Arielle's Truth
Tell me about yourself.
Arielle: My name is Arielle and I am a Youtuber. My dad is from Jamaica and my mom is from the Caribbean island of Montserrat, but I grew up right outside of Atlanta, Georgia. I am a Journalism student with a concentration in Media and Society and a minor in Marketing. I want to do content creation for magazines. I use what I learn in my major to help me grow my Youtube channel. I have learned so many ways to better connect with my audience.
I started taking Youtube seriously in April of last year. The growth I have had so far has shocked me. A lot of people say that the natural hair blogger space is oversaturated, but as someone who has grown my channel from scratch, I have realized that it is all about being the individual that you are. Everyone brings something different to the table which is why people are still able to find success on Youtube.
What are your beauty/personal struggles?
Arielle: My hair is my biggest beauty struggle. I feel like my hair isn’t growing. My Youtube channel centers around my hair and the tips and tricks I use to learn about what products work for me. Youtube has helped me be comfortable with my hair and how I view myself.
When I am editing my videos, I can be really harsh on myself. I am my biggest critic and I tend to overly judge the way I look. We criticize ourselves before the outside world can even tell us anything. I’m a shy person and don’t like to speak up, but I push myself because we need more representation for the Black community.
I also struggle with saying no to people. I work with a lot of brands and sometimes I overwork myself. I’m a people pleaser and very considerate so much so that I don’t consider myself. I also struggle with anxiety–trying to balance school and Youtube. I am still figuring out how I can grow as a Youtuber and how I can manage my time and have a social life.
How do you keep up with your hustles?
Arielle: Honestly, I am scatterbrained half the time. Writing things down on paper or taking notes on my iPhone has definitely helped a lot. I cross things off as I get them done. My advice is to write stuff down because you can’t keep everything in your head. I set timers to remind myself to do things. I also have a calendar in my room with every brand collaboration I need to do for the month.
As far as a social life, if I know I have things to get done then I don’t even bother going out. I have sacrificed a lot to be where I am. I finish everything I need to do before I give myself free time. My schedule is as follows: I wake up, go to class, work on Youtube then give myself a little ‘me time’ right before bed.
What does beauty mean to you?
Arielle: Beauty is not being afraid to be who you are. Beauty is dressing how you want and wearing your hair how you like. Beauty is being comfortable in your skin and letting your light shine. Beauty comes from within. My friends always hype me up, but I honestly look up to them and find them beautiful because of the way they carry themselves. It’s not always about looks because beauty can’t always be seen with the naked eye. Beauty is who you are and what you share with the world. Beauty is embracing who you are.
What is your favorite beauty hack?
Arielle: I love watching makeup videos and finding vibrant eyeshadow colors, but when I try them on myself they don’t show up on me. Most eyeshadows don’t show up on darker skinned girls. A really good hack for that is using a white eyelid primer because it creates a base so the colors pop. I really like the NYX eyeshadow primer–it works really well!
Another hack to get your skin and hair really clean and moisturized is applying an apple cider vinegar clay mask.
What is your self-care routine?
Arielle: I treat myself to ice cream [laughs]. My favorite ice cream is vanilla and cookies and creme. I loooove sweets. I try to do a face mask and regular maintenance on myself. I also give myself ‘me time’. During ‘me time’, I work on things that I am passionate about outside of work or school; sometimes, I binge watch Netflix.
I love getting all dressed up and going out with my friends. My mom is my therapist so she calms me down and listens to my problems. I love listening to hip hop and r&b. I like Kash Doll, Drake, Rihanna, and how can I forget Sza! Her music speaks to my heart. I also love 90s Snoop Dog. I prefer Snoop over Biggie or Tupac. My favorite songs right now are Havana by Camila Cabello, How Deep Is Your Love by Calvin Harris, Broken Clocks by Sza, and New Balance by Jhené Aiko.
Keep up with Arielle on her journey:
Instagram: @curlfriendari
Twitter: @curlfriendari
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/curlfriendari
SnapChat: CurlFriendAri