Just like it’s important to share Black-owned organizations for donation and Black-owned businesses to support during the Black Lives Matter protests (and always!), it’s also important to look at the diversity of your own social media feed. You can’t elevate the voices of Black people if you’re not following any. These Black beauty influencers are a good start if you’re a fan of colorful makeup, killer wigs and clutch skincare tips. Who isn’t?

Take Jackie Aina‘s no-BS approach to makeup. We love it when she calls out brands for their lack of shade representation, saying exactly what we were thinking. And this creates real change in the industry. Or take a look at Shalom Blac’s feed to see what real confidence is. The burn survivor became popular for the way she transformed her scars with makeup but she’s so much more than that. You might know Nyma Tang from her Fenty Beauty campaigns but you’ll learn she’s much more than just a pretty face.

When we speak about Black beauty influencers, we’re not just talking about those who identify as women. Black boys and GNC people often get looked over when it comes to big brand campaigns, fancy trips and sponsored posts but things are finally changing. Give those like Tavaris Jefferson and Victor Ramos a follow to diversify your feed in terms of both skin color and gender.

Below, meet some of our favorites Black beauty stars to follow on Instagram but be sure to check out their YouTube and TikTok feeds, as well.

Source: Instagram

Jackie Aina

Aina is known for her honest product reviews and hilarious videos. She’s not afraid to call out a brand for not having an inclusive shade range and she’s made the industry better for it.

Source: Instagram

Nyma Tang

Tang might be best known for modeling Fenty Beauty‘s deepest shade, but she’s proved she’s much more than just a pretty face. Watch her videos for ultra-helpful darker skin makeup tips, as well as all the colorful wig inspo.

Source: Instagram

Shalom Blac

As a burn survivor, fans flock to Blac’s videos to watch her transform her scars. But her confidence in the face of “flaws” is what keeps everyone coming back.

Source: Instagram

Kam Lester

Lester is known for his artistry (leopard-print eyes? yes!) and bubbly personality. If you’re a fan of color, follow him for non-boring beauty.

Source: Instagram

Cydnee Black

“The girl with the blue eyes” is Black who was a M.A.C. makeup artist and can blend like no one else. Follow her for all the hair inspo, as well.

Source: Instagram

Alissa Ashley

Ashley and her twin sister Arnell slay both together and apart, with colorful makeup looks, a snatched cat-eye and eye-catching braids.

Source: Instagram

Victor Ramos

No one transforms himself like beauty vlogger Ramos. Did you see his Beyoncé drag? It can’t be missed.

Source: Instagram

Patricia Bright

Bright is a must-follow for her natural-glam tutorials, killer outfits and adorable family.

Source: Instagram

Raye Boyce

Fans love the way Boyce shows off her killer beauty looks, skincare tips and crazy-cute new baby.

Source: Instagram

Iris Beilin

The Afro-Latina beauty is a go-to for affordable makeup recommendations, body-positive inspo and hilarious TikToks.

Source: Instagram

Tavaris Jefferson

While his vibrant beauty looks make him stand out, Jefferson also has seriously clutch hair tutorials to help loads of others with short hair.

Now
we are 60 (as A.A. Milne of Christopher Robin fame might have said), we are of
an age to think about grandmothers. Perhaps you are a grandmother or hoping to
be one. Perhaps your friends are grandmothers. It is a whole new world to
enjoy.

But
does this make you think more about your own
grandmother?

When I was writing my book about what it is like being a grandmother, many women I interviewed – including some friends – talked about how important one or other of their grandmothers had been to them.

They
had spent a lot of time with their grandmother, learned many things from her,
and some said they missed her constantly.

Surprising
as it might sound, this was a bit of a new idea to me. Yes, I knew both my
grandmothers until my late teens, but they were not an important part of my
life nor a big influence.

They
did not teach me much, did not pay me special attention, or take a real
interest in what I was up to. They were just relatives who turned up from time
to time, to whom I was required to be nice.

My Father’s Mother

One
– my father’s mother – lived on the other side of the United States, and we saw
her very infrequently. It’s hard to remember what a big deal it was to take an
airplane in those days. And when someone spent the money and time to fly
somewhere, they tended to stay for a while.

Although
I never heard it said out loud, it was clear that this grandmother always
over-stayed her welcome.

She
would totally disrupt the household, as she was not reluctant to criticise my
mother’s ways of keeping house and child-upbringing nor to verbalise many other
issues on which she had an opinion. Her visits were therefore periods of great
family tension, not conducive to a close relationship.

But
she was, to her credit, interesting. She was what people might call ‘a bit of a
character’. She felt she should have married ‘better’ than she did and would
readily remind us of this fact.

My
most memorable example was orthodontry, which I and my siblings benefitted
from. “If they had that in my day…”, she once said, “none of you grandchildren would
have been born!”

She was
also highly politically involved. In the autumn of 1960, during the period just
before the Presidential election, when visiting my uncle’s family in a
different state, she had a heart attack and thought she was about to die (she didn’t).

She
later said that, while contemplating her death, she was very pleased that she
had already voted by absentee ballot. That put a whole new spin on the term.

My Mother’s Mother

My
other grandmother – my mother’s mother – was very different. We saw her more
frequently, as she lived much closer. She was dutifully invited for
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other occasions and she – equally dutifully – took
photographs of the family to be helpful.

This
grandmother had few interests that I could see, aside from regular bridge games
with friends and the usual concerns of a well-brought up suburban widow, such
as charity and her church.

I
know she was worried I would marry someone ‘unsuitable’, which covered almost
all categories you might think of. I married only after she died, but I suspect
she would not have approved.

This
was a classic case of a grown-up daughter – my mother – becoming much more
radical than the family from which she came, creating a cultural and political
divide that was difficult to span.

It
was evident that my parents had little time for this woman, so her visits were
also a trial because everyone was trying so hard to get along.

Grandmothers Everywhere

The
women I interviewed for my book also talked about their grandmothers, who came
across as much more important to them. They came from very diverse backgrounds.

Some
were rich and proud, some very poor; some were very warm and cuddly and others
distant and cold. Many associated their grandmothers with food of one kind or
another, whether the activities of preparation or the joys of eating.

Most
felt that their grandmother had been a considerable influence on their lives
and their attitudes to being a grandmother, whether positive or, in the
occasional case, negative.  

It
made me realise how many different family stories there are.

A Relationship to Cherish

It
must be wonderful to have a grandmother as a major influence in your life. Now
that I am one, I realise that it is such a special relationship.

You
can be very close but without the inevitable tensions that arise within the immediate
nuclear family. You gain new perspectives and ways of doing things than you
gain from your parents.

And
you also gain a small foothold in history, if she talks about her own
background and life as a child.

I
have written a lot about the importance of this relationship to the
grandmother, but yes, in the right family, it is also important to the
grandchild.

What will your grandchildren
remember about you in 50- or 60-years’ time? What do you remember about your
grandmother? Was she an important influence on your life? Has it affected your
relationships with your own grandchildren? Let’s have a conversation!

I have a new puppy, and little Sally is keeping me on my toes.

Libby, my small poodle/terrier, was a stellar companion for 17 years – my kayak buddy, canoe tripper, and enthusiastic hiker. When I swam down the lake, she’d follow me along the shore, running out on each dock to supervise me on my route. I miss her. It was a sad day when she left me.

I finally decided it’s time to make the plunge again – to fill the void left by Libby ’s absence.

I hunted and hunted online for a non-allergenic dog, and I finally found a quality breeder with the right dog for me. I could have done a rescue, but this is the route I chose. I wanted to be sure she was non-allergenic and that she’d be trained the way I wanted.

Of course, there are lots of reasons NOT to get a dog. They take time. They need to be fed and walked. You have to train them, and you need to find someone to care for them when you travel. The worst part, of course, is that they don’t live long enough.

But – there are more reasons to get one. Dogs are loyal companions. They get you out walking. They keep you entertained. And – they love you unconditionally.

Not only that, but studies have shown that owning a dog can actually improve your health and lengthen your life. Who knew?

Life Extenders

A study done in China showed that dog ownership significantly lessens the incidence of cardiovascular disease, even more than owning a cat.

The reason for the discrepancy might be the fact that dogs need walking, while cat owners often keep their cats in. I have a friend who has a leash for her cat but walking a feline is less than easy.

In addition, a review of combined studies between 2005 and 2019 of nearly 4 million individuals showed that dog ownership was associated with a 31% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 24% lower risk for all-cause mortality as compared to non-owners. Is that impressive or what?

Stress Reducers

Another advantage is that petting and playing with a pet releases endorphins (happy hormones) at the same time as it decreases cortisol (the stress hormone). Because of these positive effects, many psychologists use animal-assisted therapy to relax their patients.

There’s nothing like having your own in-house pet therapist to soothe your rattled nerves – or just make you feel good.

Junior Diagnosticians

Dogs can help detect injuries and cancer. When we brought Sally home, she was immediately drawn to our older dog’s left paw. He’d split a nail chasing after a squirrel, and it hadn’t healed. Jake didn’t like her sniffing it, but it showed me that she could smell the injury.

I remember, too, that Libby would nose out any injuries I had, and she’d also hop into my lap when I was particularly sad or upset.

There are countless stories of people whose dogs have detected cancer before they experienced symptoms, and dogs have also been trained to detect a drop in blood sugar for diabetics.

Social Directors

If you’ve ever walked a dog, you know that it offers countless opportunities for meeting other people – neighbors or strangers, dog-lovers all. Many a friendship has been sparked by dog-walking interactions, and you might just be the recipient of such a connection. Thanks, pooch!

Exercise Enthusiasts

It’s a rare dog that doesn’t enjoy the daily walks, and I’m determined that Sally will be as enthusiastic about kayaking and canoeing as Libby was.

I just took her out for her first kayak ride yesterday, and she enjoyed it. On the way back, she was determined to hop into the lake, oblivious that the ice had just gone out a few weeks ago.

I had her leashed to the kayak, and I grabbed her back end just as she launched off the side of the kayak. An icy dousing of her head and front paws cured her in an instant. She spent the rest of the trip shivering in my lap. She’ll learn.

I look forward to many years with my new little minx. She and Jake have become great buddies and love to romp and roll together, though he outweighs her by 50 pounds (she’s a whopping five pounds now).

It warms my heart, and I think having her around will keep Jake young – yet another advantage of our new puppy.

So – if you have a dog already, you’re lucky. If you don’t, you might consider taking one on. I highly recommend it. Who else will take you out, improve your health, and love you unconditionally?

Are you a pet lover? Have you had a dog? What breed do you prefer? How has your dog improved your life? What is your favorite activity with your canine? Please share with our community!