
The One Highlighter You Need To Know About

Highlighter-obsessed ladies raise your hands! I have both of mine raised right now because my stash is ridiculous. Highlighter makes you look like you drink enough water and don't have any stress in your life, but let's be real, only using powder as highlighters can get a little boring. There are some things powder highlighters just can't do. With liquid highlighter, aka illuminating drops, you can get an awesome or subtle glow with very little effort. Plus, there's an added bonus for us oilier girls: you can get a radiant glow in your foundation without getting any oilier than usual.
I've got three ways to use liquid highlighter to take your complexion game to the next level. Thank me later.
On Its Own
I love to layer powder foundation on as much as the next highlighter junkie, but sometimes that just doesn't glow the way I want it to. Illuminating drops solve that problem for me. Just a couple strategically placed drops are all I need to get a full impact, megawatt glow. No fan brush necessary. To be honest, I like to use my fingers to blend it out. It gives a more natural-looking finish. (Not that natural is what I'm going for.)
Products Used:
From top left to bottom right
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector – Rose Gold
Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter – Champagne
Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter – Luminous Gold
Layered Under Foundation
This is where the fun starts. Because the highlighter is a liquid, it won't slide right off if you apply a liquid product on top of it like a powder would. This means you can cover your face in liquid highlighter before you put on your foundation and you'll look like you have a radiant glow coming from within.
To show you what I mean, I added a very thin layer of Milk Makeup Blur Liquid Foundation over the liquid highlighter swatches so you can really see the difference between the shades. Pro tip: You can always add more layers of foundation to tone it down if the radiance seems to be a bit much.
Products Used:
From top to bottom
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector – Rose Gold
Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter – Champagne
Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter – Luminous Gold
Mixed Into Foundation
This is probably my favorite way to use these drops. I have oily skin all year long so a foundation with a dewy, radiant finish is out of the question. I don't like for my foundation to look so matte that it's dull so a couple of drops of illuminator mixed into my usual foundation saves me! All I do is pump out my usual amount of foundation on to the back of my hand, add a few drops of illuminator and mix them together. I apply that mixture like I would my foundation and, bam! I have a radiant finish without any extra oiliness.
To show you what these look like mixed, I used equal parts foundation and illuminating drops. I would normally use more foundation than highlighter, but again, I wanted you to really be able to see what I'm talking about with the added radiance. I mixed each highlighter with Milk Makeup Blur Liquid Matte Foundation.
You can add as much or as little liquid highlighter to layer or mix as you'd like.
Products Used:
From top left to bottom right
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector – Rose Gold
Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter – Champagne
Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter – Luminous Gold
Now that you know the tricks of the megawatt highlight trade and the tools that will help you elevant your radiant look - test the waters. If you really want to have fun with it, you can mix different liquid illuminators together to make a custom shade! That's the fun part about make-up - you can really do whatever you want. You better glow girl!
Featured image by Shutterstock
Luxury Hairstylist On Viral 'Hey Boo' Texts & Professionalism In The Hair Industry
As Black women, our hair is our crowning glory - whether we paid for it or not. We take pride in how we wear and take care of our hair. As with everything, hair care and hair styling have evolved over the years. Long gone are the days of Blue Magic (although I hear it’s making a comeback).
Now, we have a plethora of creams, oils, conditioners, shampoos, and stylists to choose from. Beyond wearing our natural curls, we have a range of options, from wigs and sew-ins to tape-ins, I-tips, and K-tips. So much choice! But you know what they say about too much of a good thing...
The Black hair industry has definitely blossomed in the last decade with a wave of new stylists and salons popping up all over the place. As much as I love that for us, many of these stylists have become the subjects of viral TikTok and Instagram tirades because of their alleged questionable behavior and bizarre rules.
Excessive policies, strange fees, long wait times, poor performance, and the infamous “Hey boo” texts. Beauty is pain, they say… xoNecole got to the root of these issues with luxury hair extensionist Dee Michelle, who’s been in the hair game for 20 years and runs a seven-figure business - all while being a mom of four.
Antonio Livingston
“I started my business with my career in the hair industry [at] very, very young age when I was maybe like eight...So, over the years, I've just built a very successful seven-figure business very quickly just by offering high-end services and creating great experiences for my clients, many of whom are high-profile professionals,” she said. “I'm also a mother of four, including a set of triplets, which inspires me daily to show what's possible with my hard work and focus.”
Dee’s business has gone viral on social media because of what many call outrageous prices for her invisible K-Tip installs.
“When I developed my invisible K-tip extensions technique, I made sure that it wasn't just about the hair or the style, but about providing a high-end experience from start to finish. So, my clients just aren't paying for the extensions or just the style itself, but they're investing into my meticulous, seamless craft and premium hair sourced from the best suppliers…I've spent so many hours mastering my craft, creating this seamless method that gives my clients long-lasting natural results, and my pricing just reflects that - the value of my expertise and the exclusivity of the service.”
The K-tip specialist stands on business when it comes to catering to her clients and giving them an experience worth the cost.
“And it's just important for me to also say that my clients are high-profile individuals who value quality, their privacy, and their time. They want a service that fits into their lifestyle and their time. They want things that deliver perfection. And I deliver that every single time.”
I’m sure we’ve all seen the various TikTok rants about people’s nightmare experiences with stylists and uttered a silent “FELT!” We asked Dee her opinion on a few nightmare scenarios that beg the response, “please be so forreal."
On stylists charging extra to wash clients’ hair:
“I think they should just include it in the price, to be honest. Because I feel like when clients go to a stylist, they're expecting you to wash their hair. Personally, if I see that washing is extra, I just wouldn't go to the salon because it just shows a lack of professionalism, in my opinion, and a lack of experience.”
“I think they should just include it in the price, to be honest. Because I feel like when clients go to a stylist, they're expecting you to wash their hair. Personally, if I see that washing is extra, I just wouldn't go to the salon because it just shows a lack of professionalism, in my opinion, and a lack of experience.”
On ‘deposits’ that don’t go towards the cost of the service:
“I think that's kind of weird, too, for deposits to not be like a part of the service. I've seen people have booking fees and I just don't understand it, to be honest. I disagree with that kind of policy…By all means, people should do what works for them, but to me, it doesn't make sense. Why does somebody have to pay a fee just to book an appointment with you? I don't get it. It feels like exploitation.”
On stylists charging extra to style (straighten/curl) wigs, sew-ins etc., after installing:
“I don't get it. Clients come to us to get their hair done, to get it styled. So why is it extra for you to style it? If you're going to charge extra, just increase your price. I feel like it could be just a lack of confidence in those stylists, feeling like people won't pay a certain price for certain things, or just their lack of professionalism as well, because people are coming to us to get styled.”
On the infamous “Hey boo” text stylists send to clients when they need to cancel/reschedule:
“Professionalism in any industry, especially the beauty industry, is everything. So texting a client the, “Hey boo” is so unprofessional, and it's damaging to the client-stylist relationship. Clients book their appointments expecting a level of respect and care, especially when they're investing their time and money and a service. And I get it, emergencies happen, we're all humans. However, it should be done with a formal apology and a clear explanation.”
“Professionalism in any industry, especially the beauty industry, is everything. So texting a client the, “Hey boo” is so unprofessional, and it's damaging to the client-stylist relationship. Clients book their appointments expecting a level of respect and care, especially when they're investing their time and money and a service. And I get it, emergencies happen, we're all humans. However, it should be done with a formal apology and a clear explanation.”
We know all too well what kinds of things will keep us from ever gracing certain hairstylists’ chairs with our butts again. So, what should hairstylists do to provide a good service to their clients? What is good hairstylist etiquette?
“For one, being on time is an important rule for stylist etiquette. It's just not okay to require your clients to be on time, and you're not on time. Also, communication. Being able to communicate clearly, respectfully, and professionally, whether that's in person, via text, or on social media. Style is etiquette. Appearance matters. So just maintaining a clean, polished, and professional look. Clients respect you more whenever your appearance reflects your work. There's just so many things, but another thing I would say is active listening. So, being able to pay close attention to what your client wants and also clarifying any questions that they might have. Just to ensure that they feel heard and to minimize any misunderstandings.”
Dee also shared some red flags to look out for when considering a new stylist.
“Even me as a client, if I'm booking somebody and they have a long list of rules, I don't even book with them. That's, for one, just such a huge turn-off. Also, stylists who have inconsistent or unclear pricing, that's a red flag. People who change their rates too much without an explanation. Poor communication. So, if a stylist is responding very slow or responding unprofessionally, or giving vague answers to questions, that can make clients question whether or not they are respecting their time and their needs.
Another red flag - an inconsistent or low quality portfolio. And I feel like, I see this a lot with stylists stealing other people's work, and their portfolio on social media is just very inconsistent.”
We couldn’t let Dee go without getting the tea on what styles she predicts will trend in 2025.
“I feel like people are going back to natural-looking styles. So, a lot of people are ditching the wigs, the lace fronts, things like that. People are still wearing them, of course, but it is becoming more of a trend to embrace your natural hair and something that's not looking too fake. That’s one thing that we're going to be seeing a lot. I would say a lot of layers are coming back, heavy layers. Those are becoming really, really trendy. And people are leaning more towards platinum-colored hair. I've been seeing lots of like blondes coming out. Also, jet black is always going to be a trend. But I would say more like natural colors, but natural colors that are still making a statement.”
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Feature image by Antonio Livingston.
The Overlooked Habit That Can Instantly Improve Every Area Of Your Life
Although most of my clients are either married or individuals who are in — or want to be in — a serious long-term relationship, there are times when someone will hire me to help them with finding their purpose and/or setting goals. One client, in particular, semi-recently asked me why I thought that she was constantly feeling overwhelmed and even a bit low, even though she continues to accomplish a lot of what she sets out to do.
The answer I gave her is what today’s article is all about: she doesn’t celebrate herself enough. Y’all, I’m so serious about how important it is to do that on a consistent basis that I’ve actually done research on why it’s not a very popular practice for most people. The reasons vary. Some folks don’t celebrate themselves because they think that it’s an arrogant thing to do. Others don’t celebrate themselves because they never really learned how to make themselves a priority (in that way).
Still, others avoid it because they are so used to making a big deal out of others’ accomplishments that it never crosses their mind to give their own selves the same type of intention and energy. And gee — that is so unfortunate because when you make it a point and practice to celebrate the things that you set out to do, it can boost your self-confidence, it can solidify your self-esteem and it can give you the “fuel” to make and meet even more goals in the future.
Why Celebrating Yourself Matters
If you’ve been rocking with me for a while now on this platform, you’ve probably heard me mention that one way to celebrate yourself (that I actually do quite often) is to pop open a bottle of champagne, wine, or sparkling cider and toast yourself at the end of every day or week (check out “10 Ways To Make Monday Your Favorite Day Of The Week,” for example). However, if you want to come up with other ways to improve the quality of your life, get more things done, and have so much (more) fun while doing both, learning how to celebrate yourself fully starts with really understanding what the word means — and requires.
And so, give me a moment to break all of this down for you by sharing five words that actually help to define what it means to…CELEBRATE…yourself. I’ve got a feeling that once you let it all sink in, you will want to start celebrating you and your life immediately and yes, that will absolutely change your life for the better. I guarantee it.
5 Ways To Celebrate Yourself & Honor Your Wins
OBSERVE: to see, watch, perceive or notice
Let’s begin with the fact that it’s pretty hard to celebrate something if you don’t pay a good amount of attention to what you are actually celebrating in the first place — and by this I mean, you should have clear and concrete things that you want to do — today, this week, this month and then this year.
For example, when it comes to the day that I am actually writing this: TODAY, I am going to open up an account to do online stocks on; this WEEK, I am going to get my will together (because grown folks should have one); this MONTH, I am going to pay off a tax debt that I have (1099s can kick your butt; stay on top of those), and this YEAR, I am going to go on vacation (which is something that I haven’t done since my 20s…no joke).
And yes, every time that I accomplish each of these things, I am going to commemorate it by celebrating myself. After all, another definition of observe is “to regard with attention” — and there is absolutely no sense in “seeing something” that you are not going to be paying real attention to (lawd, that will preach on a few different levels, come to think about it!).
PROCLAIM: to announce or declare in an official or formal manner
Once you know what you want to do, you should proclaim it — which basically means that you should hold yourself accountable for even saying that you are going to accomplish it, whatever “it” may be. A good example of this in my own world is, last year, I declared that I was going to publish my third book and my godchildren’s mom declared that she was going to complete her upcoming album. Thing is, I kept dragging my feet until I ended up doing what I seem to do with all of my books: I wrote it in six weeks (even though I had six months), and my godchildren’s mom? She is on the tail end of finishing her latest LP now.
A part of what held us both to the wire is us asking each other, “So, did you finish your project yet?” and that’s because, oftentimes, if you don’t have someone reminding you of what you officially announced to them, you will let life get in the way and procrastinate and/or make excuses (to yourself) and/or never do what you initially proclaimed that you were going to. So yeah, the next step that gets you to the point and place of being able to celebrate yourself is verbally proclaiming that you are going to do what you have started to give a certain amount of attention to.
BLESS: to bestow good of any kind upon
Did you know that a synonym for celebrate is bless (all of the words that I’ve provided are synonyms for celebrate, actually)? And goodness — how cool is that?
Once you’ve decided that you are going to do something, it’s important to not just declare it and get an accountability partner for it — you also need to bless your intentions. To bless means to request God’s favor on it. To bless means to be intentional about protecting it from dark forces (person, place, thing, idea). To bless means to bring nothing but good energy, good resources, goodness, period, its way.
This can come in the form of prayer, meditation, positive mantras, favorite quotes, a personal mission statement — anything that will put you in a state of confirming (a synonym of bless) that what you plan to do is going to be for your greater good and then honoring (another synonym of bless) that fact — because if it’s for you good (and you remain consistent in executing that goodness), that is definitely something that is worth celebrating. AMEN?
PRAISE: the act of expressing approval or admiration
Sometimes, when I’m talking to married couples, a Scripture that I will bring up is Amos 3:3 (NKJV): “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” To be in agreement means that you 1) give consent to something; 2) are on one accord about something; 3) are in harmony about something; 4) are CONSISTENT with something, and 5) have determined that the “something” is suitable. You know what? It’s not only relationships that should be in agreement — you should also be in agreement with yourself.
The way that manifests is, well, let me share a quote that I made up years ago that I have featured in one of my email accounts: “If your mind, body, and spirit are not all in agreement…pause.” It’s another message for another time that “trinity” is not a word that’s in the Bible (the Godhead is more appropriate and accurate — I John 5:8). Trinity simply means “three in one” and yes, your mind, body and spirit are certainly an example of a trinity.
And when trinities are in agreement, they can approve of what they are doing and even admire what they have done because, when there is no internal conflict, there is plenty of reason to praise what has manifested. That said, when it comes to your plans — do your mind, body, and spirit all agree that it — whatever “it” is — is a good idea. If not….why not? If so, it’s time to move on to the final word.
PERFORM: to carry out; execute; do; to carry into effect; fulfill
Now that you see what comes with getting to the point of being able to celebrate yourself — because, clearly, celebration is a methodical process — how could you NOT want to carry out, execute, fulfill an idea or plan to honor yourself for doing what you have just…done?
If you walked out the celebration steps, what’s wrong with: planning a self-care day; treating yourself to your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant; taking a personal day off from work; sending your own self some flowers; booking a night at a hotel; loading your bathtub with rose petals; getting dressed up and taking your own self out on a date; staying in bed all weekend; going on a solo road trip and/or purchasing pampering items? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
Because once you have observed a mission, proclaimed it to someone else, blessed and approved it — you have already celebrated the mission and so it makes no sense to not also celebrate the vessel that put it all together: YOU. And when you’re in a constant cycle of celebration, how could it not significantly improve the quality of your life…right?
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A sex therapist by the name of Dr. Chelsea Page once said, “Celebration is the climax of self-love.” If you love yourself, celebration should be a common practice that represents that fact. So, whether it’s your relationship, your professional aspirations, your health goals, your money missions, or habits that you want to break and/or implement — if you want a hack to instantly change your life for the better, learn how to CELEBRATE YOURSELF.
It’s how to set goals, reach them, and honor them. Over and over again...in the best way possible.
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Featured image by MoMo Productions/Getty Images