Be careful what you wish for. I’m a late bloomer when it comes to facial hair. In my teens, there was poor beard growth with barely-there facial hair. I could smell the desperation (if desperation had a smell).
Imagine my excitement in my mid-20s when I was finally blessed with some facial hair. But it was not enough. It was patchy, scattered across my cheeks, chin, and jawline. The type that refuses to connect into full growth.
Then, in my early 30s, my sparse era was over. Suddenly, I had a masterpiece of a complete outlier of a family of facial hair. But the dream quickly turned into an utter nightmare. There was discomfort from “beardruff” and the effort of maintaining a decent grooming routine was exhausting. So, instead of trimming it, what did I do? I shaved it off completely. I felt like this offered a more timeless, hygienic, and youthful look. The irony of wanting facial hair for a lifetime, only to find it overwhelming when you are granted your wish …
In curating the April Beauty issue, I found inner peace in chasing the perfect symbol of masculinity through facial hair. That inner peace naturally triggered an outer radiance. The day before taking my editor’s letter picture, feeling unkempt and untidy, I visited my barber to get a clean shave, as usual. But I surprised him by asking for a bushy moustache.
He replied, “How bushy should I make it?” and proceeded to give me a bunch of natural moustache options, ranging from chevron and lampshade to painter’s brush. My response? “Surprise me.” It didn’t matter because, for the first time, the connection between my mind, emotions, and appearance was aligned. There was no pressure; I could pull it off with grace. When I walked on set the next day, everyone embraced the new look. “You can call me Moustache Manny,” I retorted with a thick French accent.
Audrey Hepburn said it better: “I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls.” That famous quote is one of the best beauty mantras, and it will never go out of fashion. Along with one of her other popular proclamations, “Laughter is truly the best calorie burner.” Once that natural inner light is shining through, it becomes effortless to style your glow and smile. After all, drinking water and minding your own, along with glowing from within, come at no cost. It’s refreshing that the beauty industry, now more than ever, is taking its cue from natural and philosophical practices. There is less pressure on consumers to find beauty solutions that promise unrealistic overnight miracles to correct imperfections. Finding inner peace is guaranteed to reflect in outer glow.
Our April Beauty issue, anchored by former Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi and Ithonga actor Unathi Mkhize, focuses on holistic mind–skin connections. And it’s important to get luminous pre-party skincare because our next issue is our big 10th anniversary celebration. Until then, stay hydrated.
