A Fine & Dandy Affair brought Montgomery’s best to one room

Montgomery, Alabama has long carried the weight of American history. But last weekend, it carried something else entirely: the energy of a city leaning forward. A Fine & Dandy Affair, part of ESSENCE's Road to Festival series, pulled together entrepreneurs, healthcare advocates, community leaders, and residents for a full day built around health, wealth, and…

ByDestiny PhilipsJune 19, 20260Comments

Entertainment

From Love Island to runway: Olandria Carthen’s fierce rise

Olandria Carthen is opening up about the exact moment her fashion career took off. The Love Island USA alum spoke with Cosmopolitan in an interview published Thursday, June 18, reflecting on how she transitioned from reality television personality to a recognized name in fashion circles. Carthen explained that style became one of the clearest ways…

ByDorcas OnasaJune 19, 20260Comments

TV & Movies

Ayo Edebiri opens up on The Bear’s final season

Ayo Edebiri has learned a lot during her time on The Bear, and she is taking that lesson with her as the series comes to a close. The 30 year old actress spoke at the Final Family Meal event on Monday, in New York City, just ahead of the premiere of the show's fifth and…

ByDorcas OnasaJune 19, 20260Comments

Beauty

Celebrating Juneteenth through the lens of Black beauty founders

Three Black beauty founders reflect on what June 19th means to their work, their heritage, and the communities they are building one product at a time. June 19, 1865 is the date most Americans now know as the anchor of Juneteenth. That afternoon in Galveston, Texas, enslaved people learned what had already been law for…

ByGesi LloydJune 19, 20260Comments

Music

Tyla anchors a stacked Friday that spans soul, R&B, and beyond

From South Africa's Tyla to legends Chaka Khan and Snoop Dogg, this week's releases arrive right on time for Juneteenth weekend. Timing matters in music, and this Friday's batch of releases lands with rare intention. Juneteenth weekend has a way of drawing out artists who feel the weight of the moment, and the result this…

ByGesi LloydJune 19, 20260Comments

Dating

Victoria Monét opens up about why dating women is harder

The Grammy-winning singer gets candid about her love life, dating struggles, and what she's really looking for in a partner. Vict oria Monét has never been one to shy away from honesty, and her latest candid moment is no exception. During a recent appearance on Angie Martinez's podcast IRL…

ByDempsey May AyucoJune 18, 20260Comments

Food & Drink

Fermented foods are quietly doing the most for your gut

Your digestive system has been waiting for you to discover what the rest of the world already knows. If your relationship with fermented foods begins and ends with the occasional yogurt cup, you're leaving a lot of gut-health benefits on the table. While cultures across Asia and Europe have long embraced fermented staples as everyday…

ByDempsey May AyucoJune 18, 20260Comments

Body

Why your period shouldn’t stop your workout routine

Gynecologists explain why staying active during your menstrual cycle is not only safe but can ease cramps, lift your mood, and keep your fitness on track. For a lot of people, a period arriving means workouts get quietly pushed aside. The cramps, the fatigue, the general sense of your body staging a small rebellion —…

ByGesi LloydJune 18, 20260Comments

Skincare

The face mask guide that will finally fix your skincare routine

With hundreds of formulas flooding the market, dermatologists break down exactly what to look for in a face mask based on your skin type and top concerns. The face mask aisle has never been more crowded. Sheet masks, overnight formulas, clay masks, jelly peel-offs, brightening treatments — the options are everywhere, and so is the…

ByGesi LloydJune 18, 20260Comments

Celebs

Megan Thee Stallion won’t let $75K defamation judgment slip away

The rapper's legal team is pushing back against blogger Milagro Gramz's request to pause payment while she pursues an appeal in a high-profile defamation case. Megan Thee Stallion is done being patient. After a federal jury awarded her $75,000 in a defamation lawsuit against blogger Milagro Gramz, the Houston rapper's legal team is now…

ByGesi LloydJune 18, 20260Comments

A Fine & Dandy Affair brought Montgomery’s best to one room

From Love Island to runway: Olandria Carthen’s fierce rise

Ayo Edebiri opens up on The Bear’s final season

Celebrating Juneteenth through the lens of Black beauty founders

Tyla anchors a stacked Friday that spans soul, R&B, and beyond

Victoria Monét opens up about why dating women is harder

Fermented foods are quietly doing the most for your gut

Why your period shouldn’t stop your workout routine

The face mask guide that will finally fix your skincare routine

Megan Thee Stallion won’t let $75K defamation judgment slip away

What Cardi B just admitted about her Old Navy past

How Angel Reese’s Barbie doll sparked celebration and real debate

Amazon’s lip balm deal on Summer Fridays that won’t last long