Bold & Beautiful: How To Rock A Black Lip
There's nothing like a bold lip color to make you feel confident and sexy while standing out from the crowd. While your office mates are slicking on their fall reds and subtle oranges, some of us are turning our pretty pouts into statements that say go bold or go home!
A confident woman should feel comfortable rocking a black lip any time of year. Don't wait for the cool seasons to roll around to pull out your darker-hued lipsticks and glosses. If you're looking to finally master that technique of how to apply your lipstick seamlessly, let's take it back to the basics.
Here's an easy step-by-step guide on how to paint your pout black and embrace your inner bad gal!
Step 1: Exfoliate & Moisturize
You always want to exfoliate your lips first before applying any lip color. Gently massage the product into your lips to remove any dead skin cells to create a smooth surface for your lipstick. After about a minute, take a warm towel and gently remove the exfoliator.
Tip: If you don't feel like splurging on a lip exfoliator, you can do it yourself by whipping up a little olive oil mixed with sugar in the raw and voila....your own homemade lip exfoliator.
After exfoliating, apply a lip balm for moisture.
Step 2: Line & Fill In
I like to line my lips starting with the outer corner and working my way in. Continue to fill your lips completely in. This gives your lipstick a good base to cling to and ensures that you have even color. This is a great trick for you ladies who have one lip that may be darker than the other.
Next up, take the edge of the black lipstick and reline the lips first then proceed to apply the lipstick as you would any other shade. Take your time and go slow so you don't end up outside of the lines. Blot your lips together gently to deposit the color evenly all over.
Tip: Use a lip brush to apply the color for more precision.
Step 4: Touch It Up
Finally, for the finishing touches, take your lip liner pencil again and reline your lips after you've applied the lipstick. This will help your lipstick from “bleeding" outside of the lines, giving you perfectly lined lips. Clean up any minor mistakes with a tissue.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Tyler James Williams Explains Why His And Quinta Brunson 'Abbott Elementary' Characters Should Remain Friends
While Abbott Elementary fans are hoping that Janine and Gregory end up together, the show’s star has another take. Tyler James Williams plays Gregory on the Emmy award-winning sitcom, and he recently stopped by The Jennifer Hudson Show to share his point of view on his storyline with Janine, which Quinta Brunson plays.
“I hate to say it. I know that everybody’s always mad at me for this. I don’t necessarily want to see them together,” he revealed. “It’s partially an actor’s choice, but also somebody who, like, I read a lot of scripts all the time. I watch a lot of TV, a lot of film. I don’t think that we see displays of platonic love between two people often. I think it’s really easy to go right to they have feelings for each other, therefore they should be together. I like this dynamic of exploring withholding that and just actively loving each other where they are. That I like to see more.”
If you recall, they were co-workers who became friends but were secretly crushing on each other. They’ve had many awkward run-ins during and after school, like the unforgettable club scene where they were dancing nervously with each other in season one, and in season two, they finally kiss. However, it only made things even more awkward, and they decided to just be friends. Tyler further explained why he thinks it’s important to showcase that type of relationship on screen.
“I think it’s time for that. I think TV allows people to see things that could be their lives for the first time, and I think seeing a healthy friendship that is deeply caring about one another in a work atmosphere needs to be shown more than the relationship,” he concluded.
Abbott Elementary comes on every Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images