Can You Help Me Change Things?

I have a favor to ask you.

Hi friends!

I know, that’s a lot of Mystic Bru in your face.

I want to be transparent in saying that this email will be different than most I send out, but since Return to Self is all about community, I’m leaning in.

But first, a story because duh.

I’ve loved playing with makeup since I was a little girl. I’d only do a little bit in secret because I wasn’t allowed to wear it for the longest.

Then I became a preteen and I used makeup to mask myself. I wouldn’t let ANYBODY see me without makeup on. I felt too ugly without it. I hated my dark circles, my lips, my eyebrows, my skin texture…

I used makeup in hopes that it would help me feel beautiful like the girls I’d see on TV and magazines, even though no one ever looked like me.

To this day, I hardly ever see Middle Eastern representation in mainstream media, and if I do, it’s rarely (if ever) about being beautiful.

I kid you not—it wasn’t until a few years ago that I looked in the mirror and said, “Wait. Am I pretty???”

Over the last few years I’ve found my beauty—internally first, and then externally.

As many of you may already know, it’s hard to believe something that you don’t see. It was hard for me to believe I was beautiful when everyone who was deemed beautiful in the media looked the complete opposite of me.

I want to see my culture in conversations that expand beyond war and conflict. I want to see faces like mine being celebrated & starring in beauty campaigns…so why not start with mine?

I applied to be part of the Sephora Squad 2023 (because we’re shooting all the shots!) and would love if you could support me by submitting a testimonial.

If I’ve impacted you in any way, then help me create more spaces for more people like me to be seen and valued.

Thank you for being you and for supporting me and allowing me to be me.

Xo!