4 Highlighters You Need In Your Beauty Arsenal
Whether I'm in full glam or a simple look, you can bet I'm wearing a highlighter. It adds such a glow and sparkle to your look — you can literally go from good to great with one product and who's not here for that?
I tend to try different types of highlighters, whether it's powder or cream — I really don't discriminate. As long as it's pretty and shinin', I'm good.
With all that being said, I tried a few highlighters and here's why you need to add them to your beauty arsenal.
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Gold Deposit
Shade: Gold Deposit
Price: $34
If you tend to go for a golden glow, this is one of the best choices. It can act as a highlighter alone or as a skin finish to intensify any highlighter you choose. This soft and radiant highlighter adds a golden, sheer, and luminous polish for your face and body.
You can make your highlight as subtle or as eye-catching as you want, however, keep in mind with this product a little goes a long way. With the rich gold, the slightest amount of highlight will be noticeable. In my opinion, the best way to apply this product is by using a fan brush. The fan brush allows you to take a reasonable amount (not too much or too little) and build as you need to.
If gold is not your color of choice MAC offers a variety of colors including: Barely Dressed, Cheeky Bronze, Global Glow, Landscaped, Nuanced, Perfectly Lit, and Soft & Gentle.
Shop product here.
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Featured photo by Krissy Lewis
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Freelance writer, content creator, and traveler. She enjoys the beauty of simplicity, a peaceful life, and a big curly fro. Connect with Krissy on social media @iamkrissylewis or check out her blog at www.krissylewis.com.
How Content Creators Hey Fran Hey And Shameless Maya Embraced The Pivot
This article is in partnership with Meta Elevate.
If you’ve been on the internet at all within the past decade, chances are the names Hey Fran Hey and Shameless Maya (aka Maya Washington) have come across your screen. These content creators have touched every platform on the web, spreading joy to help women everywhere live their best lives. From Fran’s healing natural remedies to Maya’s words of wisdom, both of these content creators have built a loyal following by sharing honest, useful, and vulnerable content. But in search of a life that lends to more creativity, freedom, and space, these digital mavens have moved from their bustling big cities (New York City and Los Angeles respectively) to more remote locations, taking their popular digital brands with them.
Content Creators Hey Fran Hey and Maya Washington Talk "Embracing The Pivot"www.youtube.com
In partnership with Meta Elevate — an online learning platform that provides Black, Hispanic, and Latinx-owned businesses access to 1:1 mentoring, digital skills training, and community — xoNecole teamed up with Franscheska Medina and Maya Washington on IG live recently for a candid conversation about how they’ve embraced the pivot by changing their surroundings to ultimately bring out the best in themselves and their work. Fran, a New York City native, moved from the Big Apple to Portland, Oregon a year ago. Feeling overstimulated by the hustle and bustle of city life, Fran headed to the Pacific Northwest in search of a more easeful life.
Her cross-country move is the backdrop for her new campaign with Meta Elevate— a perfectly-timed commercial that shows how you can level up from wherever you land with the support of free resources like Meta Elevate. Similarly, Maya packed up her life in Los Angeles and moved to Sweden, where she now resides with her husband and adorable daughter. Maya’s life is much more rural and farm-like than it had been in California, but she is thriving in this peaceful new setting while finding her groove as a new mom.
While Maya is steadily building and growing her digital brand as a self-proclaimed “mom coming out of early retirement,” Fran is redefining her own professional grind. “It’s been a year since I moved from New York City to Portland, Oregon,” says Fran. “I think the season I’m in is figuring out how to stay successful while also slowing down.” A slower-paced life has unlocked so many creative possibilities and opportunities for these ladies, and our conversation with them is a well-needed reminder that your success is not tied to your location…especially with the internet at your fingertips. Tapping into a community like Meta Elevate can help Black, Hispanic, and Latinx entrepreneurs and content creators stay connected to like minds and educated on new digital skills and tools that can help scale their businesses.
During a beautiful moment in the conversation, Fran gives Maya her flowers for being an innovator in the digital space. Back when “influencing” was in its infancy and creators were just trying to find their way, Fran says Maya was way ahead of her time. “I give Maya credit for being one of the pioneers in the digital space,” Fran said. “Maya is a one-person machine, and I always tell her she really changed the game on what ads, campaigns, and videos, in general, should look like.”
When asked what advice she’d give content creators, Maya says the key is having faith even when you don’t see the results just yet. “It’s so easy to look at what is, despite you pouring your heart into this thing that may not be giving you the returns that you thought,” she says. “Still operate from a place of love and authenticity. Have faith and do the work. A lot of people are positive thinkers, but that’s the thinking part. You also have to put your faith into work and do the work.”
Fran ultimately encourages content creators and budding entrepreneurs to take full advantage of Meta Elevate’s vast offerings to educate themselves on how to build and grow their businesses online. “It took me ten years to get to the point where I’m making ads at this level,” she says. “I didn’t have those resources in 2010. I love the partnership with Meta Elevate because they’re providing these resources for free. I just think of the people that wouldn’t be able to afford that education and information otherwise. So to amplify a company like this just feels right.”
Watch the full conversation with the link above, and join the Meta Elevate community to connect with fellow businesses and creatives that are #OnTheRiseTogether.
Featured image courtesy of Shameless Maya and Hey Fran Hey
What We Can All Learn About Boss Moves From Nicole Lynn And Jalen Hurts's $225 Million Win
It's no surprise that a Black woman is the phenomenal agent behind getting Jalen Hurt a record-breaking $225 million Philadelphia Eagles contract. I mean, Nicole Lynn has been a force to be reckoned with for quite some time, and y'all know we, as Black women, have that special mojo (along with the tenacity, smarts, and hard work) to get ish done.
Yep, I said it. Toot. Toot.
When the news broke about Hurt becoming the highest-paid player in NFL history (another feat for a Black king that we should be shouting about from the mountaintops for centuries to come), it was refreshing to see Lynn actually get her flowers as a professional who paid her dues and boldly achieved excellence.
Let's take a look at a few lessons we can all learn about business, career advancement, and legacy from Lynn's journey to success:
1. Being strategic about the career path you choose is essential.
Lynn studied business management, earned a law degree, and worked on Wall Street before becoming the first woman to represent PlayersRep, an NFL agency. (By the way, that company was acquired by Lil' Wayne's Young Money APAA Sport's Agency. Yes, Young Moolah, baby.) She went on to thrive as one of the youngest sports agents in the game.
Her education and background working in the tough and high-stress world of financial services (in one of the most competitive and powerful markets in the world) surely prepped her for her current success in sports, and she was super-deliberate about that.
"Every educational and career decision I made has been extremely calculated with the same endgame in mind," Lynn told xoNecole in a 2019 interview. "I realize it can be rare for someone to almost always have known what they wanted to do in life, but that was the case for me."
2. When possible, allow adversity and challenges to fuel your drive to succeed.
According to her website, Lynn attributes her success to the mindset shift she experienced that was sparked by her time facing adversity as a child. "I knew I wanted to escape that life, and I had to work hard to do it. So I have always done just that. I owe every bit of success I've achieved to my extremely dedicated work ethic and my unwavering faith in God."
Many ambitious and successful Black women who are pioneers in their fields have shared their stories of overcoming adversity within both their personal and professional journeys, especially when they have to fight against sexism and racism in order to break glass ceilings.
"I know that I have worked extremely hard to get here and that I am just as capable as my male counterparts. For this reason, I went into this industry knowing that I didn't want to just exist," she told xoNecole. "I made it a goal of mine to break stereotypes and make history. When my client's name was called at the 2019 NFL Draft, two people's dreams came true. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be recognized as the first and I look forward to continuing to shift the perception of women in this industry."
3. Take time to learn from others in your network and industry—even if they don't look like you—in order to reach new career heights.
"I was preparing to be a financial adviser and then learned through our financial advisers that represented athletes," she told Sports Illustrated. When she ventured into working in sports full-time, legendary agent Ken Sarnoff was reportedly her mentor. In a male-dominated industry where super-agents represent 90% of NFL players, networking and learning from others, whether they look like you or not.
Sadly, equity has not been achieved for women in many industries, and while women have found comradery, sponsorship, and advocacy from other women, many who have moved up the ranks are mentored by men.
(I'm no millionaire superagent, but several of my most prolific and life-changing mentors who poured into me and actually advocated for me in ways that led to true advancement and career development were men, a bittersweet fact of life for ambitious women professionals.)
The main point of this: Connect with professionals not just because they are from the same culture or neighborhood or just because they identify as the same gender as you. Find ways to work with people who you can relate to, and who you can learn from. And in return, serve by offering your own talents and perspective to ensure growth and prosperity in what you do.
4. Adopt a holistic approach in doing the work you do so that you're truly a leader.
Lynn has been touted as a successful agent who goes beyond just brokering deals and gets into the holistic needs of her clients. “I'd say the job of an agent is to negotiate a contract for a player, get them on a team,” Lynn told Sports Illustrated. “That is it. That is what we are paid to do. I'm passionate about teaching financial literacy, teaching ‘adulting’ skills, and really getting these guys across the finish line, and in and out of a career in the NFL into the rest of their lives.”
The fact that she reportedly sees things beyond just the dollar signs when it comes to her clients says a lot about her vision and integrity. It's also something that can be advantageous when you're trying to build a legacy with what you do for a living versus just chasing checks. Caring about the people you work with and for, and taking a stance of service ensures that you'll not only build lasting relationships that go beyond the superficial but that you'll be remembered as someone who is a true leader.
Having vision and taking on the holistic approach in all that you do (whether it's related to projects, goals, or professional relationships) ensures you can see the big picture, add real value that stands the test of time, and be strategic.
Lynn's record-breaking success serves as a reminder we all need that hard work, intelligence, and vision are vital to be among the greats in one's industry and to reach our highest professional potential.
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Featured image by Marcus Ingram / Stringer/Getty Images
