Afrocentric Allure: How African American Culture Defines the Beauty Trend Revolution
I’d like to propose a question to you all. When you think about beauty trends that have emerged over the past few years, what comes to mind? Most people probably think about the Glass Skin trend from South Korea, the ridiculousness of the “old money makeup” “Vanilla girl aesthetic” trends, or anything else in line with whatever those are. But if you pause and think about it, where’s the appreciation for the trends that have roots in the Black community?
We give you countless trends and “fads.” Where do you think acrylic nails originate from? How about those sleek hairstyles? Or even brown and neutral lip liners? I want to highlight those three in specific and help shed a little light on the importance of preserving the legacy of these trends.
Dating back to Ancient Egypt as early as 5000 B.C., fake nails have been a prominent way of expressing yourself for centuries. Wealthy women wore them as a sign of power and importance, something that many empowered women today still do. Acrylic nails were discovered by accident, by a dentist named Frederick Slack Jr. in 1954. After cutting his thumb nail at work, he used dental acrylic to create a temporary nail. This would evolve into the acrylic nails we know today. First showing up in the 1970s, on disco icons such as Diana Ross and Donna Summer, “these elaborate and artistic nail designs quickly gained traction, becoming symbols of empowerment and self-expression within Black communities,” says a 2024 article from The Queen’s Journal about Black beauty trends.
Image Courtesy: Instagram
Sleek and slicked-back hairdos are a staple of modern “hairography” (hair choreography, of course). However, when doing research for this article, I found that most of the websites on the internet believe that the origins of this hairstyle came from flappers in the 1920s. Even when you look under the “sleek hairstyles” hashtag on Instagram, the first few rows of pictures and reels are all of white women. However, this isn’t the case. Sleek hairstyles evolved into what they are today for somewhat of a disheartening reason. Historically, younger generations of Black girls were forced into believing that their natural hair was “too coily,” “too curly,” or “unkempt.” This perception, being deeply rooted in Eurocentric beauty standards and societal norms, harmed countless little girls' views of themselves and made them feel like to abide by these norms was to fit in. As a result, Black women started applying heavy heat sources to their natural hair with the understanding that this was what was best for them. Over time, this blossomed into something to celebrate. With the worry about fitting in, Black women took these slicked back hairstyles and turned them into statement pieces for themselves. In the 1990s, young Black women showed creative liberty by slicking their hair back with updos, doing their edges and styling their baby hairs, and more. Today, slicked-back hairstyles can be found on people everywhere, and that's beautiful. But it’s important to remember who started it initially.
Image Courtesy: Instagram
In 2022, Hailey Bieber posted a TikTok wearing what she called “brownie glazed lips.” And that's fun…but let’s not pretend that that look in specific hasn’t been a prominent part of POC makeup routines for decades. Emerging in the 1990s and popularized by Black women, brown lip liner has been a tool for enhancing lip shape and definition. From supermodels such as Naomi Campbell to music legends like Aaliyah, brown lipliner became emblematic of effortless glamour and sophistication. Its ability to flatter a diverse array of lip colors and skin tones made it a must-have beauty essential for women of every background. Nowadays, brown lip liner continues to be a beloved beauty essential - due in no part to the white celebrities taking credit for the trend - cherished for its ability to create a timeless look.
As important as these three beauty trends are, it’s imperative to remember the root and origins of all of the trends we see today, whether that be from Black, brown, Latino, Asian, or any other culture and region. The concept of a singular, monolithic beauty ideal is fundamentally disconnected from reality, and I’ll be damned if I ever forget it.
Strike Out and Happy Black History Month,
Kaya O’Rourke
Saint Augustine
Editors: Maya Kayyal & Jaden Rudd
Kaya O’Rourke is a writer for Strike Magazine, Saint Augustine. She’s a big fan of film and art houses, curating the perfect Spotify playlist for every occasion, and spending time with her BFFS (her mom and her cats). When she’s not updating her Letterboxd or working on her screenplay, you can reach her on Instagram at @kayaorourke.
