‘Wash Day’ author Jamila Rowser shares her beauty and wellness tips for women
Growing up, local writer and social media guru Jamila Rowser rarely saw characters like herself — young, female, black and Latina – in the comic books she loved. Months of work and one successful Kickstarter campaign later, that’s changed. Her new book, Wash Day, created with illustrator Robyn Smith, is an engaging, slice-of-life comic about the beauty and endurance of women of color.
“Wash day is such a big event for black women, whether you have natural hair, a weave or whatever,” Rowser said. “It tends to involve a lot of patience and energy, and we usually spend a few hours on it. I wanted to honor that experience and create a positive story about black hair.”
Here are a few of her beauty-and-wellness favorites, with some comic-book inspiration:
Bubbles: Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo
“A super-gentle cleanser. It seals in moisture and keeps my hair healthy.” ulta.com.
The Incredibles: The Curlology Studio
“I found them on Instagram! The stylist knew how to cut my hair in its natural state – not blown out – so she could really shape it well.” vagaro.com/thecurlologystudio.
Green Arrow: Screaming Carrots
“A great vegan and organic restaurant. I really like the sautéed portobello and peas.” screamingcarrots.com.
Retro Girl: Warby Parker
“I recently got some cool cat-eye glasses in the Wynwood store. Even if I’m not wearing makeup, there’s something fun happening on my face.” warbyparker.com.
Crimson Dynamo: Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint
“I love matte lipstick, and this universal red (“Uncensored”) is the best. I can wear it for hours, and my lips still feel soft and moisturized.” fentybeauty.com.
The Flash: Pontie Wax Wild Orange Candle
“One of my friends makes this candle, and it’s so good. I like to light it when I’m writing – it gets me in a calm, creative space.” Pontie Wax at etsy.com.
Free Spirit: Fanm Djanm
“I have a whole drawerful of bright African headwraps. Especially here with the humidity, they’re so easy to throw on and look great.” fanmdjanm.com.
More Beauty coverage from INDULGE.
This story was originally published July 29, 2018 at 1:07 AM.