

In About Face, xoNecole gets the 411 on IGers who give us #skincaregoals on a daily. Here they break down their beauty routines on the inside and out, as well as the highly coveted products that grace their shelves and their skin.
Achieng Agutu has made a name for herself as a "Certified Confidence Queen," and when you look at the material, there's no wonder why. Through her encouraging words, energy, and bad bish mantras shared on social media underneath the name @noordinarynoire, Achieng has amassed a following of over 450K followers who gravitate toward the content creator for keys to the confidence kingdom. The 25-year-old revealed to xoNecole that the true key to confidence lies in authenticity. "Be yourself, live your life for you and no one else," she says. "It is important to accept yourself for your unique qualities and find the power in it."
Without a doubt, Achieng has tapped into the fullness of that power as unapologetic self-love and confidence radiate from her entire being. She is confident in the skin she is in and has defined beauty for herself. She remembers finding beauty in things rather than people and that perspective lent itself to her most significant beauty lesson which is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. "What's beautiful to you might not be beautiful to me or my standards of beauty may not match yours," she explains. "Beauty is subjective."
Photo Credit: Braylen Dion
Growing up in Kenya is something else that impacted the way Achieng saw beauty, especially in how she approached her skincare. Whereas she noted skincare routines in the United States seemed to revolve around products, her upbringing in Kenya taught her that skincare and beauty were just as much internal as it is external. "To me, taking care of your health is also taking care of your skin. This is still how I view skincare," she shares. "In a similar way, this also reflects my view of beauty. Western media sold us the idea that external factors – white, skinny, tall, and blonde – were the standard of beauty. I have since learned that beauty is internal. The way a person carries themselves with confidence and kindness is what makes them beautiful."
To take care of herself internally, Achieng actively journals and enjoys drinking water as means of self-care and self-pleasure. The latter of which she also likes to maximize the benefits of through water affirmations. "It’s such a powerful thing for me. Something I like to do when I drink any liquid, but mainly water, is speak manifestations and desires into it. Speak into it who you are or who you want to be, drink it with zeal, and watch everything come to fruition. I call it 'water affirmations' and they work for me."
Keep scrolling for more insight into Achieng Agutu’s morning and night skincare routines.
Achieng Agutu's Morning Skincare Routine
Step One: Cleanse
La Mer Cleansing Foam
La Mer
"I cleanse my face using the La Mer Cleansing Foam. I love this cleanser because it is effective, yet gentle for my sensitive skin. This one, in particular, is also fragrance-free."
Step Two: Mask
Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite™ FaceWare Pro
Dr. Dennis Gross
"I use the Dr. Dennis Gross LED mask. It is an anti-acne, anti-aging treatment I use every other day."
Step Three: Face Toning
Face Gym Pure Lift Face
Face Gym
"I use the Face Gym Pure Lift Face [tool] to depuff and contour my face! It's like Gua Sha 2.0!"
Step Four: Exfoliate
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Paula's Choice
"I exfoliate Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. It is gentle enough to use every day."
Step Five: Eye Cream
Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream
Ole Henriksen
"I take time to put on my eye treatment: Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream. It smells so good and it gives me instant brightness under the eye."
Step Seven: Serum
Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum
Biossance
"Depending on my skin needs, I will use the Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Serum for its super-moisturizing qualities. It makes the skin look nice and bouncy. Or I'll go in with a Vitamin C Serum from Ole Henriksen for more brightness. I usually alternate between these two serums."
Step Eight: Moisturize
Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen
Fenty Skin
"I finish up my routine with my favorite moisturizer from Fenty Skin, the Hydra Vizor which already has SPF in it! I love it because it smells good, Rihanna made it, and the Kalahari melon helps with keeping my skin moisturized."
"At the very end, I take a step back to admire the glow in the skin and the depuffed face ready for the day. Honestly, this is my favorite part of my routine!"
Achieng Agutu's Evening Skincare Routine
Step One: Cleanse
La Mer Cleansing Foam
La Mer
"Before I start my nightly skincare routine, I pick out my music to set the vibes. I cleanse the day away using the cleansing foam by La Mer again."
Step Two: Eye Cream
Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream
Ole Henriksen
"I go in again with my Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream."
Step Three: Facial Oil
Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil
Sunday Riley
"For the evening time, I apply the Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil."
Step Four: Moisturize
Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen
Fenty Skin
"Once again, I finish up my routine with my Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor moisturizer."
For more of Achieng, follow her on Instagram @noordinarynoire.
Featured image by Braylen Dion
'He Said, She Said': Love Stories Put To The Test At A Weekend For Love
At the A Weekend For Love retreat, we sat down with four couples to explore their love stories in a playful but revealing way with #HeSaidSheSaid. From first encounters to life-changing moments, we tested their memories to see if their versions of events aligned—because, as they say, every story has three sides: his, hers, and the truth.
Do these couples remember their love stories the same way? Press play to find out.
Episode 1: Indira & Desmond – Love Across the Miles
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but for Indira & Desmond, love made it stronger. Every mile apart deepened their bond, reinforcing the unshakable foundation of their relationship. From their first "I love you" to the moment they knew they had found home in each other, their journey is a beautiful testament to the endurance of true love.
Episode 2: Jay & Tia – A Love Story Straight Out of a Rom-Com
If Hollywood is looking for its next Black love story, they need to take notes from Jay & Tia. Their journey—from an awkward first date to navigating careers, parenthood, and personal growth—proves that love is not just about romance but also resilience. Their story is full of laughter, challenges, and, most importantly, a love that stands the test of time.
Episode 3: Larencia & Mykel – Through the Highs and Lows
A date night with police helicopters overhead? Now that’s a story! Larencia & Mykel have faced unexpected surprises, major life changes, and 14 years of choosing each other every single day. But after all this time, do they actually remember things the same way? Their episode is sure to bring some eye-opening revelations and a lot of laughs.
Episode 4: Soy & Osei – A Love Aligned in Purpose
From a chance meeting at the front door to 15 years of unwavering love, faith, and growth, Soy & Osei prove that when two souls are aligned in love and purpose, nothing can shake their foundation. Their journey is a powerful reminder that true love is built on mutual support, shared values, and a deep connection that only strengthens with time.
Each of these couples has a unique and inspiring story to tell, but do their memories match up? Watch #HeSaidSheSaid to find out!
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image screenshot/ xoNecole YouTube
Egypt Sherrod & Mike Jackson On Love, Business, And Financial Transparency On The First Date
Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson have captivated us on their HGTV show, Married to Real Estate, and podcast Marriage and Money.
Now, they have teamed up with TurboTax to assist small business owners with tax and financial support. The couple met while working in radio, and now they own multiple businesses together. While working with your spouse can have its ups and downs, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Besides the fact that I get to work with the person I love doing what I love to do, right? There's the aspect of our daughters, seeing us work together as a unit and actually doing it successful,” Mike tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview
“So they get to grow up and experience what it is to be entrepreneurs from ground level, right? Because Mom and Dad did it, and they did it in such a way that I want to emulate, even if they don't decide to do exactly what we do, but they get to see it. That, to me, means a lot.”
But owning a business, whether separate or together, comes with a lot of responsibility and mistakes can often happen, especially for novice entrepreneurs. Egypt opens up about mistakes her and Mike experienced working in real estate.
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us,” she says.
“So our goal by partnering with TurboTax is to really open the eyes of fellow entrepreneurs, to show them that, especially when it comes to your finances, your taxes, and getting that right, there is a faster, more cost effective, more accurate way of getting the support that you need.”
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us."
Being tax compliant is among small business owners’ top concerns, but it's often time-consuming and research-intensive to figure out taxes on your own. TurboTax Business provides small business owners and solopreneurs access to unlimited live expert help to get your taxes prepared and filed.
When it comes to their marriage, the money conversation never goes away. The couple owns six businesses together, multiple properties, and are parents to three daughters. So when it comes down to finances, they believe in transparency, even dating back to their first date 21 years ago.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?,” Mike says. “Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
At the time, Mike was newly divorced and had a small child. Egypt says she found his honesty “refreshing” and was looking for someone to build with, so his finances weren’t a problem for her. “If you're building anything, and that's like, first, second, third date, and you feel like, okay, this is someone I can be invested with, even beyond money, you have to just be honest about your circumstances,” Egypt shares.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?. Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
“Otherwise you're building a house of cards that can fall at any minute, but I think money is one of the things. Finances are one of the things that even when people are in love, they still can't make it work and it breaks up marriages. It breaks up relationships because it's a stressor.
“So, yeah it is something that you want to ask about up front. What's your credit? How much do you earn? You don't have to be rich, but I just need to know if if the math is mathing.”
While they don’t believe you should have the money conversation on the first date, they do believe you should have it early to avoid any misunderstandings down the line.
To hear more about their story, check out their podcast, Marriage and Money and watch the new season of Married to Real Estate on HGTV.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
“So they get to grow up and experience what it is to be entrepreneurs from ground level, right? Because Mom and Dad did it, and they did it in such a way that I want to emulate, even if they don't decide to do exactly what we do, but they get to see it. That, to me, means a lot.”
But owning a business, whether separate or together, comes with a lot of responsibility and mistakes can often happen, especially for novice entrepreneurs. Egypt opens up about mistakes her and Mike experienced working in real estate.
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us,” she says.
“So our goal by partnering with TurboTax is to really open the eyes of fellow entrepreneurs, to show them that, especially when it comes to your finances, your taxes, and getting that right, there is a faster, more cost effective, more accurate way of getting the support that you need.”
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us."
Being tax compliant is among small business owners’ top concerns, but it's often time-consuming and research-intensive to figure out taxes on your own. TurboTax Business provides small business owners and solopreneurs access to unlimited live expert help to get your taxes prepared and filed.
When it comes to their marriage, the money conversation never goes away. The couple owns six businesses together, multiple properties, and are parents to three daughters. So when it comes down to finances, they believe in transparency, even dating back to their first date 21 years ago.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?,” Mike says. “Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
At the time, Mike was newly divorced and had a small child. Egypt says she found his honesty “refreshing” and was looking for someone to build with, so his finances weren’t a problem for her. “If you're building anything, and that's like, first, second, third date, and you feel like, okay, this is someone I can be invested with, even beyond money, you have to just be honest about your circumstances,” Egypt shares.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?. Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
“Otherwise you're building a house of cards that can fall at any minute, but I think money is one of the things. Finances are one of the things that even when people are in love, they still can't make it work and it breaks up marriages. It breaks up relationships because it's a stressor.
“So, yeah it is something that you want to ask about up front. What's your credit? How much do you earn? You don't have to be rich, but I just need to know if if the math is mathing.”
While they don’t believe you should have the money conversation on the first date, they do believe you should have it early to avoid any misunderstandings down the line.
To hear more about their story, check out their podcast, Marriage and Money and watch the new season of Married to Real Estate on HGTV.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy