Usher wasn't the only one getting his flowers during Super Bowl LVIII weekend. Boldyn Networks honored a number of dynamic women with its exclusive Women Raise the Game event held at the luxurious Four Seasons Las Vegas. According to the press release, the event is a "celebration of empowerment and recognition of extraordinary women who play pivotal roles behind the scenes in sports."
WRTG honorees included Holly Robinson-Peete (actress, philanthropist, and wife of retired NFL Player Rodney Peete, Philanthropist of the Year), Sammy Schuster (mother of NFL wide receiver and Super Bowl champion Juju Smith-Schuster, Visionary of the Year), Zaileen Janmohamed (president and CEO of the Bay Area Host Committee, Woman of the Year), Laura Warner (mother of 49ers Fred Warner and Buccaneers Troy Warner, Cultural Trailblazer of the Year), Taylor Rooks (dynamic and versatile sports Journalist, Journalist of the Year), and Ana Martinez (mother of LA Chargers Michael Davis, Cultural Impact Honoree).
Women Raise the Game honorees
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"This event is a tribute to the women whose tireless efforts have often gone unnoticed, yet they are the pillars of success within the NFL—shaping players' careers, steering organizations, and driving impactful initiatives for the betterment of communities. Moreover, this event is not just about celebration; it's also a platform to drive meaningful change. Proceeds from the event will go towards supporting charitable causes dedicated to empowering women and fostering inclusivity within the sports industry,” said Tish Galindo, the visionary behind this initiative.
Some highlights of the special event included heartfelt speeches from Rodney Peete, who gushed over his wife Holly, calling her the "glue that kept my life and our family together.” And Juju Smith-Schuster for praising his mother for the sacrifices she made for him and his six sibilings. "My mother isn’t a normal woman she is a force of nature… for raising seven kids and helping me become the man that I am today," he said.
Jermaine Dupri
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Grammy award-winning producer, rapper and DJ Jermaine Dupri kept the vibes going and gave an incredible performance for attendees. Other notable guests included Grammy producer Hit-boy, tech entrepreneur & diversity advocate Marilyn Booker, and Actively Black CEO Lanny Smith.
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During the Los Angeles tour stop, which spanned three dates on May 21, May 23, with the finale on May 24, xoNecole had the opportunity to test out the glosses included in this soft launch, as SZA revealed in a statement that "this is just the start of other lip products, including plans to launch stains, liners, and creams all inspired by SZA's “infamous layered lip combinations.”
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So, what is included in the first Not Beauty launch?
The current Not Beauty products available are lip glosses that come in three shades: In the Flesh, Strawberry Jelly, and Quartz.
During my visit to the first LA Not Beauty pop-up activation, I not only had the chance to purchase all three glosses but also took a peek inside the blow-up log tent. Inside, fans got to experience SZA’s love for nature and her fascination with bugs, which are prominently featured in her performances for this tour. At one point, she even had human preying mantis prancing across the stage y'all.
There were blow-up photos of the beauty that is SZA for fans (myself included) to take photos, but in wooden-like tree trunks were a deeper dive into some of the ingredients featured in her products and their benefits.
For example, the glosses feature Hi-Shine Lip Jelly and Shea Butter as key ingredients and some of the listed benefits included are:
- Shea Butter - “A powerhouse ingredient, offering both functional and nourishing benefits.”
- Hi-Shine Lip Jelly (featured in the In the Flesh shade) - “Formula glides on with perfect adhesion to the lips without stickiness).
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What are in the products?
Featured in an orange package, with images of a bug and flower on the side, the back of the box reads: “It’s NOT BEAUTY, it just works. Developed by Solána “SZA” Rowe.
As someone who never leaves home without a good lip gloss, I loved how compact the wood panel packaging is. Perfect to slip into my purse, or in the case of the show at SoFi Stadium, into my pocket when I’m not carrying a bag.
Because I’m a sucker for a good black and brown lip liner and clear gloss combo, I decided to wear the Quartz flavor on night one of the Grand National Tour LA stop, and it did not disappoint. I’ll admit, it’s light weight feel made me nervous because it felt like there was nothing on my lips. However, when I checked my lips in my compact mirror several times throughout the night, I was shocked to find that my gloss was still intact. I only reapplied once out of the habit of looking cute and applying my gloss, but not necessity.
Here are some of the ingredients featured, but not limited to, in the Quartz flavor.
- Polyisoubutene
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea)Butter
- Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
- Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
- Tocopherol
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Lip prep
I’m a simple girl who loves to stay true to her roots. So ahead of the show, I stopped by a local Inglewood Beauty Supply store and grabbed a Black and Brown shade lip pencil for just under $2 a piece.
Shading the outline of my lips with the black pencil first, I used the brown to lightly fill the inside of my lips before applying my Quartz Not Beauty shade gloss.
How to apply
There’s truly no right or wrong way to apply lip gloss (in my opinion), with this being a brush applicator sort of product, I simply untwisted the top and swiped the gloss around my top and bottom lip generously.
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Results
Again, my Not Beauty Quartz product stayed on my lips from the start of the show, which began with a fire DJ set from LA’s very own, Mustard, to the conclusion when Kendrick and SZA reunited on stage to send us home to their duet, “luther,” featured on the rapper's GNX album.
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