

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
'Sistas' Star Skyh Black On The Power Of Hypnotherapy & Emotional Vulnerability For Men
In this insightful episode of the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker talked with Sistas star Skyh Black, as he opened up about his journey of emotional growth, resilience, and self-discovery. The episode touches on emotional availability, self-worth, masculinity, and the importance of therapy in overcoming personal struggles.
Skyh Black on Emotional Availability & Love
On Emotional Availability & Vulnerability
“My wife and I wouldn't be where we are today if both of us weren't emotionally available,” he shared about his wife and Sistas co-star KJ Smith, highlighting the value of vulnerability and emotional openness in a relationship. His approach to masculinity stands in contrast to the traditional, stoic ideals. Skyh is not afraid to embrace softness as part of his emotional expression.
On Overcoming Self-Doubt & Worthiness Issues
Skyh reflected on the self-doubt and worthiness issues that he struggled with, especially early in his career. He opens up about his time in Los Angeles, living what he calls the “LA struggle story”—in a one-bedroom with three roommates—and being homeless three times over the span of 16 years. “I always had this self-sabotaging thought process,” Skyh said. “For me, I feel therapy is essential, period. I have a regular therapist and I go to a hypnotherapist.”
How Therapy Helped Him Heal From Self-Doubt
On Hypnotherapy & Empowering Self-Acceptance
Skyh’s journey is a testament to the power of tapping into self-development despite life’s struggles and being open to growth. “I had to submit to the fact that God was doing good in my life, and that I'm worthy of it. I had a worthiness issue and I did not realize that. So, that’s what the hypnotherapy did. It brought me back to the core. What is wrong so that I can fix it?”
Watch the full podcast episode below:
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Quinta Brunson Gets Real About Divorce, Boundaries & Becoming
Quinta Brunson is the woman who chooses herself, even when the world is watching. And in her June 30 cover story for Bustle, she gives us a rare glimpse into the soft, centered place she's navigating her life from now. From leading one of television's most beloved series in the last decade to quietly moving through life shifts, the creator of Abbott Elementary is walking through a personal evolution and doing so with intention, grace, and a firm grip on her boundaries.
Back in March, the 35-year-old filed for divorce from Kevin Jay Anik after nearly three years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences." The news hit the headlines of news outlets fast, but Quinta hadn't planned to announce their dissolution to the public so quickly.
Quinta Brunson On Divorce, Public Scrutiny & Sacred Boundaries
"I remember seeing people be like, ‘She announced her divorce,’" she told Bustle. “I didn’t announce anything. I think people have this idea that people in the public eye want the public to know their every move. None of us do. I promise you. No one wants [everyone] to know when you buy a house, when you move, when a major change happens in your personal life. It’s just that that’s public record information."
In regards to her private moves becoming tabloid fodder, Quinta continued, "I hated that. I hate all of it."
"I Am An Artist First": Quinta On Cutting Her Hair & Reclaiming Herself
Still, the diminutive phenom holds her crown high in the face of change and is returning to the essence of who she is, especially as an artist. "Cutting my hair reminded me that I am an artist first. I want to feel things. I want to make choices. I want to be a person, and not just stuck in having to be a certain way for business." It's giving sacred rebirth. It's giving self-liberation. It's especially giving main character energy.
And while the headlines keep spinning their narratives, the one that Quinta is focused on is her own. For her, slowing down and nourishing herself in ways that feed her is what matters. "It’s a transitional time. I think it’s true for me and my personal life, and it’s how I feel about myself, my career, and the world," Quinta shared with Bustle. “I feel very serious about focusing on watering my own gardens, taking care of myself and the people around me who I actually interact with day-to-day."
That includes indulging in simple rituals that ground her like "making myself a meal" which has become "really, really important to me."
That spirit of agency doesn't stop at the personal. In her professional world, as the creator, executive producer, and lead actress of the critically-acclaimed Abbott Elementary, Quinta understands the weight her choices carry, both on- and off-screen. She revealed to Bustle, "People used to tell me at the beginning of this that the No. 1 on the call sheet sets the tone, and the producer sets the tone — and I’m both of those roles."
She continued, "I understand now, after doing this for four years, how important it was that I set the tone that I did when we first started."
Quinta doesn't just lead, she understands the importance of curating the energy of any space she enters. Even amid a season of shifts and shedding, her power speaks loudly. Sometimes that power looks like quiet resistance. Sometimes that power is soft leadership.
And sometimes that power looks like cutting your hair and taking back your name in rooms that have forgotten you were an artist long before you were a brand.
Read Quinta's cover story on Bustle here to witness the fullness of Quinta's becoming.
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