Being a big sister is admirable but comes with so much sacrifice. They are the first to learn how to drive, experience puberty, and endure much responsibility. Still, our big sisters are always here to guide us, giving us the best advice possible in hopes we avoid the mistakes they’ve made.
Contrary to popular belief, a big sister isn’t always someone related to us. It can be anyone we admire or who deeply cares for us. That said, there is a flourishing sisterhood within the beauty community. Our favorite gurus continuously strive to inform us about the latest beauty trends and the lessons they’ve learned.
In honor of National Sisters Day today, we interviewed beauty influencers about their advice on accepting our natural features. Below for what they had to say!
Ilianna Garcia
Ilianna Garcia has faced two adversities in her journey: hair and body confidence. These insecurities developed from what Garcia naturally consumed in the media. “I never wanted to embrace my natural curls because I was told and shown that straight hair was considered ‘good’ hair. The same goes for my body. Although curves are celebrated in my culture, I quickly realized that society does not hold room for bigger bodies.” The journey hasn’t been easy for Garcia. However, seeking inclusivity within her community has helped her fight against the boundaries that have been formed against her in the past.
“When it came to embracing my natural curls, it took me seeing other beauty gurus like SunKissAlba share their natural hair journey and routines that work for curly hair. This is why I always say representation matters,” says Garcia.
She encourages her online community to embrace themselves as they are and be mindful of who we follow on social media. Garcia says, “My advice for younger girls struggling to embrace their features is to understand that you are one of a kind and not compare yourself to others. These features that make you feel ‘different’ actually make you stand out.”
Natacha John
Natacha John is a beauty guru whose social media comprises multiple beauty and fashion looks that keep her audience locked in. Although John shows up as her authentic self, finding confidence within her insecurities is a familiar journey. “I think one of my biggest insecurities when I was younger was my acne. I struggled to manage it through many of my teen years and early adulthood, and it impacted my confidence and how I saw myself,” says John. Conquering her acne led to John discovering new features she wanted to change. As her healing journey continued, she realized beauty is more about perspective than physical appearance.
“I learned to embrace my natural beauty when I began to understand that pursuing beauty and perfection is endless if you let it be. The goalpost is always moving, but when we shift our perspective from beauty being something we need to obtain to something we already are, we free ourselves,” Says John. Affirmations, like “everything I want wants me more,” have been a way of healing her self-concept.
Enriching her self-worth has contributed to John’s unshakable confidence. She now regularly encourages young women to embrace their natural beauty for what it is, uplifting thousands of women through her online content. John shares, “beauty is entirely subjective, and it’s much more important that you find comfort with your own than chase a standard someone else has set.”
Tia Freeman
Tia Freeman knows what it’s like to fight through the adversities that often come with our crowns. Freeman says, “I blame my fear of being different for the insecurities I used to have about my hair. Growing up in Greenville, South Carolina, most girls around me did not have a similar hair texture.” This led Freeman to compare her texture to those around her and view her hair as a burden rather than a blessing.
Strengthening her faith has become a primary attribute in the acceptance process. Daily affirmations have also grounded Freeman in knowing that her hair is worthy. Freeman mentions, ”positive affirmations helped me turn my negative self-talk into admiration. It felt like I was faking it for the longest time, but I needed to change my thoughts about myself if I ever wanted to love myself honestly.”
“We’ve all been there,” she continues. “Appreciating yourself and gaining true self-confidence is a journey that only improves over time with lots of practice,” says Freeman. She truly advocates for positive affirmations, even if they don’t feel genuine at first. Repetition is the proper foundation of belief, and, to Freeman, our faith in ourselves matters the most. “Negative self-talk is a lie,” says Freeman, “There’s never going to be another you. Take pride in that. Embrace who you are and love yourself.”
Kortlynn Janaé
“My hair has always been a huge pain point for me, and I have always struggled with accepting my natural beauty,” says Kortlynn Janaé. Contrary to popular belief, Janaé’s hair struggles did not stem from her hair texture but the idea that it was the only feature that made her admirable to others.
Having long, relaxed hair was the driving force of Janaé’s self-esteem. The fear of only being admired for her relaxed hair was challenged in 2018 when she did the big chop. “Believe it or not, the next day after my ‘big trim’, my mother texted me a picture of my relaxed hair and said, ‘I want this hair back.’ I was crushed,” says Johnson.
Despite the disparities that she faced, going natural was the start of Janaé embracing herself. Protective hairstyles were a convenient way of building confidence and protecting her hair. Affirmations also played a significant role in Janaé relying on her self-belief instead of others.
In addition to self-healing practices, Janaé also attended therapy, where she learned that her insecurities are deep-rooted. “Being in therapy has helped increase my self-awareness and verbalize all the layers that are connected to my insecurities. Now, I can truly start the healing process.”
