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https://www.essence.com/beauty/fathers-day-beauty-confidence-lessons/
By India Espy-Jones ·Updated June 16, 2024
Father’s Day can stir up a reminder of all the lessons we’ve learned from our dads. While we might teach them skincare routines, they raise us with lessons about beauty, confidence, and how to achieve our heart’s desires whether we realize it or not. After all, growing up, what we learned from our father figures– from fathers to step fathers, grandfathers and uncles– guides us throughout adulthood.
Today, in honor of Father’s Day, we look back and acknowledge all the lessons we don’t want to unlearn. Below, 8 ESSENCE editors share the important self-confidence guidance they’ve received from their fathers.
Akili King, Senior Beauty Editor
“Growing up, I remember my dad would brush my hair before school, putting it into a slicked-back puff. I didn’t realize it at the time, but now I see how important those bonding moments were. I’m grateful to have a father that would take time out of his busy mornings to make sure I felt my best before heading into the school day.
Additionally, he would often affirm me and my hair, telling me how much he loved the ‘fro, which went a long way for me. Even in more recent years, I remember tweeting something about how I was struggling to find a good foundation that wouldn’t break me out. He commented and said, ‘well, it’s a good thing you don’t need any makeup anyway.’ I thought it was the sweetest thing. Although I do minimal makeup in general, it definitely encouraged me to further embrace my skin in any phase.
Aside from this, my dad has always encouraged me to pursue my dreams and do what makes me happy. I’m super thankful for that.”
Dominique Fluker, Contributing Life src=”https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdMgfKbau7Hj-HZF7WDPV0F3JW8ASSY63ispgv6P67vghel1k-xXdTDICe4HjKy64lLoB1T6IWNCQF2EXJ2NeU2tKIaITQsvXJqCF27pFsADdI1IB3ZopOAaenfdO0BpbAL-URZH4jKEiBvyi_0nlWwsqR4?key=t5DgE28jpPmwjl_w-nm8ew” alt=””/>
“My father passed when I was 20 years old. Throughout my life, he encouraged me to have unwavering confidence. He showed me that beauty is confidence.”
Kenyatta Victoria, Contributing GU Editor
“My dad always taught me to be fearless when pursuing what I wanted. He instilled in me from a young age that I’m capable of anything no matter how quiet I was growing up. Through those lessons, I could feel and look my best because I was already in a confident headspace thanks to my dad.”
Devine Blacksher, Senior Fashion Editor
“I’ve learned so many lessons about confidence from my dad. Since I was a kid, he has always encouraged me to be the boldest version of myself. I was definitely a shy child, which might surprise people, but he always told me to ‘start strong, stay strong.’ These words still resonate with me when I feel uncertain. He also showed me how to be accepting and honest with myself.
I remember going through a bad breakup a few years ago. I would call him, crying and being so hard on myself, and he would say, ‘Devine, look in the mirror. Do you like what you see?’ This helped me tap into self-love and taught me to pause and give myself grace. It was a truly beautiful lesson that changed my life. He’s also always pushed me to express myself and not care about what others think. I’m so blessed to have him as my dad—the coolest person I know!”
India Espy-Jones, Beauty Writer
“My dad used to say he had kids (two daughters) just to spoil them, so I grew up knowing I could have and be whatever I wanted. At the time, I wanted to be a red Power Ranger; but looking back, I realized how important it is to know you can ask for and receive your every intention. Growing up knowing the power I held has allowed me to achieve my biggest dreams before the age of 25, and I feel like my life has never felt more beautiful.”
Jasmine Browley, Contributing Business Editor
“One of the many ways he instilled confidence/self esteem in us is by always offering the space to reach for our dreams, just as long as we actually tried. ‘If it don’t work out, just go to the next thing. Ain’t nothing wrong with trying.’”
Rayna Reid Rayford, Contributing Editor
“My Dad always told me ‘pretty is as pretty does,’ and to me, that has always meant that beauty starts from within.”
Robyn Mowatt, Contributing Fashion Editor
“My father surprisingly was the one who taught me how to take care of my skin. From a young age, he taught me and my twin sister how to exfoliate, how to properly wash our faces and also shared how important it is to take care of our skin as it’s a first impression you leave on people you meet. I reckon with this often largely because it’s true and it also instills self-confidence. Of the many lessons he’s taught me resilience, grit and confidence are a few of the strongest.”
TOPICS: beauty lessons Black Fathers Day
The post These Are The Lessons We’ve Learned From Our Dads appeared first on Essence.
By India Espy-Jones ·Updated June 16, 2024
Father’s Day can stir up a reminder of all the lessons we’ve learned from our dads. While we might teach them skincare routines, they raise us with lessons about beauty, confidence, and how to achieve our heart’s desires whether we realize it or not. After all, growing up, what we learned from our father figures– from fathers to step fathers, grandfathers and uncles– guides us throughout adulthood.
Today, in honor of Father’s Day, we look back and acknowledge all the lessons we don’t want to unlearn. Below, 8 ESSENCE editors share the important self-confidence guidance they’ve received from their fathers.
Akili King, Senior Beauty Editor“Growing up, I remember my dad would brush my hair before school, putting it into a slicked-back puff. I didn’t realize it at the time, but now I see how important those bonding moments were. I’m grateful to have a father that would take time out of his busy mornings to make sure I felt my best before heading into the school day.
Additionally, he would often affirm me and my hair, telling me how much he loved the ‘fro, which went a long way for me. Even in more recent years, I remember tweeting something about how I was struggling to find a good foundation that wouldn’t break me out. He commented and said, ‘well, it’s a good thing you don’t need any makeup anyway.’ I thought it was the sweetest thing. Although I do minimal makeup in general, it definitely encouraged me to further embrace my skin in any phase.
Aside from this, my dad has always encouraged me to pursue my dreams and do what makes me happy. I’m super thankful for that.”
Dominique Fluker, Contributing Life src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdMgfKbau7Hj-HZF7WDPV0F3JW8ASSY63ispgv6P67vghel1k-xXdTDICe4HjKy64lLoB1T6IWNCQF2EXJ2NeU2tKIaITQsvXJqCF27pFsADdI1IB3ZopOAaenfdO0BpbAL-URZH4jKEiBvyi_0nlWwsqR4?key=t5DgE28jpPmwjl_w-nm8ew" alt=""/>“My father passed when I was 20 years old. Throughout my life, he encouraged me to have unwavering confidence. He showed me that beauty is confidence.”
Kenyatta Victoria, Contributing GU Editor“My dad always taught me to be fearless when pursuing what I wanted. He instilled in me from a young age that I’m capable of anything no matter how quiet I was growing up. Through those lessons, I could feel and look my best because I was already in a confident headspace thanks to my dad.”
Devine Blacksher, Senior Fashion Editor“I’ve learned so many lessons about confidence from my dad. Since I was a kid, he has always encouraged me to be the boldest version of myself. I was definitely a shy child, which might surprise people, but he always told me to ‘start strong, stay strong.’ These words still resonate with me when I feel uncertain. He also showed me how to be accepting and honest with myself.
I remember going through a bad breakup a few years ago. I would call him, crying and being so hard on myself, and he would say, ‘Devine, look in the mirror. Do you like what you see?’ This helped me tap into self-love and taught me to pause and give myself grace. It was a truly beautiful lesson that changed my life. He’s also always pushed me to express myself and not care about what others think. I’m so blessed to have him as my dad—the coolest person I know!”
India Espy-Jones, Beauty Writer“My dad used to say he had kids (two daughters) just to spoil them, so I grew up knowing I could have and be whatever I wanted. At the time, I wanted to be a red Power Ranger; but looking back, I realized how important it is to know you can ask for and receive your every intention. Growing up knowing the power I held has allowed me to achieve my biggest dreams before the age of 25, and I feel like my life has never felt more beautiful.”
Jasmine Browley, Contributing Business Editor“One of the many ways he instilled confidence/self esteem in us is by always offering the space to reach for our dreams, just as long as we actually tried. ‘If it don’t work out, just go to the next thing. Ain’t nothing wrong with trying.’”
Rayna Reid Rayford, Contributing Editor“My Dad always told me ‘pretty is as pretty does,’ and to me, that has always meant that beauty starts from within.”
Robyn Mowatt, Contributing Fashion Editor“My father surprisingly was the one who taught me how to take care of my skin. From a young age, he taught me and my twin sister how to exfoliate, how to properly wash our faces and also shared how important it is to take care of our skin as it’s a first impression you leave on people you meet. I reckon with this often largely because it’s true and it also instills self-confidence. Of the many lessons he’s taught me resilience, grit and confidence are a few of the strongest.”
TOPICS: beauty lessons Black Fathers DayThe post These Are The Lessons We’ve Learned From Our Dads appeared first on Essence.
The first season of the Ncuti Gatwa era of Doctor Who has felt incredibly short. There’s a reason for that; it is incredibly short. Even so, the season-long mystery has been right at the forefront of every episode. Who is the lady played by Susan Twist who keeps appearing briefly? Why is she in so many times, places, and circumstances? And why did it take the Doctor and Ruby so long to realize it? Well, the penultimate episode, “The Legend of Ruby Sunday,” finally answered at least a few of these enigmas. We now know who the villain is! And it may require a bit of explanation.
There’s Always a Twist at the End
It may have taken you a little bit to notice, but Susan Twist played a small character in each of the previous episodes. She’s the old hippie who requests a song from Ruby’s band at Christmas. She played a nurse in “Space Babies” and a dinner lady in “The Devil’s Chord.” Infamously she was the face of the ambulance in “Boom!” and the hiker in Wales in “73 Yards.” Susan Twist even played Lindy Pepper-Bean’s mom in “Dot and Bubble” and was the portrait of the duchess in “Rogue.” As the song at the end of “The Devil’s Chord” proclaimed, “there’s always a twist at the end.”
This is Russell T Davies’ most shrewd season arc, because it gave the audience double and even triple bluffs. The actress is Susan Twist, and for decades fans have speculated that we’d eventually see the Doctor’s granddaughter Susan return. Could Susan Twist be the “Susan twist?” This episode tackles it head on.
S. Triad
While the Doctor, Ruby, and UNIT discuss who the mystery lady could be, the UNIT folks know right away. It’s Susan Triad, the famous tech developer who at that moment prepares to announce her biggest public offering yet. So there it is: Susan. The Susan twist must be that Susan Twist is Susan…TWIST! In addition, her name is Susan Triad. S. Triad is an anagram of TARDIS, which the crew rightly points out. This is too much! Susan Triad must have knowledge of the TARDIS and in fact is Susan, the Doctor’s granddaughter.
One interesting wrinkle the show offers is that, while the Doctor has a granddaughter, he doesn’t have a son or daughter…at least not yet. The series has never discussed the Doctor’s children, or even really alluded to them existing, but he still has a grandchild. Ergo, through time and wime, he can raise a granddaughter before he has children…or whatever.
Sue Technologies
Ah, names. As Mel (Bonnie Langford) learns while undercover working for Susan Triad, she prefers to be called “Sue.” This was our first clue Susan Triad maybe wasn’t Susan TARDIS after all. As the rest of the episode explores Ruby’s past and whatever evil entity emanates through time and space, using the TARDIS as an entry point, we maybe forget what Susan Triad could directly be involved.
Alas, she is. And, for whatever reason, Susan Triad has been a sleeper agent the whole time. In fact, the real words we ought to have paid attention to were “Sue” and “Tech,” because in actuality, she is the reborn embodiment of Sutekh, the ancient evil that begat the ancient Egyptian god Set. Set, traditionally, is the god of deserts, storms, disorder, violence, and foreigners. (Foreigners?! The hell, Ancient Egypt?)
The episode closes with the entity of Sutekh, as embodied by a giant dog-headed cloud, and the skeletal face of Susan Triad, claiming victory. Also Harriett Arbinger, a member of UNIT, was annoying the “harbinger” of doom. H. Arbinger. Dumb.
Who Is Doctor Who‘s Sutekh?
Sutekh only appeared in a single televised Doctor Who serial. That was “Pyramids of Mars,” a Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith story from 1975. In it, the Doctor and Sarah end up in 1911 where English archaeologists (some might save tomb raiders, but po-tay-to, po-tah-to) unearth the burial chamber of Sutekh, the alien Osiran, whose race came to Earth and formed the basis for the pantheon of Ancient Egyptian deities.
Sutekh waged war against his kind, and 740 Osirans under the leadership of Horus managed to defeat and imprison Sutekh on Earth. Keeping him at bay is a beam emanating from a pyramid on Mars. Damn Edwardians and their obsession with digging up shit. The excavator, Professor Marcus Scarman, falls under Sutekh’s thrall and, using Sutekh’s robot mummies as muscle, attempts to fire a missile at Mars to destroy the pyramid. Naturally, the Doctor has to stop this, but not before he and Sarah have to beat the many obstacles and traps in the pyramid.
Actor Gabriel Woolf who voiced Sutekh in “Pyramids of Mars” reprises his role in “The Legend of Ruby Sunday.”
Has Sutekh Ever Shown Up Again?
As with just about every villain in the classic era of Doctor Who, Sutekh appeared in several novels and audio dramas as part of the show’s spinoff media. The series does namedrop Sutekh a fair amount, usually in relation to powerful, Lovecraftian gods who may or may not be the basis for the devil.
So Wait, Is Nobody Susan?
So here is where I think RTD is pulling yet another Susan twist. Given we’ve seen her a couple of times, and she has a very weird—possibly unearthly—quality to her, I think it’s much more likely Mrs. Flood (Anita Dobson) is actually Susan. She knows what a TARDIS is, and she definitely behaved incredibly strangely when Cherry Sunday (Angela Winter) asked for some tea.
I’m not saying she definitely is, but if anyone we’ve seen thus far seems like they could be the Doctor’s granddaughter in disguise, it’d be Mrs. Flood.
We’ll just have to wait and see how it all shakes out when “Empire of Death,” the finale of season one, premieres June 22 on Disney+.
Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.
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The second season of Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Lucasfilm’s original animated series, will debut on Disney+ and Disney Jr. on Wednesday, August 14, with the second half of the season coming early 2025. In addition, a series of shorts from Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures Season 2 will debut on Disney Jr. and Disney+ on August 2.
Set 200 years before The Phantom Menace, during the High Republic era, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures follows Jedi younglings Kai Brightstar, Lys Solay, and Nubs as they study the ways of the Force, explore the galaxy, help citizens and creatures in need and learn valuable skills needed to become Jedi along the way.
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures Season 2 follows the younglings as they continue their training and embark on even bigger missions across the galaxy. Helping to lead the younglings on these missions is Master Zia’s new Padawan, Wes Vinik, and his astromech R0-M1. As they continue their training and grow in the ways of the Force, the young Jedi will travel to new planets with new and old friends and encounter adversaries like The Ganguls, who are growing in their pirate ranks…
Produced by Lucasfilm in collaboration with Wild Canary for Disney+ and Disney Jr., Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures is executive produced by Lucasfilm’s James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez, and Josh Rimes. Michael Olson is showrunner and executive producer; Elliot M. Bour is Supervising director and Co-Executive Producer; and Lamont Magee is consulting producer. Production services by Icon Creative.
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures stars JeCobi Swain as Kai Brightstar, Juliet Donenfeld as Lys Solay, Dee Bradley Baker as Nubs, Emma Berman as Nash Durango, Trey Murphy as Taborr/Cyrus Vuundir, Nasim Pedrad as Master Zia Zanna, Gunnar Sizemore as Wes Vinik, and Piotr Michael as Master Yoda.
Plus, a new 2D-animated digital series entitled “Fun with Nubs” is now available on StarWarsKids.com and Youtube.com/StarWarsKids. The series follows the comedic misadventures of Nubs and RJ-83, as they take on tasks across Tenoo.
Premieres Wed Aug 14th.