

In About Face, xoNecole gets the 411 on IGers who give us #skincaregoals on the daily. Here they break down their beauty routines on the inside and out, as well as the highly coveted products that grace their shelves and their skin.
Morgan Brown, better known on Instagram as @itsheymorgan, is a 22-year-old content creator taking the world by storm. "My favorite part about my work is that it didn't exist five years ago," she told xoNecole. "Although this is a challenging space, molding a career path that doesn't included a 1-2-3 step guide, I enjoy most the creative autonomy I have to create almost anything I want in my truest and most authentic voice, and self."
Whether it's through her IG-worthy travel journeys, her transparent af YouTube channel, or enviable excursions into being a skincare enthusiast, Morgan steadily proves she's a multifaceted creative to watch. And with an online following of over 52,000 and counting, she's found an untapped niche in providing beauty tips and tricks from a flawless and ever-glowing canvas. Her earliest memory of beauty was when she was five or six watching her mom's nighttime routine. "This would include removing her makeup, putting on eye cream, and tying her hair up in a silk scarf. This was the moment I learned: Never sleep in makeup, eye cream IS important, and if you want edges -- get you a silk scarf," she revealed.
In this installment of xoNecole's About Face, Morgan talks her daytime and nighttime routines, meditation, and the importance of being kissed by the sun.
My morning routine looks like...
"Mornings are so fun for me (I KNOW, actually weird). I enjoy them because it's the most intimate time and space I have with myself. So, typically a morning for me always start with prayer, a cup of coffee and the newest episode of 'ASK VIV'."
For my skincare routine in the AM...
"My daytime skin routine:
- Cleanse: Tatcha The Deep Cleanse Exfoliating Cleanser (Amazing for sensitive skin!)
- Serum: Joanna Vargas Revitalizing Serum (My go-to serum for months now. It leaves my skin super hydrated and glowy!)
- Moisturize: Seed Phytonutrients Hydrating Facial Lotion
- Face Oil: Lastly, I use Go-to Skincare Face Hero Oil (Super lightweight and soothing!)"
And for my skincare routine in the PM...
"At night? I would definitely say my routine is a bit more intense at night. I still include all the products in my daytime routine, with a few add-ons: Exfoliating with ELEMIS Blackcurrant Jelly Exfoliator (only 1-2x per week) and a good 'ol mask. i'm currently reaching for the Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask."
My go-to makeup look consists of...
"I am SUPER invested in my skin, so makeup isn't an everyday thing for me. However, there are days when an eyebrow, highlight and a bomb matte lip won't hurt."
How I approach beauty from the inside-out...
"Meditation, journaling and sitting in the sun."
What self-care looks like to me...
"Always, always, a good face mask, a warm cup of tea and silk PJ's."
How I do skincare when I travel...
"I am THAT girl when it comes to traveling with my entire skincare cabinet (Yes, entire). Traveling cannot stop this glow!"
For more of Morgan, follow her on Instagram.
Shop Morgan's Beauty Staples:
Featured image by Morgan Brown/Instagram
Originally published June 19, 2019
On her debut album,CTRL,SZA crooned about her desire to be a “Normal Girl.” Now, nearly eight years since its release, her Not Beauty line represents her commitment to existing outside of traditional beauty norms.
The singer whose real name is Solána Imani Rowe first teased the idea of a lip gloss line during Super Bowl LIX in February, noting that the release would be happening “very shortly.” Not Beauty debuted simultaneously with the Grand National Tour, which she co-headlines with Kendrick Lamar, in Minneapolis on April 19.
Each Not Beauty pop-up would offer fans the opportunity to purchase the glosses, learn more about the brand, and have the opportunity to meet the superstar in the flesh regardless of their ticket status.
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.”
Courtesy
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.
Courtesy
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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Feature image courtesy
Devale Ellis On Being A Provider, Marriage Growth & Redefining Fatherhood
In this candid episode of the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker talked with Devale Ellis, actor, social media personality, and star of Zatima, about modern masculinity, learning to be a better husband, emotional presence in marriage, fatherhood for Black men, and leading by example.
“I Wasn’t Present Emotionally”: Devale Ellis on Marriage Growth
Devale Ellis On Learning He Was a ‘Bad Husband’
Ellis grew up believing that a man should prioritize providing for his family. “I know this may come off as misogynistic, but I feel like it’s my responsibility as a man to pay for everything,” he said, emphasizing the wise guidance passed down by his father. However, five years into his marriage to long-time partner Khadeen Ellis, he realized provision wasn’t just financial.
“I was a bad husband because I wasn’t present emotionally… I wasn’t concerned about what she needed outside of the resources.”
Once he shifted his mindset, his marriage improved. “In me trying to be of service to her, I learned that me being of service created a woman who is now willing to be of service to me.”
On Redefining Masculinity and Fatherhood
For Ellis, “being a man is about being consistent.” As a father of four, he sees parenthood as a chance to reshape the future.
“Children give you another chance at life. I have four different opportunities right now to do my life all over again.”
He also works to uplift young Black men, reinforcing their worth in a world that often undermines them. His values extend to his career—Ellis refuses to play roles that involve domestic violence or sexual assault.
On Marriage, Family Planning, and Writing His Story
After his wife’s postpartum preeclampsia, Ellis chose a vasectomy over her taking hormonal birth control, further proving his commitment to their partnership. He and Khadeen share their journey in We Over Me, and his next book, Raising Kings: How Fatherhood Saved Me From Myself, is on the way.
Through honesty and growth, Devale Ellis challenges traditional ideas of masculinity, making his story one that resonates deeply with millennial women.
For the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker peels back the layers of masculinity with candid conversations that challenge stereotypes and celebrate vulnerability. Real men. Real stories. Real talk.
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 YouTube/xoNecole