ALL THE THINGS - A free form soliloquy series on all the things women fancy themselves with on the outside - skin, hair, makeup, body, fitness...
Name and such.
Well first of all, nobody could pronounce it. It’s pronounced like Princess Diana but with two r’s instead of the n. Di-arra. And of course with the spelling being so close to diarrhea and by so close I mean it’s the prefix of diarrhea so everyone resorts to referencing severe loose bowels then bursting into a giggle. Yeah. It’s been an interesting time with this name; I giggle right along but over the years I’ve learned to take control of the joke by hosting it and not being the butt of it. You see? There’s a lot of toilet talk around my name but notwithstanding, I love it. It means a gift from God and I’m told it’s an African boys’ name. But after all the phonetic lessons people end up calling me Dee. So, there, to make things simple and to avoid porta potty references I enunciated and spelled it out for ease thus the social handle @deeyarah. My last name is another fun story for another time!
Skin
In my 20’s my skincare routine was non existent but the day I turned 30 something changed. Apparently everything ‘they’ say about skin losing its supple dewy firmness is all true. But despite all the advice and warnings it’s still surprising when you wake up one day and your skin is different. Now I actually have a steady routine that’s relatively simple and inexpensive. I think what really makes the difference is that I’m very consistent – everyday and every night. If I meditated with the same discipline and consistency as my skincare routine…well, gosh! My main goal when it comes to my face is clarity, moisture and tone. For clarity, I’m thinking blemish free skin with no broken capillaries, no dead skin, no dry blotchy areas. I usually don’t break out unless I’ve eaten a lot of sugary foods just before my period.
When I notice a bump beginning to form I reach for the holy grail of bump treatments aka Mario Badescu drying lotion. It’s loaded with salicylic acid and stops bumps from progressing. For clarity I really love Glossier’s Solution, which, to be honest when I first tried it I was not impressed. It wasn’t until I ran out of toner, putzed around long enough to find it in the things I don’t use part of my drawer that I gave it a shot. After about two weeks I looked in the mirror and noticed my skin was very clear, bright and even toned — and I didn’t know why. I retraced my steps and found myself at Solution! Moisture is the name of the game and my main stays for day moisturizers are generally Korean skin care brands and for evening I like Erno Lazlo Phelityl night cream. I follow that up with a Vitamin C serum and or Kiehl’s golden boy. I use both the Gua Sha and the Jade Roller to set my moisturizer and serums/oils. Oh, and I don’t leave home without sunscreen on my face.
Hair
From the time I was a child I used to get my hair straightened every three months but I stopped when I moved to Park Slope, Brooklyn and saw some mixed babies who had the similar hair texture to mine– the same hair that I was straightening. This, of course, was before all the Youtube videos and before the curly natural hair movement started. The only reference I had at the time was Tracy Ellis Ross on Girlfriends and what’s so full circle is that I just bought her new line, Pattern’s deep conditioner and I’m very very happy with it. When I started growing out my hair I didn’t do a big chop but chipped the ends bit by bit. The transition period helped me stand in my physical identity and find it beyond my hair. Letting my hair grow as it was meant to be is one of the best things I’ve done for myself.
I get my hair cut in Los Angeles with the curl by curl method at Capella every six months and this keeps my strands healthy and nicely shaped. My preference is shorter shoulder length hair that sticks up in every direction and wild. I don’t like the perfect curls look so I’m pretty okay with humidity and rain. In fact I think my hair looks best with a little frizz. Longer hair makes me feel weighed down and very blah. After trying a ton of brands and products I’ve found home with Deva Curl products because the brand doesn’t contain sulfates. I wash and condition at least once a week and use dry shampoo sprays to freshen my scalp, especially since I workout almost everyday. When I first started growing it out I’d color my hair quite a bit — blondes, browns, reds… and while I loved it, my hair got over processed so I keep it dark now, although I still dye my grays but now I use a bond multiplier to protect my strands.
Nails
I used to be a nail biter and then one day I decided that I didn’t want to do that anymore so I stopped. Now I drink collagen and take vitamins everyday which makes my nails strong and they grow pretty fast. I can’t seem to paint my nails like the girls at the nail salon; they do such a masterful job so I try to go at least once a month. My finger nail polish peels off in a less than a week but the manicure keeps my cuticles in check which is quite nice. If I’m getting fancy I do a classic French manicure using Ballet Slippers as a base as opposed to a clear nail with a white line. Otherwise, I get dark colors in the plum+maroon family all the way to black polish. Also, the cut is the classic square shape and kept short. Gel nail polish and acrylic tips seem to ruin my nail bed so I keep it natural and allow my nails to breathe with a basic mani/pedi. And I always pay the extra dollar for Quick dry.
Style + Fashion
I’ve always loved a good pair of straight legged jeans, preferably Levi’s. 501’s! They are just the perfect jean and everyone will own at least one pair in their lifetime. There are lots of amazing denim brands on the market but Levi’s are a heritage brand synonymous with trust, loyalty, reliability… all the qualities I like in my relationships :)) I’m a jeans and t-shirt kind of gal. I think I’m done with fitted jeans and tight pants. But I still love a crop top. It’s nice to feel that transition in my spirit. Dresses are also fun, especially the A-line silhouettes; anything from the 50s, 60s, 70s… My style motto would be something like keep it simple but do what you want but keep it classy and make it timeless. I’ll have fun with the occasional trend with a cool cut or bold print but clean classics are where I’m investing money. These days I’m for lots of loose pants and bodysuits. I love a bodysuit probably because I feel like a bit of superhero in them. Also, a note on shoes — don’t wear shoes that don’t fit just because they’re cute. In one night they’ll destroy pretty feet. Put money towards that well made shoe that’s also cute.
Body
My body’s frame is delicate. I’m built like a teenage deer and while growing up I didn’t have any interest in anything that resembled a sport. But I did enjoy working out to fitness videos and later, I would eventually grow up to moonlight on the fitness scene as a trainer, competitor and model. My favorite workouts involve anything with body weight exercises like push-ups or lifting weights in the gym. I’m not a runner but I do run. For cardio I indulge in Soul Cycle and stair runs, jump rope and plyometric animal style workouts. I’m a minimalist when it comes to equipment. I can do a whole workout in a small bathroom, tiny kitchen, bedside…wherever. All I need is a floor! I took ballet classes in New York and very quickly learned that ballet inspired workouts are also very good for developing strength in the body, mind, developing a strong core and shapely legs. Ballet is no joke! This year I shifted my entire focus from working out for aesthetics to developing real strength. It’s been an unbelievable mindset shift and the funny thing is that all the aesthetics show up anyway. My goal for my body was and still is increased strength and optimal health as opposed to six pack abs and toned legs. I wanted to end 2019 by doing at least one full pull-up so I worked with a trainer to correct weak muscles in my back. It took a month and I did my first pull-up in June. It’s been a huge achievement for me. I’m practically still doing the happy dance!
Creative Direction: Diarra Yaw
Photography: Ally Seracki