Forward
The photo that literally changed the course of my life.
By Amanda Richards
Thank You Notes
Thank You, Scars, for Reminding Me That I Survived
I am who I am today because of you.
By Paige Stables
Thank You Notes
Thank You, Lottie, for the Undereye Tip
How to spackle your undereyes in celestial fields of glitter.
By Sam Escobar
Thank You Notes
The Beauty and Pain of a Family Album
Thank you, Dad, for teaching me these lessons.
By Jennet Jusu
age positive
How Practicing “Mirror Meditation” Helped Me Embrace Getting Older
Four out of five of my close friends have had lower face-lifts — here's why I'm holding off.
By Valerie Monroe
Cut
Losing My Hair Made My Confidence Drop. Getting a Dramatic Haircut Restored It.
Turns out, I should've taken the train to Chop City a long time ago.
By Kaleigh Fasanella
well well well
Buying Into Commercialized Wellness Left Me Broke and Unwell
The more supplements and treatments I bought, the broker I became — and none the healthier.
By Tasnim Ahmed
Gender and Beauty
The Spa Isn't as Relaxing — or Safe — for Transgender and Nonbinary People
Now that I present more masculinely, spas are a totally different place.
By Arabelle Sicardi