I live in Asia, which means whenever I want to go back to the US to visit, I have to spend ridiculously long amounts of time on an airplane. If you’ve ever taken a long flight across the ocean, then you might be all too familiar with what I call “airplane skin.” You know, dry, itchy, wrinkly, mixed with chapped lips and bloodshot eyes. If you have oily skin, you may get off the plane with your face even more oily than usual. Since becoming a hardcore skincare junkie, I’ve realized the importance of not only having a night and daytime routine, but also a long haul in-flight skincare routine.
Why is a skincare routine on a long flight important? It all comes down to the humidity in the airplane cabin. A good humidity level indoors during the winter is anywhere between 30% to 40%. During the summer, anything below 50% is good. The humidity levels in airplane cabins? It can be anywhere from 15% to a pretty much non-existent 3%. So basically, airplane cabins have no humidity, which is awful for our skin, our eyes, throats, and our sinuses. Whenever people complain of having awful skin after a flight, it’s not only the air being re-circulated over and over again, it’s the low humidity levels that just suck every single drop of moisture from your skin, leaving it dry, red, scaly, itchy, and wrinkly. Gross.
So I combat airplane skin by layering on as much moisture as I possibly can, then adding more moisture every couple of hours. When I travel to the U.S., my flights are 20+ hours long, so hydration is key.
Here are my steps for stepping off the plane looking and feeling fabulous:
1. Keep It Clean
Missha First Treatment Essence
Cleanse skin using a micellar water like Bioderma or cleansing wipes. I’m anti-cleansing wipes, but the only time I’ll use them is on a plane. I don’t wear makeup when I fly, so I use the wipes to remove surface dirt and to prep my skin for the rest of my routine. If you do wear makeup, make sure that your skin is absolutely clean before moving on to the next steps.
2. Stay Hydrated
Apply a hydrating toner. In Korean skincare, toners are used for hydration, not for cleansing like Western toners. I use the Missha First Treatment Essence. Apply in your palms, and gently press into your skin.
3. Add Moisture
Missha Super Aqua Hydrating Emulsion
I then apply a lightweight moisturizer. I usually use something like the Missha Super Aqua Hydrating Emulsion. Again, apply in your palms and gently press into your skin.
4. Dab On Oil
Sulwhasoo Overnight Vitalizing Mask
Next, I like to mix a bit of oil with a sleeping mask. Using both together ensures that your skin is super hydrated and stays that way. I love argan oil mixed with my holy grail Korean beauty product, the Sulwhasoo Overnight Vitalizing Mask. It’s a thick cream that sinks into your skin like magic, and when you wake up, it looks like you’ve had a facial. It’s magic in a tube, and one of my flight essentials. If I’m feeling super dehydrated, I’ll use a sheet mask.
5. Re-apply and Repeat
As a final step, I apply an eye cream and use a hand cream to moisturize my hands and feet. I also apply a hydrating lip balm. Every couple of hours during the flight, I add a little more oil and moisturizer to my skin and reapply lip balm. When the plane is almost ready to land, I cleanse my skin again using a facial wipe, and apply the lightweight moisturizer, and proceed to put on makeup.
I know you’ve read all this and you’re like, “but how do I get all of these products in my small clear bag?” My secret weapon is samples. I have a stack of samples that I keep and use for flights only. You can order samples of your favorite products from eBay, or if you’re near a Sephora or department store you can ask a salesperson for samples. Also, water is essential. I bring a big empty bottle through security, and fill it up once I get into the terminal. I stay away from alcohol and caffeine during flights, as both dehydrate you.
I use this routine on any flight that is three hours or longer. Having an in-flight skincare routine not only ensures that my skin looks fabulous when I land, but that I don’t have to deal with any residual breakouts during my vacation. You gotta look good in that Travel Noire Instagram photo!
As a disclaimer, I am not a doctor or a medical professional. I’m just a woman who loves skincare, and wants to share my tips and tricks on what has worked for me personally. Please see your physician or dermatologist before beginning any new skincare regimen.
There’s just something about HBCU Homecoming that just hits different. Whether it’s your first time stepping onto the yard since graduation or you’re a regular at every Homecoming tailgate, HBCU pride is undeniable. It’s a vibrant celebration that unites the legacy of excellence and tradition with the energy and resilience of Black culture.
The experience goes beyond a typical college reunion; HBCU Homecoming is a family reunion, a fashion show, a cultural festival, and a week-long turn-up that embodies what it means to be unapologetically Black and educated. For HBCU alumni, the journey back to the yard each year is rooted in a love and pride that’s hard to put into words but impossible to deny.
From statement pieces to tech must-haves, every item represents the intersection of Black pride and HBCU love, ensuring that you show up to the yard in style and with intention. So whether you’re repping your alma mater for the first time since graduation or looking for fresh pieces to express your HBCU pride, these essentials will have you standing out, because, at HBCU Homecoming, it’s not just about showing up—it’s about showing out.
Thread Goals
diarrablu Jant Pants in Alia Noir
High-waisted, wide-legged, and ready to shut down the yard, the Jant Pants by diarrablu bring a whole new meaning to campus chic. Handcrafted in Dakar, Senegal, these free-flowing jacquard pants are perfect for stepping onto the yard with style and ease—making them a must-have for any HBCU alum’s closet.
Silver & Riley Convertible Executive Leather Bag Classic Size in Olive
This all-in-one luxury bag isn’t a bestseller for nothing. The Silver & Riley essential is made of Italian calfskin leather and thoughtfully designed, as it can be worn in four different ways: a shoulder bag, crossbody, a top handle, and a backpack. Chic and elegant, the Convertible Executive Leather bag is “the bag that every woman needs in her collection.”
Renowned Women's Intuition Cotton Graphic T-Shirt
Renowned
Renowned’s Women’s Intuition Cotton Graphic T-shirt features a bold graphic print inspired by the power and essence of women’s intuition. With its striking design, this all-cotton tee is a vibrant thing, making it a statement piece that celebrates feminine energy.
Mifland Million M Mesh Crop Shirt
Talk about bold, the Million M Mesh Crop Shirt combines edgy style with comfort, featuring Mifland’s signature print on a semi-see-through mesh fabric. Show up and show out in sophisticated flair.
HBCU Love FUBU
Melanin Is Life Melanated & Educated - I Love My HBCU Hoodie
Show off your HBCU love with this piece that represents everything you gained from your alma mater: a top-tier education, a community that lifts you up, and a deep sense of esteem for yourself and your culture. Wear it loud and proud, because being melanated and educated isn’t just a flex—it’s a legacy.
HBCU Culture Spelmanite Sweatshirt in Navy
Spelmanites, rep your Spelman pride with this unisex crewneck sweatshirt, designed for ultimate comfort and a relaxed fit. Made from a cozy cotton/polyester blend, this classic sweatshirt is as durable as it is stylish—making it an ideal piece for any Spelmanite showing love for their alma mater.
HBCU Culture Howard Is The Culture T-Shirt
Rock the ultimate flex by showcasing your Howard U love with HBCU Culture’s Howard Is The Culture t-shirt. This unisex tee offers a comfortable, relaxed fit that’s perfect for celebrating your HBCU spirit without sacrificing style or comfort.
DungeonForward FAMU - Strike Bucket - Reversible
DungeonForward’s Strike Bucket Hat brings versatility and style to the FAMU Crown collection with its reversible design, giving you two looks in one. Featuring a sleek black snakeskin-embossed brim lining and a bold outline Rattler emblem, this hat is all about repping your Rattler pride in style.
DungeonForward Savannah State University - HBCU Hat - TheYard
The Savannah State University HBCU Hat by DungeonForward is more than just a hat—it’s a symbol of Tiger pride and a nod to the culture. Perfect for gamedays, tailgates, or just showing off your HBCU love, this hat lets you carry a piece of the yard wherever you go.
Tech the Halls
Anker iPhone 16 Portable Charger, Nano Power Bank
Stay charged up with the Anker Nano Power Bank, which features dual USB-C ports, a foldable connector, and a compact design, making it perfect for those HBCU tailgates and late-night parties you pull up to.
Drip Check
Wisdom Frame 14 Square Sunglasses
Elevate your look with these angular square-frame sunglasses by Wisdom, bringing an ultramodern edge to any outfit. The sleek design makes them perfect for blocking out the haters while you stunt on the yard.
Coco and Breezy Eyewear Fortune in Gray Turquoise
The Fortune Glasses in Grey Turquoise is a bold statement piece to any Homecoming weekend ‘fit that “embody our fearless and outspoken DNA.” With their color and edgy design, these frames by Coco and Breezy are perfect for anyone looking to stand out and express their unapologetic confidence.
Howard U Lapel Pin
Rep your Bison pride wherever you go with this Howard U Lapel Pin from Pretty AmbVision. Whether adding it to your jacket, shirt, or bag, this pin is the perfect way to showcase your love for your alma mater while rocking your HBCU love with honor and distinction.
Mifland Standard Rucksack Mini
The Standard Rucksack is designed to evolve like that HBCU pride—getting richer, bolder, and better with time. Durable, stylish, and built to last, this Rucksack by Mifland is a timeless piece equipped with versatile carrying options and fully adjustable back straps for ultimate comfort.
Stay Fresh, Stay Blessed
Slip Pure Silk Sleep Mask in Pink
Keeping it cute starts with beauty sleep. This luxurious silk mask is an essential for a reason. If protecting your skin and waking up refreshed is your priority, look no further than this Homecoming essential.
Liquid I.V.® Hydration Multiplier Lemon Lime - Hydration Powder Packets
Stay hydrated and energized throughout Homecoming weekend with this Liquid I.V.® Hydration Multiplier in Lemon Lime. Just add a packet to your water bottle, and bless your body with 2-3 times more hydration than water with every packet. Because staying hydrated is the key to popping up and showing out all weekend long!
Loop Experience Plus Earplugs High Fidelity Hearing Protection
Designed for your hearing protection, these sleek earplugs reduce noise without compromising sound quality—perfect for enjoying the band’s halftime show, late-night parties, and DJ sets. Whether you’re front row at the step show or hitting the yard, your ears deserve to be protected in style!
Black Girl Magic Glass Cup
Sip in style and celebrate your melanin with the Black Girl Magic Glass Cup. Perfect for morning coffee, your favorite iced drink, or showing off your HBCU pride on the yard—this cup is all about keeping it cute while radiating your endless supply of Black Girl Magic.
Glow Up & Show Out
Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 30
What Homecoming weekend can be complete without an assist from this beauty find? Formulated to blend seamlessly into melanin-rich skin (no white-cast), protect your glow while you turn up with the Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 30.
Sienna Naturals Issa Rae's Wash Day Ritual Set
Issa Rae’s Wash Day Ritual Set from Sienna Naturals includes the H.A.PI. Shampoo, the Plant Power Repair Mask, Dew Magic, and Lock and Seal to get your crown right. Whether you’re repping your coils or rocking a new color on the yard, these products restore and nourish your strands, keeping your hair healthy, strong, and Homecoming-ready!
54 Thrones Ivorian Cocoa + Ghanaian Coconut Beauty Butter
Stay glowing from the tailgate to the after-party with the 54 Thrones Ivorian Cocoa + Ghanaian Coconut Beauty Butter. Infused with African-sourced ingredients, this rich, multi-purpose butter is the answer to keeping your skin soft and radiant through all the festivities all Homecoming long.
Saie Glossybounce Hydrating Lip Oil
Keep your lips looking luscious and nourished with the Saie Glossybounce Hydrating Lip Oil. Perfect for adding an extra pop to your pout before hitting the yard or freshening up between events, this lip oil is a beauty essential for staying camera-ready all weekend.
Join us in celebrating HBCU excellence! Check out our Best In Class hub for inspiring stories, empowering resources, and everything you need to embrace the HBCU experience.
Featured image by Visual Vic/Getty Images
Why Changing Careers Is A Revolutionary Act For Black Women
In recent years, research has found, career transitions for women were up 54% compared to men (46%). Another report found that 88% of women are “open to new opportunities.” The top reasons for changing careers are the desire for better pay and to work for companies that align with their purpose and have higher missions. And I'm sure we've all heard, time after time, how so many women left the workforce altogether to pursue entrepreneurship full-time.
For Black women, making a career change is especially revolutionary, considering several major factors that impact wealth building, mental health, and family life. Here are a few reasons to consider and why, as Black women, making a career pivot can be one of the most daring and empowering culture-shifting moves yet:
Quality Of Life
Black women face unique challenges with wealth building, with a major part of the problem being unequal pay. This year, it was found that Black women have to work more than 7 months into a new year to make the same amount as their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts were paid in 2023.
Also, the average Black woman who is a full-time professional year-round is typically paid 68 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men, which means an annual salary loss of $22,120 for Black women (a whopping $884,800 over the course of a 40-year career.)
When we think about those numbers, it’s obvious that as ambitious Black women who want more for ourselves and our children, we have no choice but to seek better opportunities or create them. Oftentimes this means changing careers so that we can finally make the money we need to live comfortably, building a business from scratch, or pursuing a side hustle (that becomes a full-time business). Many of us literally have no choice if we want to survive and thrive.
Career Fulfillment
Many of us not only want to make enough money to become financially free (or at least be able to simply pay our bills) but we also want to pursue careers that challenge us, utilize the fullness of our skill sets, and allow us to apply unique ways of delivering on a goal or task.
We want to be ourselves, wear our hair in any style we choose without being questioned or penalized, and we want to be respected and rewarded for the actual work that we do that contributes to the multi-million-dollar bottom lines of companies.
Some of our favorite go-getter professionals have taken a leap for the better. From influencer and entrepreneur Monroe Steele, who exited the physical therapy field. “I had reached a point where I thought I was going to burn out,” she shared in a video. “For some reason, because I’d already asked for a day off, and my hours were already reduced, it kind of seemed like they wanted to put the stress on me, to give up more hours in order to bring on this new therapist.”
“They wanted me to decrease my hours and take a pay cut for three or four months,” she continued. “I also couldn’t understand why they were only asking me. If this was for the betterment of the company, why wasn’t everybody pitching in an hour or two?” Instead of going for another job in that field, she continued to build her brand and now works with major retailers and fashion houses, has flexibility in time to travel and enjoy life, and has been able to tap into her creative side for a living.
Other women who’ve transitioned into different careers for fulfillment are former first lady Michelle Obama, financial advocacy entrepreneur Tiffany Aliche, life coach Joyel Crawford, marketer Jayde Powell, and gospel singer Yolanda Adams. So many women change jobs or careers simply because they’re led to a higher purpose, are let go from a job they gave their all to, or are forced to seek solutions to find happiness and balance in their work lives.
Radical Freedom Of Self-Expression
Codeswitching. Constant microagressions.Competing in a rigged game. Heightened occurrences of harassment and violence at work. (Yes, it’s a real thing.) Black women, who simply want to go to work, do their work, get paid for that work, and get home safely are tired of it. And with the pandemic came some terrifying but enlightening realizations that we don’t have to take it anymore. (Hello, Great Resignation!) And our mental health can’t really take it anymore either.
Experts have pinpointed the effects of something called “Black fatigue,” where extreme stress, due to the aforementioned, can lead to “extreme exhaustion and causes mental, physical, and spiritual maladies that are passed down from generation to generation."
When Black women quit to totally pivot into something different, it is an act of empowering rebellion. It’s paving a way for the next generation of Black women professionals to say no to the hot mess that’s offered to them. It’s a stance of fearlessness in a work world that sometimes doesn’t even reward excellence.
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Featured image by Delmaine Donson/Getty