Jessica Cruel's Recent Articles - Refinery29

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I Never Saw Models With My Skin Condition, So I Became One

The Tiny Detail You Missed At The Marc Jacobs Show

Why Aren't There More Black Dermatologists?

I Didn't Realise Black People Could Get Skin Cancer — Until I Did

Michele Modestin, 55, wasn’t bothered by the two slim, black lines running up her ring finger. She just thought they were a scratch or a scar. Then, in h

by Jessica Cruel

Adut Akech: "Everything I Got Bullied For, I Love Today"

As the star of Valentino’s new “Born in Roma” fragrance campaign, model Adut Akech dances through an opulent mansion in a floor-length pink g

by Jessica Cruel

Mary J. Blige: "Black Lipstick Was Armour For Me — But I'm Not Hi...

Mary J. Blige’s My Life album cover is like a study in everything great about ‘90s style. The dark lip, the leather cap, the hoop earrings — all peak

by Jessica Cruel

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I Lost My Hair To Alopecia — & Turned It Into My Side Hustle

Neon-green waves, inches down to the floor, an Afro reaching toward the sky — that’s the magic of wigs. Snatched is a week-long celebration of wigs, th

by Jessica Cruel

How My Side Hustle Led To A Full-Time Job As Michelle Obama's Hai...

You might not know the name Yene Damtew yet, but you've definitely seen her work. The 31-year-old hairstylist is responsible for every one of former F

by Jessica Cruel

The Black Girl's Guide To Microblading Your Eyebrows

From nanoblading to microshading, I hear beauty editors raving about new brow treatments all the time, but the first thing I ask (not always out loud) is:

by Jessica Cruel

The Rise In Black Models Is Exposing Another Diversity Issue Back...

When hairstylists don't know how to work with natural hair, everybody suffers.

by Jessica Cruel

37 Models Dyed Their Hair For Marc Jacobs — & The Change Was Drastic

Word on the street is that if you get cast for the Marc Jacobs show, you better be ready to make a drastic hair change. Last season it was dramatic haircut

by Jessica Cruel

Bobs, Wigs, And Afros: How Aretha Franklin Defined Beauty Across ...

by Jessica Cruel