In the midst of difficult times, may 2021 be the year to focus on skincare, self-care and overall wellness. One of USC's newest student organizations, Balanced Beauty, is here to help its members stay on top of their skincare routines and all things wellness-related.
“It's an organization here to help members deal and ease their insecurities revolving around their skin types,” Anari Price, Balanced Beauty's president and second-year public health student, said.
As an aspiring dermatologist who believes skincare and overall wellness have an effect on how you feel inside, Price said she saw USC's need for an organization such as Balanced Beauty, which focuses on skincare for minority men and women. She decided to bring her own personal goals to life by creating the organization.
The organization's motto is to “Maintain the outside to protect the inside," meaning that once someone is confident about how they look, their inner confidence will benefit as well.
Skin is the first thing other people notice, so it’s important for people to love that aspect of themselves, said Jazmyne Boyd, Balanced Beauty’s vice president and a third-year public health student.
Boyd said there’s an assumption Black people typically have oily skin, but that’s not the case. Balanced Beauty will be there to teach about all skin types with the help of guest estheticians, dermatologists and other experts.
“We’ll be able to fight against those stereotypes by showing people that they're beautiful the way they are, like the way that God made them,” Boyd said.
According to Boyd, everybody should make an effort to take care of themselves. Price said too often, men don’t spend time focusing on skin- and self-care, but Balanced Beauty wants to change that.
“A lot of guys don't really know that they can do face scrubs and stuff like that, so it's really just nice to know that it's not just for women; it's for men, also,” Nakoria Strong, Balanced Beauty’s membership chair and second-year biological science student, said.
In an effort to attract more male members, Balanced Beauty will be collaborating with the Brothers of Nubian Descent on Feb. 2. This meeting will be focused on healthy after-shaving habits, taking care of intimate parts and other male-related skin tips.
Balanced Beauty also plans to collaborate with Collegiate Curls, an organization that focuses on empowering multicultural students to embrace their natural hair. The organizations will work together by having a meeting to discuss skin and hair care.
“Hair is one of the insecurities in the Black community, especially in the professional world,” Boyd said. “I feel like it's important for everyone to know how to take care of their natural hair and that they don't have to look a certain way to fit a certain standard.”
Balanced Beauty’s first meeting will be on Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Russell House Theatre. This will be an opportunity for all new members to meet the executive board and find out more about the organization.
Boyd said members should come prepared to learn new things about their skin and to start loving themselves more.
Balanced Beauty can be found on Instagram and Twitter @balancedb_uofsc.