The greatest joy about indulging in our favorite television show is following the characters on their journey—seeing them as actors/actresses in beginning roles to stardom. Week after week, we can’t help but invite them into our living rooms for enjoyment. Whether we’re sitting down watching their antics or casually hearing their voice in the background, they naturally become characters in our everyday lives.
However, like life, each character must grow into the human they’re meant to be. And we, as viewers, have to come to terms with this.
One actress growing up in front of our eyes is Marsai Martin. At one point, she was a young girl who dominated our television screens and immediately stole our hearts through her role in Black-ish. Now, our princess-turned-queen is officially the big 2-0! Our girl is all grown up. In honor of her special day, we’ve come up with our favorite beauty looks from her throughout the years.
1.Fresh Faced Queen
Makeup where? Martin proves her face card never declines with this casual bare-faced selfie. Fresh box braids allow the actress to show off her healthy eyebrows and cute dimples!
2.Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend.
The actress is dripped in diamonds while promoting her nail line Mari by Marsai. Although the nails are on point, can we also take a moment to appreciate this soft glam look? Martin is wearing latte makeup with a hint of old Hollywood vibes. Seriously, Marilyn Monroe would be proud.
3.'90s Kind of World
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
Don't call it a throwback. During the 2022 BET Awards, Marsai rocked a mocha-colored lipgloss and 90s-style lip liner. The glam look was also tied together with a sweetheart cat-eye that made her side-eye game sharp. A golden bronzer followed to seal this makeup moment together.
4.The Blueprint
Body snatched and face beat, Marsai posed in a series of photos featuring her on a balcony wearing a blue form-fitting dress with hair and full glam to match. Sis isn't playing fair, we fear.
5.Smokey-Eyed Gaze
Arnold Turner/Getty Images for NAACP
Getting ready for a night on the town with the NAACP Awards, Martin sported a smokey eye. The navy blue base is outside of her typical neutral eye. And just when you think the glam stops there, BOOM! Insert lashes! Diva-style lashes lay across the actress’s eye, enhancing her smoky makeup and taking things to new heights.
6.New Hair Who Dis?
Hair truly brings a beautiful look together. Martin’s captivating red hair is a perfect example! We are obsessed with the way her deep red hair complements her neutral pink lip.
7.Hater Blockers
We have to give it up to this cool accessory. The glasses (pictured above in slide 2) are making this glam look out of this world. They cover the actress's entire face, leaving nothing to see but a girl's greatest beauty asset—a smile.
8.Just Peachy
If this sweet pic doesn’t warm your heart, we don’t know what else will. Martin gives us a light peachy moment when showing off her fresh cut. Sun-kissed blushes and a simple lip are the touches that make this selfie too sweet.
9.That Girl Always
Well, you know what they say: blondes have more fun! And this stands true with her latest look. Martin wore blonde boho braids, a red dress, and a beat face. Happy belated birthday to a true queen of glam.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Araya Doheny/Getty Images
RELATED
Here are some of my favorite takeaways from three standout panels featuring Jordan Chiles, Marsai Martin, and Kandi Burruss.
Leveling Up Your A-Game with Jordan Chiles, Morgan Shaw Parker, Chelsea Fishman, Laura Correnti, and Tabitha Turner-Wilkins
Jordan Chiles
Paras Griffin/ Getty Images for Power Play
Olympic gymnast Jordan may have medals and magazine covers to her name, but her mindset is refreshingly grounded. “The day I finally feel pressure,” she said, “will be the day I know there’s still more for me to learn.” For her, joy—not pressure—is the fuel. Her confidence isn’t performative; it’s rooted in family, self-worth, and authenticity.
“Everything I’ve done in my career—tattoos, long nails, rocking my crew at the Olympics—that’s all me. It’s not because someone told me to do it. It’s because I felt confident doing it. And that’s where my ambition comes from: being my authentic self.”
For Morgan Shaw Parker, President & COO of the Atlanta Dream, the conversation around pressure went even deeper. “Legacy work” is how she described her mission—navigating male-dominated spaces, sometimes pregnant and pumping on NFL team planes. “After COVID and George Floyd,” she shared, “it became clear to me: vulnerability is power. You don’t have to show up perfect to lead.”
Chelsea Fishman, founder of Atlanta's first bar dedicated to women’s sports, Jolene Jolene, shared how the haters (especially the Reddit kind) were her confirmation: “All those comments saying it would fail—those were the signs that I was doing something right.” She’s hosted 25+ watch parties already and is building the very community they said would never come.
This panel also touched on ambition, authenticity, and owning your power—both in sneakers and in suits. One of the best mic-drop moments came when the moderator flipped the question: “What if we stopped making ‘power’ a bad word for women?” A nod-worthy reminder that we’re not here to play small.
Making Your Voice Heard with Marsai Martin, Carol Martin, Miss Milan, and Heather McMahan
Marsai Martin
Paras Griffin/ Getty Images for Power Play
This panel was a masterclass in staying grounded while growing up—or glamming up—on the global stage. Actress and producer Marsai talked about what it’s like to show up in high-pressure moments when your confidence is low but the world is still watching. From red carpets to long shoot days, she reminded us that even when you’re not at 100%, you still find a way to push through.
“There have been days where I wasn’t feeling the best, but I still had to show up on this carpet. Or it was that time of the month, but I still had to go on set. I just didn’t feel as confident—but it’s about how you take care of yourself in those moments and still keep pushing.”
Her mom and business partner Carol Martin dropped gems about motherhood and mentorship: “It’s like teaching your kid to ride a bike over and over again. Now the bike is a movie or a brand.” That balance between guiding and letting go? Not easy—but essential when you’re raising a mogul and running a company.
“There have been days where I wasn’t feeling the best, but I still had to show up on this carpet. Or it was that time of the month, but I still had to go on set. I just didn’t feel as confident—but it’s about how you take care of yourself in those moments and still keep pushing.”
Miss Milan, Grammy Award-winning DJ and Doechii’s right-hand woman, lit the crowd up with her no-nonsense energy. “I built my own table,” she said. “When you build it, they can’t tell you you can’t sit.” From journaling her dreams to manifesting Grammys, her story is one of resilience and intention—and a whole lot of faith in her own vision.
This panel didn’t shy away from hard truths either: the sadness that can come with success, the fear of fading relevance, the criticism that hits differently when it’s personal. But Marsai said it best: know your why. And let it evolve with you.
The Cost of Starting Your Own Business with Kandi Burruss and Nikki Ogunnaike
Kandi Burruss
Carol Lee Rose/ Getty Images for Marie ClaireKandi doesn’t sugarcoat the grind. From chart-topping songwriter to multi-business entrepreneur, she’s built her empire one risk—and one reinvention—at a time.
“Fear equals failure. If you don’t even try, you’ve failed automatically —and you did it to yourself. I’d rather take a risk and lose money than play it safe and never know what could’ve happened.”
She broke down the real costs of entrepreneurship: money, time, and emotional bandwidth. “You think you’re going to work less when you work for yourself?” she laughed. “You’re going to work more.” For Kandi, mommy guilt and financial setbacks are part of the package—but so is the satisfaction of seeing an idea through.
She opened up about scaling back on her clothing store and temporarily closing the original Old Lady Gang location. “It felt like failure,” she admitted, “but sometimes you have to step back to make things better.” Still, she’s not one to quit. She just pivots—with precision.
One of her most memorable reflections? How her music career hiccup led her to songwriting—ultimately writing the mega-hit “No Scrubs.” That song became the key to a new lane and legacy. “You may think you’re working on one dream,” she said, “but it could open the door to another.”
Also? Kandi wants you to stop emailing her from a Gmail. “You’re doing million-dollar business on a bootleg budget,” she joked. “Invest in yourself. Start with a domain name!”
The Marie Claire Power Play Summit was a powerful reminder that ambition, authenticity, and vulnerability aren’t separate traits—they work in tandem. Whether you’re building a bar, a brand, or a business from scratch, the key is to stay rooted in your voice, your story, and your why.
And if you need a sign to go for it? Consider this your green light.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Paras Griffin/ Getty Images for Power Play