Tag Archives: Beauty

Features

Curly Hair is Back

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After years of grueling hair-straightening regimens, NECC students are saving precious time by unplugging their flat-irons and embracing their natural curls.

“I save at least an hour when I wear my hair curly,” said NECC student Ana Guerra. “I would have to straighten it the night before and then re-straighten some of it in the morning.”

NECC student Constantine Photis fully supports his classmates to go natural. “If you were born with curly hair that conforms to the rest of your head and body, let it be curly. Just let it be,” he said.

Hairstyle trends seem to have a major shift every decade or so, making it difficult for some to give up their beloved mullets, poufy bangs or faux-hawks. However, today’s college students are on the cusp of an “anything goes” time for hair.  The ’70s gave us the feathered look of teen idol David Cassidy and Cher’s iconic, pin-straight look which was almost impossible to achieve at home — unless you trusted a family member to literally iron your hair on the ironing board in the kitchen. Keep in mind that the styling tools we use today were not stocked at the corner store.  By the end of the ’70s, the unisex Afro became a popular and highly sought after style. However, unless you were born with natural curls, the methods used to create the look were a lot more dangerous than a hot metal plate and involved strong chemicals.

Ah, yes. The perm. Although the wife of inventor Charles Nessler often had her hair accidentally burned off by his early, failed attempts, his cold-wave method for permanently altering the hair was a major trend throughout the ’80s (especially for “hair bands” like Bon Jovi) and is still used today.  Although Jon Bon Jovi’s music career survived the ’90s and beyond, perms started to fizzle out and with the release of 1995’s movie Clueless. Actress Alicia Silverstone had young women chasing after smooth, straightened locks. This trend that lasted 20 years and is finally on its way out.

Unfortunately, the media has had a tremendous influence on how people style their hair. NECC student Bianca Mercado is proud to wear her naturally curly on campus but has experienced emotional distress in the past over having curly hair due to constant images of smooth-haired “beauty” flooding TV and movie screens. “I was always so concerned with fitting in,” said Mercado.

Whether you feel that you need an invitation or not, with trendsetting celebrities like Beyoncé and Bradley Cooper showing us their au natural selves, some may find it easier to try to new things.  Professional hairstylist Jess Hamilton of Haverhill offered some helpful tips for students who want to sport their naturally curly hair on campus.

“Moisturizing products are essential for eliminating frizz and you’ve got to trim those ends at least every six weeks,” she said.

 

Opinion

NECC Students Discuss Wearing Makeup

 

Erica Almonte, 21 majoring in Nursing says she’s always searching up new beauty tips and tricks to make her life a bit easier. “In between my daughter, school and work, it always seems like I never have time to pamper myself. So I’m always looking for little beauty hacks to save me some time and money.”

Almonte says she’s been wearing make-up ever since she was a freshmen in high school.

“I started experimented little by little and started to notice what works for me and what doesn’t. I think it’s important for women to understand that, like not everyone can wear a red lip.”

Almonte says she has learned a lot of great tips from the internet and is always sharing her new tricks with friends. “I learned this one trick that I swear by … Take some Vaseline and glide it across your front teeth, it stops lipstick from transferring!”

Almonte says she has always loved makeup and sees nothing wrong with adding to her natural beauty. “I don’t see the problem with enhancing your natural beauty. I love make-up!”

Michael Santiago, 21 says he enjoys seeing his girlfriend with make-up but dislikes when women use excessive make-up. “I don’t have a problem with girls wearing make-up, but if you come to school looking like you’re about to go to the club… that’s another story.” Santiago says he believes women should feel beautiful with and without make-up. “I think it’s great, when a girl can go out without make-up and still feel like she’s pretty… to me, that’s dope.”

Jennifer Castillo, 24 says make-up isn’t her thing. “I’ve honestly tried to like make-up but I just feel like it looks like I’m trying too hard. I think it has a lot to do with my personality, I’m very laid back.”

Castillo is currently studying business and is afraid her choice of career will eventually change her decision to refrain from wearing make-up. “I read an article online, more than two thirds of employers admitting they would discriminate against women not wearing makeup to work. That’s just crazy to me, but this is the world we’re living in. At the end of the day, I’d rather wear makeup than be jobless.”

Opinion

What is True Beauty?

 

Corina Carmona, 20, who majors in Nursing says true beauty is “a person who is confident and sure of themselves. Someone who knows their value.”

Carmona is a youth mentor at her church and says she often gives self-esteem pep talks to the women at her church.

“So many women deal with this issue. It breaks my heart to see someone who doesn’t see themselves the way God does.” Carmona says she has also dealt with this issue. “One of the exercises I have the women at my church do is to actually have them look in the mirror and tell themselves that they’re beautiful. I know its corny … one of those things you only see in movies, but it works! Words are a powerful tool.” Carmona, sees herself continuing to teach the young women at her church to be confident.

“Accepting yourself the way you are, forget what everybody else thinks. No one is perfect … you may think someone else is beautiful, but I bet you that that person also has insecurities…” says Ashely Rivera, 20 who studies Respiratory. Rivera admits she has also had self-esteem issues at one point of her life, “Every girl goes through it — it’s part of life, you know.” Rivera says she has learned to ignore other people’s negative comments on her appearance.

“People will always have something to say about you, but you gotta keep it moving. I’ve learned to not let people rain on my parade.”

Eddie Hoar, who studies journalism and communication at NECC believes true beauty is far beyond the physical.

“It’s not superficial. It’s about how you carry yourself, how you present yourself to other people.” Hoar believes the media has put too much emphasis on physical appearance. “Outer beauty should matter little or not at all. A lot of that is genetic. Either you’re lucky or you’re not. Inner beauty is always going to be with you, you know. Is Gisele (Bündchen) going to look beautiful forever? No.”