It is well known that colors have a big influence on us. Whether it’s physiological or psychological, they can transform our lives in the best way possible. Colors changed the life of the vibrant Elvine Ohlalah. The 30 years old French Youtuber with Gabonese origins grew up in a small town of France where being different never was uplifted.
If she could say something to her 15 years old self she would tell her that she is beautiful. Growing up, she felt like the black sheep in her school and family where she felt a lot apart.
“When I was young, I hated my curly hair, I was really shy and didn’t like makeup. However, I was fascinated by the other mixed-race girls that I found so attractive and so beautiful. I wanted to become like them and wondered how their hair could be so long and curly, how they succeeded to look so good and so trendy. I envied them a lot because I wanted to look like them.”
Talking about her past made Elvine remember a special moment that she’ll never forget. “One day, this kid came to see me during our lunch break at school and randomly told me that I was beautiful. He made me feel so confident at this moment of my life.”
In 2015, Elvine traveled to the USA where she experimented with her first hair color. “I went from a dark brown to a very light blond. I loved how different I looked and found that it suited me incredibly well.”
Since the blond couldn’t hold on, she decided to go all-in and start with purple to hide the yellow effect of the blond. That’s when a new hair journey started for miss Ohlalah with a Youtube channel where she shared her journey and hair care tips for colorful curly hair.
Last year, Elvine experience something that we all dread: the big chop! “The hairdresser choose the wrong color for my hair which completely broke them. I had no choice but to completely cut them short. It was a really hard moment for me. I always felt like my long curls made me beautiful because I was so used to people complimenting them. The fact of not having my big colorful afro anymore made me feel like I was going to be unnoticed again.”
“I’m glad and grateful to have a good circle that supported me at that time. Afterward, I realized that people didn’t compliment my hair but my personality and who I was! My hair doesn’t define me, I do!”.
If she had one thing to say to young girls and ladies that would be to take an example on her journey to create their own.
“I want to encourage people to find themselves because we are all beautiful in our way. Now I understand that I’ve always been beautiful, I just didn’t know how to show my natural beauty to the world. It’s by growing and by seeking to become myself that I succeed to become Elvine Ohlala!”.
Elvine Ohlalah in the streets of Shoreditch was wearing Capri small size
