The grand return of iOne Digital’s Melanin Awards comes in celebration of the most nostalgic beauty moments during the last 50 years in Hip Hop culture. Our goal is to: Amplify the best Black-owned beauty brands with honest reviews from our editorial staff. We’ve spent the last few months diving deep into the realm of foundations, serums, bundles, and more, and have emerged all the better for it. From black-lined lips, pencil-thin eyebrows, or finger waves let’s look at the most iconic beauty treats that are still around today.
Black beauty editors assemble for a roundtable discussion about how beauty played a role in the aesthetic of hip-hop in the 90s and 2000s. Moderated by MadameNoire’s Shanita Hubbard, author of Ride Or Die: A Feminist Manifesto for the Well-Being of Black Women.
Swank is the rose that grew from concrete. The self-identified “serial entrepreneur” relied on her innate gifts and talents to advance within an industry that is reportedly anything but a nurturing space for Black women. Swank’s achievements include building a clientele of artists like Young Jeezy, Teyona Taylor, Keisha Cole, and more. A clientele of this magnitude is unsurprising for a woman with her tenacity. The blue-haired fashionista crafted a unique career trajectory that was sparked by her personal style.
