Sierra Leone Starks
Contributor
Sierra Starks is a freelance journalist who covers beauty and how it intersects with health, wealth, communities, and culture. After waving a few mic flags in TV news, she now has a full-time gig with the Department of Defense where her role is to connect the U.S. Army with the people it recruits and serves. You can find more of her work at sierrastarks.com.
How to Treat Pigment Changes on Black and Brown Skin After an Eczema Flare
Lingering marks can be super frustrating. Dermatologists explain what to do next to even out your skin tone.
Diversity in Gaming
Black Girl Gamers Band Together Against 2023’s Final Boss: Loneliness
Rethinking the stereotype of the solitary gamer.
Making Change
Plastic Surgery Hasn't Always Welcomed Black Folks — It's Time for a Shake-Up
Surgeons are finally wielding their scalpels differently, honoring beauty beyond Eurocentric constraints.
GREATER LENGTHS
Where Are All the (Quality) Textured Hair Extensions?
Black women are among the greatest consumers of hair extensions, yet the textures available don't match their needs. A new wave of Black-owned companies is looking to change all that.
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BRIDGING THE GAP
Black Women with Metastatic Breast Cancer Face a Significant Disparity in Their Care
Research has come a long way to ensure women with metastatic breast cancer live longer and maintain quality of life — but not all women are benefitting equally. Here, physicians share how we can work to close this gap.
TEXTURE SCHOOL
Stylists Across America Are (Finally) Getting Schooled in Black Hair
Big brands are traveling across the country to provide education on kinks and curls stylists never got in beauty school.
CROWDED UP IN HERE
You No Longer Have to Be a Millionaire to Invest in a New Brand
Equity crowdfunding makes it easier (and cheaper) for non-VCs to invest in emerging companies.
THE MISDIAGNOSED
Why This Common Form of Hair Loss in Black Women Is Often Misdiagnosed
Everything you need to know about centrifugal cicatricial alopecia.
Black (Skin) Is Beautiful
The Ultimate Guide to Common Skin Conditions for Black & Brown Folks
From keloids and vitiligo to hyperpigmentation and melanoma, dermatologists share the most common complexion conditions for melanin-rich skin.
GOOD BUSINESS
These Beauty Brands Are Trying to Fix the Damage Caused by the War on Drugs
The Floret Coalition makes it easy for companies profiting from the CBD boom to put money toward restorative justice.
THE BUSINESS OF BEAUTY
People Are Offering Black Business Owners "Mentorship" But, Sorry, We Need Coins
A new study highlights the most important ways we can continue to support Black entrepreneurs.
JUST A LITTLE BIT
Forget Blending — Bitcoin Is the Next Big Thing in Beauty
Millennials are embracing the cryptocurrency, and the number of women gaining interest is on the rise.