A skin, hair, or makeup routine is more than just a skin, hair, or makeup routine. We took a deep dive into the beauty habits of artists and estheticians across Los Angeles to learn more about themselves and their relationships with the world around them. Beauty rituals are as much personal as they are portals to a better self and a better future. Elise Thoms is a rapper, creative director, makeup artist, model, painter, and photographer whose beauty ritual is a lifelong quest to reclaim herself and cherish her natural hair, skin, and smile . “I may have grown my hair long in middle school, but now I’m growing it out as long as I can and redefining my beauty standards,” Toms says.
Beauty is very subjective to the beholder, but my specific take on it is to be authentic and live within that authenticity. Do something to bring it out. For me, it has evolved from trying to change myself into something or someone I’m not, to now strengthening what is already a part of me. She may have grown her hair long in middle school, but now she’s growing it out as long as she can and redefining the standards of beauty that are set for her. I’m going to be me for the rest of my life. Would you like to live in your own body and be yourself? I used to have Invisalign and it actually hurt to move my teeth. I remember cutting my gums to the point where I couldn’t wear them anymore. Immediately after that, I remember thinking, “My teeth aren’t going to move, so I can just get a grill.” When I got them, I had them made to highlight gaps in my teeth, places where my teeth might be crooked. That to me is true beauty: owning yourself.
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I think it’s my Venus in Scorpio, but beauty is black to me. Afrofuturism, Afrogoth type stuff. I like expressing myself best through hair rather than makeup, which is crazy. Because I don’t deal with hair professionally. My biggest thing is always trying to make it as big as possible. If you’re going to do braids or twists, make them as colorful as possible. It feels like a crown to me. Like the mane — I don’t know if it’s a Leo thing or not. When it comes to makeup, there are ups and downs. There may be times when you wear makeup every day, and times when you don’t wear makeup at all. I’m at the stage where I don’t wear it at all. It’s artistry and expression, and I think there’s beauty in both. You feel most beautiful when your skin is glowing, and that’s mostly because of what’s going on inside.
IMAGE’s “Beauty Ritual” (Credit: Bishop Elegino)
“Beauty is very subjective to the beholder, but my specific take on it is to be authentic and live in that authenticity. Do anything to bring it out. It is.”
Elise Thoms
Elise is wearing Miau’s top.
My mother was always natural and taught us to be natural. she is very unique. If you look at photos from that time, she was always riding her waves. She’s a hairdresser, so she’s had braids or fros all her life. Looking back at that time, I didn’t appreciate it for what it was. I grew up thinking that every mom had a hairdresser. I have fond memories of my mother as she took great care of my hair. I left it alone and accidentally tore out all the data. When she was taking care of me, my hair was down to my butt. It was a beautiful bonding moment. It just didn’t seem that way. I was just in it. My mother expressed herself through my hair. My mother created me, created my hair, and created my hair.
I think the biggest part of a beauty ritual is self-love and including it in everything you do. Don’t get angry when you’re getting your hair done. Don’t get frustrated. Please be careful. Treat it as gently as you would when styling someone else’s hair. If you give yourself that same love, it will radiate out. You can wear all the makeup you want, but when you’re happy and without makeup, your smile is contagious. Energy is a big part of that.
IMAGE’s “Beauty Ritual” (Credit: Bishop Elegino)
Cut from the reflection of a round mirror
This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
