

We know Valentine’s Day is a loaded holiday. But listen, it’s okay to enjoy the day whether you’re celebrating solo or with someone you love. With that said, let’s talk all things beauty. Even if you loathe them, the holidays are a time to have some creative fun. So instead of making homemade Valentine’s Day for our elementary school friends, we can turn that creativity on ourselves.
This creative moment doesn’t mean getting complicated unless intricate looks are your specialty. We’ve rounded up a few looks to get your inner makeup artist going from the simplistic to the more detailed. And we chatted with award-winning Juvia's Place makeup artist, Ashley Wallace who also works with artists such as Remy Ma and Cardi B to get her insights on what we should try on for this fun-loving holiday. So have fun, enjoy the day, and remember self-love is always the best place to start!
Leave Home Blushing
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Don’t think about blush in terms of the ‘80s. The formulas are much easier to use and fix, and Wallace says this is a 2023 trend to get into ASAP. “Blush is the perfect touch you will need for your Valentine’s Day makeup look,” she tells xoNecole. “You can play with pink and rosy tones to keep your look super flirty and fun. The Juvia’s Place Blush Duos are perfect.”
Dewy Skin with an Ombré Red Lip
I don’t know about you, but I’m still not rushing to put on a full face of foundation and powder. However, one thing that instantly makes me feel a sense of glam is a bright matte lip. So whether you’re headed out for date night with bae or going out solo, swipe on a red that makes you feel your best, but Wallace says to add a little twist. “Try an ombré red lip,” she tells us. “It consists of darkening the lipliner with a deep reddish/brown and filling in the center of the lips with your favorite red lipstick and blending the two colors together. It creates the perfect sultry lip look.”
As for the dewy skin, try a primer with a few daps of concealer under the eyes, around the mouth, and on any spots, you’d like to diffuse.
Go Full Volume on Your Lashes or Opt for White Eyeliner
Dominique Charriau/Getty Images for Christian Dior
Lashes instantly wake up even the most tired eyes. So go for the gusto with a set of lashes that wow. To make the eyes pop even more, line the eyes with white liner or place a dab of gold highlighter in the corners.
Wear Pink
Nothing says Valentine’s Day like the color pink. If you’re feeling bold, go for an all-over eye look with a pink hue that best matches your skin tone, or opt for a pink winged liner. Danessa Myricks Color Fix Matte in Valentine is the perfect formula for either look.
To use the formula as a liner, you only need a thin brush, micellar water, and Q-tips to clean up mistakes. If you prefer a powder, try Fenty Beauty’s Snap Shadows Mix & Match Eyeshadow Palette in rose, as it has mattes and shimmers.
Go for the Gold with a Smokey Look
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
A traditional smokey eye is always a beauty do. But to brighten up the eyes, apply a shimmer eyeshadow to the middle of the lid over your nude or black base. For a full-on gold glam look, I use a deep brown base and layer that with a barely there line of liquid liner and a gold liquid shimmer shadow from Milani. As a result, the eyes have depth and shine, perfect for a night full of love.
Classic Hollywood Glam
Keep it classic with liquid-lined eyes and a glossy red lip. Before applying your lipstick, slough away dead skin (and line your lips) because liquid lipsticks can show everything under the lipstick.
Sparkle, BB
Okay. We can’t all get away with an entire crystal look like Doja Cat at Paris Fashion Week. However, we can add a few crystals or glitter to our makeup looks. For glitter lips, adorn them with Pat McGrath’s runway-tested glitter kit. For the eyes, add red or pink rhinestones to take your look over the top! Just be sure to have the right tools on deck: tweezer, cosmetic glue (lash glue can work), and rhinestones.
Add a Pink Cut Crease
I love seeing cut creases done on videos on TikTok. It’s so satisfying, even if I haven’t perfected the technique. Getting this down might take some practice, but we all know practice makes perfect.
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Featured image by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Bianca Lambert is a proud Atlanta native soaking up the Los Angeles sun. She is the founder of Mae B: a stationery company for women of color and a digital content creator on a mission to elevate the voices of women of color everywhere.
Laterras R. Whitfield On What He Wants In A 'Future Wifey' & Redefining Masculinity
In this week's episode of the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker chopped it up with Laterras R. Whitfield, host of the Dear Future Wifey podcast, for a raw and revealing conversation about personal growth, faith, and the search for love in a way that resonates.
Laterras Whitfield Believes Men Should Pursue, Not Persuade
“Let me know you exist, and I’ll do the rest”
Whitfield is a big advocate of a man’s role in going confidently for the woman he wants. “Men should pursue, not persuade, and women should present, not pursue,” he said. He’s open to meeting women on social media but isn’t a fan of bold approaches. “Don’t shoot your shot at me. … Let me know you exist, and I’ll do the rest.”
His ideal woman?
“She has to be a woman of God… I judge a woman by how her friends see her… and most importantly, how she treats my kids.”
Infidelity, Redemption, and the Power of Self-Control
“Being disciplined is the most beautiful thing you can offer”
Once unfaithful in his previous marriage, Whitfield has since transformed his perspective on masculinity. “Being disciplined is the most beautiful thing you can offer. That’s what true masculinity is to me now.” He has also committed to abstinence, choosing self-control as a defining trait of manhood.
Whitfield’s journey is one of redemption, purpose, and faith—something that speaks to women who value emotional intelligence, accountability, and the power of transformation.
Rewriting the Narrative Around Black Masculinity
What masculinity, legacy, and healing mean to Whitfield today
“My dad taught me what not to be [as a man] and my mom taught me what she needed [in a man],” Whitfield said. While his father wasn’t abusive, he wasn’t emotionally or affectionately present. “Since I didn’t see it, I never got it either… I would look at my dad and say, ‘I want to be a better father.’ ”
Adoption had always been on his spirit, influenced by TV shows like Different Strokes and Punky Brewster. This mindset led him to take in his nephew as his son after a powerful dream confirmed what he already felt in his heart.
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
Featured image by xoNecole/YouTube
Laterras R. Whitfield On What He Wants In A 'Future Wifey' & Redefining Masculinity
In this week's episode of the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker chopped it up with Laterras R. Whitfield, host of the Dear Future Wifey podcast, for a raw and revealing conversation about personal growth, faith, and the search for love in a way that resonates.
Laterras Whitfield Believes Men Should Pursue, Not Persuade
“Let me know you exist, and I’ll do the rest”
Whitfield is a big advocate of a man’s role in going confidently for the woman he wants. “Men should pursue, not persuade, and women should present, not pursue,” he said. He’s open to meeting women on social media but isn’t a fan of bold approaches. “Don’t shoot your shot at me. … Let me know you exist, and I’ll do the rest.”
His ideal woman?
“She has to be a woman of God… I judge a woman by how her friends see her… and most importantly, how she treats my kids.”
Infidelity, Redemption, and the Power of Self-Control
“Being disciplined is the most beautiful thing you can offer”
Once unfaithful in his previous marriage, Whitfield has since transformed his perspective on masculinity. “Being disciplined is the most beautiful thing you can offer. That’s what true masculinity is to me now.” He has also committed to abstinence, choosing self-control as a defining trait of manhood.
Whitfield’s journey is one of redemption, purpose, and faith—something that speaks to women who value emotional intelligence, accountability, and the power of transformation.
Rewriting the Narrative Around Black Masculinity
What masculinity, legacy, and healing mean to Whitfield today
“My dad taught me what not to be [as a man] and my mom taught me what she needed [in a man],” Whitfield said. While his father wasn’t abusive, he wasn’t emotionally or affectionately present. “Since I didn’t see it, I never got it either… I would look at my dad and say, ‘I want to be a better father.’ ”
Adoption had always been on his spirit, influenced by TV shows like Different Strokes and Punky Brewster. This mindset led him to take in his nephew as his son after a powerful dream confirmed what he already felt in his heart.
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
Featured image by xoNecole/YouTube