Val Mercado's Hair Transformation Journey | Skin Deep | Refinery29

Here on Skin Deep, we highlight Afro-Latina influencer, Val Mercado. Val discusses her experience growing up with her Dominican heritage and how it affected her perception of beauty, particularly hair. Watch this episode of Skin Deep to see how far Val has come on her hair transformation journey!
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Skin Deep is a docu-style beauty series, where influencers immerse themselves in different cultural epicenters of Los Angeles in order to uncover beauty traditions from around the world. Beauty is deeply personal and, at times, passed on through generations and cultures.
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Пікірлер: 1 400

  • @refinery29
    @refinery296 жыл бұрын

    Who else can relate to Val's journey of accepting her curls? Share your stories with us here!

  • @ayeshasiddiqua1170

    @ayeshasiddiqua1170

    6 жыл бұрын

    Refinery29 Me.. Haha

  • @sirena11

    @sirena11

    6 жыл бұрын

    MEEEEEE SUPER THIN CURLY..... IT GETS SO TANGLED AND FRIZZY AND FLAT AND UGLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY!!!! 😥😥😥😥😥

  • @kaylawills16

    @kaylawills16

    6 жыл бұрын

    No one in my family has curly hair but me so my earliest memories are of my white European grandparents who I lived with calling me homeless, bum, dirty, etc. My papa used to say "well wake up and smell the homeless" when he would see me in the kitchen.

  • @tasniaislam3951

    @tasniaislam3951

    6 жыл бұрын

    Refinery29 For the next Skin Deep series introduce South Asian influencers and their journey. Just a suggestion! ❤️❤️❤️

  • @LarrissaRose

    @LarrissaRose

    6 жыл бұрын

    I can relate in having the need that I will be more accepted with straight hair. I would always ask my mom to relax my hair and it wasn't until college where I was able to accept my curls and start to style them in a way that wasn't a bun.

  • @karinab5157
    @karinab51576 жыл бұрын

    What a gorgeous woman! That white top and jeans look is so fabulous on her.

  • @barbarahardison6369

    @barbarahardison6369

    5 жыл бұрын

    Karina B I swea

  • @alexamelchor2787

    @alexamelchor2787

    3 жыл бұрын

    Okay

  • @Sasha-kw5ud
    @Sasha-kw5ud6 жыл бұрын

    Her curls are BOMB 💖

  • @NamNguyen-ls6pb

    @NamNguyen-ls6pb

    6 жыл бұрын

    check out her youtube channel. shes a BOMBBBB

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    6 жыл бұрын

    +ayishanurudeen Agreed!

  • @MattGarcyaDC

    @MattGarcyaDC

    5 жыл бұрын

    Which one

  • @diminiegohomeyouredrunk8175

    @diminiegohomeyouredrunk8175

    4 жыл бұрын

    Nam Nguyen what is it?

  • @gr82bdanyelle

    @gr82bdanyelle

    4 жыл бұрын

    Diminie, Go home you’re drunk Val Mercado

  • @margauxii129
    @margauxii1296 жыл бұрын

    When a woman decides/realizes that she is beautiful, she becomes beautiful.

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    6 жыл бұрын

    +margauxii Love this!

  • @margauxii129

    @margauxii129

    6 жыл бұрын

    Refinery29 ❤

  • @Sickapig

    @Sickapig

    5 жыл бұрын

    😭❤️👌

  • @alextay416

    @alextay416

    5 жыл бұрын

    Absolutely ❤️

  • @danijelanella4862

    @danijelanella4862

    5 жыл бұрын

    ❤️

  • @emilybnz
    @emilybnz6 жыл бұрын

    I don’t even have curly hair but thanks for helping all the people who don’t like their beautiful curly hair 💕

  • @mariagenesis8124

    @mariagenesis8124

    6 жыл бұрын

    I love how even if you dont have curly hair, you still support us and even finding curly beautiful really means a lot bc a lot of people think its ugly. You're appreciated. :)

  • @sarax3835

    @sarax3835

    5 жыл бұрын

    emilybnz does blow drying your hair make it straighter lol I always do it now and before my hair used to be wavy now it’s straight lool

  • @alexisrene5854

    @alexisrene5854

    5 жыл бұрын

    Sara X yeah heat over time can do that

  • @karmstrong6566

    @karmstrong6566

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@mariagenesis8124 honestly, I dont get how anyone could see it as ugly. I always thought it was really beautiful.

  • @marriannaperreira7526

    @marriannaperreira7526

    3 жыл бұрын

    Maria Genesis curly hair is everything💯don’t ever be ashamed of it That’s beauty

  • @abigailcortes2064
    @abigailcortes20646 жыл бұрын

    Omg val is so gorgeous. But why did she wash her hair, get a blowout and go get it curly again all in the same day 😭

  • @briannacarter8051

    @briannacarter8051

    6 жыл бұрын

    Abigail Cortes ikr she should have kept the blowout for a week if that’s possible 😂

  • @alexisjackson8039

    @alexisjackson8039

    6 жыл бұрын

    Ik I was like 🤨

  • @mariahpalomarez9607

    @mariahpalomarez9607

    5 жыл бұрын

    Maybe she wasn't really feeling the straight hair?so wanted it back to normal

  • @angelbirdman4032

    @angelbirdman4032

    5 жыл бұрын

    I think she did it a different day. Her shirt and makeup were different. Edit: her lipstick is different, but not the shirt. I guess she re-applied it after eating.

  • @mars2101

    @mars2101

    5 жыл бұрын

    Ikr!

  • @lolad6083
    @lolad60836 жыл бұрын

    The Anti Black in the Latino community is ironic and terribly sad. I’m Puerto Rican and I know every Latino can relate to this stigma. Shows how European Caucasian beauty standards have affected all of us tremendously.

  • @Isasinbela

    @Isasinbela

    6 жыл бұрын

    soy panameña y he sido insultada por llevar mi afro en publico. insultada por latinos que nacieron con el cabello igual que el mio, pero que no lo llevan al natural ._.

  • @nmjr547

    @nmjr547

    6 жыл бұрын

    Puerto Rico 💪💪💪💪

  • @birbiri4255

    @birbiri4255

    6 жыл бұрын

    Isa same

  • @andtheneat

    @andtheneat

    5 жыл бұрын

    Lola D I wear my curly hair to school (I’m from Puerto Rico as well) and people just stare at it cause everyone has straightened hair

  • @user-tf6hu5up7k

    @user-tf6hu5up7k

    5 жыл бұрын

    Lola D is her dad lightskin?

  • @Who-qn5fl
    @Who-qn5fl6 жыл бұрын

    I never realised that different hairstyles can make u look like a totally different person..and equally beautiful! Fabulous!

  • @MinnieMousey06
    @MinnieMousey066 жыл бұрын

    I've noticed that Dominicans are very stubborn I guess about embracing their blackness. They consider themselves as just Dominican, even though they're made of African, Native, and European descent. the anti-blackness in their culture makes me really sad because they are such a beautiful people and should celebrate their heritage to the fullest and not just parts of it.

  • @XxSharmsxX

    @XxSharmsxX

    6 жыл бұрын

    I'm pretty sure they're comfortable with being afro-latina. But being Dominican is their culture and heritage no matter what makes up their DNA.

  • @OddWeird461

    @OddWeird461

    6 жыл бұрын

    Charms Many of them are not and many of them deny their African heritage, but it’s the same way all over Central America. I’m Afro Latinx and can attest to how colonialism has done a huge disservice to people of African heritage everywhere.

  • @aruytpadyugf

    @aruytpadyugf

    6 жыл бұрын

    Well I'm pretty sure it's no different when you tell people you are just American. or Canadian, or whatever country. Even tho you are of black heritage. I don't hear black americans saying they are just African...they always say they are american first. It's the same for Dominicans

  • @marinadominicanaperez3655

    @marinadominicanaperez3655

    6 жыл бұрын

    Charms yh I’m Dominican ur correct

  • @HerPinkElephants

    @HerPinkElephants

    6 жыл бұрын

    aruytpadyugf You *know* she's not talking about nationality or culture.

  • @adrianacandanedo372
    @adrianacandanedo3726 жыл бұрын

    My story is the exact same as hers. I grew up thinking I had to straighten my curls to look presentable and that just was how it was, curly hair was NOT an option. At 21 I moved to Madrid and felt no one there knew how to cut and style my hair so I finally embraced my curls and now I love them❤️when I returned to Panama my family didnt like it at first because women dont usually go around with big natural hair, but now they love it too☺️

  • @MM-tw7ce

    @MM-tw7ce

    6 жыл бұрын

    I'm Panamanian too! 🇵🇦 Thanks for sharing your story

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    6 жыл бұрын

    +adrianac Thank you for sharing your story!! :)

  • @briannacarter8051

    @briannacarter8051

    6 жыл бұрын

    Ooh you’re Panamanian? My grandmother is from there and I feel like I inherited a lot of her genes.

  • @Stephanie_rd
    @Stephanie_rd6 жыл бұрын

    Her mom was basically indirectly saying that she wanted her daughter to look like the stereotypical Latina and didn’t want to associate her daughter with being black because people would discriminate.

  • @Mh-xe1zh

    @Mh-xe1zh

    4 жыл бұрын

    Stéphanie Fabióla period

  • @paigesofbeauty
    @paigesofbeauty5 жыл бұрын

    This made my cry and also proud as a woman of color and my daughter Latino/Black and her hair is the craziest curls and I’m only teaching her to love love them! This was a beautiful video!

  • @MissLeonable
    @MissLeonable5 жыл бұрын

    She's one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. Drop dead gorgeous!

  • @sabrynavaldez4476
    @sabrynavaldez44766 жыл бұрын

    I’m half Dominican and half white. I live with my side of the family that’s white. I remember I only felt beautiful when I had Dominican blow outs because my hair was “frizzy”, “”puffy” and “hard to manage”. However, I’ve learned to embrace my curly hair after seeing KZread videos similar to these ❤️

  • @lunaas1029

    @lunaas1029

    3 жыл бұрын

    I am 2 years late but I had the exact same experience! I’m half white and half Dominican too

  • @BBGL02

    @BBGL02

    Жыл бұрын

    @@lunaas1029 you can‘t be half a race half a nationality 🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️ dominican isn‘t a race

  • @BBGL02

    @BBGL02

    Жыл бұрын

    Dominican isn‘t a race, you can‘t be ‚half white half dominican‘ wtf

  • @ElaishaJade
    @ElaishaJade6 жыл бұрын

    YES VAL! I’ve been following her journey for a while and embracing her curls was part of this cool awakening she had. Loved her curls at the end too 😻😻😻

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    6 жыл бұрын

    +elaishajade Yay! Thanks for checking this out!!

  • @alexsandraestrada6518
    @alexsandraestrada65186 жыл бұрын

    Puertorican here 🙋🏽‍♀️ my story with my curls is almost exactly to this one. The denial of being of African dissent is also something the Puerto Rican culture shares. I’m SO SO HAPPY you guys made this video. It give very basic but clear understanding about the struggles of accepting the term of being “Afro Latina” for these cultures, while keeping in mind that it’s a real life perspective that haunts us from out childhood until adulthood and it’s truly a process to embrace.

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    6 жыл бұрын

    +alexsandraestrada Thanks for watching & sharing your journey!!

  • @isaalva

    @isaalva

    5 жыл бұрын

    I'm Puertorican too and to this day my mom still straightens her hair never curly. But she's seeing my hair and I think she might get rid of el dubi lol ... I'm just praying she would because she has such tight beautiful curls.... Love that women are embracing themselves 💛

  • @alexsandraestrada6518

    @alexsandraestrada6518

    5 жыл бұрын

    koalabearnation I hope tu mami learns to love and embrace her curls! My mom has straight hair, which I don’t understand lol.

  • @lilybee24

    @lilybee24

    5 жыл бұрын

    I'm Puerto Rican too and I'm more Spaniard physically but my hair is curly/wavy/frizzy. My dad has brown skin and green eyes. His dad was black from St Thomas island. Most times is shocking when I tell people that I do have African roots. I don't know what to do with my curly hair so I most of the time let my hair air dry and then straightened it.

  • @J4rii

    @J4rii

    5 жыл бұрын

    Ayeee am Puerto Rican too 🇵🇷🙋🏾‍♀️

  • @zwivhuyabudeli1958
    @zwivhuyabudeli19586 жыл бұрын

    Can totally relate with everything she just said being afro-brasilian...her hair is maravilhoso too! x

  • @samirahjansui6781

    @samirahjansui6781

    5 жыл бұрын

    Zwivhuya Buḓeli you can’t even spell your own ethnicity? Smh Afro-Brazilian**

  • @mmhi6842

    @mmhi6842

    5 жыл бұрын

    Nadirah Smith in brasil we spell the name with an “s” not a “z”

  • @sambawomen

    @sambawomen

    5 жыл бұрын

    Nadirah Smith I guess you also tell people from Italia “It’s not Italia it’s spelt Italy” 🤦‍♀️😂🤣

  • @samirahjansui6781

    @samirahjansui6781

    5 жыл бұрын

    sambawomen Italy and Italia are pronounced differently Brazilian is only pronounced one way but nice try dumb fuck.....

  • @mariecampos6434

    @mariecampos6434

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@samirahjansui6781 bro she said it right, it's not because it's written wrong in english that it's wrong at all.Brazil and Brasil has the exact same pronunciation in the z and s letters.chill

  • @DK-dh7ne
    @DK-dh7ne5 жыл бұрын

    Take a shot everytime you hear dominican

  • @NOTIME4THIS
    @NOTIME4THIS6 жыл бұрын

    I can totally relate! I am African American with a mixed heritage. My natural hair is curly and I used to perm the curl right out of it. For years I spent hours in the salon depending on the length of my hair. FINALLY at 50 years old I decided to EMBRACE THE CURL. It has been a journey of true self discovery in terms of knowing my self and accepting my hair own its own terms. I have learned to LOVE MY HAIR AND MY SELF AS I AM, both BLACK AND BEAUTIFUL!

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    6 жыл бұрын

    +denisetuggle This is great! Thanks for sharing!!

  • @danielle97honz
    @danielle97honz6 жыл бұрын

    I’m Mexican, and I have curly/wavy hair. My family would call me Afro woman, and I would straighten my hair bc everyone in my community had naturally straight hair or straighten it. I started understanding how to treat my hair at 18 bc seeing Val wear her natural hair encouraged me that my hair is beautiful. When I wear it natural I get so much compliments than I ever do w straight hair!♡

  • @curlymusician
    @curlymusician6 жыл бұрын

    My mom has loose wavy hair and my dad is bald...lol. It was hard for me to learn how to style my own curly hair. I grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood. It seemed like everyone has loose waves or pin straight hair. I asked my mom several times if we could chemically relax my hair, thank God she refused. It took me a while to appreciate my natural hair, thanks to the development of KZread it really opened new doors for me and my hair. I started watching people like AndreasChoice, SunKissAlba, Curly Penny...etc.

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    6 жыл бұрын

    +paolasanchez Wow, what a journey! Thanks for sharing!!

  • @blusaura7409
    @blusaura74096 жыл бұрын

    Bruh did she just straighten n go back to curls in the same day 🏃🏾‍♀️🏃🏾‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️😂😍

  • @exolkai857

    @exolkai857

    5 жыл бұрын

    venessa okorie its letterly me idont know when ihave my curls imiss my straight hair and when it’s straightened iwant my curls so bad

  • @pinkheart315

    @pinkheart315

    5 жыл бұрын

    Yeah like why do that🤔🤦‍♀️

  • @XxXxXx-ef1rw

    @XxXxXx-ef1rw

    5 жыл бұрын

    She wanted to show us that she accepts both

  • @Patricia-uh1px

    @Patricia-uh1px

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@exolkai857 me

  • @arii-db3mp

    @arii-db3mp

    5 жыл бұрын

    I asked myself the same question 🤣 but she looks so beautiful🥰

  • @rawanal-jahdhami183
    @rawanal-jahdhami1835 жыл бұрын

    She’s sooooo beautiful 😍😍 curly hair and straight hair both suit her so much!

  • @laylahenderson8680
    @laylahenderson86806 жыл бұрын

    i love her nature hair!!!! 😍 I love refinery29! i’m here for every video! 💕

  • @yeahyeahyouright4783
    @yeahyeahyouright47836 жыл бұрын

    Her mom .. what ? She looks mad young. She looks better without the blow out tho

  • @XxMoonWalkerxXMj

    @XxMoonWalkerxXMj

    5 жыл бұрын

    yeah yeah you right her mom had her when she was 13

  • @ToniCarrington

    @ToniCarrington

    5 жыл бұрын

    Jesss 8764 😱 wtf

  • @hellokitty2552

    @hellokitty2552

    5 жыл бұрын

    🤪

  • @lailaj3020

    @lailaj3020

    5 жыл бұрын

    her mom had her when she was 13.

  • @anoury9
    @anoury96 жыл бұрын

    I stopped straightening my hair two years ago, I still do it for some events but I try so hard to embrace and love my 3B/3C curls with a mom that calls them ugly. our curls are beautiful no matter what they tell us 💖

  • @stormchii

    @stormchii

    5 жыл бұрын

    Nour Al I’d say your lucky and should definitely embrace it

  • @marthajohnson3250

    @marthajohnson3250

    4 жыл бұрын

    I knowwww! The same here! I stopped straightening my hair 6 years ago and started embracing by 3b curls, but my family and culture in geenral in Colombia doesn't. I totall agree with you, we have to learn to love, accept and embrace the real us!

  • @sylvielau2412
    @sylvielau24126 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for this video. After straightening my hair for over 10 years I too am starting to embrace my natural waves. Not only is it a journey to healthy hair, but learning and accepting who you truly are and feeling more beautiful, free and authentic than ever before

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    6 жыл бұрын

    +sylvielau Thank you so much for sharing!! :)

  • @nishababezz
    @nishababezz6 жыл бұрын

    I'm not Dominican, but I grew up in New York as well. Growing up I didn't know I had curly/kinky hair because I would go to the salon to hot comb my hair every two weeks. When I went to the military I was introduced to my natural hair because no one was able to in do my hair in North Dakota lol ( of course). Fast Forward I enjoy that my hair can be straight, and curly and I'm glad that others are embracing theirs as well.

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    6 жыл бұрын

    +nishababezz That's lovely!!

  • @samanthapierce1878

    @samanthapierce1878

    6 жыл бұрын

    Were you in Minot?! We just left there! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

  • @Ufsykmbdseyjhbds
    @Ufsykmbdseyjhbds6 жыл бұрын

    Val is literally such an inspiration, what a beautiful human being❤️.

  • @TheMusicANDConverse
    @TheMusicANDConverse6 жыл бұрын

    step one: be so beautiful that no one cares about your hair

  • @fionaokeefe1906

    @fionaokeefe1906

    5 жыл бұрын

    Mary K they care more about her being black than her hair😂😂😂😂

  • @nin4339

    @nin4339

    5 жыл бұрын

    Definitely

  • @carmencampana3329
    @carmencampana33296 жыл бұрын

    Straight hair, curly hair or bald she is beautiful !

  • @HeavyontheChai
    @HeavyontheChai6 жыл бұрын

    True I'm from LA and I am not aware of a "Dominican" community. We have other communities as little India, Korea town, Chinatown, little Armenia etc. Sounds like an opportunity to supply the need. Your curls and blowout equally bomb!

  • @star16me

    @star16me

    6 жыл бұрын

    Cali Love little Armenia 💕🌸

  • @babymarioh5218

    @babymarioh5218

    6 жыл бұрын

    Cali Love you spelled Dominican wrong

  • @mariachiaradidedda
    @mariachiaradidedda4 жыл бұрын

    Curls over straight hair! 🙌🏻

  • @user-ds4yo7cz3h
    @user-ds4yo7cz3h6 жыл бұрын

    Her hair is gorgeous

  • @babydahl7
    @babydahl73 жыл бұрын

    I love how we can be so versatile with our looks. One day curly and the next straight.

  • @sabrina.natalie
    @sabrina.natalie4 жыл бұрын

    Val is absolutely BREATHTAKING. I can’t even comprehend it.

  • @viceb7
    @viceb76 жыл бұрын

    Wow I hadn't even watched the video fully when I commented before on how gorgeous her curls were, she's equally beautiful with the awesome blowout too! Crazy how different hair makes us look and feel. Nothing messy about her! 🖤

  • @Vivalastyle
    @Vivalastyle6 жыл бұрын

    Yes!! Absolutetly love this! Love being able to represent my culture and have the flexibility of having straight and curly hair!!

  • @kritzianunez7037
    @kritzianunez70376 жыл бұрын

    god this gave me goosebumps and made me feel so nostalgic! im finally embracing my curly hair, but there is truly nothing like waking up early on saturdays and getting that blow out while you gossip with the shampoo girls lol

  • @gabrielle3541
    @gabrielle35415 жыл бұрын

    Ok I kind of feel that this video kind of stretched the “I can’t find a hair salon for my hair type” a little too far. Let me make this clear I’m a Black American woman and I easily could have told her to seek out a black hair care salon. Because a lot of Black people have similar hair to hers and others have way more kinkier textures within the Black community, we are use to the diversity of different curls and textures. I just feel like she kind of skipped over probably someone told her to seek out black salons or a black beautician for her hair. This video conveys that there is absolutely no options in L.A for AFRO Latina hair. Like what do you think Black people have to do!

  • @pinkwatermelon8089

    @pinkwatermelon8089

    3 жыл бұрын

    I totally agree with you! However - as a half-North African half-white woman with very curly hair, I have tried to walk into black salons in NYC and been made to feel like I didn't belong there because I wasn't black. Don't get me wrong, I lived in Bed Stuy (a black neighborhood in Brooklyn) for many years and I felt very much accepted by the community and welcomed more than anywhere else I've ever lived. With the only exception being women's salons.. Really bummed me out.

  • @nenaj1

    @nenaj1

    2 жыл бұрын

    But she isn’t Afro Latina. She looks mixed.

  • @ossier2796
    @ossier27964 жыл бұрын

    Your hair is beautiful and your mom is right. It’s amazing how things have changed. In the 70’s African Americans were proud of their natural hair. I used to go to New York a lot and there were so many Dominican salons and car services.

  • @seviregis7441
    @seviregis74414 жыл бұрын

    I LOVE her curly hair, it's a beautiful attribute. Distinctive. The stylist was perfect for her.

  • @rebecaalex2102
    @rebecaalex21026 жыл бұрын

    HER HAIR IS AMAZING

  • @trionabyrne72

    @trionabyrne72

    5 жыл бұрын

    Even beautiful at 4:35

  • @evsodopex3
    @evsodopex36 жыл бұрын

    Val is an absolute gem ❤️❤️❤️

  • @camilajimenez5827
    @camilajimenez58276 жыл бұрын

    Yasss go DR!! Proud Dominican🇩🇴

  • @thali89
    @thali896 жыл бұрын

    Love this! Thanks for featuring and representing Hispanic beauty

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    6 жыл бұрын

    +thaligonzazlez Anytime! Stay tuned for more!!

  • @xe7535
    @xe75356 жыл бұрын

    A lot of Latinos straighten then hair because they are told the exact thing. My mom would tell me my hair was messy and to brush it out. I started straightening my hair in middle school and it has left my hair dry and ugly. I'm trying to get my curls back but it's so hard.

  • @dianana00

    @dianana00

    6 жыл бұрын

    Xochilt Escalante Same story! But keep trying, eventually, with time and care, you’ll get your curls back and I can tell you it is SO SO WORTH IT!!!!

  • @laurentaylor8544

    @laurentaylor8544

    6 жыл бұрын

    Same but now I just have a few straight pieces

  • @ImenBen12

    @ImenBen12

    6 жыл бұрын

    you look gorgeous on your pic with your really nice hair btw :)

  • @xe7535

    @xe7535

    6 жыл бұрын

    Imen B thank you so much! I love your hair too, It's the perfect shade of brown

  • @ImenBen12

    @ImenBen12

    6 жыл бұрын

    Xochilt Escalante :)) thank you lovely! Have a great day xoxo

  • @LisaSimoneMaria
    @LisaSimoneMaria5 жыл бұрын

    She’s stunning, this was amazing to watch. No matter your ethnicity you’re beautiful know that! It’s wonderful to see the inner glow of someone loving all of themselves ♥️💙💚

  • @queenbeyonce1538
    @queenbeyonce15386 жыл бұрын

    Babyy Val👼🏼😻

  • @connargosdin
    @connargosdin5 жыл бұрын

    Finally see someone with my type of curly hair! More thin and fine! Mostly used to seeing the also beautiful thick, curly hair!

  • @nathaliediaz6189
    @nathaliediaz61895 жыл бұрын

    This was great! They are both beautiful! As a fellow Dominicana I can definitely relate! I grew up almost ashamed of my curly hair, now I’ve embraced my beautiful curls and I couldn’t be happier! I also had the same experience of someone telling me I was black in college lol.

  • @lissethdepaz3717
    @lissethdepaz37176 жыл бұрын

    I find curly hair so beautiful I’ve always wanted it😍 and I’m so happy for ppl who are accepting and loving their curly hair❤️

  • @ellerios444
    @ellerios4446 жыл бұрын

    I’ve been following this girl for years on Instagram and not once she has mentioned about her culture and being Dominican. I found out she was Dominican by a website. Now I’ve noticed all of sudden recently she’s talking about being Dominican.

  • @sassygirl4728

    @sassygirl4728

    2 жыл бұрын

    It's cause now it's trendy to be "not white".

  • @lap.2666

    @lap.2666

    2 жыл бұрын

    Wow 😯

  • @bldnblklace
    @bldnblklace4 жыл бұрын

    I'm still in shock that she got that all done on the same day. Wtf? There's some dumb hair stuff on this channel and that might be the dumbest cause it was pre-planned. I honestly think she looked her best in the very beginning lol. She's gorgeous. Her confidence shines through!

  • @Hope-gz2co
    @Hope-gz2co6 жыл бұрын

    wow, these ladies are so pretty! Thank you for the video, it's amazing to be able to see other types of beauty outside your own region. Can't get enough of how beautiful and vibrant their curly hair is!

  • @viceb7
    @viceb76 жыл бұрын

    Her hair is beautiful! I love the wild curls these girls get

  • @Findus1701
    @Findus17016 жыл бұрын

    I'm not dominican but my curly hair story is pretty similar. I grew up as the only freak of nature curly girl in a family of straight haired people so naturally my mom had no idea how to treat my hair correctly and it was always a frizzy mess so I hated it growing up!! Started straightening it at 13 because that was the only way I knew how to manage it but when I was around 18 I started researching a ton about how to have nice natural curls and now, 4 years later I am still learning but I am at a point where I have embraced the curls and it was such a huge step in becoming happier with myself overall!

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    6 жыл бұрын

    +lindakatharina That's awesome! Thanks for sharing with us!!

  • @9vidas758
    @9vidas7586 жыл бұрын

    Love to see a real latina's journey! Loved this video, i'm a big supporter of Valeria

  • @gr82bdanyelle

    @gr82bdanyelle

    6 жыл бұрын

    9VIDAS Val is short for Valeria

  • @dia568
    @dia5685 жыл бұрын

    *Im Dominican as well, and I can relate so much with this girl!*

  • @nmjr547
    @nmjr5476 жыл бұрын

    So happy to see afro latinas slaying online. My hair is just like yours!!!

  • @delainegneco7352
    @delainegneco73526 жыл бұрын

    Yassss, Dominican Republic! Plátano Power✨

  • @lenkellieschannel1370
    @lenkellieschannel13705 жыл бұрын

    OMG!! She is so gorgeous February 2019, anyone?

  • @jiwonkim5315
    @jiwonkim53155 жыл бұрын

    Im obsessed with her hair she’s gorgeous 💕💕💕

  • @milkyymel
    @milkyymel4 жыл бұрын

    she’s such a queen with her curly hair oh my god

  • @frillyflower123
    @frillyflower1235 жыл бұрын

    I really feel what her mom said. It makes a lot of sense. Confidence comes from within, but we have to operate in the outside world as it is today. Especially for children, it just doesn't make sense to me to go through needless adversity over something as inconsequential as hair. Life is already hard enough.

  • @mckayinayiah
    @mckayinayiah6 жыл бұрын

    she got a blowout and reversed it the same day.... heat damage, yikes

  • @NikonieBrown

    @NikonieBrown

    6 жыл бұрын

    mckayinayiah Yeah, that was weird to me. Her hair already looked a little damaged (same for the lady who did her blowout) and this probably didn't help lol

  • @pinkheart315

    @pinkheart315

    5 жыл бұрын

    Yeah thats bad for her hair. She atleast could of kept it for a day than back to curls. Like whats the point to get it straight 🤷‍♀️

  • @sanaakeval1577

    @sanaakeval1577

    5 жыл бұрын

    That’s what I thought too

  • @cupcake702

    @cupcake702

    5 жыл бұрын

    It’s for content purposes, yes it might be a bit damaging but it’s not like she does it every day

  • @d.alexis4056

    @d.alexis4056

    5 жыл бұрын

    its not gonna make a difference fron that one blowout. she probably used a heat protector and the way she blow dries doesnt damage the hair like it would the way regular people blow dry their hair because she always keeps the blow dryer moving and points it down the hair to close the cuticle.

  • @alenabisnar2087
    @alenabisnar20875 жыл бұрын

    Your curly hair is gorgeous!!!! You look so pretty ❤️❤️❤️

  • @monicaherrera2883
    @monicaherrera28836 жыл бұрын

    I love Val! She seems so sweet & down to earth.

  • @kujjitafari8509
    @kujjitafari85096 жыл бұрын

    I can so relate to her story! I’m not Dominican, but biracial and my hair has been one of the biggest struggles of my life! Dominicans are the best at doing curly hair!!!

  • @marinadominicanaperez3655

    @marinadominicanaperez3655

    6 жыл бұрын

    Kujji Tafari we are more good at doing straight her actually

  • @Caymiya
    @Caymiya6 жыл бұрын

    My daughter is Mexican and black. She doesn’t like her curls. I’m trying my best to teach her how beautiful her natural curls are. Cuz they’re gorgeous!😍

  • @sarahrainey546
    @sarahrainey5466 жыл бұрын

    Wow she is STUNNING. Both hair styles are BEAUTIFUL

  • @user-sj4dc9tm7v
    @user-sj4dc9tm7v5 жыл бұрын

    Omggggg, she’s so beautiful. Like really, she looks just gorgeous

  • @ninapineapple4034
    @ninapineapple40346 жыл бұрын

    I grew up in Dominican Republic and even though my hair isn’t curly (it’s more of a wavy puffy texture) i was still forced to go to the salon every Saturday to straighten my hair. These european beauty standards were enforced in us to the bone. I’m so glad us dominican women are waking up now💕 you are amazing Val🙏🏽🇩🇴✨

  • @marinadominicanaperez3655

    @marinadominicanaperez3655

    6 жыл бұрын

    Nina Pineapple hmmmm yh

  • @qazim9796
    @qazim97965 жыл бұрын

    shes so gorgeous in curly hair and in straight hair

  • @haileyelizabeth5069
    @haileyelizabeth50696 жыл бұрын

    Finally Val is in a video💓

  • @salwasalameh3124
    @salwasalameh31246 жыл бұрын

    I freakin love you val❤️❤️❤️ you so beautiful. Also, I love how you’re embracing your curls. I’ve been doing the same, never been happier :’)

  • @yaelkoren1332
    @yaelkoren13325 жыл бұрын

    I love this video! thank you for helping a lot of people who have mixed roots feel 'NOT ALONE' in being uncomfortable in our hair and our hair journey, specially w/in Dominican culture --- which btw, its not so much about "European influence" but more about the influence passed down from the Trujillo (dictator in the 40s) who tough our nation (mostly now our grandparents) that looking a certain way was the only way to live... and that was then passed to our parents, and us.... Truth is the Dominican mentality IS changing, but the 'Trujillo Era' only lost power in the 60's and that mentality dictated a lot of the Dominican culture till this very day... of ignoring (NOT denying) African roots... BECAUSE we have always (since Trujillo) saw/see ourselves as neither African nor European... WE SEE OURSELVES AS DOMINICAN: think of Filipinos, who are a mix of Spanish and asian descent for reference (or even Jews, who are of mixed backgrounds & diverse places but see each other as one nation). ANYWAY, in Val's case we don't know what her fathers or mother's dominant descent is or even her grandparents; just because she is of lighter skin doesn't make her less afro-latina..... If you look at me, i'm of a darker caramel tone complexion, where as my brother DNA wise (yes, we did ancestry) is just like me in our ethnic breakdown... BUT he 3-4 SHADES LIGHTER THEN I AM... that doesn't mean he is less afro-latino than I am. People of skin, color doesn't dictate who you identify with or not even you DNA... let's stop that and instead celebrate each other and the journey we are all on.

  • @Demitrival
    @Demitrival6 жыл бұрын

    Love this new content

  • @Sara-bi5pm
    @Sara-bi5pm6 жыл бұрын

    She’s absolutely stunning ✨❤️

  • @stacycontreras21
    @stacycontreras216 жыл бұрын

    I remember following Val back in the day on Tumblr, she has always embraced her curls and now to see this. WOW

  • @evelinamaria91
    @evelinamaria915 жыл бұрын

    She is SO beautiful in both straight and curly hair! I'm from Finland, in northern Europe, and I'm "caucasian" but I'm a Latina at heart

  • @amethyageorgina3821
    @amethyageorgina38216 жыл бұрын

    Goshhh she is so pretty 😍😍😍😍😍

  • @celinelemuria
    @celinelemuria6 жыл бұрын

    aww Val! Awesome video

  • @pamzapata6344
    @pamzapata63444 жыл бұрын

    Val you helped me regain my confidence in my curly hair. Thank youuuu

  • @hannahkoske7
    @hannahkoske76 жыл бұрын

    Damn! Your curls are poppin'.

  • @sirir4849
    @sirir48495 жыл бұрын

    She’s so beautiful

  • @elisabeth1st
    @elisabeth1st6 жыл бұрын

    Beautiful! Great story that a lot of people can relate to.

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    6 жыл бұрын

    +elisabethharris Thanks for checking it out!

  • @grayscale1870
    @grayscale18705 жыл бұрын

    Wow super impressed with Refinery 29 for tapping into the Dominican hair identity. I have seen countless hair videos on KZread and none of hit so close to home, I even understand the ”afro latina” term better and now I can also have a term as I feel all other races do. Proud Dominican even more so now!!!

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    5 жыл бұрын

    +grayscale So glad you appreciate the details!

  • @belsnickel9568
    @belsnickel95685 жыл бұрын

    This is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.

  • @mexicanbeautyqueen7988
    @mexicanbeautyqueen79883 жыл бұрын

    She looks 90% Spanish 10% Black.. Very beautiful

  • @nouranhalim180
    @nouranhalim1805 жыл бұрын

    You know what you're gorgeous. You're so natural you could easily be a model you know what was even better, watching you made me some how also feel pretty you were that much happy and carefree and it was contagious ♥️

  • @barbarahardison6369
    @barbarahardison63694 жыл бұрын

    she is so pretty 😍. her hair is beautiful either way

  • @GingerChung2014
    @GingerChung20146 жыл бұрын

    What beautiful curls

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    6 жыл бұрын

    +gingerchung Right?!

  • @lakeandfranks6055
    @lakeandfranks60556 жыл бұрын

    Really good content. Thank you

  • @trayannaw2546
    @trayannaw25466 жыл бұрын

    I’m half black and Puerto Rican and I can relate. I started wearing my curly hair at 18 as well . Definitely learning to embrace my curly hair journey

  • @shes1iliana756
    @shes1iliana7566 жыл бұрын

    Absolutely love Val to bits 💗💗

  • @ayeshasiddiqua1170
    @ayeshasiddiqua11706 жыл бұрын

    Yayy im first.. Love you refinery for original content.. Very entertaining :D

  • @refinery29

    @refinery29

    6 жыл бұрын

    +ayeshasiddiqua Thanks for hanging out with us!!

  • @Kelly11Ely
    @Kelly11Ely5 жыл бұрын

    She looks 30+ without her curly hair. I thought she looked stunning with her curly hair but after the blow-out she s like... Average? Lately i believe curly hair is sooo gorgeous, hope she ll get to love it properly

  • @cococaramel720

    @cococaramel720

    4 жыл бұрын

    jiminahs I have curly hair and when I hear people online or in real life say they hate their curly hair it makes me sad because curly hair is like a gift from God and not everybody can have it.

  • @animalworld4901

    @animalworld4901

    4 жыл бұрын

    Yeah but her natural hair isn't curly she make it curly , her natural hair is wavy close to straight

  • @aqsam4032

    @aqsam4032

    4 жыл бұрын

    I swear It makes me so sad when gorgeous girls like her feel the need to straighten their hair just to fit in cs the curly hair makes her look so unique and exotic I follow her on insta too and she rocks curly hair wish she didn’t feel the need to straighten it

  • @ibnmianal-buna3176

    @ibnmianal-buna3176

    4 жыл бұрын

    I’d say the curly hair makes her looks more grown up and sophisticated, I still wouldn’t say more than 30. I think it’s because usually people with curly hair only straighten their hair like that during special events or occasions. It’s got a more showy and formal vibe

  • @me-pg1hh

    @me-pg1hh

    3 жыл бұрын

    animal world waves are a type of curl, but i do get the impression that val wants it to look more coily or wants us to think it is

  • @ameliesofiatraconisamaro9300
    @ameliesofiatraconisamaro93003 жыл бұрын

    her make up, her smile, eyes and lips, she's so beautiful. i love her hair and clothes

  • @sashanoel8766
    @sashanoel87662 жыл бұрын

    Val’s outfit is everything! 💕