I was born and raised inBrazil.
My mom worked for a salon for a few years when we were young.
Her recommendation was to go to an area like Connecticut because you could get more money for cleaning there.
As a kid, Maia recalls watching her mother, pictured here, apply makeup at her vanity. “There was always this romantic aspect behind it, because she would get ready to go on dates and go out dancing. The soft, red lighting felt like the perfect tone for this photo."
That was the main reason we moved to Connecticut, and then the second reason was the education.
We specifically went to a town called New Canaan that’s known for having great public schools.
Brazilian womenare very concerned about the way they present themselves.
“We’ve got thick hair!” says Maia. “My mom has had the same waxing kit for maybe 15 years."
You’re always expected to have your hair and nails done.
Salons are a very big thing.
Even in the roughest neighborhoods, you’ll find so many salons across from each other.
“I wanted to have these small elements in the photos that capture how we foster our heritage, and our heritage has so much links to our religion,” says Maia of the figures placed on the vanity above.
I went last year and I got a blowout for I think less than $4.
“We’ve got thick hair!”
“My mom has had the same waxing kit for maybe 15 years.”
A look at the cover ofBeauty & Immigrationby Ares Maia.
My mom and I are each other’s best friends.
We really grew close together over those 10 years because of the beauty rituals we’d do together.
We’d wax each other.
We’d straighten each other’s hair.
We’d dye each other’s hair.
Especially in the town that I [was living in], I had no one to relate to.
I would lie all the time like, Oh, I got this done at a salon.
But I definitely did it [myself].
Brazilian beauty is high maintenance, but it’s also about being close to nature.
I use old T-shirts cut up into small squares, then just throw it in the laundry.
My grandma actually taught to make my own tanning lotion with carrot, beet root, and coconut oil.
You put everything into a cloth and you squeeze and it leaves you with a very beautiful golden tan.
I moved to New York five years ago, to study communication design at Parsons.
This is my second zine.
The first one was all about the struggles of immigrating to the U.S. and dealing with shame and guilt.
A look at the cover ofBeauty & Immigrationby Ares Maia.
The cover of the zine has butterflies on it, which have been so symbolic in my life.
So the butterflies have to endure [the] pain themselves to get to flourish.
As told to Dianna Mazzone
Beauty & Immigrationby Ares Maia is available now for pre-order onaresmaia.co.
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