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8 Makeup Trends We're Dying To Rock This Valentine's Day
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.
How This New Bond Repair Line Transformed One Mother's Postpartum Shedding Into The Ultimate Curl Comeback
This article is in partnership with SheaMoisture
For Crystal Obasanya, her wash day woes came shortly after her son did. The beauty and lifestyle content creator had been natural for years, but during postpartum, she quickly learned about one reality many mothers can relate to experiencing: postpartum hair loss. “Sis had thinning hair. Sis had split ends,” she shared about her hair changes in a Reel via xoNecole.
Over a year into her postpartum journey, Crystal explained she also had dry, brittle hair, noting that keeping it hydrated before pregnancy had already been “a task.” The 4C natural recalled going from thick hair during pregnancy to a thin hairline due to postpartum shedding as “devastating.” When it came to strengthening and revitalizing her hair, the new SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection was just the thing she needed to elevate her damaged coils to revive and thrive status and get them poppin' again.
SheaMoisture is providing us with the cheat code for transforming dry and damaged strands into thriving and deeply nourished crowns. By unveiling their 4-step hair system, the SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is equipping you with the tools to reverse signs of hair damage caused by protective styling, heat, and color and is uniquely formulated for Type 3 and 4 hair textures.
The haircare system revives damaged natural hair by repairing and rebuilding broken hair bonds through a game-changing combination of HydroPlex Technology and AminoBlend Complex, a unique blend of fortifying amino acids formulated specifically for curly and coily hair. Scientifically proven to reduce breakage by 84% and make your hair six times stronger (vs. non-conditioning shampoo), the collection infuses your hair with the nourishment it craves and the strength it deserves.
All five products of the SheaMoisture Bond Collection are infused with natural strengthening ingredients like Amla Oil and fair-trade shea butter. The collection consists of the 4-step breakage-fighting Bond Repair system, as well as the Bonding Oil.
“When trying it out, I quickly noticed that my hair felt revived and renewed, and my curls were so hydrated,” Crystal said while using the Amla-infused Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner. “I also felt my hair strands were stronger.” So much so that the influencer felt brave enough to get her hair braided shortly thereafter. “I can definitely say that I will be keeping it in my hair wash routine,” she added in the caption of her Reel about her positive experience using the products.
SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is making bond-building a key player in your wash day routines and the purveyor of life for thirsty manes. Because who doesn't want stronger, shinier, happier hair?
Step One: Bond Repair Collection Shampoo
Rejuvenate your hair with SheaMoisture Bond Repair Shampoo, your go-to solution for luscious locks. Packed with hella hydration power, this shampoo adds moisture by 60% while removing buildup without stripping your strands. This shampoo gently cleanses impurities while significantly enhancing shine, smoothness, and softness.
The Bond Repair Collection Shampoo is the first step in the 4-step Bond Repair system, all of which are powered by the uniquely formulated AminoBlend, and HydroPlex, SheaMoisture’s technology that rebuilds hair strength at its core.
Step Two: Bond Repair Collection Conditioner
Tailored to repair styling damage, this creamy conditioner locks in 12x more moisture than standard non-conditioning shampoos, boosting damaged hair strength by 1.5x with significantly less breakage. The creamy SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Conditioner deeply hydrates, enhances manageability, and leaves your hair looking healthier and shinier.
Step Three: Bond Repair Collection Masque
This Ultra Moisturizing reparative masque is a moisture-rich game-changer for those dealing with the aftermath of hair damage caused by styling. The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Masque delivers 13 times more moisture compared to non-conditioning shampoos, ensuring your hair feels nourished and soft. Designed to repair and rejuvenate, this masque significantly strengthens damaged hair — making it twice as strong while reducing breakage.
Step Four: Bond Repair Collection Leave-In Conditioner
Elevate your curl game with SheaMoisture’s Bond Repair Collection Leave-In Conditioner. Lightweight and hydrating, the Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner provides 12x more moisture than non-conditioning shampoos and tames frizz with 24-hour humidity control. Designed to define curls and coils, the leave-in conditioner enhances softness and shine allowing you to detangle effortlessly.
Bonding Oil
The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Bonding Oil is a multitasking all-in-one formula that acts as a heat protectant and provides the hair with moisture, strength, shine, damage protection, and intense nourishment. This lightweight oil not only offers 24-hour frizz and humidity control but also fortifies your tresses, making them up to 5 times stronger with significantly less breakage.
Featured image courtesy
Shaunie Henderson On Being A Nontraditional Pastor Wife
Shaunie Henderson, the creator and executive producer of Basketball Wives, redefines traditional expectations as a pastor's spouse and first lady of The Lighthouse Church.
The star's journey began with a whirlwind romance with Pastor Keion Henderson in 2020, which led to their marriage years later. Since then, Shaunie has embraced many typical first lady roles, including supporting her husband, engaging in ministry responsibilities, providing spiritual leadership, and conducting community outreach.
Yet, the 49-year-old's background sets her apart from other first ladies. Shaunie brings a unique perspective as a public figure, which stems from her previous marriage to NBA star Shaquille O'Neal and her experience in reality television.
In an interview with xoNecole, while promoting her memoir Undefeated, the Basketball Wives creator discussed what being a first lady means to her and how she has lived her life non-traditionally.
When asked if she had always been nontraditional, Shaunie revealed that throughout her life, she has made it her mission to better herself by learning from experiences and breaking harmful cycles.
Shaunie Henderson and Pastor Keion Henderson
Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images
“I think that's just who I am. I can’t say I intentionally go against the grain. In the book, I talk about things from my childhood, like my dad being late all the time. I was totally opposite with my kids when they were in school. I was always there early. My mother is not affectionate, and she doesn't verbally say, ‘I love you,’ but she does things to let you know. That's the way she shows her love,” she said when describing her relationship with her parents.
“But because I missed that 'I love you' and hugging and kissing, I do that with my kids. I try to always give what I needed myself. There were basketball wives who weren’t very nice to me, so I went out of my way to make sure that once I was a wife that I didn't treat anybody else like that. No one was going to feel like that on my watch.”
Toward the end of the conversation, when discussing her first lady responsibilities and the pressures of upholding that image, the mother of five explained she isn't too hard on herself to fit the mold, given her significantly different background from most first ladies and her relatively new role.
“As far as being first lady, now, I'm not knocking how any first ladies decide to operate but I just knew that the idea of what that usually is was not me. And, to be honest, rightfully so. I'm probably the only first lady that created a reality show that has been on television since 2010. My life is not remotely close to that of most first ladies. We've experienced completely different things. Most of them have been pastor’s wives for a long time, this is all new for me. I come with an entirely different journey; that wouldn’t lend itself to being a traditional first lady,” she stated.
Shaunie's nontraditional approach appears to work in her favor, as she has been welcomed with open arms just as she is.
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Feature image by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images