Rooted In ESSENCE

Photos by MYLES LOFTIN. By Blake Newby ·Updated June 25, 2025

This story was originally published in ESSENCE’s special 55th anniversary July/August 2025 issue, on stands now.

When I was growing up, the beauty editors at ESSENCE were my celebrities. The epitome of poise, they had their

Akili King
Author: Akili King