Lust List 2016: Terah: Sales Associate-Blogger, Epitome

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Job: Sales Associate/Blogger, Epitome
Age: 20
Relationship Status: Single

When most people look at Terah they see an “exotic” beauty — half Japanese and white with a creamy complexion and almond eyes. But society’s biased standards haven’t always fallen in her favor. Alopecia made Terah a prematurely balding preteen and the subject of constant taunting. Today, the sales associate and blogger for Buckhead sneaker boutique Epitome resonates with “amazing vibes” and a “positive soul,” according to one of several readers who nominated her for the Lust List. But popularity hasn’t gone to her head. In the coming months, she plans to launch a YouTube blog to motivate other young women still coming to terms with their reflections in the mirror. — Rodney Carmichael


ON GROWING UP DIFFERENT AND LEARNING TO LOVE HERSELF

Growing up was hard because I had alopecia. Kids are so mean. They’re brutal. That didn’t really stop until I could cover it up and blend into society. That’s what hurts the most. Sometimes when I walk around I feel like a walking façade because this isn’t what I look like without my makeup on. Girls say that all the time: “Oh, I don’t look like this without my makeup.” But you have eyelashes and you have eyebrows, and when you take off your makeup and your hair at night you don’t look like a cancer patient.

When I was in sixth grade, I would get taunted every day. It got to the point where I would put my hood on at school and you weren’t allowed to wear your hood in school. But when teachers would tell me to take it off, they would instantly look at me and say, “I’m so sorry, you can put it back on.” They would pity me. I hated feeling like that and I just don’t want to go back to that. I’m still trying to get to that point where I can openly be myself. I’m not totally haunted by the fact that I was treated like that as a child, but it does haunt me still. So I’m trying to overcome that.


How do you reconcile that with getting so much attention now for being beautiful?

It’s so weird because at the same time I feel so bad. There have been people who have fallen in love with me because of my looks and half of that is fake. This is who I am and if you can accept that then that’s really great. I just wish I could go back in time and tell myself when I was 13 years old and crying in bed every night that it’s going to be OK and that you’re beautiful with your hair or not.

When did you start to realize that for yourself?

Last year. I actually stopped being friends with a really good friend of mine. She would subtly say things that would really bring me down. She didn’t really know that it hurt my feelings that much, but she would still bring it up. Last year was really a clean slate for me. I only have one or two friends that I still keep in touch with. But after that, that’s when I really started to love myself.

So I’m really hoping that my YouTube blog blasts off, because I really want to spread the word about alopecia. It’s not cancer. It’s not a disease that you’ll get by being close to me. And I really want to shed light on the fact that it’s led to bullying. Because I make my own wigs, I want my videos to have a beauty and lifestyle aspect, but I also want them to be motivational ... I want to send younger people, and people having a hard time fitting into society, a message that you’re beautiful the way you are and you shouldn’t let other people define that for you — especially if you’re a female.

What would be your last meal if you were on death row?

Jiro Ono’s sushi in Tokyo. That’s on my bucket list.

In what movie would you most want to live?

Probably Avatar. That would be really cool. And if I got to be a blue person that would be really cool, too.

What’s your favorite curse word?

This sounds so vulgar. “Fuck.” Because I feel like you can put it anywhere.

Do you have a favorite quote or a mantra?

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” I really believe in karma.


What’s your best move on the dance floor?

Probably moving off the dance floor. I like to observe.

Do you have a lucky charm? A superstition?

My lucky charm is probably this necklace because I wear it all the time. It’s a Hamsa. It’s actually pretty popular in religions like Buddhism. It’s the Hand of Fatima, so it’s a symbol of protection against the evil eye. That’s why I wear it all the time. It’s been good to me ever since.

What’s the best album to make out to?

Anything by PartyNextDoor. Nowadays you don’t listen to albums. It’s more playlists. So I have a playlist on Spotify labeled “sex” just for that.

Read us the last interesting tweet you tweeted.

My last tweet was: “These men like to try my life.”

What’s your weirdest recurring dream?

I’ve had it since I was a kid. My family and I are taken hostage by Captain Hook. We’re being tortured on his ship. So Peter Pan comes and saves us and I end up falling in love with him. And we live there forever. It’s just the weirdest dream and I have it quite often. But the ending is different every time.

How do you like to spend a rainy day?

In bed with bae, whoever that is at the time I guess.

What one item would you save if your house was flooding?

I would have to say all my sneakers.

What’s your favorite local band?

Villamor. Or anybody from Love Renaissance, Raury’s label.

What’s the lamest pickup line someone tried to use on you?

Someone called me a butterfly: “You are a beautiful butterfly, can I take you out?” I was like let me fly away real quick ‘cause I’m not about to get into this.

What’s the best way for a customer to hit on you?

Don’t. laughs


EDITOR’S NOTE: The author incorrectly listed Terah’s job title in the original version of this story. She’s a sales associate/blogger for Epitome.